Lee, Lee, Arlo and Me...

From Paul–

Women Love Violence– Last Saturday’s Wall Street Journal pasted Lee Child’s handsome mug on page one under the headline: “Odd Twist for Hero of Popular Thrillers: Women Like Him, Too.”

The Journal wondered why Lee’s super-violent Jack Reacher novels (The Hard Way) have drawn millions of women readers.

“Booksellers believe Mr. Child may have tapped into the same audience that has devoured romance novels over the past 20 years, a genre that in recent years has increasingly included more violence and suspense,” the Journal wrote.

Yep. Plus I’d say that women admire men of action who strive for justice, even the rough-and-tumble vigilante justice of ex-Army Major Reacher. I admire Lee’s action scenes. My protagonist, Steve Solomon, usually doesn’t hit a guy with anything other than a subpoena.

I’ll be seeing Lee at “Thrillerfest” July 1 in Phoenix. (City motto: It’s so hot, you'll plotz). Fans, writers, and critics are coming together for panels, talks, and margaritas. Space still available; check it out at the International Thriller Writers website.

I’ve dusted off my law degree because I’ll be defending Jack Reacher (played by Lee) in a mock murder trial. Ex-assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Martinez (Finishing School) will prosecute; M. Diane Vogt (Marital Privilege) will preside; James O. Born (Escape Clause), a real life cop, will be the state’s star witness...until I cross examine him. The jury will consist of book critics. Who better to sentence a guy to death, right? We’ll be using the scenario from Lee’s book Persuader for our factual setting.

The Deadwood Blues– The savvy Lee Goldberg
knows more about television dramas than anyone I’ve ever met. As a veteran novelist, he also has great advice for aspiring writers. Such as...NEVER pay to have a book published. But I’m not sure I agree with Lee's popular Blog yesterday, with its high praise for the season premiere of “Deadwood.” I think the show sags when Ian McShane is off-screen, and I’m not sure I care for the kinder, gentler owner of the “Gem.” It’s a show driven by the villain, or at least it was, and I liked it that way.

Arlo Guthrie is exactly my age, but his photo in Sunday’s Los Angeles Times makes him look about 89. Now, I’m feeling old. Maybe because of Guthrie. Maybe because of my knee surgery last week at Cedars-Sinai in L.A. Great hospital (motto: “Sinatra died here”), and the food’s not bad (try the potato latkes with sour cream). Great surgeon (Dr. Brad Penenberg). And there’s an excellent bakery (Breadbar) across the street.



By Paul