A Scam Story for Thanksgiving

Two days ago I was driving up Amsterdam Avenue in NYC, en route to pick up my daughter at Columbia University before returning to Rhode Island for Thanksgiving, talking hands free on my cell. That’s when my world unraveled. I’m working on a non-fiction book with tips...

What’s Not to Love About Cheeky Kids?

The first time I read The Ransom of Red Chief by O. Henry I was smitten by fictional kids who stand up to adults. Back then, I liked Johnny because he had red hair and lived in the deep South. Me too. Today, the “Johnnies” are much tougher....

Top Producer Goes to Russia

This scary-looking package arrived from Russia this week. At first, I I had no idea what it was… It took me about five minutes to cut through all the wrapping with a sharp pair of scissors. But then to my surprise, I discovered the package contained my copies of...

Thrillerfest Best First Sentence Winner

In recent years Thrillerfest, which is kind of like spring break for thriller enthusiasts even though it takes place during July, has sponsored a Best First Sentence Contest. The contest is exactly what it sounds like: Write your best opening line to a novel. Seven...

He Versus She

Dr. Seuss invented the term “nerd.” Geoffrey Chaucer coined “twitter.’” Vladimir Nabokov gave us “nymphet,” which is probably what you would expect from the author of Lolita. I have no idea who said “selfie” the first time, but clearly the English language has a long...