James D. Best

5 Worst Typos Ever

2012-02-12T07:44:00.000-08:00

Amusing video of 5 Worst Typos ever, including the United States Constitution and the Bible.

By the way, this is an example of great book promotion.

Western Writers of America Roundup Magazine reviews Murder at Thumb Butte

2012-02-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

This is awell-plotted mystery, as well as a terrific Old West story. I found the idea of a stockswindle entertaining, especially considering the era in which the story is set. Itcould’ve been ripped from today’s headlines, but reads entirely authentic to thetime period. Best has a great character in Steve Dancy, and has created anexcellent cast of secondary characters. — C.K. Crigger

Read the Full Review

Justice Ginsburg—A Profound Misunderstanding of the Founding

2012-02-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

Read the full post at

What Would The Founders Think?

A few days ago, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg talked on Egyptian television about the United States Constitution. Constitutional conservatives were taken aback by her advice.

Eutychus the Scribe Reviews Tempest at Dawn

2012-02-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

"Tempest at Dawn is anovel. Fiction. Historical fiction. It does adhere closely to Madison’s noteswhen describing what occurred in the Assembly Room. But James Best uses theimagination of the novelist to construct what might have occurred in the taverns,salons, dining rooms and inns. He also draws on historical data to present uswith the personalities of the major participants in the convention. The resultis a readable, engaging story of the creation of our Constitution."

Read the Full Review

Coming soon to a bookstore or website near you

2012-02-05T10:45:00.000-08:00

Prior to 1776, worldhistory was primarily written about kings and emperors. The American experimentshook the world. Not only did the colonies break away from the biggest and mostpowerful empire in history, they took the musings of the brightest thinkers ofthe Enlightenment and implemented them. The Founding of the United States wassimultaneously an armed rebellion against tyranny and a revolution ofideas—ideas that changed the course of world history.

Flavorwire Lists the Top Ten Author Accessories

2012-02-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

Interesting list, but where are Mark Twain's white suit, or Steve Clancy's sunglasses? Or Shakespeare's ink stained hand, for that matter. Oh wait, there are no photographs of Shakespeare's blackened fingers.
Link to Article

Speaking of Mark Twain, here's my favorite quote:
"Always do right—this will gratify some and astonish the rest."

Heroes, Villains, and Things that go Bump in the Night

2012-01-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

Stories pit an antagonist against a protagonist. Theconflict can be anything from an everyday struggle against life’s travails to abattle to the death. Whatever the scale of the clash, there is always tensionin a good story. Edge-of-your-seat page-turners are often about a heroic figurefighting against a ruthless and capable villain. Villains come in limitless varieties, butthey must always be formidable. If you write an action/adventure story, youneed an intimidating antagonist who can fill your hero with self-doubt.Whatever the physical or mental capabilities of your hero, the villain must presentan insurmountable challenge. Superheroes need super villains. That’s why LexLuthor always has a handy stash of Kryptonite.

A great villain can have unnatural powers, a gang ofallies, or simply be crazed. Villains do not even need to be human. In fact, someof the most interesting villains have been animals. Herman Melville set a whaleup as the supposed antagonist in MobyDick, a good dog gone rabid made Stephen King’s Cujo a terrifying story, and Daphne du Maurier choose seagulls in hisshort story The Birds, which AlfredHitchcock made into an iconic movie. King Kong, Godzilla, the Alien in the SigourneyWeaver thrillers, and the raptors in Jurassic Park are on the other side of thescale from commonplace seagulls. Personally, the lions in The Ghost and the Darkness were the most nerve racking protagonistsI ever encounter in a darkened theater.

Sowhen you plot out your next story and you need a really scary bad guy, don’t forgetit doesn’t need to be a guy … and it doesn’t need to be human. Or even alive ina biological sense. Next post we’ll look at some ornery machines that scaredthe bejesus out of breathing characters.

Into Darkness and Danger

2012-01-30T08:09:00.000-08:00

New Post at What Would the Founders Think?

The Constitutionrequires the President of the United States to give Congress information about“the state of the Union.” This presidential report was meant as one of thechecks and balances between the executive and legislative branches. Every otherpresident has been respectful of the other branches during the annualaddress—except for this president.

Read the rest of the article

Faith Friese Nelson Reviews The Shut Mouth Society

2012-01-26T09:06:00.000-08:00

The Shut Mouth Society by James D. Best is the kind of book I likebest.

Itstarts with a rich collector who has discovered an early Abraham Lincolndocument. The collector asks two people to authenticate the manuscript: GregEvarts, a detective, and Patricia Baldwin, a professor. The professor, ofcourse, is not only smart but stinking rich and beautiful. The novel haseverything from intrigue and murder to romance.

Thestory begins in California and progresses to the historical east coast wherethe reader is introduced to private libraries, secret apartments, and shown howrich and powerful civil war descendants live. Conspiracies and secret societiesfrom the Civil War era are unveiled in such a realistic manner that, when Ifinished the book, I actually did some research to separate fact from fiction.

Link to Faith Friese Nelson Blog

Mr. Know-it-All Lauds the Steve Dancy Series

2012-01-25T11:23:00.000-08:00

Mr. Know-it-All (Gary Clothier) is a columnist forthe Star Democrat in Maryland. Nice answer to a reader'squestion. At least I liked it.

Q: A friend showed me a list of old-time cowboy movie stars,including pictures. On the list was James Best. I recently finished reading aWestern novel by James Best. Was the movie star also a writer? The novel wasexcellent. F.T.N., Bangor, Maine

A: James Best the actor also lists accomplishments of beingan artist and director. He was born in 1926 as Jules Guy, and is probably bestknown for his role as Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the popular TV series"The Dukes of Hazzard." According to publicity material, he claims tohave appeared in more than 600 television shows and appeared in more than 80films.

James D. Best the author has written at least six books,including the Steve Dancy Western novels: "The Shopkeeper,""Leadville" and "Murder at Thumb Butte." I couldn't agreewith you more about the series. I read them and enjoyed them immensely.

Star Democrat Link

Heroes, Villains, and Things that go Bump in the Night

2012-01-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

Protagonists come inthree basic groupings—the wholesome hero, the flawed hero, and the anti-hero.The level of heroics may be all over the map—from resolving an inner conflictto saving the galaxy—but the three types remain relatively constant. Examplesof wholesome heroes include; Roy Rogers, Frodo Baggins, and Atticus Finch. JohnWayne often played a flawed hero, as did Clint Eastwood. Other examples offlawed heroes include Sherlock Holmes, Oskar Schindler, and Huckleberry Finn.Nowadays, the anti-hero has risen to prominence in storytelling. For pure nastiness, Chigurh in NoCountry for Old Men gives Alex DeLarge in Clockwork Orange a run for the money.(Cormac McCarthy and Anthony Burgess certainly knew how to carve out asympathetic sociopath.) Victor Frankenstein, Macbeth, Hannibal Lecter provideadditional examples of antiheroes.

Whether ourprotagonist comes from a background as common as dirt, or is a cerebral solverof Einsteinian puzzles, or a bigger-than-life champion of the downtrodden; thehero of our story must eventually overcome a tougher-than-nails antagonist.Protagonists may fight with wits or brawn, but win they must. And they can’twin easily—otherwise it’s not much of a story. After all, a hero cannot beheroic without a scary antagonist. The great news for writers is that unlikeprotagonists, the varieties and variations in antagonists are beyondimagination. Antagonists can be an inner conflict, an animal, time, a place, a villain, a machine, or even a child. Antagonists make writing fun. Andit’s the antagonist that keeps our readers turning the page. More on this inanother blog post. Stay tuned.

Arizona Centennial Conference

2012-01-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

The official Arizona Centennial Conference will be held April 18-21, 2012 at PointeHilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort, Phoenix. On February 14, 1912, Arizona became the last continental territory to be admitted as a state. Delaware, the first state, had already been in the union one hundred and twenty-five years. Trains, planes, and automobiles had shrunk wide-open spaces and generated the kind of enthusiasm we now see for iProducts. The telephone was starting to supplant the telegraph, so the year before, American Telephone & Telegraph took control of Western Union Telegraph Company, to create "Ma Bell." The University of Arizona had already existed for twenty-seven years. In the same year, Oreo cookies would be introduced, and the Titanic would sink.

Some blame the gunfight at the OK Corral in 1881 for Arizona's late statehood. The national notoriety gave the rest of the country the impression that Arizona was an unruly remnant of the Wild West.

Perhaps they were right. After all, if it doesn't bite, and it's not posionous, it's not native to Arizona.

This ought to be a fun and enlightening conference. Check out the Arizona Centennial Conference website. You might also want to read Murder at Thumb Butte before the conference. It will put you in the mood to learn more about Arizona territorial history.

Steve Dancy Tales Promoted in True West Magazine

2012-01-06T07:44:00.000-08:00

The Steve Dancy Tales are being promoted in True West magazine with a full page advertisement. The collector issue celebrates the Arizona Centennial, and also recognizes Prescott, Arizona the Top Western Town for 2012. This is a great connection with a great magazine because the latest Steve Dancy adventure, Murder at Thumb Butte, occurs in 1880 in Prescott. Pick up a copy. It's filled with little known facts about Arizona's road to statehood, the gunfight at the OK corral, the 12 guns that tamed Arizona, and the Top Ten True Western Towns of the year.

Murder at Thumb Butte reviewed at Bookviews

2012-01-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

Alan Caruba atBookviews writes:

"Whenit comes to westerns, novels that evoke a fabled period, few do it better thanJim Best. His latest is Murder at Thumb Butte ($12.95,Wheatmark, Tucson, AZ, softcover) and I guarantee that you will also want toread The Shopkeeper and Leadville. These are part of a “Steve Dancy” seriesand, in the case of Murder at Thumb Butte, it is the spring of 1880 and Dancyhas traveled to Prescott, Arizona to gain control of a remarkable invention. Hehas barely unpacked when he learns that his friend, Jeff Sharp, has beenarrested for a midnight murder and Dancy launches an investigation to find whoreally did it. The problem is, the whole town of Prescott wanted him dead! Heturns to another old friend, Captain Joseph McAllen of the Pinkerton NationalDetective Agency to sort out the suspects and find the real killer before Sharpends up swinging from the gallows. Best is best at dialogue and his novels movealong at a swift pace with some of the best dialogue you’ll find. Nothingfancy, but it reflects real people in real situations. Treat yourself to one orall three of the series."

Link to Review

Here comes 2012, ready or not!

2012-01-03T13:43:00.000-08:00

Mostly not. We returned to our home in Arizona late last night, and have been lazing about trying to recover from a week with all of our grandchildren. Right after Christmas, we flew to Florida to meet up with our son and daughter's families in Orlando. We had six adults to handle six kids, so we figured we had an even chance. Wrong. Nothing energizes a young child more than waking to the promise of another trip to Disney World or one of the other fun parks in Orlando. What ensued for the rest of the day would unduly age any grandparent ... especially one used to quiet days of writing. My back hurts, I'm tired, and my wallet's thinner, but I don't regret a single second.

In quiet moments, mostly in air terminals, I read Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson. My favorite part so far is the chapter on the development of Toy Story. It's a perfect case study in characterization and storytelling. Every writer should read it.

Anyway, lots to get done, including a few New Year's resolutions. I won't share these because they are too revealing of my flaws.

First up for 2012 is publication of Principled Action, Lessons From the Origins of the American Republic. This non-fiction history book should be available in February.

I'm also starting work on the next Steve Dancy Tale. No title yet, but I've worked out the broad plot line and a suitable title will pop to mind as I continue the research.

Another big, immediate task is recovering my Macintosh computer. The disc drive went belly-up with 25,000 photos, and lots of iMovie files. I suspect I won't get a full day of writing for a week or so.

Here's wishing you and yours a magnificent 2012. We all deserve it.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah

2011-12-22T08:07:00.000-08:00

Once again, we are in Omaha to celebrate the holidays with our daughter and her family. After Christmas we all fly to Orlando to meet up with our son and his family. All six grandkids together at Disney World ... won't that be grand.

My wife and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2012.

The Shopkeeper #1 Bestselling Western on Amazon

2011-12-19T11:40:00.000-08:00

The Kindle version of The Shopkeeper has moved to the Number 1 bestselling Western on Amazon for print or eBook formats. The print version of The Shopkeeper has taken the 34th position. The Shopkeeper is also 23rd bestselling Action/Adventure book and the 27th bestselling Historical. Thanks to everyone who is buying the book. It encourages me to get working on the 4th novel in the Steve Dancy Tales series.

Amazon Western Bestseller List

5-Star Books Selects Tempest at Dawn

2011-12-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

5-Star Books has showcased Tempest at Dawn in their Historical Novel category.

From the 5-Star Website: "How do we pick thenovels featured on 5-Star Books? First, the book must have predominantly 5-Starreviews on Amazon.com. After that qualification, we look at the cover design,the number of reviews, what readers are saying in those reviews, when the bookwas published, and other subjective factors."

Fifty-fivemen came to Philadelphia May of 1787with a congressional charter to revise theArticles of Confederation. Instead they founded the longest lastingrepublic in world history. Tempest at Dawn tells their story.

Learning About the Constitution

2011-12-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

In order topreserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, we need to understand it.Luckily, there are some great learning tools available to every American. Theseinclude an online course at James Madison’s Montpelier Center for theConstitution, the webcast series Introduction to the Constitution fromHillsdale College, and several good books, including The Heritage Guide to theConstitution, Tempest at Dawn, and Decision in Philadelphia.

Read the full article at What Would The Founders Think?

The ideal life

2011-12-10T14:42:00.001-08:00

“Good friends, goodbooks and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” — Mark Twain

“Knowing you have something good to read before bed is among the most pleasurable of sensations.” — Vladimir Nabokov

“Thou shalt not issoon forgotten, but Once upon a time lasts forever.” — Philip Pullman

“Reading is the solemeans by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another’s skin,another’s voice, another’s soul.” — Joyce Carol Oates

“There is no friendas loyal as a book.” – Ernest Hemingway

“I am simply a ‘bookdrunkard.’ Books have the same irresistible temptation for me that liquor hasfor its devotee. I cannot withstand them.” — L.M. Montgomery

“It is what you readwhen you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t helpit.” — Oscar Wilde

“Be awesome! Be abook nut!” — Dr. Seuss

“Good books, likegood friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable.” —Louisa May Alcott

“The one way oftolerating existence is to lose oneself in literature as in a perpetual orgy.”— Gustave Flaubert

“I cannot rememberthe books I’ve read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they havemade me.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“I owe everything Iam and everything I will ever be to books.” — Gary Paulsen

“Books are auniquely portable magic.” — Stephen King

“Picking fivefavorite books is like picking the five body parts you’d most like not tolose.” — Neil Gaiman

“Reading brings usunknown friends.” — Honoré de Balzac

“When the Day ofJudgment dawns and people, great and small, come marching in to receive theirheavenly rewards, the Almighty will gaze upon the mere bookworms and say toPeter, “Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them. They haveloved reading.” — Virginia Woolf

“Our favorite bookis always the book that speaks most directly to us at a particular stage in ourlives. And our lives change. We have other favorites that give us what we mostneed at that particular time. But we never lose the old favorites. They’re alwayswith us.” — Lloyd Alexander

“There are perhapsno days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we believe we left withouthaving lived them, those we spent with a favorite book.” — Marcel Proust

“I have alwaysimagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” — Jorge Luis Borges

“It was books thattaught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things thatconnected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.” —James Baldwin

“It is sounsatisfactory to read a noble passage and have no one you love at hand toshare the happiness with you.” Mark Twain

“I cannot livewithout books.” — Thomas Jefferson

Books are a perfect gift.

2011-12-05T17:38:00.001-08:00

Somepeople can be hard to buy for—unless you give them a book that matches theirspecial interest or taste in fiction. Suddenly, your thoughtfulness becomespart of the gift. Whether your relatives or friends are interested in the CivilWar, romance novels, Westerns, railroads, guns, cooking, collecting old comicbooks, or some hobby, there's always a book around that will bring a smile totheir face.

Booksare the best entertainment value around. They provide hour after hour ofpersonal pleasure, and then they can be passed on to another person. I alsolike that when I give a book as a gift, I can write a personal note that won'tget tossed out like last year's Christmas card.

Children'sbooks are great gifts. We always search for autographed storybooks for ourgrandkids. A great find is when the author and the illustrator both sign thebook. We've done this for several years, so now our grandkids' bedrooms havededicated shelves for signed books. The icing on the cake is that we get toread them a story from one of these books whenever we visit.

Here arelinks to bestselling books in a few categories. There are many categories a click away, but you can also search for books on a specific subject.

By theway, if you're thinking about a gift for me, I collect vintage Western booksfrom the first half of the twentieth century. I especially like the ones withgreat illustrations on the dust cover. But if you give me one of these, do me afavor and write your personal note on a Post-It.

Custer’s Last Stand at the Little Bighorn

2011-12-01T06:56:00.001-08:00

About a month ago,my wife and I took a road trip with some good friends through many of theWesterns states. We visited Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, SouthDakota, and Nebraska. One of the highlights was a visit to the LittleBighorn Battlefield National Monument.

Everytime I visit a historic site, I end up buying at least one book about theevents that took place at the location. I wanted to buy only one bookabout the battle because we had already visited so many sites that I wasweighing down the motorhome. The store at the National Monument haddozens upon dozens of books on Custer, the battle, Crazy Horse, and SittingBull. I spent some time going through them and ended up taking two to theclerk for a recommendation. The two books were The Last Stand, Custer, Sitting Bull, and The Battleof Little Bighorn, by Nathaniel Philbrick, and Crazy Horse and Custer: The Parallel Lives of TwoAmerican Warriors, by Stephen E. Ambrose.

Read the full review at What Would the Founders Think?

Guest Appearance on the Glenn Beck Show

2011-11-24T14:32:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday, November 22, 2011, I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Glenn Beck Show. This was my second appearance, which made me feel good because it meant they didn't think I was really terrible the first time. The show launched Beck's new book, Being George Washington. I was invited onto the program because I had helped with research. I had loads of fun, and Glenn Beck is is a great guy. No surprises...he's just as he seems on his radio and television programs. Being George Washington is an accurate portrayal of the Father of our Country, but told with a more personal touch than other written portraits.

Candelaria, a.k.a. Pickhandle Gulch

2011-11-19T08:02:00.001-08:00

The first Steve Dancy Tale, The Shopkeeper, started in Pickhandle Gulch, Nevada. I visited the ghost town researching the book and took many photos, but few as good as the ones in this slideshow. The town is far off the beaten path, but if you're a ghost town enthusiast, I would highly recommend a trip to Candelaria.
Slide Show

Steve Dancy Tales

Honest westerns. Filled with dishonest people.

Westerns Forever Tribute

2011-11-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

Three Days at a Dude Ranch

2011-11-11T08:23:00.001-08:00

Although I'm awestern writer, I've never stayed at a dude ranch. At least not until thisweek, when my wife and I spent time at the White Stallion Ranch outside ofTucson, Arizona. I discovered I had missed out on a lot of fun.

I had always assumeddude ranches were for Easterners who wanted to experience a controlled OldWest. To a degree that's true. We found ourselves riding, eating, and drinkingwith people from all over the nation, as well as from England, Germany, Sweden,and Japan. Some were novices, but most were experienced riders who loved horsesand beautiful, wide open landscape.

It surprised me how many had been comingback year after year. One reason manyreturned to White Stallion was the ranch staff. They were always gracious andat your elbow whenever you needed something. The ranch hands' politeness seemedcontagious. All of the guests were in a holiday mood and eager for the next adventure.This was resort living, seasoned with bit of adrenalin. What a combination.

And the biggestsurprise … the adventures seemed genuine. This was especially true for thepopular riding lessons. The lesson occurred in a huge corral, and focused onpushing skills to the next level. I had ridden a horse many times, but neverhad a wrangler give me a private lesson. It made a world of difference, and I'msure my horse appreciated it.

It was a great stay.We relaxed, ate too much, met interesting people, and became much betterriders. We intend to be back in the spring with friends. Maybe we can even getthe grandkids out here to race around the corral on a pony. It never too earlyto help them become Western enthusiasts.

And now for something completely different ...

2011-11-08T09:51:00.000-08:00

Western History, Breathtaking Monuments, and Great Balls of Twine

2011-11-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

The first time I drove across the country,I was ten years old and shared a cramped back seat with two brothers and a sister. Our comfortsincluded an evaporative cooler kept in place by a rolled up window, stalesandwiches wrapped in wax paper, and a static-prone radio that kept losingstations. We saw lots of the good ol' American West, but in truth, thehighlight of the day was picking a motel for the night. We drove up and downthe main drag of some small town along Route 66 checking out places to stay.Would the motel be a real Indian teepee, or a fort right out of Rin Tin Tin, orjust a boring row of doors in an L-shaped building with parking slots in front.Did the pool have a diving board? If during the day we had kept our arguing toa minimum, maybe we could stay in a prehistoric cave with dinosaurs as lawnart? As we cruised back and forth, the four of us in the back seat would shoutout our preferences, but our parents whispered some adult secret stuff to eachother and we soon found ourselves bouncing into a driveway.

Families don't travel across country by caranymore. I wouldn't even do it with my kids. The trend was already leaningtoward flying to a destination vacation spot, and then the Griswolds ruined thefamily road trip forever.

Except … a few ol' timers still want to seefly-over country from ground level at a comfortable speed. We just did, and wehad a blast. With a couple of good friends, we toured Nevada, Utah, Idaho,Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska. When you slow down to aleisurely pace, you discover a great country filled with great people. Pioneerand Western History reminds you what it means to be an American. Monuments likeMount Rushmore and the Dakota Badlands are more impressive than the latestiPhone app. And if you have a taste for Great American tacky, you can stillfind plenty of it along the road. The thirty-foot dinosaurs may be gone, butyou can still sidle up to a six-foot garishly painted horse.

A road trip across the country stillpresents hardships. I think we ran out of ice once for our evening cocktails.It surprised me that a thirty-eight foot diesel-pusher wouldn't have anautomatic icemaker. It had everything else, including a satellite entertainmentsystem that could pull in countless radio and television stations. I don'tbelieve there was a roll of wax paper either. The motorhome did have a fullkitchen, with an endless supply of wholesome and unwholesome food, but we hadto use a zip-lock baggie to store leftovers. Our roomy vehicle leveled itself,kept the temperature perfect, and had a sound system the envy of a concerthall. We did have to make up our beds in the morning. What we didn't have to dowas cruise up and down the main boulevard looking for a place to eat or parkfor the night. A pair of iPads made researching the options for the next fewhours or days an enjoyable pastime.

The trip was reminiscent of my youth, butsomehow better. We had fun, relaxed, enjoyed good company, and learned a lotabout our country. If you get the chance, hit the road.

What Would the Founders Think? Reviews Murder at Thumb Butte

2011-11-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Best does a greatjob of weaving historic Prescott into the story with accurate depictions ofwell-known features like Whiskey Row, the court house, Gurley Street, and otherfamous locales in the historic town. It’s clear he’s been there and mapped out his story accordingly. The great thing about this is that this partof Prescott looks much the same as it did then. The story itself isas good, if not better than the first two books in the series.

Book Page at Amazon
Book Page at Barnes & Noble

Read the entire Review

What do these books have in common?

2011-10-28T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jill Harness reports at flavorwire that these are ten huge bestsellers that were originally rejected numerous times. She writes, "Anyone who has ever wanted to work in a creative field, be it writing, painting or playing music has been told they better develop thick skin. After all, it doesn't matter how good you are, someone will always be there to tear you down. It's hard to think of a better example of this than to look at some rejected books that would later become some of the best-selling titles in the world.
Read her complete article

What Would the Founders Think? reviews Leadville

2011-10-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

What fun! It’s no wonder that Jim is as popular as he is onAmazon and that readers clamor for him to release his next installment of hisSteve Dancy western series. I recently had a business trip to the eastcoast and downloaded Leadville and Murder at ThumbButte toread on the trip. On the way out, I read another book, which, while entertaining,wasn’t nearly as good. On the way back, a 5.5 hour flight, I read thisfast-paced, fun book and half of Murder at ThumbButte. Iwas almost wishing that the flight were longer!

Read the entire review

Presented Saturday, October 29, 2011

2011-10-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

Selling your book

View more presentations from James D. Best.

Mr. Madison Writes a Letter to Mr. Jefferson

2011-10-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

Prior to championing a Bill of Rights in the First Congress, James Madison wrote a revealing letter to Thomas Jefferson in October of 1788. Interestingly, much of the letter was written in a secret code only the two of them shared. The following extract from the letter gives insight into Madison's mindset and the thinking of many of the Founders.

Read the full article

Western Fiction Review reviews The Shopkeeper

2011-10-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

"With all the plot developments the story has a natural fast pace and before I knew it I had reached the end, leaving me wanting to read the next in the series."

Read Full Review

Saddle Up ! Denver Post article on resurgence of Westerns on TV

2011-10-11T09:07:00.000-07:00

Joanne Ostrow writes a article summarizing television networks new fascination with the Western genre.

"The rugged individualism of myth, the challenge of uncharted territory, the bad sanitation and awful racial stereotypes ... the TV Western is back in the saddle."

Read more ...

Read related article on popularity of Westerns

2nd Annual Avondale Writers Conference

2011-10-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

I will be presenting at the 2nd Annual Avondale Writers Conference in Avondale, Arizona. The title of my talk is How to Get Your Book Published: No Nonsense Advice. The all-day conference is on Saturday October 29th, starting with registration at 8:00 AM. I'm refining my presentation during down moments on my road trip. We've driven from Las Vegas to Salt Lake. City. Great country, great company. Next stop, Butte, Mo.
Conference Link

Road Trip!

2011-10-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, my wife and I fly to Las Vegas to meet friends with a diesel pusher. From there, we'll drive through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Nebraska, and then we'll fly home from Omaha at the end of the month. No agenda, no wake-up calls, and only occasional peeks at email. Good friends and the open road in my favorite part of the country. This is gonna be fun. Film at eleven.

The Founders’ Fear

2011-09-14T07:32:00.000-07:00

We often hear laments that our politicians no longer honor their pledge to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. This is backward. The Constitution was never written for politicians. Our political leaders have no motivation to abide by a two hundred year old restraining order. Americans must enforce the supreme law of the land. The first outsized words of the Constitution read We the People. It’s our document. It was always meant to be ours, not the government’s. It is each and every American’s obligation to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Read the Full Article

Constitution Day -- Celebrated this year on Sept. 16

2011-09-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

To commemorate Constitution Day, the blog What would the Founders think? is posting articles all week on the Constitution.

Constitutional Speed Bumps, by James D. Best

“The powers of government should be so divided and balanced among several bodies of magistracy, as that no one could transcend their legal limits, without being effectually checked and restrained by the others.” Thomas Jefferson

To a degree, each branch of the national government operates in slight fear that another branch will chastise or even overrule its actions. This was an intended consequence of the design. Madison wrote in Federalist 51, “the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.”

Read the full article

A Great Tribute to Westerns

2011-08-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

New Book Trailer for Steve Dancy Western Series

2011-08-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

New Cover for The Shut Mouth Society

2011-08-12T15:40:00.000-07:00

For a long time, I've wanted to change the cover of The Shut Mouth Society. Although the story has strong historical elements, it's a contemporary thriller. The old cover looked like a historical novel, or even a non-fiction book on Lincoln. With the completion of Murder at Thumb Butte, I was able to dedicate some time to work with a designer on a new cover.

A Capacity to Annoy or Injure

2011-08-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

During the Constitutional Convention and state ratification conventions, the judiciary was the least discussed branch of the national government. From a design perspective, almost all of the debate and alarm seemed to have been focused on the executive and the legislature. The simplest explanation is that the judiciary was familiar and non-controversial. Hamilton wrote in Federalist 78, “[T]he judiciary, from the nature of its functions, will always be the least dangerous to the political rights of the Constitution; because it will be least in a capacity to annoy or injure them.”

Read the full article at What Would the Founders Think?

Murder at Thumb Butte print edition is now available

2011-08-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

The print edition of Murder at Thumb Butte, a Steve Dancy Tale is now available at Amazon, Books-a-Million, and Barnes and Noble. (The official publication date is September 15, 2011.) The third novel in the Steve Dancy series can be purchased with 24-hour shipping or ordered at any bookstore. Murder at Thumb Butte is also available on the Kindle, Nook, iPad, and any device that supports the Kindle app. (It may take another month for the Sony Reader.) The large print edition will be available in January, 2012.

I want to thank all the readers who have bought Murder At Thumb Butte in an eBook format ... and thanks for all the kind comments. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Murder at Thumb Butte
Buy From Barnes and Noble

From the Publisher

In the spring of 1880, Steve Dancy travels to Prescott, Arizona to gain control of a remarkable invention. But on his first night in the territorial capital, his friend, Jeff Sharp is arrested for a midnight murder at Thumb Butte. Dancy launches a personal investigation to find the real murderer, only to discover the whole town wanted the victim dead. For help, he turns to another old friend and associate, Captain Joseph McAllen of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.

Can Dancy discover the true killer before his friend stretches a rope on the courthouse square?

Hollywood—Get Real

2011-07-29T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hollywood must believe that the only way to draw us into a theater is to give Sherlock Holmes the glitter of James Bond, portray the Three Musketeers as superheroes, and pit cowboys against ghastly aliens. If the script is really weak, then they shove it in our face by releasing the movie in 3-D. Are there no real writers left in Hollywood? Are kids the only ones that can gin up box office? Flash and dash is great when it’s integral to a story, but a bore when it consumes the entire one hundred and ten minutes. Storytelling is an art, and Hollywood commits all of is creative talents to bookkeeping. It’s hard to believe that they’re still planning an Academy Award for Best Screenplay.

Good Book

2011-07-22T13:36:00.000-07:00

Just finished The Dirty Dozen, How Twelve Supreme Court Cases Radically Expanded Government and Eroded Freedom. I barely got a B in my only law course, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Read my review at What Would the Founders Think?

Goodbye to stevedancy.com

2011-07-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

My web hosting came up for renewal and I had to make a decision. Blogger features have greatly improved, and the time used to update my two websites is time I am not writing. So ... I'm letting my Steve Dancy site go and replacing it with the Steve Dancy Page you can see above. I'm retaining the jamesdbest.com site, however.

Independence Day

2011-07-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm late with this post celebrating Independence Day because I've been out enjoying the day with thousands of other Americans. This is a great day for celebration, but the name is a misnomer. We may have declared our independence on July 4, 1776, but it took eight years of war to make the declaration a reality. The signing of the Declaration was a commitment of colossal proportions. There was no turning back. The colonists now had to defeat the greatest empire in the history of the world, or they would be most probably executed, but undoubtedly ruined. Our Founders believed liberty was worth any risk. We should all take a moment today to thank them for our great country.

The Virginian—The Inspiration for The Steve Dancy Tales

2011-06-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

The Virginian was published in 1902, by Owen Wister (1860-1938). The novel received critical acclaim and was a huge bestseller, eventually spawning five films, a successful play, and a television series. The Virginian was an instant success, selling over 20,000 copies in the first month, an astonishing number for the time. It went on to sell over 200,000 copies in the first year, and over a million and a half prior to Wister’s death. This minor classic has never been out of print. Beyond the multiple works that carry its name, The Virginian has inspired hundreds of stories about the Old West.

The Virginia is a story about people, people who happen to have been transplanted from a more civil society to the frontier. It’s basically a fish out of water story. The narrator of this classic was Owen Wister himself. As I read this book, I thought how cool would it be for the Easterner to be more than an observer. What if he became personally involved in the adventures of the Wild West? And that’s how The Virginian inspired the Steve Dancy series. As homage to the original, the first scene of The Shopkeeper opens with a whist card game—the same game Wister's cowboys play in the bunkhouse.

This link will take you to my book review of The Virginian.

eBooks Changing More Than Just Formats

2011-06-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

Beyond reading articles touting the eBook phenomenon, I have personally witnessed the shift in book sales from print to eBooks. In the first half of 2011, 72% of my book sales were eBooks. This contrasts with eBook sales of 33% for the first half of 2010. This is not a shift, this is a stampede.

There is an aspect of the eBook trend that is less obvious than the change in format: eBooks are shifting the timing of book purchases. In January of 2010, my total book sales dropped to 45% of my December sales, but my January 2011 sales were 81% of the sales in December of 2010. If eBooks alone are evaluated, the shift to after Christmas sales is even more dramatic. People who own eBook devices are voracious readers and what they want more than anything else is a gift card for their favorite online bookstore. For 2010, my top selling week for the year was the seven days after December 25th--almost all eBooks.

What does this mean for authors? It means authors need to reassess the timing of their promotional efforts. For example, I'm wondering how the heck do I get to readers on Christmas day, Father's Day, Mother's Day, and on their birthday?

Murder at Thumb Butte Available on Kindle and Nook

2011-06-21T07:55:00.000-07:00

Murder at Thumb Butte is now available on the Kindle and the Nook. The print version is in the layout stage and should be available shortly.

From the back cover

Can Dancy discover the true killer before his friend stretches a rope on the courthouse square?

Father's Day Tribute

2011-06-14T08:27:00.000-07:00

I never met my father. He died in WWII in the cockpit of his P-51. I wouldn't be here, except for a brief leave between flight school and his assignment to Iwo Jima. On the fateful day, he was actually two missions beyond the thirty required for an extended leave at home.

I don't have many pictures of him, but this one was posted to a website honoring the 506th Fighter Group. My father is the furthest out on the wing.

I'd like to wish him and all of his compatriots that helped to keep us safe and free, Happy Father's Day ... and thank you.

Murder at Thumb Butte

2011-06-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

It's coming slow, but the next Steve Dancy is making progress. Cover design is now complete, but editing is still in process, and then there's proofreading. Looks to be about two more months.

What would the Founders think? Balances and Checks

2011-06-07T12:35:00.000-07:00

The phrase checks and balances has become so commonplace, it is often spoken as if it were a single word, but in the eighteen century, it was two distinctly different concepts. John Adams may have been the first to put the words together in his 1787 publication, A Defense of the Constitutions of Government of the United States, but balances and checks is the phrase used in The Federalist, and that is the sequence Madison would have thought appropriate. First balance powers between the branches of government, and then place checks on those powers so they are not abused.

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Jane's Fame, How Jane Austen Conquered the World

2011-06-03T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is a fascinating book about a fascinating author. The first quarter is biographical, and then Claire Harman explains how Jane Austen's fame grew through the decades and centuries.

Is fame important for an author? Mass market writers aim for a huge audience, but literary authors are frequently content with select readers that can appreciate their art. Austen was undoubtedly a literary genius, but as Raymond Chandler wrote, “It might reasonably be said that all art at some time and in some manner becomes mass entertainment, and that if it does not it dies and is forgotten.”

Jane knew the secret of great writing—revision. Perhaps she had no choice. Fifteen years or so elapsed between writing her first novel and publication. In the meantime, she honed Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibilities to perfection.

During an earlier time in my life, I spent a lot of time in Concord, Massachusetts. The biographical portion of Jane's Fame reminded me of Louisa May Alcott. They were each encouraged to write by their families, grew up surrounded by literary people and artists, and both read their stories aloud to family and friends.

Speaking of similarities, another one struck me while writing this post: Austen and Chandler wrote contemporary fiction, but we now read their books as period fiction. Viewing their work as historical novels makes them timeless.

New post at What Would the Founders Think

2011-06-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

Our Constitution created a limited representative republic. A republic is different from a democracy. In a democracy, the majority can directly make laws, while in a republic, elected representatives make laws. Basically, in a pure democracy, the majority has unlimited power, whereas in a republic, a written constitution limits the majority and provides safeguards for the individual and minorities.

In the United States, we actually have both systems. There is no way for Americans to directly enact legislation at the national level, but half of the states allow ballot initiatives which, if passed by a majority of the voters, have the force of law.

Read Entire Article

Hondo by Louis L'Amour

2011-05-24T11:26:00.000-07:00

In thirty five years, Louis L'Amour wrote over one hundred books. Every one is still in print. Quite an accomplishment. I've read dozens of his books and Hondo is unquestionably my favorite.

L'Amour has been described as a good storyteller, but a mediocre writer. Hondo, his first novel, proves that L'Amour could write when he paid attention to his craft. When you start late and publish over one hundred books, it's difficult to maintain the quality required to get a first novel published.

Unusual for a Western, Hondo is a love story, reminiscent of The Virginian. Published in 1953, the story also provides a balanced view of the Apaches.

L'Amour loved of the West and it comes through to the reader in his stories.

Romance Novel Blog Reprints The Future of the Western Genre

2011-05-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

Not only were they popular in the United States, but the whole world devoured them. The Western was a staple of fiction, Hollywood, television, and daydreams. What happened?

Read the entire article

The Federal Convention of 1787

2011-05-18T06:23:00.000-07:00

It was an unusually hot summer for Philadelphia, and for a few weeks there was an infestation of big black flies that buzzed around the delegates eyes. To facilitate deliberation, the delegates voted for secret proceedings. The intent was to promote open debate and allow the delegates to change their minds, but it also meant that the windows were nailed shut and the doors remained closed. The stench of stale sweat and absence of any air circulation made the chamber extremely unpleasant.

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Path to Tyranny Reviews Tempest at Dawn

2011-05-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

"Using vivid narrative and expressive dialogue, Tempest at Dawn presents all the major issues the Founding Fathers struggled with. More impressive, you get to know the character of the men who created our great nation."

Read the entire review

Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration

2011-05-10T06:29:00.000-07:00

On June 11, 1776, the second Continental Congress appointed a committee to write a declaration of independence. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman were elected to the committee. One of these five was a renowned writer. For nearly thirty years, only the Bible outsold Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac, and his articles made the Pennsylvania Gazette the most successful newspaper in the colonies. But Franklin declined to draft the declaration, supposedly due to poor health, so the committee asked the thirty-three year Thomas Jefferson to draft the document.

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Mastermind, The Many Faces of the 9/11 Architect, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed

2011-05-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

Book Review by James D. Best

Mastermind by Richard Miniter is far more than the story of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed (KSH). This new book is a concise history of terrorism from the 1993 World Trade Center bombing through the September 11, 2001 attacks to the present day. How apropos that Miniter’s book is being published on May 3^rd, just days after KSH’s boss—Osama bin Laden—has been killed. Americans should read this book to celebrate this victory in the war on terror and to understand how jihadists think and act.
Read full review

The Founding Principles

2011-05-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

Founding Principles

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'Bout Books Reviews the Shopkeeper

2011-04-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

Read the review

Coming Soon--The next Steve Dancy Tale

2011-04-29T10:34:00.000-07:00

Murder at Thumb Butte is with the editors. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work before publication. Beyond editing, there is internal design, cover design, proofreading, and all the administrative set up. Still, I'm pretty excited about this one. Steve, Jeff, and Joseph are back, of course, but I'm really happy that Maggie decided to make another appearance. She really livens up the story. I'll continue to provide updates on the progress and share more of the story as production moves along. Thanks to everyone for your patience. This novel has certainly taken longer than I expected. By the way, this is a prototype of the cover:

Finding the Past

2011-04-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

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Constituting America Guest Essayist: James D. Best

2011-04-20T07:39:00.000-07:00

Article II, Section 1, Clause 5

5: No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

The president of the United States must meet three eligibility requirements. He or she must be a natural born citizen, be at least thirty-five years old, and have resided within the United States for fourteen years.

Read the essay

A Great Book That Should be in Every Writer's Library

2011-01-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

When I transitioned from writing non-fiction to novels, I probably read a dozen books on writing fiction. Now, every three months or so, I pick up a book on writing to remind myself about the basics or to pick up an advanced tip or two. Most of these books I breeze through because they are pedestrian rehashes of the same basic advice.

Spider, Spin me a Web by Lawrence Block breaks from the pack. Originally written in 1988, it is not only filled with solid advice, it's fun to read. The book is actually a series of magazine articles by Block, which means the narrative is not straight-line, how-to instructions. Nonetheless, the organization, deft editing, and lively writing make it more cohesive than most books of this sort.

Spider, Spin me a Web appeals to me because it is filled with truth and treats me like an adult when it address basic issues. Some may say the comments on the publishing industry are out-of-date, but this is a small part of the book. This is a book mostly about the writing craft, and this advice is timeless.

Kindle vs. iPad

2010-12-30T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Christmas season is behind us, and it appears the Kindle and iPad were two popular gifts. That makes us writers happy, because people have to fill all those devices with content. (My best Kindle version sales date was December 27.) Since I have owned four Kindles and my wife uses an iPad, I thought a consumer comparison might be useful to the seven or eight people who haven't acquired one or the other yet.

First, my wife and I love our gadgets, and neither of us is willing to trade. Buying a Kindle or iPad is not a lifestyle choice. It's a amplification of an existing lifestyle.

I'm a writer and a heavy reader. I'm almost always reading at least three books at the same time, especially when I'm in research mode. I read text-heavy narrative non-fiction and novels. I can get lost in my Kindle for hours. The only game I play is Spider Solitaire on my laptop. I travel a lot, so subscribing to my newspaper on the Kindle means my paper is always there to enjoy with my first cup of coffee. Last, I use a laptop for writing, and almost always have mine within reach. The Kindle is perfect for me. It's light to carry along with my laptop, holds an entire library, and is easy to handle and navigate. With the search, highlight and note capabilities, it's also the best research tool invented since the Internet. (I still trust history books more than most websites.)

My wife is visual. She loves the graphics, color, and touch features of the iPad. We make family movies together with iMovie on our desktop Mac. She is also an excellent photographer. I love carrying around a library on a device that can almost fit in my hip pocket, while she loves carrying around all her movies and photographs. (Don't get caught sitting next to her on a long plane ride.) She'll search the web for entertainment, and loves the process of exploration. I go to the web with a purpose, and get frustrated when I can't immediately find what I want. She is a big game player and moves to different game right after a yelp of victory. My wife still prefers to read her books in hardcover printed form, but will read an occasional book on her iPad, especially if I've raved about something I've read on my Kindle. She tends to pick up her iPad and use it for an hour at the most before she bounces off the couch to do something in the real world.

We both love our respective machines because they fit our personalities and lifestyles. Someday they may merge, but I don't think so. I predict they will each just keep getting better at providing a service to their constituencies. I've owned all three versions of the Kindle, and each has been better—that is better for me in what I am looking for in a companion device. Despite these improvements, my wife was never tempted to get her own Kindle, but immediately went out to buy an iPad. To each, his own makes for a great world.

The Future of the Western Genre

2010-12-05T07:32:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of decades, enthusiasts have lamented the demise of Westerns while the rest of the world has gone about its business, ignorant that anyone might care about a genre relegated to a few obscure shelves at the local bookstore. Westerns were hugely popular for over a hundred years. Not only were they popular in the United States, but the whole world devoured them. The Western was a staple of fiction, Hollywood, television, and daydreams. What happened?

Read entire article

The Perfect Gift

2010-11-21T12:36:00.000-08:00

Books are perfect gifts. They're already a great value, but with the speed the world is going to those nifty electronic readers, books will soon be valuable antiques. Heck, in the near future, you may only be able to gaze at books in those brick and mortar museums they call libraries.

My bet is that children's books won't go electronic anytime soon. We always search for autographed storybooks for our grandkids. A great find is when the author and the illustrator both sign the book. We've done this for several years, so now our grandkids' bedrooms have dedicated shelves for signed books. The icing on the cake is that we get to read them a story from one of these books when we visit. Bestselling children's books

Several of our relatives have hobbies and special interests. Some people can be hard to buy for—unless you pick a book about their hobby. Whether your relatives or friends are interested in the Civil War, railroads, guns, cooking, or collecting old comic books, there's always a book around that will grab their interest.

Bestselling cook books

Books are the best entertainment value around. They provide hour after hour of personal pleasure, and then they can be passed on to another person. I also like that when I give a book as a gift, I can write a personal note that won't get tossed out like last year's Christmas cards.

By the way, if you're thinking about a gift for me, I collect vintage Western books from the first half of the twentieth century. I especially like the ones with great illustrations on the dust cover. But if you give me one of these, do me a favor and write your personal note on a Post-It.

What would the Founders Thinks?

2010-11-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

I accepted an invitation to write articles for the What Would The Founders Think? blogsite. This is an interesting site where multiple contributors look at current events through the eyes of the Founders.

What Would the Founders Think?

Indi-Publishing Rewrites Promotion

2010-11-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

There’s not much you can believe about self-publishing. Information from self-publishing houses is suspect, and most of the other stuff comes from people making their living off striving writers. As someone who has published with a traditional house and self-published, I’ll try to give you the straight scoop.

Read the rest of the article at 1st Turning Point

Founding Principles at Beck University

2010-10-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

Professor Dr. Peter Lillback and I will be conducting a course on Founding Principles for Beck University. The course premiers on October 13th at 8:00 PM EST.

Dr. Lillback is author of George Washington's Sacred Fire and a great speaker. I'll review the Five Founding Principles and how they've been eroded over time.

Beck University is one of the exclusive features for subscribers to glennbeck.com Extreme Insiders. The course will be available for viewing at any time after this evening.

Helping with a book report

2010-09-14T09:53:00.000-07:00

I received an email note from a student asking for help on a book report on The Shut Mouth Society. Here are the questions and my responses.

Were did you spend your childhood?

In southern California. Although I lived in Torrance, I spent, or misspent, my youth in Hermosa Beach surfing.

Why did you write the shut mouth society?

My first novel was Tempest at Dawn, a historical novel about the 1787 Constitutional Convention. I was researching a companion book about Lincoln's political leadership during the Civil War, and discovered that Mary Lincoln had supposedly burned all of Lincoln's papers before they left for Washington. It got my imagination going. What if new pre-presidential Lincoln papers were found? Why had they remained hidden? How could I make a mystery out of it? One day I just started writing, and a bit over a year later, The Shut Mouth Society was sent to editing. I'm still working on a Lincoln book that will take place in the mid-nineteenth century.

Why did you pick President Lincoln?

I write historical novels, but my special interest is the Constitution. After Tempest at Dawn, I felt the next most important Constitutional event in history was the Civil War because slavery had been left unresolved during the Constitutional Convention. I also find Abraham Lincoln a fascinating character, which is crucial in storytelling.

Why do you write about history?

I love history. It's the story of mankind. Also, I want to write books with a long shelf-life. My first book was non-fiction and about computer technology. The publishing industry moves slow, so the book was technically obsolete before it hit the bookstores. A historical novel can last forever.

Were did you get your education?

I got an undergraduate degree in economics from California State University at Northridge, and an MBA from UCLA

What awards have you received?

I don't generally submit my work for awards, but The Shut Mouth Society was a finalist for the ABPA Glyph Award for best popular fiction. Although not an award, Tempest at Dawn was featured on The Glenn Beck Show and is on the Glenn Beck Reading List.

Who Wrote the United States Constitution?

2010-09-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

The infant periods of most nations are buried in silence, or veiled in fable, and perhaps the world has lost little it should regret. But the origins of the American Republic contain lessons of which posterity ought not to be deprived.—James Madison

The Articles of Confederation proved barely adequate during the imperative of war and a failure after independence. It looked as if the American experiment was doomed. Then in May of 1787, delegates came to Philadelphia with a congressional charter to revise the Articles of Confederation. They didn’t revise the Articles. Instead, they wrote a constitution from scratch for a totally new government. These men carried out a bloodless coup that replaced an existing government without a shot.

Who were these men? Who wrote the Constitution of the United States?

The short answer is that Gouverneur Morris wrote the Constitution, with editing help from other members of the Committee of Style. In truth, all of the delegates, to a greater or lesser degree influenced the substance of the Constitution. There were fifty-five men that attended the Federal Convention, what we now call the Constitutional Convention. When Thomas Jefferson read the list of attendees, he called them an “assembly of demi-gods.”

Not exactly, but they were staunch revolutionaries and patriots. They were also highly successful, well educated, and unswerving in their support of the republican form of government. They came to Philadelphia committed to rescuing American from its slide into anarchy.

A few are household names. George Washington presided over the convention. James Madison, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, James Wilson, and George Mason were all key delegates. Many of the rest have been forgotten.

Most of these men knew each other from years of politicking or war. Twenty-nine served in a military capacity during the Revolution and another twenty-three risked their fortunes and lives by taking an active political role during the war. Eight committed treason by signing the Declaration of Independence.

In colonial America, college degrees were rare, yet twenty-nine held college degrees and many others were self-educated in the classics and modern political thought. Almost all of the delegates were knowledgeable about Aristotle, Locke, Hume, and Montesquieu. Ten had degrees from the College of New Jersey (later to become Princeton), six from European universities, four from Harvard, four from Yale, four from William and Mary, two from the College of Philadelphia, and one from Kings College (later to become Columbia University).

Forty-five delegates were rich. Thirty-one had the good fortune of being born to wealthy or prominent families. Twelve were self-made and two married into money. Ten struggled to make ends meet and to support their families. Eight were born in other counties and many were second generation. Eleven were businessmen, eight owned large plantations, three were physicians, one was a professor, and six could be called professional politicians.

Thirty of the delegates were lawyers in an age that revered the rule of law and reason. All of them had extensive political experience and many went on to take substantial roles in the government they created. Two became president, twenty-five served in Congress, five gained appointments to the Supreme Court, four became foreign ministers, and four held cabinet positions.

Not every delegate went on to further success. Six wealthy delegates died impoverished, fleeing creditors. One was indicted, but not tried, for treason. One barely escaped impeachment from the Supreme Court and another was expelled from the Senate. Two died in duels, another mysteriously disappeared in the middle of New York City, and another was rumored murdered by a grandnephew impatient for his inheritance.

These were not demi-gods, but real men with human frailties and weaknesses. The story of the Constitution’s creation is incredible, but what makes this work as a novel is the cast of characters. The Founding Fathers were bigger than life, but they were also real human beings—men and women that I wanted to bring into the reader’s living room.

It was fun getting to know them as I researched and wrote Tempest at Dawn—well, all of them except for possibly Elbridge Gerry.

Lincoln at Cooper Union

2010-08-27T13:20:00.000-07:00

In early 1860, Abraham Lincoln was a little known regional politician from Springfield, Illinois. The Republican Party was new, and had failed running national hero John C. Frémont for president in 1856. Abraham Lincoln chances of ascending to the presidency under the Republican banner were slight. All that changed in New York City on February 27, 1860. That afternoon, Lincoln had his photograph taken by Mathew Brady, and in the evening, he gave a historic speech at the Cooper Union. Lincoln often said that Brady’s photograph and his Cooper Union address propelled him to the presidency.

Below is an abridged version of Lincoln’s speech.

“We hear that you will not abide the election of a Republican president! In that event, you say you will destroy the Union; and then, you say, the great crime of having destroyed it will be upon us!

“That is cool. A highwayman holds a pistol to my ear, and mutters through his teeth, ‘Stand and deliver, or I shall kill you and then you will be a murderer!’

“What the robber demands of me—my money—is my own; and I have a clear right to keep it; but my vote is also my own; and the threat of death to me to extort my money and the threat to destroy the Union to extort my vote can scarcely be distinguished.”

“What will convince slaveholders that we do not threaten their property? This and this only: cease to call slavery wrong and join them in calling it right. Silence alone will not be tolerated—we must place ourselves avowedly with them. We must suppress all declarations that slavery is wrong, whether made in politics, in presses, in pulpits, or in private. We must arrest and return their fugitive slaves with greedy pleasure. The whole atmosphere must be disinfected from all taint of opposition to slavery before they will cease to believe that all their troubles proceed from us.

“All they ask, we can grant, if we think slavery right. All we ask, they can grant if they think it wrong.

“Right and wrong is the precise fact upon which depends the whole controversy.

“Thinking it wrong, as we do, can we yield? Can we cast our votes with their view and against our own? In view of our moral, social, and political responsibilities, can we do this?”

The hall burst with repeated shouts of “No! No!”

“Let us not grope for some middle ground between right and wrong. Let us not search in vain for a policy of don’t care on a question about which we do care. Nor let us be frightened by threats of destruction to the government.”

Prolonged applause kept Lincoln silent for several minutes.

“Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it!”

When Lincoln stepped back from the podium after this dramatic conclusion, the Cooper Union Great Hall exploded with noise and motion. Everybody stood. The staid New York audience cheered, clapped, and stomped their feet. Many waved handkerchiefs and hats.

If you want to see how a principled politician gained national repute with honor and integrity, please read the entire Cooper Union speech.

Create Interesting Villains

2010-08-20T17:08:00.000-07:00

The key to a good story is a good antagonist. The bad guy or bad gal makes the hero heroic. The character of a protagonist can be confining, but villains are wide open. In The Shopkeeper, Bill Sprague was an assassin that killed from a distance. In this excerpt, the hero encounters him for the first time.

McAllen was the one to speak up. “Did you see that man on the hotel porch, reading a newspaper?”

“Yes.” As instructed, I had kept alert when we walked from Jansen’s office to the hotel. The only person I spotted lingering had been reading a newspaper on the porch. He looked innocent enough, and the activity was certainly not unusual for a hotel guest.

“That was Bill Sprague.”

“What?” I hesitated, but after thinking about it, I was sure I had not seen another man. “That was Sprague? Are you sure? The man I saw looked like a bookkeeper.”

Sharp said, “That’s him, all right.”

Captain McAllen nodded and then added, “Rumor has it he once made his living totting up columns of numbers but changed professions when he discovered he had a natural knack for marksmanship. He brings a bookkeeper’s methodical manner to long-range shooting.”

I looked toward the door, but he had not followed us into the hotel. “Must take more than marksmanship. I can’t image a man making his living by killing strangers for money.”

“I heard a story about him,” McAllen said. “Don’t know if it’s true, but sounds ’bout right. Supposedly, Sprague once competed in a long-range shooting contest. Won it hands-down. But each time before he shot, he consulted this little notebook filled with numbers in tidy columns. The book contained his meticulous measurements for different ranges, wind conditions, and even different temperatures. This was years ago, when he supposedly still wore a green eyeshade to work. Not long after that contest, he put his talent out for hire. Now, I’m told, he carries those measurements in his head and uses his notebook to keep track of his money.” McAllen took a swig of beer. “Yep, I’d say he’s an odd duck.”

Andrew Klavan Explains the Constitution

2010-08-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Ben Franklin

2010-08-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Objecting to increased taxation is an American tradition.

Excerpt From Tempest at Dawn

The owner of the Indian Queen appeared instantly. Bowing respectfully, he asked, “Gentlemen, is there anything else you desire … another ale, tea and cakes, a plate of cheese? We have excellent cognacs.”

“No, no,” Morris said. “We’re ready to retire. Thank you for your hospitality.”

The innkeeper never looked at Morris; instead he aimed a witless grin at Washington. “My pleasure. The general’s always welcome at the Indian Queen.”

All evening, Madison had found the Innkeeper’s solicitous behavior irritating. Now he was amused by his inadvertent slight toward the rest of the party. Washington often elicited bumbling adulation.

“Thank you,” Washington said, with a regal nod of the head. “We’ll be in Philadelphia for a spell, so we’ll visit your fine establishment again.”

“Yes, the Federal Convention. A noble endeavor. My best wishes.”

“And what might those wishes be?” Washington asked.

“My wishes? Oh my. Yes, well, I suppose I … uh … yes … I, uh, wish you gentlemen great success.”

When the innkeeper recalled the incident for friends, relatives, and customers, his answer would undoubtedly be eloquent and coherent. He would tell everyone that the great General George Washington had asked for his advice and he had responded with sage counsel.

Washington betrayed nothing. Looking genuinely interested, he said, “Success comes in many guises. Do you support a strong federal government?”

Now, the innkeeper looked nervous. “Dear General, with deepest respect, I don’t think so. I, uh … well, I work hard: all day and well into the night. Please excuse me¾sir, I don’t mean to be impertinent¾but taxes already lighten my purse. A larger government will surely demand more money. I see no benefit.”

Washington looked like he was mulling over a new concept. “Taxes are a congenital disease of government.”

“Philadelphia seems unaffected by these ills. People prosper, trade flourishes, and our vigorous commerce supports many public works. In time, the rest of the country will follow our lead.” Then, with a little stronger voice, the innkeeper added, “Most of our problems emanate from politicians. They already meddle too much.”

Madison found the man’s newfound tongue intriguing. Obviously his purse held greater import than the risk of offending the great hero of the Revolution.

Excerpt from The Shut Mouth Society

2010-07-28T08:08:00.000-07:00

Dealing with sensitive social issues in a novel can be difficult. Racism is a theme that runs through The Shut Mouth Society.

Excerpt

He had been fuming ever since Baldwin quit talking. He had enjoyed the last half hour of civility and hated to ruin it. Making a decision, he said, “Professor, I should tell you that I get angry when someone throws the racist accusation around.”

“Oh.” She hesitated. “There’s a dictionary definition of racist, and Lincoln fits within that strict definition. His own words indict him, but I didn’t mean it to be as derogatory as you might think. Remember, I said a man must be judged in his time, and nearly everyone was racist back then.” When Evarts didn’t comment she asked, “You have some scar tissue?”

“As any cop, especially one that grew up and works in a rich white enclave.”

“Doesn’t your friendship with Abraham Douglass grant you absolution?”

“It means nothing to those who use the epithet politically, and it means everything to real racists.”

The Federalist Papers at Constituting America

2010-07-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Tempest at Dawn is a dramatization of the constitutional convention of 1787. The recent publication of my novel has gotten a lot of attention, especially by people concerned about focusing the country's attention on the United States Constitution.

I wrote two essays for Constituting America. Janine Turner and Cathy Gillespie founded Constituting America to "reach, educate and inform America's youth and her citizens about the importance of the U.S. Constitution."

This is an except from my essay on Federalist 60:

"One is struck by the recurrence of the checks and balances theme—in Madison’s convention notes, the Constitution itself, the Federalist Papers, and the minutes of the ratification conventions. There can be no doubt that the Founders believed that liberty depended on one part of the government acting as an effective check on all other parts of the government, and that meant between the national branches and between the states and the national government. The Founders abhorred concentrated power. They believed that only through judiciously balanced power—constituted by dissimilar modes—could liberty survive the natural tendency of man to dictate the habits of other men."

These links will take you to the full essays.

Federalist 56

Federalist 60

Self-Publish, or another Query letter?

2010-07-14T15:07:00.000-07:00

This is not only a fun video, it puts the whole self-publishing conundrum in perspective.

Say Anything Morning Show

2010-06-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

Radio Interview, AM 1100 WZFG

Say Anything Morning Show with Rob Port

June 25, 2010, 2nd Hour

Download program 2nd hour here

Jumping in Pools Interview

2010-06-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

I've done an author interview at Jumping in Pools that you can read at this link. Leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Guest Appearance on Glenn Beck

2010-06-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

On Friday, June 11, I had the opportunity of appearing on The Glenn Beck Show. The Founders' Friday program was about James Madison, known as The Father of the Constitution. What a fun day. Glenn Beck is a gracious host and all around good guy. He is also surrounded by terrific people. You can watch the show at this link.

Dakota Voice also reviewed the program here.

Another Time, Another Place, Another story

2010-05-09T21:01:00.001-07:00

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Another Time, Another Place, Another story

View more presentations from James D. Best.

The Beaufort Observer reviews Tempest at Dawn

2010-05-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

Allen Ball Reviews Tempest at Dawn in his Ballpoint column

I find hope and confidence in the wonderfully written Tempest At Dawn, by James D. Best. Mr. Best sheds light on a time when it was necessary to revise the Articles of Confederation. He does it with eloquence. I wanted to read Tempest At Dawn, from cover-to-cover, after reading the first couple of pages.

As I read Tempest At Dawn, I felt as though I was present at the proceedings of the Convention and the private meetings of James Madison, George Washington, Roger Sherman, and others. You cannot help but feel pride as an American, as Tempest At Dawn reminds us of the impeccable integrity of our Founding Fathers. The delegates regarded one another with utmost respect and civility.

If you want to know the truth about the character of those gentlemen and you want to learn about the evolution of one of the greatest documents ever created by man—the Constitution of the United States—relax in your bed, favorite chair or recliner, and enjoy Tempest At Dawn, by James D. Best.

Read the full review

Another Time, Another Place ... Another Story

2010-04-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

I will be making a presentation on storytelling at Trilogy Vistancia on April 22, 2010, 6:30-8:00 pm in the Tewa Ball Room. The event is not open to the public, but I have posted my presentation on Slideshare. I'm interested in any feedback.

Characters Matter #3

2010-04-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

In a previous post I said that novelists should pay close attention to the personalities of minor characters. Cardboard secondary players make a dull story. That said, the most important element to engage readers is the character of the protagonist and antagonist. Antagonists are fun, and come in many varieties, but in this post, I'll discuss the protagonist.

Protagonists can be action heroes like Dirk Pitt or the bride from Kill Bill, or cerebral like Sherlock Homes and Nancy Drew. Most of the time, however, protagonist fall between these two extremes, like Philip Marlow or Emily Pollifax. Even though protagonists are distributed along an unbroken and endless continuum, I classify them generally as wholesome heroes, flawed heroes, and antiheroes.

For wholesome heroes, think Roy Rogers, Luke Skywalker, Jefferson Smith, or any superhero before Hollywood started pulling them toward the dark side. Today, we seldom see wholesome heroes. Some see this as society's newfound cynicism, but I attribute it more to the demise of the standards boards that used to rule television and movies. In truth, a flawed hero is a more real character, and certainly more interesting.

The flawed hero has ruled fiction since Odysseus, and has always been my favorite. When I was a child, Gene and Roy didn't appeal to me. I preferred Paladin and Josh Randall, the gun for hire and bounty hunter respectively. Flawed heroes come in many varieties, but they all struggle with something personal as they engage their adversary.

Recently, the popular media has become infatuated with the antihero. Antiheroes run the gamut, with many finding redemption as they sacrifice to save the day. The epitome of this trend toward increasingly nasty antiheroes would be Chigurh in No Country for Old Men. This reprehensible character is engaging, but not sympathetic. In the end, he is not redeemed, nor does he feel remorse. Sorry, they lost me there.

The key to a good protagonist is an emotional connection with the reader or viewer. The audience must care whether the protagonist succeeds in his/her quest or endeavor. Wooden heroes need not apply. That's why the flawed hero dominates fiction. People identify with their failings and imagine that they too can overcome their internal misgivings to rise to the occasion. We all need heroes, and we all want to think that if the situation presented itself, we could indeed be heroic ourselves.

Book trailer for Tempest at Dawn

2010-03-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

Tempest at Dawn

Is the US Constitution Viable in the 21st Century

2010-03-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

Today, it seems many people question the viability of our Constitution in a world that has dramatically changed since 1787. People ask if Eighteenth Century men could anticipate the complex issues of the 21st Century. In other words, can something written over two hundred years ago direct a government in our modern world? The short answer is yes, but let me explain.

When James Madison brought the Virginia Plan to Philadelphia, it was not a list of laws, but a system of government. A system that forthrightly recognized the weaknesses of man, and delineated a set of checks and balances to distribute power; not just between the three branches of government, but also between the federal government and the states.

Although the delegates debated endlessly over the elements of the design, and made major revisions to Madison's plan, they always kept the debates focused on limiting centers of powers. They were serious men designing a system of government for the ages to protect liberty for themselves and their posterity. Although not a common phrase at the time, every one of the fifty-five men at the Federal Convention would agree with the maxim that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The United States Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, defines powers and, more importantly, limitations on powers. It is a brilliant system to govern people in an imperfect world. This was the original intent of the Founders. Since the nature of man has not changed, the Constitution is as valid today as it was in 1787.

When I started writing Tempest at Dawn over twelve years ago, there was no Constitutional crisis. I was drawn to the story because it was filled with giant personalities, and it was a unique event in the history of man. At no other time was a standing government changed with thoughtful reason, instead of the sword. The United States Constitution is a living document, not because it can be wrenched to fit politicians' whims, but because it bequeath to us a eternal system that inhibits the natural tendency of man to dictate the habits and liberty of fellow citizens. This is a truly astounding story, and I can only hope I did it justice.

From the Publisher

The United States is on the brink of total collapse. The military has been reduced to near extinction, economic turmoil saps hope, and anarchy threatens as world powers hover like vultures, eager to devour the remains. In a desperate move, a few powerful men call a secret meeting to plot the overthrow of the government.

Fifty-five men came to Philadelphia May of 1787 with a congressional charter to revise the Articles of Confederation. Instead they founded the longest lasting republic in world history.

Tempest at Dawn tells their story.

Tempest at Dawn at Amazon

Oscar Night Ramblings by Raymond Chandler

2010-03-08T10:32:00.000-08:00

As I watched the Oscars last night, I was reminded of this article written by Raymond Chandler in March of 1948. An interesting note: in 1948, the Oscars were only broadcast on radio. I hope he will forgive some editing for brevity sake.

Oscar Night in Hollywood, By Raymond Chandler

It isn't so much that the awards never go to fine achievements as that those fine achievements are not rewarded as such. Technically, they are voted, but they are not decided by the use of whatever critical wisdom Hollywood may possess. They are ballyhooed, pushed, yelled, screamed, and in every way propagandized into the consciousness of the voters so incessantly, in the weeks before the final balloting, that everything except the golden aura of the box office is forgotten.

We elect Presidents in much the same way, so why not actors, cameramen, writers, and all rest of the people who have to do with the making of pictures? If we permit noise, ballyhoo, and theater to influence us in the selection of the people who are to run the country, why should we object to the same methods in the selection of meritorious achievements in the film business?

If you think most motion pictures are bad, which they are, find out from some initiate how they are made, and you will be astonished that any of them could be good. The point is not whether the average motion picture is bad, but whether the motion picture is an artistic medium of sufficient dignity and accomplishment to be treated with respect. Those who deride the motion picture usually are satisfied that they have thrown the book at it by declaring it to be a form of mass entertainment. As if that meant anything. Greek drama, which is still considered quite respectable by most intellectuals, was mass entertainment to the Athenian freeman. So was the Elizabethan drama. It might reasonably be said that all art becomes mass entertainment, and that if it does not it dies and is forgotten.

Not only is the motion picture an art, but it is the one entirely new art that has been evolved on this planet for hundreds of years. In painting, music, and architecture we are not even second-rate by comparison with the best work of the past. Our novels are transient propaganda when they are what is called "significant," and bedtime reading when they are not.

Show business has always been a little overnoisy, overdressed, overbrash. Actors are threatened people. Before films came along to make them rich they often had need of a desperate gaiety. Some of these qualities have passed into the Hollywood mores and produced that very exhausting thing, the Hollywood manner, which is a chronic case of spurious excitement over absolutely nothing.

If you can go past those awful idiot faces on the bleachers outside the theater without a sense of the collapse of the human intelligence; if you can stand the hailstorm of flash bulbs popping at the poor patient actors who, like kings and queens, have never the right to look bored; if you can glance out over this gathered assemblage of what is supposed to be the elite of Hollywood and say to yourself without a sinking feeling, "In these hands lie the destinies of the only original art the modern world has conceived "; if you can stand the fake sentimentality and the platitudes of the officials and the mincing elocution of the glamour queens; if you can do all these things and not have a wild and forsaken horror at the thought that most of these people actually take this shoddy performance seriously; and if you can then go out into the night to see half the police force of Los Angeles gathered to protect the golden ones from the mob in the free seats; if you can do all these things and still feel next morning that the picture business is worth the attention of one single intelligent, artistic mind, then in the picture business you certainly belong, because this sort of vulgarity is part of its inevitable price.

Perverse fellow that I am, I found myself intrigued by the unimportant part of the program. I was intrigued by the efficiently quick on-and-off that was given to these minnows of the picture business; by their nervous attempts via the microphone to give most of the credit for their work to some stuffed shirt; by the fact that technical developments which may mean many millions of dollars to the industry, and may on occasion influence the whole procedure of picture-making, are just not worth explaining to the audience at all; intrigued most of all perhaps by the formal tribute which is invariably made to the importance of the writer, without whom, my dear, dear friends, nothing could be done at all, but who is for all that merely the climax of the unimportant part of the program.

If the actors and actresses like the silly show, and I'm not sure at all the best of them do, they at least know how to look elegant in a strong light, and how to make with the wide-eyed and oh, so humble little speeches as if they believed them. If the big producers like it, and I'm quite sure they do because it contains the only ingredients they really understand—promotion values and the additional grosses that go with them—the producers at least know what they are fighting for. But if the quiet, earnest, and slightly cynical people who really make motion pictures like it, and I'm quite sure they don't, well, after all, it comes only once a year, and it's no worse than a lot of the sleazy vaudeville they have to push out of the way to get their work done.

But that is the real point, isn't it?—whether these annual Awards, regardless of the grotesque ritual which accompanies them, really represent anything at all of artistic importance to the motion picture medium, anything clear and honest that remains after the lights are dimmed, the minks are put away, and the aspirin is swallowed? I don't think they do. I think they are just theater and not even good theater. As for the personal prestige that goes with winning an Oscar, it may with luck last long enough for your agent to get your contract rewritten and your price jacked up another notch.

More on the Kindle and e-books

2010-03-01T18:07:00.001-08:00

Last post I said that 42% of my January books sales were Kindle. Now, two months into the year, Kindle sales are 44.2%. More startling to me, 78% of Tempest At Dawn sales are e-books.

Anecdotally, on recent flights to Boston and back, my seatmates in both directions had Kindles. Both said they loved their Kindles and no longer bought print books. A year ago, I seldom saw another Kindle, and now I know many people who own e-book readers. The trend toward e-books seems to be moving faster than I expected, and I was an early adopter and Kindle enthusiast.

So … what does this mean? Everybody's up in arms over the dominant position of Amazon, but the current pricing dispute won't move the flag. Nor will pitting Apple against Amazon. For one, Apple is not a good opponent for Amazon. The Apple iPad may end up a barn burner, but the narrative word is not Apple's primary target. Once again, Apple is trying to capture people who like motion. The kind of customers that talk, text, and tweet people and share videos and photos of friends and celebrities. Games and music are good too, but long text narratives are generally a bore.

For the moment, everyone in the industry seemed focused on pricing. Wrong. In business, pricing makes a good weapon, but a lousy bulwark against attack. The industry needs to reassess the entire value equation for books, assuming that e-books will grab a larger and larger market share. Publishers might also take an under-graduate course in elasticity of demand.

A more perfect gift?

2010-01-30T13:12:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I said that books were the perfect gift. Judging from my sales, evidently Amazon Kindles were a popular gift as well. A year ago, barely 10% of my total sales were e-books. Kindle sales now average 21.6% overall, with a whopping 42% so far in January. Wow. Evidently, readers are loading up their new Kindles and depleting their gift cards. Combine these numbers with the introduction of the Barnes and Noble's Nook and the Apple Tablet, and one has to question the direction of book publishing.

I'm not one of those who predict the demise of the printed book. I'm a Kindle owner and love having my entire library at my fingertips, but I still prefer to read many publications in print. In fact, I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal on my Kindle—which is handy because I travel a lot—but I read the paper version when a hotel offers a free copy.

That said, e-books are a tsunami hitting the publishing industry. And tsunamis do their most damage when they recede, sucking everything away from the landscape. Publishing is older and more staid bound than the music industry, and will have more difficulty adjusting their business model. But adjust they will, and after this wave has receded, the major publishers will remain the dominate power driving popular books.

Traditional publishers provide four services. They act as quality gatekeepers, edit and design books, print them, and do large scale promotion. Although all the services are affected, an e-book only eliminates printing. Publishers still represent an arbitrator of market-worthy material, but e-book readers are giving increasing credence to customer reviews. At the present stage of technology, e-books have reduced the value of book design, but that will change with future generations of e-readers.

That leaves book promotion, which remains fundamentally untouched. Here, the almighty power of the traditional publisher remains intact and bestsellers will continue to be the domain of the large houses. Nationwide and global sales require hitting the market right, eye-catching design, and media clout. (Sounds more like an ad agency, doesn't it.)

Paper-based books won't go away, but print runs will become shorter, which means the unit cost will be higher. If this analysis is correct, publishers will probably whittle down their backlist and much of their mid-list. Publishers only gave these authors puny advances and zero promotion anyway, so this won't hurt too much. Besides, the growth in e-books gives authors an easy to reach, low-cost market. I just hope these self-published authors remember to buy editing and proofreading. Just because it starts with a lower case e, doesn't mean e-books can be as sloppy as email.