Lunch

We had a three hour lunch with Barb and Al (Max) Collins and Marthayn Peligrimas and Bob Randisi. One of the highlights of my year, no kidding. We laughed about everything except the publishing business. Not much to laugh about there. We're among the lucky ones with work. Many of our friends who started out in the late seventies and early eighties have long left the writing field. The Private Eye Writers of America did a roast of Bob, I got to hear many of the stories told about him. I kicked in a few of my own. Bob has just finished the screenplay based on his first (and very popular) Rat Pack novel about Sinatra and the boys in `60s Vegas. Barb brought the new hardcover she'd done with Al, a really sly wry traditional about the antiques business. Carol talked about the novel she's working on--her best (I've read a big chunk of it). I'm hoping Marthayn has a story for m to read when and if we sell the next Year's Best. I say what I always say about Al--the funniest guy I've ever known. He talked about writing the The Goliath Bone, his collaboration with Mickey Spillane. In my review here I mentioned how it managed to be compelling in a modern way but also nostalgic for people who grew up on Mickey. Wish I had a day like this once a week.