Thomas Pluck's Blog, page 41
July 11, 2013
Confronting the Devil on your Shoulder
I’m back at The Good Men Project talking about self-repair. Dealing with emotional abuse, getting clued in by Andrew Vachss, and how I broke the cycle.
Confronting the Devil on Your Shoulder
photo: hatchibombotar / flickr
“…with enough reinforcement, whether it comes from peers or parents, the recipient begins to believe what’s being said. Long after the bully is gone, the devil on their shoulder whispers self-hate, repeating the litany of abuse.”
In the article, I link to “You Carry the Cure in Your Own Heart” by Andrew Vachss, which is nearly 20 years old now. It look a long time for me to put his words to good use.
Tagged: Andrew Vachss, The Good Men Project
Brad (hits it out of the…) Parks
Went to see Brad Parks, author of the Carter Ross mysteries, at my local public library last night. Brad is a very funny guy, has a mellifluous singing voice, and charmed the hell out of the room. Margot Sage-El from Watchung Booksellers was there as well, and I picked up a copy of Brad’s latest- THE GOOD COP.
Brad being altogether too self-effacing, he calls this his first “real” novel. It’s the fourth in the Carter Ross series, which began with the hilarious and heartfelt FACES OF THE GONE, a book I loved. Not only for its honest yet loving picture of Newark and the surrounding suburbs, including my hometown of Nutley, but for how he juggles comedy and tragedy in a manner that feels a lot like real life, only more vivid. Faces and the two that followed are based on news stories Brad either covered or was intrigued by, such as a grisly quadruple execution killing that was his first story as a crime reporter, or the subprime mortgage scam, and so on.
Brad didn’t think that was “real writing,” and like many writers, he is too hard on himself. While some stories do spring from the mind like Athena from Zeus’s skull, most are a gumbo of inspirations and experiences that we simmer until it makes a sort of sense. Unlike life, a story has to do that. So I’m eager to read The Good Cop, as I enjoyed the novel he considers “not made up.” The latest concerns illegal gun-running along I-95, the “Iron Pipeline,” so it is quite prescient as the nation argues over whether we can even talk about guns, and the policies of neighboring states that allow illegal firearms to flow to street gangs without a trace.
Brad gave a great talk and sang a little of “As Time Goes By,” which was written by Montclair native Herman Hupfeld. Then we strode to a local pub and enjoyed Founder’s Centennial IPAs. Brad’s got good taste in suds, as well. We met up with friends from his tenure at the Star-Ledger, including mutual pal and sportswriter Steve Politi, and I fled before I was cajoled into karaoke. Brad sang that old Billy Vera and the Beaters tune so well I felt like I was back in 1987.
Full of heart, like the man and his writing. If you don’t know Carter Ross, start with Faces of the Gone, or jump right into The Good Cop. You won’t regret it.
The Good Cop (Carter Ross #4) at Watchung Booksellers
Faces of the Gone (Carter Ross #1)
Eyes of the Innocent (Carter Ross #2)
The Girl Next Door (Carter Ross #3)
Tagged: Beer, Brad Parks, newark
July 9, 2013
Bacon Pizza and a Big Burger: Fitzgerald’s 1928
Had an amazing bacon, caramelized onion, and boursin pizza at a local gastropub. And the above burger. I’ll tell you all about it in The Big Eat for Devil Gourmet.
Onward to bacon pizza and burgers…
Tagged: Beer, Burgers, Devil Gourmet, Fitzgerald's 1928, Pizza
July 5, 2013
D.O.A. II: An Extreme Horror Collection
I have a story in Blood Bound Books latest collection, D.O.A. II. As the title suggests, it is horror, and not spooky tales to tell in the dark horror, but extreme horror. My story “Slice of Life” appears, as well as short stories by horror master Jack Ketchum and many others.
If you want to see what I do when someone wants horror, this is your chance. Psychological and extremely physical all in one nasty little package.
It is available for Kindle and Trade Paperback.
Tagged: Blood Bound Books, D.O.A. II, Horror, Jack Ketchum
69, dude! The Coney Island hotdog eating contest
Joey Chestnut ate 69 Nathan’s Famous hotdogs in 10 minutes yesterday, in the 98th annual Coney Island hotdog eating contest. Sonya Thomas ate 36 and 3/4 in the women’s competition.
I’ve eaten two Nathan’s Famous hotdogs in one sitting. They are not the best in America- but they are damn good, with great snap and savor. The Coney Island location treats them with the proper respect, and also serves nice crispy fries. Plus, Coney is just a place worth visiting. I can think of few places that distill the essence of American culture, good and bad, as finely as Coney Island. The rampant entrepreneurs, the hucksterism and showmanship, the chaotic tangle of buildings old and new, the crazy rides that probably haven’t been properly inspected by an ungreased palm in years, the gorgeous freaks at the Coney Island freak show, and jumble of cultures old and new. The Russians in Brighton Beach, the oldest pizzeria (Totonno’s), it’s the bottom corner of the Brooklyn chex mix bag where all the flavors are compacted into sharp, overpowering little pebbles. The neighborhood has an energy, and if there were American warrior shamans who could leech magic from the soil, this would be an epicenter of enormous power.
The Texas Tommy at Big Daddy’s
That power fueled Joey Chestnut to breaking his world record this year. Last year he ate 68. If you really want to watch someone gulp down that many hot dogs, here is a video.
For the record, my top hot dogs:
Ripper with Relish, Rutt’s Hut, Clifton NJ
The Spicy Redneck, Crif Dog, Lower East Side, NYC
Chicago Dog loaded, Wiener’s Circle, Chicago
Rahall’s Red Hot Weenie, Hillbilly Hotdogs, Lesage WV
Pink’s, Los Angeles, CA
Chili Cheese Dog, Hiram’s Roadstand, Fort Lee, NJ
Nathan’s Famous, Nathan’s, Coney Island NY.
The Texas Tommy, Big Daddy’s, Park Ave, NYC.
Tagged: coney island, Hot Dogs, New York City
July 4, 2013
July 2, 2013
The Big Eat: Nicole’s Ten
This week for The Big Eat, I drop by Nicole’s Ten in Randolph for a $20 Wagyu beef burger! Is it worth a double sawbuck? I’m drooling just thinking about it.
July 1, 2013
The Little Gold Colt – Guns, Fear, and Manhood
My essay “The Little Gold Colt,” about fear, guns, and the struggle for manhood, is up at The Good Men Project today.
Tagged: Essays, Guns, The Good Men Project
My Interview with Rick Mofina
I interview former crime reporter Rick Mofina about his latest thriller, INTO THE DARK, at the Big Thrill.
Tagged: Interviews, Rick Mofina, The Big Thrill, Thrillers
June 25, 2013
The Big Eat: Meals for Meat-Heads!
Drop by Devil Gourmet for a tour of eateries friendly to the iron-pounding carnivore. Huge platters of seared meat ahead…
The Big Eat: Meals for Meat-heads
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