Newsletter 06/18

June 2018

Hope you all had a great Mother’s Day and that you bought Mom a bottle of wine. Remember, you’re the reason she drinks. 

In my May Newsletter I shared with you an email I received from John Corey that began, “Dear Brutus,” in which Corey accused me of being an ingrate because my next book was not about him.

So I asked you in May if you thought my next book should be a Corey book, and I received over a thousand replies, and about ninety percent said “Yes.” Five percent said John Corey is an arrogant, narcissistic, male chauvinist pig and a wise ass. Is that a yes or a no? Interestingly, about five percent of my readers wanted to see Paul Brenner brought back. A few people suggested that I retire.

In any case, you have spoken and my next book will feature John Corey. The book, currently untitled, begins where Plum Island began, with John sitting on the back porch of his uncle’s house on the North Fork of Long Island, overlooking the Great Peconic Bay. John’s opening line is, “You can’t drink all day unless you start in the morning.”

And we go from there. I’m excited about bringing John back and so is John who has assured me that his threat to do me bodily harm was just a joke. He’s a great kidder.

Speaking of kidding around, the John Corey TV series is on again, off again, on again, and . . . who knows? The script for the pilot was turned down by someone in TV land, and they’re thinking of finding another script writer. Corey didn’t like the script either – it had him as a divorced guy with a young son, and he was still an NYPD detective and not with the Anti-Terrorist Task Force. In fact, the John Corey in the script bore almost no resemblance to my John Corey – but that’s Hollywood. Stay tuned for the next installment of this ongoing comedy.

Anyway, here it is June already. Where did the summer go? Actually, it hasn’t started – but it will on June 21, the summer solstice which is the longest day of the year – though it has no more hours than the shortest day which is December 21, the winter solstice. Also, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, as my many Australian and New Zealand readers do, this is reversed. Hope you’re having a good winter down there.

As I mentioned in my last Newsletter, the trade paperback edition of The Cuban Affair will be published on Tuesday, June 5, just in time for Father’s Day. As I’ve also mentioned in the past, virtually all books in the U.S. are published on a Tuesday. Why is this? Two reasons: the original bible was published in Jerusalem about five thousand years ago on a Tuesday, and it’s become a tradition; also The New York Times Bestsellers List begins counting weekly book sales on Tuesday. That may actually be the main reason for Tuesday publication.

In my past Newsletters I’ve listed a number of books I’d recommend for summer reading, and I’d like to add two more:

First, a memoir by Canadian/American journalist Ken Becker titled The Expat Files: My Life in Journalism. Ken has interviewed me many times in the past and his memoir is a fascinating and often funny look at all the people he’s met, the places he’s been, and the things he’d done as an expat American living and working in Canada. Very well written and very entertaining. My name is mentioned on page 317. Available from Amazon or B&N.com.

My second recommendation will be an instant #1 bestseller. It’s titled The President Is Missing, and the authors are Bill Clinton and James Patterson. You may remember Bill from when he was president of the United States, and I’m sure you’ve read one or two Patterson books. I was given an advance reading copy of this book along with a list of “suggested” enthusiastic blurbs, and I was instructed to pick one and initial it. Here’s the one I picked: “From the pens of two American icons comes a political thriller that rocks. The President Is Missing entertains, educates, and inspires us all to put our country above our politics. Bill Clinton delivers the art of government and James Patterson delivers the craft of writing. The reader gets a helluva story.”

Just kidding about the suggested blurbs, of course. I actually read the book and greatly enjoyed it. You will, too. Can I go now?

No? Well, I should also say that Jim Patterson is a friend and colleague and I was flattered to make the short list of authors who were shown an early copy of The President Is Missing. As for President Clinton, we’ve met a few times and he’s a big fan of my books so I was happy to endorse his novel. Please buy this book – the authors need the money.

On a sadder note, one of America’s greatest writers, Tom Wolf, has died at age 87. I was privileged to have met Tom at a number of publishing events and he was a true gentleman of the old school. May his wonderful books and essays live on. If you haven’t read Tom Wolfe, start with The Right Stuff. R.I.P.

And finally, have a great Fourth of July. This is America’s birthday, the day we declared independence from a cruel and crazy king and a corrupt and capricious parliament. Now we get to elect our own politicians who are . . . Anyway, have a safe holiday and a wonderful summer. See you in September.

Sincerely,