I GET REVIEWED

Kirkus Reviews has reviewed my little book. Check out what they say:
"A hapless private eye and his kibitzing family investigate crimes of the heart (and worse) in this charmingly low-key mystery.Thirty-seven-year-old college dropout Mike Levine lives with his mom while dabbling as a private detective in lieu of getting a steady job. He gets occasional work trailing faithless spouses, which leaves him free to indulge his obsession with historical trivia, like the locations of landscape features in the Mona Lisa and the subculture of
Victorian women who wore pants (and the men who fetishized them.)
His two passions collide when he is hired to investigate a woman who is possibly being forced into a marriage against her will, a scenario that echoes the saga of Gabrielle de Launay, an 18th-century Frenchwoman who faked her own death to escape her new husband and run off with a lover. As Mike delves into the deepening mystery, he gets assistance from his nattering, inquisitive and surprisingly savvy mother Estelle; his sister Rhonda, a reference librarian who complements her research skills with an unexpected knack for undercover work; and his irascible brother-in-law Ralph, a Boston cop who provides grudging support.
Mike is realistic about his shortcomings as a detective: his trouble maintaining a cover story, thinking fast in tight spots or dealing with tough guys. His favorite method of working an informant is to simply blurt out that he’s a private detective and ask for help with the case. Through Mike’s humorous fumblings, English professor and first-time novelist Tropp wryly sends up the cliché of the hard-bitten, omni-competent detective hero, replacing it with an exuberant gang of amateurs who repair to the dinner table to banter about the day’s sleuthing.
An engaging mystery with a likable cast of characters, a beguiling dash of historical romance and a fresh take on detective-story conventions."

GOODBYE PLASMA HELLO ROMANS

If you are considering a big flat screen TV, wait. There's a new technology coming that may make plasma and LCD obsolete: http://gear.ign.com/articles/679/679235p1.html
Also, check out this bit of news: http://www.therawfeed.com/2005/09/roman-ruins-discovered-via-google.html

TO READERS OF MY BOOK

If you want to see a picture of the real bridge at Buriano to compare to the bridge behind Mona, check out: http://www.monalisamania.com/background.htm

THE GREAT MAN SPEAKS

Just got back from seeing the famous Dr. Sugarbaker. This guy is the "top man" as you can tell from the two hour wait, followed by the nurse, followed by his associate, Dr. Cohen, followed by a conference in the hall (I was caught listening at the door) followed by the man himself. Remember that a few months ago I was given 6 months to 2 years to live, and only a few weeks ago my oncologist said I had either IIIB or stage IV cancer, which has a survival rate of 2%. Well, the great man walked in, and in the two minutes I saw him, said that the cancer cells were dead, that the PET scan showed nothing anymore, that I should do nothing for four months, then have another PET scan in May and see him again. He seemed real sure of himself, so we felt great. But the conflicting responses to what Dr. Cohen called a "complicated case" makes me a little wary. But the bottom line is no surgery, and at least this guy thinks I'm cured!

BACK FROM ARUBA

Had a great week in Aruba, and seeing the new surgeon Tuesday. Thought you'd all like this genuine MIT study. Very funny: http://people.csail.mit.edu/rahimi/helmet/
After you read it, check out the other side: http://zapatopi.net/afdb/