Crimespree On Comics: Kate (and Dan) read INSUFFERABLE.

May 10, 2012
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Dan: You know you have ice cream all over your face? And come on! MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ON MY KINDLE?!

Kate: ::sniffles:: But, I wanted to read “Insufferable” by Mark Waid and Peter Krause. And since it’s only available digitally, I had to use the fancy Kindle-machine. And I like ice cream. Shut up.

D: Are…are you crying?

K: ::sniffles:: nnNNNOOOoo….

D: Yes you are. THERE’S NO CRYING IN COMICS!

K: ::sniffles::

D: And you’re getting snot on my Kindle. Why are you crying?

K: “Insufferable”.

D: I know you’re insufferable, but what’s with the water works?

K: Ha, ha, funny guy. No, the comic “Insufferable” is kind of sad. A hero’s sidekick grows up and is a huge tool. The sidekick, Galahad, is a grandstanding jerk-face. He totally trash-talks his former mentor, Nocturnus. Just a real D-Bag.

D: No, that isn’t very nice of him. Are you crying because a guy in a cape isn’t playing nice? You might want to toughen up a little if you want to keep reading comics.

K: It’s more than that! See at the end of issue one they reveal that Galahad is…

D: GAH!! SPOILERS!!!

K: Right. ::wipes off Kindle:: You’ll just have to read it for your self. Check it out!

…

D: WOW. What a great start to the series! The quality of the story really shouldn’t come as a surprise. With storytelling by industry vets Mark Waid and art chores by Peter Krause, you know you’re in for a well-crafted story. Insufferable has an awesome twist on the “Night vigilante/Kid side kick” archetype.

K: I know! And the end of issue one?

D: Never saw that coming. I can’t wait to see where Waid takes that. And that’s the key with a team like Waid and Krause: You don’t know where the story will go. You can only keep reading.

K: I know! What did you think about reading the book on the Kindle?

D: A book designed for e-readers is considerably easier to read than traditional comics that are converted to a digital format.

K: I know! The…

D: Stop saying “I know”. You’ve said it like 6 times now.

K: I know!

D: ::scowls::

K: Sorry. As I was saying, the panels flow naturally in “Insufferable”. You can see the entire page and read all of the dialogue at one time, just like a paper comic. The traditional paper books converted for the Kindle force you to either try to see the entire page and squint to read the dialogue. Otherwise you are forced to read each page panel by panel, but you don’t get a feel for the entire page and how the panels flow.

D: You said it. Like most folks, I’ve experimented with various comics apps, but I’ve yet to duplicate the ease of traditional comics. This was a very streamlined process that didn’t interfere with enjoying the book. I’ll definitely be reading this regularly!

::eyes messy/sticky Kindle with dismay:: Why don’t you keep that? I’ll be reading Insufferable on Thrillbent.com…on the laptop. Ice cream free.

Ace Atkins talking Spencer.

May 10, 2012
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Jon spent some time with Ace Aktins at his Milwaukee appearance. Here is a bit of Ace talking about music and Spencer.

Blu-ray Review: UNDERWORLD – AWAKENING

May 9, 2012
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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release date: May 8th, 2012

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING, directed by Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein, begins twelve years after Selene (Kate Beckinsale) and Michael are captured and sedated by an ominous research facility known as Antigen. When Selene is awakened by a fellow captive, she has to adjust to a world where humankind has driven vampires into hiding and lycans nearly into extinction during a period called The Purge. Selene pairs up with a vampire named David (Theo James) to discover what happened to Michael twelve years prior and why Antigen is currently hunting Eve (India Eisley)—the young girl Selene is determined to protect.

While none of the sequels measure up the first UNDERWORLD, this one comes close. While the film may not hold any deeper meaning or heart-wrenching (emotionally, at least) character arcs, it does have the action-fueled storylines that we’ve all come to expect (and love) from the franchise. Kate Beckinsale once again brings Selene’s characteristic cool composure and fierce attitude to the screen.

Video: AWAKENING was filmed, for 3D, with the Red Epic camera system and is presented in 1080p with a ratio of 2.40:1.

Audio: Sound is presented in a 16-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. There is another 16-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in French. Subtitles are available in English, English SDH, French, and Spanish.

Those who are willing to ignore a few plot holes and enjoy it for the fun battle to the death that it is won’t be disappointed. The story is entertaining, if not particularly deep or complex, and the fast-paced, stylized fight scenes are sure to hold viewers’ attention. The film’s ending leaves it open for a fifth installment in the series and the new post-Purge world would definitely serve as the perfect backdrop to continue Selene’s story.

Kristen Micek

Jed Ayres’ VISCOSITY playing, in Twin Cities, on May 16th.

May 9, 2012
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The short film VISCOSITY, based on the story by Jed Ayres, will be screening locally at IFP/MN’s Cinema Lounge Wednesday May 16th. Doors open at 6:00pm and begins at 7:00pm at the Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater. This free event will be honoring the top 4 placing films from Z-Fest.

So exactly how well did VISCOSITY do?

Paul from Brute Force Films: Yeah, we got $500 for 3rd Runner up out of 32 competing teams and out of 64 original teams. We’ve got a screening at Bryant-Lake Bowl on May 16th which should be cool, along with the other top 4 films. Viscosity was also nominated for Best Actor, Best Art Director, and Best Lighting for Z-Fest. The film apparently ruffled a few feathers because the festival managers received more than one e-mail complaining about our filthy little film. Well, I guess if we’re pissing someone off then we did something right.

So a 3rd place showing AND they upset people. What more could they ask for?

If you are in the Twin Cities, mark this on your calendars and help support independent cinema.

5 that changed my life: 2 Albums, 2 Books and a Film by Dave Wahlman

May 9, 2012
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When the opportunity to write this came up, I didn’t have to think hard about it at all. Some things are easy to trace back because of how early in my life they appeared and how many times I’ve gone back to them over the years. When I look at it, all five of my picks showed up over a 6-7 year period, from when I was about 13 until I was 20. I’m 30 now and this stuff either made me or helped ruin me for mass consumption.

When I was around 13, I was truly discovering rock and roll. I hung out with this kid who lived down the street. We would listen to bands like Nirvana, Hole, and Soundgarden on the stereo in his basement. His dad had a box of cassettes, all kinds of shit from Alice Cooper to The Guess Who. One tape in particular made me feel what a 13 year old boy needs to feel from rock and roll, when I was at the perfect age to receive it: It was LET IT BLEED by The Rolling Stones. It was 1995 or 1996, yet I was clearly destined to be an old school throwback even then. From the minute those opening notes float out and the guitar and then two drum hits, and that evil groove of “Gimme Shelter” erupts… oh my god. Songs like “Monkey Man” and “Midnight Rambler” and the title track itself… over the years I have studied that album. I have this vision of sitting in a big black Caddy outside a pool hall in the Combat Zone of Boston in 1969, and cranking that album before mayhem ensues. Fuck the Beatles; it’s all about the Stones. My friend would get pissed because he would want to listen to The Offspring and I wanted to hear the climax of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Now, you tell me which of those bands has albums that have stood the test of time as well as Let It Bleed has?

Who here didn’t rip off Colombia House records back in the day? I sure as hell did. I believe I was a junior in high school when I embarked on a campaign to take them for all I could. Now, if you asked me about the albums I got into from thanks to this venture, all of them would escape me except for one: RAW POWER by Iggy and the Stooges. I can remember seeing a picture of the album cover in the Colombia House catalogue. Iggy covered in gold paint and glitter, leaning on the mic stand like a lizard. Holy shit, I had no idea what it sounded like but I needed it. The box showed up on a rainy Saturday and I distinctly remember putting the CD on and being blown the fuck away. The opening track “Search and Destroy” came roaring out of the speakers and right then I knew things had changed. I was a junior in high school at this time and was taking a music appreciation class where we were able to bring in albums to play for the class. I remember bringing Raw Power in and although I can’t remember what song off the album I played, I have a crystal clear memory of the class’s reaction. It was pure shock, horror and disgust. Nobody got it. It flew right over all of their heads. At first I was pissed but then I realized I had something nobody else did – during the dark days of high school that is worth its weight in gold.

Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover. It was a black and white image of a LAPD squad car door riddled with bullet holes. Each hole was circled in marker with a different caliber written next to it, depending on the size of the hole. The book was WHITE JAZZ by James Ellroy. I was 19 and working at this indie record store. That book was sandpaper on my brain. The language of it was rock and roll to me, which is funny because Ellroy hates rock and roll. He is a classical music freak. The man is a freak all the way around. I’ve seen him do spoken word twice. Once for Cold Six Thousand, then for Blood’s A Rover. Seeing Ellroy read is on the same level as seeing Iggy Pop live for me. I picked up AMERICAN TABLOID next. That book turned me on in a big way. Kemper Boyd and Pete Bondurant are two of the greatest characters I’ve ever read. The sheer visceral effect those two books had on me is immeasureable. I’ve read each of these books hundreds of times. I’ve owned god knows how many copies of each. The only other writer who has had as much impact on me as Ellroy is Joe Lansdale.

NARC came out in 2002. It’s the first film by Joe Carnahan, starring Ray Liotta and Jason Patric. It’s about two Detroit narcs who are fucked up from the job, who get a case that’s a shot at redemption. It’s filmed in a gritty washed out 70s style. The opening sequence crucified me. To this day I think it’s one of the most brilliant sequences ever filmed: Plainclothes cop Jason Patric chases a needle-brandishing junky through the projects. I came out of that movie unsettled. The bleakness of it hits me every time. Fun fact, Joe Carnahan held the rights to film White Jazz by James Ellroy with George Clooney as the lead. He said in an interview that he wanted to shoot it in a 50s-era cops style, which would have been perfect. I’ve showed Narc to a few people over the years. Like everything else I truly love, most people don’t get it. The brutality turns them off. I think its art. Sometimes you need a film to get in your face. Narc does that for me. I feel lucky I got to see it on the big screen

That’s my five.

Dave

Kate (and Dan) Interview Peter Krause

May 8, 2012
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We at Kate (and Dan) Read Comics are pleased to present our conversation with the incredibly talented, and gracious, Peter Krause. Peter has illustrated such titles as “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, “Irredeemable”, and “Power of Shazam”. We are thankful that Peter took the time to do this interview.

You are a Minnesota based comics professional. We like local. Local beer. Local restaurants. 3M Post-It Notes. Local is good. Is Minnesota a strong area for comics?

As long as I can remember, Minnesota and the Twin Cities area in particular has been a great area for comics creators. Going back to when I was starting my career, you had creators such as Dan Jurgens, Gordon Purcell, Chaz Truog and Reed Waller all producing comics work. Other creators such as Gary Hartle and Greg Guler were working for the major companies before moving into the animation field. And you had an early independent comic made here–”Domino Chance” by Kevin Lenagh.

We first became aware of your work in the mid ‘90’s with “Power of Shazam”. What was your first work?

Well, I was part of a comics collective of sorts in the mid 1980s. We produced a comic called “Entropy Tales” and then a short-lived series call “Nightwolf” that I wrote and drew. I then did some work for both Slave Labor Graphics and First Comics. Most comics fans probably became aware of my work for DC when I penciled the Star Trek: The Next Generation comic in the early 1990s.

We hear your new project is an all-digital book called “Insufferable” and it’s with your long-time collaborator Mark Waid. Tell us more.

It just launched May 1 at thrillbent.com. We’re playing with the hero/sidekick model, and their relationship is fractured. You can read the first installment for free right now, and we’ll update it every Wednesday thereafter.

Are there any challenges that arise moving from Bristol board to digital? How are these overcome?

I love working digitally. I’m drawing “Insufferable” on a Wacom Cintiq 21UX. The final work is much closer to what I view inside my head, and I’m saving at least two hours of work per page. That and no scanning!

As mentioned earlier, this isn’t your first work with Mark Waid. “Irredeemable” was a major success. Can you tell us a little bit about the collaborative process? Do you receive highly detailed scripts, or do you as an artist have room to add your own interpretations of the script?

Mark is very open to any ideas that we (me and our colorist Nolan Woodard) put forward. And with the options open to us by publishing online, the collaborating is vital. Mark and I talk by phone a couple of times a week.

Mark is good about pointing out the important details in his script, but there is plenty of room for my interpretations as well.

Kate (and Dan) Read Comics is a comics-oriented blog, written by folks who love comics for people that (hopefully) love comics. In the spirit of “Inside the Actor’s Studio” and the Bernard Pivot questions asked of every guest, we have our own comics-related questions we ask of every interviewee.

What sort of work did you do before embarking on graphic art full-time? Secret Agent? Hotel Detective? Playboy Philanthropist? When did you finally say, “Yeah… I’m gonna draw stuff for a living. And it will be AWESOME.”

My first job out of college had nothing to do with my degree (I have a BA in both Studio Arts and Journalism from the University of Minnesota). I was an assistant warehouse manager at the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis.

Although I had always drawn, and loved comics, it wasn’t until I got married to Lisa in 1984 that I got serious about pursuing a comics career. She was well established in her career, and was able to provide much of the economic support while I did free-lance and worked part-time in retail sales.

What was your favorite moment in comics? The moment that when you read it on the page, you smiled and said, “That was so cool!”

I probably have to go back when I was young and saw a Jack Kirby panel of Captain America jumping off a motorcycle and kicking a bad guy in the head. I redrew that panel over and over–trying to get it right.

Really, there are so many cool moments. The first Flash comic that I can remember reading that reintroduced the Jay Garrick character, looking at Nick Cardy’s art in the old Teen Titans comic, studying everything drawn by Alex Toth, being blown away by Moebius and Jorge Zaffino–those and many more get me excited about comics.

What was the moment that made you say, “Working in comics is amazing”?

Probably the first time you see a comic with your name on it in a store. Either that, or getting to meet all the comic heroes of your youth–guys like Gil Kane, Curt Swan and Stan Lee.

Our standard Beatles or Rolling Stones question: Superman or Batman?

Love them both, but I go with Superman. My favorite Marvel character is Daredevil.

Parting thoughts?

I’m more excited about drawing comics now than I’ve ever been. Look at all the cool stuff out there–”King City”, “Fatale”, “Scott Pilgrim”, “Love and Rockets”, “Hark A Vagrant”, the latest version of Daredevil–it’s all so inspiring.

You can follow Peter on Twitter at @petergkrause.

Guest blogger: Jefferson Bass

May 8, 2012
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Century-Spanning Villains, or, The Time-Machine of the Mind

Guest blog by Jon Jefferson – the “Jefferson” half of the crime-fiction duo Jefferson Bass. Working in collaboration with Dr. Bill Bass, the forensic anthropologist who founded the Body Farm at the University of Tennessee, Jon writes the bestselling series of Body Farm novels. The latest—The Inquisitor’s Key—came out today (May 8, 2012). Read an excerpt.

One of the mixed blessings of being a crime writer, at least in my experience, is the vividness, the tangibility, with which villains and victims come to life—and to death—in my head. In my new forensic thriller, The Inquisitor’s Key, I found that to hold true across a span of nearly 700 years.

The book is set in Avignon, France, a walled jewel-box of a city nestled in a bend of the Rhone River. During the 1300s, a series of French popes relocated the papacy from Rome to Avignon, turning it into a boom town that became Europe’s crossroads of money and power, art and intrigue. To do justice to that richly layered stage set in a novel, I decided to write dual narratives—a medieval mystery and a modern murder—linked by a skeleton that’s unearthed in the Palace of the Popes. The bones are tucked into a stone ossuary that’s wired shut with papal seals; an inscription chiseled into the lid implies that the bones are those of none other than Jesus Christ.

As I plotted, I found it easy to think of modern-day ne’er-do-wells who might be after such potentially precious bones. But who might have hidden them seven centuries ago, and why? As I immersed myself in Avignon’s medieval past, my normal sense of time began to shimmer, and I entered an almost dreamlike state. To quote the novel’s protagonist, ace bone detective Bill Brockton, “Lately I feel like a time traveler, or like there are two of me. One ‘me’ is here now, in the present, trying to [solve this murder]. The other ‘me’ is somewhere back in the thirteen hundreds.”

One of the characters I began spending quality research time with was a real-life14th-century cleric named Jacques Fournier. Fournier, an austere man who studied theology and law in Paris, was appointed Bishop of Pamiers in 1317—and not just Bishop, but Inquisitor, too. Over the next nine years, Fournier charged hundreds of people in the small town of Montaillou with heresy, finding many of them guilty … and burning five at the stake. One of those he burned was a widow named Agnes Francou. Her capital offense? Refusing to swear an oath of truthfulness. “God has told us never to swear,” she told Fournier (not without some basis in scripture, by the way). I found myself haunted by the death of this simple, steadfast woman, who—during multiple interrogations, spread across months—stayed true to her beliefs. And I was haunted by the relentless zeal of this heretic-hound.

Fournier interrogated and burned his way all the way to the top of the medieval Church’s career ladder, becoming Cardinal Fournier, and moving to Avignon to serve as the pope’s chief watchdog against heresy. Then, in 1334, he ascended the papal throne. One of Fournier’s most ambitious endeavors, as Pope Benedict XII, was to construct a mighty fortress—the Palace of the Popes. The fortress stands cheek-by-jowl with Avignon Cathedral, looming over it, many times larger. One of my photos shows the two facades side by side, an immense crucifix poised between them. “The Power and the Glory,” I call the picture, and it’s clear which way the balance tips.

In The Inquisitor’s Key, Fournier clashes with a popular theologian and preacher, Meister Johannes Eckhart (another actual historical figure). According to the real-life Eckhart—who was (perhaps inevitably) accused of heresy—“There is no yesterday nor any tomorrow, but only Now, as it was a thousand years ago and as it will be a thousand years hence.” Perhaps that’s true; perhaps that’s why Eckhart and Fournier are able to dwell—able to live and struggle, to inflict and endure suffering—right alongside 21st-century sleuth Bill Brockton, his sassy sidekick Miranda, and the modern-day villains with whom they struggle.

Evil is timeless, I think. And the time-machine of the mind is, as I say, sometimes a mixed blessing. But I wouldn’t change a thing.

For more on Jefferson Bass, find them on Facebook, read their blog, follow along on Twitter, and visit their website.

Purchase The Inquisitor’s Key:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

IndieBound

Books-A-Million

Also available, a 99-cent e-story prequel to The Inquisitor’s Key entitled Madonna and Corpse which comes with a bonus: the first six chapters of the novel.

LONGMIRE: Two new promos for upcoming A&E series.

May 7, 2012
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We have less than a month to go before LONGMIRE, the series inspired by the novels of Craig Johnson, debuts on A&E. Here are a couple of 30 second promos that do a fine job of setting the mood of the upcoming series.

LONGMIRE debuts on June 3rd.

The Family Corleone and the Godfather Legacy

May 7, 2012
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On May 8th a prequel to the classic GODFATHER will hit the stores, THE FAMILY CORLEONE, a prequel written by Ed Falco and based on a screenplay by Mario Puzo. A little background; I read the Godfather back in the early 70’s before the movie came out when I was just a wee lad. When the movie came out my parents didn’t think I was old enough to see it ( I was 9) and in hindsight I guess they were right. THE GODFATHER is a book I re-read every couple years. I also read THE SCICILIAN which had some loose ties to the Godfather world. I was the movies (1 & 2) at least once a year. I’ve also read just about everything Mario Puzo has in print. I’m a fan. So a few weeks back at the time of this writing I opened a package from Grand Central Publishing and what do I see? THE FAMILY CORLEONE in giant white letters in the same font used on The Godfather. I am immediately drawn to this book. Right away I notice that it is a prequel written not by Puzo but an author named Ed Falco. This lets the wind out of my sails a little but I very quickly see that is based on a screenplay that was written by Mario Puzo. Ed Falco is the author of three other books including the mob related SAINT JOHN OF THE FIVE BOROUGHS. The Virginia Tech professor is also the Uncle of Edie Falco of The Sopranos. His pedigree seems perfect for someone to do this book and the Puzo family seems to agree. THE GODFATHER has become part of our culture. Lines from the movie are quoted constantly. Making someone an offer they can’t refuse is almost a business mantra. My favorite line is “It’s not personal, it’s business” and I use it a lot. There is a company making horse head pillows. Everyone in the movie went on to become stars. And arguably some of them did their best work here. Puzo also had a stellar career following THE GODFATHER. The six books he wrote after this were all hits. And THE FOURTH K is one of my all-time favorites.

The book starts in 1933 with Santino (Sonny) Corleone at 17 years old, he is working in a garage trying to make his Father happy. But Sonny thinks he should be in the family business. His actions end up having an impact on his Father’s business and eventually the whole thing come to a head. The book shows how Luca Brasi came to work for Vito Corleone, we get to see Sonny courting his future wife, Clemenza and Tessio are in their prime and we really see them doing what they do at their best. If you have any knowledge of The Godfather you will love this book. It’s a perfect addition to the Corleone saga. For me the best part was the way it fills in the backstory that is only hinted at in the movies and original book. Will it be made into a movie? My guess would be that the rights will sell if they haven’t already. Will it be made? Who knows. The truth is that no matter who makes a movie based on this everyone who sees it will compare it to the original and those two movies are among the best ever made. In my opinion they should leave it alone. When you see this book, buy it. It is written with love for the characters and respect for Puzo. It is also a story that won’t quit and I couldn’t stop reading. Falco brought me back to a world I love and did it perfectly. As far as I’m concerned this is THE BOOK to buy in 2012.

This article is in the current issue of Crimespree Magazine available now.

A look at Free Comic Book Day 2012

May 7, 2012
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Saturday was the annual FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. Started in 2002, it is a day where folks can step back in time and revisit the superheros that accompanied many of us through our childhood.

Truth is, they have changed a lot over the years. The awesome butt-kicking is still their, but many of your favorite authors now write comics and the level of sophistication of some would surprise many.

Free Comic Day is a magical one in the Crimespree world and some of our crew have decided to give you a peek into how they spent the day.

In St. Paul Minnesota:
Hey, all! Kate and I celebrated Free Comic Book Day here in Minnesota in shifts. While I was slaving away at work this morning, Red went early to our regular shop, the Source Comics and Games. Like a fly on the wall, she hung back, enjoying the free soda and snacks as well as the many cosplayers who came by the store.

And to get her stack of free books!

As soon as work was done, I went to the Source as well. By this time, it was wall-to-wall people! Local artist Christopher Jones (“Batman Strikes!”, “Young Justice”) was there doing commissions, as were more awesome cosplayers! After making sure I had my New 52 comic by DC, as well as the hardcover ARCHAIA sampler, I said “Thank you, Source” and ran home as quickly as I could.

We had plans to finish off FCBD the only possible way, with an afternoon showing of The Avengers!

Dan Malmon

Meanwhile in Milwaukee Wisconsin:

Ruth and I have been hitting Free Comic Book Day for a number of years now and we have a pattern we follow. We open the day at Collector’s Edge (South) as that is our “local”. I’m in there once a week and so it’s a nice start to the day. The parking lot was full and the place was packed, but we were early so we had the whole selection to choose from.


Wearing comic book shirts got us extra comics, so we actually got almost the whole selection by the end of the day. At this first stop owner Steve was like a well rehearsed orchestra conductor helping people find which comics to try while his staff was helping people find books to buy. There were loads of kids which always makes us happy to see. Ruth got a photo of a boy who picked up the Archaia book and he couldn’t wait to get home and read it. Some kids didn’t wait, the couch and chairs were filled with youngsters reading. Ruth also met a 5th grade teacher and they got to talking about books for him to introduce to his class.

Our second and third stops, Collector’s Edge West and Lost World of Wonders were much the same, loads of fans and a lot of kids with their  parents. From what I picked up in conversations a lot of people hit more than one store.
The main goal of the day is to get new readers in general for

comics, and each company is hoping to pick up new readers with what they are offering. It’s also a good chance to show some love for the stores and we did just that, buying books and comics at each stop. Ruth got some cool toys as well. I loaded up on some trade collections I’ve been wanting and also picked up some comics I’ve net read in a while.

Of the free books my hands down favorite is the hardcover Archaia put out. A beautiful book with great stories in it. Another favorite was the Serenity comics from Dark Horse. The DC and Marvel books are always fun and I really liked the Peanuts book and Barnaby from FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS was terrific.

We ended our journey with chili dogs at Martino’s Italian beef stand, a tradition we love. And of course the whole thing started out Friday night with a viewing of The Avengers (more on that soon).

If you’ve never been to FCBD you need to go next year!

 

Thanks to all the publishers for making these books and thanks to all the retailers for buying them to give out. You are all awesome.

Jon

Pet spotlight: The dogs of David Rosenfelt.

May 7, 2012
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I know all about normal people, and how they live.

For example, I know that they don’t have to hide in a shut closet to make a phone call.

I know that they can rest their clothes on a bed or chair while getting dressed, without subsequently looking like Grizzly Adams.

I know that they don’t cringe when a Domino’s commercial comes on the air, simply because it contains a doorbell noise.

I know that when it’s time to get into bed, they just get into bed.

And I know that they don’t have six broken vacuum cleaners, standing side by side in their garage, like an Oreck sponsored team of Rockettes.

The reason I know so much about normal people is that I used to be one of them. That was before I became a dog lunatic.

As I type this, there are eleven dogs in my office. That represents less than fifty percent of the twenty four that are in the house. At this moment they are mostly sleeping, having eaten about an hour ago, and no doubt tired from having gotten my wife Debbie and I up at five thirty this morning.

So there are bodies lying everywhere; the house looks like a Civil War battlefield. Of course, there was very little shedding done at Gettysburg or Antietam, so there were less vacuum cleaners around.

It’s quiet now, but if a doorbell rings, live or on television, or if a Fedex truck pulls up, it will sound like a fox hunt in here. Forget talking on the phone, or watching television, or hearing ourselves think. And if you think that barking is good for a writer’s concentration, you’ve clearly never read my work.

You might be wondering how I got to this point, possibly as a guide to how to avoid it yourself. It all started with a golden retriever named Tara. She was my wife’s dog when Debbie and I met. It was love at first sight, and I really liked Debbie as well.

It is a ludicrous understatement to say that Tara was a remarkable creature. She was intelligent, sensitive, loving, hilarious, and adorable. I knew her for eighteen months, the last three of which followed the horrible diagnosis of nasal carcinoma.

Those three months were a transforming experience for Debbie and I. Tara was not alone, not for a single minute, and we did everything we could to make her comfortable and happy. We took her on vacations, we catered to her every biscuit-filled desire, and for the last three weeks of her life we fed her only hot dogs, because that’s all she would eat.

It is a measure of our lunacy that when she died, we decided that in her honor we would never eat a hot dog again, and in nineteen years we haven’t. In retrospect, I can only wish that her cravings had been for broccoli.

I was ready to get another dog right away, but Debbie was not. So instead we started volunteering in an animal shelter in Los Angeles County.

It was an eye-opening, gut wrenching experience. While the people that work there are generally well-intentioned and competent, the shelters in LA County are a disaster. There are way more homeless animals than the system can handle, and to be there is to witness some truly horrible things happen. I promise not to mention any of them here.

Since neither Debbie nor I are big fans of watching truly horrible things, we decided on a different approach. We left and started the Tara Foundation, a non-profit organization that had as its sole mission the rescue of dogs about to be euthanized.

We’ve rescued approximately four thousand dogs, of which maybe sixty percent have been golden retrievers. We’ve focused exclusively on large dogs, since it’s the small, cute ones that have the best chance of being adopted from the public shelters.

We’ve also tried to pay special attention to the dogs that really had no hope without us. People are not generally inclined to adopt older dogs, or dogs with pre-existing health conditions. So we took many of them, without foreseeing the obvious effects of that decision.

We boarded our rescue dogs at a vet’s office, while we found homes for them. But just because senior, or dogs with health issues, were in our control, didn’t mean that there were families that wanted them.

We couldn’t just leave them in dog runs for months on end; that was no life. They would have been better off not being rescued. So one day we decided to bring home a ten year old Aussie Shepherd mix named Charlie.

Then Phoebe. Then Sophie. Then Harry. Then Annie. Then Ellie. And then, and then, and then…

Thus started a cycle which could never be broken. We couldn’t bring ourselves to leave a dog in a shelter, knowing his age or physical condition would result in his being dragged to a miserable, undignified end in a euthanasia room. But then we couldn’t leave him in a cage, waiting endlessly for us to find a home that would welcome him. Or her.

So ours became that home, over and over and over again. It actually gets easier; when you have one dog, getting a second seems like a big deal. When you have twenty seven, a twenty eighth does not feel like a hardship. We’ve been as high as forty two.

The thing that people who have never visited our house don’t realize (and who would be crazy enough to visit our house?) is that these dogs, no matter how many we have, are our pets.

Debbie and I know their names, their personalities, where they like to be petted and scratched, where they want their food dishes, etc. We have the same relationship with each of them that other people have with their single dogs. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true.

And abnormality has its rewards…many, many rewards. We have had the incredible privilege of saving four thousand innocent lives, and then arranging for them to enrich the lives of their future human owners. We get countless emails and letters from people, telling us how wonderful these dogs are. Almost all express amazement that those amazing dogs could have been facing euthanasia.

I’ll tell just one story, but I could tell a thousand. One day Debbie and I were walking through the shelter when we saw a kennel worker leading a dog, not with a leash, but at the end of a long pole. That pole, plus the room towards which they were heading, made it clear to us that this dog was about to be euthanized.

She was adorable, a terrier mix, no more than thirty pounds. She was getting up in age, maybe seven years old. She was matted and dirty, but had a smile on her face, and not a clue where she was going.

Except she wasn’t going there for long.

They were maybe thirty feet from the euthanasia room when Debbie screamed, “WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GOING WITH MY DOG?”

The man turned, as did probably everybody within a mile of where we were standing. What he saw was Debbie running down the hall towards him. She grabbed for the pole, and he was smart enough to let her have it.

She dropped it to the ground, ran over to the dog and disconnected her from her collar. Then she picked her up, and didn’t put her down until we were in the car.

We took the dog, who Debbie named Princess, to the vet’s office for a bath and whatever medical care she might need. Then we put her up for adoption.

A couple in their mid-sixties showed up a week later, along with their son, Richard. Richard was in his thirties, and clearly had mental challenges. He spoke haltingly, without much affect.

We had screened them over the phone, so I knew the father was a college professor, and that his wife did not work. She would be home most of the day with a dog that they’d adopt, and the dog would live and sleep in the house, a requirement for us. But they hadn’t mentioned their son in the phone call.

They were interested in a golden retriever, but Richard had other ideas. He brightened when he saw Princess, and within three minutes he was sitting with her on his lap. He was smiling and petting, and she was loving it. The sale had clearly been made, and his parents make the adoption of Princess official.

It was about three weeks later that the husband called, with his wife on the extension. He asked that I have Debbie join the call as well, which she did.

From that point on the wife did all the talking. She told us that Richard had been in an accident when he was six months old, and it had left him brain damaged. His behavior had been erratic ever since, to the extent that it became impossible for Richard to stay in their home full time…he needed care at a special facility. For the last thirty years they had only been able to take Richard on weekends.

She went on to tell us that the transformation in Richard since adopting Princess had been startling. She had a calming, pleasing effect on him. He doted on her, and since he was willing to be the do-ter, Princess was certainly of a mind to be the do-tee.

She told us that as a result they had consulted with Richard’s doctors, and all agreed that he could move out of the facility and in with them full time. And he had done so.

So they had called to say, “Thank you for giving us our son back.”

We were too choked up to say it, but of course Princess deserved the credit.

And one week earlier she had been on the end of a pole.

The rewards at home are almost as good. Yes, it’s hard to get into bed when there’s already five dogs up there, including a Mastiff and a Bernese Mountain Dog. But once we get in, it’s surprisingly comforting having them there.

And yes, they get us up at the crack of dawn, but we live on a lake, and that’s when it’s the most beautiful.

And yes, going to the vet every twenty minutes is not the best way to concentrate on writing a novel, but if there’s a better built-in excuse, I haven’t heard it.

We’ve recently moved from California to Maine, a trek that we made in three RV’s, with eleven human volunteers and twenty five dogs. It was a bizarre expedition, and I’m going to be writing a book about it, as well as our life in rescue.

But I’ll work on that tomorrow. Right now I have to fill water dishes, and give out medicine, and do some petting. And then I want to get into the bed early; it’s much easier that way.

David
David Rosenfelt is the Shamus & Edgar-nominated author of the Andy Carpenter mystery series, praised as “a blessed anomaly in crime fiction” (Booklist). He is also the writer of three TV movies, and founder of the Tara Foundation, which has saved 4,000 dogs.

He graduated from New York University with the goal of entering the movie business. He took a job with his uncle, then President of United Artists, and made his way up to a position as President of Marketing for Tri-Star Pictures, where he worked on films including Rocky, The Natural, and Rambo.

In 1995, David and his wife started the Tara Foundation to find loving homes for dogs. They bring home the dogs that are too old or ill to be adopted, and currently live with 27 dogs.

His next book, LEADER OF THE PACK, will be published in July by Minotaur. You can learn more about him at his website and can also find him on Facebook.

Promo for season three of THE GLADES.

May 7, 2012
By

Season three of THE GLADES begins, on A&E, on June 3rd at 9pm CST.

Ace Atkins signing – Milwaukee May 6

May 6, 2012
By

This was Ace Atkin’s first trip to Milwaukee and we were thrilled to have him come. I’ve been a fan going back to the first book and have met Ace at a number of conventions.  Having come to our home town was a treat. It was a rainy cool, almost cold day, and on the Sunday after Cinco De Mayo and the Derby a lot of people were worn out.

 

He spoke about how he got the gig writing the Spencer books and they couldn’t have made a better choice. Atkins was friends with Robert Parker and a huge fan. he’s read all the books and the way he treats the series is with respect and an eye towards what Parker would have written. There was a nice turn out and a lot of questions from the audience. It was also very nice to see so many people with his Atkins books that are not Spencer! He said he’d love to come back to Mystery One books and I know  a store full of people who would love to see him back.

On a personal note, I love talking about books with Ace. He is a true fan of crime fiction and you can hear it in everything he says. Great writer and a Hell of a nice guy!

Ace talking music and writing – video

Film Review:THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

May 5, 2012
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Directors: Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchison, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Fran Kranz
Writers: Drew Goddard, Joss Whedon

This is quite possibly the most difficult review to write, ever. Not because Cabin is bad. Exact opposite, actually. It’s brilliant. No, it’s the difficulty of having to write a review of a movie that is one surprise and incredible twist after the other without giving any away. So the best way to put it, “Cabin in the Woods” is, literally, the horror movie to end all horror movies.

Joss Whedon, or god, as he’s best known, has made a career out of turning genre’s on their heads. He created Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible and written acclaimed runs of Astonishing X-Men and Runaways. This is his long awaited opus to horror movies. Of course, in true Joss fashion, it’s more than just any horror flick. He writes of a group of college students (including a pre-”Thor” Chris Hemsworth) vacationing to a, of course, cabin in the woods. (Hey! That’s the title of the movie!) At the same time, we see they are being trailed and watched by a group of scientists in an unknown facility. These puppet masters have to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. But what is going off? Anything else anyone tells you beyond this description is a criminal spoiler. The people saying such things should be strung up and have their lips soldered shut. The movie is a huge ride that will change how people think about horror movies. It turns the entire genre, and then some, on its bloody and disgusting head.

The pair of director Drew Goddard and writer Whedon work beautifully together. Aside from being pure geniuses in what they do, they care about how they do it. The little hints and notes throughout Cabin and layer upon layer to this complex and masterful piece of art. The look and feel for each scene are pitch perfect. Especially when certain things are made fun of. When we watch a movie and the group splits up, the worst idea ever, how can it be justified? Why is there always a creepy old man giving threatening advice? So many clichés are explored and extrapolated in the process of revealing the mysteries of Cabin. Everything we knew about horror movies are gone. This is the one that raises the bar of all scary movies. It’ll be nearly impossible to not compare what Cabin does with any new slasher coming out. Hopefully, every writer, director and studio will see this and have to find a new way to thrill us. And we, the audience, will see this and reach a new level of horror movie sophistication.

-Jo Schmidt

SOUTHLAND: TNT orders fifth season.

May 5, 2012
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After a rocky start that saw it get dumped by NBC, SOUTHLAND has really shined. The police drama has had three successful seasons on TNT and are moving forward for a fifth.

On Friday, the cable network announced they have ordered a fifth season of ten episodes.

President Michael Wright, Head of Programming: “We are very proud of Southland and grateful to everyone involved in the series, including executive producers John Wells, Chris Chulack and Jonathan Lisco; creator Ann Biderman; and our partners at Warner Bros. Television. We look forward to going deeper into the lives of Southland‘s extraordinary characters and the streets they struggle to keep safe next year.”

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