Allright! I've been trying to get my son to read it but he's a stubborn brat! ha ha

I have 4 FPW completist recruits, 3 are friends, the fourth is a student. I teach three sections of high school Creative Writing in New Jersey, and keep a library of groovy authors in my classroom; on the front wall stands the Hall of Greats where Harbingers resides. (It's my only FPW spare that hasn't been stolen.) One student drank down it down in a couple of days. He salavated for more, so I've been feeding him the RJ series in order. Tonight I put Hosts in my bag for him. Another student in the same class - a great non-reader - is crawling through Harbingers right now. The Repairman Jack side-chats in class have created a waiting list. I'm thrilled.

Now THAT is definitely cool!

I was having dinner at a Denny's in Fort Collins, Colorado last month and I noticed that my waiter's name was Ty. I asked him what that was short for and he told me it was short for Tyrell, a character in one of the Louis Lamour novels his father loves.

So naturally, we got to talking about books, and also naturally, I mentioned FPW. Last time I saw him, I gave him a copy of THE KEEP. (And L. Neil Smith's THE PROBABILITY BROACH.) Next time I see him I expect he'll tell me how much he loved it/them -- he was pretty enthusiastic when I gave him the basic plot of the novels.

Another copy of THE KEEP goes to a young waitress who loves vampire novels and is working on writing thrillers of her own. (She can learn a lot from studying FPW's writing style.)

And just today I was on the phone with Elizabeth, a financial advisor in Colorado. She's going to get a copy of AN ENEMY OF THE STATE next time I go to Colorado. Along with the explanation that the novel was decades ahead of its time with regard to what is happening (economically) to this country today.

I have always felt that politics like bull fighting is a spectator blood sport that gets messing on the cleanup. If you have any doubt about who to vote for you can usually not go wrong if you throw the bum out.

Only if you don't replace him with another bum.

Haw!
At least in 1980, we had Reagan waiting in the wings, to rescue the grim situation.
Today...?

"Rescue?"

Reagan may have got the income tax rate lowered, but federal spending increased by almost 50% during his administration -- and deficits EXPLODED!

Reagan set the stage for the economic crisis we are seeing around us today.

Muchos Thankos to Medusa and Ken

...and Ken, I'm with you on Reagan. For eight years we had an actor in the White House saying lines he little understood, fed to him by writers cognizant of how the consolidation of power served ther greed.

Since I can't improve of Lewis Black's Red, White & Screwed, I'll move along to happier turf, recruit updates.

When kids finish with a test or quiz, I give them a book. Due to the recent RJ buzz in my room (buzz supplied by kids, not hype supplied by me), I've upped my RJ stock (and will again, by neccessity). I usually supply books of shorter pieces by Andy Rooney or Dave Barry, especially in the General classes (school term) or Dummy class (kids term). One young man asked for RJ. I had All the Rage on my desk, so... twenty minutes later he wanted to take it home.

In other news, our school is rewriting curriculum. I'm pushing for the inclusion Black Wind. FPW does monster research, writes with delicious vocabulary, and is a master at grabbing readers with a velvet touch or a full-throttle grip. And....has anyone else noticed the similarity between Black Wind and the Kite Runner? I read Kite Runner first and loved the daylights out of it. Then I read Black Wind...I think somebody read that first and loved the daylights out of it.

Muchos Thankos to Medusa and Ken

...and Ken, I'm with you on Reagan. For eight years we had an actor in the White House saying lines he little understood, fed to him by writers cognizant of how the consolidation of power served ther greed.

As I see it, Reagan was -- or at least tried to be -- a sort of "everyman." He made speeches like a Libertarian, ran for office as a Republican, and governed like a Democrat.

But enough about Reagan.

When kids finish with a test or quiz, I give them a book. Due to the recent RJ buzz in my room (buzz supplied by kids, not hype supplied by me), I've upped my RJ stock (and will again, by neccessity). I usually supply books of shorter pieces by Andy Rooney or Dave Barry, especially in the General classes (school term) or Dummy class (kids term). One young man asked for RJ. I had All the Rage on my desk, so... twenty minutes later he wanted to take it home.

Sounds great!

Speaking for myself, Pauls novels are much more than just entertaining. Aside from "something happening on every page," his protagonists are honest, honorable, and highly intelligent. The three most admirable characteristics I can think of.

In other news, our school is rewriting curriculum. I'm pushing for the inclusion Black Wind. FPW does monster research, writes with delicious vocabulary, and is a master at grabbing readers with a velvet touch or a full-throttle grip. And....has anyone else noticed the similarity between Black Wind and the Kite Runner? I read Kite Runner first and loved the daylights out of it. Then I read Black Wind...I think somebody read that first and loved the daylights out of it.

I had to look up a review of Kite Runner, (I had never heard of it before) and I think you're right: Somebody read Blackwind, loved it, and wrote their version with the serial numbers filed off.

It COULD be coincidence, but I don't think so.

No more coincidences.

I wish I know how to artfully select quote snippets. Nyuk nyuk and (a seasonal) ho ho ho to filing the serial numbers off.

I agree with you about FPW's characters; sure they're entertaining, but they also have heart.

My son-in-law has the great misfortune to live in a house that has been afflicted with Twilight mania. As an antidote I prescribed some Midnight Mass, telling him that it was about 'real' vampires. He lapped it up. I followed this up with 'The Keep', which he also enjoyed. Next time I see him, I'll offer him 'The Tomb' and with a bit of luck he'll be hooked, and I can see that all my Repairman Jacks will follow.

I've hooked my brother and countless friends. recently I got my fiance's mom hooked,i lent her the first four and since we live so far away she's already bought the next two.


Edit:

Just ran into a friend I haven't talked to in a bout a year. he said he's been reading FPW since I told him about him last year