Wednesday, 01 August 2012

bookstack_open_copyEvery now and then, this blog posts about what's going on in the book industry as a whole.

We do this just to give ourselves a bit of a reality check, especially if the news is good.

Bookstore sales apparently are up, despite all the dire predictions that people aren't buying books.

May bookstore sales rose 5.7%, to $1.09 billion, compared to May 2011, according to preliminary estimates from the Census Bureau. For the year to date, bookstore sales have been level at $5.937 billion.

In January, bookstore sales were even with the same period as in 2011 while in February and March bookstore sales dropped 4% and 3.8%, respectively, then rebounded in April by 3.8%.

Total retail sales in May rose 7%, to $423.7 billion, compared to May 2011. For the year to date, total retail sales have risen 7%, to $1,978.8 billion.

OK, so all those numbers make my eyes glaze over, too. But I am delighted to see numbers that prove that people are still buying books. We mystery fiction fans have known that for a long time, but it is good to see that we are right.

And what's even more interesting is how the Census Bureau defines bookstore sales.

Under Census Bureau definitions, bookstore sales are of new books; these sales do not include "electronic home shopping, mail-order, or direct sale" or used book sales.

Which means that book sales are probably even higher if the bureau included ebook sales.

If you need suggestions about what to read, just look through Mystery Scene magazine's pages of reviews.

Meanwhile, I'll see you at the bookstore.

Bookstore Sales Up
Oline Cogdill
bookstore-sales-up

bookstack_open_copyEvery now and then, this blog posts about what's going on in the book industry as a whole.

We do this just to give ourselves a bit of a reality check, especially if the news is good.

Bookstore sales apparently are up, despite all the dire predictions that people aren't buying books.

May bookstore sales rose 5.7%, to $1.09 billion, compared to May 2011, according to preliminary estimates from the Census Bureau. For the year to date, bookstore sales have been level at $5.937 billion.

In January, bookstore sales were even with the same period as in 2011 while in February and March bookstore sales dropped 4% and 3.8%, respectively, then rebounded in April by 3.8%.

Total retail sales in May rose 7%, to $423.7 billion, compared to May 2011. For the year to date, total retail sales have risen 7%, to $1,978.8 billion.

OK, so all those numbers make my eyes glaze over, too. But I am delighted to see numbers that prove that people are still buying books. We mystery fiction fans have known that for a long time, but it is good to see that we are right.

And what's even more interesting is how the Census Bureau defines bookstore sales.

Under Census Bureau definitions, bookstore sales are of new books; these sales do not include "electronic home shopping, mail-order, or direct sale" or used book sales.

Which means that book sales are probably even higher if the bureau included ebook sales.

If you need suggestions about what to read, just look through Mystery Scene magazine's pages of reviews.

Meanwhile, I'll see you at the bookstore.

Sunday, 29 July 2012

closer2_tntI am going to miss Brenda.

That's Brenda Leigh Johnson, the Los Angeles deputy police chief so richly portrayed by Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer. The TNT series is in the middle of its last six weeks, with The Closer's finale slated for 9 p.m. EST; 8 p.m. CST, on Aug. 13.

Throughout its seven years, The Closer has never been predictable, starting with its unlikely heroine.

During a first meeting, and especially during the first couple of seasons, Brenda came off as a Southern belle with her sometimes exaggerated accent, especially her syrupy "thank yew," which seemed like eight syllables, her overly feminine frocks and those big hats. Even her bright red lipstick didn't seem to belong in the department.

She made it easy for her fellow officers, her staff and especially villains to underestimate her. Brenda is aware that many dismiss her and she uses that to disarm suspects, and prove herself to her staff.

Brenda may have talked like Scarlett O'Hara, but, just like that Margaret Mitchell heroine, she showed she could rise above everything. When Brenda finally won the respect and loyalty of her squad, it was a thing of beauty.

I could relate to her addiction to chocolate, though I am not sure that Ding Dongs count. In one episode, Brenda became emotional about a case so Lt. Mike Tao (Michael Paul Chan) gave her two éclairs to try to calm her down, saying "Please, for all our sakes."

closer4_tntThe stash of chocolate in her drawer and the way biting into a bar gave her comfort brought a much needed levity to the series.

Unlike some other cop shows on cable networks, The Closer was never into humor, despite a couple of episodes in which the pairing of Lt. Andy Flynn (Tony Denison) and Lt. Provenza (G.W. Bailey) have brought some comic relief.

The Closer dealt more with real-life crime, the kind that the real L.A. cops deal with daily. Gang wars, family strife, jealous spouses, greedy criminals, and hit-and-run drivers have kept the Major Crimes Division busy.

Brenda is called "the closer" because of her ability to close cases or get a confession, sometimes through sometimes questionable methods. It's those questionable methods that have put her under investigation and the subject of a lawsuit in the death of confessed murderer Terrell Baylor who was escorted to his home and left there, and was subsequently murdered by fellow gang members.

That case shows Brenda's uncompromising views of justice, even if it means she sometimes makes her own laws.

closer5_tntSedgwick is a fine actress, bringing a complexity to her nuanced performance. The Closer also has a superb supporting case including Jon Tenney as Brenda’s husband, FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard; J.K. Simmons as Brenda’s current boss, Assistant Police Chief Will Pope; Robert Gossett as Commander Taylor; Corey Reynolds as Brenda’s right-hand man Detective Sergeant David Gabriel; Tony Denison as Lieutenant Andy Flynn; G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza; Michael Paul Chan as the squad’s tech guru, Lieutenant Mike Tao; Raymond Cruz as gang expert Detective Julio Sanchez; and Phillip P. Keene as audio-visual technician Buzz Watson.

And while Brenda is the lead character, each member of the cast has had his or her own show.

Personal favorites have been the episode in which the squad try to track down a missing boy who attends the summer camp where Tao’s son works. A highlight of that episode is when Tao's son sees his father in a professional light and gains new respect for him.

The episode in which Buzz's sister, Casey Watson (Christine Woods, Perfect Couples, FlashForward) comes for a visit from Seattle was a perfect Christmas show.

Flynn and Provenza's scheme to serve court papers goes horribly awry featured Emmy-winning actor/director Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope, Sons of Anarchy, Northern Exposure) as a financier who pulled off a Ponzi scheme and what has to be the world's stupidest lawyer.

How Brenda exits from The Closer and what will happen to her is being played out during these last few weeks of the series. But viewers won't be leaving the squad. The squard will continue with the series Major Crimes starring Mary McDonnell as Captain Raydor.

For another view of The Closer, see June Thomas' essay in Mystery Scene's Winter 2012 issue, No. 123.

The Closer airs on TNT at 9 p.m. EST; 8 p.m. CST. The finale is scheduled for Aug. 13.

PHOTOS: Top, Tony Denison, Kyra Sedgwick and G.W. Bailey; Center, Sedgwick, Mary McDonnell and J.K. Simmons; Bottom,Jon Tenney, Corey Reynolds, Kyra Sedgwick, G.W. Bailey, Mary McDonnell and Phillip P. Keene.

The Closer Is Closing
Oline Cogdill
the-closer-is-closing

closer2_tntI am going to miss Brenda.

That's Brenda Leigh Johnson, the Los Angeles deputy police chief so richly portrayed by Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer. The TNT series is in the middle of its last six weeks, with The Closer's finale slated for 9 p.m. EST; 8 p.m. CST, on Aug. 13.

Throughout its seven years, The Closer has never been predictable, starting with its unlikely heroine.

During a first meeting, and especially during the first couple of seasons, Brenda came off as a Southern belle with her sometimes exaggerated accent, especially her syrupy "thank yew," which seemed like eight syllables, her overly feminine frocks and those big hats. Even her bright red lipstick didn't seem to belong in the department.

She made it easy for her fellow officers, her staff and especially villains to underestimate her. Brenda is aware that many dismiss her and she uses that to disarm suspects, and prove herself to her staff.

Brenda may have talked like Scarlett O'Hara, but, just like that Margaret Mitchell heroine, she showed she could rise above everything. When Brenda finally won the respect and loyalty of her squad, it was a thing of beauty.

I could relate to her addiction to chocolate, though I am not sure that Ding Dongs count. In one episode, Brenda became emotional about a case so Lt. Mike Tao (Michael Paul Chan) gave her two éclairs to try to calm her down, saying "Please, for all our sakes."

closer4_tntThe stash of chocolate in her drawer and the way biting into a bar gave her comfort brought a much needed levity to the series.

Unlike some other cop shows on cable networks, The Closer was never into humor, despite a couple of episodes in which the pairing of Lt. Andy Flynn (Tony Denison) and Lt. Provenza (G.W. Bailey) have brought some comic relief.

The Closer dealt more with real-life crime, the kind that the real L.A. cops deal with daily. Gang wars, family strife, jealous spouses, greedy criminals, and hit-and-run drivers have kept the Major Crimes Division busy.

Brenda is called "the closer" because of her ability to close cases or get a confession, sometimes through sometimes questionable methods. It's those questionable methods that have put her under investigation and the subject of a lawsuit in the death of confessed murderer Terrell Baylor who was escorted to his home and left there, and was subsequently murdered by fellow gang members.

That case shows Brenda's uncompromising views of justice, even if it means she sometimes makes her own laws.

closer5_tntSedgwick is a fine actress, bringing a complexity to her nuanced performance. The Closer also has a superb supporting case including Jon Tenney as Brenda’s husband, FBI Special Agent Fritz Howard; J.K. Simmons as Brenda’s current boss, Assistant Police Chief Will Pope; Robert Gossett as Commander Taylor; Corey Reynolds as Brenda’s right-hand man Detective Sergeant David Gabriel; Tony Denison as Lieutenant Andy Flynn; G.W. Bailey as Lieutenant Provenza; Michael Paul Chan as the squad’s tech guru, Lieutenant Mike Tao; Raymond Cruz as gang expert Detective Julio Sanchez; and Phillip P. Keene as audio-visual technician Buzz Watson.

And while Brenda is the lead character, each member of the cast has had his or her own show.

Personal favorites have been the episode in which the squad try to track down a missing boy who attends the summer camp where Tao’s son works. A highlight of that episode is when Tao's son sees his father in a professional light and gains new respect for him.

The episode in which Buzz's sister, Casey Watson (Christine Woods, Perfect Couples, FlashForward) comes for a visit from Seattle was a perfect Christmas show.

Flynn and Provenza's scheme to serve court papers goes horribly awry featured Emmy-winning actor/director Adam Arkin (Chicago Hope, Sons of Anarchy, Northern Exposure) as a financier who pulled off a Ponzi scheme and what has to be the world's stupidest lawyer.

How Brenda exits from The Closer and what will happen to her is being played out during these last few weeks of the series. But viewers won't be leaving the squad. The squard will continue with the series Major Crimes starring Mary McDonnell as Captain Raydor.

For another view of The Closer, see June Thomas' essay in Mystery Scene's Winter 2012 issue, No. 123.

The Closer airs on TNT at 9 p.m. EST; 8 p.m. CST. The finale is scheduled for Aug. 13.

PHOTOS: Top, Tony Denison, Kyra Sedgwick and G.W. Bailey; Center, Sedgwick, Mary McDonnell and J.K. Simmons; Bottom,Jon Tenney, Corey Reynolds, Kyra Sedgwick, G.W. Bailey, Mary McDonnell and Phillip P. Keene.

Wednesday, 25 July 2012

levine_paul.jpgPaul Levine jumped on the bandwagon of Florida-based mysteries in the early 1990s when he published To Speak for the Dead, which introduced Jake Lassiter, a former Miami Dolphins linebacker turned hard-nosed lawyer.

Levine also writes the Solomon vs. Lord series about two Florida attorneys who battle each other. The Solomon/Lord novels just came out as ebook editions. Levine also has published the original e-novella Last Chance Lassiter, a prequel to the Jake Lassiter series.

We recently talked with Paul about his work.

What prompted you to write the Solomon/Lord series?
Paul Levine: I’ve always loved sharply written banter between men and women. Also, having been married three times, I know a thing or two about squabbling. I was influenced by Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man and the series of William Powell/Myrna Loy movies that it spawned. Then there was the rat-a-tat bickering between David and Maddie on Moonlighting. And how about Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate, which slyly winked at Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. So all of that—literary and personal—led to “Solomon vs. Lord.”

There are so many legal thrillers out today, how do you think this category of mysteries has changed since you began writing novels?
Paul Levine:
Certainly, one thing that has changed is the sheer number of legal thrillers. I blame Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent (1987) and John Grisham’s The Firm (1991) for this. Presumed Innocent, by the way, remains my favorite legal thriller. In film, it would have to be Witness for the Prosecution, adapted from Agatha Christie’s play. The Verdict, adapted by David Mamet from Barry Reed’s novel, gets an honorable mention. Nowadays, every probate lawyer who’s handled a dispute over a will wants to write a book about it.

A Coral Gables blueblood, Victoria plays by the book while Coconut Grove beach bum Steve ignores the rules in favor of Solomon's Laws. In these two characters you capture the culture of South Florida. What makes Florida such a rich area for writers?
Paul Levine:
I think it was Carl Hiaasen who said something to the effect that the country seems to have been tilted to the southeast so that all the loose marbles rolled to Florida. This is not a new development. John D. MacDonald was mining corruption and venality in the Sunshine State 50 years ago. The Miami Herald recently did a story about Florida being the home of an unbelievable number of Ponzi schemes. Personally, I blame the humidity.

You now live in LA; how often do you get back to Florida?
Paul Levine:
I’m becoming bi-coastal. Hoping to have an apartment in Miami soon.

In researching your novels, what is the funniest or oddest thing you've come across?
Paul Levine:
I traveled to Cuba to research scenes for False Dawn, one of the early Jake Lassiter novels. Whereupon I was surprised to learn I couldn’t speak Spanish. I traveled to the Big Island (Hawaii) to research Slashback (now titled Riptide on Kindle). I flew in a helicopter over the erupting volcano Kilauea because in the book, I wanted to dump a guy from a chopper into the flowing lava. Later, I learned that we were flying way too close to the volcano, and the sulfur fumes could have damaged the engine and brought us down.

What prompted you to do a prequel to the Lassiter series? How does Last Chance Lassiter enhance your novels?
Paul Levine:
Over the years, I’ve had a number of readers suggest prequels. A couple people suggested a story where Jake was still a second-string linebacker with the Miami Dolphins. Or while he was struggling through night law school at the University of Miami. I thought it might be fun to see Jake in his formative stage as a young lawyer. He’s just beginning to develop his own code of conduct, and he’s offended by the notion that the rich and powerful can buy justice. So in his first case as a solo practitioner in Last Chance Lassiter, he represents a down-and-out blues musician against the wealthy hip-hop artist who stole his song. Making the case even juicier, Jake’s opponent is his old boss, the sleazy Lyle Krippendorf. I think the prequel gives us hints of what’s to come for young Jake.

Paul Levine on Solomon and Lord, Lassiter
Oline Cogdill
paul-levine-on-solomon-and-lord-lassiter

levine_paul.jpgPaul Levine jumped on the bandwagon of Florida-based mysteries in the early 1990s when he published To Speak for the Dead, which introduced Jake Lassiter, a former Miami Dolphins linebacker turned hard-nosed lawyer.

Levine also writes the Solomon vs. Lord series about two Florida attorneys who battle each other. The Solomon/Lord novels just came out as ebook editions. Levine also has published the original e-novella Last Chance Lassiter, a prequel to the Jake Lassiter series.

We recently talked with Paul about his work.

What prompted you to write the Solomon/Lord series?
Paul Levine: I’ve always loved sharply written banter between men and women. Also, having been married three times, I know a thing or two about squabbling. I was influenced by Dashiell Hammett’s The Thin Man and the series of William Powell/Myrna Loy movies that it spawned. Then there was the rat-a-tat bickering between David and Maddie on Moonlighting. And how about Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate, which slyly winked at Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. So all of that—literary and personal—led to “Solomon vs. Lord.”

There are so many legal thrillers out today, how do you think this category of mysteries has changed since you began writing novels?
Paul Levine:
Certainly, one thing that has changed is the sheer number of legal thrillers. I blame Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent (1987) and John Grisham’s The Firm (1991) for this. Presumed Innocent, by the way, remains my favorite legal thriller. In film, it would have to be Witness for the Prosecution, adapted from Agatha Christie’s play. The Verdict, adapted by David Mamet from Barry Reed’s novel, gets an honorable mention. Nowadays, every probate lawyer who’s handled a dispute over a will wants to write a book about it.

A Coral Gables blueblood, Victoria plays by the book while Coconut Grove beach bum Steve ignores the rules in favor of Solomon's Laws. In these two characters you capture the culture of South Florida. What makes Florida such a rich area for writers?
Paul Levine:
I think it was Carl Hiaasen who said something to the effect that the country seems to have been tilted to the southeast so that all the loose marbles rolled to Florida. This is not a new development. John D. MacDonald was mining corruption and venality in the Sunshine State 50 years ago. The Miami Herald recently did a story about Florida being the home of an unbelievable number of Ponzi schemes. Personally, I blame the humidity.

You now live in LA; how often do you get back to Florida?
Paul Levine:
I’m becoming bi-coastal. Hoping to have an apartment in Miami soon.

In researching your novels, what is the funniest or oddest thing you've come across?
Paul Levine:
I traveled to Cuba to research scenes for False Dawn, one of the early Jake Lassiter novels. Whereupon I was surprised to learn I couldn’t speak Spanish. I traveled to the Big Island (Hawaii) to research Slashback (now titled Riptide on Kindle). I flew in a helicopter over the erupting volcano Kilauea because in the book, I wanted to dump a guy from a chopper into the flowing lava. Later, I learned that we were flying way too close to the volcano, and the sulfur fumes could have damaged the engine and brought us down.

What prompted you to do a prequel to the Lassiter series? How does Last Chance Lassiter enhance your novels?
Paul Levine:
Over the years, I’ve had a number of readers suggest prequels. A couple people suggested a story where Jake was still a second-string linebacker with the Miami Dolphins. Or while he was struggling through night law school at the University of Miami. I thought it might be fun to see Jake in his formative stage as a young lawyer. He’s just beginning to develop his own code of conduct, and he’s offended by the notion that the rich and powerful can buy justice. So in his first case as a solo practitioner in Last Chance Lassiter, he represents a down-and-out blues musician against the wealthy hip-hop artist who stole his song. Making the case even juicier, Jake’s opponent is his old boss, the sleazy Lyle Krippendorf. I think the prequel gives us hints of what’s to come for young Jake.