A Family of Killers

I don’t want much out of politics these days. My bar for “things are going okay” has gotten much lower since Trump’s presidency. Yes, that’s a sad state of affairs, but I’m just saying how it is. And so when it comes to the debate this evening, I really just want a couple of things. First and foremost, I would for someone–anyone–to call Trump out when he flat out lies, and to do it in…

It’s been a while since I’ve updated you all on what Tomas is doing these days, so I thought I’d rectify that issue today. First, yes, I’ve asked him now and then if he’d be up for writing another letter or two to fill everyone in on the details himself, but he’s been flat out busy for the last long while, and I just don’t see it in the cards. So instead, you get me….

Now that I’m back from my “vacation” to Scotland, and out of the hospital here in America, I can finally start turning my attention to some other things. Things like my new book, A Family of Killers, that came out in August. If you’re local, I’ll be doing a public reading and signing on Thursday, September 19th, at 6pm at the Farmington Public Library. Copies will be available for purchase from Devaney’s. If you’re not…

There are few movie/book combinations out there where both are equally excellent, but Thomas Harris’s Silence of the Lambs most definitely ranks among them. Think of it like this: the film is ranked #23 on IMDB. It’s got an 8.6/10. It swept the 5 “big” Oscars: Best Film Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay. It did all this as very much a genre film, something the Oscars traditionally ignore. It’s a fantastic movie. And the book…

Just as fast as I was back blogging, I was back to not blogging. A week ago on Saturday, I was back to experiencing pain and had a low fever, so I went to the ER to have them take a look at things. It turns out I had complications from the appendicitis which ended up keeping me in the hospital for another 6 days. That was . . . not a pleasant surprise. But…

I try to be as open as reasonable (maybe even more open than reasonable) on the blog, mainly because I think too often all everyone talks about is how sparkly their lives are, and that can leave many people wondering why their life just seems to have the occasional glimmer. Solidarity, folks. And right now, I’m feeling pretty darn sparkle-free. I had my surgery 17 days ago today. I’ve talked with numerous people who said…

There are some movies out there, as I’ve mentioned before, that seem tailor made for certain people. Movies that are just matched perfectly for someone’s interest. When I heard the premise of Totally Killer, I was pretty sure I’d found another match for me: “Thirty-five years after the shocking murders of three teens, an infamous killer returns on Halloween night to claim a fourth victim. When 17-year-old Jamie comes face-to-face with the masked maniac, she…

Before I bought my tickets for Scotland, I had no real idea what to expect there. I didn’t know much about the country other than kilts and bagpipes. I soon discovered that going to Scotland in August–anywhere in Scotland–is somewhat problematic, because everyone and their brother comes to Scotland in August due to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. For three or four weeks, the city is filled with performers: actors, comedians, magicians, musicians, street performers, and…

I know what it sounds like. It sounds like you’re going to go to a big convention hall and check out tattoos all afternoon. But remember, this is Scotland, and they roll a bit differently there. The “tattoo” you’re thinking about comes from the Samoan word ta-tau. The “tattoo” they’re thinking about comes from the Dutch word taptoel. It’s a coinkydink that they’re the same word now. So in this case, the Tattoo Festival means…

Well, I’m back. Feeling more like Bilbo Baggins at the end of the Hobbit than I’d like, especially since I didn’t come home with a chest full of dragon loot. No, if you weren’t following along with the saga on Facebook, I didn’t really come home with anything. Instead, I left my appendix in Glasgow. I’m not generally the sort of person who goes around being quite that forgetful, so maybe I should bring you…