Jonathan Dyer's Blog: The Nick Temple Files, page 2

A Mobster and his Gumar

The Relationship between Bigamist Greg Scarpa and his Gumar, Linda SchiroDyer’s Greg Scarpa Biography

One of the many fascinating aspects of Greg Scarpa’s life was his 32-year relationship with Linda Schiro. Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil takes a critical look at that relationship, one that produced two children, endured a sham marriage for Schiro and a second marriage for Scarpa, and featured a Schiro affair which Scarpa preapproved! Below is an excerpt (annotations omitted) from that part of ch...

First Rating is Five Stars for Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil!

Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil Garners a 5-Star Rating on GoodreadsDyer’s Greg Scarpa Biography

The recently-released biography Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil from WildBlue Press has just scored its first rating on Goodreads. Five stars! Damian Miller, who did a great job of reading for the audiobook version, wrote, “it was well researched and an interesting story that no one ever talks about. It’s insanely bonkers, well written, and the voice actor for the audiobook isn’t too bad either (that’s me...

Scarpa Tests the Limits of Criminal Behavior the FBI Will Tolerate

From Money to Murder – Scarpa Manipulated the FBI as he Betrayed the Mafia

 The following excerpt from chapter 2 of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil provides some insight into Scarpa’s earliest attempts to determine what criminal behavior by a Top Echelon Criminal Informant might be tolerated by the FBI. I’ve removed the annotations for ease of reading. Enjoy!

“Scarpa’s financial probing was not the only test he had for the FBI in 1962. Less than three months after convincing the FBI to pay him $3...

That Feeling When You Open a Box of Author’s Copies of Your Latest Work!

Holding the Result of Close to Three Years of Effort I received my author’s copies of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil published by WildBlue Press today. Before today, my exchanges with the publisher and editor have all been electronic. Those exchanges have certainly been gratifying. However, being able to put my hands on the thing they and I have been working to produce occupies a different emotional level from accessing electronic files. There’s something viscerally satisfying about picking up th...

A Deadly Mistake in the Violent Circles Greg Scarpa Moved in for Forty Years

Murder as the Go-To Solution for Putting the Mob in JeopardyDyer’s Greg Scarpa BiographyThe following is an excerpt from Chapter 9, “A Storm Grows in Brooklyn,” of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil published by WildBlue Press. The excerpt’s annotations have been removed for ease of reading. Enjoy!“Although Ocera had managed to survive for more than a month after his loansharking records were seized, on November 13, 1989, [his] luck ran out. Earlier that month Orena ordered Giachino ‘Jack’ Leale ...

Keeping a Close Eye on Marketing/Promotion of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil

A #3 Ranking on Amazon for New Releases, Organized Crime True Stories

This morning’s good news is that, as of this writing, Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil is ranked #3 on Amazon in the category of New Releases, Organized Crime True Stories. The book has been out less than two weeks. During that time WildBlue Press has been doing a good, professional job of promoting it while I’ve been pitching in where I can. About 14 years ago I made a feature-length film. I was working full time so I was already ...

Crafting a Work of Nonfiction Required Reviving Some Dormant Skills

A Surprising Use of a Legal Education

The summer that I was honorably discharged from the Army, I started law school. My inspiration for attending law school was the character of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. That may sound corny and naïve, but there it is. I wanted to be in a courtroom arguing a righteous point on behalf of some deserving client who was at the mercy of a confusing and relentless legal system. After three years of law school and ten years of practicing as a civil litig...

The Evolving Utility of Writing Advice in the Information Age

“Three Rules for Writing”

When I started writing 30+ years ago the internet was in its infancy. Blogs, so far as I knew, did not exist; social media was just over the horizon; print books, magazines, and newspapers still dominated the reading landscape; and the number of accessible experts, self-proclaimed and accredited, on any subject was relatively finite. It was in that environment that I started writing. My one nod to the tech world was that I transitioned from pencil and pad to word proces...

Good First Week of Sales for New Gangster Bio Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil

A Week of Promotion of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil Generates Sales in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.Dyer’s Greg Scarpa Biography

My gangster biography, Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil , was launched a week ago by WildBlue Press. Sales have been picking up in the U.S., and the book has broken through in Canada and the U.K. My publisher has done a great job promoting the book with creative posts on Instagram here, here, and here, and on YouTube here. As previously noted, I’ve had the privilege of bei...

Podcasts Introducing Gangster Bio Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil!

The Launch of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil Hits the Podcast Circuit

WildBlue Press launched my gangster bio Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil  yesterday. In the runup to the launch I’ve been appearing on podcasts as part of the publisher’s marketing. Those podcasters include True Crime Screening Room with Jim the Podcast Sherpa,  Darkness Radio’s True Crime Tuesday, True Crime Uncensored with Burl Barer, The Opperman Report with Ed Opperman, and True Crime Talk with Nic Edwards. I’ve appeared on one ot...