Hi, Ed. I'm really enjoying the blog. On American playwrights: I still like Williams and Miller, agree with you on O'Neill, interested in your enthusiasm for Odets. Many years ago I saw a production of Awake and Sing at a seaside theatre in West Los Angeles. Sal Mineo and Herschel Bernardi starred in it, and I remember it being impressive, but I don't think I've ever seen another play of his staged. Great piece by Stephen Marlowe on his collaboration with Prather, who was probably an underrated writer--I haven't read any books by him in years but have hung onto them based on fond memories, and I certainly will read the current reprint from Hard Case.
We all know titles can't be copyrighted, but aren't there some titles that are too famous to be legitimately reused? I got a reading copy of a forthcoming romantic suspense novel from Tor (scheduled for July publication) with the title Kiss Me Deadly, by Susan Kearney. Besides being a familiar Spillane title, KMD was made into a film considered a minor classic even by some who didn't admire Spillane as a writer. (Sort of like naming a racehorse Man 'O War or Secretariat, which by the way the racing powers that be would never allow.) Anyway, wouldn't the romantic suspense reader find the title off-putting--or isn't the title as generally familiar as I think it is? Pardon me while I go put the finishing touches on The Great Gatsby.
All the best,
Jon
jonbreen@earthlink.net
What a coincidence. Not more than an hour ago I read Jon's review of my book in EQMM. Thank ghu he gave it a thumbs up, which I greatly appreciate. And I agree that some titles ought not to be used more than once. I can imagine the howl that would go up among the romantic suspense crowd if someone called her book Gone With the Wind.
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