A fool is someone whose pencil wears out before its eraser does.
~ Marilyn Vos Savant
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Monday, April 17, 2006
Bikers and Bodies
This is an amazing story from the AP about the assassination of eight Bandito outlaw biker gang members, whose bodies were found stuffed into cars in a rural part of Ontario.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/04/09/canada.bodies.ap
/index.html
Authorities believe the group assassination was an effort by the Hell's Angels to wipe out their competition. The Angels are tough as hell, the Canadian chapters in particular, and it's doubful the Banditos will recover.
My research into this world when I was writing Troubleshooter was fascinating and unsettling. The book deals with similar events, opening with a daring freeway escape, as my fictional biker gang, the Laughing Sinners, busts their two enforcers out of a US Marshals prison transport van. Why were they busted out? For a number of reasons, but the foremost one is to put a serious dent in their rival outlaw biker gang, the Cholos, to clear out the competetion. Once they're freed, the Laughing Sinners enforcers do more than that....
It's always odd when events from the headlines mirror events in your books, and vice versa. Especially when they're terrible events. You feel like you've anticipated a little tweak in the zeitgeist, but you're none too happy about it.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/04/09/canada.bodies.ap
/index.html
Authorities believe the group assassination was an effort by the Hell's Angels to wipe out their competition. The Angels are tough as hell, the Canadian chapters in particular, and it's doubful the Banditos will recover.
My research into this world when I was writing Troubleshooter was fascinating and unsettling. The book deals with similar events, opening with a daring freeway escape, as my fictional biker gang, the Laughing Sinners, busts their two enforcers out of a US Marshals prison transport van. Why were they busted out? For a number of reasons, but the foremost one is to put a serious dent in their rival outlaw biker gang, the Cholos, to clear out the competetion. Once they're freed, the Laughing Sinners enforcers do more than that....
It's always odd when events from the headlines mirror events in your books, and vice versa. Especially when they're terrible events. You feel like you've anticipated a little tweak in the zeitgeist, but you're none too happy about it.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Palm Springs Bookfest
A great event is coming up on April 22 - the Palm Springs Bookfest. It will be crime-fiction intensive, as Christopher Rice set up wall-to-wall panels and events at the Suspense Pavilion. Myriad authors will be appearing, with a number of highlights, including Chris in conversation with his mother, Anne Rice.
I have a really full day, and I'm looking forward to my events, since many of them are more creative than usual book-festival fare. Two of my SEAL buddies are coming in for the gig, and I've never before done an event or interview with any of my consultants.
My panels are listed below:
11:30AM
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES! Moderator: CHRISTOPHER RICE Panelists: ERIC SHAW QUINN, GREGG HURWITZ and THERESA SCHWEGEL Real writers come up with instant storylines based on actual press clippings from that morning's paper, including a discussion of how often real news stories inspire our works and the challenges of turning real events into creative inspiration.
12:30PM
NAVY SEALS -- FACT VS. FICTION Moderator: GREGG HURWITZ Panelists: CHARLES O'CONNOR Navy SEAL 20 yrs (retired) & ROSS HANGEBRAUCK Navy SEAL 5 yrs (retired) Never before have Special Operations Forces played such a crucial role in our nation's foreign combat operations. But how do two of these real life heroes feel about being portrayed through fiction? Critically acclaimed thriller writer GREGG HURWITZ will pose that question and more to two of the real-life NAVY SEALS who have acted as his research consultants for several best-selling thrillers.
4:30PM
DALE BROWN IN CONVERSATION WITH GREGG HURWITZ
(Sponsored by INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS INC.)
DALE BROWN has been hailed as "the best military adventure writer in the country"* His 1987 novel Flight of the old Dog is an undisputed classic of contemporary thriller fiction, recently listed as one of the Must Read Thrillers of all time by International Thriller Writers Inc. GREGG HURWITZ is one of the hottest new voices on the thriller scene. His breathtaking series of novels featuring U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley have drawn unanimous praise from authors like James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, Janet Evanovich and other titans of the genre. See what happens when these two maestros of unrelenting suspense and cutting-edge technology sit down to discuss what goes into their work...and what explodes out of it!
I have a really full day, and I'm looking forward to my events, since many of them are more creative than usual book-festival fare. Two of my SEAL buddies are coming in for the gig, and I've never before done an event or interview with any of my consultants.
My panels are listed below:
11:30AM
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES! Moderator: CHRISTOPHER RICE Panelists: ERIC SHAW QUINN, GREGG HURWITZ and THERESA SCHWEGEL Real writers come up with instant storylines based on actual press clippings from that morning's paper, including a discussion of how often real news stories inspire our works and the challenges of turning real events into creative inspiration.
12:30PM
NAVY SEALS -- FACT VS. FICTION Moderator: GREGG HURWITZ Panelists: CHARLES O'CONNOR Navy SEAL 20 yrs (retired) & ROSS HANGEBRAUCK Navy SEAL 5 yrs (retired) Never before have Special Operations Forces played such a crucial role in our nation's foreign combat operations. But how do two of these real life heroes feel about being portrayed through fiction? Critically acclaimed thriller writer GREGG HURWITZ will pose that question and more to two of the real-life NAVY SEALS who have acted as his research consultants for several best-selling thrillers.
4:30PM
DALE BROWN IN CONVERSATION WITH GREGG HURWITZ
(Sponsored by INTERNATIONAL THRILLER WRITERS INC.)
DALE BROWN has been hailed as "the best military adventure writer in the country"* His 1987 novel Flight of the old Dog is an undisputed classic of contemporary thriller fiction, recently listed as one of the Must Read Thrillers of all time by International Thriller Writers Inc. GREGG HURWITZ is one of the hottest new voices on the thriller scene. His breathtaking series of novels featuring U.S. Marshal Tim Rackley have drawn unanimous praise from authors like James Patterson, Tess Gerritsen, Janet Evanovich and other titans of the genre. See what happens when these two maestros of unrelenting suspense and cutting-edge technology sit down to discuss what goes into their work...and what explodes out of it!
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