Friday, August 13, 2021

Quantum Leap, Perry Mason, and Baseball



HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Okay, we LOVE having new guests on Jungle Red. And sometimes we introduce them, with much fanfare and admiration. Sometimes we simply say: take it away, new guest!


But today--something completely different. I was researching Scott Shepherd, whose amazing thriller THE LAST COMMANDMENT is out right now, and I found an article where he was interviewed.

So, then, Reds and Readers, my jaw hit the floor. And I thought--you know? I’ll let my pals here on JRW have the fun of meeting him the same way. (And then read his wonderful post, and see an amazing photo.)

So lean in toward your screen, and read this. Whoa.

“Q. Hollywood can be tough but you’ve had a very successful career running hit shows like The Dead Zone, The Equalizer, Miami Vice and Quantum Leap. How did you end up in the entertainment industry to begin with?

SCOTT SHEPHERD: Like I mentioned, I was raised in a Hollywood family – going back three generations to the 1920’s. My father, Richard Shepherd was a producer (films like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “The Hunger”), an agent (he started CMA), and ran a couple of studios (Warners and MGM). My maternal grandfather, William Goetz started 20th Century Fox, ran Universal and was a prolific producer of films including “Sayonara”.

And his father-in-law, my grandmother’s father, was Louis B. Mayer who made more hits than one could count – so I grew up seeing those kind of stories. With all of them being producers, I wanted to distinguish myself for my own work—thus became a writer.

For my first decade in the business, I didn’t really talk about my family, wanting to be accepted on my own terms. Two dozen TV shows later and four times as many scripts, well, it’s a legacy I’m still trying to embrace but certainly willing to talk about because there are a ton of interesting stories. "

HANK: I know this is NOT the most amazing thing about the above, not by any means, but may I just say--QUANTUM LEAP? One of my favorite shows of all time. Oh. Thank you, Scott.

And now, Reds and readers, here’s more from our amazing guest.

And I’ll give a copy of THE LAST COMMANDMENT to one lucky commenter!


IT’S NOT A RADIO SHOW


by Scott Shepherd


I’ve always loved mystery books and thrillers. It started with my paternal grandmother bringing me a couple of Hardy Boy books on her twice-a-year visits to California from Kansas City. I gobbled them up and always loved the last page which teed up their next adventure – “Frank and Joe didn’t know it but soon they’d be caught up in The Mystery of the Old Mill.”

Scott's actual books!

This led to reading Erle Stanley Gardner’s Perry Mason books and then Ross MacDonald where I completely embraced this art form. Decades later I’ve collected close to ten thousand of them, always intending to write a series of my own.

But you might say I got derailed by television.

No real complaints. In three decades plus, I’ve worked on over two dozen series and been the show-runner on half of them. But it didn’t stop me reading the books I adored. And nothing compared to getting to work with writers I admired over the years – Stephen King, Karin Slaughter, and Harlan Coben to name a few—and adapting their tales for television.

As a result, a funny thing happened. Being someone who really never outlined much, as structure was something that came fairly easily (thank you reading tons of detective fiction and plotting out TV dramas), I was suddenly writing thirty to forty page outlines in prose, basically novellas that turned into the scripts we shot.

So, a few years back, encouraged by my novelist friends, I rolled up my sleeves and took a stab at finally writing a book. Two of them actually, that both sold—but neither in my beloved mystery/thriller field. Looking back, I think I was wondering if I could make that transition from television to mainstream fiction before attempting it.

I got enough positive feedback that I finally decided to try my hand at an idea that had been a movie in my head for close to thirty years. And thus, The Last Commandment was born – the first in a series of mystery novels.

Now, with the book being released this July, and its sequel (Till Death) in the pipeline for the summer of 2022, I realize I’ve reached a logical moment in my career—embracing the type of books I’ve read my entire life by learning my craft working on television shows with characters we invited into our homes each week. Much like our favorite authors serve up an annual dish featuring their beloved protagonists to avid readers like myself.

Except there were distinctive differences between the two mediums.

Photo courtesy: Brad Mitchell Cohen

I’ve often said, that if I were to write my autobiography about writing for television, it would be entitled It’s Not a Radio Show.

The first thing I realized about writing a novel was that it is a radio show. Description was suddenly my ally—and part of my job was to utilize all five senses for the reader, not just relying on sight and sound.

Then, there’s football versus baseball. Why suddenly bring up sports, you ask? Because I came to think of writing for television as an NFL game—there’s a timed structure to it. Four quarters, sixty minutes, the game plays out under those strict parameters—much like how a television show is under a similar constraint of time. Your characters have to do something that feels genuine but fits in between commercials or a given limit of minutes.

Novels, on the other hand, resemble a baseball game. It starts when it starts, and ends when it ends.It might be a tight pitcher’s duel that is over before you know it. A slugfest that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Or it might go into extra innings, with a slew of additional pages that keep you wondering when an unexpected denouement will finally occur. Time is actually your friend.

Luckily, I’m a fan of both sports—so there’s room in my life for both.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret. As a lifelong ardent Dodger fan, I’ve been hooked on baseball ever since I was a toddler and saw my idol Sandy Koufax pitch a perfect game. And I’ve had a love affair with the mystery novel for just as long.

It’s always nice when things come full circle.

I know I’d be more than happy if it was baseball season on the radio all year long.


HANK: Oh, you ALL! SO much in here! The Hardy Boys--did you read those? And I grew up watching Perry Mason on TV--my lawyer-dad would not let us say a word while Perry was on. Baseball! Love baseball. (I’m in Boston, after all.)

And so much to learn from television--I would not be an author without having written TV news stories for the past forty years.

And did I mention how much I love Quantum Leap?

So, Reds and Readers, what was your favorite element of his blog? And what should we ask Scott? (Sounds like he knows about exactly the stuff we care about, right?) Pssst: Ask him about Bruce Springsteen.

And a copy of The Last Commandment to one lucky commenter!

***************

Here’s where we usually put a bit about the book and a bio. But instead, I really want you to hear it from Scott himself. So here’s more of that interview. 

Q. How did the idea to write a mystery based on the Ten Commandments (now titled THE LAST COMMANDMENT) come about?




SCOTT: Strangely enough, I’ve had this particular idea in my head for close to thirty years – where it started out as a movie –with two cops (Scotland Yard and NYPD) being fish out water with a really cool girl in between them. I wanted something to drive the story, a puzzle of some sort, and at some point, someone the two of them would go after together – and the Ten Commandments appeared in my head. By the time I decided to turn it into a novel, I didn’t have much more – just the first murder in the book – and well, the last.

Q. Do you base your characters on people you know or are they entirely fictional?

SCOTT: The three characters in this book series are pretty much fictional, but have some aspects that I’ve drawn on from my life. Grant, at 60, has the perspective that I do now at that age – so a lot of what he thinks and feels comes from there.

Also, one of the first TV series I did was “The Equalizer” and the lead in that show, the late Edward Woodward was wonderful and I have to admit that Grant is easy to write for me, because I could so see Edward, god rest his soul, doing it such justice.

Rachel and Frankel on the other hand are a sort of representation of me and my wife’s courtship and relationship back thirty years ago – although neither one of us is a journalist or a cop. But I’ve stolen (or paid homage) from us for sure.

85 comments:

  1. Any character that is reminiscent of Edward Woodward has to be simply amazing . . . and, so, yet another book to add to my teetering to-be-read pile [and it makes my heart smile to see your books, Scott . . . it’s good to know there are others who have books piled everywhere]. Perhaps you’d tell us a bit more about “The Last Commandment?”

    Okay, I’ll bite . . . what about Bruce Springsteen?

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    1. Yes, tell, we need to hear ALL about it! Perfect, Joan!

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  2. I don't know what to be gobsmacked by first. The Hollywood royalty that is his family or Quantum Leap? I know that you have done lots more than Quantum Leap, Scott, but, like Hank, I'm head over heels for Quantum Leap. It's one of my favorite shows of my TV watching history, and since I'm 67, that's a lot of history. And, I love seeing the picture of your books. I wish there was a close-up though, as it looks like you might have some other items with them, what I call quirky cool items, what other people call toys. I remember when my son was high school or college buying him a Shrek character for fun, but somehow it never got to my son. My kids still laugh at me about that.

    I saw The Last Commandment mentioned somewhere else today, and as so often happens, here you and it are on Jungle Reds. I know it has to be a great read (refer back to awesome link to Quantum Leap). I would also love to hear more about it.

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    1. SOmehow it never got there, hmmm? xxx

      And yes, I wll also confess to scouring that photo!

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  3. The Last Commandment sounds very interesting. I will have to add it to my TBR pile. Interesting childhood and family, but what about Bruce Springsteen???

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  4. How perfect that you finally have come around to writing the kind of books you love! Congratulations. And no big secret, it took many of us many years to end up doing exactly that. You are not alone.

    Like you, our friend Ellen Byron wrote for television (sit coms, I think) for several decades - and now writes mysteries. I'll be sure she pops in here today to exchange stories with you.

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    1. Also, I saw the Beatles in Dodger Stadium. Later, for being a top high school student, I got free tickets to a game where Sandy Coufax pitched (I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley)!

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    2. Another also, and then I'll shut up, I grew up in a house full of mystery novels. Perry Mason was a favorite of my mother's.

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    3. We started watching old Perry Masons during the pandemic! VERY intersting now!

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  5. So let's recap, shall we? Scott worked on Quantum Leap and The Equalizer (among other shows), likes baseball and Bruce Springsteen and has written a mystery novel?

    Man, if he didn't sound like the coolest guy around, I think I'd kind of hate him. LOL!

    But seriously, the hook has been baited and I'm definitely going to have to read THE LAST COMMANDMENT.

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    1. I SO agree! (And that's why I wanted you to hear it first hand.) What was it about Quantum Leap that was so amazing? It was truly unique..so clever, and so intelligent, and so wry and well-written.

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  6. Welcome Scott! We're so pleased and honored to have you here. Congratulations--sounds you peaked at exactly the right moment to write a mystery. (And yes, I stole all my brother's Hardy boys and read them after I'd finished my Nancy Drew.)

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    1. I never got The Hardy Boys. I really tried.

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    2. I hope your brother stole your Nancy Drews!

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    3. Lucy, can you believe that I did not start reading the Hardy Boys until recently? I discovered them at my library before the pandemic and read a few. I remember reading the Nancy Drew books after my grandfather bought me a year's gift subscription to the Book Club where we got two books in one every month. It was a Christmas / birthday gift (my birthday and Christmas were within a month of each other!).

      Diana

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  7. Love the analogy to football and baseball to TV and books/radio. Never thought of it that way before, but it's so true. My husband is a documentary filmmaker, and has had to work with those same time restraints, both in his writing and in the timing of scenes. I can't wait to talk to him about this. Your writing also sounds like the type of reading he enjoys.

    Scott, you ARE the coolest guy around! (Quantam Leap was utterly brilliant, full stop.) Sounds like everything you've done up to this point has prepared you for this purpose, writing a crime novel series. I wish you great success, and look forward to meeting Grant, Rachel, and Frankel.

    And oh, yes, I loved the Hardy Boys, even more than Nancy Drew (shh, I know, that might be heresy).

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    1. Yes, the baseball analogy is SO perfect! Even to the twist endings!

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  8. I loved those analogies, too! A perfect way to explain the differences and maybe why I prefer books to movies and TV although I grant you they do have their place! But now, Scott, I want to read The Last Commandment and then it will be like a movie in my head, so all bases are covered!

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    1. Oh, exactly! I am reading it right now, and it moves SO fast!

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  9. Welcome Scott. I'm sitting here imagining Thanksgiving dinners with your family! What a lot of stories to tell

    I lived in Long Beach and LA for about ten years, and it wasn't unusual to see a celebrity, but the closest I came was -- HIPPA be damned, didn't exist at the time -- was knowing Swifty Lazar in his declining days. We called him Uncle Irving.

    Bruce Springsteen? Spill please.

    Ann

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    1. I grew up in the Pasadena area, Ann, and went to college in Orange County. Where I worked in Newport Beach, I once pumped Buddy Ebsen's gas!

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    2. Wow Edith! Did he tip you?

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    3. Yes, what an image with the Thanksgiving dinner! SO funny.

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  10. Congratulations on your debut release! I love the sports analogies, but what about soccer? Structured game, two 45-minute halves plus overtime is a tight structure...until someone is fouled in the box and scores a penalty kick, or in tournament play, a tied score leads to overtime and penalty kicks, which in theory can go on forever.

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    1. Oh, big conflict, surprise ending, big climax, and then..the emotional aftermath. Yes!

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  11. Perry Mason, love him. So about Bruce Springsteen?

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  12. Oh, yes, Quantum Leap - doesn't get any better. Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell. Perfect casting. Who would play Grant, Rachel and Frankel? And would it be a movie or television series?

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  13. Ah, QUANTUM LEAP and Perry Mason . . . fond memories of watching, but even better, baseball on radio, not for me, but memories of my dad listening to the games in the yard. <3

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  14. Scott, welcome to JRW and congratulations on The Last Commandment. It's super exciting for me to read the first book in a new series when it comes out because most of the time I'm reading to catch up. The football - baseball analogy is perfect. From now on, I'll always think of TV shows that way.

    Your family history is full of legends and stories. Did your father and grandfather share stories with you? There must have been hundreds of actors and others they could have dished about at Thanksgiving. What was that like?

    I love that you have used your wife and your story in this book. And your detective, modeled after Edward Woodward is thoroughly enticing. I am off to look for this book. (Hank, right now!)

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  15. So intriguing, thanks Hank and welcome Scott - what a back story. Growing up across the Pond I read Enid Blyton, the Famous Five, and Timmy the dog. No Nancy Drew but I started on mysteries early in my teen years with the classic English writers. I would love to visit your library. I also didn’t have access to American TV until I moved here, but no TV but didn’t own one till 1970, so one of my joys on JRW is looking back vicariously on others childhood media experiences. Though I did see some Perry Mason shows somehow. There may be some Florida wish in me as I loved John D. MacDonalds books and was a huge fan of Miami Vice; those gorgeous ice cream suits and the guys wearing them. Scott, your comment on the link between books and radio needing to appeal to the five senses is so true. I grew up with radio and books. Still happiest with a book though I love television too. Congratulations on the publication of The Last Commandment, I went down the Google rabbit hole trying to see if I remembered the 10 accurately and got more than I bargained for. So, Covert, is the key. Now I must read it.

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    1. Oh, I wonder if I can remember...hmm...
      I'd adore to hear more about Miami Vice, too, somehow I was working too hard (?) when that was on, and missed the wave.

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    2. Celia, I loved Miami Vice, too. It was so gorgeous, and pretty ground breaking for television, I think, in the production values. And those guys in the ice cream suits.... How did you miss it, Hank?

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    3. Oh dear I spelt covet wrong or that nasty correct thing happened!

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    4. In THE CRUCIBLE, the covet one tripped John Proctor up, reminded by his long-suffering wife . . . who also warned him of "the promise made in such an act" unspoken but real to a young girl. A student wrote all 10 on a poster as her project on the play, highlighting the troublesome one, and we left it up all year. I occasionally had to explain that the no prayer, no preaching rule in public education didn't mean we couldn't discuss aspects in literature or history. We could talk about Job's patience and the promise of the rainbow to Noah . . . and I was on very safe ground, as I included all different mythologies in my storytelling. When a teacher said no Christmas stories in her classroom (on Dec. 21) I said, no problem, myths: Pandora (do not open), Persephone (winter) . . .

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  16. Congratulations on The Last Commandment which sounds intriguing and captivating. What a wonderful background and such stories to tell. Since I grew up in the 1950's Perry Mason was a show which I watched and enjoyed. What plots and acting. Best wishes.

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    1. Yes, you can still watch it now. It's fascinating! We see it so differently now.

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  17. Quantum Leap and Perry Mason were favorites and are missed. Congratulations on the release of The Last Commandment. I read to escape. When I was young Anne of Green Gables, Nancy Drew, and many Raymond Chandler novels. I look forward to reading your novel.

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  18. I once heard a late-night talk show host speaking of Edward Woodward. He said his name was pronounced "Edwood Woodwood". And I've never been able to forget that.

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    1. Oh, that is a wonderful memory! And adorable.

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    2. Have to admit that is how I say Edward! But it's hard to take the Brit out of this girl, even after 53 years away.

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  19. I imagine between you and your family you've got lots of great stories from over the years. And I love your book collection- looks kind of like mine but I wish I had the space you do!
    Congrats on The Last Commandment. It's sounds pretty interesting, I'll have to check it out.

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  20. Congratulations, Scott, on making the transition from the collaborative effort that is film to the solo effort that is squeezing a novel out of your imagination. It takes a whole different set of skills, and is a transition not easily made. The good part is that you have complete creative control. The bad part is you don't have the input of an actor or director who may interpret as line wholly differently from the way you imagined it, and you might just think, "I never thought of saying/doing it that way, maybe it's better?" Did you miss that input?

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  21. Perry Mason? Yes. The Hardy Boys? Absolutely. Quantum Leap? Oh yes! Edward Woodward? Mmmmmm, yes! Preaching to the choir so far. Your book cover says An Austin Grant of Scotland Yard Novel. So will The Last Commandment be the first of many in a new series?

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  22. I never thought about the baseball analogy, but it's absolutely perfect. I wish I had known about it when I would have conversations with Ross:
    "When will you be done with the book?"
    "I don't know. When the story ends."
    "And when does it end?"
    "I don't know. I'll see when I get there."

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  23. Thank you, Hank and everyone else for the kind words -- and yes, Bruce Springsteen is a huge influence for sure!

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    1. SUCH a terrific essay...and wow, you must come back and tell us more! xx

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  24. Okay -- a little context about Bruce. I first saw him here in LA at the Roxy in 1975 as a teenager and was immediately blown away. He would say that he wanted to sing like Roy Orbison, sound like Phil Spector's Wall of Sound, and write like Dylan -- and it was the latter more than anything that helped shape me a writer myself and has come such an influence. Having seen him over 300 times in concert, my wife and I have traveled all over the world to go to shows, she'll tell you, the only pre-nup we had was that if Bruce plays, off we go. The lyric in "Adam Raised a Cain" -- "we're born into this life paying for the sins of someone else's past" is a benchmark for anything noir and I often quote as an inspiration to what I love to write about and finds its way into most of my work. Bruce even makes an appearance in "The Last Commandment" and John Frankel is a die-hard fan, something that I continue to harp on in future books. If one looks at the dedications in my three books -- all are to my wife Holly with a Bruce song title included -- ("To Holly -- "She's the One", "My Beautiful Reward", and to "With who there is never a Lonesome Day"). One other tidbit -- my first novel -- "Descending Son" -- a noir book that becomes something else entirely -- the title comes from the song Bruce wrote for Patti Smith -- "Because the Night" and the lyric, "take me now as the sun descends". As Hank suggests, I could talk about Bruce for hours -- another article maybe??

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    1. Scott, you must have seen Blinded by the Light, the film made from Sarfraz Manzoor's memoir Greetings from Bury Park, about growing up as a British Pakistani Springsteen fan in Luton in the 80s. It's just brilliant.

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    2. Oh, welcome welcome--and yes yes yes, any time! I saw Bruce the first time in Atlanta in he 80's and we were all standing and singing the entire time. EVERY word. Oh Sandy, the aurora is rising behind you...

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  25. Congrats on your first mystery novel.

    I like your comparisons of TV and books. As someone who likes both, it makes perfect sense to me.

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  26. I’m on page 265 of the novel right now, and really enjoying it. Grant just got his “package “ delivered. Oh my!

    Here’s one of those “a reader will find a nit to pick in the details” things, about Freddy Cannon. Yes, “Palisades Park” was a big hit for him, but “Tallahassee Lassie” was equally as big (I had both on 45). Note that I was born in 1945, so was at that age…) I am liking the book a lot, and already looking forward to the follow-up. Thanks so much for writing.

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  27. Scott, welcome! I am blown away by your library! Do you have a system for organizing all those books! (Now I will stop apologizing for having too many books, having seen yours...) And The Equalizer, and Quantum Leap! Just wow! If those weren't enough to hook me, a mystery that begins in London with a Scotland Yard commander is just exactly my cup of tea. I love your football/baseball analogy, too. My husband, who doesn't like any sports, always talks about how boring baseball is, and I always say, "But anything can happen!"

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  28. SCOTT,

    Welcome to Jungle Reds! Congratulations on your new novel. THE LAST COMMANDMENT. I have two questions. See below...

    And I love Silent films. When I was a kid, I used to watch old films from the 1930s and ask my parents to translate for me since these movies did Not have Captions for the Deaf.

    Breakfast at Tiffany's had captions on the video, as I recall, and I think it's now on Netflix and everything is captioned on Netflix.

    Question about THE EQUALIZER: Was Edward Woodward's character like a mentor to the young lady played by Jessica Lundy?

    I remember seeing Edward Woodward in British productions on PBS.

    And I loved QUANTUM LEAP and it was fun to watch Scott Bacuka (sp?) and Dean Stockwell signing Quantnum Leap when the episode was about a Deaf dancer.


    Another Question:

    I'm curious about the name of your Scotland Yard Inspector. How did you come up with the name Austin Grant? I know that Grant is a Scottish name. I wonder where the name Austin came from because I think of that city in Texas, USA.

    Diana

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    1. Austin was a car breed in the UK, best I can give you. My family had one.

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    2. Celia, thank you. How could I have forgotten the automobile by a company called Austin in the UK? Face palm.

      Diana

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  29. And speaking of baseball, who watched the Field of Dreams game last night? Such fun. I got all teary over Kevin Costner's introduction and the players emerging from the corn.

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    1. I didn't see the game, but if they really wanted to surprise people, they should've have James Earl Jones come back from the cornfield as well.

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  30. As a follow up to my response earlier today, I stopped by the book store after my annual visit for the doctor to tell me I'm fat and picked up a copy of THE LAST COMMANDMENT.

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  31. Hi Deborah -- my collection has no rhyme or reason, except by author. I just know where they're all located!

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    1. Yes! The well-loved "piles" system. I use it myself for files.

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  32. Hi Bibliophile! Thank you for the questions. The series you're remembering with Edward and Jessica Lundy was called "Over My Dead Body" and it lasted one short season. I worked on that as well. Edward was a retired crime writer and Jessica played an ambitious kooky obit writer. As for Austin Grant's name -- probably the Grant came from Hugh, and I teach at UT in Austin, Texas and know it to be a name Brits sometimes have -- so there you have it!

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    1. OH, that sounds great! Trying to re-imagine that for now. Hmm.

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    2. Scott, since I am so bad with titles, thank you for the clarification. I cannot believe I confused OVER MY DEAD BODY with THE EQUALIZER. I remember that I loved OVER MY DEAD BODY because of the dialogue between the characters. I remember taping the shows on my VCR. Celia reminded me of a car breed called Austin in the UK.

      Look forward to reading about your Scotland Yard Inspector.

      Diana

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  33. I read and watched Perry Mason and the Hardy Boys. Your book sounds interesting. Thanks for the chance.

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  34. SO loved having you here today, Scott! Come back any time--we have SO much to talk about! And let us know about your next book! xx

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    1. The next book is a sequel to "The Last Commandment". Not wanting to spoil anything, I'll just say for now that it takes place six months after the events of the first book -- and perhaps we can have a discussion some time with spoilers with people who have finished the book.

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  35. Baseball on the radio is the soundtrack of every summer since I was about 15. And we’ve had some great announcers in Red Sox Nation. So I think Scott and I are kindred spirits.

    Now give me a series with a Scotland Yard detective and I’m in. I’m ready to go find this book now.

    Thank you, JRW, for this introduction.

    -Marianne in Maine

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  36. Wow! Wow! Scott! Your connection to Hollywood royalty is fascinating! And I love your sports references to writing. The Last Commandment sounds intriguing.

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