#Thursday w @robwhart.bsky.social >> 7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2026/06/the-... @sincworldwide.bsky.social @jameswziskin.bsky.social @mwa-ny.bsky.social @lambdaliterary.org @thecwa.bsky.social @tomstraw.bsky.social @crimewriterscanada.bsky.social

Ray Charles. DOTD 2004. Imagine the thrill as a then-19-year-old DJ sitting down in his dressing room to record an interview before his show in LA. Mr. Charles was so kind to me. When I went across the hall to interview BB King, he was kind, too. But Mr. King poured me a bourbon to go with his.

Delighted to be one of the hundreds at Ann Patchett's book launch for Whistler organized by RJ Julia Booksellers in Madison, CT. Ann was interviewed by Roxanne Coady (R), owner of RJ Julia.

June 25, 1956 - June 8, 2018

Weekend reading.

He has the quality I saw in Magic Johnson: a team player who takes responsibility on the court.

Terrific pre-Knicks dinner with the great John Valeri. Not only a positive force in crime writing criticism and author community support, but a great friend capable of making the hours fly by! And why do my selfies always look like the eyeline on the Stepbrothers poster?

Moonrise now on Long Island Sound (with catamaran).

"And that's the way it is."

We have a visitor dropping anchor for the night. Welcome, seafarer!

I count myself lucky to have worked 4 seasons with Craig Ferguson on The Late Late Show. Even luckier to call him a friend. I will be watching—on purpose—at 9PM EDT tonight.

Loved-loved-loved this book! A tour de force by Denise Mina and full-blown spectacle of justice and injustice for this reader.

Weekend reading.

Today, we honor all who gave the last full measure of their devotion.

Behold the Bunueloni. The surrealist filmmaker’s twist on the Negroni. H/T Howard A. Rodman. Cheers!

Last August, as part of a research trip, I toured the White House Museum, 17th & Pennsylvania. Today, the Washington Post ran this photo of the museum's window after last night's shooting incident.

Sentimental Sunday. 12 years ago this month. Playing en plein air at Pont Neuf, Paris.

Tonight Brewers fans have skin in the game. Unfortunately.

CongraZi to PatZi of Joy on Paper on her new READERS MZINE. And graZi for featuring articles by yours truly, L.A. Chandlar, and other fine authors in the inaugural issue. readersmzine.readersmzine.com/readers-mzin...

So grateful to see this piece in @crimereads.bsky.social by Hassan Tarek. It makes this writer feel that rarest and most wondrous of things: understood. #booksky

On Colbert's last day, sharing the video short I directed for CBS's Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson when I took Secretariat to NYC and crashed Letterman at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Long Island Sound. Now.

Yesterday from the NYPL Research Room. The world inside, the wonders at the window.

A day at the office.

#booksky 📚💙 @booksky.club 🙏🙏🙏

Weekend reading

More than a doc about comedy. A film about love and joy. Netflix viewing as an antidote to news-cycle madness.

Yesterday morning, my stellar panel of culinary mystery authors, Devon Delaney, Lucy Burdette, and Ang Pompano, kicked off CrimeCONN 2026. Thanks to Chris Knopf Author, Jill Fletcher, and Karen Danvers for organizing and The Ferguson Library for the fab venue.

Another solar orbit. A day to appreciate a most happy life.

The day after Mother's Day when Mom took a turn down a path to a dead end and the kids are all, "Mo-om!" and Dad is stuck on the other side of the fence. I tried to help open the gate but got hissed at.

You've heard of food for thought? Ang embodies that. His culinary skills are baked into his writing. He joins Lucy Burdette and Devon Delaney on next Saturday's Culinary Mystery panel. Register here: www.fergusonlibrary.org/event/hold-c...

Devon had the guts and talent to jump into cooking competitions. A week from today, she'll join fellow authors Lucy Burdette and Ang Pompano on my Stir It Up! CrimeCONN panel at Stamford's Ferguson Library. To watch the sausage get made, register here: www.fergusonlibrary.org/event/hold-c...

A perfect Friday in New York City. Lunch in the West Village with a favorite author pal followed by quality research time here at the NYPL Cathedral of Books.

Weekend reading.

So glad Lucy will be joining Devon Delaney and Ang Pompano on my panel of stellar culinary mystery authors at CrimeCoNN. It's one week from tomorrow, so jump on this registration link: www.fergusonlibrary.org/event/hold-c...

A little free-range foraging going on in the yard today.

2.5 days, more or less, to go!

Happy book birthday to my friend Matt Goldman. His new thriller, Liar's Creek, pubs today. No lie: If it's from Matt, it's a must read.

In 1999, I hired John Sterling for a sitcom that needed a baseball VO. The Yankees legend had a signature way to say, "And the-uhhh pitch." Our unfamiliar star kept coaching: "C'mon, man, do it straight." John got annoyed but remained pleasant and complied. Because he was a pro. RIP to an icon.

Sunday excursion to Manhattan where The Devil Wore Prada and The Diner Drank Negroni.

Thrilled to announce best-selling and award winning author Lucy Burdette will be joining the culinary mystery panel at CrimeCONN two weeks from today. Bring your appetite for MURRRDER!

Good evening, Moon.

Weekend reading.

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

From today's New York Times piece on Colbert's victory lap, happy to see this pic of my friend Tom Purcell (L), an exec producer on the show. Great guy and one of the sharpest wits I know.

Whaddya say, Chuck? I hear there's a No Kings Rally not far away. Ever moon a rally from a limo?

The voters will take care of the rest of the country.

TBT. 2 weeks ago in Jacksonville for UNF events, Mike Wiley took me to the most awesome used bookstore ever. I bought a Kerr Berlin Noir I'd read and a le Carré I hadn't. Inside, like a spy's treasure, a past reader had secreted this card of vocab words to learn. Or was it code? I'm liking code.

In its own way, I think a palette is an art form. Not because of the painting that resulted but as a reminder of the journey. Because the art is to enjoy the process.

A wee sketch this morning to clear the head. Acrylic on canvas board.