Archive for year: 2017

Whoops! In my October Newsletter I said to those who complained that children (or adults) in Halloween costumes were engaging in cultural appropriation, “Dress like the Tin Man; he had no brain and neither do you.”

Well, where was my brain? It was the Scarecrow, of course, who had no brain, as my readers reminded me. But I do have a heart, so I won’t say anything about the four proofreaders who missed my mistake before the Newsletter went out. My ten-year-old would have spotted the mistake if I let him read my Newsletter.

Also in my October Newsletter I had a suggestion for those who had a problem with Columbus Day, and I used the colorful Italian word “vaffanculo,” which means…well…to perform a physically impossible act on oneself. Amazingly, none of my readers were offended by this word – it sounds so good in Italian – but many readers questioned my spelling. In Sicilian dialect, it sounds like “Ba fun-gool,” and in other Italian dialects it’s also pronounced differently. But in standard Italian, it’s vaffanculo. Now you know.

Anyway, I did march in the Columbus Day Parade up Fifth Avenue, and if there were any protesters, I didn’t see them.

On another subject, November 10 is Marine Corps birthday. The Marines are 242 years old, and I, an old Army guy, wish them happy birthday, and congratulations on being able to count that high. But seriously, Semper Fi.

November 11 is Veterans Day, and every year I get together with other Vietnam veterans and we propose a toast to those who served, and to those who are no longer with us.

Hard to believe, but it’s been fifty years this month since I reported for duty in Vietnam. I remember my first day in ‘Nam like it was yesterday – stepping off the Braniff 707 into the heat of Tan Son Nhut Airport in Saigon. It was sort of unreal, like Dorothy felt when the cyclone carried her from Kansas to Oz. And, like Dorothy, I had no reasonable expectation that I’d ever get back to the States. But I did, and along the way I met lots of senior officers who had no brains, but also lots of men who had big hearts and amazing courage. And when I did get home, I met lots of war protesters at the airport. I can’t say I was happy to see them, but I can say I was happy to have fought for their right to protest.

On a completely different subject, my latest book The Cuban Affair debuted at #1 on most major bestseller lists and continues to do well thanks to you. And thanks, too, for your good letters. Thanks also to everyone who came to my talks and signings around the country. I really enjoy meeting my readers and hearing what you have to say. I wish the tour could have been longer and that it included the West Coast and Canada, but it’s time for me to get back to the writing desk and do what I do best: make stuff up. Just like I did when I said I wished the tour could have been longer.

Also on my tour, I discovered that many book club groups have chosen The Cuban Affair for discussion. Thank you. You can find suggested book club questions on my website. And here’s another one: Do you think the author should return to Cuba and get arrested?

Anyway, Thanksgiving is coming and unfortunately this very American holiday has also become controversial. I won’t get into that except to say that no one in America has to celebrate any holiday that he or she does not believe in. And everyone has the right to criticize the meaning of a holiday, whether it be Columbus Day, Veterans Day, the Fourth of July, or Thanksgiving. Debate is good, but we need to be civil (and not say vaffanculo or “you have no brains”) and respect the rights and beliefs of others, especially those we don’t agree with. That is what makes us Americans. I, for instance, find Groundhog Day repugnant, and I’m surprised that PETA and the Humane Society haven’t tried to ban this holiday. But I respect the rights of those who annoy groundhogs one day a year, just as I respect the rights of those, like myself, who look forward to the massacre of millions of turkeys in November. I actually prefer beef, but I go along with the turkey thing.

So have a good November and a happy, safe, and guilt-free Thanksgiving.

If you’re an American, summer is over after Labor Day weekend. For the rest of the northern hemisphere, it’s over on September 21, and autumn begins on the 22^nd. More important than the autumnal equinox, which happens every year, is the publication of The Cuban Affair on September 19, making it a fall book, though it’s still summer.

Anyway, this is my 20^th novel, and as any author will tell you, no matter how many books you’ve had published, a new one is always exciting – like the birth of a baby. I had an aunt in Canada who had 16 children – that’s 16 labor days – and each birth was, I’m sure, very exciting. And she, like me, started running out of names.

Chapter 2 of The Cuban Affair is now available on my website, and if you enjoyed Chapter 1, you’ll love Chapter 2. You can get the next 53 chapters by buying the book. As always, my books are available in hardcover, audio (CDs and downloads), and e-books. The choice of formats is yours, as is the choice to buy the book or not buy the book. But I really think you should buy the book. You don’t have to read it or listen to it; just buy it. You can give it to someone. Thank you.

Also, my former publisher, Grand Central Publishing, and Amazon will be offering some special deals on my previous books: On September 12, The General’s Daughter will be a Kindle Daily, for the low price of $2.99, and on September 13, The Charm School will be a Kindle Daily for $2.99. These are great offers.

The late, great Robert A. Heinlein, author of Stranger in a Strange Land, once said that he was competing for the reader’s beer money. I believe that, and I’m thrilled that I can offer two full novels for less than the price of a six-pack. Jump on this.

Speaking of great offers, here are three contests where we are giving away free stuff: 1) Newsletter contest – Download a chapter of The Cuban Affair and be entered to win a hardcover of the new book. Contest ends September 30. 2) Bookplate contest – Enter to win a signed The Cuban Affair bookplate – no purchase necessary. Contest ends September 15. 3) Sail away contest – Enter for a chance to win a thrilling prize package inspired by The Cuban Affair – a signed hardcover, audiobook, Caskers gift box of 3 premium rums, six month subscription to fishing gift box, a limited edition Nelson DeMille T-shirt. Contest ends September 19, which is publication day for The Cuban Affair.

Also on September 19 is the publication of Book of Judas, by my good friend and New York Daily News columnist, Linda Stasi. Book of Judas is a religious thriller featuring her feisty newspaper reporter Alessandra Russo who was introduced in Linda’s debut novel, The Sixth Station. These are both great reads and I recommend them for anyone, like myself, who loves religious thrillers. You’ll notice that Linda’s book and my book are published on the same day, so we’re supporting each other, and we’re doing a joint book signing at Barnes & Noble NYC on September 18. Hope you can make it.

I’ve gotten about a hundred emails pointing out that my book tour doesn’t include the West Coast. I’ve toured the West Coast many times – San Diego, LA, San Fran, Portland, Tacoma (my wife’s hometown), Seattle, and Vancouver, British Columbia. I always get enthusiastic crowds, and I’d love to do it again, but can’t this time due to the tight scheduling and other commitments. But check out my tour schedule on my website and see if I’m in your area. I’d love to meet you.

Some news on the Corey TV series: Sony TV and ABC-TV will make a decision in October about resurrecting the project. John Corey says, “This project has died and been resurrected so many times that the series should be called ‘Easter.'” I think it should be called “Groundhog Day.”

On the feature film front, there’s lots of interest in Hollywood for The Cuban Affair, but no firm offer yet. When you read the book, you’ll see that it would make a terrific movie. Let me know your thoughts on this.

There are a number of notable days this month, including Grandparents Day on Sunday, September 10. This would be a good day to buy grandma and grandpa a book. I happen to have two books which feature grandparents: The Gold Coast, and its sequel, The Gate House. They’ll love them.

Also, let’s not forget September 11. It’s been 16 years since the attack, but we should never forget the lives lost that day.

I want to take this opportunity to wish my Jewish friends and readers, and the Jewish side of my family, a happy Rosh Hashanah and a blessed Yom Kippur.

And finally, it’s back-to-school time. My ten-year-old seems ambivalent about this. My wife and I anxiously await the arrival of the yellow school bus.

Hope to see you at one of my book signings in September and October, and I hope you buy, read, and enjoy The Cuban Affair. Let me know.

Hard to believe that summer is half over already – unless you’re reading this south of the equator where it’s winter. It’s worth a trip to Australia or New Zealand just to flush the toilet and watch the water go clockwise.

On another subject, if you tuned into CBS Sunday Morning with Lesley Stahl to see me, and you blinked, you may have missed me. The segment was really about my friend Linda Fairstein, and my five minutes of fame was edited down to about five seconds. That’s TV. But I did get a good dinner at Aretsky’s Patroon restaurant, and a free copy of Linda’s new book, Deadfall, which I’m loving.

On August 1 I posted the first chapter of The Cuban Affair on my website, and in September I’ll post Chapter Two. These chapters are supposed to entice you to pre-order The Cuban Affair from your favorite online retailer, or from your local bookstore. Posting free chapters is always a risk; the reader, who might have already decided to buy the book, may read the free chapters and decide the book sucks. But I’m gambling that you’ll be hooked by Chapter One and Two. Let me know.

For those of you who liked The Gold Coast, and those ten people who have never read it, it is being reissued on August 29 in two formats – mass market and trade paperback. There’s a new cover and a new price on the cover. Is the price lower than the last reissue? No. But it’s still a great deal for hours and hours of entertainment, and costs less than a martini in a New York City bar.

My publicity tour for The Cuban Affair is becoming finalized and you can see where I’ll be appearing by clicking here. Hope to see you at one of these events.

The Cuban Affair is making the rounds in Hollywood, and with luck we’ll have an offer from a studio or production company in the next few weeks. After you read the book, let me know who you think should play the lead parts of Dan (Mac) MacCormick, and Sara Ortega. Also, the supporting cast in this story is strong. I see me as Jack Colby and also me as Richard Neville. When you read the book, you’ll agree.

I’ve gotten hundreds of emails asking me what I’m working on now. Well, I’m working on my tan. And also an outline for my next book. More on that in September.

And don’t forget – The Cuban Affair will be released on September 19. You can pre-order now from your favorite online retailer. Hope you enjoy Chapter One.

And finally, have a great August and a happy and safe Labor Day weekend.

See you in September.

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. A lot of my friends and family don’t bother to go to a fireworks display; they see the same thing in their heads every day.

Several of these same friends have suggested that I do some book signings in Cuba when The Cuban Affair comes out in September. I think, considering the subject matter of the book and the anti-Castro references, that I’d be arrested on sight if I ever set foot in Cuba again. My friends think this is unlikely, but even if I did get arrested, they say, it would be great publicity for my book. I’m not sure they have my best interests at heart.

Anyway, The Cuban Affair will be published on September 19 (a Tuesday) and now is a good time to pre-order the hardcover, or the large print edition, or the ebook, or the audio version from your favorite online retailer.

The audio, by the way, will be narrated by my good friend, Scott Brick, who has narrated many of my other novels. Scott has a golden voice and he brings all the characters to life. Also, if you play Chapter 6 backwards, you can hear the Beatles singing “Yellow Submarine.”

Several people have asked me about the status of my John Corey Sony-TV/ABC-TV series. Well, the pilot didn’t get made in May or June, so it doesn’t look likely that it will air this fall. I saw the script, which was terrific, but something got off track as it always does in TV Land and Movie Land. Hollywood can make a movie about the D-Day invasion, but if they had to plan the invasion, the Germans would still be in Paris.

My good friend Linda Fairstein, bestselling author of many excellent crime novels, has a fantastic new book coming out on July 25 (a Tuesday), titled Deadfall. I’ve read it and loved it and so will you.

As you may have read in my recent email blast, which I hope you got, Linda and I were on CBS Sunday Morning, interviewed by Lesley Stahl, along with our pals and bestselling authors Harlan Coben and Susan Isaacs. Hope you saw it, and hope you enjoyed it.

The segment was shot while we were having dinner at Aretsky’s Patroon restaurant, one of my favorite New York steak houses. If you watched this, you may have noticed that we all got sillier as the wine flowed freely. By dessert, we had our faces in the cheesecake – but they cut that.

Also, on Sunday, July 30, I will be appearing at the Madison Theatre at Molloy College in Rockville Centre on Long Island with Linda Fairstein. We’ll do a talk and Q&A together, and Linda will sign Deadfall. The event is sponsored by the Turn of the Corkscrew Books & Wine, a great independent bookstore in Rockville Centre. If you’re in the area, please make a reservation to attend. Support your local bookstore.

In an earlier Newsletter, I said that I’d post the first chapter of The Cuban Affair on my website in July. If you’ve been looking for it, you’ll notice it isn’t there. Why? Because there are still some editing and formatting issues to be worked out. But look for Chapter One in August, then Chapter Two in early September before publication date.

Early reviews of The Cuban Affair have been excellent in the trade publications, and Publishers Weekly gave the book a boxed and starred review, meaning they found it exceptional. They are smart people at Publishers Weekly, with refined tastes in literature.

Another book I’d like to recommend is Dead Man’s Bridge by my good friend Robert Mrazek. Dead Man’s Bridge will be published August 8 (a Tuesday) and you can check it out now on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Bob also has a book coming out on September 15, titled And the Sparrow Fell, a coming-of-age story set against the background of the Vietnam War. I’m reading it and loving it. Robert Mrazek is a former Congressman from Long Island and an excellent writer. Check out all his books with your online bookseller or your local bookstore.

And finally, don’t forget MatchUp, an anthology created by the International Thriller Writers and published by Simon & Schuster. It received a 5 out of 5 starred featured review by Bookreporter, click here to read it.

This July Newsletter is a bit late because I was in Scotland the last week of June, then came the Fourth of July weekend. What was I doing in Scotland? Research. Is my next book set in Scotland? No. I was researching Scotch whisky. Did I learn anything? Yes. Stop at six.

So, that’s it for July. Hope you’re enjoying the summer so far and that you’ve got some good beach reading. Or, if you live in the mountains, some good cave reading.

Drop me a line through my website. I enjoy hearing from my readers.