tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37799152440948268952024-03-14T00:18:43.589-07:00StarDust Mysteries by Christopher PintoThe Star Dust Mysteries Publishing Blog, by Christopher Pinto: Author of Murder Behind The Closet Door • Murder on Tiki IslandChristopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-33065270217085694482021-08-18T14:30:00.001-07:002021-08-18T14:30:08.369-07:00Three New Antique Vampire Killing Kits by Crystobal<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KiVGOYIfsFo/YR12TKT2M5I/AAAAAAAAEZI/814PRY7TnioeKWAQ4rVHZkIdUbxjCh3egCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Neriah-Vampire-Killing-Kit_3149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Vampire Killing Kit" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KiVGOYIfsFo/YR12TKT2M5I/AAAAAAAAEZI/814PRY7TnioeKWAQ4rVHZkIdUbxjCh3egCLcBGAsYHQ/w240-h320/Neriah-Vampire-Killing-Kit_3149.jpg" title="Original Vampire Killing Kit Crystobal" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Vampire Killing Kit<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>CRYSTOBAL,
the gothic artist who created the first primitive-style Vampire Killing
Kits decades ago, has just built three new kits for the Halloween
season. </p><p>CRYSTOBAL and I collaborated a few years ago on the book,
"How to Kill Vampires because they are unnatural jerks". That book is
available through my website, <a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/how-to-kill-vampires-chris-pinto.html" target="_blank">Stardust Mysteries.</a></p><p>These new, highly detailed Vampire Slayer Kits are unique pieces of art, created by hand by the most copied artist of <a href="http://vampireslayerkits.com/" target="_blank">Vampire Killing Kits</a>.
CRYSTOBAL asked me to point out that he is, in fact, pretty bitter
about lesser "artists" stealing his designs and reproducing them,
poorly...but knows that real collectors know the difference. That's why
every kit that CRYSTOBAL has built has sold at premium prices, all over
the world.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTtv-QA26v0/YR15YDxU_MI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/Y0BSxkUbBqQMXC95Z8Czt99eijozl4ctQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Dianella-Vampire-Killing-Kit_3196.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="vampire killing kit Crystobal" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iTtv-QA26v0/YR15YDxU_MI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/Y0BSxkUbBqQMXC95Z8Czt99eijozl4ctQCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/Dianella-Vampire-Killing-Kit_3196.jpg" title="vampire killing kit Crystobal" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vampire Killing Kit "Dianella"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /> <p>These
three Vampire Killing Kits come in three sizes from small to large, and
include the Holy Bible, cross-stakes, holy water, and other weapons and
tools for disposing of the creatures of the night.</p><p>Check out the article on <a href="http://vampireslayerkits.com/2021/08/16/three-new-vampire-killing-kits-by-crystobal/?fbclid=IwAR0WTqgl_8xy-SZtBefBq45973SHYMB1Icc51ORX2qPPRyDEx3VmFHdCJaU" target="_blank">VampireSlayerKits.com</a> for more information. Soon to be up for sale on etsy. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RWWmQLT_HWk/YR15meHGn0I/AAAAAAAAEZU/dEk_sjpisrAHVt5xNPF1CFBH01ltF9oUgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Two-Vamp-Kits-2021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Antique Vampire Killing Kits" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RWWmQLT_HWk/YR15meHGn0I/AAAAAAAAEZU/dEk_sjpisrAHVt5xNPF1CFBH01ltF9oUgCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/Two-Vamp-Kits-2021.jpg" title="Antique Vampire Killing Kits" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antique Style Vampire Killing Kits</td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a></p>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-14415861142026440762014-01-08T10:43:00.001-08:002014-01-09T12:21:04.399-08:00Why I write Paranormal Murder Mysteries: By Author Christopher PintoThank you for visiting. For some reason, "Blogger" erased this entire article. I'll have to re-write it from scratch. Until then, please feel free to peruse the other posts on my Stardust Mysteries blog.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Christopher PintoChristopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-71653649721558305042013-10-16T08:15:00.000-07:002013-10-16T08:15:27.674-07:00Book Review: Tiwaka Goes to Waikiki, by Everett Peacock<b>Book Review: Tiwaka Goes to Waikiki, by Everett Peacock</b><br />
<br />
Another fun read featuring my favorite parrot<br />
<br />
Book three in the Life and Times of a Hawaiian Tiki Bar was just as much fun to read as the first two. I sort of expected more of the same types of stories as the first two books, but author Everett Peacock changed things up a little, taking the journey of Tiwaka the parrot out of the usual setting and into some crazy (and sometimes frightening) adventures.<br /><br />Everett's books are always fun and easy to read, perfect for a relaxing weekend at the beach. I wouldn't call this book "light"...it certainly goes into some very heavy, serious stuff, but is balanced out nicely with just the right amount of levity and magic. Like a finely-crafted exotic cocktail, this book goes down smooth and leaves you with a great feeling at the end.<br /><br />If you haven't read the first two books in the series you might not "get" all of it, so I'd recommend reading them in order.<br /><br />If you dig the beach, the sun, dreams of Hawaii, surfing, sailing, or just having fun in the sun, you'll dig this book!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Five Stars all the way.<br /><br />-Christopher Pinto, Noir/Paranormal Mystery Author<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-26985465542420765382013-10-14T08:01:00.000-07:002013-10-14T08:01:45.104-07:00My Ghost Story, October 12 Day 12.<br />
<br />
As I descend deeper into my madness with decorating for Halloween, I find myself looking over my shoulder a lot, seeing things out of the corners of my eyes, hearing strange sounds that don't belong. I know most of this is probably because our house is now covered with plastic skulls, cutouts of zombies and wall hangings depicting evil phantoms. But still...<br />
<br />
Not too much happened since my last post, except that yet another bulb blew out (is that four? five? I'm losing count), and I heard a strange scratching noise coming from the front room (where my father used to live). Could have been some kind of animal on the window, but it didn't sound like that to me.<br />
<br />
There is something else. Something I can't put my finger on. Just a feeling; that feeling that you enter a room, and although you see no one else there, you know you are not alone. Maybe it's my mind playing tricks.<br />
<br />
Maybe it's something else.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-67615784698391063402013-10-08T19:58:00.001-07:002013-10-08T19:58:30.168-07:00My Ghost Story, Day 8, TuesdayAnother bulb is out. That makes three. Also, last night a very strange thing happened.<br />
<br />
In the front bedroom, which used to be my father's room, the light dimmed for a second and came back. I thought it was going to blow. It only happened on one light...not the whole house, so it wasn't a brown out. Just one bulb, dimmed, and came back.<br />
<br />
There are now plastic skeletons and black lights all over the house. I used to be terrified of skulls, when I was a little kid...a bi-product of walking in on "Dark Shadows" while my mother was watching, the episode with the giant skull with glowing eyes on a black background scared the living daylights out of me. Hey, I was like three. But that phobia stuck with me for years.<br />
<br />
Now I am surrounded by skulls, and probably the ghost of my long-passed father.<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-40960065435071602612013-10-08T19:53:00.000-07:002013-10-08T19:53:34.400-07:00My Ghost Story, Day 7, MondayMonday, Oct. 7.<br />
Took off work and spent the entire day decorating. I kind of expected some strange things to happen, but only one bulb burned out. A new one, of course. A red one. Yes, another red one.<br />
<br />
Something else happened today. Colleen got the notice: Laid off from work. yay.<br />
<br />
The house is starting to look like a haunted mansion. I've been decorating for Halloween all my life, but have gone bat-crap crazy the last 20 years, turning the house into a house of horrors. I get this from my father, who loved to decorate for anything, and my mother, who loved the occult, and Halloween.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-7024788424447533842013-10-08T19:49:00.001-07:002013-10-08T19:49:30.083-07:00My Ghost Story, Day Six, Sunday, Oct. 6Friday and Saturday, spent most of the time decorating for Halloween. Nothing "otherworldly" happened. All quiet.<br />
<br />
But today, Sunday, a strange thing happened.<br />
<br />
Colleen, my wife, went to do the laundry, and discovered the part that you load the fabric softener was missing. She asked me what I did with it.<br />
<br />
Generally, I don't use it when I wash my clothes, and leave it up on the shelf above the washer. I told her that's where it was. She couldn't find it. This quickly escalated, for no real reason, into an argument of "who's fault it's missing". We searched all over and couldn't find it.<br />
<br />
A few minutes later she shut herself in the bedroom. I decided to take one last look. For whatever reason, still not sure why, I decided to look in the running washing machine. Guess what? There is was, floating in the water.<br />
<br />
I got Colleen and showed her. She thought I was pulling a gag on her. She didn't believe me, when I told her I just found it in there. I finally convinced her I wasn't playing around.<br />
<br />
We had both looked in the washer prior to the argument. Don't ask me how it "materialized" inside the washer when we both looked in there. Normally, I'd say it was just coincidence. But I remembered the missing bottle a few days ago.<br />
<br />
This can be described as typical poltergeist activity...things moving, missing then reappearing, bulbs blowing...or, it might just be coincidence. <br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-41067786889297680142013-10-04T09:44:00.001-07:002013-10-04T09:44:33.927-07:00My Ghost Story: Oct 3, 2013 DAY THREE<br />
<br />
Fairly quiet today. Worked all day, came home and did some decorating for the upcoming Halloween party. No blown bulbs, no strange noises. Until...<br />
<br />
About one a.m., heard an eerie crashing noise coming from the living room. It sounded like an avalanche of plastic cups and dishes. Never heard anything like it before. The dog jumped, the cats scattered. The noise lasted a full three seconds, like something was falling in slow motion.<br />
<br />
Colleen (my wife) and I looked all over the house, fearing the worst. I figured some of the shelves that our curios are may have collapsed. We found nothing out of place.<br />
<br />
Finally, just before we were ready to give up, I noticed Colleen's hand back, upside down on the floor. She had left it on the couch. Apparently, it flipped itself over and landed on the floor. We thought it may have been one of the cats, but one cat was with us, and the other was sleeping in a tight coil on another chair where he had been all day.<br />
<br />
Could be nothing. Could be coincidence. Could be the bag just happened to roll off the couch, after being there since 6pm. Could be.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-82894633115097167022013-10-03T07:32:00.003-07:002013-10-03T07:32:56.757-07:00My Ghost Story: Oct 2, 2013 DAY TWO<br />
<br />
It has begun.<br />
<br />
This evening the first bulb of the season burned out. This was a brand new red party bulb, in a brand new clamp-on lamp. It wasn't even the cheap kind...it was the spiral kind, that are supposed to last hundreds of hours. It lasted four.<br />
<br />
It's actually pretty early for things to start. I wonder what the rest of the month will be like.<br />
<br />
ADDED 11:30 PM<br />
<br />
Either I'm crazy, or my old man's ghost is starting to screw with me early this year, and stronger than past years. At around 8pm, I went to get a small bottle of glow in the dark paint from the bathroom counter. It's been there since I started decorating a week ago. I keep it there, because it's the guest bathroom and I know no one will touch it there. (This also happened to be the bathroom my father used when he lived with us).<br />
<br />
Well, I went to get the bottle, and it wasn't there. I looked all over the counter, which is only 2' by 4'. Nothing. Moved stuff, looked under the sink (it's the bowl type that sits on the counter), looked on the floor, ran my hands over everything...gone. Looked outside, which was the last place I used it. Not there. Went back to the bathroom and looked again; turned off the light and looked for the "glow" of the bottle. Nada.<br />
<br />
I gave up and went about my business of changing the blown bulb and doing some more decorating.<br />
<br />
A few minutes ago, I went into the bathroom to wash up.<br />
<br />
Imagine how strange I felt, when I saw that little bottle of paint sitting on the counter next to the sink. RIGHT NEXT TO THE SINK, where I had run my hands under the bowl, and moved everything around, trying to find it.<br />
<br />
I froze. I actually got chills up my spine, seeing that bottle sitting there. I turned off the light...and it glowed like a beacon from a lighthouse.<br />
<br />
There's no way in hell I could have missed that bottle. My old man is playing tricks on me.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-30018578211030360372013-10-03T07:16:00.000-07:002013-10-03T07:16:39.347-07:00My Ghost Story: Oct 1, 2013 DAY ONE<br />
<br />
Decorating for Halloween. I love Halloween, always have, and go crazy with decor. I get this from my parents: My mother was heavily into anything occult, my father loved old horror movies and was great at building sets and props.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ksnOU-Lj31U/Uk17zcU7aVI/AAAAAAAAD9o/T0_txXUy650/s1600/halloween-2013-chris-p.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ksnOU-Lj31U/Uk17zcU7aVI/AAAAAAAAD9o/T0_txXUy650/s320/halloween-2013-chris-p.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I didn't expect anything to happen right on October 1. I was right...all was quiet. No bulbs blew out, no strange feelings, nothing. Even the cats and the dog were acting normal.<br />
<br />
I got a lot done on the decor. Built a facade in front of the entrance to the house that says "Maniac Mansion". That's this year's theme for my big Halloween party. Hopefully no real maniacs will show up, but I wouldn't be surprised if a ghost or two does.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">StarDustMysteries.com</a><br />
<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">VampireKillingKits.com </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-17149719642025558642013-10-03T06:47:00.002-07:002013-10-03T07:42:28.485-07:00My Ghost Story: Chronicle of October, 2013 On October 31, 2003, my father, Charlie Pinto, passed away. Yes, on Halloween day. That morning, he told the nurse that his wife came to visit (she died in 1996) and that she was coming back later so they could go out dancing.<br />
<br />
My father was a strong willed man, and up until a month before his death he was completely independent. But as heart disease began to take hold, he became very weak in a short time. This came to a head one early October day when his overhead lamp's bulb burned out, and he couldn't reach up to change it. He was angry and practically in tears; as I was leaving for work he very emotionally asked me to change it for him (he lived in our house's front bedroom) because he didn't want to left in the dark before I got home. I of course changed the bulb; he apologized a dozen times for making me late for work. I told him I didn't care about work. He felt better.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nCbo3Dda8dk/Uk2CDCvVlzI/AAAAAAAAD94/4wBCebgO2fQ/s1600/hawaiian-cottage-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nCbo3Dda8dk/Uk2CDCvVlzI/AAAAAAAAD94/4wBCebgO2fQ/s320/hawaiian-cottage-photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My father, Charlie Pinto on left, with my mother, Sabina.<br />Hawaiian Cottage, NJ, 1963</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Every years since his death, at least three or four light bulbs burn out, blow out or down-right explode, starting at the end of September, with the last going out just before Halloween. It doesn't matter if they are new bulbs, 7-year bulbs, or whatever. We almost never have bulbs blow out during the rest of the year (even in the summer with the tropical squalls and brown-outs), but we can count on several blowing out in October.<br />
<br />
Other strange things happen during this time of year too. Things that don't normally happen. Things my wife and I see that we don't normally see. The cats and the dog act strange. Odd noises come from the attic. The light - the atmosphere - in my father's old room, now a library, changes...gets darker, eerier.<br />
<br />
This year I am going to chronicle the events that take place each day. If nothing happens for a day or two, I'll skip them. But I want a written record of these blowing bulbs, strange sights and odd feelings. It won't prove anything, of course...but I'll know, and you'll know, that they are actually the result of something supernatural.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">stardustmysteries.com</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-72005492041129955282013-09-22T17:10:00.001-07:002013-09-22T17:10:50.851-07:00Review of the Book "Love Stories are too Violent for Me" by Will ViharoReview of the Book "Love Stories are too Violent for Me" by Will Viharo<br />
<br />
(No Spoilers)<br />
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
It's been almost 20 years since neo-Noir fiction writer Will Viharo began tapping away at the keys on his old typewriter, each stroke a meager step towards his first Vic Valentine novel, "Love Stories are too Violent for Me". It was that novel, born of Viharo's creative gears and his life's encounters, which started off a string of increasingly gritty, lowdown, dirty, irrevocably human stories featuring his greatly flawed yet greatly admired modernized gumshoe shamus, in incomparable Vic Valentine.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="p1">
And what a start it was, full of piss and vinegar, thunder and blood, wracked with pain and drizzled with cheap booze under a foggy San Francisco backdrop. There is was, for all to see and read and recover from. A modern masterpiece in the old-fashioned vein or Chandler, Spillane or Hammett with an uncompromising sting of old-school punk and 1990s grunge.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Neo-Noir, he calls it. A combination of vintage mystery styles and modern-day pop pulp, never straying from that time-honored truth: NOIR, the darkest of the dark side of the human condition.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
This is where Viharo excels. Not with cliché shots from behind a curtain, not with a rehashing of the quintessential dame in black stockings seductively smoking a cigarette under a neon sign. No, he excels in his own brand of truth, in modern realism with just a hint of fantasy. In laying it all out there, palms up, naked in front of the world for the masses to see. It takes guts to expose your most private inner thoughts on sheets of bleached paper (or a digital page). Viharo does this, in an unforgiving and unapologetic way. Take it or leave it. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
At least one person of note glanced at this book years ago and decided to take it - literally, as he bought the movie rights almost immediately after reading it. That was actor/producer Christian Slater, who found Valentine's voice so overwhelming real, so close to his own, that he had to turn the character into a movie roll. At the time of this review, the project is in the works, in advanced early stages of production. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Who is Vic Valentine?</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
A regular guy, a young guy who is just old enough to have had his heart stomped on, his life turned upside down. He's a transplant from New York City who takes a path, on a longshot, that leads him across the country to San Francisco, a town that he's not in love with but will tolerate as long as it tolerates him. His father was a cop, and with the help of a cop friend he gets set up as a private dick, the kind who clicks snapshots of cheating spouses and finds missing persons who generally don't want to be found. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
He's a regular guy with some unusual tastes, with music ranging from The Ramones to Sinatra, a love of cheesy (and classic) old movies, and a tendency to dress a few decades out of style, by choice. He's the kind of cat who complains that he's not a hit with the ladies, while always going after the wrong ones…and doesn't recognize when a chick is actually interested in him. He's got a fairly screwed up past, with family problems and of course the one chick who screwed him royally, and even though it's been six years, he's still not really recovered from this particular chick's departure.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The Book</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Valentine a regular Joe, hanging out at a somewhat irregular bar that shows old movies instead of sports, when a drunken pro baseball player stumbles in and asks him to find his missing wife. This is where the reader starts to realize that this is no PG-rated book about a 50's gumshoe. It becomes very real, very raw, very brutal. There are beatings and blood and graphic sex and gritty, dirty language, because that's the way these people roll. At times it becomes nearly disgusting, which is an incredible feat for an author to pull off in these jaded times. And as the story moves forward, we are drawn deeper into Valentine's mind, into his most intimate thoughts, until we either surrender ourselves and become one mind with his, or can't stand to go on. Impressive.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The story is unique, and I won't dare give any of it away here. The interactions among characters, the way Valentine attempts to solve this missing persons riddle, and the mistakes he makes (which you see coming a mile away but know there is no way he could make any other choice) all add up to an intense, graphically head-pounding experience. And yet, through it all, Valentine remains real, credible, likable. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
As with most of Viharo's books, this is not for the timid or the meak. It's not a book for kids and it's not a book for innocent spinsters looking for a light read. Think of it as a punk rock version of a Mike Hammer novel. With more violence. </div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Viharo's writing style shines through in this book, a style that is not dated or difficult to adjust to (like some Noir style detective fiction). It's easy and cool, like listening to a guy in a bar who's just had his second cocktail. No wonder Christian Slater connected with Valentine's voice. It's a strong one, a weak one, a tough one, a whiny one, but most of all, a real one.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
As a writer and reader of pulp and noir mystery novels, I highly recommend this book to anyone who digs the genre. Get ready for something truly original and truly enjoyable, kats and kittens.<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of the noir paranormal mysteries<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Under-Boards-Paranormal-Featuring/dp/1484933710/ref=la_B004R0PLMQ_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379894922&sr=1-5" target="_blank">Murder Under The Boards</a><br />
featuring detective Bill RigginsChristopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-48034921792066838622013-09-11T12:53:00.000-07:002013-09-11T12:53:35.532-07:00 New Vampire Killing Kit Website Launched!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQTojF4PXg8/UjDJ7fErEmI/AAAAAAAAD88/jN8RaELUYiM/s1600/vamp-kits-2-slide.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQTojF4PXg8/UjDJ7fErEmI/AAAAAAAAD88/jN8RaELUYiM/s400/vamp-kits-2-slide.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
New Vampire Killing Kit Website Launched!</h3>
<br />
CRYSTOBAL, maker of the <a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">world's finest <b>vampire killing kits</b></a>, has launched a new website showcasing his work. From cross-stakes to full original <a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/about-crystobal-and-his-vampire-killing-kits/vampire-killing-kits-for-sale/" target="_blank">vampire killing kits for sale</a>, this site has everything that has made CRYSTOBAL the go-to guy for authentic, primitive style vampire killing kits.<br />
<br />
Of particular interest on this site is the True Blood inspired "<a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/vampire-killing-kit-stackhouse-inspired-by-true-blood-by-crystobal/" target="_blank">Stackhouse</a>" <b>Vampire Killing Kit</b>. This kit has been built to specs, as if it were created for the Stackhouse family in the late 19th century.<br />
<br />
The site also has info on <b>CRYSTOBAL</b> himself, his history, and how he got into building vampire killing kits. It also features a blog with current trends on new kits and accessories. The <a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/vampire-killing-kit-photo-galleries/" target="_blank">photo galleries</a> showcase several of his completed works. They will be adding more photos as the the site progresses.<br />
<br />
The site also has a page for <a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/about-crystobal-and-his-vampire-killing-kits/vampire-killing-kits-for-sale/" target="_blank">Vampire Killing Kits for Sale</a>, including the Stackhouse kit. There are links to the Etsy Page where the artist's works are featured. <br />
<br />
Visit the site at <a href="http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com/">http://vampirekillingkits.stardustmysteries.com</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/murder-under-the-boards-atlantic-city-mystery-book.html" target="_blank">Murder Under the Boards</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/A-Flash-Of-Noir-chris-pinto.html" target="_blank">A Flash of Noir</a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-71952586771432189302013-05-18T07:54:00.001-07:002013-05-18T07:54:42.927-07:00Just Released! "Murder Under the Boards: The Atlantic City Paranormal Mystery by Christopher Pinto"<br />
<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> The third book in the Bill Riggins mystery series is out, and it's chock-full of ghosts, secret plots and murder.</span></h3>
<br />
<br />
Bill Riggins is back in this spooky, sometimes funny supernatural
mystery thriller. The New York City detective hasn't had a vacation in
over a year. His last vacation on Tiki Island turned out to be a
disaster, and when his Captain tells him to take a long weekend after
an accidental run-in with a switchblade, Riggins decides to spend it home
alone, drinking and listening to jazz. His quiet weekend is turned
upside down when he gets a last-minute invite to spend a few days in The
World's Playground, Atlantic City. Things start out great, but...<br />
<br />
An angelic phantom. A vicious seriel killer. A deranged
woman with a thing for Jazz and guns. A secret network of paranormal
"protectors" and more ghosts than Hackney's has lobsters. Fill in the
holes with a few fifths of Bourbon, a hot-rodded 57 Chevy and a vice cop
who's on a mission of revenge, and you've got the right ingredients
boiling in the pot for a wham-bang thriller.<br />
<br />
Set in 1958 with flashbacks to the Roaring Twenties and
flashes ahead to 1982, this murder mystery ghost story will have you
wondering just who the bad guys are...and keep you guessing till the
last sentence!<br />
<br />
Do the murdered stay dead? Is showbiz in the glitzy Jersey
shore town all it's cracked up to be? Is Atlantic City really just a
magnet for crooked politicians, loose dames and crazies? Murder Under
the Boards may not answer all the questions, but it sure is a fun ride
trying.<br />
<br />
"Murder Under The Boards" is available in 300-page softcover or Kindle eBook through Amazon.com. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Under-Boards-Paranormal-ebook/dp/B00COMM3IO/ref=la_B004R0PLMQ_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1368302417&sr=1-8" target="_blank">Click here </a>for more info and to purchase. <br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">Murder Under the Boards </a><br />
<a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-62703966075448140072013-04-06T11:43:00.002-07:002013-04-06T11:43:53.184-07:00Murder Behind the Closet Door, Book One FREE Kindle Promo now through April 10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Murder Behind the Closet Door, Book One FREE Kindle Promo now through April 10</span></b><br /><br />Book one of three of the abridged version of the Amazon Best Selling book "Murder Behind the Closet Door" is being offered FREE for Kindle and Kindle app users, through April 10. Click the link below to download this one-time offer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abridged-Detective-Paranormal-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00BYGLL6Q/ref=sr_1_2s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1365261883&sr=1-2&keywords=murder+behind+the+closet+door" target="_blank">Murder Behind the Closet Door, Book One at Amazon.com</a><br />
<br />Set in the Jersey shore towns or Wildwood, Ocean City and Cape May, Murder Behind the Closet Door is a <b>paranormal murder mystery</b> which combines modern, <b>Stephen King</b>-esque occult with a <b>noir-style detective mystery</b>. This book was on the top 10 on Amazon.com three times in the last two years.<br /><br />The story centers around a strong female character who finds herself victimized by an unknown force. With the help of friends and her vice squad step father, Detective Bill Riggins (Murder on Tiki Island, Murder Under The Boards) she embarks on a journey of discovery, ultimately endangering the lives of herself and those she loves.<br /><br />Retailed at $4.99 for book one, and $2.99 for books two and three, Murder Behind the Close Door, Book One Abridged is being offered for <b>FREE through Amazon's promotion</b> until Wednesday, April 10. <br /><br />Here's what people are saying about Murder Behind the Closet Door:<br /><br />"Christopher Pinto's bestselling book, "Murder Behind the Closet Door" has been abridged for those who enjoy a faster read without as many "side stories". Over 150 pages of interesting but "not necessary to the plot" stories have been removed to streamline this incredible book to appeal to today's faster readers."<br /><i>- C.L. Stevens, Cardiff, NJ</i><br /><br />“Retro-culture impresario and swingin' scribe Chris Pinto has created a vibrant, entertaining, compelling and imaginative portrait of a very specific time and place - South Jersey in the late 1970s - with a grisly ghost story at its center. The reader delves into a richly depicted world where one keenly tastes, feels, smells and lives the sensations of the Wildwood boardwalk area and its residents throughout a series of mysteriously macabre events. The characters are so well drawn, the dialogue so true, and the incidental and environmental descriptions so vivid that the internal horrors and fantastical elements around which the complex outer narrative swirls seem that much more realistic and credible in context. Pinto achieves a Stephen King-like mixture of mundane, suburban angst spiked and punctuated with sudden, terrifying intrusions from beyond the grave. As someone who grew up in the area, during that era, I could relate to every person and scene in this sprawling epic. The many pop culture references only add to its overall appeal as a literary time capsule. I very much look forward to Chris's next hardboiled but heartfelt endeavor.” "You can taste, feel, smell, hear and see everything in this book and there's a LOT. It's a feast for the senses." -<i> Will “The Thrill’ Viharo, CA</i><br />
<br />
"Murder Behind the Closet Door (full version) is an interesting combination of the paranormal and mystery genres with the added twist that the story takes place over thirty years ago. That last aspect greatly enhanced my enjoyment. So many changes to society and technology have occurred in the past three decades, reading this book was like traveling through a time capsule to a far earlier age. This novel is a throwback in several respects and, in fact, resembles 1970s fiction, thus matching the era of the story. The book is thick, around 600 pages, and doesn't have a lot of white on its pages. The narration isn't quite omniscient, but there is quite a lot of head hopping from one character's point of view to another. I was a bit put off by that initially, mainly because I'm no longer used to reading that style. The dialogue also threw me at first. All of it sounds realistic, but perhaps a bit too much so. Many of today's novels limit dialogue to only that which advances the plot. The characters in this story sometimes talk for the sake of talking, just as we all do. While many readers will enjoy author Chris Pinto's story, what I like most is his literary-quality descriptiveness. I was pulled into each scene, forgetting my own surroundings as I wandered from one of his haunted locales to the next.” <i>- Joseph M. Fraser, Brookfield, WI</i><br />
<br /> “GREAT BOOK!! Started reading it Friday night, barely could put it down, till I finished it Sunday!!!! Highly recommend!!!!! :)” -<i> Susanne Faust- McDevitt, Philadelphia, PA</i><br />
<br /> “If Stephen King and Mickey Spillane had a son (in a bookish kind of way, that is), Christopher Pinto would be that son. He effortlessly blends the paranormal thriller with the hard-boiled detective in "Murder Behind the Closet Door." Add to that, healthy doses of mystery and romance, and you've got the literary equivalent of a ride through an amusement pier haunted house. And what a fun ride! I loved being scared silly as I stayed up late (much too late) to finish reading another chapter of this book. Let's just say I'll never look at my closet the same way again. ;) Can't wait to see what Mr. Pinto offers up next!” - <i>Miss Cherrybubbles, Meshoppen, PA</i><br />Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-90391752960461484022012-11-26T09:46:00.001-08:002012-11-26T09:46:43.368-08:00Mod Movie Monday: Murder By Death, 1976<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8kxHLXdtXX0/ULOq2txKw7I/AAAAAAAACuE/3_BOr188iBo/s1600/murderbydeath-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8kxHLXdtXX0/ULOq2txKw7I/AAAAAAAACuE/3_BOr188iBo/s320/murderbydeath-poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/11/26/mod-movie-monday-murder-by-death-1976/">Mod Movie Monday: Murder By Death, 1976</a><br />
<br />
Here's your weekly old movie suggestion! A great comedy by Niel Simon, done in the tradition of Noir mysteries.<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-18370345919539000522012-11-22T17:16:00.000-08:002012-11-22T17:17:18.655-08:00A World Without Wonder (Bread)
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2FdO3U_8Z90/UK7OUCPZLuI/AAAAAAAACt0/NPCsDROFbn0/s1600/wonderbread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2FdO3U_8Z90/UK7OUCPZLuI/AAAAAAAACt0/NPCsDROFbn0/s320/wonderbread.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With the recent headlines of Hostess going out of business,
many people are wondering how a company so old, so ingrained in American pop
culture could close up shop overnight. Well, it’s a sad tail of greed,
mismanagement and indifference, but that’s not what this article is about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This article is about losing things you love.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So many of us who have a soft spot for mid-20<sup>th</sup>
century pop have had to endure icon after icon fall from grace, only to be
replaced by plastic-y, cookie cutter crap and chain-restaurant-ish dullsville
blobs of made-in-China neveau detritus. From the demolition of almost all of
America’s grand Tiki restaurants, to the destruction of the great movie
palaces; from the downfall of America’s greatest music to its bubblegum-pop hip
hop noise; we’ve seen way too many of the things that helped make America the
great country it is get plowed down and swept away to make room for cardboard
casinos and mislabeled “healthy” vitamin waters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hostess pies, Devil Dogs, and yes, Twinkies – although,
let’s face it, they are crap too, have stood the test of time, and have been
with us our entire lives. Personally, I’m not a big Twinkie fan. But I do enjoy
a Devil Dog now and then (our wedding cake was made from them...long story, for
another post) and like to splurge on a Hostess apple pie when I want my sugar
count to soar to give my doctor a premature heart attack. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But there is one thing that I cannot live without.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wonder Bread.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I know, I know, many of you will say it’s the nutritional
equivalent of eating Elmer’s glue and White Out. I don’t care. It’s the only
bread I can eat a PB&J on. And it’s because that’s what I’ve always had my
PB&J on, from when I was a little kid in the 1970s...you know, back when
bread was bread, and Moms bought Wonder Bread because it tasted good and had
the fun polka dots on the bag.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With Hostess making headlines last week as they close the company, apparently shutting their doors forever and denying future generations of Twinkies and Devil Dogs, something occured to me:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t imagine a world without <b>Wonder Bread.</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The good news is, I probably won’t have to. In today’s
society, there is a BIG difference between a successful <i>BRAND</i> and successful
company. The company, run by a flock of
who-the-hell-cares-as-long-as-our-bottom-line-stays-high investment firms, is worthless. The brand, however, is worth billions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I’m getting at is that just because Hostess the <i>company</i> goes out of
business, it doesn’t mean Hostess the <i>brand</i> will go away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Think about Monopoly, the game that’s been around since the
1930s. It was originally made by Parker Brothers games. Do you think Parker
Bros. is still making Monopoly? Nope. Parker Brothers became part of General
Mills, which merged it with Kenner, which was bought out by Tonka, which was in
turn bought out by Hasbro. Still the same Monopoly, just a different company building it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Same thing goes with a candy bar I really dig. I think it’s
a Philly/Jersey area thing, or at least used to be, because few people I talk
to in Florida ever heard of Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews. They disappeared about
10 years ago when a new company (Just Born) bought them out. They dropped the
Goldenberg’s name, and sales fell. But they wised up...the brought the name back,
and now I can buy Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews again, just like I did 30 years
ago.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So will it be a world without Wonder Bread? I don’t think
so. I have a feeling that great polka dot packaging and paste-like bread will
be around for a long time. I’m pretty sure Devil Dogs and Twinkies will, too,
possibly even with the name “Hostess” blazoned in red lettering across the top
of the package. In a few years, will anyone remember there was a time when that
“name” stood for a company that went out of business, and caused a blip on the
news headlines of 2012? Probably not. </div>
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-16052022103323847412012-05-27T08:20:00.002-07:002012-05-27T08:20:39.830-07:00Free Kindle ebook: A Flash of Noir by Christopher Pinto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BKhU242ILM/T8JFpLH9buI/AAAAAAAABD4/htop-tLFT50/s1600/Flash+of+Noir+COVER+flat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9BKhU242ILM/T8JFpLH9buI/AAAAAAAABD4/htop-tLFT50/s320/Flash+of+Noir+COVER+flat.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<h2 style="font-weight: normal;">
<b> FREE FREE FREE FREE KINDLE BOOK</b></h2>
<br />
What's better than a free ebook?<br />
<br />
A really good free ebook.<br />
<br />
"A FLASH OF NOIR" by Christopher Pinto is available today, Sunday, May 27 & tomorrow, Monday, May 28 for FREE at Amazon.com. Here's the link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Noir-Fiction-Stories-ebook/dp/B005G8L5R8/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312825482&sr=1-3" target="_blank">A Flash of Noir free ebook at Amazon.com</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FfS_Nl5c4lw/T8JFvDFzLEI/AAAAAAAABEA/Y3YWadSefB0/s1600/bottles-on-table-NOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
A Flash of Noir is a 5-star rated collection of flash fiction and short, short
stories, laid down old-school style by Amazon bestselling master mystery writer Christopher
Pinto. Writing in the genre of gumshoe detectives and sultry dames,
creepy horror and hep cat jive, Pinto has put together a series of
mostly one-page, 60-second reads that will transport you to another
time...a darker, more sinister time.<br /><br />From smokey bars in New York
City to the tropical islands of the Florida keys, A Flash of Noir takes
you for a spin through the seediest gin joints and darkest alleys. One
minute you're speeding down I-95 in a hot rod, the next you're tasting
cheap whiskey in a basement tap room where the women are heartless and
the men are unforgiving. Gangsters, cops, private eyes, strippers,
murderers, phantoms...plus a few comedy pieces to keep you from wanting
to slit your wrists.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FfS_Nl5c4lw/T8JFvDFzLEI/AAAAAAAABEA/Y3YWadSefB0/s1600/bottles-on-table-NOOK.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FfS_Nl5c4lw/T8JFvDFzLEI/AAAAAAAABEA/Y3YWadSefB0/s320/bottles-on-table-NOOK.jpg" width="281" /></a><br /><br />Over 40 stories of crime fiction, ghost
stories, retro fiction and short beatnik poetry plus noir-esque original
photographs by the author make this a fast, fun read. There's even a
flash written entirely of song titles...see if you can list every one! <br /><br />Pinto
is author of the new, up-and-coming Detective Bill Riggins paranormal
mystery series, of which Murder Behind the Closet Door and Murder on
Tiki Island have already been met with rave reviews. Murder Under the
Boards, The Atlantic City Murder Mystery is due out next...soon. For
more information on the series and the author, visit Stardust Mysteries
Publishing at <a href="http://stardustmysteries.com./" target="_blank">http://stardustmysteries.com.</a>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Noir-Fiction-Stories-ebook/dp/B005G8L5R8/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312825482&sr=1-3" target="_blank">A Flash of Noir</a><br />
Murder Under the Boards (coming Soon)Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-43591795107983888902012-03-27T16:53:00.001-07:002012-03-27T16:53:14.351-07:00Review of Chumpy Walnut by Will Viharo<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5NmTHykRmyg/T3JSzGitRvI/AAAAAAAAA3o/WfctMtaRO9Y/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-03-27+at+7.52.25+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5NmTHykRmyg/T3JSzGitRvI/AAAAAAAAA3o/WfctMtaRO9Y/s320/Screen+shot+2012-03-27+at+7.52.25+PM.png" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chumpy Walnut</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
Chumpy Walnut<br />written by Will Viharo </h3>
202 Pages (paperback)<br />
$15.00 Paperback, $3.99 Kindle<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
ISBN-10: 0557600375<br />ISBN-13: 978-0557600373<br />http://amzn.to/GUUS9Q</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Master Neo-Noir writer Will Viharo is known for his extreme,
iconic, sci-fi-blood-bath-sex-party-mystery-insanity books with a retro cocktail
kick, but he has a dirty little secret: When he was young, he wrote a very
different kind of story, one that’s both heartwarming and highly original. This
is the story of Chumpy Walnut, a little guy trying to make it in a big, cruel
world.</div>
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The first thing I noticed about this story was that from the
first paragraph Viharo creates a very distinct mood, something you can’t quite
put your finger on but you know is there. The best way I can describe it is as
a mix between Guys and Dolls and Little Red Riding Hood, giving the reader a
sense of another, ambiguous time, and of a place that is strange yet oddly
familiar all at once. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The story seems mostly lighthearted, but once you get to
know the characters and see the trials they endure, it quickly turns into a
journey for Chumpy and the people he meets along the way. There are some heavy
moments, offset by some very funny, vaudeville-ish humor. And unlike most of
Viharo’s other books (which will probably get an X rating when they hit the big
screen) this book is appropriate for teens and adults (I don’t think there was
a single four-letter word, and no explicit sex or gore scenes in this one.)</div>
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The writing flows very nicely, coercing you to keep reading,
egging you on to find out what will happen next to the poor little guy who just
doesn’t seem to ever get a break in life. Yet with all his hardships, he
realizes just how lucky he is to have the family and friends that he comes to
rely on. I feel this story parallels that of many people, in one way or
another, which makes it easy to identify with Chumpy no matter how different he
seems to be.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Viharo wrote this story many years ago, then dusted it off
and re-edited it more recently, no doubt incorporating some of the writing
techniques he learned over the years; however the story still rings of a young,
ambitious writer, full of excitement and expression. It’s a real treat to read
such an early work from an established writer.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chumpy Walnut will appeal to many people on many levels, but
I believe people who enjoy the works of authors like Damon Runyon and Raymond
Chandler will find this book to their liking most of all. The style is
characteristic of a by-gone era, and the reader must keep in mind that “voice”
to fully enjoy this book. </div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h4>
<i>-Christopher Pinto, author of</i></h4>
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-38975429857471861942012-02-05T08:43:00.000-08:002012-02-05T08:49:50.458-08:00The Woman in Black, Starring Daniel Radcliffe: Retro Movie Review<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><h2>
Hammer Productions is back, and spookier than ever, baby!</h2>
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/woman-in-black-poster/" rel="attachment wp-att-5563" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="One of the posters for "The Woman in Black". If this doesn't look like a 1950's Hammer movie poster, I don't know what does." class="size-medium wp-image-5563" height="225" src="http://tikiloungetalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/woman-in-black-poster-300x225.jpg" title="woman-in-black-poster" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"One of the posters for "The Woman in Black". If this doesn't look like a 1950's Hammer movie know what does."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/womaninblack-horse-wagon-cross/" rel="attachment wp-att-5564" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/radcliffe_the_woman_in_black/" rel="attachment wp-att-5561" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Daniel Radcliffe, all grown up" class="size-full wp-image-5561" height="269" src="http://tikiloungetalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/radcliffe_the_woman_in_black.jpg" title="radcliffe_the_woman_in_black" width="288" /></a>Some of the best <a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/index.html" target="_blank"><b>horror</b></a> and sci-fi movies of the 1950s, 60s and 70s came out of a movie studio in England that went under the name of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer_Film_Productions" target="_blank" title="Hammer Films at wikipedia">Hammer Films</a>. Started in 1934, <b>Hammer Films</b> went on to bring us the series of Dracula films that starred Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, and thrillers such as The Vampire Lovers and One Million Years B.C.
But by the 1980's Hammer Films had lost its spark, and basically went into hiatus, making a few TV projects and straight-to-video releases. Well, in 2007 they dusted off the moniker and have been quietly making films...until now. There's nothing quiet about <b>The Woman in Black</b>, or its star, <b>Daniel Radcliffe</b> of Harry Potter fame.
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>The Story (no spoilers): Radcliffe</b> plays a man who is constantly tormented by the loss of his wife (in childbirth), yet hangs on to take care of his son (who seems to be around six). Working for a law firm in London around 1910 or so, he is sent to a secluded village to take care of the estate and mansion of a woman recently deceased. He soon finds that the villagers do not like strangers (of course), warn him against going to the secluded mansion (of course), and blame him for some misfortunes that occur while he is in town (of course). He ignores them all, goes to the mansion, and the <a href="http://stardustmysteries.com/Murder-behind-closet-door-chris-pinto.html" target="_blank"><b>ghost story</b></a> begins. <b> </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/womaninblack-horse-wagon-cross/" rel="attachment wp-att-5564" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A very Hammer-like scene from The Woman in Black. It's almost as if Christoper Lee is about to jump out and bite somebody." class="size-full wp-image-5564" height="172" src="http://tikiloungetalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/womaninblack-horse-wagon-cross.jpg" title="womaninblack-horse-wagon-cross" width="320" /></a><b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>The Atmosphere (tiny little spoilers, nothing to worry about): </b>Honestly, I don't know if the director did this intentionally or if it is just a happy coincidence, but this movie has the look, feel and overall creepiness of the OLD Hammer films of the 1950s and 60s, while being well-filmed with modern techniques. In other words it looks great, has a great retro feel but doesn't look "dated". The lighting effects are perfect in every scene, being just dark enough to be spooky while you can actually see what's going on. The phantoms are realistically scary, the special effects aren't overdone.
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Why does it have that old-time Hammer feel? </b>Well, for one thing, the film includes some of the same stylistic elements that the old classics embraced: A very convincing "<b>haunted mansion</b>", set far off from the rest of the world, at the end of a long winding road that cuts through the marsh and gets flooded out at every high tide. There are long shots of the road, both dry and flooded. There village is sublimely gray and gloomy, and every building is made of stone, adding to the Gothic feel. Horse-drawn wagons appear out of the fog. A spooky, dilapidated graveyard sits next to the house. Creepy antique toys and dolls fill the nursery, and seem to "come to life". And there are plenty of shots of lavish 19th century homes, furnishings, trains and people to set the mood. <b>
</b>
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Daniel Radcliffe:</b> Does a bang-up job in his first starring role outside of the Harry Potter series. There's really not a lot of dialog for most of the movie, and Radcliffe pulls off his emotions with facial expressions and body language that is not overdone. I, like most people, went into this movie fearing he would just act like an older Harry Potter. Not so. The only connection is that his character had the same kind of dread for life, except played to the extreme.
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>Harry Potter References? (Spoiler Alert!):</b> There were three references that I noticed in the flick that seemed to be inside jokes for Harry Potter fans. Now, I don't know if these were intentional...I may be stretching it...but, A) He falls asleep on a train, in a booth facing the booth across from him. When he awakens there's someone sitting across from him; the shot looks just like one of the Hogwarts Express scenes (I'll let you decide which one). B) When he gets a room in the attic at the Inn, there's a Myna bird in a cage. The cage is nearly identical in style to Harry's owl's cage. And C) when he first goes to the mansion, he is seen coming out of a closet with papers...the closet is built in under the staircase. Now, it seems to me they didn't <i>have</i> to put that scene in...but they did.
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Audience Reaction: </b>We went to a 7:45 show on a Saturday Night at The Sawgrass Mall in South Florida. So of course, there were about a million teenage girls that came just to see Harry Potter. Well, they got a hell of a surprise when things started jumping out at them. Screaming, laughing, screaming again, the audience was eating it up.</div>
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/the-woman-in-black-mansion/" rel="attachment wp-att-5562" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/doll-womaninblack/" rel="attachment wp-att-5560" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nothing like a spooky doll to get your horror movie going." class="size-full wp-image-5560 " height="241" src="http://tikiloungetalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/doll-womaninblack.jpg" title="doll-womaninblack" width="400" /></a><b> </b><br />
<b>Why you should see it: </b>This movie is pure fun, and isn't above some musical stabs and sudden flashes of scary faces to make you jump out of your seat. It's not a particularly deep story, so if you miss a few lines of dialog because someone was screaming, it won't matter much. The shots of the mansion, causeway, and village are classic horror film Noir and the movie is definitely worth watching on a big screen. For those of you who dig retro-style <a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/mod-movie-mondays/" target="_blank"><b>horror films</b></a>, you'll really enjoy all the little nuances that make this film as fun as the old <b>Hammer films</b> of the mid-20th century.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/02/05/retro-movie-review-the-woman-in-black-starring-daniel-radcliffe/the-woman-in-black-mansion/" rel="attachment wp-att-5562" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="A thoroughly haunted mansion, necessary for any classic horror flick." class="size-full wp-image-5562" height="276" src="http://tikiloungetalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/the-woman-in-black-mansion.jpg" title="the-woman-in-black-mansion" width="460" /></a><b>BTW:</b> As of February 5, the film took in $8.3 million and is expected to bring in over $20M for the weekend, surpassing its $17M budget.
<b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>One last note: </b>There is almost no blood in this movie. This is a film that relies on screwing with you mind, with your sense of perception, and your ability to try not to jump when a big black crow comes flying out at you. I think a lot of people will say that this movie isn't so great, because of that. But let me assure you, there's a decent body count, the overall mood of the movie is spooky as hell, and it will have you in suspense until the final minute of the flick.
Watch the trailer, and you'll see some of the "long shots" that I was talking about, along with some fast clips of the mansion and the people who make this <b>a very spooky, old-fashioned horror movie.</b><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-57439824896081754352012-02-01T11:07:00.000-08:002012-02-01T11:07:15.093-08:00The King of Marvin Gardens, 1972 for Mod Movie Monday, Atlantic City StyleMod Movie Mondays are BACK at Tiki Lounge Talk!<br /><br />This week,<br /><a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2012/01/31/the-king-of-marvin-gardens-1972-for-mod-movie-monday-atlantic-city-style/">The King of Marvin Gardens, 1972 for Mod Movie Monday, Atlantic City Style</a><br />starring Jack Nicholson. Filmed in Atlantic City, it's a great time capsule of the world's playground before the introduction of casinos.<br />Photos, video, stories at Tiki Lounge Talk!<br /><br />-Christopher Pinto, author of<br /><a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br /><a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br /><a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-43123178983375844582012-01-22T20:03:00.000-08:002012-01-22T20:03:26.698-08:00Writing a new book: Where to start?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ukZnU0UwqRM/TxzbmkW_CqI/AAAAAAAAAso/kjEp3iPFDfA/s1600/ChrisP-hat-BW-ratpack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ukZnU0UwqRM/TxzbmkW_CqI/AAAAAAAAAso/kjEp3iPFDfA/s320/ChrisP-hat-BW-ratpack.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christopher Pinto, Rat Packer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's been almost a year since I published my last novel, Murder on Tiki Island, and I feel that I haven't really done a lot of writing since then. Sure, I have the blogs, and I released my book of flash fiction. But what about the next novel?<br />
<br />
The holidays always throw a wrench into my writing machine. I go absolutely bananas at Halloween, spending most of my free time in September and October decorating for a huge party I throw. Then I have to take all that decor down by Thanksgiving, then there's Christmas...It just leaves little time for me to write.<br />
<br />
Well, it's late January. All the Christmas stuff is packed away, and I have no more excused.<br />
<br />
So, where do I start? How does a person get back into swing of writing every day?<br />
<br />
Well, first off, I have two pretty good ideas in the hopper, "Murder Under the Boards,
The Atlantic City Murder Mystery" and "Murder Over The Airwaves", both
featuring Detective Bill Riggins, the hero of my previous two books.
I've started both, I have a basic outline for both (in my head), but
that's about it. Now what?<br />
<br />
<b>Snapping out of it</b><br />
<br />
The past few weeks, I've felt like I'm kind of in a fog, just sort of existing. The days go by at work, the nights go by and home and I don't feel like I've accomplished anything. So, I've tried a few things to "snap out of it".<br />
<br />
First, I tried huge amounts of caffeine. I thought that might jump start things. It did a little, and I managed to get some notes down, but that's all.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-adhU5rjcRY0/Txzbzj1qd9I/AAAAAAAAAsw/JI43AqiV940/s1600/CIMG3553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-adhU5rjcRY0/Txzbzj1qd9I/AAAAAAAAAsw/JI43AqiV940/s320/CIMG3553.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You never know where you'll find inspiration to write.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Second, I tried my old pal, booze. Now, I'm not saying any of you should go out and get plastered, hoping it would get your creativity flowing. But it is a fun way to pass the time, when you're not in the mood to write. And, for me, it paid off...It got me in the mood to write this. So if there are a lot of typos, you'lkl nokw whyy.<br />
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The next step will be to find some inspiration. You never know where inspiration will come from. With the first book I wrote, the inspiration came from moving to Florida from south Jersey. With the second, it came from a combination of things, including visits to the Florida Keys, to some very kool Tiki bars, and from a friend that happened to be going through some crazy stuff in her life. The elements all came together and Murder on Tiki Island practically wrote itself.<br />
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I wonder where the inspiration for the next book will come from. And I wonder when. Seems like I'm going to need a shot soon, something really exciting or life-changing or just plain fun to get me back on track.<br />
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-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a><br />
<br />
<i>(This blog was written late at night after a few cocktails. It is unedited, and hasn't even been proofed. It's just some stuff off the top of my head - so if there are some typos, or something sounds out of whack, just let me know in the comments and I'll fix it. =CP) </i>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-7223906359583045462011-12-31T14:04:00.000-08:002011-12-31T14:11:18.486-08:00Remembering New Years Past<b>New Year’s Eve</b> was always a big deal to me. Ever since I could remember, as a kid, my Aunt and Uncle in South Philly would have a huge New Year’s Eve party in their basement rec-room. This was in the 1970s and ’80s, back when Dick Clark ruled the airwaves but we still switched over to the station with Guy Lombardo to hear his band play Auld Lang Syne.<br />
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That basement rec-room was as late-60s-early-70s as you could get. A bachelor pad in the basement of my married Aunt & Uncle's row-home in Philly, the basement was finished in bright white stucco with dark wood furnishings, a black leatherette sofa, a dark wood bar with a black vinyl pad all around and black vinyl and chrome swivel chairs. There was a 13" B&W TV in the corner and Spanish-themed posters (I don't know how else to describe these...they had bullfighters and stuff on them) hung on the walls. <br />
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Those parties were the best. Our whole, big Italian family would get together, including grandparents, in-laws and cousins, and some of my Aunt and Uncle’s friends. They had this great old Sears Select-O-Matic console stereo that blasted out disco and Motown songs all night, while the B&W 13” TV played the New Year’s Eve show with the sound off. They had a groovy ’70s bar in that basement too, with all the top shelf liquor of the time: Smirnoff, J&B, Jack Daniels, Cuervo, Beefeater and Chivas Regal. Oh, and of course, some Michelob, in those funny-shaped bottles. I always drank Shirley Temples with a little umbrella in them...probably what led to my fascination with Tiki cocktails today.<br />
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My Mother, my Aunt and I would spend all New Year’s Eve day decorating for the party. Streamers (red, white & green, of course) and Happy New Year banners were the main decor. We would put out those little round, colored tins...either full of peanuts, or to use as ashtrays. At around three in the afternoon, my Uncle and I, sometimes with my grandfather, would walk the five blocks down to the bakery and buy a few large paper bags full of fresh rolls as they came out of the oven. (I can still imagine that incredible aroma.) The rolls were for the roast beef and sausage and peppers sandwiches that we’d have at the party, and at their New Year’s Day open house.<br />
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Those New Year’s Eve party menus stayed the same year after year, and are so ingrained in me that I still have the same stuff one New Year’s Day, every year. The before-mentioned hot roast beef au jus on kaiser rolls with dill pickle were the main event. A crock pot of sausage and peppers was the most Italian food at the party, with the rest of the menu consisting of mostly traditional American fare: Macaroni salad, potato salad (both homemade, of course), black olives, chips of all kinds, onion dip, nuts and a zillion types of home-baked cookies covered the stereo, which after a half dozen records had been loaded into the changer, doubled as a buffet table. <br />
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My Uncle or Father played bartender, which was funny since neither of them ever drank (a social cocktail or two was their limit). One year my Uncle made Frozen Banana Banshees, and although I wasn’t quite old enough to imbibe alcohol (I was eight) he made one light enough for me to taste. I was hooked. That, and a sip of Scotch when I was 12, led to a very long and happy relationship with the nectar of the Gods.<br />
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Everybody had a hat and a noisemaker. Whether it was I in my pre-teen years or my Grandparents in their 60s, I made sure everyone had a New Year’s hat or tiara, and a good, old-fashioned metal noisemaker. These were kept year after year in paper bag behind the bar, a bag full of late 1960s metal horns, spinners and clankers. Those old toys held up pretty well...we used them up into the 1980s when they finally began to rust. I managed to save two...a clanker and a horn...as mementoes. Just looking at one now brings back a flood of memories that really takes me back.<br />
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When the ball finally dropped at Midnight, we’d all yell Happy New Year!, and hug and kiss and all that mushy stuff. Then my Grandfather would immediately change the channel from ABC to CBS where Guy Lombardo would usher in the new year with that very melancholy sounding song, the way I imagined they did back in the dark ages. In contrast a bunch of bubbles would float out of the back of the bandstand, and there would be balloons and streamers everywhere. It just seemed odd to me, as a kid, that such a sad sounding song would be played to swing in the new year. BUT...as soon as it was over, my 20-something year old Aunt would snap that channel right back to Dick Clark, where something like Kool and the Gang would be playing “Celebration” with a bunch of happy people dancing all over the TV. Disco was never my thing, but it beat the sad-sack sound of Auld Lang Syne.<br />
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After midnight it was always a contest to see how late we could stay up. I, being the youngest and most hard-headed, would outlast everyone by at least a few minutes. I remember my record was four a.m.; it was when I was around ten and I would break that record until I was much older, celebrating with friends in my 20s. It was in my early 20s when illnesses in the family finally forced my family to break the tradition and no longer have the parties. But I am happy to report I didn’t turn into one of those kids that abandoned the family when I got “too old” to go to those parties...I was at every one, till the end.<br />
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<b>New Year’s Day in South Philly</b><br />
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It amazes me that no one outside of an 80 mile radius of Philadelphia every heard about the New Year’s Day tradition of the Mummers Parade. Well, almost no one...but even most New Yorkers I’ve talked to never heard of it...they were always too ensconced in their own parades. <br />
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The Mummers Parade started in the very early part of the 20th century. It was originally, really, just a bunch of drunk partiers who never went to sleep New Year’s Eve who took to the streets dancing and playing music, dressed up as clowns or just wearing their party clothes. It quickly evolved into a gigantic parade full of marching bands, comics, and “floats”. But this parade was different from any other, anywhere...the marching bands were not of the Sousa-playing variety, and resembled the generic military marching bands the way a banana resembles a Buick. Called “String Bands”, these marchers were made up mostly of banjos, fiddles, base fiddles, drums and Xylophones. Somewhere down the line rows of saxophones were added, and the very distinctive sound of the String Bands was born. They played (and still do) pop standards, not marching tunes, and found a natural partnership with the jazzy big band songs of the 1930s and ’40s. Even today, you’d be hard-pressed to not find at least one String Band play Golden Slippers of Chattanooga Choo Choo.<br />
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My Aunt and Uncle’s house was on Jackson, just two blocks from Broad Street in South Philadelphia, the home of the Mummers Parade. So every year they would have an open house, with lots of food, hot coffee and cookies for people going to the parade. Friends and family would stop in for a bite and to warm up before going back out the usually 20° or less winter to watch the parade go by. The menu mimicked New Year’s Eve’s, with the addition of boiled hot dogs, sliced baked ham, and lentil soup. Supposedly if you ate lentils on New Year’s, it meant you’d make a lot of money that year. Never seemed to really work for me. Oh well.<br />
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The Parade was an insane way of bringing in the new year. Thousands of people would pack the sidewalks of Broad Street, from Oregon Avenue all the way down to City Hall. Cops on horses would stride along with the parade, making sure nobody tried to join in. Vendors selling hot coffee and hot soft pretzels would make a small fortune on the sidelines. It wasn’t uncommon to see people drinking hot coffee or cocoa out of styrofoam cups...but it was equally as common to see people taking nips out of bottles in paper bags. <br />
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Watching the Mummers stut down Broad Street was certainly a unique experience. In the 1970s and ’80s, when I saw them most, they were still using musical instruments that had been used for two or three generations. Hell, they probably still use them now...and these included such huge and rare instruments such as bass saxophones (you can’t imagine how big these are until you see a guy carry one down the street), triple-snare drums, and upright basses...yes, they carried upright basses down the street. I can’t even imagine.<br />
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The main materials for Mummers costumes are feathers. Millions of feathers go into making thousands of costumes, along with glitter, mirrors, and baubles. Although this may sound like something invented by the Logo channel, I’d like to point out that this was a parade that didn’t allow gays, women, Asians, or blacks to participate until the law required them to allow everyone in (sometime in the late 1970s, believe it or not). The parade producers at the time said this racist, closed-club policy was just because of “tradition”. There were actually some pretty big fights over this nonsense, but common sense finally won out. Today, everyone is welcome to join in the parade, as it should be.<br />
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<b>Cleaning Up</b><br />
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The downside to these giant parties was the giant clean-up afterwards. Since I was a kid, that meant I got to do a lot of the work. Hefty bags full of streamers, paper dishes, old food and popped balloons would fill up the alley. My Aunt, who was a neat freak, would dust and polish everything and vacuum the rugs before the guests had all left. By late afternoon on New Year’s Day, you’d never know there was a two-day event at her house. The only reminder was the lingering aroma of hot dogs and lentil beans, and my New Year’s Eve hat hanging on the vestibule door knob. As the sun went down and the hundreds of double-parked cars would pull out, my parents and I would all say goodbye, hop in the old Cadillac or vintage Chevy or ’60s Pontiac wagon or whatever old car we had that month, and head home to the Jersey Shore, so I could go back to school, sleep and slow, on January 2nd.<br />
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<i>Sorry if there are any typos in this. I'm writing it on New Year's Eve, and I've already begun celebrating :)</i><br />
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-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-10919837512933312132011-11-06T19:37:00.000-08:002011-11-06T19:37:09.952-08:00Goodreads Rating on Dead Street By Mickey Spillane<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1155194.Dead_Street" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Dead Street (Hard Case Crime #37)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1181451156m/1155194.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1155194.Dead_Street">Dead Street</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/50948.Mickey_Spillane">Mickey Spillane</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/232200043">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I've always been a big Micky Spillane fan. When I heard that Max Allen Collins (Road to Perdition, Saving Private Ryan) was Spillane's longtime friend and was asked to finish out several of his unfinished novels, I was ecstatic, yet took it with a grain of salt. After all, how could anyone...even as great a writer as Collins...match Spillane's style and flair?<br />
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Well, he did a great job. So far I've read two of these collaborations and have been satisfied with both. My only criticism is that you can sort of tell that Collins had to stretch out some of the material to go from notes and partial chapters to a finished book. There are times when it what you are reading may seem redundant...as if it were covered a few times already. I found more of this in The Goliath Bone than I did in Dead Street, but it still seemed like a little of Spillane's "meat" was never written before his death. <br />
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This non-Hammer Spillane cop story reminded me a lot of The Deep. If you dug that, you'll dig this.<br />
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Could I, as a writer have done a better job, though, without comprising Spillane's story? Nope. This is a great read for Spillane lovers, with few exceptions.
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5179146-tiki-pinto">View all my reviews</a>
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-Christopher Pinto, author of<br />
<a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br />
<a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br />
<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3779915244094826895.post-3607341743079260082011-09-26T19:57:00.000-07:002011-09-26T19:57:31.026-07:00Retro Review: Pan Am, Boardwalk Empire Open with A+<a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/2011/09/27/retro-review-pan-am-boardwalk-empire-open-with-a/">Retro Review: Pan Am, Boardwalk Empire Open with A+</a><br /><br />Retro and nostalgia lovers rejoice - two great series to look forward to this season. Read it all at Tiki Lounge Talk.<br /><br />-Christopher Pinto, author of<br /><a href="http://wildwoodmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder Behind The Closet Door</a><br /><a href="http://keywestmurdermystery.com/" target="_blank">Murder on Tiki Island</a><br /><a href="http://tikiloungetalk.com/" target="_blank">Tiki Lounge Talk </a>Christopher Pintohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08760464811018092636noreply@blogger.com0