TWO TITLES IN ONE WEEK
MARY OF ANGELS is the first in a new series set at the California/Mexico border and featuring a varied cast of characters from different walks of life.
Smugglers, immigrants, cops, lawyers, journalists, politicians, predators... and the various residents of barrios on both sides, a community with an imaginary line drawn across its heart.
Drawn from the scripts for the television show, this first book in its series focuses on several lives: Ado sings ballads on buses until his son is stricken down, Riles' sorry appetites suddenly come together for his stories and his ill-gotten gains, Pepito crossed all the water between Honduras and California, and now it's all fallen apart, Pucho goes from fighting pits to the border beach to a home in the smuggler roost, La Flaca married out of the hills at twelve, and hit the streets before finding her true calling.
This is border life unvarnished and undramatized... but human drama of its essence.
Smugglers, immigrants, cops, lawyers, journalists, politicians, predators... and the various residents of barrios on both sides, a community with an imaginary line drawn across its heart.
Drawn from the scripts for the television show, this first book in its series focuses on several lives: Ado sings ballads on buses until his son is stricken down, Riles' sorry appetites suddenly come together for his stories and his ill-gotten gains, Pepito crossed all the water between Honduras and California, and now it's all fallen apart, Pucho goes from fighting pits to the border beach to a home in the smuggler roost, La Flaca married out of the hills at twelve, and hit the streets before finding her true calling.
This is border life unvarnished and undramatized... but human drama of its essence.
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE 
is a real anomaly. Yes, from "Mr. Noir"...a cute chicklit story. Well, based in a San Diego political race. But still... basically a Drew Barrymore/Reese Witherspoon movie. Which is how we wrote the script, and now the "reverse adaptation" is out there to be read. Will I break into a whole new market? Get bullied by scornful ex-buddies? Time will tell.
BeeBee is back, a little older and much wiser, but still the lovely cheerleader with an instinct for landing in employment trouble. Her past fracas with the governor campaign lands her a job as a "bagwoman" for a San Diego mayor race, but she rises in the ranks when she runs into some conmen and starts using them to hustle votes, not money. But re-enter the villain from her last politics job and she has to scramble to come out with a job, the money, and a cute guy she's learning to appreciate.
is a real anomaly. Yes, from "Mr. Noir"...a cute chicklit story. Well, based in a San Diego political race. But still... basically a Drew Barrymore/Reese Witherspoon movie. Which is how we wrote the script, and now the "reverse adaptation" is out there to be read. Will I break into a whole new market? Get bullied by scornful ex-buddies? Time will tell.BeeBee is back, a little older and much wiser, but still the lovely cheerleader with an instinct for landing in employment trouble. Her past fracas with the governor campaign lands her a job as a "bagwoman" for a San Diego mayor race, but she rises in the ranks when she runs into some conmen and starts using them to hustle votes, not money. But re-enter the villain from her last politics job and she has to scramble to come out with a job, the money, and a cute guy she's learning to appreciate.
A Wonderful Review
Few events in my so-called writing career have given me as much pleasure as the first major review to appear for SWEET SPOT. James Tipton, the ace reviewer for Mexico Connect--Mexico's 
major gringo publication--has written a review of the calibre writers would gladly die for, but seldom get the chance.
major gringo publication--has written a review of the calibre writers would gladly die for, but seldom get the chance.It would have been enough for a reviewer of his stature to say it was a nice book and press it on his readers, but Mr. Tipton is a major fan of SWEET SPOT and doesn't shrink from calling it "incredible" and wondering why it hasn't gotten Pulitzer and National Book Award nominations. Seriously...read it here. There is no way I can even pretend modesty over something like this: even mentioning it is a brag and, I gotta say, Mr. Tipton is one sharp cookie and anybody who doesn't grab SWEET SPOT and gobble it down is missing out.
Man! This is the sort of thing that makes writing worthwhile!
