"Speaking of Murder Book..." Harry Potter and Las Vegas

Speaking on Murder Book in Las Vegas I am offering people the opportunity to come up with some “killer music” to be played in the background for the Murder Book opening on May 10 at the SCSU Welcome Center.  While I’m serious about forensic work, and Murder Book, I’m thinking we could make the book opening lighter by involving people in selecting some “killer music.”  Let me throw out some examples:  Without a Trace (Soul Asylum), Dyer Maker (Led Zeppelin), Goodbye to You (Scandal), Dead Flowers (Rolling Stones), Push (Matchbox 20), Don’t Speak (No Doubt), Santeria (Sublime), etc…  I’m looking for ironic, not gory.  For Example:  When Gwen Stefani wrote, “I can see us dying…” in ‘Don’t Speak’ she probably wasn’t thinking it would be played at a murder thriller opening.  Comment with your suggestions or to simply support one of the songs suggested.

There are a few songs I will include because they are either referenced in the book or go along with the story, such as Missing You (Alison Krauss and John Waite), Thrasher (Neil Young), Against the Wind (Bob Seger), All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix) and September When It Comes (Roseanne and Johnny Cash).

It was important for me that Murder Book address forensic work accurately and addresses every day life appropriately.  Everybody who has watched Law and Order has viewed the scene where the guy continues loading the van when he’s being questioned by two homicide investigators.  Can anybody think of a job where homicide is so common that people don’t stop work when being questioned by homicide investigators?  He evidently loves loading boxes…

My daughter, Nicolette, and I drove from California to Minnesota last week, with a stop in Las Vegas where I spoke at the Aliante Library in Las Vegas.  They say that the only way to leave Las Vegas with a million dollars is to go there with 2 million dollars.  We enjoyed some great food, but it was expensive.  I’ve never been much of a gambler, as I can’t logically justify it in my brain, but I have nothing against people who gamble.  It’s entertainment.  When I leave a movie I don’t expect to walk out with more money than I entered, and if people can understand that, it’s fine.  It was a great time and I have to share a couple absurd observations.  A Denver gas station had a sign which read, “If God isn’t a Broncos fan, why are sunsets orange?”  Driving through Iowa there is a large green sign that points to “Manly Forest City.”  Evidently they were feeling a little insecure about masculinity in Forest City.  (There’s a picture of the sign posted on the internet.)  My favorite sign was one which read, “Let’s make America kind again.”

This week I presented on Murder Book at St. Cloud State University, at Central Lakes College and culminating with the College of St. Benedicts last night.  The reception was great at each.  Last night at CSB security needed to be called to open up dividers and enlarge the classroom due to the large audience.  Thank you!  I will return to the usual blogs next week.  I’ll end with some Demtri Martin quotes:

~The digital camera is great invention because it allows us to reminisce immediately.  “Hey remember this, what we looked like 30 seconds ago?  Great times.”

~The worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades.

~Swimming is an odd sport.  Sometimes you do it for fun, and sometimes you do it not to die.  Your clothing is the best indicator—swimsuit—good.”

~The biathlon at the Olympics is an odd event.  You ski, stop and shoot a rifle, and ski again.  It’s like having someone swim a lap, jump out of the pool and strangle someone, then jump back in and swim another lap.  Jerry Seinfeld

Don’t you think it’s a little odd that we still measure rockets by horsepower?  How many horses do you think it takes to pull a rocket into space?


Busy getting books out.  I will get back to regular blogging next week.

Thanks for listening,
 
Frank April 7, 2017  Aliante Library
April 11, 2017  St. Cloud State University

April 12, 2017  Central Lakes College
April 12, 2017  College of Saint Benedict Murder Book in Las Vegas! Kaycee is a funny 3 year old as she remembers lines from movies and uses them in the proper context. She was limping and I asked what happened, to which she said, "I got hit in the butt cheek with a blow dart." (from the movie Moana) Kaycee and Branden Nicolette, Brenda, and Kaycee in a casino Preston and Olivia with Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter).  Preston and Olivia bought tickets for “Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are Dead” starring Daniel Radcliffe during their recent trip to London.  They waited and spoke to Daniel after the show and he was friendly and offered to take a picture with each. Preston fighting Darth Vader in London Olivia in Bath, England. Bath became a city as part of the Roman empire in 60 AD when the Romans built “baths” around the city’s hot springs. New construction is required to use bath stone, so the city remains built of stone with the appealing honey coloring. Preston at Stonehenge. Each stone is about 13 feet high, 6 feet wide and weighs 25 tons. Radiocarbon dating suggests the stones were raised about 2400 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Hit the previous button below twice to review my Easter blog.  Happy Easter!