Jim’s Blog
 
  Booth Friday, July 28, 2006 If you're a history fan, a thriller fan, or both, may I recommend Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson. This tale has not been fully told before, and Swanson apparently read every shred of extant evidence to put this together. It's a great read, captures the times, the national mindset, the Southern POV, the extent of the conspiracy. It's instructive, too, on read more...​    Summer Movies Thursday, July 20, 2006 Tired of the over loud, over computerized, by-the-numbers, no deeper than Paris Hilton movie offerings this summer? Then get a blast from the past this summer, with family and friends around. Of course, there are some standards all movie mavens must know, like Casablanca, Citizen Kane, The Wizard of Oz. Here are a few more I'd heartily recommend: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) read more...​    Suspense Bubbles Friday, June 23, 2006 I love the idea of "suspense bubbles." That's a bit of suspense injected within a scene that adds an extra beat of tension. I use it all the time, as when a major question is asked in an office, and that's the moment the assistant buzzes with the news that so and so is waiting outside, etc. I believe the term “suspense bubbles” was coined by writing instructor Raymond Obstfeld. Was watching read more...​    Blog for Blog’s Sake? Saturday, June 10, 2006 The world is too much with us! Late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; little we see in Nature that is ours... So wrote William Wordsworth, the great English romantic poet. He wrote in the age before blogs. See the portrait? He’s THINKING THINGS OVER. As far as we know, he did not blog. See, just because it can be blogged, does not mean it should be. Blogs are too much read more...​    Writerly Wisdom Thursday, May 25, 2006 I collect quotes from writers on all aspects of the writing life. It opens up little windows in my perspective and lets me see things I might have missed. I like to review these quotes from time to time, as it makes me feel I'm in on a big conversation about my profession, with a bunch of very cool and experienced people. The only thing missing is the Starbucks. Actually not, as I'm typing read more...​  DF2547BB-1E54-11DB-A008-0011247B5294.htmlhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060518499/sr=8-1/qid=1154103586/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9709143-5872709?ie=UTF8DF2547BB-1E54-11DB-A008-0011247B5294.html423915F4-185A-11DB-8D91-0011247B5294.html423915F4-185A-11DB-8D91-0011247B5294.html40FD8E5F-02D8-11DB-904B-0011247B5294.html40FD8E5F-02D8-11DB-904B-0011247B5294.html13C329E0-F899-11DA-871D-0011247B5294.html13C329E0-F899-11DA-871D-0011247B5294.htmlD53ED8C5-EBFB-11DA-B67A-0011247B5294.htmlD53ED8C5-EBFB-11DA-B67A-0011247B5294.htmlshapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2shapeimage_2_link_4shapeimage_2_link_6shapeimage_2_link_8shapeimage_2_link_10