RIDE 2: MORE SHORT FICTION ABOUT BICYCLES ed. Keith Snyder

I'd known of Keith Snyder for many years as a fellow Robert B. Parker fan and author of the Jason Keltner mystery series. Two years ago, he attended a reading of crime fiction and poetry at which I performed, and since then we've bonded over poetry, Parker, and ebook production.

When Keith mentioned that this second volume of bicycle-themed fiction also featured two poems, I jumped at his offer of a review copy. The eight contributors to Ride 2 clearly share Keith's passion for cycling, and the book is sure to appeal to readers who do, or to someone like me, who last pedaled the block on training wheels but fondly recalls the feeling of coasting under my own power.

At The 5-2: "The End of Fun and Games" by Kimberlee Smith

Enjoy our poem for New Year's Eve.

Today is the last day to submit to 5-2 guest editor Gail White.

I wish you a prosperous new year and thank you for your interest in The 5-2.

Another Interview

I and others answered some random questions from poet Catfish McDaris. The catch: We had to answer in five words or fewer.

Where do you live, city & country or state? New York, United States.

From your country what is the most unusual food you like, that most foreigners would hate? Street hot dogs.

If you had to live in any country besides yours, what would be your favorite & least favorite, in that order? Canada; Iran.

If you were stranded naked on a deserted island & were allowed one thing, what would it be? (no transportation allowed) Drinkable water.

If you could only choose one book as your favorite, what would it be? Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes.

If you could have a conversation with anyone, dead & alive, who would it be, in that order? My father; Philip Levine.

If you could have sex with anyone, dead & alive, who would it be, in that order? I would take forever deciding...

What is your favorite movie & television show, in that order? Raiders of the Lost Ark; NCIS.

If you could only have one super power, what would it be? Heat vision.

If you found a magic lamp & got three wishes, what would they be? 1) To hear from old friends, 2) Health, 3) Peace of mind.

Belly Up to the Bar

I bellied up to be interviewed by 5-2 contributor Thomas Pluck.

A Little Christmas

Sorry if my previous post brought you down. Two weeks ago, I mentioned taking joy when I could get it this season, not holding it for a scheduled time. Similarly, the greatest gifts are the ones we don't expect but that enrich our lives.

Yesterday, I got together with some friends, one of whom I hadn't seen in years. Our conversation was easy as always, and I was reminded why we became friends. I feel as if I can never thank friends like these enough, for knowing and accepting me, warts and all, for encouraging me just by their presence.

If I have given others the same gift, I am honored and glad. My best to you and yours.

Another Apocalypse Averted

I'm not a believer in end-of-the-world scenarios like the Rapture and the end of the Mayan calendar, but this latest fateful date did get me thinking about why we fear the end of the world.

I think we fear not having the time to do everything we hope to do. When supposed doomsdays pass without incident, we feel a jolt of life. The world spins on as otherwise scheduled. For me, the reality is more frightening: we will die on an unpredictable day, leaving hundreds of loose ends.

Bleak, but also a reminder to do what we can, while we can.

At The 5-2: "Midnight Mass" by Robert Cooperman

The 5-2 wishes you a Merry Christmas with "Midnight Mass".

There's still a week left to submit to guest editor Gail White.

TNT Cancels LEVERAGE

Last night, TNT announced it was canceling caper series Leverage after five seasons and 77 episodes. The show caught my interest from the description I read in October 2007. Production was delayed by the WGA strike of 2007-'08, but in April '08, I found out my friend Christine Boylan would be on the writing staff when the show premiered in December.

I expected the show to be more serious, but I soon warmed to its sense of fun. It took a few episodes to balance cluing viewers in on how each con was pulled off and effectively fooling the bad guys, but by the end of Season 1, it hit its stride.

With so many straight procedurals now airing, humor is what sets a show apart. I'm glad Leverage was able to keep it up for five seasons. Christine left the show after Season 3 and worked on Castle Season 4. She now writes for Once Upon a Time. Along with Christine's career, I've followed several other writers from the show, including Amy Berg of Eureka and Person of Interest and Albert Kim of Nikita.

Thanks to co-creators John Rogers and Chris Downey and everyone on Leverage. The series finale airs Tuesday night at 10:00.

Two New Poems in Defenestration

It's my pleasure to be back in the online humor magazine Defenestration with two poems—"Love Isn't Blind" and "Balls"—in the December 2012 issue, posted today. My thanks to editors Andrew Kaye and Eileen Lavelle.

Why I Like THE BIG BANG THEORY

Lots of people like CBS's The Big Bang Theory; it's become one of TV's top-rated shows. All the while, though, I've heard from many people calling themselves "true nerds" who don't like the show. I want to respond to one well-thought-out opinion in particular.

The blogger in question believes the show's humor ridicules the very people it claims to represent. That is, it isn't about nerds laughing at the world around them, but about the world still laughing at nerds. This understandably offends the blogger and makes him feel uncomfortable.

I empathize to a point with people who feel they aren't being represented. I don't find all the show's attempts at humor funny, either. But the main reason I like the show is its message that people don't have to accept the labels others give them. People of all types can coexist based not on these types, but on who they are as individuals.

It may be a bit of fantasy that Leonard and Penny became a couple, but if you've watched the show over the years, it's very clear what they see in each other. Leonard doesn't love Penny just for her beauty, and Penny doesn't love Leonard just for his mind.

I came to believe in expanding my horizons more and more as I matured. At one time, my dream was to attend the same high school as my brother, to receive the same education he did, to meet the same people he did along the way. Then I was rejected from my brother's high school... In college, I passed on joining the Asian American Organization in favor of a literary magazine staffed by people of all different backgrounds.

One key to growth is the ability to laugh at oneself, to see the humor in one's own situation. I understand that expanding in this way isn't for everyone. Some people are happy where they are in life. They like and take comfort in its consistency. But only someone who accepted being labeled, who didn't want to empathize with others, and who couldn't laugh at himself, would be hurt that he weren't represented. I'm not sure the entertainment industry represents anyone perfectly. I've never felt, Yes! That's me to a T. Have you?

As a result of the show, many people have come to acknowledge and accept "nerdy" qualities in themselves. That's progress.

Something to Say

Hours after the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, I blogged that I had nothing to say. Already I had seen dozens of reactionary tweets and didn't want to respond so tritely myself.

Since then, some facts have come out about Nancy Lanza, her son Adam, and the gun hobby they shared. No amount of facts will explain for me why Adam killed children, but yesterday I commented when fellow writer, crime fiction fan, and Christian Bryon Quertermous wondered on his blog how a loving, all-seeing God could let such tragedy happen.

At The 5-2: "Salad Night" by Mabel Lee

Enjoy.

Meanwhile, for two more weeks, I am accepting submissions for 5-2 guest editor Gail White. Submit today.

Nothing to Say

I have nothing to say about the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. I don't know the facts. Part of me doesn't want to know. I only weep for the lives lost and empathize as a teacher and thank goodness for every breath, every second I get to spend with friends and family. I tell them every day.

Best of 2012 - Movies

I don't get to watch many movies in theaters, and you'll notice a theme in much of what I did watch, but here goes:

SKYFALL is at the top of my list for what it does to revitalize the Bond franchise after 2008's mediocre Quantum of Solace. Skyfall both explores new territory and calls back some classic themes and characters.

WRECK-IT RALPH didn't especially appeal to me in previews, but grew on me as it went on. Halfway through, I was completely invested in characters whose actions and outcomes weren't predetermined.

MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS lived up to years of hype, but watching it on video, its structure is more obvious, a set of action sequences devised to showcase each hero. I'm not sure the sequences are tied together that well. Still a fun ride.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES was better than The Dark Knight, which I'm sure is enough of a controversial opinion. I liked that it gave Bruce Wayne an ending, a way out of being the Batman. I liked Anne Hathaway as Selena Kyle. The rest of the movie felt heavy, but it may boil down to the fact I'm not the biggest Batman fan.

Booked for Bouchercon 2013

In 2013, Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, will be held at the Empire State Plaza in Albany, NY, September 19-22. I've been two previous Bouchercons, and, as Albany is only a three-hour drive from home, I knew this would be my third.

I registered for the con as a Black Friday present to myself, and, following @Bouchercon2013 on Twitter, I saw that the hotel information posted to the site today. I booked a room at the Hampton Inn, five blocks from the convention center, but $35 cheaper than the nearer hotels.

I'll be spreading the word about The 5-2: Crime Poetry Weekly, of course, and I hope the Short Mystery Fiction Society will have a Derringer Award presentation (Anyone can join the SMFS by December 31 to be part of the 2013 Derringer submission, judging, and voting process that begins on January 1). I'd love to be on another panel about crime and poetry or short stories, but I'll also enjoy the con as a fan. I'm particularly looking forward to lunch with my investigator friend, John DuMond.

If you're also attending, feel free to ambush-greet me.

Don't tell me when to be jolly.

I agree that commercial societies celebrate the holidays too soon, and by "celebrate", I mean "exploit", but as I did my own shopping this season, it felt good to forgo some things I wanted in order to buy some things for friends. I admit to many Christmases being disappointed not getting exactly what I wanted from the people who supposedly know me best, being embarrassed not having enough money to buy splashy presents.

This year, it's more-than-ever clear to me that what I give or receive on one big day is not the point. I can take joy in the modest gifts I've gotten friends, and I don't need to wait until the 25th or later to give them. Christmas cards and gifts seem tokens, don't they, if giver and receiver forget each other the rest of the year?

Of course there are times and places to express feelings, but there is no wrong time to feel them, reflect on them, and from that reflection, better understand oneself.

At The 5-2: "What Happened" by Monty Jones

This week, Texan Monty Jones' poetic commentary on criminal justice.

Submit to 5-2 guest editor Gail White through December 31.

Sunday Sales

The ebook version of The Lineup #2 is now available for Amazon Kindle and B&N Nook. The shortest of our four issues, it's a fine introduction to poetry at $1.99.

I was unable to obtain electronic reprint rights for four poems from the original print issue, but you can get 20% off any Lineup print issues ordered from Lulu.com today through December 14 with coupon code FELICITAS.

Finally, through tomorrow, December 10, you can get 15% off orders of $50 or more from The 5-2's CafePress shop with coupon code SHOPUP.

Thanks for your support.

Nothing Gold Can Stay

I love printed books. They will always have certain advantages over ebooks. For one, you can read them without electricity or batteries. For another, when you buy a physical book, it's yours. You walk out of the store and go home with it and keep it for as long as you want.

To the surprise of some, that's not the case with ebooks. Major vendors control whether and how long you can read ebooks you've "bought". (They now say "rented" is a better description of downloaded books.)

Still reading more paper books than ebooks, I hadn't come to think of purchased ebooks as permanently mine. As a poetry editor, I have to be up on how ebooks are read and created because I want the e-reading public to read poetry. That said, my ebook pricing reflects that ebooks aren't solid like books, in the same way MP3s aren't solid like CDs. If I can't hold them in my hand, I expect to pay less for them.

The ebooks I publish will always cost less than print would, reflecting that no money was spent on paper, ink, and binding. My ebooks will never be free because I believe creative and clerical work have value; but, if and when Amazon or BN decides to pull back your purchases, you're only out the cost of a movie rental.

At The 5-2: "The Death of Lizzie Borden" by J. Rodney Karr

This week, the second of two Lizzie Borden poems.

I've chosen The 5-2's Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve poems, respectively "Midnight Mass" by Robert Cooperman and "The End of Fun and Games" by Kimberlee Smith.

Submissions are now open for the February 4, 2013 slot, which will be chosen by guest editor Gail White.

And finally, through December 10, get 15% off orders of $50 or more in the 5-2 fan shop.

In Keeping with Tradition

I've decorated my blog for year's end. Come in, grab a drink, and prepare for karaoke. Happy holidays to all.

Here's How It Was

I commented on an overview of Joss Whedon's Firefly on Patti Abbott's blog.

At The 5-2: "Eating Pears" by Kim Welliver

This week, the first of two poems about Lizzie Borden.

Lulu.com's Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale runs through tomorrow, November 27, 11:59 P.M. Eastern. Get 30% off back issues of The Lineup: Poems on Crime in print with coupon code DELIRITAS.

I'm seeking a poem to run at The 5-2 the week of Christmas Eve, December 24. Deadline is November 30.

And I've begun collecting submissions for guest editor Gail White, whose chosen poem will run at The 5-2 the week of February 4.

Buy Another Day

By the time I decided yesterday's Amazon Gold Box deal on Bond 50 was worth my money (I already own most of the Bond movies I like on DVD, three on Blu-ray, and the same transfers were used for Bond 50), the supposed all-day price of $99.99 ($108.61 with New York tax) had sold out.

I'm not kicking myself too hard. If the price had been a tad better, my internal accountant would have said, "Yes! Buy now!" Instead, I'll keep an eye out for another deal or just buy more of my favorites if they're released individually.

Meanwhile, I did get in on the earlybird registration fee for Bouchercon 2013 in Albany ($150 until December 31). Paying it this month means it won't be among my last-minute Christmas expenses.

Black Friday

Having practiced yoga and qi gong the past few months, I wasn't about to fall off yesterday. After my morning routine, I had some turkey, some crackers and chips, some lasagna and rice, but I didn't overeat, so no lethargy today.

Similarly, I'm not impulse-shopping today. I ordered The Big Bang Theory Seasons 1 and 2 on Blu-ray for $16.99 each, and with a $9.70 gift certificate balance, my total came to $27.22.

Tomorrow, there's an Amazon Gold Box deal on the Bond 50 Blu-ray collection. If I like the price, I'll go for it. And finally, I'm eyeing the animated Superman vs. The Elite on Blu-ray for $7.99.

Meanwhile, Lulu.com has a Black Friday deal. Today through November 27, you can order back issues of The Lineup: Poems on Crime in print for 30% off with code DELIRITAS.

If ebooks are your preference, mine are always reasonably priced.

WRECK-IT RALPH

My brother and I are Wreck-It Ralph's target audience, having spent many a childhood afternoon in mall arcades. We took a couple of hours off last week to watch a matinee.

Impressively, none of the main characters is stereotypical. After thirty years, Ralph (John C. Reilly) doesn't want to be a bad guy anymore, but Fix-It Felix Jr. (Jack McBrayer), Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman), and Calhoun (Jane Lynch) also showed capacity to stretch beyond their "day jobs".

Wreck-It Ralph isn't perfectly paced, but I appreciated the characters and plot more as the movie went on, and by the end I was hanging on every word. Definitely worth your quarters.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday as I am nothing if not grateful. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, thinking of all I could have lost with a simple wind shift, I am especially grateful to gather with my family and to communicate with you.

My favorite part of the day is after lunch, slowly falling into a nap.

Here's a Thanksgiving poem for mature audiences only.

At The 5-2: "Housekeeper" by Angel Zapata

The speaker in this week's poem is learning to let go of the past. "Housekeeper" by Angel Zapata, read by Lineup alum Deshant Paul.

SKYFALL

My brother and I saw Skyfall last week, and my review posted to Crimespree Magazine's blog today. Thanks as always to entertainment editor Jeremy Lynch.

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The 43 Peculiarity"

Hearing Penny has made a friend at school (Ryan Cartwright of Alphas and Bones), Leonard feels insecure about his own status with Penny. Similar scenarios have played out on many sitcoms, but this one stood out because Penny had never told Leonard she loves him. She's been overtly pressured to say so since last season, and less overtly since Season 3.

The words finally came in frustration, Penny saying, "Listen to me. You're the one I'm with. You know I love you, so will you please relax because you're driving me crazy."

After a beat, Leonard pointed out that was the first time Penny said she loved him. I didn't notice it myself, her delivery was so spontaneous. The realization took Penny aback, too, driving them both to tears, living up to six seasons in the making.

At The 5-2: "Gary" by Jeffrey DeLotto

This week, Texas Wesleyan University professor Jeffrey DeLotto brings us a poem about a struggling husband and father.

The 5-2 is currently seeking holiday-themed poems for our Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve slots. Deadline is November 30.

Finally, through November 13, Lulu.com is offering 20% off print orders of my previous publication, The Lineup: Poems on Crime.

What Reviews Are to Me

Do Some Damage's Steve Weddle, also a poet, teacher, and newspaperman, last week brought to light Amazon.com's new policy to curb sockpuppet reviewing. The policy has had the effect of not allowing fellow authors to review each other's books. It will have almost no effect on sockpuppeting. This week, Steve advocates full disclosure of reviewers' relationships to authors.

Perhaps because I'm an academic—went to college and grad school to hone my writing, taught freshman comp for six years—or perhaps because I naturally mistrust sweet talk—I've never given much credence to glowing/glaring brevity. Neither do I appreciate a reviewer's voice and vocabulary outshining what's being reviewed.

I am incapable of writing that a book, movie, TV show, etc. is good or bad without writing why I think so. That's the only kind of review that means something to me, so often not what I see at online megastores.

As someone who sells what he writes for money, I'd like to boast that my books get scads of five-star reviews, as many authors do. But to date, my books haven't gotten many reviews. I do know that the majority of people who left reviews actually read my books and wrote intelligently about them, some even at online megastores. I like to think the honesty, purpose, and substance in my writing lead to reviews of similar quality.

Like anyone who sells what he writes for money, I hope to be better known. I wouldn't mind being known for pseudonymous work, but am glad I broke into print with a poem under my real name (Yes, it is Gerald So).

At The 5-2: "Feeling Sorry for the Presidents"

The 5-2's election week poem is by Paul Hostovsky.

Reading of 5-2 submissions was slowed last week by my two-day, Sandy-related power outage. I'll get back on track this week.

Twitter Treat

In case you missed it:

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The Extract Obliteration"

The gang discovers Penny has been taking a history class at Pasadena Community College in hopes of giving herself more options than waiting tables and acting. The disparity between Penny's and Leonard's education is often a sore point. I'm glad Penny's motivation in this episode was not simply to try and catch up.

Leonard responded encouragingly, offering to help with Penny's first paper, but Penny said it was important that she succeed or fail on her own merit. She forbade Leonard to read her paper, but curiosity got the better of him, and he read it anyway. His dilemma then became how to help Penny without revealing he read the paper. I would have liked to see the rest of the gang come up with a scheme to help, but Sheldon was preoccupied playing Words With Friends with Stephen Hawking.

In the end, Penny had a moment of triumph, waving a B- in Leonard's face, but seconds later we see that Amy and Bernadette rewrote the paper for her, under pressure to remain friends. I get the comedy, but I hope Penny does find fresh interests in college, perhaps a career choice the writers didn't anticipate. Can you tell I was a teacher?

The Empty Copper Sea

With the title of a later Travis McGee novel, I mark my return to the Web, only a few hours later than predicted. A few trees came down on my block, thankfully none into anyone's house or car. Power was out from 5:35 Monday afternoon, shortly before Hurricane Sandy made landfall, until 8:30 tonight.

The South Shore of Long Island was not so lucky. Portions of two major parkways are still flooded. I hear a chunk of the Ocean Parkway is gone, as is the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, and almost the entire Queens neighborhood of Breezy Point.

Sandy was the most devastating hurricane in a generation, and I thank everyone helping the affected states to recover, especially, in my case, the reassuring voices of Andrew Cuomo, Mike Bloomberg, Chris Christie, and the reporters at CBS Newsradio 880.

A Tan and Sandy Silence

A Travis McGee title seemed especially appropriate for the power outage/silence that may follow Hurricane Sandy. I am not in a flood-prone zone, but the roof and basement have succumbed before. I hope to be back to normal computer usage by Wednesday, but that's up to Sandy. Wish me luck, and stay safe yourselves.

At The 5-2: "Inspector Abberline" by Bradley McIlwain

For Halloween week, a poem inspired by Frederick Abberline, who investigated Jack the Ripper.

The CW's Arrow

When I heard The CW was planning a grittier superhero show with Arrow, I approved, but concept is one thing, execution another. Developer Greg Berlanti's work on 2011's live-action Green Lantern was nothing outstanding, but I was a fan of Susanna Thompson, here playing Oliver Queen's mother, from NCIS, and of Paul Blackthorne, here playing Dinah Lance's father, from SyFy's The Dresden Files. I had also enjoyed producer Moira Kirkland's work on Castle.

Most important, I was a fan of Green Arrow from Justice League Unlimited and Smallville but had not read any Green Arrow comics. My friends at The Nerdpocalypse were quick to point out much of the pilot episode's cheesiness and how it seemed to deviate from the character's canon. For the first seven of its ten seasons, I criticized Smallville for similar departures. Later I realized Smallville was trying for, and deserved to have, its own take on Superman. This prepared me for the liberties taken with Green Arrow.

The producers say they're going for realism. They want a show as much about family dynamics as about heroics. It remains to be seen how realistic they can be, but with each episode, Arrow grows on me. I think it helps that I'm less invested in Green Arrow than I was in Superman. I can watch the show objectively and for entertainment value.

Reaching the Threshold

Yesterday at Hey, There's a Dead Guy in the Living Room, New Jersey mystery writer Jeff Cohen had enough of the Tom Cruise-as-Jack Reacher jokes and defended shorter actors' ability to deliver big performances.

While the size discrepancy struck me funny, I never doubted Cruise could fill the role; I just thought Reacher as played by Cruise would be similar to other loner heroes he's played.

My comment on Jeff's post concludes:

In the best scenario for moviegoers, Reacher becomes so associated with Tom that they can't imagine another actor playing him. I'm not sure it would be best for Reacher to become one of many loner heroes Tom Cruise has played. I liken it to Jason Statham's playing Richard Stark's master thief, Parker. If you weren't a Parker fan already, you might easily forget Statham's Parker among the many tough guys he's played.

The more we see actors, the better we get to know their nuances. Over time, we pick up on every one, and later performances are more the character becoming the actor than the actor becoming the character.

At The 5-2: "Aftershock" by Amy Pollard

This week, a poem by poet, student, and writer Amy Pollard.

You can now take our first year of poems wherever you take your Kindle or Nook with The 5-2 Volume One ebook.

The 5-2 is currently seeking holiday-themed crime poetry. Deadline: November 30, 2012.

And check out the new t-shirt, mug, and calendar poster in The 5-2 fan shop.

Available Now: The 5-2: Crime Poetry Weekly, Vol. 1

The 5-2 Volume 1 ebook is available now for Amazon Kindle and B&N Nook. It collects The 5-2's first year of fifty-two poems.

Poems by Nyla Alisia, R.A. Allen, Margaret Anderson, Michael A. Arnzen, Randall Avilez, Jack Bates, Alec Cizak, Robert Cooperman, Ray Daniel, Michael Chacko Daniels, Cassandra de Alba, C.J. Edwards, John M. Floyd, Kent Gowran, Bruce Harris, Clarinda Harriss, Chad Haskins, Kathleen Hellen, Kyle Hemmings, Paul Hostovsky, Peter Ivey, Dorothy James, Tonia Kalouria, Susan Kelley, Ian Khadan, Rauan Klassnik, Lola Koundakjian, Dennis Mahagin, Catfish McDaris, Trevor Nelson, Brett Peruzzi, Thomas Pluck, David S. Pointer, Kimberly Poitevin, William Dylan Powell, Charles Rammelkamp, Keith Rawson, Stephen D. Rogers, Nancy Scott, Jackie Sheeler, Hal Sirowitz, Duane Spurlock, Jay Stringer, and Ray Succre.

At The 5-2: "Kilmahog" by Nigel Bird

Teacher, poet, and fiction writer Nigel Bird brings us a tale of wrong turns.

In related news, I've done some additional testing of The 5-2 Volume One ebook, and will need a few days to make corrections. It will be on sale November 1 at the latest.

Lastly, I'm seeking holiday-themed poems to run the weeks of December 24 and 31. Deadline: November 30.

Christmas and New Year's Poems Needed - Deadline: November 30

I'm seeking poems to run on The 5-2 the weeks of December 24, 2012 and December 31, 2012. The poems can involve Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, or any holidays around the same time. Aside from the themes and deadline, the usual guidelines apply. I am accepting regular submissions at the same time.

How I Came to Write This Poem

Patti Abbott, a contributor to the Lost Children: Protectors anthology, asked her fellow contributors to take part in her regular blog feature, "How I Came to Write This Story". My poem, "Hushed", is one of two in the anthology, and here's what inspired it.

I'm pleased to share the space with my friend, Charlie Stella, who discusses the inspiration for his contribution, "In Dreams". Thanks again, Patti.

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The Higgs Boson Observation"

Sheldon hires Alex, a female grad student, to comb through his childhood journals for ideas with the most scientific merit. This episode's log line said that Amy would feel threatened by Alex, but more significantly, after seeing Leonard and Alex talk in the cafeteria, Penny felt threatened.

The gentle pressure on Penny to face her feelings for Leonard continued for a third straight episode. Amy's prodding helped Penny discover she was bothered by how easily Leonard and Alex talked.

From Leonard's perspective, the conversation was innocent, though he probably wouldn't have had the confidence for it in earlier seasons. Since Season 3, we've known he loves Penny. How Penny feels in return is still in question. If she doesn't find the words, she may very well lose Leonard.

At The 5-2: "The Breathing Lesson" by Thomas J. Erickson

Yesterday's Poets.org Poem-a-Day, "Smell" by Wallace Stevens, reminded me of this week's 5-2 poem, by Milwaukee defense attorney Thomas Erickson.

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The Decoupling Fluctuation"

A key point of last week's season premiere was that Penny had never told Leonard she loves him. This week's episode kept the pressure on Penny, opening with the girls cataloging Bernadette and Howard's wedding presents. Their conversation turned to how Amy saw herself marrying Sheldon in exactly four years. Penny had no plans to marry Leonard, prompting the girls to ask if she loved him. She answered without enthusiasm, unsure what she felt was love. "Maybe," she said, "this is a new, better, boring kind of love."

I'm still invested in Big Bang after five seasons because Penny and Leonard's relationship isn't playing out the easy way. As close as they've gotten physically, Penny still has a problem telling Leonard how she feels.

Hearing that Penny was considering breaking up with Leonard, Sheldon tried to intervene. In previous seasons, he wouldn't have cared or might have even tried to bring on their breakup. Here, he showed concern for both Leonard's and Penny's feelings.

In the end, Penny failed to discuss her feelings with Leonard yet again, but I like that the show's focus has moved back to Penny and Leonard without feeling forced. Penny's complex feelings for Leonard show that theirs is Big Bang's most complex relationship while the others are more often played for comic relief. This also makes Penny and Leonard's relationship the most satisfying on the show.

Still Pensive After All These Years

At last the circle is complete. The calendar has come around to my birthday again. I've always looked past the surface of life, tried to see how nature works and what motivates people. I don't know that I've become more pensive with age, having spent what I'm told are the prime partying years happily sober in institutions of higher learning.

In the past few months, I have done more physical work, learning some yoga and qi gong on my own, moving when I might be brooding. I've never been far out of shape, but neither have I moved or felt as flexible as I want. That's starting to change. Most important, I'm doing this for myself. I may not look that different. Indeed, no one but my mother has said anything. But I know the work I've done, and I want to continue raising my standards.

I have nothing special planned for today, but last Thursday, I walked about two miles to the nearest train station and had lunch in Times Square with three college friends. To make time for each other in our busy lives is a gift.

As always, if you want to give me a present, read my work (including my editing work). Enjoy it and tell me so.

#verseday Dialogue

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, October 4. My topic this week is dialogue.

Write a poem involving dialogue by noon Friday, October 5.

At The 5-2: "Pawnshop on Alameda, Downtown L.A."

This week, U.S. Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis gives us a poem on the adult theme of mortality.

In other news, I am in the final stages of proofreading The 5-2 Volume One ebook. It should be on sale for Kindle and Nook by October 15.

THE BIG BANG THEORY: "The Date Night Variable"

The sixth season premiere follows the show's couples on the second anniversary of Sheldon and Amy's first date, Penny and Leonard's attempt to patch things up after Leonard's blurted proposal, and Wolowitz in space yet caught in an argument between his mother and Bernadette.

The episode felt scattered to me. It had to serve the growing cast, but little time could be spent with each couple in a different setting. Still, I think Raj cut to the heart of Penny and Leonard's problems. Leonard spontaneously yet very plausibly said he loved Penny when they were first dating, to which Penny only replied, "Thank you," freaked out, and broke up with him.

Over the next season and a half, thanks to the growth of the female cast, we saw Penny realize that she missed Leonard and wanted to be with him. The timing of Leonard's proposal would have freaked anyone out, but, more significantly, Penny has yet to say she loves Leonard even though history strongly suggests she does.

TV usually makes too much of characters saying they love each other, but in Big Bang's case, after five-plus seasons, Penny saying she loves Leonard is a big deal. Penny's feelings for Leonard probably do scare her. Saying she loves Leonard would be acknowledgment and acceptance of those feelings, and would mean more than all their breakups and make-ups could mean on their own.

NCIS: LOS ANGELES: "Endgame"

When Callen shockingly shot The Chameleon dead to end Season 3, I wondered how he could ever plausibly work for NCIS again. It crossed my mind that the shooting might have been staged for someone else's benefit, but even as I pondered that, Season 4's premiere had to pull it off, and it did.

The tension-building plot device of armed strangers observing from a distance was turned on its head as indeed our heroes were playing to the cameras and listening devices to trick the Iranian military into looking for a spy in its ranks. "Endgame" is a good example of how NCIS: Los Angeles would do an episode of Leverage.

NCIS Season 10 Premiere: "Extreme Prejudice"

NCIS's tenth season premiere dealt with the fallout from the bombing of NCIS headquarters in the Season 9 finale. As much as one might want to, I couldn't empathize with the characters' emotions in the wake of the bombing because it was a fictitious terrorist act. The show wanted me to feel the grief and anger anyone might after a 9/11-like event, but I couldn't, because I experienced the real 9/11. Angry, afraid, and powerless, I watched a terrorist attack unfold on live TV news. I'm in no mood to relive it for a TV drama.

Gibbs caught up and killed the terrorist, the disgruntled father of a dead serviceman, but not before the terrorist bombed a team of pursuing FBI agents. All of it felt hollow. Fictitious catastrophes simply remind me that I'm watching a TV show, that any empathy I feel is engineered by writers. It's no position from which to buy into an episode, much less a season of repercussions.

BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, PART ONE

My review of Warner Bros. Animation's most ambitious direct-to-video project to date posted today on the Crimespree Magazine blog.

TV Report Card

Most shows on the Big Three networks premiere this week. For much of the past two years, I had posted weekly reviews of several TV shows at Boomtron. Since Boomtron moved away from weekly reviews early last season, I've been free to watch what I want, when I want. Here's a look at the shows I'm still watching and new shows I'm looking forward to:

Castle - I haven't watched closely since I've reviewed Hawaii Five-0 weekly the past two seasons. The show is a little too light for me, but as a loyal Browncoat, I can't ignore it completely. Tonight I'm curious to see if indeed it avoids the Moonlighting curse.

Perception - A clinical psychiatrist friend of mine hates this show, but I've always liked Eric McCormack, Rachael Leigh Cook, and LeVar Burton. The protagonist is a college professor, a job I've done and wouldn't mind doing again. The two-part Season 1 finale was especially absorbing and enjoyable.

NCIS - I've been a fan from the beginning, but I don't think the show has done anything particularly exciting since the attempt on Director Vance's life halfway through Season 8. Threats since then have seemed more contrived. Season 9 ended with a bomb blast at NCIS HQ, but all the actors are signed to return this season. Ho-hum.

NCIS: Los Angeles - The show improved in Seasons 2 and 3, though 3 ended with Callen facing discipline for shooting The Chameleon dead. I don't know if I'll believe how the characters come back from this, just as I didn't quite believe Neal and Peter's return to FBI work this season on White Collar.

Covert Affairs - The bombing death of Jai Wilcox has propelled this season. I don't quite believe that Annie would be allowed to go to such lengths to pursue Lena, and I don't know how she'll come back, but I have a soft spot for the all characters, including Jai.

The Big Bang Theory - "True geeks" seem to find this show generic, but, though I see their point, the show makes me feel good. Many shows have strong narrative drive that compels me to watch, but few actually make me feel good/better.

Burn Notice - Every season, Michael fixates on some Big Bad, only to be led to some Bigger Bad he never imagined. Formulaic, I know, but I'm still interested.

Person of Interest - The show hooked me by the end of its first season, Finch and Reese embracing their quirkiness.

Elementary - Purists be darned. I'm ready to like this version of Sherlock Holmes and Joan Watson in present-day New York.

At The 5-2: "Show's Over Oregon..." by Joseph James Cawein

A mellifluous poem of college hijinks.

#verseday Brothers

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, September 20. My topic this week is brothers.

Write a poem involving brothers by noon Friday, September 21.

At The 5-2: "Taking a Powder" by Charles Rammelkamp

Rammelkamp returns to The 5-2 with a poem of shady goings-on at a wedding.

Rammelkamp also appeared recently on Baltimore public radio's The Signal, discussing his new collection, Fusen Bakudan. Charles's portion is about eleven minutes into the program.

If I Could Split Myself in Three

I don't have the budget to attend Bouchercon in October, but, imaginative as I am, I decided to pick the panels I'd take in if I did, and brought along a clone:

Thursday, October 4

11:00 - 11:50 A.M. - Grand Ballroom A - A DAY IN THE LIFE - Authors tell us about their writing habits and schedules. R.D. Cain, Gerald Elias, Anne Emery, Charles Finch, Dana Haynes (M), Cornelia Read.

12:15 - 1:05 P.M. - Ambassador Room - THE POPULARITY OF YA BOOKS - How do authors appeal to young readers and keep them interested in reading? Joelle Charbonneau, Jordan Dane, Michelle Gagnon, Keir Graff (M), Bev Irwin.

1:30 - 2:20 P.M. - Grand Ballroom A - WHAT AN AUTHOR WILL DO FOR A STORY - Stories of dangerous research. Sean Chercover (M), Jamie Freveletti, Andre Frieden, Sam Reaves, Mark Sullivan.

2:45 - 3:35 P.M. - Gold Room - WHAT WOULD ROCKFORD DO? - Private eyes in mysteries. Les Blatt (M), Jack Bludis, Jack Fredrickson, Les Roberts, Howard Shrier.


Friday, October 5

9:00 - 9:50 A.M. - Gold Room - OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS - How authors handle the switch from one series to another. Jeff Cohen, Jen Forbus (M), Chris Grabenstein, Parnell Hall, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Mary Jane Maffini.

10:15 - 11:05 AM - Grand Ballroom A - MYSTERIES & THE MOVIES - Film/television adaptations of mystery novels. Chelsea Cain, Robin Cook, Joseph Finder, Charlaine Harris, Jeremy Lynch (M).

11:30 -12:20 P.M. - Grand Ballroom A - COP VS. CONSTABLE - A comparison of the United States vs. foreign laws. Mark Billingham (M), Sara Blaedel, Michael Connelly, Peter James, Michael Robotham.

1:30 - 2:20 P.M. - Ambassador Room - MEN ARE FROM MARS, WOMEN ARE FROM VENUS - How can an author write convincingly from the point of view of the opposite sex? Elizabeth George, Alan Jacobson, Val McDermid, Daniel Palmer (M), Tom Schreck, Alexandra Sokoloff.

2:35 - 3:35 P.M. - Grand Ballroom B - GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN - Who will win Jungle Red Writers Family Feud? Rhys Bowen, Lucy Burdette, Deborah Crombie, Hallie Ephron (M), Rosemary Harris, Hank Phillippi Ryan (M), Julia Spencer-Fleming.

2:35 - 3:35 P.M. - Whitehall Room - MORALLY CHALLENGED HEROES - How do authors convince readers to care about morally-ambiguous characters? Lou Berney, Elizabeth Hand, Seth Harwood, Chris F. Holm, Ali Karim (M), Wallace Stroby.

4:00 - 4:50 P.M. - Ambassador Room - ROMANTIC SUSPENSE, MURDER, MAYHEM, & THE MATTRESS MAMBO - See how bestselling authors use sex (and love) to spice up their books. Lori G. Armstrong, Jordan Dane, Heather Graham, CJ Lyons, Michael Monette (M).


Saturday, October 6

10:15 - 11:05 A.M. - Gold Room - O, CANADA - Murder with our neighbors to the north, aye? Lou Alin, Anthony Bidulka, Rick Blechta, John McFetridge, Robin Spano (M).

11:30 - 12:20 P.M. - Whitehall Room - HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF - The use of historical characters in fiction. Craig McDonald (M), Michael McMenamin, Patrick McMenamin, Roberta Rogow.

1:30 - 2:20 P.M. - Grand Ballroom B - HE SAID, HE REPLIED, HE GASPED - Writing snappy dialogue that keeps a reader turning pages. Jessie Chandler, David Freed, Gail Lucasik, Alan Orloff, Kira L. Peikoff, Michael Sears.


Sunday, October 7

9:00 - 9:50 A.M. - Grand Ballroom B - WARTIME HEROES - Authors talk about how the World Wars shape their characters and their stories. James R. Benn, Joanne Dobson, J. Robert Janes, Beverle Graves Myers, Sarah Shaber, Charles Todd.


There you have it. Even with a clone for Friday afternoon, I'm sure I missed a good panel or two. Have fun, everyone. See you next year in Albany.

#verseday 1998

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. My topic this week is 1998.

Write a poem set in or mentioning 1998 by noon Friday, September 14.

Andy Murray, U.S. Open Champion

Talented Murray finally put it all together to beat defending champion Novak Djokovic in a grueling 5-set, 4-hour-and-54-minute match. I'm happy for Murray, and also for his coach, Ivan Lendl, who overcame similar early career disappointment to become one of tennis's greats.

I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions.

Today, eleven years after the September 11 attacks, there is controversy over the revelation that U.S. Navy SEAL Team Six was responsible for killing Osama bin Laden. It may be too much to ask that politicians or the media keep the role of special operations forces under wraps, but SEALs themselves should not become part of the problem, as "Mark Owen" has with No Easy Day.

The first character I created was a Navy SEAL, and for research I read many SEAL memoirs and novels. I mostly scrapped the character, but above all I came to respect the SEALs' commitment to secrecy. It should not be too much to ask someone to be satisfied knowing he did what he did.

Earlier this year, the movie Act of Valor was the first to feature active-duty SEALs as actors, possibly endangering the men's lives and exposing SEAL tactics, yet U.S. SOCOM commander Adm. William McRaven, himself a SEAL, signed off on the movie.

We all have parts of our lives we struggle through, parts it would not help anyone to discuss. Quiet endurance can be more heroic than any story told. Today I salute the SEALs and soldiers, police, fire, and rescue workers whose names we've never heard. I salute anyone bearing burden silently.

At The 5-2: "Pease Porridge Cold" by Michelle Holmes

Enjoy the first poem of The 5-2's second year.

#versday Lies

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, September 6. My topic this week is lies.

Write a poem involving a lie or lies by noon Friday, September 7.

Don't Get the Wool Pulled Over Your Eyes

The entry title is a stretch callback to yesterday's post on sockpuppet reviewing. As much as I appreciate well-written reviews and am committed to writing them, no reader should rely completely on reviews.

Art is subjective. Everyone who takes it in sees it differently. The best way to know whether I'll enjoy a book is to read the first page or two. Those first pages either move me or they don't, and that makes up my mind.

If I enjoy something hundreds of critics pan or no one else seems to watch—Weekend at Bernie's, Licence to Kill, Firefly, Andy Barker, P.I., etc.—I don't dwell on what I'm missing. I count myself lucky that perhaps I'm on the same wavelength as the creator, and we can share an enjoyment others don't get. Writers think of reaching one reader, not millions. That our words do connect with many is a testament to how much humans have in common.

Sockpuppetry

I'm a longtime Twitter follower of British spy thriller author Jeremy Duns, a former journalist who has helped uncover high-profile, recent incidents of plagiarism (Q.R. Markham, Lenore Hart) and "sockpuppetry" i.e. creating false Internet IDs to praise one's own work or arguments while bashing those of fellow authors.

As a nerd, goody-goody, and teacher, the thought of creating sockpuppets never occurred to me. I imagine if I did, I would be quickly caught. But I have dealt with a sockpuppeteer in my time as a discussion list moderator.

A member of Spenser's Sneakers calling himself Spensermein created three IDs to support his arguments. I traced the IDs to the same IP address and banned them all. It's sad that people feel they need to support their points in this deceptive way. I imagine it's more difficult to trace and stop fraudulent reviews on bookstore sites, but I hope the work of Jeremy and others exposing sockpuppets will encourage higher standards of site security.

Every work is bound to get a bad review sometime. Authors responding to them personally or driving their fan bases to Amazon seems petty. It bothers me, though, that people are allowed to rate books without actually writing a review, such as this 2-star, anonymous "review" of my ebook, Call Me Cupid, on BN.com. You would think BN's system would flag it, saying, "You haven't written anything," but evidently not.

My review policy is to point out a work's strengths and weaknesses without getting personal. As impersonal as sockpuppetry pretends to be, it is extremely personal when you think of the time sockpuppeteers spend crafting their false identities to put others down to an extent they never would using their "real" names. Sockpuppeteers actually take reviews of their work very personally and can't stand the thought of many readers preferring someone else's work.

By the time writing or any product is made available, creators should have developed some objectivity about its quality, so they don't take criticism personally. Before reviewing products, consumers should have developed similar objectivity, so their criticism isn't personal.

Now Available: LOST CHILDREN: PROTECTORS

I'm pleased to have contributed an original poem, "Hushed", to a new anthology edited by Thomas Pluck, thirty-nine stories and two poems benefiting child protection lobby PROTECT, available in ebook and trade paperback.

At The 5-2: "This is How I Murdered the Librarian" by Michael A. Arnzen

The 5-2's first year ends with this poem by creative writing teacher and horror author Michael Arnzen.

Thanks to everyone who contributes to and reads the site. Again, this year's poems will be collected in The 5-2: Volume One ebook, available for purchase in October.

"Pain shouldn't be this fun."

...reads the title of Shawn Robertson's Amazon review for my poetry ebook, We Might Have. Shawn runs the text-and-audio fiction website Tales of Old, and is on Twitter @TalesOfOld. Thanks very much, Shawn.

@g_so I loved "We Might Have." Poems about pain should not be that fun! B&N site would not let me review, but I put one on Amazon.

— Shawn Robertson (@TalesofOld) August 30, 2012

#verseday Lunch

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. My topic this week is lunch.

Write a poem about a specific lunch or lunch in general by noon Friday, August 31.

Coming in October: The 5-2 Volume One Ebook

Fifty-two poems by fourty-four poets, $3.99 for Kindle and Nook.

Featuring poems by Nyla Alisia, R.A. Allen, Margaret Anderson, Michael A. Arnzen, Randall Avilez, Jack Bates, Alec Cizak, Robert Cooperman, Ray Daniel, Michael Chacko Daniels, Cassandra de Alba, C.J. Edwards, John M. Floyd, Kent Gowran, Bruce Harris, Clarinda Harriss, Chad Haskins, Kathleen Hellen, Kyle Hemmings, Paul Hostovsky, Peter Ivey, Dorothy James, Tonia Kalouria, Susan Kelley, Ian Khadan, Rauan Klassnik, Lola Koundakjian, Dennis Mahagin, Catfish McDaris, Trevor Nelson, Brett Peruzzi, Thomas Pluck, David S. Pointer, Kimberly Poitevin, William Dylan Powell, Charles Rammelkamp, Keith Rawson, Stephen D. Rogers, Nancy Scott, Jackie Sheeler, Hal Sirowitz, Duane Spurlock, Jay Stringer, Ray Succre.

At The 5-2: "Sheriff Andy Taylor" by David S. Pointer

Like all his fans, I was saddened by Andy Griffith's passing. David S. Pointer incorporated Griffith's beloved character, Sheriff Andy Taylor, into this week's 5-2 poem. Enjoy.

With next week's poem, The 5-2 wraps up its first year. I am now working on the Volume One ebook collection, fifty-two poems by forty-four poets, that will sell for $3.99 on Kindle and Nook.

Meanwhile, The 5-2's second year is booked through October 2012. Submit today.

#verseday Overseas

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, August 16. My topic this week is overseas travel.

Write a poem involving overseas or your idea of overseas travel by noon Friday, August 24.

Same Blog, Different Name

Yes, I figured I'd switch from "If you want to know about my life...", a catchphrase I used in college, to something that would grab anyone scanning a blogroll. How'd I do?

At The 5-2: "Broken Sestina for Mary Bell" by Cassandra de Alba

Cassandra, a Massachusetts-based slam poet, brings us a poem about child killer Mary Bell.

THE LONELY SILVER RAIN by John D. MacDonald

I've read several of MacDonald's Travis McGee books, but never this final one until now. I felt like reading it after learning that Robert B. Parker's Cole and Hitch would be continued by actor/screenwriter Robert Knott. I support the continuation plans, but they also remind me that no two authors have the same intangibles. Parker wasn't the first mystery writer I read, but his eloquent, clean prose overshadowed everyone I read after him, John D. included.

I've been an email list moderator for thirteen years and, in that time, have tried to read widely and see writers' strengths and weaknesses. Even so, only now, two years after Parker's passing, do I realize to what extent he colored my opinions of other writing. As flattered as I'd be if someone likened my writing to Parker's or MacDonald's, I want to be appreciated for my intangibles.

Ready to see MacDonald in his own light, I chose The Lonely Silver Rain because I have a soft spot for first and last books. Writers put the most on the line with the first book; it's the one that sells the rest. It's pretty to think writers put the same into a series' last book, but most writers don't know they're writing a last book as they're writing it. In MacDonald's case, there's plenty to suggest he might have known.

Tracking down a friend's stolen yacht, McGee comes across the aftermath of three brutal murders and vows to bring the killer or killers to justice. A couple of close calls and encounters with recurring characters dying from cancer give him plenty of time to ponder, if not his own mortality, when he might give up his crusading lifestyle. The book is a satisfying last adventure in print, but its ending lets readers imagine more, the best of both worlds.

Melky Cabrera

Former Yankee outfielder Melky Cabrera, a member of the 2009 championship team, was suspended fifty games yesterday, having tested positive for elevated testosterone. Melky was among the league leaders in hits this season with a .346 average and was named MVP of the All-Star game. As a Yankee, Melky was a streaky hitter, his strong defense not making up for his inconsistent offense. As glad as I was to see him succeed, I was also suspicious.

I'm suspicious of all athletes today, and I feel terrible about it. I want to enjoy sports at face value. I want to believe people are doing their best and succeeding naturally. But the sad fact is, as long as major money is involved, professional athletes will do anything to get an edge.

I would only be shocked anymore to hear Derek Jeter were on PEDs. Now 38 years old, Derek is also among the league leaders in hits this season, after having batted .270 with his second-lowest season hit total in 2010. Derek is not only a Yankee, but also symbolizes everything good about sports and how to carry oneself on and off the field. In his case, I hope image is reality.

#verseday Sixteen

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, August 16. My topic this week is sixteen.

Write a poem involving the number sixteen (16 lines long, the age sixteen, etc.) by noon Friday, August 17.

JESSE STONE: BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT

My DVD review of CBS's last Jesse Stone movie has posted to Crimespree Magazine's blog.

At The 5-2: Rauan Klassnik

This week, an untitled prose poem.

Visit Rauan Klassnik's blog.

Robert B. Parker's Cole and Hitch To Be Continued

Shortly before Ace Atkins's Spenser continuation novel, Lullaby, was released, I asked Mel Farman of the Parker estate if there were plans to continue Parker's Western series starring Marshal Virgil Cole and his friend Everett Hitch. Mel said yes, and they were exploring continuing Sunny Randall as well.

I saw a post on the Robert B. Parker Facebook page from last Thursday that news of the Cole and Hitch continuation novel, Ironhorse, was coming soon. I went on to find Ironhorse's information page at Penguin Putnam. Written by Robert Knott, who co-wrote and produced the Ed Harris movie adaptation of Parker's Appaloosa, Iron Horse will be published January 8, 2013.

#versday Midnight Snacks

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, August 9. My topic this week is midnight snacks.

Write a poem about a midnight snack by noon Friday, August 10.

At The 5-2: "Lift Her to the Witnesses" by Kathleen Hellen

This week, a poem of how bystanders might react to an emergency:




I'm reminded of Reed Farrel Coleman's poem, "The Dying Man", which originally appeared in The Lineup #2:

Partners & Crime Closing September 20

Getting into mystery fiction in 1993, I first visited Partners & Crime in Greenwich Village in 1998, the only time I met Robert B. Parker. Becoming friendly with co-owner Maggie Griffin and then-employee Sarah Weinman, I also had the pleasure of meeting Robert Crais, Lawrence Block, S.J. Rozan, Lee Child, George Pelecanos, Jack Bludis, Reed Farrel Coleman, Ken Bruen, Jason Starr, Alexander McCall Smith, and Joseph Wallace at Partners.

I wish I'd made it to more events, of course, but each one I did make remains clear and special to me.

#verseday England

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, August 2. My topic this week is England.

Write a poem about England by noon Friday, August 3.

In Memory of Msgr. Francis S. Midura

Fr. Frank Midura was the first pastor of Our Lady of Hope parish, established in 1987 in Carle Place. I was 13 at the time, and my family had attended Mass there for four years when it was the chapel of St. Brigid, but I still think of Fr. Midura as my first pastor. At the time, I was considering the priesthood and took the chance to couch my questions about it in an interview for school.

He was accommodating, informative, and approachable. He also served as a U.S. Army chaplain and volunteer fireman. I remember him training every year. I remember him leaving to serve in the first Gulf war. Most of all, though, I remember him visiting our house the day before my father died from pancreatic cancer. Despondent as I was, the visit was most unexpected and welcome. Fr. Midura's greatest gift, in my opinion, was his way with people, knowing how to approach them, how to lead them.

As much as I miss my father, he couldn't have gone under better circumstances, visited by a respected friend, and finally with his family around him. Fr. Midura had undergone several heart procedures in recent years but continued to serve at St. Thomas More in Hauppauge. Passing last night, he didn't live the longest life, but one of the fullest and most purposeful.

DAREDEVIL Vol. 1 by Mark Waid

As a fan of Mark Waid's Superman: Birthright, I was excited to hear he would be working on Daredevil, and have just read Issues 1-6 of his run in trade paperback.

Though DD is my favorite superhero, I hadn't kept up with recent runs that saw him get very dark. Daredevil is well suited to trials by fire, but Waid tackles the equally important question, "How does he bounce back?"

Previous predicaments persist—Matt Murdock was outed as Daredevil, and business at the law firm of Nelson & Murdock has taken a hit—but, armed with a fresh perspective on the past, old Hornhead is ready for the next round.

Mysterical-E Spring/Summer 2012

This issue includes my summer/fall TV preview. Thanks as always to editor Joe DeMarco.

At The 5-2: "Tiny URL of The Portable MFA" by Dennis Mahagin

Enjoy this associative, jazzy poem.

Back to the Movies

It's rare I watch a movie within six days of its premiere, but I was glad to prove the Aurora shooting did not affect my love of the movies. Reflecting on each part of the experience—the Subway sandwiches beforehand, the previews, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, and after-movie chat—I appreciated it all the more.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Eight years have passed since the events of THE DARK KNIGHT. Since taking the blame for the death of popular D.A. Harvey Dent, Batman has disappeared and Bruce Wayne has become a shut-in. Meanwhile, a law bearing Dent's name has vastly reduced crime in Gotham.

As a rival businessman plots to take over floundering Wayne Enterprises with the help of supercriminal Bane, Bane sets in motion his own plan for a secret nuclear reactor beneath Gotham. Despite being realistically hobbled by past injuries, Batman swings back into action, and Bane handles him rather easily.

As BATMAN BEGINS was the story of Bruce Wayne shaping himself into Batman, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is the story of Wayne reclaiming the desire to be Batman, to fight back in Gotham's name. As teased by Christopher Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES wraps up the trilogy, but the movie also stands well on its own.

There were points of overindulgence to all three movies, but the stakes for this last one were satisfyingly personal. My main complaint is, if you're more a fan of the trilogy than I was, if you cataloged every bit of hype about it, some twists will be spoiled. As a fan of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, I knew a crucial detail about one of the characters that could have spoiled more, but amid the normal adaptation from comics to film, I forgot it.

#versday Astronauts

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, July 26. My topic this week is astronauts.

Write a poem about an astronaut or astronauts by noon Friday, July 27.

My Review Policy

Jungle Red Writers today welcomes reviewer-turned-author Terry Ambrose, who offers advice on how authors can have their books reviewed. My comment reveals my own approach to reviewing books, TV, movies, and DVDs on my blog and for various sites and magazines:

...I make no promise that I will post a review, so if I really don't like something, I don't review it.

With an academic background in writing and teaching, I can hone in on the material and not sound as if I'm grilling the author (because I'm not). I think reviewers have an obligation to give a balanced view of the material, pointing out what they liked, but also pointing out what others might not like (e.g. "The violence may be too much for some, but I found it appropriate to the story").

Browse my reviews.

Legacy

Pennsylvania State University has removed its statue of football coach Joe Paterno after evidence showed Paterno's role in allowing years of child abuse by defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky to go unchecked. As expected, some in the Penn State community assert that removing the statue wipes away all the good Paterno did. I disagree.

I didn't attend Penn State and didn't know Paterno, but I have been inspired by several people about whom opinion was divided, some of whom were even later disgraced. While this taints their legacies and dims my view of them, it does not take away the lessons I learned from them, the values I made my own. Joe Paterno's failings in the Sandusky scandal led to removal of the statue, but they do not take away the good values and behavior Paterno inspired in generations. Part of a person's legacy is all the people he inspires, and all the people they inspire in turn.

At The 5-2: "Santa Ana Winds" by Ray Daniel

Today, July 23, is the 124th anniversary of Raymond Chandler's birth, so this week, a Chandleresque haiku from Boston mystery writer Ray Daniel.

Poetry as Witness to Tragedy

Last night, I received a 5-2 submission I read as a response to the Aurora midnight shooting. It prompted this commentary.

Midnight Movie Theater Shooting

I'm shaken to learn of the shooting at a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado, leaving twelve dead and many more injured.

On one level, it's a senseless attack no one could have foreseen, but it also gets to me as someone who's attended midnight screenings. I never once thought something like this could happen, and for that sense of safety I thank all police and security people.

When people go to movies, they are looking to escape reality for a couple of hours. They are ready to buy into what happens on the screen and rest assured that any violence that occurs will only be on the screen. For someone to open fire on a place of assumed safe imagination is especially evil.

I take small comfort that the gunman was arrested shortly after the shooting and will face justice, unlike so many previous gunmen who killed themselves before they could be caught.

I'll continue to attend midnight screenings whenever I get the chance and am in the wacky mood. It's not especially brave. It's just that the alternative is to fear everything that might happen. And that isn't living.

#verseday Insects

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, July 19. My topic this week is insects.

Write a poem about an insect or insects by noon Friday, July 20.

Goodbye, Jeremy Lin

At 11:59 last night, the Knicks officially passed on matching the Houston Rockets' offer to Jeremy Lin. As much as I liked Lin, the offer was too much. Lin did not gel with Carmelo and Amar'e as I'd hoped. His turnover ratio was problematic. If I were the Knicks, I would have passed, too.

The camp that thought the Knicks should have kept Lin points to what a splash he made in New York, how much money he would have brought in for the Knicks, but if Lin really wanted to stay on the team, where he could have learned from Jason Kidd, he wouldn't have signed the Rockets' offer sheet in the first place.

At The 5-2: "The Creep with a Blowhole"

This week, a prison poem.

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LAST CHANCE LASSITER by Paul Levine

LAST CHANCE LASSITER is an ebook novella published this month, a prequel to TO SPEAK FOR THE DEAD, the first novel featuring Miami Dolphins linebacker-turned-lawyer Jake Lassiter. The novella has Jake refusing to represent James Farrell, a man who all but admits to beating his wife. Shortly after quitting his firm, Jake takes a case of music plagiarism on referral from the boss he just antagonized.

As with any prequel, the most compelling question is not whether things work out, but how they work out. A crafty lawyer and writer in his own regard, Levine paints Jake into quite a corner and just as craftily gets him out.

If you haven't read the Jake Lassiter novels, this is a chance to get in on the ground floor, so to speak. If you're a Lassiter fan like I am, you'll jump at the chance to see more of Jake's history.

The 5-2 featured at Women of Mystery

Clare Toohey, manager and editor of Criminal Element and reader of this week's 5-2 poem, features her performance on the group blog Women of Mystery today. Stop by and comment. Thanks again, Clare.

#verseday Bill Cosby

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, July 12. My topic this week is Bill Cosby.

Write a poem about Bill Cosby by noon Friday, July 13.

THE TRINITY GAME by Sean Chercover

Let me preface this review by saying I so enjoyed Chercover's Ray Dudgeon P.I. books (BIG CITY, BAD BLOOD; TRIGGER CITY) that I would read anything he wrote. I requested an advance copy of THE TRINITY GAME (on sale July 31) knowing nothing about its plot.

Father Daniel Byrne, who works for the Vatican verifying and disproving miracles, is assigned to debunk televangelist Tim Trinity, who also happens to be Daniel's estranged uncle. Having been raised by Trinity, Daniel already knows his uncle is a con man. However, arriving on scene, Daniel deciphers Trinity's speaking-in-tongues act as a genuine gift of prophecy. This discovery sends everyone after Trinity, from a legendary Las Vegas bookie, to shadowy factions of the Church, to the lost love of Daniel's life, newspaper reporter Julia Rothman.

Religious conspiracies don't interest me; I'm too skeptical of them to get very far. I was able to put that bias aside, though, and read the book for Daniel Byrne, a man hiding much behind the collar. The complex relationship of nephew and uncle was more important than their being priest and preacher. If you like mounting conspiracies and sweeping suspense, there's plenty to go around.

I come away from THE TRINITY GAME with an even higher opinion of Chercover's writing, convinced he can thrive in page-turners as well as P.I. fiction.

Finding Your Poetry

I nudge people to submit to The 5-2 whenever I can, of course, and many tell me they'd love to write poetry, but they don't know how to start. Some are even great prose writers. As a teacher, there's nothing I love more than stirring someone's imagination, giving him the tools to create something that shows his individuality and dedication.

I discovered I wanted to write at thirteen, but didn't dedicate myself to poetry until I was an adjunct English professor at Hofstra University, working the technical side of a faculty poetry website. You might say my motivators were a desire to contribute and a fear of embarrassment, a fear so strong, I made sure I wouldn't be embarrassed.

Three books helped and continue to help me: In the Palm of Your Hand: The Poet's Portable Workshop by Steve Kowit, The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises From Poets Who Teach by Robin Behn and Chase Twichell, and Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge. There are, of course, several good books on writing poetry, and a different one may help you. For that reason, before you seek out books on writing poetry, try to connect with a poem you've read. Does it move you or not? Why? Analyze your reaction and try to write a poem in response, bypassing for now the need to generate an idea all on your own.

That's how I started. Let curiosity lead you from there. I look forward to reading your work.

PERCEPTION on TNT

As a longtime fan of Eric McCormack, Rachael Leigh Cook, and mysteries, I've been anticipating PERCEPTION for months, and it delivered. McCormack plays Chicago neuroscience professor Daniel Pierce, a brilliant schizophrenic who believes he functions better without his medication. Cook plays FBI Special Agent Kate Moretti, Pierce's former student, transferred back to Chicago thanks to her tendency to go beyond the scope of her assignments.

In last night's pilot, Moretti called on Pierce's expertise in the case of a woman who had already confessed to her husband's murder. Questioning the woman, Pierce learned she'd become delusional and the suggestion by the police that she'd killed her husband made her believe she had done it.

The show turns on McCormack winning sympathy for Pierce as he's bombarded with puzzles and hallucinates people to help solve them. It's a vivid way to see his mind at work, and, appropriately, viewers can't tell hallucination from reality until they see other characters' view of Pierce, or Pierce comes to the realization himself.

PERCEPTION airs Monday nights at 10:00, and you can count on me to be there.

At The 5-2: "On Car Theft" by R.A. Allen

This week I'm pleased to present the work of Memphis poet R.A. Allen, with a reading by Clare Toohey of Criminal Element.

In other news, the week of August 27, The 5-2 will feature a poem by David S. Pointer in memory of Andy Griffith and his beloved TV character, Sheriff Andy Taylor.

I'm currently seeking the final poem of The 5-2's first year. Submit today.

And though The 5-2 did not win California Casualty Insurance's Battle of the Blogs, it was an honor to be named a top law enforcement blog.

#verseday Heat

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, July 5. My topic this week is heat.

Write a poem about heat (literal or figurative) by noon Friday, July 6.

Another Quiet 4th

Many of my closest family members are in Florida through the weekend, so it looks to be a quiet day here. That's fine by me. The older I get, the less impressed I am with bombs bursting in air. Part of me would like to be doing something more exciting, but in quiet moments, I can reflect on the life I've been able to lead and be grateful for the freedom to lead it.

At The 5-2: "Stickup Kids" by Ian Khadan

Enjoy, and check out Bob Holman's reading of "Stickup Kids".

The 5-2 is open to submissions year-round.

SMFS Vice President

Today begins my two-year term as vice president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society, a large discussion group for writers, editors, publishers, and readers. The SMFS also presents the annual Derringer Awards.

#verseday Patriotism

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, June 28. My topic this week is patriotism.

Write a poem about patriotism by noon Friday, June 29.

Murderati: The Pace of Prose

I commented on David Corbett's post about whether a writer's success can be measured by quantity or quality.

At The 5-2: "Pantoum by a Puzzled Policeman" by Dorothy James

Enjoy.

The deadline for an original poem inspired by Raymond Chandler or Philip Marlowe is this Sunday, July 1. Please pass the word to anyone interested.

Spread the word about The 5-2 on your site with these promotional graphics.

Also, California Casualty Insurance, which named The 5-2 a top law enforcement blog, presents this profile of The 5-2.

Get 5-2 updates on Twitter @PJPress.

New 5-2 T-Shirts

Revamping my CafePress shop, I've made a small line of products for you who enjoy The 5-2: Crime Poetry Weekly and want to spread the word without breaking the bank. The t-shirt pictured, the main product, is only $11.

Now through June 28, use the coupon code, INDEPEN60, for $15 off orders of $60 or more. (An order of $73 could buy you one of every 5-2 product: t-shirt, cap, tote bag, gym bag, mug, and calendar poster.)

And speaking of spreading the word, feel free to add 5-2 promotional graphics to your website.

Heroes Behind The Badge

Seeing The 5-2 had been selected as a top law enforcement blog by California Casualty Insurance, retired Miami-Dade Police Lt. Bill Erfurth asked me to spread the word about a documentary film he's working on, Heroes Behind The Badge.

You can view the trailer below. When completed, fifty percent of the film's proceeds will go to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. More about Heroes Behind The Badge is on Facebook, Twitter, and in this news story.

Meanwhile, there are still a few days left to vote for The 5-2 to win California Casualty's June competition and a $200 donation to the American Red Cross.

The Heat Overwhelms the Thunder

I wanted Oklahoma City to foil Miami in the NBA Finals. I don't resent Miami's big three. LeBron's departure from Cleveland wasn't the first time I'd seen a sports hero alienate his hometown fanbase. My issue with Miami's big three was that none of them were that big physically. On paper, the Heat can't match up with the more traditionally balanced team the Thunder appeared to be, and paying so much salary to three players prohibits the Heat from improving their bench.

The Heat proved conventional wisdom wrong, but that's the best reason to watch sports, for unpredictable outcomes, for personal performances that defy the odds. I wanted the Lakers to beat the Bulls in the 1990-91 Finals that ended in Michael Jordan's first championship. I wanted the Red Sox to lose in 2004. Neither happened. You may want to continue throwing cold water on the Heat, but if you don't acknowledge they won this year's title by a wide margin, you are deeply in denial.

I've Finally Seen: MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS

The stars aligned for me to see the movie yesterday, almost seven weeks after it premiered, with one friend who had taken the day off for his daughter's pre-k graduation and another who had made time on a two-week swing into New York from Wisconsin.

In short, I thought the movie handled the tough task of showing how great individual characters would bounce off each other and eventually gel together. I'd seen Joss Whedon pull off nuanced team-building on BUFFY, ANGEL, and FIREFLY, yet I wondered how it would happen for Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Thor, Natasha Romanoff, and Clint Barton. Great characters are great because they seem like no other.

Don Bellisario Sues CBS

While following up on the rumor that Linda Hunt was leaving NCIS: Los Angeles, I came across the April 28 news that NCIS creator Don Bellisario was suing CBS over NCIS: Los Angeles.

From a personal standpoint, I'm glad to get any insight into what Bellisario thinks of the spinoff. I hadn't heard anything from him since he stepped down as NCIS showrunner in 2007. While I've remained a fan of NCIS, I can't help wondering where Bellisario would have taken it. (It's quite possible the show would have run aground had tensions between Bellisario and Mark Harmon persisted.)

Both Bellisario and CBS claim to be supported by contract language. However the case turns out, it does seem one worth hearing.

UPDATES: On June 21, 2012, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gregory Alarcon ruled in favor of CBS under a 2006 agreement between the studio and Bellisario. However, Bellisario may re-focus his suit based on a 1992 agreement.

On January 18, 2013, a week before the scheduled start of a trial, Bellisario and CBS settled.

#verseday Summer

#verseday is a Twitter hashtag I came up with to promote poetry writing. I invite Twitter people to suggest poetry topics by noon Eastern each Thursday. Participants must then draft poems by noon Eastern Friday. The resulting poems can be submitted anywhere.

Even if you've never written a poem before, you're invited. Taking the time to think poetically can help your creativity on other projects. If you'd like to participate, tweet your topics, tagged #verseday, by noon Thursday, June 21. My topic this week is summer.

Write a poem about summer by noon Friday, June 22.

At The 5-2: Robert Cooperman's "Lily Bartell, About To Be Murdered..."

Cooperman returns with a Western poem. Thanks again to longtime friend of The 5-2 Nancy Scott, who stepped up to record the poem as my computer time was limited last week.

I'm currently seeking a poem inspired by Raymond Chandler or Philip Marlowe for the week of Chandler's birthday, July 23-29. Submission deadline is July 1.

California Casualty Insurance has selected The 5-2 as a top Law Enforcement blog. If we win the June vote, California Casualty will make a $200 donation to the American Red Cross on our behalf.

If you're on Twitter, feel free to spread the word about The 5-2 and tweet your comments on 5-2 poetry to @PJPress

Finally, I'd like your opinions and suggestions on some 5-2 t-shirt designs. Feel free to e-mail me or use the Comment form below.

Father's Day

My father was a pediatric surgeon who was often called into work in the wee hours of the morning, on weekends, and holidays. He was also an avid gardener and fisherman, and though I never warmed to these hobbies, he was very present in my life.

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1995 (at age 61) and underwent surgery that gave him five more years. I wish we'd had more time together, but he remains present in my humor, my discipline, and probably countless other qualities.

Happy Father's Day, everyone.

My New Supporting Role

I've just been elected vice president of the Short Mystery Fiction Society for 2012–14, and will take office July 1. Having served as president from 2008 to 2010, I now look forward to supporting President-Elect Tom Sweeney and Awards Coordinator-Elect Tony Rudzki, representing a genre I love.

THE LOST ONES by Ace Atkins

Atkins' Edgar®-nominated THE RANGER ended with Deputy Lillie Virgil prodding Quinn Colson to run for sheriff of Tibbehah County, Mississippi. Having recently won election in THE LOST ONES, Quinn is confronted with two complex cases, one involving fugitive foster parents with eleven young children in tow, the other involving Donnie Varner, a disgruntled Afghanistan veteran looking to sell stolen weapons to Mexican drug dealers. On the homefront, Quinn has to deal with the reappearance of his sister, Caddy, who claims to have found religion, and wants Quinn to revisit a painful episode of their childhood.

THE LOST ONES shines in its moral complexity. Donnie is a reflection of what Quinn might have become had his uncle and the Army not straightened him out, but he isn't all black-hat villain, nor is the alluring drug dealer he falls for, nor the fugitive foster mother. Because none of the characters can be reduced to type, at no point can you assume how things play out. You have to keep reading, keep watching which way the characters turn. There is no better suspense.