I’m in the beginning stages of the next book and I’ve found myself thinking about success, specifically what it takes. I believe there are three elements you can control: quantity (try a lot of things), quality (make each effort count), consistency (keep trying). Plus, one thing you don’t have too much control over: a little luck. Then again, if you keep taking quality shots over a long period of time, you definitely increase the odds of a few bounces going your way.

Here are 3 crime fiction links, 2 quotes, and 1 question for this week:

 

3 LINKS

• As the days get shorter and cooler and the calendar inches toward October, I find my reading appetite for horror growing. I thought this was a good list that went beyond the usual horror/supernatural titles. BuzzFeed goes beyond King and Koontz to look at 10 international horror novels every fan should read.

• I miss going to library or book store and just luxuriating in all the books. I’ll have to make do with anticipating the upcoming titles online. Not quite as good. ABR looks at the most anticipated upcoming fall books, including Penny, Galbraith (reception should be interesting), Child brothers, and READY PLAYER TWO.
  

• The con or heist movie might be my favorite type of escapist film. Crime Reads explores all the reasons that THE STING has never been topped as the best of that genre. Hard to argue. Everything is so good, from the direction, the acting, to the rusty, olde tyme color palette.
  

 

2 QUOTES

Two quotes from George Roy Hill’s 1973 Oscar winner this week:

• Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly; how does he do it?

  Johnny Hooker: He cheats.

   

• Johnny Hooker: He’s not as tough as he thinks.

  Henry Gondorff: Neither are we.

 

1 QUESTION

• What is your favorite heist or con man? Is it a classic like The Sting or something more modern like Catch Me If You Can? Or something more obscure like The Brothers Bloom?
  

 

Until next Thursday, happy reading,

Mike

Author the Max Strong thriller series