The Tao of Doo


In his kind and generous review of my first mystery, DEATH NOTICE, author James Reasoner said the plot was vaguely reminiscent of something found in Scooby-Doo, only played seriously. He meant it as a compliment and I took it Read more

BAD MOON Rises


Another October, another release date. Since BAD MOON is my second book, you would think I'd be used to it. But nope, I'm not. BAD MOON's publication date feels as surreal as DEATH NOTICE's did last year. For readers, the Read more

Writing With ... Louise Penny


I am thrilled beyond words to welcome one of my favorite writers, Louise Penny, whose Armand Gamache mysteries have appeared on bestseller lists worldwide.  Her last book, BURY YOUR DEAD, won the Ellis for best mystery in Canada, and Read more

Is Browsing Dead?


I'll be the first to admit that I was a nerdy teenager. Not pocket protector nerdy, but no sports star, either. I was bookish, I guess you could say. I read A LOT back then, and nothing pleased me Read more

Why We Left Earth


Outer space has always been a mystery. Even before mankind fully grasped its vastness, they wanted to go there. Early astronomers, fascinated by the stars, invented ways to get a closer view. Think Copernicus, Galileo, Cassini. Writers not content Read more

Musings

Mourning a Man Who Bled Blue & White

Posted on by Todd Posted in Musings | 1 Comment

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We all knew it was coming. We knew it as soon as the lung cancer diagnosis was announced. We knew it when the exclusive interview ran in last weekend’s Washington Post, lingering on details of sickness and suffering. And we knew it yesterday, when CBS News wrongly reported on his demise and his family announced his condition was rapidly declining.

But on this bleak January morning, we are now faced with the fact that Joe Paterno has died. And despite knowing it was inevitable, I type this with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart.

I’m crying because, as a Pennsylvania native and a Penn Stater, this loss strikes closer to my heart than it would if I had been born in another state and educated at another school.

I’m crying because yet another touchstone of my younger days is gone, which summons memories of people, places and events I hadn’t thought about in years.

I’m crying because the nation lost a great man who had only recently fallen out of greatness.

I’m crying because Joe Paterno died amid shame and scandal and it didn’t have to end this way.

Despite being the winningest coach in major college football history, those of us who went to Penn State know JoePa was about more than just football. He was a figurehead, a hero, a moral compass who, leading through example, taught us about hard work, humility, giving back to the community. Hundreds of books in the library bear stickers indicating that they were gifts to the university from him and his wife, Sue. In an age of McMansions, he stubbornly spent his life in a mere house, his name, number and address easily found in the phone book. When my father turned fifty, I asked a classmate of mine on the team to get Coach Paterno to sign a football for him. The coach gladly complied and my father was thrilled.

Despite having only a passing interest in Penn State football (I went to exactly three games during my time there), Joe Paterno was still one of my heroes. In my mind, he was one of the few true greats. I admired him from afar. (I never met him in person.) I defended his honor. When I went to the Creamery, I always ordered Peachy Paterno.

Then it all fell away, with a swiftness that was both shocking and disorienting. Allegations arose that one of his assistant coaches had assaulted young boys, some of them in the football team’s training facilities. Rumors of a university-wide cover-up quickly took on the aura of fact. Everyone, it seemed, had known about the allegations yet did the bare minimum required by law. One of them was Joe Paterno, a fact that split my heart wide open.

When Coach Paterno was fired, I applauded the decision. He had to be held accountable. Children were harmed under his watch. He could have done better. He should have done better. And for the past few months a hard, bitter part of me knew I would never be able to forgive him for that.

But now that he is gone (Which is still hard to type, by the way. Even though he was 85, many Penn Staters thought he’d outlive us all) I think that, if not forgiveness, then at least some context is in order. Joe Paterno loved his wife. He loved his family. He loved the team that he had coached for decades. He loved the university that the team represented. He did a lot of good. He did a little bad. We can remember the bad — as everyone will — but we must not forget the good. He was not a perfect man. No man is.

I want to close with a phrase familiar to anyone who’s ever spent time in Happy Valley. I didn’t say it during the scandal because I thought it was inappropriate. But I will say it now, because Joe Paterno’s life encompassed much more than the past three months. And I will say it in his honor, because he believed in it with every fiber of his being.

We are Penn State.

A Song for Bond

Posted on by Todd Posted in Just For Fun, Musings | Comments Off on A Song for Bond

A week or so ago, it was revealed that Skyfall will be the title of the next James Bond movie. Now, I don’t put too much stock in Bond titles. They often have nothing to do with the plot and, in some cases, make no sense whatsoever. (I’m looking at you, Quantum of Solace.) So Skyfall is as good or as bad as any other.

Besides, everyone knows the titles are really chosen because they sound cool in a song. Curiously, though, both Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace didn’t follow this tradition. Perhaps the producers of the next Bond will do the same, even though Skyfall, if done right, could sound very, very cool.

But in order to do it right, they need the perfect vocalist to bring the song to life. A voice that will stand out over the series’ eye-popping opening credits. According to the Internet, always a reliable source, the frontrunners to sing the Skyfall theme are Adele and Michael Buble. Both are fantastic choices, although I definitely prefer one over the other. But who else could sing the hell out of a Bond theme? Here are my personal picks:

Adele
Yes, she’s the frontrunner. And rightly so. Other than the late Amy Winehouse, I can’t think of a modern voice so perfectly suited for the Bond franchise. Adele could more than sing the hell out of the theme song. Her pipes are capable of blowing it out of this orbit. The only downside is that her recent throat surgery could make her unavailable.

Beyonce
She may not have the brassy power of Shirley Bassey, but Mrs. Jay-Z could certainly do a Bond song justice. Don’t believer me? Sit back, close your eyes and imagine it’s her and not Carly Simon singing “Nobody Does it Better” from The Spy Who Loved Me. See what I mean?

Radiohead
Speaking of “Nobody Does it Better,” Thom Yorke & Co. have been known to do a cover version of the song during concerts. And while it might not sound perfect, you have to admit that something they write for themselves could be a great, eclectic addition to the Bond canon.

Florence + The Machine
This sounds like an out-of-the-box choice until you realize that Shirley Manson and Garbage were tapped to sing the theme to The World is Not Enough in 1999. In my opinion, Florence Welch has a far better voice and, with the right song, she and her group could hit a home run.

Lady Gaga
Oh, boy. Now this could be interesting. If you take away the crazy costumes, electronic gizmos and trademark stuttering lyrics, Gaga still has an incredible voice. But why strip Gaga of what she’s known for? I say give her the gizmos and stutter and see what she does with it. Skyf-f-fall, anyone?

Kanye West
Another idiosyncratic artist who, if commissioned to tackle a Bond theme, could either come up with something utterly brilliant or completely awful. Either way, I’d love to see him try.

So those are my picks. Who would you like to see sing the next Bond theme? Sound off in the comments section!

The Girl With the Movie Trailer

Posted on by Todd Posted in Musings, Wonderful Web | Comments Off on The Girl With the Movie Trailer

I’m not ashamed to admit that I didn’t get into the book THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. I started reading it in the airport and gave up about 75 pages in. I know I’m alone in this. The book has been devoured by millions of people around the world. Friends, whose opinions I respect and admire, have told me to stick with it, that it gets much more interesting later on. Yet I just never felt compelled to pick it up again.

But then I saw this:

Damn, that looks good. I love David Fincher’s work, and will definitely be lining up opening weekend to see the movie. But it also makes me want to read the book just as badly. I’ll be traveling a lot in the next two months. So if you see me in the airport, don’t be surprised if I’m once again reading THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.