Tom Swift Writer’s Notebook

I’ve been used.

The other day I finished “American Jezebel,” a biography of Anne Hutchinson. There are several positive things I could write about author Eve LaPlante’s fine work — especially considering the dearth of material available (Hutchinson lived in the gender equivalent of the Paleozoic era; a woman was scarcely allowed to speak much less have her [...]

I come from a place known for its oversized shopping mall. I am in a place with a church large enough to house an amusement park.
We drove by God’s mansion the other day on our way to an area high school to walk our ferocious canine (if there are parks in these parts folks keep [...]

If you’re not yet nauseous with info about yours truly, grab a paper sack and breathe slowly. Pages have been added here and here. On the latter site, you may need a free subscription. I don’t know about you, but I can’t say Red Room without hearing this.

In addition to those already mentioned I am grateful to three other indies who started selling the book before selling the book was fashionable:
• River City Books. Because to the kindness of store manager Jon, the book’s on sale for a generous discount not reflected at the direct link!
• Carleton Bookstore. If you stop by, [...]

Question: I see that there are many ways to order your book and I am having a hard time deciding which method to use. Can you help?
Answer: Actually, this is the question I wish I were asked. I am a proud supporter of independent bookstores and if I had my way readers would order all [...]

I have finally updated the excerpt page. I know the delay caused anxiety in people’s lives and I am truly sorry.

Ernie Montella, another kind soul at the PAHS, says he has copies on order. Should be on sale starting next week at the museum.

Go potty. Go potty!
Excuse me. A reflex these days.

While researching Charles Bender’s life I met so many people who were willing to help me even though there was nothing in it for them. Among those who donated time and expertise was Max Silberman of the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society. The PAHS bills itself as the most successful organization of its kind; it’s not [...]

I’ve been blogged. I never thought it would happen to me. Then again I don’t think it counts when the person has paid you before. I’ll have to get a ruling from someone who actually knows something about blogging.

What’s your take on the steroids fiasco? When the question first popped up I figured folks were asking because of my bulging pectorals. But, sadly, no. I now realize that Roger Clemens’ congressional testimony has been scrutinized as though it is the sequel to the Zapruder film — I have an nine-channel cable package and [...]

I just heard that copies are now available at The Monkey.

The book’s official pub date is still six weeks out but already copies have shown up in the warehouses of wholesalers and chain stores. This means you can buy one at your local bookseller. If your store doesn’t have a copy on hand you can — immediately after chastising the manager for the oversight, that [...]

How awesome is it that we belong to a species that includes men and women who are so brilliant they can look into instruments and discover new worlds that are so far away they would take several lifetimes worth of travel — aboard ships moving so fast as to defy the average person’s concept of [...]

There’s something special about receiving a box of books with your name them. Last week I had that experience for the first time. Pretty cool. Of course you can toss my opinion out the biased window if you want, but I think my publisher did a terrific job with design. The cover is compelling and [...]

The kind person in my marriage thumbed through one my books this morning and read these lines. The sum total of my experience is about three weeks, but it’s about right.

If this blog isn’t TS-centric enough for you, I have a mailing list. If you’d like to be added, drop me a line. Trust me, your address won’t be shared or sold on some mailing list black market. You also won’t be inundated. Heck, I can hardly afford to send out one mailer. Besides, it’s [...]

During the spring I will undertake a whirlwind book tour — coming soon to a street corner near you! — so please contact me if you’d like me to visit your bookstore, book club or bughouse.

What one book, aside from the Bible, should the next president read? A journalist I respect recently posed that question. Many fine options have been offered. I was surprised to hear of one suggestion. But later I found out the suggestion came from a person who lives in a padded room. And that he’s related [...]

Although we’re still months before the pub date, someone alerted me to the fact that apparently a few copies have begun to show up online. Hey, just in time for Valentine’s Day! Your sweetie will think you’re so romantic.

Question: I found your site looking for information about the Tom Swift people actually read about. Can you point me in the right direction?
Answer: Ouch. That hurts. Not like sitting on a bicycle without the seat, but it hurts.
I mean, really, do you doubt that I walk along a repelatron skyway? OK, try this link [...]

Can dogs see ghosts? Or are they just stupid?
Barry sometimes barks in a curious way, while darting back, as though there is something in front of him when definitely there is not. At least not according to my human eyes.

As you have already noticed, I take advantage of the fact that the Deep South is fodder for ridicule. Of course, that’s an easy dig — like picking on functional adults who spend time reading about Paris Hilton. So I feel the need to mention good things about Dixie (if and when I sees ‘em).
The [...]

There are many signs that life is different here than in the home state. My favorite so far is, literally, a sign I saw posted on the side of the highway: two gold teeth for $100.
Let me know if you need a pair.

My publisher has kindly added a post about the book to its blog. If you have all your laundry done and your toenails clipped, check it out. Their spring/summer 2008 catalog is also worth a look. As I frequently tell people, I am fortunate to work with UNP, one of the country’s foremost publishers of [...]

Twenty-four hours a day I can engage a machine, slip in a card, punch a few numbers, and receive cash and a piece of paper telling me not only how much cash I just received but how much cash is remaining in my checking out (not bloody much, usually, but that’s beside the point).
How is [...]

Question: Is that your name or did you make it up to sound more like a serious writer?
Answer: My real name is Boris Schimanski and my friends call me BS for short. Actually, that’s not true. They call me BS for another reason. In truth, my name generates a fair number of reactions when people [...]

The next thing you know you wake up spread out in an awkward position somewhere other than your own bed … your mouth open and so dry you could swear there’s a bone in there … wearing remnants of the party … beside a stranger whose name you can’t place.

To celebrate the end of his first week in captivity (I haven’t made any fatal mistakes — yet), tonight we took Barry to Mardi Gras to see a raucous parade and meet Crash Davis. And it didn’t take long before I learned an invaluable lesson: If your goal is to acquire a lot of beads [...]