Mark Pryor's Blog, page 7

Snow, skis, and a long drop

Here's a conversation I had this weekend, fifty feet up in the air.



Me: "I can't believe this chair lift doesn't have a safety bar. I just cannot believe it."

Juan: "You're gripping a little tight.  Scared?"

"Hell, yes. I'm scared of heights and here we are, fifty feet off the ground on a wooden bench in an arctic gale and an ice pack below us. And no bloody safety bar."

"First of all, it's a mild breeze. Second, it's snow beneath you."

"Yeah, fifty feet beneath me."

"Forty. At most."

"...

Your emergency is . . . what??

When a police officer responds to a 911 call, often the first he knows of it - and all he knows of it, is the 'call text' that appears on his laptop. It tells him where to go and the reason for the call.



On Thursday evening, our first call popped up on screen:



"Can't take it any more. . . wife keeps yelling at me. . . no wpns, no intox. . . "



So. Sober and unarmed, a man called the police because his wife was yelling at him.



But off we go. Because, you know, he called 911 and things aren'...

A Tragedy in Kaufman, A Shock For Us All

By now, I expect you've read about the prosecutor gunned down as he was on his way to work. If not, read this. You'll know, too, that I don't often touch subjects that are fresh in the news or dwell on matters of great seriousness because this blog has always lived on the lighter side of life.



But I can't let this pass.



I didn't know Mark Hasse, though maybe our paths crossed at a conference somewhere. I'm shocked at his death nonetheless because by all accounts he was nothing but a white k...

Am I "big-nosed and mushy?" See for yourself!

I've started watching this new show, The Following, with Kevin Bacon. It's about a serial killer (of course!) who uses literature as his guide and to lure followers to do his bidding. Edgar Allan Poe is his inspiration, no less. Cool idea.



Anyway, last night there was a scene where the bad guy, a writer, encounters an attractive older woman who was surprised at his looks. She says something like, "I thought all writers were big-nosed and mushy." It's James Purefoy, just so you know, a handso...

Release day: AS SHE LAY SLEEPING

Today is a lot more low-key than when The Bookseller came out, but it marks the release of my second book and first work of non-fiction. The book is called AS SHE LAY SLEEPING, and details my experience prosecuting a 25-year-old murder case.



One of the reasons that it's more low-key is how I feel about the book. I want as many people to read it as possible, of course, but that's because I want people to see what it is we do here (why I started this blog, as you know) and what it's like to ge...

Happy New Year!

Granted, a few days late, but I was in Paris so you can't hold that against me.  Or maybe you can, doubly.



Either way, I'm back and hoping everyone had a marvelous Christmas and New Year.



So, Paris.  I was there to do research on Hugo Marston #3 (as yet untitled, despite what you may have read on my website!) and it was as inspirational a place as ever.



But.  One thing that shocked me was the number of people there who still smoke.  And not just the crusty old boys grum...

The Nutcracker (a true story)

In continuation of a series of posts I have just started with this one, I bring you a true story.  It happened not recently, nor too long ago.  When it happened doesn't matter, actually, I post it today in honor of today's Ballet Austin performance of The Nutcracker.



You'll see why.



The allegation was assault on a peace officer, specifically that the defendant had grabbed "the victim's scrotum and twisted, thereby causing pain."



Now you see why.



Anyway, it went to trial before t...

Gangs - what are they good for?

Yes, of course, you got it: absolutely nothing.



It's something I see a lot here in the world of juvenile crime, sadly, gang activity.  Sometimes it's peer pressure, sometimes it's family replacement, and sometimes it's even family pressure.



It's a pet peeve for some of the judges, too, because (as they point out), Look where gang affiliation has gotten you!



Something I always want to point out to the kids, in addition, is this: "Look around the courtroom.  How many of your gang-b...

More great Xmas presents (books, books, books!)

I wanted to point out a few more great crime stories, and wonderful authors, for those looking to buy books for Christmas.  This is fun for me because I have met these authors in person, but I've also been able to read what they've written, so I'm not recommending blindly.



Michael Robotham is an Australian author who, I'm ashamed to say, I'd never read until about two months ago.  He did a book signing here in Austin and I picked up a couple of his novels, and got the chance to hav...

Ahhh, Christmas is nigh and here's what I'd like, please Santa.

Only a few weeks away, simplest the most wonderful time of the year.  My kids have been scribbling and rescribbling their lists for the jolly old man (whether that's yours truly or Santa, you may decide).



But what about me, what do I want for Christmas?  Well, since you asked, here's the list:



1.  Some cold weather, so I can light a fire of an evening.  Winter's thrill is blunted when its chill doesn't appear. And those kids' Xmas lists?  How the heck is Santa suppo...