Archive for 'Culture'

I’ve never been a big fan of modern memoirs. These days, it seems that most of what populates the nonfiction bestseller lists veers toward the treacly or the titillating–pop-culture confessionals that celebrate victimhood as virtue or parade the worst kind of bad taste. Honestly, why would anyone plunk down their hard-earned cash to delve into Paris Hilton’s sex life? Well, obviously there’s a market for it, otherwise publishers wouldn’t be offering handsome advances for these tell-all books.

Don’t ...

Forget the Xbox 360. The holiday must have of the season is Scaldis Noel, a beer so special that it’s now seriously impossible to find anywhere around here. I first got into this lush libation around 4 years ago, when the proprietor of my local beer emporium recommended it. Since then, I’ve awaited its release every year like a cult following, counting down the days until it appeared on the shelf. What’s more is that my ...

Well, the holidays here in the States are off to a roaring start! I’ve been informed by my editor to expect some heavier edits on PRODIGAL, which comes as no surprise. It’s a bit longer than HAMMERJACK, and didn’t go through quite as many drafts before I sent the manuscript off to make the deadline for publication next fall. Right now, I’m cracking my knuckles and waiting for the edits to arrive–but in the meanwhile, I’ve had ...

Had a chance to see The Exorcism of Emily Rose last Sunday night, which might not seem like a big deal—but when you have two small kids, going to a movie that doesn’t feature Barney or the Wiggles or some animatronic character from the depths of merchandising hell represents a watershed moment in your adult life. I made the most of the occasion by picking a pretty scary flick, and was not disappointed in the least.

That’s high ...

I’m not a full-fledged member of the Cult of Mac, but I do have a Powerbook G4 that I really like, and bought an iPod way before the little device captured the cultural zeitgeist with its scroll wheel and tiny white earbuds. Call me a Mac fan, if you will–a guy who likes OS X better than Windoze XP, but wouldn’t chain you to a radiator and make you renounce Bill Gates and all his evil ways.

That said, ...