Well, my friends, it’s been quite a week, not only for me, but also for the country at large.  Bravo to all my friends in Boston for a job well done… we should have sent the Boston Police after Osama bin Lardass, I mean, bin Laden.  Those Bostonites are the best!   I will never refer to them as “has-beans” again, and the next time the Red Sox play the Yankees I am going to root for…. Hey, I love those Bostonians, but I can’t root against New York!  My son-in-law’s family lives just north of Boston, so as you can imagine, we were all glued to the television set.  Naturally, our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the innocent victims.

And speaking of innocent victims, down here in Texas we had a terrible explosion in the small town of West, which is just north of Austin.  I drove through there the day after the fertilizer plant exploded, and just like in Boston, American heroes were all over the place, helping the wounded, saving lives, etc.  Two very sad events, but both made you proud to be an American.  You know why they’re called “first responders?”

Because they are truly ONE OF A KIND!

I drove up to Dallas this past weekend, and once I got there, I was reminded of another big loss to our collective greatness.  My life-long friend (and one of the finest women in Texas!) is named Miss Holley, and she was a close friend of Pat Summerall’s wife.  Mr. Summerall, as I’m sure you’ve heard, died last week and his funeral service was held on Saturday in “Big D.”  I never met the man, but I am sure going to miss his gentlemanly demeanor and his melodic voice.  Again, he was truly one of a kind.   John Madden delivered an eloquent eulogy, and from what I was told, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

On a lighter note, copies of MURDER ON MAIDEN LANE continue to fly off the shelves!  (To make room for books that sell!)  Just kidding, sales are going quite well, and some important reviews are pending.  I actually gave an impromptu talk to a group of college kids at a Sonic Dive-In last week.  I  ended up selling 10 copies of MURDER ON MAIDEN LANE and 3 copies of THE PRESLEY PLOT!  (Which is all I had in my trunk.)  I guess you could say that business was booming at the Sonic Drive-In.  (Now I know the meaning of a “sonic boom!”)  Next week, my publicist, Black Bart Berkowitz, has me booked at the local Dairy Queen.  I hope all of these ice cream stores appreciate my “good humor!”  (Otherwise, I may have a “melt down.”)

All right, enough with the ice cream jokes!  Tomorrow evening, I meet with my delightful typist, Miss Emily, and whence we meet, I will be giving her the final draft of my first non-fiction masterpiece, THE SECOND MOURNING.  More about this future Pulitzer Prized winner later.  The third “Adam Gold” mystery (DEVIL’S COVE)  is about to be sent to the publisher, so I will also keep you informed of that project.

Any more questions?  I thought not.  Well, it’s been a long day so I need a long neck to save me…..  I shall drink a cold beer to your good fortune, and if you get a chance, you do the same for me!  Love to all… and God Bless the U.S.A.!

Doc Yanoff