Albert Tucher
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Coming up for air.
November 14th, 2012 16:11 by Albert Tucher
After Superstorm Sandy, that is.
Westfield is starting to look like itself again. It was widely reported that the city lost more than a thousand trees, and I believe every one of them took a power wire down with it. I was in the dark (and cold) from the Tuesday of the storm until late in the afternoon of the following Monday.
The Westfield Public Library was practically alone in keeping its power and staying open. Much of the population of the city descended on the library, looking for warmth, light, and an electrical outlet for recharging cell phones, which were the only means of communication left. The staff of the library deserve commendation. They rose to the occasion.
Right next door, Cranford was nearly unaffected, but I don't begrudge the citizens anything. Last year Irene hit them very hard.
I hope this will not be an annual event.
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Another gift from my Technical Consultant.
October 21st, 2012 21:37 by Albert Tucher
I just posted another story in my writing samples that comes from my Technical Consultant's experience. She told me that a man's characteristic smell unlocked all her memories of him, and would help her remember things he had told her and his favorite topics of conversation.
No Hands appeared in the excellent zine Beat to a Pulp in 2009.
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Mashed potatoes!
October 16th, 2012 11:30 by Albert Tucher
I have a new Diana story out from the up-and-coming e-publisher Untreed Reads. In Calories Diana can't stay out of trouble even on Thanksgiving Day, and yes, mashed potatoes are involved.
This idea is yet another gift from my Technical Consultant, who told me that she often worked on Thanksgiving, because it could be very lucrative, with men in a tipping mood. I don't think I'll ever run out of material, thanks to her.
The story is also available from Amazon, B&N, and other e-booksellers.
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Noir at the Bar
September 19th, 2012 00:28 by Albert Tucher
I don't think it's too late to mention the Noir at the Bar event organized by Todd Robinson and Glenn Gray at the Shade Bar in Manhattan last Sunday, September 10. It was totally informal and a great reunion with Todd and Glenn. I also met Hilary Davidson, Alison Gaylin, Richie Narvaez, and Jen Conley. I read from the latest Diana story, The Retro Look, but I would have to say that Hilary stole the show with her story from the anthology Dicked, which consists of dark stories inspired by ... Dick Cheney!
Todd promises another event in December. I will be there.
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The return of ThugLit!
September 2nd, 2012 22:42 by Albert Tucher
Todd Robinson has revived the terrific crime zine ThugLit in a new format. It's now available for Kindle only. The price, $.99, is hard to beat. I have already read Hilary Davidson's good and nasty "Magpie" and the excerpt from Todd's upcoming novel The Hard Bounce.
I was lucky enough to have four stories in the previous incarnation of ThugLit. I plan to get submitting.
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Nothing can kill the Olympics.
August 3rd, 2012 17:04 by Albert Tucher
Not politics, not the threat of terror attacks, not commercial exploitation, not even scientific training that reduces the opportunities for an inspired unknown to come out of nowhere and win.
I enjoy some sports more than others. In general I don't care for subjective sports in which judging decides everything, but that still leaves a lot: volleyball, swimming, boxing, and above all track and field. And of the track and field events I love the marathons and their drama. Is that our winner? No, just a brief leader. But the relentless winnowing of the field reveals the lead pack, and then the one runner who gets to be the first into the stadium.
The marathon still lies beyond the reach of scientific training. There is still room for inspiration, and I'll take it, even secondhand.
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A bit off topic but long overdue
July 11th, 2012 13:51 by Albert Tucher
Nearly seventy years later my neighbor John Vigliante has received the Bronze Star for his actions in the Battle of the Bulge. He served as an "Ammunition Chief," making sure the troops had what they needed to fight. What it seems to have boiled down to was driving a truck full of stuff designed to explode while the entire German army said, "Yeah, take those guys out first."
And yet he beat the impossible odds and has survived to age 97.
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Another Day At the Office
July 1st, 2012 20:34 by Albert Tucher
That's the new Diana story now online over at All Due Respect. Diana is having a bad day, but help is coming from an unexpected source. It's another tale suggested by the experiences of my technical consultant.
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40 and counting.
June 14th, 2012 11:38 by Albert Tucher
The Retro Look is my fortieth published Diana Andrews story, and I think it's appropriate that it's the longest story to see publication . It's also the first with an original cover, which is a rite of passage for every author.
In Atlantic City with a client, Diana has trouble passing the time while he is busy at the blackjack table. When a new man offers her $500 for an hour on the side, she can't resist temptation. That's a mistake that lands her in the middle of a casino rip-off, a cold murder case, and a fresh killing that puts her in harm's way.
(Also available from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.)
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Drabble!
June 6th, 2012 21:10 by Albert Tucher
A drabble is a story of exactly 100 words. I didn't know that either, until Patti Abbott issued one of her challenges, which you can see here. I chose the parade photo, and my effort is now posted in my writing samples.
As I always say about flash fiction, you can do a lot if you don't try to do too much. Drabble takes the principle to its extreme, but it's fun to rise to the challenge.
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