# Murder, most foul, on a tropical island...Well-reviewed mystery.



## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

I've just joined KB,so I hope this suggestion is within the rules! You might want to sample my new Kindle mystery, "Assignment in Antibua." And then check my site:
http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/ Thanks for your interest!

Sig Rosenblum


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## Linda Cannon-Mott (Oct 28, 2008)

sigrosenblum said:


> I've just joined KB,so I hope this suggestion is within the rules! You might want to sample my new Kindle mystery, "Assignment in Antibua." And then check my site:
> ]url]http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/[/url] Thanks for your interest!
> 
> Sig Rosenblum


Welcome Sig, glad you are here! We have several authors on the boards. We also have bookklubs starting in Jan. Your link to your site isn't working, Betsy can fix it for you. We encourage you to post your books here. If you go to Bookklubs in *The book Corner * you will see some of the other author's books.
Please go to The Intro/Welcome Board and tell us more about yourself. There are people here that would like to welcome you!


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## Leslie (Apr 7, 2008)

Welcome, Sig. Glad to have you here.

I fixed the URL in your post.

L


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## Linda Cannon-Mott (Oct 28, 2008)

sigrosenblum said:


> I've just joined KB,so I hope this suggestion is within the rules! You might want to sample my new Kindle mystery, "Assignment in Antibua." And then check my site:
> http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/ Thanks for your interest!
> 
> Sig Rosenblum


Sig I got a sample of your book and look forward to reading it. Thanks for the post!  Mystery/Thriller is one of my favorite genre.

Linda


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## jah (Oct 28, 2008)

sigrosenblum said:


> I've just joined KB,so I hope this suggestion is within the rules! You might want to sample my new Kindle mystery, "Assignment in Antibua." And then check my site:
> http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/ Thanks for your interest!
> 
> Sig Rosenblum


Welcome!!!

I just download the sample of you're book and it look a good book. Thanks for posting.


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## Dori (Oct 28, 2008)

Just downloaded a sample, not usually a mystery buff but I may become one. 









$3.16 as I type, but things change on Amazon.


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## bkworm8it (Nov 17, 2008)

Hi Sig, welcome to kindleboards. I just love this place., get to meet authors - well in cyberspace but still it's pretty cool!!  I downloaded a sample of your book. I love Mysteries and have been looking for a new author to read.

Theresam


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Sig, I see from your website that you have a couple others due out soon. . .do let us know when they're Kindlized!  

Ann


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## tc (Oct 29, 2008)

Sounds good, so I One Clicked!


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## Michael R. Hicks (Oct 29, 2008)

Hey, Sig! Good to see ya! I haven't been over to the DTP forums for a bit (have to get back there and see what's going on), but welcome aboard KB!


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## Avalon3 (Dec 3, 2008)

Welcome!  I just bought it.


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## mumsicalwhimsy (Dec 4, 2008)

Welcome Sid!

One clicked your mystery.... will read it when I clear some backlog.
Reading Distant Cousin by Al Past right now.... good stuff.


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## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Hi Sig and welcome! I love mysteries/thrillers and have downloaded a sample of your book.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

If you like a challenging mystery, you may want to sample my new Kindle puzzle:



Thanks for looking!

Sig


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## Kathy (Nov 5, 2008)

Can't wait to read it. I love mysteries.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks Kathy. Please drop me a line after you've followed our hero to...? I'd be interested in your comments.

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Murder, most foul, on a tropical island is the subject of my new Kindle mystery. You might like to try a sample:



Thanks for looking!

Sig Rosenblum


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Looks good, I just downloaded it - be sure I'll let you know what I think LOL LOL LOL


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks a lot. I appreciate it!

Sig


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I sampled.  The description looks good.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks for dipping into the sample. I hope you like it!

Sig


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## Kind (Jan 28, 2009)

A mystery book.







Never been able to read those. Is this a good one to get into this type of a book?


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Well, I think so--but then I wrote it! Taste, of course, is not predictable. But I suggest that you sample it first (free) and then decide. If you do buy it, you can always ask for a refund if you hated it! I don't know what Amazon's precise policy is on this. But they do say that refunds are part of the deal.

Whatever your decision, thanks a lot for your interest and your note!

Sig


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks, Sig. I just downloaded a sample.

I have to ask: How come all of your books are priced at $3.16? (Not that I mind, LOL.) 

Any significance to that?

John 3:16? Austin 3:16?


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks for dipping in. I appreciate it. As for the price: I price them at $3.95, but Amazon likes to take discounts. Hence, the eccentric price. In that way Amazon keeps its place as the Discount King. All my books will be priced at that level, since I believe that e-books should be a real bargain. Too many e-bookers are gouging, in my humble opinion.

Mobipocket (owned by Amazon, remember) carries the books at $3.95. Go figure.

Thanks again.

Sig


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## mumsicalwhimsy (Dec 4, 2008)

As it happens, this IS what I am currently reading.... most enjoyable.


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

I just downloaded a sample too.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks again, Anne. If you'd like to weigh in on this one, as well, I would love to hear from you!

Sig


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

Sig: I just read some of the sample. I am ejoying it so far so I went ahead and ordered the book. I may not be able to read it right away. I am reading some books for the bookclulbs here. After I read it I will let you know how I like it.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks so much, Anne. I'll be interested in your review!

Sig


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Sig, I'm reading through the sample and I really like it a lot so far.

Just one question: I apologize if I sound ignorant (and I may very well have missed something in the sample itself), but is Antibua a real country?

Google only comes up with listings for your book and then a bunch of weird sites.

I also get this at the top of the search: _"Did you mean: antigua"_

Otherwise, nothing.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

CS:

Thanks for your nice reaction to the sample. As for the fictional country, Antibua: I made it up. But I had the real country, Antigua, in mind as I wrote. I used a fictional land because I didn't want to be hemmed in by inconvenient facts. Another motive was that when you say that a lampost was green, exacting readers will send you e-mails telling you that they are really red--that sort of thing. In my non-fiction, I must reflect and respect the facts, of course. No fictionalizing there! 

Thanks again!

Sig


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## Anne (Oct 29, 2008)

sigrosenblum said:


> CS:
> 
> Thanks for your nice reaction to the sample. As for the fictional country, Antibua: I made it up. But I had the real country, Antigua, in mind when as I wrote. I used a fictional land because I didn't want to be hemmed in by inconvenient facts. Another motive was that when you say that a lampost was green, exacting readers will send you e-mails telling you that they are really red--that sort of thing. In my non-fiction, I must reflect and respect the facts, of course. No fictionalizing there!
> 
> ...


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks, Anne. I'm glad you agree. Personally, I never could understand why many writers and readers want super-exactitude, when it is, after all, fiction! But perhaps it helps to buttress the sense of reality. 

In my research for Caesar, I came across a book on ancient Rome in which the leading characters were wielding "fountain pens"! So a certain amount of historical accuracy is needed, after all!

Sig


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Thanks, Sig. I just placed my order for Assignment in Antibua.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thanks CS. I appreciate it. And I look forward to your reaction--if you  care to let me know. 

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

I just started a blog on Amazon. And I hope it will be helpful as well as interesting.
Please take a look and--if you like--let me have your thoughts. It's always a pleasure to hear from friends at KB! Here's the link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2RDHEL40RSK6M/ref=sv__4

Many thanks for the visit!

Sig Rosenblum


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Sig, I just finished reading Assignment in Antibua and it was a true pleasure from beginning to end. Thank you very much for crafting such a breezy, fun to read murder mystery. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with Mr. Feld in Antibua, and I hope to be able to follow him to Dorado soon.   

Just one question: Did you intentionally pattern the dialogue after movies from the 1940s? It had that vibe to me. It was different, and I liked it.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

CS said:


> Sig, I just finished reading Assignment in Antibua and it was a true pleasure from beginning to end. Thank you very much for crafting such a breezy, fun to read murder mystery. I very much enjoyed the time I spent with Mr. Feld in Antibua, and I hope to be able to follow him to Dorado soon.
> 
> Just one question: Did you intentionally pattern the dialogue after movies from the 1940s? It had that vibe to me. It was different, and I liked it.


Thanks so much for your nice note. I am delighted that you liked Bert and his adventure. I am sure he will be back. As to your question: No, I didn't consciously imitate the dialogue of any era. Two influences, perhaps: I am an ex adman brought up in the classic tradition of spare, minimalist copy. And next: I am a veteran wordsmith--and the forties--both words and music--are second nature to me!

You could do me--and other readers--a very great favor by posting a review at the Amazon book site. I buy enormous amounts of books--mostly for my non-fiction historical research. And I do rely a great deal on the opinions of others. So, if you would post your own frank view of _Antibua_, it would be sincerely appreciated, all-round!

Thanks again.

Sig


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

Sig, I just submitted a review. It isn't there yet though, so I guess we'll have to check back in 48 hours. It's not very long (with some of it taken from my post here), but it is favorable. 

Can't wait for the sequel!


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

CS said:


> Sig, I just submitted a review. It isn't there yet though, so I guess we'll have to check back in 48 hours. It's not very long (with some of it taken from my post here), but it is favorable.
> 
> Can't wait for the sequel!


Thanks so much. I really appreciate it. As to the delay: Many things take a bit of time with Amazon. But I'm sure it will show up.

I'm impatient for the sequel, too!

By the way, if you haven't seen my new Amazon blog, please take a look. Thanks again.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2RDHEL40RSK6M/ref=sv__4

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

CS said:


> Sig, I just submitted a review. It isn't there yet though, so I guess we'll have to check back in 48 hours. It's not very long (with some of it taken from my post here), but it is favorable.
> 
> Can't wait for the sequel!


Your review just popped up. I couldn't ask for more. Thanks again. I also read all of your reviews. Very interesting. Very perceptive. And I've told Bert!

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Please take a look at the three reviews of my new mystery. Then why not download a sample? Thanks!

Sig Rosenblum


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

I've had lots of requests for a sequel to my mystery, "Assignment in Antibua." So I am juggling two of them at the same time. One--"A Death at Dorado"--is set in Puerto Rico. The other--"Death Has a Point"--has a Swiss background--although I am thinking of making it a fictional country because I like the creative freedom that brings. Those readers out there are so sharp-eyed that any factual lapse, however slight, sparks indignant reprimand!

Thanks again, all, for sampling my books.

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Three top reviews already for this new mystery. They say it's...

"An enjoyable read with mystery and plot twists to keep you going to the end!"..."great dialogue, a wonderful setting, and a memorable cast of characters"..."delightful...I have already purchased two other books by this author..."

Thanks for looking!

Sig Rosenblum


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## Wannabe (Nov 6, 2008)

Just one-clicked, sounds good.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Wannabe:

Thanks for the click. I will be interested in your review!

Sig


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

sigrosenblum said:


> "great dialogue, a wonderful setting, and a memorable cast of characters"


I agree.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

CS:

Thanks for the double endorsement!

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Hi all:

Just added some new things to my book site. Please visit when you get a chance:

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/

Thanks!

Sig


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

For those who are following the fortunes of Lt. Bert Feld of the NYC Police Department, he has just wired that his next case will be in Fristalia, "the nation no one knows." He thought that he would be in Dorado, PR, but sudden murders do change things.

And he wants to thank all of you at KB who trailed him to Antibua. If you missed that case, perhaps you'll check the reviews and sample the first chapter:



Thanks--from Sig and Bert!


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Spending a lot of time on Twitter. Too much, in fact. But if you'd like to "follow," please do!

Sig 
http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Heard the famous quote from Moses Hadas?: "Thank you for sending me a copy of your book. I'll waste no time reading it."

Sig
http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

From the Amazon reviews: "Exotic locales and colorful characters add spice to the story. An enjoyable read with mystery and plot twists to keep you going to the end!"

Thanks for looking:



Sig 
http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Mark Twain: "Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities. Truth isn't."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## BookBinder (Jan 21, 2009)

Sig, thank you.  I want this.  Sounds like my kind of book.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

BookBinder said:


> Sig, thank you. I want this. Sounds like my kind of book.


Thanks for your interest BB. I do hope you enjoy it.

Sig 
http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## Anju  (Nov 8, 2008)

Enjoyed it Sig, there were some formatting problems but the story was quite interesting.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Leo Rosten: "The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Thomas Jefferson: "Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## askenase13 (Mar 1, 2009)

O just bought the book.  Thanks for posting it.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

askenase13 said:


> O just bought the book. Thanks for posting it.


And thanks for the click. Please drop me a note when you've read it. I'd like your comments. Thanks again!

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## dfwillia (Jan 10, 2009)

Sig,
Sounds like my kind of book. Just purchased it and moved it up my "to be read" list. Thanks for the info.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

dfwillia said:


> Sig,
> Sounds like my kind of book. Just purchased it and moved it up my "to be read" list. Thanks for the info.


Thanks. I do hope you enjoy it. And please let me know your reaction right after you turn the last page!

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Emily Bronte: "If I could I would always work in silence and obscurity, and let my efforts be known by their results."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

A woman asked British publisher Jonathan Cape, "Do you keep a copy of every book you bring out?" Cape's answer: "Madam, I keep thousands."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Agatha Christie: "I've always believed in writing without a collaborator, because where two people are writing the same book, each believes he gets all the worries and only half the royalties."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## CS (Nov 3, 2008)

CS: "When are we gonna get another Bert Feld book?"


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

CS said:


> CS: "When are we gonna get another Bert Feld book?"


Thanks for asking. But not as soon as I'd like. I am working hard at a very big--and daunting--project titled "From War to War: 1918-1939." It aims to be a colorful and compelling tour of the salient events that led to the Second World War. And it is replete with endnotes--eighty pages of them. So you can imagine the heft of the book itself. Still--it will be the same price as the others! If you like, you can read the first chapter at my site.

Right after that I roll up my sleeves and finish "Death Has a Point," which is the next Bert Feld adventure. But I won't take a guess about the timetable. I'm more impatient than anyone!

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

From the enthusiastic Amazon reviews: "...Exotic locales and colorful characters add spice to the story. An enjoyable read with mystery and plot twists to keep you going to the end!"


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Oscar Wilde: "The difference between journalism and literature is that journalism is unreadable and literature is not read."

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## AppleHeart (Apr 10, 2009)

Downloaded a sample in April, read it in May and bought (finally!) the book today. Sorry for being tardy, good thing you bumped this up or I would have forgotten about buying it. 

Love and collect lighthouses so the lighthouse cover was very instrumental in helping me make up my mind...sometimes I do tend to "judge a book by its cover" but not all the time.  

ebc


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

AppleHeart said:


> Downloaded a sample in April, read it in May and bought (finally!) the book today. Sorry for being tardy, good thing you bumped this up or I would have forgotten about buying it.
> 
> Love and collect lighthouses so the lighthouse cover was very instrumental in helping me make up my mind...sometimes I do tend to "judge a book by its cover" but not all the time.
> 
> ebc


Many thanks for the click. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know, when you've turned the last page. And I understand--from your own uncoerced confession--that you are a book addict. Wonderful, isn't it?

Thanks again!

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Mary Roberts Rinehart: The mystery is two stories: what happened and what appeared to happen.

Sig

http://sigrosenblum.7p.com/


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

A will is a dead giveaway.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

A backward poet writes inverse.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

If you don't pay your exorcist you can get repossessed.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Eugene Ionesco: "Why do people always expect authors to answer questions. I am an author because I want to _ask _questions. If I had answers I'd be a politician."


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

Just grabbed the sample.

My TBR list just keeps growing & growing & growing.....giving the Energizer Bunny a run for his money.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

RedAdept said:


> Just grabbed the sample.
> 
> My TBR list just keeps growing & growing & growing.....giving the Energizer Bunny a run for his money.


Thanks Red. I understand--and appreciate the click!


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

The Amazon preview of the book:

New York City Police Lieutenant Bert Feld--a reluctant law enforcement celebrity--is on vacation at Crystal Reef in Antibua, a lazy island in the Caribbean. His rest is interrupted by a robbery and two murders. And his cool composure is shaken by an elegant British seductress. Along the way to a surprise solution, Feld suspects, well, just about everyone: The booming spit and polish local police chief, too eager to tell all he knows. The handsome, oddly argumentative hotelier. A brutal boxer turned bartender, who also turns up in the most unexpected places. A patrician loan officer with flabby ethics. And several more characters ranging from frantic to funny. Feld becomes a target, too. Will it be a near-miss--or the end of a brilliant crime-fighting career?


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Taking a break from the _War_ book, I just read the sample of this one for a change of pace, and then one-clicked it.

From the sample, I like this guy.... seems like a cross between Bogart and Columbo.  So far he hasn't done anything except take a lot of naps, but I'm looking forward to finishing the book.

A question though -- the cover says "A Bert Feld Mystery" in the way that a book would if this were a name known to readers from previous novels. Are there in fact earlier ones, maybe not on Kindle?


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Taking a break from the _War_ book, I just read the sample of this one for a change of pace, and then one-clicked it.
> 
> From the sample, I like this guy.... seems like a cross between Bogart and Columbo.  So far he hasn't done anything except take a lot of naps, but I'm looking forward to finishing the book.
> 
> A question though -- the cover says "A Bert Feld Mystery" in the way that a book would if this were a name known to readers from previous novels. Are there in fact earlier ones, maybe not on Kindle?


Hi Susan:

Still no "notifys." I'm sure I am missing a lot.

If you think that nothing much has happened yet with Feld, then a lot of vital clues are slipping by you. I'll say no more!

The phrase, "A Bert Feld Mystery" doesn't at all imply that there are previous books. Simply that it is a mystery--important for readers to know--and that the protagonist is a guy named Bert Feld.

But it is the first in a series. However, even if it were a stand-alone, that would not invalidate the sub-title. By the way, the next Feld case will be "Death Has a Point." And after that, "A Death at Dorado."

Thanks for the look, the click and the question.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> If you think that nothing much has happened yet with Feld, then a lot of vital clues are slipping by you. I'll say no more!


  No, they're not slipping by me.... but you have to admit the guy likes his naps!


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> No, they're not slipping by me.... but you have to admit the guy likes his naps!


I admit it. He is, after all, on vacation.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> I admit it. He is, after all, on vacation.


Fictional characters have all the fun.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Fictional characters have all the fun.


Yes. But their creators have even more.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> Yes. But their creators have even more.


Especially if you get to do "research" by going to Antibua/Antigua.

(I was soo hoping the first corpse was going to be Oscar!)


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Especially if you get to do "research" by going to Antibua/Antigua.
> 
> (I was soo hoping the first corpse was going to be Oscar!)


It's rough duty. But someone has to do it. I did spend some time on the island (Antigua.) And--quite naturally--traces found their way into the book.

I don't dare comment on Oscar. You are too smart and may read something in--correctly!


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> It's rough duty. But someone has to do it. I did spend some time on the island (Antigua.) And--quite naturally--traces found their way into the book.
> 
> I don't dare comment on Oscar. You are too smart and may read something in--correctly!


Comment away, I'm about halfway and planning to finish the book tonight!


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Comment away, I'm about halfway and planning to finish the book tonight!


My, you are very determined. But no comments for you, young lady. I'm as wary as Feld.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> My, you are very determined. But no comments for you, young lady. I'm as wary as Feld.


Well, I _was _determined. Taking a break now for more tea and Kindleboards.

And the reason for the break is weird. The story is great -- a Chandler-style plot in a Fleming-style setting, and a good mix of suspense and clues (and presumably red herrings too). But somehow it's so familiar -- not the story, but your writing style. I keep wondering what other books of yours I've read, but I know I _haven't_ (the Wars book doesn't have quite the same casual style). It can't be your posts on KB, you don't make THAT many of them. Just something about the flow of the words... not really sure how to describe it more precisely. It's as though I had read dozens of your books before. I can't explain it any better, and I realize it doesn't make any sense since I have not, in fact, read anything of yours other than half of the Wars book and a bunch of KB posts.

But the curiously eerie effect of that familiarity is distracting me enough that I needed to take a break from the story itself.

It's enough to make one believe in previous lives.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Well, I _was _determined. Taking a break now for more tea and Kindleboards.
> 
> And the reason for the break is weird. The story is great -- a Chandler-style plot in a Fleming-style setting, and a good mix of suspense and clues (and presumably red herrings too). But somehow it's so familiar -- not the story, but your writing style. I keep wondering what other books of yours I've read, but I know I _haven't_ (the Wars book doesn't have quite the same casual style). It can't be your posts on KB, you don't make THAT many of them. Just something about the flow of the words... not really sure how to describe it more precisely. It's as though I had read dozens of your books before. I can't explain it any better, and I realize it doesn't make any sense since I have not, in fact, read anything of yours other than half of the Wars book and a bunch of KB posts.
> 
> ...


Wrote an answer, but clumsily lost it. Your reaction is a bit of a mini-mystery, itself. But an unlikely hunch appeared: My advertising copy has been read by many millions of people. I have no doubt that some of it is still being run or mailed--many years after my retirement. Is it possible that you could have retained some subliminal impact--hence the sense of familiarity?

I also wrote very retro songs which have been used in commercials. And more than one person has said that they knew they heard my songs before, but couldn't place them exactly.

Another thought: Is there such a thing as a "universal" style--which seems familiar--even though it is not?

I am just groping here, somewhat pathetically. It would be nice to know the answer. If you would like to check some of my direct marketing copy, you might visit a site which I no longer maintain, but keep alive for sentimental reasons. Perhaps you'll say, "Yes, I received this sales letter!" And then, the mystery will be solved! Here's the link:
http://sigrosenblum.com/index.html

Another thought: Several articles of mine have been circulated. And one was about the original Ponzi scheme.

You have made me feel like Feld, driven to find an answer to this newest puzzle! Pleasantly upsetting.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan:

Must pack it in for the night. If you figure it out (I mean the mini-mystery), be sure to let me know!


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> My advertising copy has been read by many millions of people. I have no doubt that some of it is still being run or mailed--many years after my retirement. Is it possible that you could have retained some subliminal impact--hence the sense of familiarity?


That's possible. When I thought about it more, I had the vague feeling that it had something to do with work (my previous job), and that would make sense -- a great deal of advertising material crossed my desk in those years. Still, it would have had to be something I saw repeatedly for it to become familiar.



sigrosenblum said:


> I also wrote very retro songs which have been used in commercials. And more than one person has said that they knew they heard my songs before, but couldn't place them exactly.


Not likely in my case, assuming you're talking about TV commercials. I watch very little.



sigrosenblum said:


> Another thought: Is there such a thing as a "universal" style--which seems familiar--even though it is not?


Hmmm.... an interesting theory.... but I'd be inclined to say no. From my own background (basically, not generating words of my own but dissecting those that others have written), I find that I can often tell whether two dissimilar documents have been written by the same person or not. (I didn't discover until I was fortyish that there was such a field as forensic linguistics, but I would certainly have gone into it had I known.)



sigrosenblum said:


> Perhaps you'll say, "Yes, I received this sales letter!" And then, the mystery will be solved!


Well, I've never seen that one. But it certainly adds to the theory that something of yours came across my desk in years past. Must have been a company that sent out a great deal of material, though, for it to stick in my mind. Especially considering that (no offense intended) most marketing materials didn't get read very carefully before being "filed".



sigrosenblum said:


> Another thought: Several articles of mine have been circulated. And one was about the original Ponzi scheme.


Never read any detailed articles on that, either...



sigrosenblum said:


> You have made me feel like Feld, driven to find an answer to this newest puzzle! Pleasantly upsetting.


I didn't realize you'd written widely-circulated advertising copy. That may very well be the explanation. It puzzles me that any one company's letters or brochure would stay in my mind, especially since our business closed over six years ago, but so far it's the only theory that makes sense. Unless you want to explore the previous-lives option.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

In the meantime I've read a few of the sample letters that you have on that website. I'm more and more inclined to think that that's the answer to the puzzle.

The only piece missing is which company it might have been that sent us such quantities of material that I read enough of it to remember the style. Almost all of our own clients were overseas, and we handled various projects in the U.S. on their behalf. So it wouldn't have been anything sent by our own clients.

If you asked me what advertising materials I actually _read_, at least somewhat regularly... Consumer Reports mailings, health-related newsletters, a newsletter called Bottom Line (don't know whether it still exists), and just for fun, the J.Peterman clothing catalog with its faux-travelogue descriptions. Of those, the Bottom Line advertising letters seem, in my memory at least, closest to the right flavor.

This is going to haunt my dreams tonight.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

I just realized that for the second time in a matter of weeks I've mostly hijacked one of your threads.  My apologies.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> I just realized that for the second time in a matter of weeks I've mostly hijacked one of your threads. My apologies.


On the contrary, I found your speculations stimulating. In a general sense, this feeling of "deja vu all over again" is of interest to many--perhaps especially in the crime writing/reading community.

I could write much about your guesses. But one point stands out: I wrote an enormous amount for health-related newsletters. And "Bottom Line" rings a very loud bell--though I haven't ransacked the dusty files to see if the publishers were clients.

I will add something else: Bob Bly, an advertising guru who has mentioned me in many of his books, insists that, "No one writes like you, Sig." Others have said the same. So if I do have a distinctive voice and you have read a lot of subscription appeals for health-related newsletters, that might well be the answer in this baffling case. Stay tuned.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> But one point stands out: I wrote an enormous amount for health-related newsletters. And "Bottom Line" rings a very loud bell--though I haven't ransacked the dusty files to see if the publishers were clients.


I know that somewhere in the dozens of boxes of office paperwork that are still stored at my house, there must be some old copies of Bottom Line. And as I recall, it frequently came with a stapled-on advertising wrapper encouraging readers to extend their subscriptions. So if I come across any of those when I sort through the boxes, I'll quote one at you to see whether it sounds familiar.

As for health-related publications, I didn't really start reading those until after 2000, when I went into a different field -- and you said you'd been retired for a while. Although I suppose they might re-use advertising materials for a number of years, not just a couple of mailings.

It's lunchtime and I'm still feeling groggy. I can't read through the night anymore like I used to, alas. Off to find more caffeine... back online tonight, and maybe by then some new insight into the puzzle will have occurred to me.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> I know that somewhere in the dozens of boxes of office paperwork that are still stored at my house, there must be some old copies of Bottom Line. And as I recall, it frequently came with a stapled-on advertising wrapper encouraging readers to extend their subscriptions. So if I come across any of those when I sort through the boxes, I'll quote one at you to see whether it sounds familiar.
> 
> As for health-related publications, I didn't really start reading those until after 2000, when I went into a different field -- and you said you'd been retired for a while. Although I suppose they might re-use advertising materials for a number of years, not just a couple of mailings.
> 
> It's lunchtime and I'm still feeling groggy. I can't read through the night anymore like I used to, alas. Off to find more caffeine... back online tonight, and maybe by then some new insight into the puzzle will have occurred to me.


Well, we seem to have a consensus: It might well be a voice from the world of advertising that sounds so familiar. And yet...this may be like one of those mysteries, sometimes favored by film directors, where the ending is ambiguous and left up to the audience.

Ah, staying up all night. That used to be one of my favorite treats. When I headed up the agency, I loved to work alone in the peace and quiet--at 271 Madison Avenue--till maybe 5 AM. Then over to the Luxor Baths for an icy dip, pummeling with a power hose, a couple of hours of deep sleep and then back to the office for a packed day of meetings and madness. I still keep eccentric hours. But now--no alarm clock.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> Well, we seem to have a consensus: It might well be a voice from the world of advertising that sounds so familiar. And yet...this may be like one of those mysteries, sometimes favored by film directors, where the ending is ambiguous and left up to the audience.


Yes. I'm not sure why exactly that familiarity seemed so eerie to me -- I have some theories but they'd be far too rambling to post. A fun mystery, in any case.



sigrosenblum said:


> Ah, staying up all night. That used to be one of my favorite treats. When I headed up the agency, I loved to work alone in the peace and quiet--at 271 Madison Avenue--till maybe 5 AM. Then over to the Luxor Baths for an icy dip, pummeling with a power hose, a couple of hours of deep sleep and then back to the office for a packed day of meetings and madness. I still keep eccentric hours. But now--no alarm clock.


My stated career goal for a number of years was to get to a point where I didn't have to wake to an alarm. Unfortunately, dealing with overseas clients meant that even if I got to my desk at six a.m., there was a stack of incoming faxes waiting for me, and the entire day felt like I was catching up. (Every few weeks, I'd work through the night, just to get the backlog cleared, and the peace and quiet was great -- no phone to interfere with productivity.) If I got there past seven in the morning, I'd start getting irate phone calls, and at that hour I was the only one in to take them. I loathed my alarm clock.

Of course, starting in less than a month, it will be ringing at 0630 again so that I can get my daughter to school on time. But that's different.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

In my sleep-deprived state today I neglected to thank you for a most enjoyable read. I finished the novel that this thread is _supposed_ to be about in the wee hours of the morning, and am looking forward to the next one in the series, which will be appearing.... er... when...??

For anyone else who is still reading this thread despite the recent off-topic ramblings: If you like detective stories, the mystery novel Assignment in Antibua is well worth picking up. There's a definite Raymond Chandler flavor to it, complete with freely-flowing booze and an attractive woman who throws herself at the detective. Plenty of clues that _seem_ obvious... except that some of them are red herrings. And some are very subtle. A well-crafted mystery and fun to read.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> In my sleep-deprived state today I neglected to thank you for a most enjoyable read. I finished the novel that this thread is _supposed_ to be about in the wee hours of the morning, and am looking forward to the next one in the series, which will be appearing.... er... when...??
> 
> For anyone else who is still reading this thread despite the recent off-topic ramblings: If you like detective stories, the mystery novel Assignment in Antibua is well worth picking up. There's a definite Raymond Chandler flavor to it, complete with freely-flowing booze and an attractive woman who throws herself at the detective. Plenty of clues that _seem_ obvious... except that some of them are red herrings. And some are very subtle. A well-crafted mystery and fun to read.


1. The "notify" gnome is back on the job. Yay!

2. If you have a rambling theory about the mini-mystery that you feel is not appropriate for this thread, you can PM or e-mail me, anytime, if you like.

3. Many thanks for your generous comments about "Assignment in Antibua." And I appreciate your wee-hours fortitude! If you care to post a few review lines on Amazon, I--and others--would be grateful.

4. The next Bert Feld Mystery is "Death Has a Point." If crises don't intervene, I'd say it will be Kindled and Mobipocketed in about six months to a year.

Thanks again, Susan.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> 1. Gnomes need vacations too, I guess. I hadn't really noticed his (her? is there such a thing as a female gnome?) absence since I just use the "show new replies" feature to keep up.
> 
> 2. Not a question of inappropriateness, just much too long and rambling. If I can condense it at some point, I'll PM about it. And thanks.
> 
> ...


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Hi Susan:

1. Don't know about gnomes. And gnome-one else does, either. But the traditional gnomenclature makes him male. Yet, this could be residual sexism. Let's introduce galgnomes to the world here and now! 

2. I look forward to your PM--if and when. Either way is fine.

3. I've never posted a review, either. But it ought to be easy. Ask CS if you like. He posted one for Antibua and would be glad to help, I am sure, if you run into a snag. But give it a try first. And thanks so much, again.

4. Well, it's a very good idea to have another case on the Island. And Feld may return one day. But, no, this one--"Death Has a Point" takes place in the tiny country of Fristalia--"the nation no one knows." It's so named because it's at the precise point where France, Switzerland and Italy meet. 

One of these days I'll be posting the tentative first chapter at my site. And I'll let you know when I do. Just finished chapter two. But I have a long, long clue-cluttered trail to tread!


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

1. Good idea. I am strong, I am invincible, I am... Gnomette!

2. Thanks again. PMs / emails welcome here too.

3. I'll tackle it tonight.

4. That would be on top of an Alp, I believe.... oh, I guess that would explain the "point". (Which reminds me: One of the things I liked about the Antibua mystery is that, even though you wrote it fairly recently, you chose to make it more timeless by including the reference to francs rather than <shudder> euros. A minor detail, but I liked it much better this way.)


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> 1. Good idea. I am strong, I am invincible, I am... Gnomette!
> 
> 2. Thanks again. PMs / emails welcome here too.
> 
> ...


1. Gnomette! Copyright that.

2. Ditto. Give it a whirl.

3. Thanks again in advance for your Amazon post.

4. Don't know that I even thought of Euros. So it wasn't a conscious decision. But I will say that I try not to make the mysteries too obviously time-bound. And with the pace of change, this would be maddening. I'd mention Kindle 1 and soon folks would sniff in disdain, "How old fashioned. Doesn't the man even know that we're up to Kindle 4B now?"

As for the "point," it is not really the alps I was thinking of. But the explanation will have to be (sigh) classified, as you say, for now.


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

sigrosenblum said:


> 1. Gnomette! Copyright that.


Actually I do need a name for a gnome! But it's a male one, sort of like a garden gnome but with facial features like a mouse (pointy nose, beady eyes, whiskers). And the name I need is not a name like Joe or Bob but a name for that "species" -- except that he's the only one. Like "the mouse-gnome" but something catchier.

(Yes, it know it sounds weird, but there really is a perfectly good reason for needing such a name.)


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> Actually I do need a name for a gnome! But it's a male one, sort of like a garden gnome but with facial features like a mouse (pointy nose, beady eyes, whiskers). And the name I need is not a name like Joe or Bob but a name for that "species" -- except that he's the only one. Like "the mouse-gnome" but something catchier.
> 
> (Yes, it know it sounds weird, but there really is a perfectly good reason for needing such a name.)


That's a tough one. You might try to suggest several as they come to mind. Then I--and perhaps others--will weigh in, brainstorming style. What's the function, job, purpose of this till now ungnome individual? Hints, tips, associations are what we need here!


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

He's a fictional character.

My grandfather created him for me about 45 years ago.

When I was a little girl, my mother and I spent a great of time with my grandparents, every time my father was off working in various other cities.  My grandfather was in charge of telling me bedtime stories, and for two or three years, off and on, he made up a series of stories based on this character.

The gnome looks just like a garden gnome (they're all over Germany, and the epitome of kitsch, but this one of course was different  --  nice and friendly).  But he has a face like a mouse.  He's a "good guy", and the stories are all about his adventures. 

Years later, after recycling the stories for my younger cousins (who also loved them), my grandfather typed up as many of the stories as he could remember, probably fifty or sixty, including the first story that sets up the rest of them.  When I was about 25 he handed them to me and said they were mine, since they had been made up and written for me, and if I wanted to I should write an ending and publish them as a book for other kids.

I very much regret not doing that while he was still alive.  I still want to, even if I have to self-publish them.  (The ending is easy  --  there's really only one possible ending to the series.)  So for a few years now I've been tossing the idea around in my mind.  An artist friend sent me various sample sketches of the character, since a children's book needs pictures.  I've started on the translation (the originals are all in German), and would like to look into getting it in print in both languages simultaneously.  It does need some minor revision because some of the concepts expressed are unacceptably un-PC nowadays. 

Meanwhile I'm recycling the stories on my own six-year-old.  She likes them too.

It's not high on the list of must-do jobs.  It's a very long-term project...  no big hurry anymore...  but eventually I will do it.  Your comment about a gnome reminded me  --  and my grandfather had been on my mind already because of, believe it not, Feld's cigar smoke rings and how he feels about them.  

The gnome does have a name in the German original, of course.  But it translates into the very unappealing "The Mouse Dwarf".  I want something a bit lighter, cuter, friendlier...  brainstorming ideas with a librarian friend a year ago I mentioned Mousekin or something like that, but she informed me that that's already taken.  Turns out there are numerous kids'  books about mice, so many of the likely names are already in use.  It never occurred to me until you mentioned it to ask on KB for suggestions.  But why not...  though now I've REALLY hijacked your thread!  

(OK, just to keep it even the tiniest bit on-topic:  Some of the mouse-character's adventures do take him to tropical islands... )


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Susan in VA said:


> He's a fictional character.
> 
> My grandfather created him for me about 45 years ago.
> 
> ...


Quick thought: You should definitely start another thread with this challenge to other KB-ers. They will respond. More than one author has asked for help with book titles--so why not Mr. Gnome?

And I encourage you to push forward on this delightful and worthy project.

As for a name, I have nothing at the moment. But mental lightning strikes at the oddest times! But do the new thread and see what happens. Try: Will you name a character for me?


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## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

That's probably the best idea, and if you hadn't suggested it, I'm sure a moderator would have.  I almost went back online last night and deleted the whole post.

No hurry on a new thread, though.  I'll just let it drop for now.  As I said, it's a long-term project.

Meanwhile, back to the short-term projects.  Lots to do over the weekend.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Please check out the enthusiastic reviews of "Assignment in Antibua" on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FB544A

Thanks for looking!


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## BethA (Aug 9, 2009)

just ordered the sample--I love mysteries and thrillers and do not see as many of those listed here.


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

BethA said:


> just ordered the sample--I love mysteries and thrillers and do not see as many of those listed here.


Many thanks, Beth. Hope you find it promising!


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Erskine Caldwell:

"I think you must remember that a writer is a simple-minded person....He's not a great mind, he's not a great thinker, he's not a great philosopher, he's a storyteller."


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## sigrosenblum (Dec 22, 2008)

Dorothy Sayers:

"No, no, there must be a limit to the baseness even of publishers."


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