Jason Pinter's 'The Man in Black'

FAKING LIFE: Jason's first ever ebook exclusive novel now available!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:02:00 +0000

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED ANYWHERE! - Available for just $2.99 for a limited time!

How much is one life worth? In FAKING LIFE, internationally bestselling author Jason Pinter offers a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that asks the ultimate question--that could cost three people their careers, their souls, and even their lives. John Gillis is a lifelong bartender looking to jump-start his stagnant existence after the death of a close friend by writing a raw, unvarnished memoir. Esther is an ambitious young woman searching for career inspiration and true love and believes in John she just might have found both. Nico Vanetti is a fading literary agent, a former King of Industry, who sees John Gillis as his meal ticket back to the top. Nico knows that in entertainment whatever bleeds, leads, and so in order to reap the millions he expects from John's story he'll do whatever it takes to manipulate John's life behind the scenes--even if it means forcing him to pay with his life. FAKING LIFE is high-stakes novel of suspense that shows just how far people will go to alter reality--even if it comes at the ultimate price.

Buy FAKING LIFE on Amazon Kindle!

Coming in 2011: Jason's first book for young readers!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:48:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announce that I have just agreed to a deal to publish my very first book for young readers, tentatively scheduled to be released in late summer/early fall of 2011. I've been eager to write a book for children for a very, very long time and could not be more excited about this story, and must thank my editor and new publisher who have been enthusiastic about Zeke literally from the get go. Every time I talk to people about where my love of reading came from, I always say that it grew from the books I read as a kid. And with this new series I aim to write the kind of book that I loved when I was growing up. The kind of series and characters that I hope kids with vivid, active imaginations around the world will embrace and cherish. This is for them.

Here is the official release direct from Publishers Marketplace:

Jason Pinter's ZEKE BARTHOLOMEW: SUPERSPY!, a new series about a nerdy seventh grader who is mistaken for the world's most dangerous kid spy, and must save the planet with the help of some totally impractical gadgets, a mysterious young girl, and a little bit of dumb luck, to Daniel Ehrenhaft at Jabberwocky, in a two-book deal, by Joe Veltre at The Veltre Company.

Here's why I love Zeke Bartholomew and why I think kids all over the world will too: Zeke is just like me and you. Chances are that when you were 12, you were a little like Zeke. He's not all that popular, kind of dorky, not particularly brave, not particularly skilled, and must rely on the same things you or I might if we were tasked with saving the world (that's where the dumb luck part comes in). But perhaps there is a fire inside Zeke just waiting to be sparked...

These books will be funny and full of adventure and I can't wait to share more about Zeke's world with you. There will be action, humor, and a whole lot of gadgets that seem to serve no useful purpose whatsoever (but maybe Zeke will find a use for them). Because in 2011, the fate of the world will be in the hands of a 12-year old boy who tends to get the hiccups at the most inopportune times...which means we're all in big, big trouble...

A Note for Readers of THE HUNTERS

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:51:00 +0000

I recently went to Amazon.com and was surprised to find rampant criticism of my free ebook novella THE HUNTERS, criticism that nothing to do with the content but with the publication of the book itself. Most were upset that THE HUNTERS was not a full-length novel, others incorrectly assumed that THE HUNTERS was simply a republication of several chapters from another one of my books under a different name. Based on those incorrect assumptions, many felt the book was a "gimmick" and blasted me for "lying" to readers. This could not be farther from the truth.

Let me make this clear: THE HUNTERS is not a full novel. It is a novella, about 40-50 pages long. It takes place during one frantic night between THE FURY and THE DARKNESS.

However: THE HUNTERS has never been published anywhere previously. It is not a 'sample' from another book, or a collection of chapters from any other published book. THE HUNTERS is a wholly original work that cannot be found anywhere else, in any of my other books. I wrote it with the intention that it would be offered for free. I make this very clear in the Readers Note that accompanies the work--but it seems many did not read that section. THE HUNTERS was written so that readers who have never tried my work could get a free, unique taste, and so longtime readers could get a brand new story that fleshed out characters while offering some great suspense.

I am proud of this story. It contains perhaps my favorite Jack O'Donnell scene ever. I am surprised and saddened to hear people claim they were 'duped'. This novella is offered for free; nobody ever paid a penny for this ebook, which I put considerable effort into. If you dislike the content, fair enough, but it is and hopefully always will be free. If you enjoy THE HUNTERS, I hope you might try one of my novels. If you don't like the ebook, that is your right, but please base those criticisms on content rather than false assumptions. I happen to think it's a pretty suspenseful and even emotional story. Either way, please decide for yourself.

You can download THE HUNTERS on:

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble Nook

Sony E-reader

PDF

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:34:00 +0000

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2010, with plenty of thrills and chills from your favorite authors (and maybe some new ones to boot). I hope you enjoyed 2009's releases of THE FURY and THE DARKNESS, as well as the free ebook THE HUNTERS. Stay tuned for even more exciting stories!

All my best,

Jason Pinter

Jason's 20 Favorite Movies of the Decade

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:08:00 +0000

Here are my 20 favorite movies from 2000-2009 (in no particular order). To be fair I haven't seen many of the films that have won awards or been critically acclaimed, so this should more accurately be called "The 20 Best Movies That I've Actually Seen This Decade".

Enjoy the list - What are your favorite movies from the last 10 years?

--Requiem for a Dream

--Gladiator

--No Country for Old Men

--The Hangover

--Sideways

--Let the Right One In

--The Dark Knight

--Wall-E

--Crash

--Lord of the Rings (all three films)

--High Fidelity

--American Psycho

--The Bourne Supremacy

--Anchorman

--The Incredibles

--Kill Bill (1&2)

--The Departed

--Finding Nemo

--Traffic (doubly good because my wife and I saw this on our first date!)

--Almost Famous

THE HUNTERS: never-before-published ebook available now!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Starting today, you can download the FREE never-before-published Henry Parker ebook novella THE HUNTERS. This free book is available on both the Amazon Kindle and for many other ereaders and your home PC (includingthe Cooler e-reader, Sony e-reader, and the Barnes & Noble Nook)

Inside this tightly coiled package you'll get:

--THE HUNTERS: a thrilling novella that packs as much suspense and emotion into its pages as possible.

--An exclusive note from me to readers

--A "Who's Who" in the world of Henry Parker

--An exclusive excerpt from my next Henry Parker novel: THE DARKNESS.

Download THE HUNTERS for:

Amazon Kindle

PDF/Other ereaders (read this novella right from your computer screen!)

After one of the most harrowing weeks of Henry Parker's life, night has finally come. Settled in with Amanda Davies, he sleeps before preparing to chase a story alongside his mentor, Jack O'Donnell.

Meanwhile Jack sits on the other side of town, fresh out of rehab, hoping to salvage a once-great career derailed by public humiliation. This is Jack's last chance to leave his mark.

Elsewhere in the city, two killers are on the move. They are brutal, calculating, and after tonight their decade's long plan will come to fruition. But before the morning comes they have a few stops to make...

THE HUNTERS - On the Prowl November 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Coming November 1st

Meanwhile Jack sits on the other side of town, fresh out of rehab, hoping to salvage a once-great career derailed by public humiliation. This is Jack's last chance to leave his mark.

THE HUNTERS is a brand new, never-before-published novella that will be released exclusively as an ebook starting November 1st, 2009. It will be available on the Kindle, Cooler, Sony ereader, and all your favorite ereaders, as well as a digital download to read right on your computer.

I packed as much mayhem into these pages as possible, and I think you'll be shocked at just what will happen when the sun goes down...

Independent Bookstores love THE FURY and THE DARKNESS!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:20:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announce that both THE FURY and THE DARKNESS have been selected as Indiebound picks for the upcoming months.

THE FURY was named an Indie Next Notable selection for November, while THE DARKNESS is an Indie Next pick, garnering the tagline "Great Reads From Booksellers You Trust".

Independent bookstores have been incredibly supportive of my books, and I can't thank them enough for this honor. Pick up a copy of THE FURY now and THE DARKNESS on November 24th at your local independent bookstore. Visit Indiebound for info on where you can find my books, as well as great reads from your other favorite authors.

THE MARK takes down Dan Brown!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Big News:

A few days ago, THE MARK became available as a free download on the Amazon Kindle for one week (through October 5th). Well, I'm thrilled to announce that for three straight days, THE MARK, has been #1 on the Kindle bestseller charts, ahead of THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown!

That's right, the first Henry Parker novel is currently ahead of one of the biggest publishing events in history, and it's all thanks to the readers who spread the word and downloaded THE MARK to their Kindle, iPhone or iPod Touch. Thank you for making this happen, and I hope this book will whet readers' appetites for the other books in the Parker series. And here's the proof!

Read THE MARK for free!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:49:00 +0000

All this week at the Amazon Kindle store, you can download the first book in my bestselling, multi award-nominated Henry Parker series. And if you like it--there are many more to whet your thriller appetite!

Download THE MARK for free here: THE MARK download

Four Stars for THE FURY!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:01:00 +0000

From RT Book Reviews:

"A well-crafted mystery that leaves some intriguing questions unanswered, this story will whet readers' appetites for the next Parker book. As always, the hero's wisecracking first-person point of view is a highlight. Four Stars."

James Ellroy and the 5 words that inspired THE FURY

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Five words.

Five words that have stayed with me for years, always on the back burner of my brain ever since I read them in a fairly worn copy of a paperback book purchased at the Strand bookstore in New York City.

Five words that on the page seem fairly innocuous, but reading them over ten years ago inspired nearly two hundred thousand words and two books that will be published within two months of each other this Fall/Winter. These five words epitomize the depth, strength, vitality and pain I try to infuse in my books and within my characters. Five simple words.

Bud White refused to die.

When I first read James Ellroy’s L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, it was because there was a movie adaptation hitting the screen. It starred two Australians (Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce) in the role of Los Angeles cops, and I had heard terrific things about the book it was based on. The year was 1997, and I was still something of a novice when it came to crime fiction. I was not yet eighteen years old when the film came out, and my thin history with the genre was thanks solely to my father. Every week or so, he would come back with a stack of books from The Black Orchid, a lovely independent mystery bookstore on the Upper East Side, and upon finishing each tome he would pass it along to me. Needless to say in 1997, I had a lot of catching up to do.

So that year, in advance of the film release, I picked up a used copy of L.A. CONFIDENTIAL at the Strand (I could not find a new edition), took it home and sat down to read. Just a few short days later, I was done. And I was stunned. And despite the labyrinthine plot, the myriad characters all with dirt under their fingernails, and the snapshot of an era before my time taken through a cracked lens, it was these five simple words that stayed with me: Bud White refused to die.

Those words haunted and inspired me. I wanted to write a book that, like Ellroy’s could be massive and complex, yet populated by characters whose breath you could smell through the pages. A book that began with what seemed like a simple, isolated crime (in Ellroy’s book, the Nite Owl Massacre), but as you read further you realized it was simply the tip of the iceberg.

When it came time to write my fourth Henry Parker novel, I wanted to try something like what Ellroy had done: start the book with a supposed isolated crime (in my book, the murder of a good-for-nothing junkie named Stephen Gaines), that unraveled into something far more sinister. I wanted the crimes and in this book to be symptomatic of the era I lived in, as Ellroy’s’s books were. And as I began to write, I realized my saga needed to span two books.

THE FURY will be released on September 29th, and the concluding volume, THE DARKNESS, will be released on November 24th. As many of you are aware, the economy has sapped a great deal from our country, and perhaps no industry looks different now than finance. So the questions these two books asks is this: If your wealth were to simply disappear, just how far would you go to get it back? Would you lie? Would you steal? Would you kill?

These books are my ode to Mr. Ellroy’s creation, Officer Wendell White. May he never die.

Coming in November: A brand new Henry Parker ebook!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:43:00 +0000

While most of you know that I have two books coming out this Fall--THE FURY and THE DARKNESS--I'm thrilled to announce that they will be joined by a brand new, never-before-published Henry Parker ebook novella entitled THE HUNTERS. This ebook is meant as a lead-in to THE DARKNESS, which will be released on November 24th. I will release more details on this ebook shortly, but I think I packed as much suspense and more emotion into this novella as it could handle. In this ebook you will learn more about Henry, Jack and Amanda--as well as witnessing more of the terrible truth behind the enigmatic person only known as The Fury.

As we approach release day, I will let you know where you can download and read THE HUNTERS. I hope you enjoy this ebook, and may it whet your appetite for what's to come.

September 29th: THE FURY

November: THE HUNTERS

November 24th: THE DARKNESS

Library Journal raves about THE FURY!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:14:00 +0000

Pinter, Jason. The Fury. Mira. Oct. 2009. c.384p. ISBN 978-0-7783-2627-4. pap. $7.99. F
A homeless man confronts newspaper reporter Henry Parker and then runs away. Later, the police inform him that the vagrant has been murdered and that evidence points to his being Parker's brother. The idea that he had a sibling he never knew about proves too tantalizing to resist, and Parker sets out to solve the crime and confront his father. When the evidence points to his father as the killer, however, Parker must use all of the tricks of his trade to establish his father's innocence, even though he hates the man. VERDICT Pinter does it again with his fourth Henry Parker outing (after the Crimespree-nominated The Stolen), an emotional and suspenseful journey with an engaging protagonist. While this one, the first of a two-book saga, ends on an obvious note, it's still a solid page-turner that would have been worthwhile value at a hardcover price. [The second half, The Darkness, will be published in December.—Ed.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

THE STOLEN is nominated for the Shamus award!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:37:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announced that my third Henry Parker novel, THE STOLEN, has been nominated for the prestigious Shamus award. The Shamus is given out every year by the Private Eye Writers of America, and has a long and storied tradition. This is a tremendous honor, and my sincerest thanks go out to the members of PWA, and, of course to the readers. Here is the rest of the press release, which can also be found at the PWA blog:

From Ted Fitzgerald, Awards Chair:

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES
2009 SHAMUS AWARDS NOMINEES

The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) is proud to announce the nominees for the 28th annual Shamus Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The 2009 awards cover works first published in the U.S. in 2008. The awards will be presented at the PWA banquet, to be held Friday evening Oct. 16, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. For banquet details, contact Robert J. Randisi at rrandisi@aol.com.

2009 Shamus Awards Nominees

Best Hardcover
Salvation Boulevard by Larry Beinhart (Nation Books), featuring Carl Vanderveer
Empty Ever After by Reed Farrel Coleman (Bleak House Books), featuring Moe Prager
The Blue Door by David Fulmer (Harcourt), featuring Eddie Cero
The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (Wm. Morrow), featuring Ed Loy
The Ancient Rain by Domenic Stansberry (St. Martins Minotaur) featuring Dante Mancuso

Best First PI Novel
Stalking Susan by Julie Kramer (Doubleday), featuring Riley Spartz
Swann’s Last Song by Charles Salzberg (Five Star), featuring Henry Swann
The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang (Simon & Schuster), featuring Mei Wang
In the Heat by Ian Vasquez (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Miles Young
Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson (St Martins Minotaur), featuring Crispin Guest

Best Paperback Original
Snow Blind by Lori Armstrong (Medallion) featuring Julie Collins
Shot Girl by Karen Olson (Obsidian) featuring Annie Seymour
The Stolen by Jason Pinter (MIRA) featuring Henry Parker
The Black Hand by Will Thomas (Touchstone/Simon &Schuster) featuring Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn.
The Evil That Men Do by Dave White (Crown/Three Rivers Press) featuring Jackson Donne

Best Short Story
“Family Values” by Mitch Alderman (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, June 2008), featuring Bubba Simms
“Last Island South” by John C. Boland. (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sep/Oct 2008), featuring Meggie Trevor
“The Blonde Tigress” by Max Allan Collins (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, June 2008), featuring Nate Heller
“Discovery” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Nov 2008), featuring Pita Cárdenas
“Panic on Portage Path” by Dick Stodghill (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Jan/Feb 2008), featuring Jack Eddy and Bram Geary.

---------

PWA was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Randisi to recognize the private eye genre and its writers. Previous Shamus winners include Lawrence Block, Ken Bruen, Harlan Coben, Max Allan Collins, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, O’Neil deNoux, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Sue Grafton, James W. Hall, Steve Hamilton, Jeremiah Healy, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, John Lutz, Bill Pronzini, S.J. Rozan, Sandra Scoppettone and Don Winslow. P.I. Guy logo by Terry Beatty.

Why is Reed Farrel Coleman scared of Jason Pinter?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:09:00 +0000

If you watch this video, you'll see that they have a WHOLE lot in common...and you'll understand why renowned author Reed Farrel Coleman is just a little bit scared. Happy viewing!

Grand Reopening!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Today marks the official relaunch of JasonPinter.com. With the publication of two new books, THE FURY and THE DARKNESS, on the visible horizon, I thought this would be a good opportunity to start fresh, reorganize, and give readers a chance to find out more about these new books.

But enough about that...THERE ARE PRIZES TO WIN!

By clicking here, you can enter to win a smorgasbord of awesome prizes, including:

--Win a character named after you (or friend/family member of your choice) in a future Jason Pinter novel!

--A $100 gift certificate to iTunes!

--A $100 gift certificate to the bookstore of your choice!

--Signed advance copies of THE FURY and THE DARKNESS!

--In addition, 5 winners will each receive autographed copies of the first three books in the Henry Parker series (THE MARK, THE GUILTY and THE STOLEN).

To enter, click here and follow the extremely simple instructions. Good luck, happy reading, and stay tuned!

Movie Review: Funny People

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Last night I saw "Funny People," and so here is my review, done in more 'train of thought' than formal review. I will try to avoid spoiler.

--You have to start with Adam Sandler, who gives the best performance of his career, and perhaps the best of the year so far, as George Simmons. Simmons is an Adam Sandler-type guy, who started out as a stand up comedian then made it big as a movie star. He lives in a huge mansion, has every toy money can buy, and has legions of people who do whatever he asks. On the surface, he's what every young boy wants to be when they grow up. Once small difference: George Simmons is completely miserable, and is miserable to others. What makes Sandler so good is that his George is both despicable and sympathetic: he hates what his life has become, hates himself, but doesn't know how to do anything about it. He's too accustomed to living alone in his huge house with maids and revolving sexual conquests and lackeys who kneel before him. Sandler still makes goofy noises and funny faces, but there's a pathos beneath it, and an edge we've never seen before. He is the sad clown. If you're used to neutered Sandler starring in family-friendly comedies like "Big Daddy" and "Bedtime Stories," this is a whole different ballgame. Simmons is mean, ornery, and can be nasty. What makes it worse is that is nastiness comes with a smile. Let's just say my brain is still fried with the image of Sandler/Simmons having sex with a girl who doing an impression of a character from one of his movies: "Mer Man." Sandler's typical character is a man/boy who refuses to grow up, whereas in this movie he plays a man who's forgotten the wonder and happiness he had as a boy.

--The movie offers what feels like a pretty authentic look at the stand up comedy scene. Lots of young people performing for free hoping to get noticed, working crappy jobs in the interim and sleeping on friends' couches. They're hyper competitive (even though they pretend not to be), and aren't above trying to get closer to stars through ways other than their talent.

--The acting is solid, but I think Apatow needs to start casting other people in his movies. We've seen so much of Seth Rogen recently that it's hard to believe him as 'Ira Wright.' To me he's still Seth Rogen, acting in a Judd Apatow movie. Rogen is very funny, but I also think his role (as a struggling comedian who takes a job as Simmons's assistant/joke writer in the hopes that Simmons's fame will rub off on him) could have used a little more gravitas. Rogen is all wide-eyes and fart/sex jokes, which is fine, but there are scenes toward the end that needed a little more. They do smartly give Rogen's Ira something of a sweet love story, as he is smitten with a droll comedienne named Daisy (the very funny Aubrey Plaza). Their unusual courtship is far more organic than anything Rogen had with Katherine Heigl in "Knocked Up."

--My wife mentioned this last night, and she's totally on the money. Apatow's real life wife, Leslie Mann, should not have played George's love interest, aka 'The One Who Got Away'. Mann is terrific in small roles (i.e. "Knocked Up), but she just doesn't pull off a relatively complicated role that, in many ways, the film's success hinges on. Plus most people know she's Apatow's wife, and so it makes the casting decision seem inauthentic. Apatow's kids are also in the movie (as they were in "Knocked Up"), and while they're cute as buttons between them and the casting of Mann there are portions of the movie that seem remarkably self-indulgent.

--Sandler and Apatow do a great job of conveying the loneliness of celebrity, and how it can steal part of your soul. The movie opens with home videos of the real Sandler playing telephone pranks as a teenager. They're warm, funny, and joyful. Contrasting that with the sullen person George has become is a pretty remarkable transformation. George has everything and yet has nothing--he even has to pay musicians to jam with him because he has no real friends.

--There are some great cameos, including a scene with a hostile Eminem and defensive Ray Romano that had me cracking up. Yes, a scene with Eminem and Ray Romano. Together. That's the comedy equivalent of crossing the streams.

--Eric Bana, whom I normally don't care for, was actually quite good. As Mann's husband, he conveys real charisma and earthiness, perhaps because for the first time in a mainstream movie he uses his real Australian accent and can concentrate on other things. He has a real chemistry with Mann, which makes their scenes work because the audience isn't supposed to be quite sure whether they want them to end up together. Bana comes off as likable, a feat considering his character probably shouldn't be.

--As always, some of the best scenes are the supporting characters just sitting around shooting the breeze (a la the 'You know how you know you're gay' scene in "The 40-Year Old Virgin"). There's a great Thanksgiving dinner scene, some funny scenes with Rogen and Jonah Hill, and Jason Schwartzmann (another actor I haven't cared for in the past) does a funny turn as a young comedian who's found a modicum of fame on a terrible sitcom, and is more than happy to shove it in his friends' faces while using his 'celebrity' to his advantage.

--In the end, this movie is worth seeing for several reasons. Yes, it is too long by half an hour. Yes, the second half feels as much like an Apatow family reunion. But Sandler's performance is truly wonderful, and he deserves to be an early candidate for awards consideration. Though the movie is very long, it does make you laugh constantly and consistently, and even though we've seen Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen in seemingly every movie for the past two years, they're prolific for a reason: They're both darn funny. This is Apatow's most mature, heartfelt and personal movie ever, and thankfully he has a foil in Adam Sandler who gives a heartbeat to it. His character has a mean streak, a nasty edge, that I've never seen Sandler possess before. I can't imagine this movie being half as good without him.

THE STOLEN is Nominated for a CrimeSpree Award!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:46:00 +0000

I woke up this morning to find out that THE STOLEN had been nominated for a CrimeSpree award! Naturally I'm thrilled about this. And the reason I use the word 'had' instead of 'has' is because it's not too often you learn that you were nominated for an award and lost it on the same day. Guess it saves the anxiety of waiting.

Thanks to the good folks at CrimeSpree and the people who voted, and my heartiest congratulations to all the winners and nominees. There are some great books and great authors on this list, and it's cool just to be a part of it. Check out the full list of winners and nominees over at the CrimeSpree blog.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:42:00 +0000

G.I. Joe: The Movie

The Anatomy of Creating Anti-Buzz

(with an update written on 8/4/09--see end of post)

There's some bad buzz going around for the big screen adaptation of the popular cartoon show. I was a HUGE G.I. Joe fan growing up. Can't say I was thrilled to hear they were making a movie, but the first "Transformers" was far better than I expected. Anyway, when I saw the trailer my thought was, "Ugh...this looks terrible."

Now, I'm not a snob, and in fact I enjoyed "The Mummy" (also directed by Stephen Sommers). As we saw with "Iron Man" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" a really good trailer gets people juiced for the film (the IM trailer was so good that The Onion worried about stretching it out to feature film length). So here is a total breakdown of why the G.I. Joe trailer does not work. Here is the actual trailer, so you can follow along at home:

0:11 - Reveal of an underground lair that looks less like 'Cool and ominous' and more like 'Spongebob Squarepants'.

0:15 - Action Movie Cliche #1: Generic bad guy with unidentifiable accent saying, "I want the warheads ready to launch in one hour." Wait, why does that sound familiar...oh yeah!

Dr. Evil: "Here's the plan...we get the warhead and we hold the world ransom for...one million dollars!"

0:19 - Action Movie Cliche 2: Evil guy, over scenes of cartoonish effects and earth-boring drills: "When I'm finished, the world will never forget." Hey, you know who else used drills to deliver their warheads? DR. EVIL!!!!

0:30 - What looks like stock footage of warheads being fired. (wait, what was the point of the drills if they just launch the rockets into the air?)

0:36 - Rocket hits the Eiffel tower. And no, it's not an explosive warhead, it's...green gunk? Ectoplasm? Regardless, the problem with this scene is that in this Michael Bay movie world, we've seen the destruction of so many landmarks, and done with such better effects than in this scene. The effects in this scene are so bad that they look like a spoof of a Michael Bay movie (more than one person has commented that this movie looks like "Team America" only done with real actors. You're practically waiting for the Eiffel Tower to fall onto the Louvre)

0:52 - Action Movie Cliche #3: Dennis Quaid (in total paycheck mode) says, "We have never faced a threat like this."

0:57 - Action Movie Cliche #4: Quaid: "A team is being assembled." (Seriously, could Quaid sound any more weary or any less interested in his dialogue?)

1:00 - Action Movie Cliche #5: Quaid (again...sense a pattern?): "They are the best operatives in the world." (of course they are...sigh...of course they are)

1:03 - Action Movie Cliche #6: Quaid (good lord, how did he say these lines with a straight face?): "When all else fails...we don't."

1:10 - The Best Operatives in the World are given 'Accelerator Suits'. "What do they accelerate?" Duke asks. "You," replies the random in-charge dude.

Now, here's my biggest problem with this movie. In the cartoons, G.I. Joe wore uniforms that were colorful, camouflaged, patriotic. In the movie, they're jet black. No personality, nothing identifiable whatsoever.

Cartoon Duke vs. Movie Duke

Cartoon Hawk vs. Movie Hawk

Cartoon Ripcord vs. Movie Ripcord

Cartoon Baroness vs. Movie Baroness

My assumption? The studio (or other suits) felt that making a movie that was 'Too American' might hurt overseas box office. Problem is, now you have a movie that's bland as can be. Can you imagine if Iron Man's suit was black? Or if Optimus Prime was a rusty gray? These characters became popular for a reason, and the movie is just washing that out. What's the point of making a G.I. Joe movie if it has nothing to do with the cartoon? In fact, without the end credits to tell you the title of this movie, you would never have any idea it was even created in the same universe as the cartoon.

1:25 - After a few decent-looking action snippets, we launch right back into Action Movie Cliche #7: Quaid: "This is General Hawk. Mission is a go." (Of course it is! If it wasn't, we wouldn't have a movie! And what the hell is their mission? Stop the bad guy? Pick up some Lunchables?)

1:34 - Action Movie Cliche #8: Duke yelling, "Go go go!"

1:45 - Action Movie Cliche #9: Scarlett O'Hara: "We're running out of time!" (followed by Ripcord's plane getting ensnared by that cheesy green ectoplasm. Seriously, "Ghostbusters" came out in 1984 and their slime was more realistic)

1:58 - Even the G.I. Joe logo is now bland and devoid of personality!

Cartoon Logo vs. Movie Logo

2:01 - Action Movie Cliche #10: Baroness: "This has only just begun." (Mercy, I beg of you...)

2:06 - The trailer's 'Money Shot': Two completely unidentifiable guys (guys? girls? who can tell?) dodging a missile by doing all sorts of acrobatic maneuvers that look as realistic as Joan Rivers's face.

So let's analyze why this trailer sucks:

#1: For the most part, the special effects look cheesy and cartoonish compared to movies like "Transformers" and "Iron Man".

#2: G.I. Joe became popular for a reason. Kids loved the uniforms, the characters, the personalities. In this trailer, nobody is identified, nobody has any personalities, and all the uniforms are stark black. Hence at the end, when the two uniformed guys are hurtling through the air, you have no idea who they are. They could even be bad guys since everyone in the movie seems to have been tailored by Darth Vader. I mean, the G.I. Joe theme was one of the most recognizable cartoon themes of all time. (G.I. Joe! The real American Hero...) At least in their movie the Transformers still made that cool noise when they changed into cars and back.

#3: And perhaps the most egregious...there is not a single line of dialogue in this trailer that doesn't come from the moldy Action Movie Cliche book. Seriously, every single line of dialogue is groan-worthy, and delivered with a complete lack of emotion. You can almost sense the shame in the voice of Dennis Quaid (an underrated actor) when he delivers such ludicrous bon mots. And what's the point of having Marlon Wayans? Marlon is a terrific comedic actor who has also had one fantastic, award-worthy serious role (in "Requiem for a Dream" - one of my all-time favorite movies). But here? He has no funny lines, and does nothing of note. Other than Quaid, he's the most recognizable actor here, yet he does nothing except allow the audience to say, "hey, I know him!"

In the end, the trailer looks cheesy, bland and stupid. Now the movie might be a totally different experience (I doubt it, but let's give them a chance), but they could not have gotten people less excited than if they had a monkey fling feces at the audience during the trailer.

UPDATE: 8/4/09

Shockingly (or perhaps not), G.I. JOE seems to actually be getting some pretty good buzz. The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are pretty darn positive, and it appears G.I. JOE might be more "The Mummy" than "The Mummy 2". Still doubt I'll see it, but I will happily be proven wrong in my early assessments of the film's quality. Still, this not does detract from the fact that the trailer sucks, and if the movie is in fact good then whoever put the trailer together did the movie a great disservice.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:03:00 +0000

New Interview

Last month I did an interview with the Waterstone's website for THE STOLEN, but we touched on a number of topics. For Yankees, Waterstone's is basically the Barnes & Noble of the UK.

The interview can be read here. (Scroll about halfway down the page)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:20:00 +0000

THE DARKNESS

coming December 1st, 2009

So here it is at long last, the final cover for the second of my two books coming out this year, THE DARKNESS. Along with THE FURY (in stores 10/01/09), THE DARKNESS makes up one massive storyline covering two books that will change Henry Parker's life forever.

I'm incredibly proud of these two books, how they feel both intimate yet something on a large scale. They are ripped from today's headlines, yet are based on historical events that present a frightening 'What If?' scenario that may already be taking place.

For fans of the whole Henry Parker series, THE FURY and THE DARKNESS are the most explosive, personal and timely books yet. For newcomers, this is a two-part story that will hopefully rock your world and serve as a thrilling introduction to the series.

This two-part story was inspired by James Ellroy's brilliant masterpiece L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, for reasons that I will happily go into as we approach publication date. I'm not going to post the official description quite yet, but I will leave you with this small teaser...

What happens when a city on the brink--finally gets pushed over the edge?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Who Doesn't Get It?

I woke up early this morning, flipped on ESPN and caught the tail end of "The Sports Reporters." I enjoy the show--despite it often coming off as preachy--but something Mitch Albom said caught my attention. During his final monologue, Albom discussed the death of Walter Cronkite. In doing so, Albom stated that young people "Don't see what the big deal is" about the legendary newsman.

Now, at 29 I'm not quite sure I can still consider myself--or speak for--'young people', but that didn't stop me from finding Albom's remarks incredibly condescending. I'm sure if you asked Albom what his kids thought about Cronkite, he would say they had tremendous reverence and respect for the man. So the 'young people' Albom is talking about are not his kids, they're yours or even perhaps you.

First of all, I think young people have as much respect for Cronkite--who came to prominence decades before people my age were even born--as you can have for someone whom you did not personally witness at the peak of their career. Naturally there will be something of a disconnect, likely the same way Albom's parents didn't see what the big deal was about Elvis or Woodstock. I have tremendous respect for Cronkite, but he declared his retirement in 1980, when I was exactly one year old, and he began anchoring the CBS evening news in 1962, 17 years before I was born. The vast majority of my knowledge about Cronkite comes from reading about him after the fact, yet I absolutely do know why he is a 'big deal'. And if you take a cursory glance over at his mentions on Twitter, a great many people from my generation revere the man's career and his influence.

Second, I guarantee Albom's statement was not made after polling hundreds of young people (and what age does the term 'young people' encompass? 18? 25? 38? 6? I picture Albom as the judge from 'My Cousin Vinny' asking, "What is a yout?"). It was made from of a feeling of superiority that he understands the significance of Cronkite's life whereas all these stupid little kids--what with their Xboxes and their Beyonces and their YouTubes--do not. Here's the thing: if people who grew up with Cronkite and understand his significance take the time to explain his legacy to those who did not witness it, odds are they would respect the man. Now, I respect what Albom has done in terms of philanthropy and I happen to think he's a pretty good sportswriter. But if these young people Albom refers to don't see what the big deal is, it is not their fault but the fault of those in Albom's generation who failed to teach them.

The bottom line is this: young people look up to those who speak to them, not at them. And by making such a silly, contrived, out-of-touch statement, I dare say that Albom is the one who doesn't get it.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Free as a (Jail) Bird:

Why crime and genre conventions should be free for anyone under 18

When I was growing up, my family lived just a few blocks from the renowned Black Orchid bookstore. My father was a voracious crime fiction reader, and every few weeks he would come home with a bag full of books recommended by Bonnie and Joe. Once he was finished, he would pass them along to me, and I would dive right in. This is where I developed my love of the genre, became fascinated with many of my idols, and became a full-fledged lover of crime writing.

I would have loved to have been able to go to a conference to meet many of these men and women who created the characters and stories I so dearly loved. And I was far the only kid my age who would have done the same. I would have loved to go to a ThrillerFest. Bouchercon. Sleuthfest. Left Coast Crime. If I was a teenager today, sadly it would not even be a possibility. And for thousands of kids who love crime fiction, they're left on the outside looking in.

Between hotel, airfare, conference registration and other incidentals, crime conferences are going to run you upwards of $1,000. Few people have that kind of disposable income, and even fewer young people. And so as much as I love being at book conferences, I can't help but notice that the average age of the attendees tends to veer to the older side. This is not because only older readers read crime fiction, it's because they're the ones who can afford to actually meet their favorites writers while attending informative panels. I think this needs to change immediately.

Young readers are the future. They're our future. I guarantee if we make an effort to attract middle school and high school kids to our conferences, they'd be reading our books for decades. They would spread the world among their friends. Maybe they would recommend a George Pelecanos or Laura Lippman book to their friends along with Stephenie Meyer. Which is why I propose that anybody under the age of 18 should be granted free registration to book conferences.

I understand that there are costs involved with putting on a book conference, and many of those costs are defrayed by the registration fee. But I'd be shocked if you couldn't find a willing publisher (or author) who was willing to cover the costs.

Crime fiction needs to replenish its ranks. Promoting literacy should not only be in the hands of a few authors who have the resources to fund organizations and donate large sums of money. There are thousands, if not millions of eager readers out there who would lose their minds if given the chance to meet Lee Child, Sandra Brown, David Baldacci, Brad Meltzer, James Patterson and Clive Cussler. These readers would be thrilled to meet their favorite writers, and eager to find new authors to devour. We have simply priced these readers out. If we don't make a concerted effort to bring younger readers into the fold, we'll lose them altogether. We need to go out of our way to attract young readers to our festivals.

Let me repeat that: we need to go out of our way to attract young readers to our festivals.

Members of International Thriller Writers have sold over a billion books. Mystery Writers of America is one of the oldest and most prestigious writer organizations in the world. RWA and RT have some of the most fun and innovative conventions in the world. Sometimes these facts are lost on us. They are not lost on young readers.

Let anybody under 18 register free for our conferences. Let's make an effort to open up our worlds to them. And I guarantee you, many of them will never, ever want to leave.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 18:34:00 +0000

Live Tweeting the Thriller Awards

Thriller fans - I am planning to live Tweet tonight at the banquet for the Thriller Awards, presented by International Thriller Writers. Hopefully I can do this without drawing the ire of many people who know all sorts of ingenious ways to kill someone and dispose of their body.

You can follow my Twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/jasonpinter.