New Reviews Are Up!

Check out reviews for the books above. Hundred Dollar Baby is the new Spenser novel, and Drive is a noir short novel that moves out at mach 1 speed.

New Young Adult Series On My Radar

Just read the first book of Joseph Delaney's Last Apprentice series. Set in the English villages of three or four hundred years ago, the books tell the stories of a young boy named Thomas Ward who has become the apprentice of the Spook -- the man responsible for chasing away ghosts and binding boggarts and witches in earthen prisons lined with salt and iron.

This isn't Harry Potter, folks. Delaney spins a mean tale that had me glancing over my shoulder while reading more than a few times. Kids who scare easily shouldn't read these because they've got a touch of Stephen King lurking in the tales, but adults can enjoy them too.

A short review is up at Amazon.com. Remember to vote for me! Longer reviews are posted at www.bookhound.wordpress.com and at www.blogcritics.org.

New Rogue Angel Cover

This one is coming in March '07, but I thought the cover was awesome and wanted to show it here. This is the kind of cover that will make people pick up books.

New Reviews Are Up

At Amazon

Go to Amazon for short reviews. Remember to vote for me!

You'll find longer reviews on most of these books at www.blogcritics.org and at www.bookhound.wordpress.com.

Thanks!

On Bookshelves Now!

Alex Archer's new ROGUE ANGEL book is out. Grab one, then grab one for a friend. It's almost Christmas and the book will make a great stocking stuffer!

Geoff Johns, Comics Writer and Screen Writer, To Visit Norman, Oklahoma October 28th


Comic book fans will get the rare chance to sit down with one of the hottest writers in comics this weekend.

Geoff Johns will be the guest of honor at a Norman fundraising dinner to benefit the Christopher Reeve Foundation on Oct. 28. The dinner will be one of only two appearances Johns will make during a short visit to Oklahoma.

"The Christopher Reeve Foundation is doing ground-breaking research in a field that is important to me and millions of others," Johns said.

"Christopher Reeve served as inspiration to all of us, overcoming his tragic accident to do work that will benefit all of mankind."

Johns is one of the hottest creators in comics. He is currently writing "Green Lantern," "Teen Titans," and "52," a weekly comic series exploring what happens when DC's three biggest heroes -- Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman -- step aside for a year.

Johns is also joining forces with legendary director Richard Donner for a new Superman storyline in "Action Comics" in October. Donner, who directed 1979's "Superman: The Movie," starring Reeve, will co-write the book with Johns.

Last month, Johns won a Wizard Fan Award for Best Writer in Comics and is widely considered one of the top creators in the field. He was also consulting producer on the "Blade" TV show.
Johns, who lives in Southern California, said he is excited about visiting Oklahoma.

"I like doing the convention circuit, but it's more rewarding to meet fans in their hometowns, on their own turf. It's more fun that way!" Johns said.

Attendance to the fundraiser, which will be held at a Norman restaurant, will be limited to only 10 people. The charity dinner is planned in conjunction with an exclusive signing at Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman.

"We wanted to keep the number of guests small. This ensures that the dinner remains intimate, and that everyone who attends will get to visit with Geoff," said Annette Price, owner of Speeding Bullet, which is sponsoring the dinner. "Getting a writer of Geoff's caliber to this part of the country is not something that happens everyday, and will be a real treat for fans."

Tickets to the dinner are $200 each, with 100 percent of the money raised benefiting the foundation and its research. Guests will be asked to make their checks directly to the Christopher Reeve Foundation. Tickets are tax-deductible and can only be purchased at Speeding Bullet.

People are urged to buy their tickets as soon as possible. Tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

The dinner will be from 8 to 10 p.m., following the store signing that day from 3 to 6 p.m. The store signing is free, however, fans are encouraged to arrive early, as heavy attendance is expected.

The Christopher Reeve Foundation, founded in part by Christopher Reeve, is recognized as the premier spinal cord injury research organization throughout the world.

Speeding Bullet will also donate 52 cents to the Christopher Reeve Foundation for every issue of "52" No. 1 sold. The comic retails for $2.50.

Speeding Bullet is one of the top comics shops in the Southwest and was honored with a Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing nomination in 2005.

For more information, visit www.speedingbulletcomics.com, or call
(405) 360-6866.

For more information about the Christopher Reeve Foundation, visit www.christopherreeve.org

What's For Dinner?

Last night my nine-year-old Chandler came home with his school portfolio. He was supposed to share it. So I looked it over.

Homework, examples of his writing in journal form, and questionaires he'd answered were included in the packet. I read all of them with interest. You really don't know how your child's mind works as a parent because you tend to think you already know.

Plus -- you simply don't ask the right questions.

On one of the questionaires, Chandler was asked if he'd rather be:
a) lizard
b) buzzard
c) snake

Personally, I would have pointed out how limited the selection of the species were. But that's how I think.

Chandler went with it and gave them an answer. That's my boy: always one for answers.

He chose a snake.

Below the question and answer, the kids were supposed to state why they chose the animal they did.

Chandler's answer was simple and well-thought out. He replied, "I bet mice would taste better than ants and dead animals."

All things considered, I have to admit that he's probably right.

Justice League Heroes! It's Cape And Cowl Time, Baby!

Last week a momentous occasion sent me, my 9-year-old, and my 17-year-old churning through the streets of Gotham, er, Norman. Justice League Heroes released and we had to have it. We haven't been united in a group effort in a while.

We had a blast, because the game wasn't at the first two places we looked. Aha! We were stymied! Evil was afoot!

But in the end, we prevailed. (It's 'cause our hearts are pure and we have bodacious superpowers!)

The game was a blast and had the whole family playing during Fall Break. Read my longer review at www.blogcritics.org and a shorter one at www.amazon.com.

Don't forget to vote and comment! I'm slowly heading to a Top 1000 Reviewer slot at Amazon!

New Reviews Posted!

Okay, people, visit me at www.amazon.com for my latest reviews in short form, and at www.bookhound.wordpress.com for the longer ones.

Jacob Taylor And His Family Need Help

Jacob Taylor was first diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) when he was only 2 years old. He enjoyed almost 5 years of cancer-free life but then relapsed with ALL in 2004 and again in 2006.

Jacob is currently undergoing chemotherapy to get his body ready for a much needed bone marrow transplant. He will have to travel to MD Anderson in Houston, Texas for his transplant. He will have to stay there for two to four months.

Please help us ease his family's financial burden so that they can focus on Jacob's recovery. Thank you.

You can make check donations to:

Jacob Taylor Fund
C/O Bank of America
3600 West Main
Norman, OK 73072
Acct. 00304256521

Meredith Fletcher's New Book!

Coming in December 2006, Meredith Fletcher's new book. Check out this exciting author!

SoonerCon Returns In 2007!

SoonerCon was an absolutely fantastic SF/fantasy convention back in the 1980s and 1990s. I loved going. Always took my whole family.

This coming summer -- June 8, 9, and 10 -- I'll be taking them again. I just found out today that they're going to do a con.

You can buy tickets now and save yourself $10 or get in at the door.

Check out the details at www.soonercon.com.

I really recommend SoonerCon if you're interested in SF, fantasy, anime, gaming, etc. I'll keep you updated as I find out more details.

New Reviews Posted

I've got new reviews posted at www.amazon.com and www.bookhound.wordpress.com. Please feel free to go there and check them out. And vote! I love the votes. One of my goals is to become a Top 1000 Reviewer at Amazon.

Want To Hear A Scary Story?

Check out the month-long, weekly scary tales at www.bookloons.com. They're one of the most respected book reviewers on the internet these days.

http://www.bookloons.com/ebooks/ThrillerChiller%20Theater.html

Enjoy. And leave a light on at night!

Looking For A Few Good Reviewers

I've got advance copies of the third ROGUE ANGEL book for FREE! If you'd like to have one FREE to review, please send me your mailing address. All I ask in exchange is a review on your blogspot and a posting at Amazon.com and/or Barnes & Noble.com.

Limited copies. First come, first served.

Book Got Canceled Today

Just got the news today that this book is canceled, so even though you can pre-order it on Amazon, it's not going to happen.

I don't know any of the details involved with the decision, only that all three of the novels initially ordered were canceled. So my novel will disappear...Without A Trace.

Bones -- a TV series review

Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Central time

Last year I fell in love with this series. Sharp writing. Engaging characters. Good, solid mysteries with off-beat science and always a tug at emotion. If you want to know how good storytelling is done, check this series out. The first season is coming out on DVD in November. I've got my set pre-ordered. Looking forward to watching it again.

The series features Emily Deschanel as Temperance Brennan (if the name sounds familiar, that's the name of Kathy Reichs's main character in her bestselling novels). She's an ex-foster kid who struggles with understanding anything that isn't science and matter-of-fact.

David Boreanaz stars as Special Agent-In-Charge Seely Booth, an ex-special forces warrior turned FBI agent. He's got heart and can read people the way Brennan reads bones.

They're aided and abetted by Dr. Jack Hodgins (T. J. Thyme) who specializes in soil, bugs, and plants, Zach Addy (Eric Millegan) who is Brennan's graduate assistant, and Angela Montenegro (Michaela Conlin) who is an artist and can reconstruct a face from a skull.

The series is deftly written, always a mixture of emotion, science, humor, and relationships. I learn something with every episode, and I always feel emotionally drained and buoyed at the same time. Always get the good with the bad.

The team works out of the Washington Smithsonian and only deals with cases involving bones that can't be identified anywhere else. Although that seems to be a little more lax this season. Still, the fantastic layman's science (this year's Hodgins and Zach Mr. Wizard moment with an artificial skeleton made of sediment and covered in SPAM and burned in a high-intensity fire rivals last year's frozen pig shot through a woodchipper!) and the quick pacing moves the stories along.

If you haven't seen this series before, check it out. Booth and Bones (Brennan's nickname by way of Booth) are still looking for her father -- who may have killed her mother, and the romance between Hodgins and Angela is heating up. Even more exciting is the antagonistic relationship between Bones and her new boss, Dr. Camilla Saroyan -- who just happens to be one of Booth's ex-lovers.

This is TV worth staying up for!

New Project Up And Running

If you've ever wanted to peer over a writer's shoulder as he put a book together, I invite you to go to www.workingthemagic.blogspot.com. I'm working on an as-yet-unnamed juvenile novel there to show interested writers how I put the pieces together.

Feel free to comment and ask questions. Email me if I miss them.

New Review Up

Go to www.bookhound.wordpress.com for my latest review there. Thanks for helping create traffic!

Just Trying To Help Out

I found this on Rinda Elliott's THE WRITE SNARK wordpress blog(http://relliott4.wordpress.com/) and thought I would help out. Apex is a science-fiction/horror magazine that has come out of nowhere and been gaining favorable reviews. Apparently the editor needs a little help. I read his letter. I was moved. So I print it here in the hopes that it helps make a difference.

And, yes, I'm subscribing.

From Rinda:

Now, for some difficult news. You all know how much I like Apex Digest. Great writing, wonderful editor who has become a friend of mine — every issue has had stories that stuck in my mind long after I finished them. I caught this post on his blog today and I’m sharing because it had to be a difficult post.

So, if you like sci-fi or horror and have had thoughts of checking out Apex, now would be a great time to giving them a try. And if any of you are familiar with the magazine and think it’s great, spread the word.
________
This is my own personal horror story. In it, I play the guy whose pride won’t let him ask for help when he sees that he needs it. I might have waited too late, even now. Hubris can be a complicated personality trait. It’s one that I’m struggling with at the moment.

See, I’m having to come out to the public that Apex needs help. That I need help. Like, within two weeks.

Those who know me that my hubris is a personality flaw.

But this damn magazine means too much to me.

The story starts out well. A nice guy, me, starts a science-fiction and horror magazine. He loves it. He puts his own money into it. To his delight, the critics respond well to the stories. It goes into Barnes and Nobles. It starts breaking even. Who cares if he has a small debt from starting it? He’s paying that back and things are golden. He is proud of his magazine.

You see where this is going, don’t you? The word “pride” is your cue that things are about to go south.

This nice guy loses his job. He has four months of unemployment, but he keeps putting the magazine out. That small debt starts to get bigger. But he keeps his writers and artists paid and delivers the magazine on time. The printer is understanding and lets him slide on payments.
If the nice guy had asked for help then, he wouldn’t have needed to slide on payments. But he has a lot of pride and thinks he could tough it out. Then the nice guy gets a new job, which proves his point. He starts paying down the debt to his printer.

If this weren’t a horror story that would be the happy ending. There would be butterflies and fuzzy kittens. But this is a horror story.

We never see the printer’s POV, so we don’t know why the email is sent. All the nice guy knows is that the printer wants all of the money and wants it now. He doesn’t have it.

At the moment, I don’t know how this story will end.

All of Apex’s distributors rightfully expect their copies of the magazine within the next couple of weeks. Apex subscribers rightfully expect their copies within the next couple of weeks.

If I fail to get Apex #7 out to the distributors and subscribers, the story ends. I’ve begged and borrowed as much as I can. Now I’m dropping my pride and admitting that I need help publicly. I need 200 new subscribers to create the revenue required to pay off the debt to the printer.

Tell me how my story ends. You have the power. It’s sort of like one of those cool “choose your adventure” books from childhood.

Subscriptions

Television Round-Up For The Week

I love some of the television shows that are on out there, and others I enjoy watching a lot. Due to deadlines and classes, I didn't get to watch much this week. Yet. I've got CSI: Miami, Bones, House, and a few others waiting on me. I'll get to them.

But after the rain canceled Thurday's ballgame (and I had the forethought to put on a big pot of chili), Sherry and I got to stay home and watch CSI and Shark's premiere.

Here's my report card.

CSI is off to a truly weird start. Notice the picture above. This is where the episode ended. With the murder of an unknown guy (Danny Bonaduce from The Partridge Family -- how's that for weird right off the bat?). Only there's been a model made of the murder scene -- a dollhouse -- that exactly matches the crime scene. And Catherine Willows evidently got drugged at the bar and date-raped. She does her own crime-scene gathering.

The dollhouse thing is intriguing, but I know it's a gimmick. Still, if they pull it together I know it'll be good. The other plot involving Catherine I feel is just wrong. Gathering evidence herself is going to break the chain of evidence -- no witnesses, and she's definitely prejudiced. Unless she figures she's after a serial rapist and thinks she'll catch him on a DNA cold hit and not have to talk to anyone about what happened to her. But, again, I disagree with that. Catherine is an ex-stripper. Ex-strippers are targets for sexual predators. Even if Catherine had never been raped, she'd have known women who were. Hiding it doesn't fix it. She has to tell someone.

The opening sequence with Circus de Soelil was awesome. Amazing visual stuff. Too expensive to do all the time, though, even for the #1 rated TV show. William Petersen has elected to shave the beard off, which jars a litle. Then they've evidently decided to keep his relationship with Sara Sidle quiet -- at least for the moment.

However, Grey's Anatomy (watched the first season and loved it) beat out the season opener. It's going to be a tough season for both shows as they go head-to-head. TIVO anyone?

Shark stars James Woods, who I just love to watch act. There's no one else who chews through dialogue and frenzy better than Woods. I like the idea of him being a big-time defense attorney who becomes the head of a high-profile prosecution team working out of the district attorney's office.

The story moved along quickly and introdueced Sebastion Stark, his motivation to give up defense work, and his sixteen-year-old daughter who is there to alternately take care of him and drive him crazy.

There was nothing new here, nothing absolutely fantastic. But it's James Woods, people. You can't go wrong with James Woods. For the moment, it is the season's most watched new show.

Numb3rs is off to a flying start with its third season. Except for the whole cliffhanger ending that I truly didn't expect.

I love this show for the characters (the relationship between the dad and the two sons, one a math genius and the other an FBI agent is dynamic and remains fresh even after the previous two seasons).

Also back for the season-opened, Lou Diamond Philips' sniper character. Mucho cool. The three of them together pursuing the bad guys are just phenomenal.

This time around, Don and Charlie are after a spree killer, a former high school teacher and a teen football player. She's got an agenda they put together at the end of the show -- right before the cliffhanger.

This show also made math cool and won the Carl Sagan award for raising the public perception of science. If you're not watching Numb3rs you should be.

Another Review Posted At Amazon Today

Busy day. I've got a lot on my plate lately.

I really enjoyed this film much more than I thought I would have. Being familiar with the story, I expected zero entertainment value. Figured I could turn it on and off at my leisure. Instead, I was mesmerized, and it was a nice 90-minute feature that took me straight through to the end.

George Clooney co-wrote, acted, and directed in the film. Much more talented than I'd believed. He hit this one dead-on, and got six Academy Award nominations for his efforts. Not a bad haul.

If you haven't seen it, it's worth a look. You'll find my review at:

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Luck-HD-DVD/dp/B000HEVZ8A/sr=1-4/qid=1158960693/ref=sr_1_4/102-6554204-3089743?ie=UTF8&s=dvd

New Review Posted At Amazon

I'm finishing up a review for www.avrev.com where I write DVD and HD DVD reviews and posted a short one about this HD DVD at Amazon. I was really impressed with the transfer and look forward to other old movies that are favorites of mine getting the same treatment.

You can find the review at:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product//B000HEVZ8K/ref=cm_rv_thx_view/102-6554204-3089743?ie=UTF8

Thanks for voting!

MIDNIGHT FOR CHARLIE BONE Reviews Posted

I had a lot of fun reading this one to Chandler. It's fast-paced, full of mystery, and has a feel-good quality that we both enjoyed.

You'll find reviews posted at www.bookhound.wordpress.com (a long one), and a shorter one at www.amazon.com. You can get to either through links on this page.

New Product Placement At Amazon

Went to Quartz Mountain this weekend to do a workshop (had a great time with a wonderful bunch of ladies!) and got to try out my new Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 With GPS locator. It worked amazingly well.

For my review, go to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product//B000AOGDM0/ref=cm_rv_thx_view/102-6554204-3089743?ie=UTF8

At Amazon

The Next ROVER book is out in March 2007!

Wow, I'm really excited about this one. This is the cover my brilliant editor Brian Thomsen wanted for the first book but we didn't get for some reason.

Maybe it was because -- as it turns out -- this cover is PERFECT for the book it's on.

For fans of the series, you get both Edgewick (Wick) Lamplighter and Juhg in this one. Juhg follows up clues left by his mentor, the previous Grandmagister at the Vault of All Known Knowledge, and gets to read unpublished adventures of Wick's earlier journeys.

Early readers of the books have had a great time with them.

I'm going to sponser a contest to give away a few free copies of the book (some of them are already gone to websites that are going to post reviews) when it comes out.

Stay tuned!

New Book Review Posted At Bookhound

I'm off to Tulsa for a speaking engagement tonight, so wish me luck. In the meantime, there's a new book review up at www.bookhound.wordpress.com (Mel's Book Reviews link).

The book is Shane Berryhill's Chance Fortune and the Outlaws, a YA novel about a superhero school. Josh Blevins (Chance Fortune) has no superpowers, but gets in on sheer pluck by claiming to be EXTRA LUCKY. Now that he's can, can he continue to make the grade? I had a lot of fun with this one.

From the Mailbox

I get a lot of nice letters from a lot of nice people. Most writers do. The people that don't like your books generally don't read them and won't take the time to look up your email or write you to let you know they don't like something you did.

However, on a recent Sunday and Monday, I got these two letters, which I'll share with you. Just to let you know that a writer's life isn't always filled with adoration.


Do you think it's appropriate to be writing Buffy novels aimed at children when you show such intolerance for others by associating with the left behind books? Reeally - an entire book series devoted purely to punishing non-believers and we're to believe childrens' fiction should be left in your hands? Give me a break.

Kind of stung, I have to admit. Especially with no address, no salutation. But I gave my best reply.

I think I'm more generous in my view of the world than some.

Instead of focusing on people who write fiction to support their family and dump on them, I coach little league baseball and basketball and try to make the small corners of the world I inhabit a better place.

Believe it or not, there are many who don't think the Buffy world should be shown to young adults. I'm not in that camp. I believe that young adults should read whatever catches their imagination. Whether it's Buffy or Left Behind. I've even got readers who read both and find no problem with that.

I save my outrage for child molesters.

Then this one (more polite but still vicious).

Good day sir,

I have just finished reading your novel, Paid in blood.

Was disappointed in it.
There were glaring errors in it, (you should research more diligently)
Poor characters I find it hard to believe that a commander would in charge of an entire aircraft carrier.
Ohio class missile subs carry ballistic missiles not tomahawks and I doubt they carry 154 of them
Plot line was not very good either I kept hoping that it would improve it did not.
Characters do not ask the readers to get on their side (no development)

Poor workmanship Sir, you got some of my money but you will not get anymore of it

Ouch! Questioning my research? I admit, I have made some mistakes over the years. (Ask me about the time I had a law enforcement team invade a room, confront 6 bad guys, kill 9 of them and take prisoners!). But I think I responded as politely under the circumstances as I could.

For your edification:

A commander is the XO (executive officer, SECOND in command).

Also

SSBN Ohio Class Ballistic Missile Submarine, USA

The Ohio class submarines serve the United States Navy as the virtually undetectable undersea launch platforms of intercontinental missiles. The Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics, based at Groton, Connecticut, has built 18 Ohio submarines, commissioned between 1981 and 1997. The submarines of the Pacific Fleet are based at Bangor, Washington, and those of the Atlantic Fleet at King's Bay, Georgia. The submarines spend 70 days at sea followed by 25 days in dock for overhaul.

SSGN CONVERSION

Under the requirements of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, START II, which was agreed in June 1992, the number of strategic missile submarines was limited to 14 from the year 2002. Rather than decommissioning these four submarines, the US Navy is converting them to SSGNs (conventionally armed nuclear-powered) submarines. In September 2002, Electric Boat received a contract for the conversion of USS Ohio (SSBN 726), Michigan (727), Florida (728) and Georgia (729). The submarines are being refitted with up to 154 Tomahawk TLAM (land attack) or Tactical Tomahawk (Block IV) missiles and will also be capable of conducting special operations missions with accommodation for Northrop Grumman Advanced SEAL delivery systems (ASDS), mission control centre and 102 special operations troops.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is modifying the Trident fire control system for the Tomahawk weapon control. Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems is adapting the missile launch tubes, developing a Multiple All Up Round Canister (MAC) which will provide storage and launch of up to seven Tomahawk missiles from each of the submarine's 22 missile tubes.

USS Ohio began conversion in November 2002 and this was completed in January 2006, when the ship rejoined the fleet following sea trials in December 2005. USS Florida began the SSGN conversion in July 2003 and rejoin the fleet in April 2006. The conversion of all four submarines is to be completed in 2008. SSBN's USS Pennsylvania and USS Kentucky have shifted homeport from Kings Bay to Bangor to balance the strategic force.

In January 2003, USS Florida took part in Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) experiment “Giant Shadow” to test the capabilites of the new SSGNs. The experiment included validation launches of two Tomahawk missiles, the first ever launch of a UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) and insertion of a Navy SEALS force. The SSGN will have the capacity to accommodate 66 SEALS.

You can find this at http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/ohio/

And I understand that not all books work for everyone. That’s why they make different shoe sizes as well.

Generally I make it a practice not to respond, but I was stressed and felt defensive. Writers write mostly to be understood, I think. And I wanted them to know my point of view. I never heard anything back, so maybe they blocked my responses. Don't know. I shared the stories with a couple friends and they suggested I post it here.

Hopefully this won't attract a flame war.

Kid Story

I designate Wednesdays for stories about my kids (until I run out of them or they become painful).

These two are about my daughter, Montana, who's 20 and married and has become a hair stylist just the way she always wanted (and we always knew she would be).

First, when she was four, her mom bought her some fingernail polish which -- since I was the stay-at-home dad with the writing job -- I ended up having to deal with the most. Anyway, her older brother Matt was seven. In the summer I let the kids stay up late and watch monster movies because it suited my writing schedule better (lucky kids!) and because after they went to bed they didn't dare get up because the movie monsters might be lurking (bad -- but smart -- dad).

So Matt was tired in the afternoon after having gotten up early. He crashed on the couch in shorts and a tee shirt. While he was asleep, Montana broke out her fingernail polish and covered his fingers up to the first joint. She also did his toes. He was a hard sleeper and slept through all of it.

When he woke up, still groggy, he thought his fingers and toes had been amputated and screamed bloody murder! It took a little while to calm him down.

Then, after Sherry and I were married, Montana was eight. We went up to Minnesota (where Sherry's family is from) to meet everyone (lots of brothers and sisters begat numerous nieces and nephews).

While we were in Randall, the big town a short distance from Motley where Sherry's mom lived, Montana was peering around downtown (it's all on one side of the street because the railroad tracks run through on the other side -- see how big it is? It has its own train!).

Abruptly, Montana made a displeased sound and said, "That's gross."

Since Minnesota has that whole casserole thing going on (which is where you prepare a meal, then scrape it into a covered dish, smother it in mashed potatoes and bake it a while longer), I figured she probably had a point (I've since learned to appreciate casseroles and not spend half of my dinner time trying to separate the ingredients back out).

I asked, "What's gross?"

"That." She pointed at the creamery right across the railroad tracks (see! It's big! Even has its own creamery!).

"The creamery?"

"Yeah."

"Why is that gross?"

"Shouldn't they do that at the funeral home? Somewhere so people can't see it?"

Then I realized she thought the creamery was a crematorium. After cracking up a while and getting her totally irritated at me, I explained the difference.

There's nothing like the viewpoint of a child. Or even a teenager.

Have I Told You Lately How Much I Love Watching My Son Play Baseball?

At first base, taking away a base hit with those stretchy arms!

At Amazon



Death of Innocence

John Grisham's latest book has me confused. It's his first foray into nonfiction -- and it has to do with the 24-year old unsolved homicide of a girl I knew.

Debbie Carter, the murder victim, grew up in Ada, Oklahoma. I grew up in Francis, Oklahoma, only 12 miles outside of town. In the 1970s when I lived there, Ada had a population of around 13,000. That was because of East Central University.

Debbie was one of my sister-in-law's best friends. I'd gotten married at 19 and my wife and I sometimes had her kid sister over with Debbie. The girls were 15 at the time. I remember Debbie as alternately shy and boistrous. It depended on the situation. Looking back now, from the age of 48 instead of 19, I realize how young she truly was. And even how young she was when she was murdered at 21.

Debbie and Donna, my sister-in-law, taught me how to two-step at the Ken Lance Sports Arena just outside of Ada. They were fun and boy-crazy at the time. That much hasn't changed with teenage girls. They were 17, sneaking into the bar with sheer moxie. (Of course, all the teens did back then because Ada was a small town and you couldn't make any money by keeping people OUT of the bars.) Getting in just wasn't that big of a deal.

I'd moved to Oklahoma City in 1981. In 1982, two weeks before Debbie was murdered, my wife and I returned to Ada and hung out with Debbie, Donna, and my brother-in-law Bobby who was just back from the Air Force. We closed Ken Lance down, then went to the Waffle House for breakfast. We talked and laughed, and Bobby and Debbie got a little twitterpatted because they hadn't seen each other in a long time, and Debbie at 21 didn't look like his obnoxious sister's little friend any more.

That was the last time I saw Debbie. My mom called me to let me know Debbie had been killed. Raped, tortured, and murdered. At the time, those were only things that happened on television to people I didn't know.

It was a major turning point in my life. A wake-up call that nobody was guaranteed any length of time on this planet. A death of my innocence too in many ways.

Debbie's murder was also one of the reasons I was so overprotective with my children while they were growing up, and even while they're married and out of the home. I couldn't help myself. I still can't. I knew bad things happened to innocents because something happened to Debbie. I still know they happen.

I followed the investigation, even talked to OSBI Agent Mel Golden, who was one of the investigators who worked the case. Five years after the murder, investigators had to exhume Debbie's body to fingerprint her. It turned out the bloody palm prints on her wall they were trying to pin a suspect to were her own.

In this day and age, with all the CSI awareness going on, fingerprinting the victim would be a common thing. But it just goes to show how ill-prepared that community was for something so horrible to happen. We weren't prepared for a murder like that. Husbands killed wives or vice versa sometimes, but there was no mystery to it. Just a sadness and an acceptance and outrage if you knew (or were related to) the victim.

Ronnie Williamson (an ex-baseball player) and Dennis Fritz (a teacher) were tried and convicted for Debbie's murder. One of them was placed on death row. Eleven years later, they were released. It turns out the DNA evidence was corrupted by Dr. Joyce Gilcrist, whose handiwork overturned a lot of cases eventually.

Another suspect was arrested and another conviction was rendered. Now Glen Gore, the man who was last convicted of Debbie's murder, arranged another trial. In which he accused Ronnie Williamson of being the murderer.

Now, 24 years later, nobody except the murderer(s) and Debbie truly know what happened to her.

I don't read all of Grisham's work, but I read a lot of it. However, I'm wary of this book. All too often the victims are dragged through the mud more than the murderers. Debbie was 21 when she was killed. She was a kid in so many ways, especially growing up in that small town. At 21, she wasn't grown. She'd just moved into her own apartment and was the child of divorced parents back in the 1970s, which wasn't an everyday thing then as it is now.

She was an innocent, and I hope Grisham has portrayed her that way. That's the way I remember her.

News and Reviews

I've been busy trying to wrap a book, teach classes, coach baseball, get reviews done, and get new material in the hands of editors. As a result, I haven't gotten to blog as much as I'd like.

Remind me to rant about computers and law enforcement, and how citizens can't get informations about their driving records that everyone else seems to have (not me, my son who's been going through one of the worst weeks of his life). I got a tirade coming on that one that you'll enjoy.

In the meantime, there are new book reviews up at www.bookhound.wordpress.com. Take a look and see if there's anything you can't live without.

Introducing My New Book Review Page

Since I've been told by some readers that they come to my blog to find out what I'm doing, not necessarily to find out what I'm reading or watching, I decided to start a book review page so people interested in what I'm reading can go there.

It's at www.bookhound.wordpress.com. Hope you find something there we can agree on.

I'm still posting abbreviated reviews at Amazon. Folks seem to like those there, and I do some for www.blogcritics.org. But for myself (and to keep track of everything I've read during a year!) I decided to start the BookHound blog.

For the rest of you, I'll try to continue to have an interesting life (which, by the way, is a Chinese curse, thank you very much). I only have two kids at home these days, so things are somewhat calmer.

However, I find I'm increasingly opinionated!

Yep! That's My Boy!

Taught Him Everything He Knows!

(And Yes, His Mother Holds Me Accountable!)

Scooping up a grounder at first base!

Killing a run at first base!

Giving a batter grief!

And swinging for the fences.

Of course as a proud father, I'm going to show you his pictures. (And as blogger, I'm only going to show you the good ones.)

Get out to a ballpark and find a team to support! There's fresh air, and you'll appreciate your airconditioner more when you return home.

Library Visit September 8th

I've been invited to speak at the Hardesty Regional Library in Tulsa on September 8th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.



8316 E. 93rd St.Tulsa, OK 74133
(918) 250-7307
Mon.-Thurs., 9-9; Fri. & Sat., 9-5Sun., 1-5

The event is called Chapter: A Casual Evening With Books, Bards and Bites.

Event Description: Enjoy entertaining authors, a silent auction and delectable nibbles from some of your favorite restaurants at this fund-raiser benefiting Tulsa City-County Library's Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service. Featured authors are: Marian Clark, Tulsan and author of "The Route 66 Cookbook" and "The Main Street of America Cookbook," and co-author with Michael Wallis of "Hogs on 66"; Mel Odom, author of numerous books, including fantasy, science fiction, horror and young adult novels; and Nancy Pickard, a prolific writer well-known to mystery readers, whose works include the popular "Jenny Cain" series. Tickets are $35. Call 596-7897 for reservations.

This event is for adults. Sponsors: Sponsored by the Tulsa Library Trust

Fall Baseball Opening Night!

People who really know me know that I spend a lot of time with my kids every chance I get. I've coached little league baseball for 15 years now, managing to coach each one of my boys. (I was moral support for my daughter's volleyball and softball games.)

I love coaching baseball, but that's mainly because I love watching kids play. When you watch pros, you expect big plays or an absence of mistakes. But in little league, sometimes you get to watch plenty of big plays and mistakes that make the game downright unpredictable and exciting.

In the picture above, that's my son Chander (age 8) coming into homeplate. He loves making a dirt cloud. He plays first base and ended up converting two ground-outs and four assists. He also contributed pterodactyl squawks and velociraptor screeches (he's just learned how to do those, oh joy!).

I love baseball. If you have a park nearby, go. Take the kids. You can enjoy several levels of play and (if it's not a tournament) spectators are usually allowed in free. Buy a couple of hot dogs and a drink and you escape gate fees and overpriced concession stand prices. It's entertainment for the whole family.

Who knows? You might just find a team to back for the whole season!

Buy At Amazon


I've Got A New Short Story Out

"The Affair of the Wooden Boy" is a short story I did for Denise Little's wonderful anthology. It features a Pinocchio twist in a Victorian London-like city filled with magic, vampires, and gargoyles, and begins:

Dark things are drawn to my husband. I know this to be true and I no longer question why. I love him, and I think it would be harder for me to imagine someone not feeling the way I do than in why it is so.

His physician, Dr. Theophilus Hyde-Whyte, thinks it was because my husband was born dead. His heart was not beating when he was taken from his mother’s womb. Thankfully, Dr. Hyde-Whyte had a hedgewitch on hand that knew about such things. She placed a palm over my beloved’s chest and shocked his heart back to beating.

My husband believes the hedgewitch saved his life. I choose to believe he is so strong that his first breath could not be denied to him, and that his life will have to be torn from him because he will never willingly give it up.

His mother insists that he was born with a caul over his face and therefore sees the dark things in a different light than most. When he was a child of twelve, a fortuneteller predicted that my beloved’s life will always be connected to the darkness.

I do hope so, for his interaction with the dark things that come calling bring him joy and challenge. But I fear for him as well, because everyone knows the darkness is unmerciful when it finds a weakness.

The gargoyles that perch on buildings and listen to secrets in the streets and in the structures they watch over come to life at night and whisper what they know to my husband. He has an arrangement with them, you see, based on favors he has done them in the past. Travelers searching for arcane objects and rumors of those objects consult with him and the vast library we keep in our large home. Hansom cab drivers across the city know to refer these people to my husband.

These visits from strangers seeking the mystical often prove diverting and titillating, making for long discussions in front of the roaring fire in my husband’s study, which I am fortunate enough to be invited to partake in. My beloved trusts my instincts and judgments in such matters because I have proven quick-witted and insightful. He has always known me to be so, but I fear that I wasn’t the case before I met him. My continued association with him, my love for him and his love for me, have all contributed to changing my views of the world and of dark things.

Occasionally, the Drummond Police Department detectives come calling. Usually Inspector Charles Kirklyn is sent round our way. Despite his hardened demeanor and quick temper – one the result of growing up in the Gutbucket, that section of Drummond where the poor and lawless live, and the other a mark of his heritage as Khellenan, though he didn’t grow up as his forebears did on the Isle of Khell where kelpies sometimes still lure ships to their deaths – Kirklyn is a good man. I would like him even if he didn’t treasure my husband’s friendship; but he does and so I welcome him into our home without reservation.

The police only send Kirklyn round when they have exhausted all other avenues involving a particularly offensive and strange crime or murder they wish to solve. With any other inspector, though, I fear those meetings are more the result of suspicion about my husband than of an attempt to gain his assistance.

My husband, a very intelligent man, always sees through their subterfuge and chooses not to feel threatened or slighted. I fear I am not so generous as he. But, should the puzzle prove challenging, he accepts the niggardly stipend they offer (though we are wealthy and do not need it) and applies his knowledge, wits, and – sometimes – sword and pistol to the solution of that mystery. He does love intrigues so.

I would prefer to live out the life we have together in our house in the city or – more my choice – at the manor house and lands that are ours in the countryside. But mysteries don’t often find their way to our doorstep out there. So I abide, loving him and enjoying what I wish of Drummond’s busy nightlife.

My beloved’s name is James Stark, but he holds title in the Court of Lords as Lord Gallatin. Others know him as a consulting investigator, the only one in Drummond who specializes in the occult. He has cards printed that find their way into the hands of those who need his services, and those worthy of my husband’s time and his precious blood are guided to our door by direction or by fate.

That night, when the case began – which I have taken the liberty of calling The Affair of the Wooden Boy for reasons which you’ll quickly come to understand – we were at home after just returning from a Siahnea play. Both of us had looked forward to the play, for it was the first of its culture to ever be imported to Drummond. ... As if the fates had joined together, there came a tentative knock at our door. Although we didn’t know it at the time, my husband’s claim to be ready for anything was about to be challenged.

He excused himself from my presence and went to answer the door. He had given Thom, our houseman, the evening off. Curious myself at who would come calling this late at night, knowing that it had to be connected to my husband’s predilection for mysteries, murder, and mayhem, I stood and walked to the hallway to watch him answer the knock. Every now and again, I’ve been able to prevent harm that might otherwise befall him. He has his strengths and I have mine. We complement each other.

James reached into his pocket for the pistol he habitually carries. He had learned even before meeting me that his fascinations often proved dangerous. His body is scarred from swords, knives, and bullets. When he opened the door, he didn’t immediately invite in whoever stood there. Dark things, as you may know, often require an invitation to step into a person’s home.

“Fascinating,” he whispered.

Drawn by his surprise, I joined him at the door. Outside, thick white snowflakes tumbled through the air and drifted into masses that promised at least another foot on top of the winter’s leavings thus far into the season. Cabs and coaches pulled by sure-footed horses, and sometimes exotic creatures less seen in day, crossed the street in a rumble of wheels, heading in both directions. Gaslight streetlamps carved holes in the night. Golden glows played against a few other windows, for most of Drummond is early to bed and early to rise because it is a city of merchants and warehouses.

When I saw our prospective visitor, even I – who had seen nearly everything my husband had seen – was almost bowled over. For there on our doorstep, illuminated by the stoop lamp, stood a little wooden boy.

How can you resist? You can't, of course. You simply have to get the book and see what I did. I loved the characters of Lord and Lady Gallatin and would like very much to write a full-length novel featuring them at some point.

If you like it, let me know. And post to www.amazon.com so others will know!

Gotta See It!

Samuel L. Jackson is going to push this movie over the top. This is the most publicized movie I think I've seen in years that came out of nowhere. Admittedly, the Star Wars franchise got a lot of ink and splash in the media, but SNAKES ON A PLANE has come out of nowhere and gone completely bonkers.

I saw the trailer and thought, how dumb.

I saw it a few other times and thought, I could have come up with that.

Now we have SNAKES ON A PLANE Sudoku and cell phone pranking by Samuel L. Jackson himself that is personalized to a surprising degree. The advertising and buzz for this movie has become a moonshot.

Samuel L. Jackson is laughing all the way to the bank. Monday night on Letterman, he won me over again. I've been a fan of his for a long time (loved him in JACKIE BROWN) and have seen everything he's made (including his bit part in GOODFELLAS).

Billed as a suspense story, filled with creepy slithering things, SNAKES ON A PLANE is going to become an instant cult classic like TREMORS and some of the other B movies that went supernova.

And you have to admit, there's a very thin line sometimes between things that are dumb and things that we love for reasons we can't even explain to ourselves.

Okay, Samuel L. Jackson, you snake-wrangling guy, you. Bring 'em on!

And We Have Our Second Winner!

Julia Mozingo just became the second winner of the new NCIS #2 book, BLOOD EVIDENCE, coming out the first quarter of 2007!

Check out her site at: http://juliamozingo.blogspot.com/

I'm giving away 15 copies of the new novel when it's published to people who post a picture of themselves reading NCIS #1: PAID IN BLOOD on their webpage. I've still got copies left to give.

Thanks, Julia! Happy reading!

If you don't have a webpage and want a free one, sign up for one at www.blogspot.com and keep your peeps apprised of your life!

"THIS AIN'T NO BANK ROBBERY!"

I watched the movie with Sherry tonight and we both enjoyed it. The pacing is a little slow, though you don't really notice that because the scenes are short and the story weaves through the viewpoint of three main characters. There also wasn't as much explosive action as I'd thought there might be given the trailers I'd seen. (Lots of guns and smoke grenades had been flashed!)

However, INSIDE MAN satisfies the puzzle solver in me. Sherry and I enjoy watching movies and trying to see which one of us will come up with the answer first. She's clever, so I have to really be on my toes. However, my knowledge of history put me in the lead early on this one.

Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, and Christopher Plummer really do their roles justice in this one. What looks like a botched bank robbery actually turns out to be a very twisted caper that I found enjoyable and easy to sink into.

However, there were several plot holes that the writer in me screamed to have filled or dealt with. That's the beauty of film, though. Viewers in theaters can't just stop the film and point out the failings the way readers can with books.

The language earns the film its rating, not the violence, which is kept at a surprising minimum. This one's all about suspense and plot convolutions as the characters try to get the upper hand on the situation -- and each other.

It's Superhero Time, Baby!

Chandler and I watched the first Ultimate Avengers movie earlier this year and enjoyed it quite a lot. So we were definitely excited when we found out there was a second one in the works. Not only that, but the Black Panther was going to co-star in this one as well. Way cool!

The DVD came out in the stores on Tuesday. Fighting a book deadline, I didn't notice it was Tuesday till Wednesday. I picked up the movie on Wednesday. But by Wednesday, Chandler deserted me to spend the night with a friend.

I put the movie on a shelf and glowered at it. Watching it by myself just wasn't the same.

Thursday, after martial arts practice, Chandler wanted to watch the movie. Unfortunately, by that time I had to teach class. I told him he had to wait.

He glowered at the DVD.

But, after class, I went home and got greeted by one of those "Dad! You're home!" greetings they used to sell on 1950s television shows. It made me feel good.

We kicked Mom off the bigscreen and she finished watching the Yankees and White Sox battle it out on the HD TV monitor in the bedroom in total comfort.

Chandler and I sacked out in the living room, stayed up late, and rooted our heroes on one more time against alien baddies. We won. But it was close.

The movie is great for watching with your superhero-addicted kids. It's a little violent, so it may not be for the tykes. But for my 8-year-old (and his 8-year-old at heart dad), the movie really hit the spot.

Great Read!

This new book by Kelly McCullough reminded me a lot of Roger Zelazny's AMBER series. Swift and fun first-person narrative, quirky characters and immortal god types with petty behavior (although they can kill you with a frown of disapproval).

The action starts out on page one, following Ravirn's attempts (with the help of his cyber-pal Melchior, a demon laptop he's programmed) to challenge his aunt's attempt to program free will out of the world. And things get exciting and violent from there.

Mixing in Greek mythology, the inexorable power of the Fates themselves, the Furies, and other creatures that are both for and against our hero (who seems to be equal parts sorcerer and computer hacker), the book is a great tour de force that will keep nailed to the pages.

A sequel is planned for '07, and I plan on picking it up.

A New Series To Watch!

Tonight Sherry and I watched the premiere of a brand new series on ABC Family Channel. We'd seen the trailers for it all week and got slightly interested.

At the moment, we're watching THE CLOSER and SAVED on Monday nights. I recommend both of those as well.

But THREE MOONS OVER MILFORD promises to be an absolute hoot!

What would you do if a comet struck the moon, broke it into three pieces, and one of those pieces might fall out of orbit at any moment and destroy the world? Would you rush out and do all the things you'd been promising yourself you'd do all your life?

Would you quit that boring job you've have for years? Tell the boss exactly what you think of him?

Would you take a chance on love? Gamble all your money on one throw of the dice?

The people of Milford do all that and more. The town has been turned upside down and inside out by the cosmic catastrophe.

At this point, the show is only going to run eight (8) episodes. Jump on now and stay up. This one definitely looks like fun. Can't wait till next week!

New Class Starting August 1st

I teach classes at Moore/Norman Technology center. On Tuesday, August 1st, the first WRITING THE ANTHOLOGY class begins.

In the class, the students receive guidance in constructing stories, researching background, creating characters, learning about plot and genre and how to submit work to publishers.

I've taught this class before and have lately started using www.cafepress.com to publish the finished collection of short stories FOR FREE. The book is then placed on the site for sale to anyone who wants a copy. They're published print-on-demand. We've done this one time before:

http://www.cafepress.com/cp/prod.aspx?p=chelseabay.45487845

The class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays for four weeks, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. If you want more information, go to:

http://www.mntechnology.com/enrollment/course_desc.asp?course_id=pw%20327

I've been teaching writing classes for almost 18 years. I really enjoy getting to know the students. And there's an old adage that's really true: If you want to truly learn something, teach it. My students ask me questions I never even think of on my own. Over the years, I believe they've helped me as much as I've helped them.

One Free Book Has Already Found A Home!

Wow! The internet has got to be the fastest means of communication in the world!

No sooner offered than taken.

This is located at http://www.bills-world.blogspot.com/

Hop on over and tell Bill hi. He's a great guy and has a lot to say.

I'm giving away 15 free copies of NCIS: BLOOD EVIDENCE (the second book) to anyone who posts a picture of themselves reading a copy of NCIS: PAID IN BLOOD on their webpage.

If you don't have a webpage and want a free one, sign up for one at www.blogspot.com and keep your peeps apprised of your life!

NCIS #2 Cover

My editor, Jan Stob, at Tyndale books just sent me the cover proof for the second NCIS cover. It'll be out the first part of next year.

I wanted to share. If you look at the background, you'll see art department worked in a map behind them. I think it's great!

A Poem

First of all, I'm not big on poetry. I'm too concrete, maybe. But somehow a lot of today's poetry seems over my head. I just don't get it. It's too abstract or something. Or maybe I just want it to be easy.

But on a recent camping trip, my 8-year-old got ticked at his mom because she told him to stay out of the water because it was getting dark. He stalked over to the lake and ignored us. Till the fire was ready and we broke out the hot dogs.

Anyway, that image sparked my creativity and before I knew it, I had a haiku poem composed in my head. So I thought I'd share today.

pale, angry shadow
hard-shouldered 'gainst the black lake
his mother knows best

Ingenuity! Don't leave home without it!

I just read one of the most awe-inspiring stories ever this morning. I usually read MSN.com news every morning, to keep up on things, feed my story-producing subconscious, and to have stuff to talk about with my 17-year-old, Shiloh. Shiloh has gotten quite interested in the things that are going on out in the world, and constantly challenges my knowledge base (he can look things up on the internet and make sure I'm right!).

Anyway, the story I've linked to below will blow your mind. And it should get every writer out there thinking about ways to self-promote (and I've already got three novel plots out of it!).

Enjoy!

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/13804920/?GT1=8307

New Blogspot for Writers

Just a brief note. Many people have asked me how to write and would I give them pointers. In the spirit of that, with the codicile that I only know as much as I've taught myself, I've started a new blog where you can actually watch me think and write and explain the process.

If you're interested.

I mean, on days when you're tired of watching paint peel or your toenails grow. Or when you get bored of gargling soda and listening to the different pitches you can get out of your tonsils.

I think I have something to say, but my wife is usually there to tell me when I'm wrong. I'm totally uninhibited on the blog, baby!

You'll find it at www.workingthemagic.blogspot.com.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

At present, I'm under the gun on a deadline, trying to get words to hit the paper, so I haven't been blogging as much as I probably should have. Since I've had a few emails asking me why I haven't been posting, I decided to let everyone know I was still alive.

The foot is finally starting to heal, though the walking we did while taking Chandler to the park on the Fourth kept me off of it for any extended time for a couple days. I hate not having my feet under me, but the pain is enough to get the job done. So I sit and sulk and write what I think is going to be some of my best stuff because it feels SO right. It's just taking longer.

Friday, needing a break from constant computer-face and to follow up on a promise I made to the family, I took Sherry, Chandler and Shiloh to see DEAD MAN'S CHEST, the second Pirate of the Caribbean movie. If you haven't seen the first movie, CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, you should rent it and do so. The movies are best viewed in sequence, though they don't have to be.

DEAD MAN'S CHEST works as a good jumping on point. I had a blast at the movie. All the action. All the humor. All the special effects. Chandler and I were the only two really happy. He's 8 and I was hanging in right there with him. Sherry and Shiloh wanted some kind of resolution, even though they knew going in that the second movie was going to have a clifhanger ending. Neither one of them has seen STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK! (Can you believe it?).

Chandler and I just wanted pirates, swordfights, pirates, monsters, pirates, undead things, and...well, pirates. We got them. We were mucho happy.

DEAD MAN'S CHEST is going to rock and roll this summer. It's a movie it seems like everyone has been waiting on. I can't wait for the DVD, which should have tons of special features. I've written a review. You can find it at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005JP0D/qid=1152430842/sr=1-7/ref=sr_1_7/002-9641997-7084059?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130 If you like the review, vote for me. I'm looking for a few more Amazon points. : )

Go see the movie and let me know what you think.