At the age of fifty-three, I began spending most of my days writing. I had written about a dozen plays and three novels. A couple of the plays were okay, but the novels, were bad (“bad” is too kind). But I kept at it. My acting career, which had come so easily for about thirty…
Please forgive me friends that while I am still the main (only) publicity agent for my books, I will be posting an occasional review and hopefully contest result. Meanwhile, the next novel is near completion. Thanks! From “The Reader Views” review of “The Alexandrite.” “The Alexandrite” by Rick Lenz is a fascinating novel about time…
I had a swell time this past weekend speaking at the September meeting of the Los Angeles chapter of the Historical Novel Society. It took place at the Fairfax Library in Hollywood. The friendly, welcoming members all sat around a large table. Light poured in through the high cloistered windows that encircled the round room,…
After Pink Floyd recorded “Dark Side of the Moon,” Roger Waters, who did vocals, played bass guitar, and wrote the lyrics, took a reel-to-reel copy home and played it for his wife. He was understandably, after an unusually long time working on an album, very close to it—probably too close, he imagined, to have any…
Linda found a place in Hollywood where you can order full-sized cardboard cutouts of famous people. There are more of Marilyn Monroe than almost any other celebrity. We chose the one of her from “Bus Stop” since it’s the shooting of that movie that provides some of the background for “The Alexandrite.” We had a…
Reading from “The Alexandrite.” My mother would have told me to sit up straight.
I napped a lot yesterday. It was an extra-hot San Fernando Valley day. I’d stayed up all night the night before, doing things I must do to be ready for the launch of “The Alexandrite” on August 15th. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight, so after Linda and I finished reading to…