First of all, to get to business: Last week, each of us here at DEAD GUY listed two absurdly false things and one absurdly true one about ourselves. And since everyone else has come clean, it's time for me to 'fess up. Of the three things I listed, only one was sort of true. I have never played guitar on a stage with Bruce Springsteen. I have never done ANYTHING on or off a stage with Bruce Springsteen, but I am from New Jersey, so I figured I was duty bound to suggest I had.
And alas, despite my best efforts, we were unable to get a copy of any of my books to Barack Obama. But Mr. President, if you're dropping by for your daily dose of crime fiction publishing and are at all interested, feel free to drop an email, and I'll get the book to you ASAP.
The thing that was almost entirely true was that Debbie Reynolds once hung up on me. But even that was something of a distortion, only because saying exactly what I meant would have taken up much too much space, and would have given the whole thing away.
What actually happened was this: I was doing a monthly interview column for a magazine then owned by my great and good friend Lou Grantt (yes, that's her real name), called Hollywood Scriptwriter. Each month, I'd interview a screenwriter, director or producer, and have a wonderful time while (sort of) getting paid for it. I got to meet, by phone usually, some favorites of mine, including William Goldman, Steven Bochco, Spike Lee, Budd Schulberg, and many others.
One month, the assignment was to interview Carrie Fisher, who had written a TV movie about to be broadcast. So, going through the publicist, a telephone interview was set up. But the date and time kept getting pushed back--Ms. Fisher was quite busy, and this was not exactly the cover of TV Guide were talking here--to the point where I had to threaten the publicist that "if it doesn't happen by tomorrow, you can tell her I'm posting Princess Leia's phone number on the Internet." That got the interview going, and Ms. Fisher was charming and funny and gracious throughout.
But in the middle of it, I heard a voice in the background imploring her about something. And Carrie Fisher said into the phone, "Jeff, I'll have to call you back. My mother needs me for something."
So, it was Debbie Reynolds' fault that I had to get off the phone. There you have the unvarnished truth.
And yes, Carrie Fisher called back a while later and we finished the interview.
Also: A new book in the ____________ For Dummies series covers blogs on this very system, "TypePad For Dummies." was published last week. And in a section called "10 Bloggers Using TypePad Well," right there on page 332, you'll find HEY, THERE'S A DEAD GUY IN THE LIVING ROOM. We're very honored, and hope to be an example for dummies for years to come.
