Moe Lane's Blog, page 638
December 19, 2021
12/19/21 Snippet, TINSEL RAIN.
I’m running out of easy fixes, alas.
Patreon!Hagen was the kind of guy who aimed for ‘dapper’ but landed in ‘fussy:’ he had brown hair oiled to precision and his mustache hairs were individually groomed. “Thank you.” He talked like somebody who took classes to hide his childhood accent, which I was pegging as being either Tourista or Hawaii. Either would make sense; getting out of the slums is incentive for a lot of people.
“I understand that you’re involved in the Arenque murder?” he said.
I blinked. “You asking if I’m investigating it, or I did it? — Because either way, the answer’s no. Who’s Arenque?”
That actually startled Hagen, to the point where he was scratching his chest in no little confusion. “Ah. Carmine Arenque Fogg. He was found murdered this morning? In an alley?”
“Oh, right. Him. Like I said, I’m not on that one.” I gave Hagen a slightly vague look. “You got anything on that, you should go talk to the cops. Maybe they can solve it before I get sucked in. I hate investigating murders in alleys.”
Hagen still looked confused, but he recovered pretty quick. “My apologies, Mr. Vargas. Clearly I was given incorrect information. Sorry to bother you.” He stood up.
I smiled at him, while not rising. “Not at all, Mr. Hagen. As I said: the door was open. Was there anything else I could help you with?”
“Not at this time, Mr. Vargas. Not at this time. Have a good afternoon.” And with that, he left.
I gave it a sixty second count before I shoved the small club in my lap back into the sling under my desk. I hadn’t been sure if Hagen had been reaching for an envelope full of bribe money, or just a flashy dagger. Probably the latter: he had that look. I would have hit him either way, mind you. You don’t bribe Shamuses.
December 18, 2021
Book of the Week: QUANTUM OF NIGHTMARES (Laundry series).
Charles Stross’ QUANTUM OF NIGHTMARES comes out in less than a month, so I might as well grab it now. Come, I will conceal nothing from you: I don’t read these to be scared. I read them because Charlie is a very good writer, and because I find it soothing to read horror written by somebody who’s scared by stuff* that I simply don’t find to be very terrifying. It gives me a certain detachment, and allows me to take the time to savor the book.
So, yeah, I’m looking forward to this one.
*In his case, mostly involving the Things We Don’t Talk About Here.
In the Mail: KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER (TV series).
This version of the KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER TV show was half off of an already low price. Seriously, getting this show for cheap ain’t easy. But so totally worth it, if you’re into gloriously bad 1970s monster-of-the-week network TV horror. I look forward to watching this, in my copious free time.
#commissionearned
The THE LOST CITY trailer.
THE LOST CITY… does not look too bad? And the fact that Daniel Radcliffe is in it is also useful information. Daniel has a net worth of over 100 million, and visibly enjoys the artistic freedom that entails. If he’s in this movie, something about it amused him.
Seriously, it seems goofy; but it might be the good-goofy. Ask me again later.
12/18/21 Snippet, TINSEL RAIN.
I’ve reviewed the first three chapters and I’ve already found an ex-girlfriend and a murder victim that need to be expanded upon. Oops.
Patreon!I stood up when Eddie’s friend (or ‘friend’) came into the bar. She was dressed tonight in a blue and green number that a lot to the imagination while encouraging it; there was a mourning band on one arm. Red hair, gray eyes, and enough makeup to get in the way of any spellcasting; either she wasn’t a mage, or she was taking the night off. I was betting the former.
“Good evening, Shamus,” she said after giving me a handshake that was all business. “I’m Louise Cabada. A glass of the house red will be fine,” she said while sitting down.
Well, that was efficient. I waved a waiter over and sat down myself. “So. Same orphanage as Eddie?”
She gave me a respectful side nod. “Not bad. The last name, I take it?”
“Yup.” You take your last names from your parents, so when you only have one it’s usually because you had to pick it yourself. “And there ain’t that many orphanages in Cin City, either. Seemed reasonable. Ah, not at the same time though, right?”
“Flatterer,” she said. In a different tone that would have been promising; but Louise here wasn’t giving off any kind of come-hither vibes. She wasn’t being hostile, but she wasn’t interested, either. “Eddie was ten years older than me; I came to Santa Elena’s two years after he left it. But there was an ATSE jobs program for, ah, mundane orphans, and I took advantage of it.” She sipped her drink. “That’s how I met Eddie.”
“Ah. So you were friends and coworkers, then. How well did you know Eddie?”
She shrugged. “Intimately. After all, I had also been sleeping with him. Does that surprise you?”
“I’m a Shamus, Senorita Cabada. Everything surprises me.”
“Really? Why is that?”
“Because nobody ever seems to learn better.”
December 17, 2021
12/17/21 Snippet, TINSEL RAIN.
75K. Now I can spend tomorrow assessing the book and breaking what parts need breaking. Then I can add 5K more, and then the first draft is done! Huzzah!
Patreon!“Afternoon, boys,” I said agreeably as I got into the kenwagon. It smelled like body spray and bad beer, in all its wondrous forms, but at least the seats weren’t sticky. I was being arrested in style; they had even splurged for two guards. “Hands where you can see ‘em and no funny moves, right?”
“Yeah, Shamus,” the shorter cop said. “Sorry, Shamus.”
“He’s sorry,” the taller one said. “I ain’t. Don’t mess around, Shamus. And don’t mess with me. You do, you’ll be sorry.”
“I hear you, officer. Oh, and sorry about your dog.”
The taller one frowned. “What about my dog?”
“Oh, my mistake. The way you’re acting, I figured I must’ve run over him.”
Yeah, I know: you shouldn’t crack wise with the cops when they’re arresting you. Well, you shouldn’t. I’m a Shamus; it’s what we do. And sometimes we get cracked wise, upside the head. But if Tall Sour Cop was inclined to take a slap at a prisoner, better to have it where there were witnesses.
But I needn’t have bothered. Tall Sour just said, “I don’t have a dog.”
“You don’t?”
“No. I have a cat.”
“All right.” I paused. “How’s he doing?”
“Who?”
“Your cat.”
Now Tall Sour looked more like Tall Confused. “He’s fine. Why are you asking?”
“Well, you were the one who brought him up. I was worried that something might have happened to him.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“I have a dog,” Short Cop volunteered.
“Wait. When did you get a dog?” asked Tall Confused.
“Three years ago. You know, for the kids?”
“Kids are important,” I interjected. “How’s the dog doing?”
“Ehh,” replied Short Cop, “it’s a dog. She seems pretty happy.”
Tall Sour and I both said something noncommittal, and that seemed to satisfy Short Cop enough. The wagon started creaking itself along.
“Uhh, Shamus?” This was from Short Cop. “I had a question.”
“I don’t think I have a whammy on me,” I said. “I dunno how I could tell, though.”
Short Cop shook his head. “No, that’s not it. Thanks for saying, though.”
“You’re welcome.” I waited for a moment. “So. What’s the question?”
“Oh, right. Do you have a dog?”
I blinked. “Not since I was a kid. Why?”
“I dunno. It seemed important. I guess we had to ask, or something.”
I sighed, inside where it wouldn’t show. This was gonna be a long kenwagon ride back to the Castle.
Movie of the Week: RED.
I started watching RED just for one particular scene, and now we’re in for the long haul. I mean, every time I remind myself that I have stuff to do tonight another A-List actor shows up and shoots somebody. What else am I gonna do?
