Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff's Blog, page 30

Hollywood Insider Reviews Where's My F*cking Latte

"I can tell you firsthand that what goes on behind-the-scenes of Hollywood's glittering facade is usually shocking, insane and full of sex. Where's My F*cking Latte perfectly captures the abusive and often hysterically unbelievable world of celebs and Tinseltown power-brokers and the culture of excess and entitlement they live in. Two thumbs WAY, WAY UP!"

- Daniella Cracknell, Publicist to many of TV's iconic stars from Dick Clark, Howie Mandel, Geraldo Rivera, Mario Lopez to name a few…

As featured on "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD." Get your copy of the bestselling book WHERE'S MY F*CKING LATTE

Killing My Boss now available for iBooks

I'm happy to announce that KILLING MY BOSS, the twisted anthology of boss-killing stories written by yours truly and the demented Colin F. Barnes is now available at Apple's iBookstore. So if you are an iBooks user, now's your chance to snatch up a copy of this wildly entertaining tome of revenge and murder. Pick up your copy of KILLING MY BOSS today!

Self Publishing Diary: Two Separate Bestselling Books on Three Lists

Some 4 years after it first came out in print and over 3 years after coming out as a Kindle eBook, WHERE'S MY F*CKING LATTE (and Other Stories About Being An Assistant in Hollywood) has been hitting Amazon's overall top 100 bestselling books in the top-level category of ENTERTAINMENT. I just noticed this the other day and as you can see, it's logged 7 days so far (most-likely non-consecutive days) in the top 100.

It's been my philosophy that each book you release is a seed that eventually has the potential to grow and grow. WMFL has definitely sprouted over the last few years, first parking itself on the sub-category charts for Television and Movies and now making a move onto the overall Entertainment list.

And THE KILLING OF OSAMA BIN LADEN continues to perform well, again hitting both Amazon's Non-Fiction bestseller list (33 days so far in the top 100) and Amazon's History Bestseller list (63 days in the top 100).

 

 

 

Read Colin Barnes' Article on How our Book "Killing My Boss" Came About

Back in the early 2000s a group of authors began podcasting their novels. Mark was one of them, and very successful he was too. I was writing some bits and pieces at the time, and Mark along with a couple of other authors (Scott Sigler and Matt Selznick) were my inspiration to get it finished. I did attempt to podcast the novel, but realised it wasn't my calling. I much preferred writing to recording, so I continued to follow with interest the progress of these early trailblazers and I kept on writing, getting a little lost along the way, as well as myriad mental issues.

It was when Mark started podcasting non-fictional 'sermons' as Reverend MYN that I began to have an on-going discourse with him. He raised many salient points about the problems of pursuing creative passions, and how to find one's calling. His advice and experiences hit a nerve with me and we became 'internet pals' sharing information and conversation on the subject via email and facebook.

 

Read the rest of Colin's Article over at his blog

Killing My Boss Inspired Art By Shane Lees

Shane Lees is a super-talented artist and really cool guy I've known for a while. When he's not off scaring small children, he's at work with a pencil, creating some really haunting artwork. You may have seen his drawing of Galen Altos right here on this site. I love the composition on this one, how the somewhat innocuous diagonal lines on the tie (the universal uniform accessory  of downtrodden cogs in the machine everywhere) just lead you back to the violence. Superb work, Shane! I think this so cool.

More Self Publishing Success: Back on the Nonfiction Bestseller List

 

WOO-HOO! Indie-pendants' Day in full effect! After dropping off Amazon's overall Nonfiction Bestseller List a couple of weeks back, THE KILLING OF OSAMA BIN LADEN has returned with a vengeance, hitting #58. (updated) #55 Amazon is kind enough to tally the number of days you are on any of the significant lists, so this makes 23 DAYS! that my Bin Laden book has been tearing up the charts… Okay, well maybe "tearing up" is a bit of an overstatement,  "chart invasion" may be more accurate. As an indie author with no agent or publisher, I'm proud of how this book has done and how it continues to be supported by all y'all out there.

And, of course, it doesn't hurt that a couple of reasonably high-profile Bin Laden books were just released. With more big Bin Laden books on the way, I can't wait for them to arrive.

AND if that wasn't cool enough, THE KILLING OF OSAMA BIN LADEN is STILL on Amazon's HISTORY Bestseller List where it has lived for the last 49 DAYS!!! I'm also happy to report that TKOBL is still the #1 Bestselling book on MIDDLE EAST HISTORY and the #1 Bestselling book in the sub-category of TERRORISM. It's actually #3 in the category of ASIAN HISTORY… So again, A HUGE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for continuing to support my work!

Killing My Boss is Available for Kindle and Nook

I'm very proud to announce the release of KILLING MY BOSS, a collection of really wicked stories about well… trout fishing… no, about, uh… sending one's horrible bosses to their early and much-deserved demise. I wrote KILLING  MY BOSS with Colin F. Barnes, a very talented writer from the U.K. A country that seems to have possibly invented the horrible boss, whereas I'd like to think that here in America, we perfected it.

But that's neither here, nor there. Geographic boundaries aside, we want you to read these Hitchcock-esque tales of murder and revenge. And, you can even imagine that one of the asshole bosses is your boss, and… well, let your imagination do the rest. That's why we call it a real "Youdunit" book… get it, "Youdunnit"… okay, whatever… just buy the book and enjoy the hell out of these extremely entertaining, and quite twisted stories.

C'mon, the book's worth it just for Guy Burdick's inspired cover art alone….

AVAILABLE now from AMAZON (for the Kindle), BARNES AND NOBLE (for the Nook) and coming soon to the iBOOKS BOOKSTORE.

Why We Love Serial Killers Like Dexter

Dexter sneaks up on his unsuspecting victim. Syringe in hand, he incapacitates them with a powerful sedative. Shortly after awaking hours later, they are bound to a table, mouth gagged, and set to assume the starring role in a ritual sacrifice. Dexter's knife rises high, clutched tightly in a ten-finger grip. As the blade plunges down, the killer we know is overcome with a wave of peace and clarity. To Dexter, it's like taking a hit of a drug. For us, the audience, the effect is the same. 

Not only do we thrill in watching Dexter dispatch people with such brutality, we root for him to get away with what he's done. Our loyalty to his well-being goes far enough for us to care that he doesn't get caught, even though, beyond any reasonable doubt, we have just witnessed him commit cold-blooded murder.

When it comes to entertainment, why do we love serial killers so much?

The philosopher Heidegger once wrote that when we are aware of death, it transforms us from "existing" to "being."

Who then is more aware of death than the one who deals it? The one who stares into the eyes of his victims as the light goes out behind them forever. The one who sees us in our most vulnerable and revealing moment as we know that what comes next is the end.

In the most unspeakable of circumstances, with no way to escape, do we beg for our lives or do we go down cursing and spitting? The serial killer knows better than anyone else about what it is that you are made of inside… and not just by removing your entrails.

Serial killers illustrate the power of God. They choose whether you live or you die. Even more accurately, they choose how you die. A serial killer feels he or she is superior and above everyone else. They know the way things should be, despite a world that defies their expectations of existence. When I wrote my serial killer novel, DIARY OF A MADMAN, my intention was to capture the mindset of a cold-blooded, calculating killer who is compelled to murder others because he believes his crusade will make the world a better place.

Ever notice that one hand that believing in yourself being good or just is pride, but on the other hand, believing others aren't as good as you is a psychosis? A serial killer's evil is just a factor of perspective and spin.

Leatherface, bad. Dexter, good.

Leatherface is a soulless monster who thirsts for the blood of those who enter his territory. In this regard, he is no different from the great white shark in "Jaws."

In our eyes, Dexter's heinous crimes are justified. He is the disinfectant that wipes these scummy people off the face of the earth and away from innocents like us. Because of Dexter, our spouses, children and friends come home safely tonight instead of being tortured to death or buried alive in a shallow grave by a remorseless psychopath. We root for the bad guy who kills other bad guys because we fear that the justice system will fail us.

What about Hannibal Lecter from "Silence of the Lambs?" Not all of his victims were those who have fallen through the cracks of justice. Some were just unlucky enough to pique his desire to kill. Still, we root for Hannibal to succeed in his desire to be free to live his life the way he chooses.

In our eyes, serial killers are cool because they use stealth and cunning to gain an advantage. They are clever and interesting. They use urban camouflage and social engineering to blend in and get close. We associate with fictional serial killers because we often walk that tightrope wire over the abyss of our own sanity. At one point or another, we have contemplated what it would be like to gravely harm or murder someone who has trespassed against us, someone who has caused us a great deal of pain.

Maybe it's your boss. Maybe it's that idiot neighbor who purposefully lets his dog shit on your lawn when you're not looking. Maybe it's someone of considerable influence whose demise would benefit you or possibly even help shape the kind of world you hope to live in some day.

We have all wished death upon someone in a manner that suggests we would seriously like to see them not only suffer, but be made aware exactly why they are suffering, and in those last agonizing moments of their miserable lives, know that vengeance has been done because they chose the wrong path.

Though nearly all of us will never fall prey to the darkness that compels one to kill, we cannot get enough of the serial killer in modern fiction. But serial killers in real life aren't superheroes, they're murderers. And most importantly of all.

They're just like you and me.

*****

Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff is the bestselling author of "The Killing of Osama Bin Laden." He is currently developing a sequel to his acclaimed serial killer novel "Diary of a Madman." His latest book on mayhem and murder, "Killing My Boss" will be available in July.

Why We Love Serial Killers

Dexter sneaks up on his unsuspecting victim. Syringe in hand, he incapacitates them with a powerful sedative. Shortly after awaking hours later, they are bound to a table, mouth gagged, and set to assume the starring role in a ritual sacrifice. Dexter's knife rises high, clutched tightly in a ten-finger grip. As the blade plunges down, the killer we know is overcome with a wave of peace and clarity. To Dexter, it's like taking a hit of a drug. For us, the audience, the effect is the same. 

Not only do we thrill in watching Dexter dispatch people with such brutality, we root for him to get away with what he's done. Our loyalty to his well-being goes far enough for us to care that he doesn't get caught, even though, beyond any reasonable doubt, we have just witnessed him commit cold-blooded murder.

When it comes to entertainment, why do we love serial killers so much?

The philosopher Heidegger once wrote that when we are aware of death, it transforms us from "existing" to "being."

Who then is more aware of death than the one who deals it? The one who stares into the eyes of his victims as the light goes out behind them forever. The one who sees us in our most vulnerable and revealing moment as we know that what comes next is the end.

In the most unspeakable of circumstances, with no way to escape, do we beg for our lives or do we go down cursing and spitting? The serial killer knows better than anyone else about what it is that you are made of inside… and not just by removing your entrails.

Serial killers illustrate the power of God. They choose whether you live or you die. Even more accurately, they choose how you die. A serial killer feels he or she is superior and above everyone else. They know the way things should be, despite a world that defies their expectations of existence. When I wrote my serial killer novel, DIARY OF A MADMAN, my intention was to capture the mindset of a cold-blooded, calculating killer who is compelled to murder others because he believes his crusade will make the world a better place.

Ever notice that one hand that believing in yourself being good or just is pride, but on the other hand, believing others aren't as good as you is a psychosis? A serial killer's evil is just a factor of perspective and spin.

Leatherface, bad. Dexter, good.

Leatherface is a soulless monster who thirsts for the blood of those who enter his territory. In this regard, he is no different from the great white shark in "Jaws."

In our eyes, Dexter's heinous crimes are justified. He is the disinfectant that wipes these scummy people off the face of the earth and away from innocents like us. Because of Dexter, our spouses, children and friends come home safely tonight instead of being tortured to death or buried alive in a shallow grave by a remorseless psychopath. We root for the bad guy who kills other bad guys because we fear that the justice system will fail us.

What about Hannibal Lecter from "Silence of the Lambs?" Not all of his victims were those who have fallen through the cracks of justice. Some were just unlucky enough to pique his desire to kill. Still, we root for Hannibal to succeed in his desire to be free to live his life the way he chooses.

In our eyes, serial killers are cool because they use stealth and cunning to gain an advantage. They are clever and interesting. They use urban camouflage and social engineering to blend in and get close. We associate with fictional serial killers because we often walk that tightrope wire over the abyss of our own sanity. At one point or another, we have contemplated what it would be like to gravely harm or murder someone who has trespassed against us, someone who has caused us a great deal of pain.

Maybe it's your boss. Maybe it's that idiot neighbor who purposefully lets his dog shit on your lawn when you're not looking. Maybe it's someone of considerable influence whose demise would benefit you or possibly even help shape the kind of world you hope to live in some day.

We have all wished death upon someone in a manner that suggests we would seriously like to see them not only suffer, but be made aware exactly why they are suffering, and in those last agonizing moments of their miserable lives, know that vengeance has been done because they chose the wrong path.

Though nearly all of us will never fall prey to the darkness that compels one to kill, we cannot get enough of the serial killer in modern fiction. But serial killers in real life aren't superheroes, they're murderers. And most importantly of all.

They're just like you and me.

*****

Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff is the bestselling author of "The Killing of Osama Bin Laden." He is currently developing a sequel to his acclaimed serial killer novel "Diary of a Madman." His latest book on mayhem and murder, "Killing My Boss" will be available in July.

A Pair of Fun Articles on My Writing

A couple of really neat interviews I gave on THE KILLING OF OSAMA BIN LADEN and my writing in general came out last week. The first, at the KINDLE AUTHOR blog, is a great all-around interview by talented writer David Wisehart. Here's a small excerpt.

DAVID WISEHART: What was your journey as a writer?

MARK YOSHIMOTO NEMCOFF: It's been a long and winding road for sure. A loooong time ago, during the early '90s, I lost my job during a bad economy and I started my own business as a professional composer of music for TV and video games. I worked extremely hard and after a while I had done a few national series and a couple of big game titles. I went through some really heavy personal stuff and woke up one day to find that the most horrifying thing had happened to me: I completely lost the ability to write music. All the melodies and stuff I would hear in my head constantly, morning to night, were all gone. Poof. Just like that. Nothing. Crickets. Nada.

I had always been a creative writer in school, and one day while feeling very lost, I had a flash of an idea for a story. All I did for 19 days was write, and in the end, I had penned my first novel, The Doomsday Club, a furious thriller about 4 college friends who inadvertently kill someone and then invent a phony terrorist group to take the blame. I'd never attempted anything longer than a short story, but the book came out really well. I just hit the accelerator and never looked back. This being L.A., as I started showing my book around and getting some good responses, I got it into my head that I should try to break into TV and screenwriting. I put together some specs, got an agent. Got a couple of assignments. Got into the Warner Bros. Drama Writers Fellowship. Had one of my TV scripts directed by Bruce Campbell. Developed a couple of feature screenplays with a producer on the Sony lot. Wrote some more features on assignment… but nothing happened. I got fed up and was ready to give up, but I polished up another novel I had written, a noir thriller called The Art of Surfacing. In 2005, I put the book out in print myself and, needing a way to promote it, stumbled upon an article about creating something called a "podcast." So, I started this podcast, at first in my car with some cheap mp3 recorder, that within 4 months got me a deal with a podcasting network and then, surprisingly, a drive-time slot on Sirius Satellite Radio five nights a week. An editor at Playboy heard my show and did a nice feature on me and all-of-a-sudden, I was podcasting as my full-time job, making a great living at it.

So then, inspired by Scott Sigler, I took an old screenplay of mine that I had optioned a few times but never got made and very quickly adapted it into a book. Number One with a Bullet, came out as a serialized podcast novel and because it was a success (winning a Parsec Award in 2007) I started putting out more original audiobooks and growing my brand as an author. Around that time, I also had this crazy book out about the lives of Hollywood assistants named Where's My F*cking Latte? After Lindsay Lohan was arrested chasing her assistant in a car, I got a call to appear on "Access Hollywood" to talk aobut the lives of celebrity assistants. Boom. WMFL took off.

When the economy around audio podcasting started to erode, I started a video podcast, a funny news show called Things I Learned This Week, which I was also writing. Two years into it, that show was seen by a producer who offered me the hosting gig on a new nationally-syndicated TV newsmagazine about smartphones and mobile entertainment. I didn't even have to audition. We taped the first season of The MoShow earlier this year and are waiting to hear about a second season pickup.

In the meantime, to my surprise, I discovered that WMFL had been sitting on a Kindle subcategory bestseller list for over 2 years. I went back and looked at how much my Kindle sales had grown and realized with the release of the Kindle 3 and the proliferation of Kindle apps running on millions of smartphones, there was a very, very serious market here. In March, I started putting out more of my back catalog and new content for Kindle, including a book called Go Forth and Kick Some Ass: Be the Hero of Your own Life Storyrelating to some of the motivational "sermons" I had been podcasting (I am an ordained minister). Since I started really focusing on ebook content my sales have exploded. All the stuff above, those are just most of the highlights so it may seem like it's been an easy path, but I can tell you that I've fought tooth and nail for everything, and all the opportunities and doors that opened up were because someone saw something that I created and worked very hard on and decided to take a chance on me.

READ THE REST OF MY INTERVIEW OVER AT KINDLE AUTHOR HERE.

The next one is a fantastic feature piece that really goes into some depth about THE KILLING OF OSAMA BIN LADEN and the effects the book's sudden success has had on my career. Pardon the billboard sized photo of me they used in order to scare children, but once you scroll past that the rest is really cool.

Often in life, one thing leads to another and an initial act can be parlayed into great success.  Enter this tale into the life of writer and television host Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff.

Following the capture and subsequent killing of Osama Bin Laden in May, things would start to fall into place for Nemcoff.  The morning after news broke, he became stirred by acquiring information about how United States Special Forces pulled off the feat inside the Pakistani border.

This passion developed into writing a book, titled "The Killing of Osama Bin Laden: How the Mission to Hunt Down a Terrorist Mastermind was Accomplished."  It was about the end of Bin Laden and as details came flowing in, the realization that he could have the first piece of any circumstance on the topic became great motivation.

READ "ONE MAN'S PATH TO PUBLISHED SUCCESS" HERE