Tag Archives: author
The Tax Man Cometh
Death and Taxes. Ah, yes. The two inevitable givens in life. We can’t escape either end for very long. And, once again, the depressing season of tax preparation and gnashing of teeth is upon us. Pop Quiz: I prepare my own returns because I’m: a) Cheap, b) Fond of frustration, c) Just as smart as […]
Top 7 Irksome Things
I find certain things irksome. Not mildly irritating people, or frustrating bureaucratic logic, but that burn under your skin kind of torment. I find myself less tolerant of bigoted buffoons and ignorance these days and I have compiled my top seven list of the things that irk me, based on the degree of irksomeness. 7. […]
Prison and Plotting
Prison changes a man. I actually heard a hardened prison gang member say that once. The man was feared in gang circles and ran one of the biggest gang, weapons and drug rackets in Folsom Prison in the 1980’s. New inmates, “fish” as they were called, had to check in with his underlings and pay […]
Writing California Interview & Book Signing Announcement
Recently, I had the opportunity to contribute to Sydney Avey’s blog series, Writing California. The Golden State has much to offer as a setting in contemporary fiction, yet most of California is overlooked. Los Angeles, San Francisco and the palm tree encrusted costal beaches serve as the backdrop to hundreds of books each and every […]
The Toxic Trap
Toxic You find a dark place with warning signs or a rusted barrel with a bio-hazard label, you know what to do. Run, in the opposite direction, because that is some nasty crap that will cause you irreversible harm. Simple, right? The very image ignites a fight or flight reflex in your lizard brain and […]
It’s All About The Backstory
The Backstory Everything has its own unique story, a history, that “what made you who you are” element. When you sit in a coffee shop and listen to the chatter, the unspoken backstory is the thing that makes you want to know more about the people. It influences the way we see them, the way […]
That’s My Favorite
You know what’s really fun? No, not that. I was in a local bookstore to finalize some arrangements on an upcoming book signing and a woman came up the counter carrying a few mystery novels in her arms. She asked for recommendations on similar titles. I struck up a conversation with her about mysteries and […]
Reading Goes To The Dogs
Remember back when you were a kid? I mean way back, when you were just a little nipper, in school learning to read. I recall my first or second grade teacher, Mrs. SomethingOrAnother (see how much of an impact she made) scratching what could have been Cyrillic letters on the blackboard. Through a dense cloud […]
The After Life
I have this new story idea bouncing around in my head. It refuses to leave me alone. The damned thing left a ransom note in a dusty corner of my brain, threatening to hold my attention hostage until I do something. So, here goes…the background. During the years I worked inside maximum security prisons, I […]
I Want To Be A DVR When I Grow Up
I want a pause button. When life takes an unexpected turn, from a rejected manuscript or some other personal miscalculation, I want a pause button. I should be able to unbutton my shirtsleeve, roll up the cuff and press my personal pause button. Think about the times you’ve done or said something absolutely stupid. We’ve […]
James L'Etoile 