I’ve been out of touch with Omaha in general the last year or so, and seem to remember this web domain as being the highlight of my day from time to time.

While the site is certainly nice, I was wondering if this site has replaced an earlier site that had such classic articles such as: “Columnist Attacked By Flying Kamikaze Squirrels…”

I miss that! Is an archive of this site available?

Left by Bob Young on April 16th, 2006

Bob,

You speak of weirdharold.com which we published for a few years at weirdharold.com. It was local satire in the time-honored tradition of the Omaha Press Club gridiron show, or Omaha’s own version of The Onion. Some day we hope to resurrect weirdharold at its own address and republish the classics. It’s a matter of finding the time to rebuild the site.

If you know any web programmers or investors who would like to participate, do let me know.

Otherwise, I shall explore the options on my own at the first opportunity.

Thank you for your interest.

Richard Dooling

Left by Richard Dooling on April 16th, 2006

David Loeb Goodis Convention (Goodiscon)

Deen and Jay Kogan Award for Writers of Importance and Distinction

Who? - DLG was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 2nd, 1917 (90th Birthday). He died in Philadelphia on January 7th, 1967 (40th Anniversary of his death). David Goodis is best known for his major contribution to American hard-boiled crime fiction via pulp fiction writing (Dark Passages [1946]), hardback novels and paperback originals (Cassidy’s Girl [1951]).

What? - A seminal meeting celebrating Philly Noir, featuring David Goodis and those influenced by his work.

Why? - This conference is the first planned yearly symposium to spotlight writers of significance and importance. It will be a unique opportunity for writers, fans, collectors and friends to get together and discuss fine writing in a collegial setting. The intention is to allow all attendees to meet, revel, discuss and experience the Philadelphia Noir in a brand new way.

Where? - Philadelphia is the setting for GoodisCon 2007. Several different venues will be utilized to capture the “spirit(s)” of David L. Goodis and his wonderfully dark writing. These include, but are not limited to Temple University, The Legendary Blue Horizon Boxing (#1 Boxing Venue in the World), Yards Brewery and the Port Richmond Bookstore (PRBS).

When? - January 5th, 6th and 7th 2007. Hotel, registration fee and schedule of events TBA .The intention is to have three fun-filled days to celebrate the life and writing of David L. Goodis in the spirit with which he would have enjoyed it.

Humans only, contact: Lou Boxer (lboxer1 at comcast dot net) or Deen Kogan (shp at erols dot com) for more information.

Rick,

Thought you might be interested in this. Let me know.

Yours,

Lou

Left by Lou Boxer on May 21st, 2006

Is python-2.4.3 compatible with Windows XP? The download is listed on the python Website for Windws (unspecified version)

Left by Lee Strickland on May 25th, 2006

Lee,

Yes, Python 2.4.3 is compatible with Windows XP. The instructions I provide are specific to the ActiveState Python version, not the Python.org version. The ActiveState version is easier to install, with a “prettier” IDE, and the Win32 extensions for Windows bundled right in.

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on May 26th, 2006

Dear Mr. Dooling,

Through Stepehn King’s recommendation I discovered BRAIN STORM, then moved on to BET YOUR LIFE, and loved them both. (I purchased both as brand new hardbacks, by the way; I understand that the artist has to eat too.) I anxiously await your next book. Is it in the works, or have you found other outlets for your considerable artistic talents? Any movie adaptation news?

John

Left by John on July 31st, 2006

John,

Sorry for the delay in answering. You might like White Man’s Grave, which is my personal favorite. I am working on a TV pilot very loosely based on BET YOUR LIFE, at least the subject matter of fraud, especially as it relates to insurance.

Movie adaptations seem unlikely, though Brain Storm is still optioned. I am working on a new book and dabbling in Hollywood stuff.

Thanks so much for your interest.

Look for Stephen King’s Lisey’s Story - his best ever, in my humble opinion.

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on August 2nd, 2006

Thanks, and I will seek out White Man’s Grave. I know that you have to do what is most artistically pleasing and economically advantageous to you, but for my own selfish reasons, I hope you give your next novel top priority. I love film and television, but the printed word is still king in my book (pun absolutely intended).

By the way, I really enjoyed the movie Critical Care. I thought the cast was great, and the story clever and fun. I haven’t read the book yet (I will shortly), so I don’t know how closely it followed the story. Since you’re still working in the industry I’m sure you wouldn’t say if you didn’t care for it, so no need to comment, but I hope you were satisfied with the results.

I just wanted to add an additional tw0-cents worth.

Keep up the good work!

John

Left by John on August 3rd, 2006

Dear Mr. Dooling,

I just finished your novel “Brain Strom”. It may - or not, as the case may be - interest you to know that it’s been quite a while since my legal and literary tastebuds have been tickled to provide me with the same amount of pleasure.

In the unlikely case you consider a trip to The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia within the next year, I’ll be happy to treat you to some local beer, absinth, or other alcoholic beverage as a token of my appreciation.

For your information: I’m a non-lawyer, now involved in the intricacies of European Social Security Law, in an attempt to guide the countries of the former Yugoslavia, and some neighbouring countries & territories towards EU membership. I am, thank God, not a USA citizen, but my children are all studying, or have finished, what would be Law School in the USA, so I’m probably on God’s blacklist and the Devil’s white list, anyway.

Any book of yours I’ll find in any bookshop I’ll buy, if it is with my last euro.

Best regards, thank you for tickling my legal & other tastebuds, keep up the Good Works!

Heimo Heringa

Left by Heimo Heringa on August 14th, 2006

Thank you, Heimo. No plans to travel to Yugoslavia, though I would love to, as I hear it’s even prettier than Greece.

Best wishes, and thank you for your careful reading.

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on August 17th, 2006

I just finally decided to post, after years of being a fan. Are you planning any personal appearances in the near future? I live in South Sioux City, and am a frequent visitor to Omaha, especially the Old Market Area.

I loved Bet Your Life, as I was able to envision the areas the characters were discussing, having seen it in person. The story seemed to come alive for me.

Left by Renee on August 18th, 2006

Dear Renee:

Thanks for your kind comments.

If you are in Omaha in mid-September, the LitFest is back after a great success last year. I think they have me on two panels. It was a lot of fun and well-attended last year.

http://www.omahalitfest.com/

Peace!

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on August 18th, 2006

Richard,

Just read your latest op ed in the NYT, October 29th. I was speechless! Living in Omaha, I saw more murders and crime on TV than in Seattle. It is the most segregated city I experienced, so much so, it decided to break the school district into 3 ethnic parts. People are nice, yes. Genuine? No. Openminded? no.

You did not mention food. the options and quality was atrocious, and it alway baffled me that a citey surrounded by corn, the corn in the supermarket was good onlyfor cattle.

Take care,
David

Left by David on October 29th, 2006

Richard,
Enjoyed your Times piece about Omaha. I recently cycled past Omaha (i.e., rode through Council Bluffs and looked across the river) on a 4,000-mile exploration of “flyover country” and made some similar observations. One lovely amenity you omitted mentioning is the Wabash Trace Nature Trail from Blanchard to Council Bluffs, a 65-mile former rail line that has been made into one of the most lovely trails I have seen. Even more impressive, it was built entirely by volunteer labor and donations. I encountered many Nebraskans on the trail and noticed their organizations among the supporters, so obviously it is considered a regional amenity.

For a visitor at the height of fall colors, the midwest was a delight, and I too wondered why more people don’t flock there. After all, South Dakota has the nation’s lowest unemployment rate, and Sioux Falls in particular is a fine little city. “Winter” was the one-word answer I usually got. Apparently the winters are quite long and bleak, not much snow but lots of cold wind and gray skies. For younger people, there’s also the feeling of being “out of it” and receiving all their culture second-hand from the coasts. And for professionals, whether in arts or sciences or commerce, only a big metropolis can provide the peers and competitors necessary to know whether you’ve truly succeeded.

I live in Calgary, Alberta, and am familiar with all these anxieties. One saving grace here is proximity to the Rockies with all the opportunities for hiking, biking, climbing and skiing. Another is the warm Chinook winds that bring a temporary spring at frequent intervals throughout the winter. The biggest one is probably just that it’s Canada, with public health care and without the “culture wars.”

Anyway, I’ve lived in some fine cities — New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal (not sure if Ottawa counts) — and have no regrets about settling in flyover country 32 years ago. So thanks for the article. But next time you might give a little more weight to climate and outdoor recreation.

Regards,
Robert

p.s. There’s a bit more about my travels in the “Green Bike in the Red States” blog at http://bikecalgary.org and there may eventually be a book.

Left by Robert Bott on October 29th, 2006

Hi Richard,

I just discovered Kingdom Hospital thanks to Sci-fi Channel and DVD and have gotten my wife and friends hooked on it. Once I found the book, I read it in about 4 hours. I just can’t get enough.

Internet rumor says that you and Stephen pitched ideas for season 2 to ABC. So..

1) If the rumors are true, will you ever reveal what those plans were?
2) Any plans to write a novelized form of the season 2 plots?
3) Any plans for any more Sally Druse books? It would make a great book series..

Left by Bo on November 9th, 2006

Dear Bo:

Thanks for your kind comments.

1) Well, we were hired to write an overview of sorts, which is not unusual, but it would be tacky to traffic in what-ifs, don’t you think?

2) I don’t think a season two novel would work, but some other novel might.

3) Another Sally Druse book! There’s an idea. I’ll have to look into that. I bet it’s complicated, because it would be a character who already “belongs” to Stephen King and Lars Von Trier. But I’ll ponder it. I loved Sally Druse, obviously. I could write about her for a good long time.

Thanks again,

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on November 9th, 2006

Dear Richard Dooling,

I’m about 50 pages from the end of **What Man’s Grave.**

In the early 1970s I lived a few months (which seemed like a lifetime of heaven and hell) in Tanzania, on a resident visa. I’ve been interested in African traditions (if you will), practical culture, mysticism, religions, etc etc and political practices, since then. (Any English words given make them seem English, and remove their essential character — for me anyway.)

I read **Tropical Gangsters** by Robert Klitgaard, and own a copy of the movie **Point Djema.**

**White Man’s Grave** is the fourth such piece I’m familiar with — the third being an African-made movie I once saw, which I do not remember the title or origin of.

The cover of WMG says you lived in Sierra Leone in the early 1980s. It does not say “why,” under what circumstances, or for how long you lived there. Is this something you do not wish to reveal or discuss?

If you are willing to explain, I have three basic questions for you —

First Question: Why, under what circumstances, and for how long did you live in Sierra Leone?

Second Question: How accurate are your descriptions of the magical or witchcraft practices and events your characters see and experience first-hand, in WMG? You didn’t just make all this up, I presume.

Third Question: Did you see and/or experience any of these things first hand while you were in Sierra Leone?

I look forward to finished the book, and reading more of your work.

Sincerely,

Marian Drake

Left by Marian Drake on February 4th, 2007

Dear Marian:

(1) I visited Sierra Leone to visit my good friend Michael O’Neill who was in the Peace Corps. The particulars roughly follow what happened in the book. We were supposed to meet in Paris. He could not come. So I went to Sierra Leone and ended up staying in West Africa for seven months.

(2) When you reach the Acknowledgments at the end of the novel, you will see that the magic and witchcraft portrayed in White Man’s Grave are authentic. I was careful to check for external sources (usually the accounts of either missionaries or anthropologists) before including anything in the novel. For instance “bofima,” which I heard about when I was there, is easily found in several good text books, and I’m sure just by googling these days.

(3) Firsthand, I saw “looking around men,” which are a type of soothsayer or seer, often hired to find out who stole something or who is committing adultery, and such. So called “defensive medicines” are everywhere: amulets, potions, juju worn on the person or placed over the doors and windows. I did not see a true witchfinder, but if you check the acknowledgments, I read a great eyewitness account of such a ceremony by Anthony Gittins in MENDE RELIGION.

Thanks for your interest.

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on February 6th, 2007

Hi, Richard,

Thanks for your detailed answer — our messages keep crossing, I think. Yes, I found the Acknowledgements a little while ago when I finished **What Man’s Grave.** Your answer here is quite a bit more detailed than it was there, though. Thank you!

I noticed in another place here on your site that you wrote about your trip, and your visit with your friend Michael O’Neill, too.

You wrote above: “So called ‘defensive medicines’ are everywhere: amulets, potions, juju worn on the person or placed over the doors and windows.”

It sounds like these must be more obvious than what we see h ere in USA. Maybe we tend to have them more on the West Coast — or in Portland? — than some other places in the US. Although I’d suspect there are other places like maybe Louisiana and Florida? where you’d see them. But anyway, we see crosses on chains around people’s necks. Here in Portland we see them on women and men, a LOT. And here, a lot of people carry crystals. Plus, a lot of people carry or wear Native American medicine pouches (I think that is what they are?) around their necks. Native Americans do, and so do a lot of people who either have Native American friends or else they just wear them anyway. Latinos have traditions similar, and Catholics have their own things like these, although I don’t know what they are, necessarility.

When I was growing up in Texas, I remember several amulet type things: Girls used to wear a little glass ball with what was said to be a “mustard seed” inside. I guess this must have been in reference to the Bible verse about the mustard seed. Also, there were keychains to be purchased EVERYWHERE that had a rabbit’s foot on them.

Left by Marian Drake on February 6th, 2007

Dear Mr. Dooling,

I just read “Brain Storm,” the first Dooling novel I ever came across. It’s been a while since I enjoyed such an assured display of wit, intellect, and just damn good writing. Looking forward to the rest of them.

Greg Iles

Left by Greg Iles on May 14th, 2007

Dear Mr. Dooling,

I’m trying to sell a novel that is based on my time in the Peace Corps, and I’m wondering what obstacles you faced in writing and then trying to market White Man’s Grave. How did you go about researching it? What was the reaction from Returned Peace Corps Volunteers? Were people in the publishing industry receptive to a novel that discussed the Peace Corps, or did you a hear a lot of “There are already enough of those”?

Thanks for your time,

rmr

Left by rmr on August 4th, 2007

Dear rmr:

You may already know H.L. Mencken’s “There are no dull subjects, there are only dull writers.” Most in publishing would heartily second this. They don’t care if your novel is about the Peace Corps or grains of sand, as long as it is a good novel. My time was spent with the Mende tribe in Sierra Leone. I learned the names for many things while I was there and figured it would be impossible to research upon return. The opposite was true. In big university libraries, like Wash U. in St. Louis or even the Univ of Nebraska at Lincoln I found plenty of resources on the Mende tribe, including obscure topics like witchcraft and so on.

RPCVs are great readers! Lots of fun at readings and such. You may wish to google John Coyne who keeps a list of Peace Corps novels. Don’t worry about things like “There are already enough of those.” Make your novel compelling and surprising and it won’t matter. How many crime novels are there? Doesn’t matter.

Good luck!

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on August 4th, 2007

Why haven’t your novels been made into films? I listen to them on audio cassettes, and they are marvelously funny, insightful and visual. I want to see them on the screen. I find myself laughing out loud alone in my car, or pulling over to side of the road to take down something you have written. Your characters are wonderful and colorful.

Left by maria carofano on October 11th, 2007

Dear Maria:

Thanks for your sense of humor and kind remarks. Two different producers have tried with Brain Storm. It still could happen. White Man’s Grave is problematic. I think it would have to be done in a completely new way. Structural problems abound. Try the movie version of Critical Care. I did not write the screenplay. It’s basically true to the tone of the book. Funny in parts, and Albert Brooks does a terrific job with Dr. Butz. The hospital’s lawyers are also great.

Thanks again,

rd

Left by Richard Dooling on October 13th, 2007

I got on this website to see your next book. I was surprised to see I have missed two of them. The last one I read was You Bet Your Life. Now I have play catch up and get the Brain Storm and Eleanor Druse. You have been busy. I am so excited to see you doing so well.

Ann

Left by ann adams on November 16th, 2007

i keep trying to download pythin version 2.5.1.1 and it keeps saying it is invalid and to check the distributor to see of it is valid of windoes

Left by mike on December 9th, 2007

Richard,

I’ve just read CRITICAL CARE and WHITE MAN’S GRAVE, both great books! Like you, I spent seven months in Africa in the early eighties, and like you, I felt compelled to write a novel about the experience. A book doctor reviewed my unpublished manuscript and said the only major problem is the length. At 137,000 words, he said it’s too long for a first novel by an unknown writer. He recommended that I either cut it back to 100,000 words (which I refuse to do) or shelve the manuscript and write a shorter novel for publication first.
I’m curious if you had a similar experience. Did you write WHITE MAN’S GRAVE first, find out it was too long for a first novel, and then write CRITICAL CARE?
Is this a hard-and-fast rule (nothing over 100,000 words for a first novel), or is it possible to get longer works published? When I did a rough word count on CRITICAL CARE, your first novel, it appeared to be about 120,000 words. Did the publisher have any problems with the length?
Should I shelve my manuscript and start something new, or are there publishers out there who might give me a chance at 137,000 words?

Thanks,
Larry R.

Left by Larry R. on February 1st, 2008

Dear Larry:

I don’t think authors and writers should overhaul their manuscripts for anybody, unless it’s on the recommendation of an editor who actually bought your book and intends to publish it. Sometimes a trusted agent, preferably one who has sold at least one other book for you, will have helpful suggestions that may help sell a problem manuscript. But look at the possibilities: You can easily end up doing total rewrites for one person after another. “Take out all of the sex scenes and cut back on the lurid violence.” You do it. The next “book doctor” comes along: “Nothing happens. Like it or not, Shakespeare is mostly sex and violence tricked out in awesome prose. We need some of that here.” You can end up going in circles. Often in Hollywood, by the time you implement notes and script changes, the person who gave them to you has been fired.

It sounds like your “book doctor” is in tune with this year’s preference for shorter novels, but what about next year? Some thousand-pager first novel will surely come out and we’ll be back in another big-book era.

That said, shorter often IS better. Consider Evelyn Waugh’s dedication in one of his novels: “If the author had been less industrious, this book would be twice as long.” Or Pascal’s, “If I had more time I would write a shorter letter.” Elmore Leonard likes to say that he owes his success to taking out the parts that people skip over. Is your book doctor trying to nicely say that your manuscript has patches that could be removed? Then, he or she should flag them.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t take such big picture advice unless it came from an editor who had bought my book.

Good luck,

RD

Left by Richard Dooling on February 1st, 2008

Richard,

Your obvious appreciation for the Sierra Leonean culture is something few can understand, unless you’ve been there. Thank you.

I served as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1988-1990 in an isolated village at the base of the Kangari Hills. I returned during the war in 1993, again after the war in 2007, and am returning in ten days to introduce the culture to my ten year old son. The more I learn about their ways of life, the more I question our own. Their constant battle with the elements makes them stronger. Their family ties makes them cohesive. They are the ultimate survivors. I invite you to see some of the work I’m doing in country. Without religion or politics, I am working from within the community, assisting in a small way to help them rebuild as they see fit. To hear the sounds of a village waking in the morning, to sit under some shade and enjoy poyo as you escape the heat, to share sweet plassas poured over red rice, to see the honest smiles from those with so little (yet so much), to be part of a family simply because you care… all this awaits me as I leave behind my own culture which has so little in comparison.

Maybe some day Sierra Leoneans will travel to America as volunteers, teaching our children how to survive, how to live and how to enjoy life.

Left by Dan Lavin, RPCV Sierra Leone on February 3rd, 2008

Thanks for the post, Dan!

Anybody interested in discussing development in Sierra Leone, visit:

http://cipsierraleone.blogspot.com

RD

Left by Richard Dooling on February 4th, 2008

Hi Richard,

I have programmed in VB and Flex to a simple level. I need to write a small program that will offer to bluetooth a file to any enabled bluetooth receiver in the area. Someone said this would be simplist to do in Python. Would you agree? Is this going to be a skill stage in Python that I can get to quite quickly? Any helpful hints?

Many thanks.

Francis Charters
A teacher from the UK

Left by Francis Charters on February 10th, 2008

Dear Francis:

This is a PERFECT question for the python google group. Actually it’s a kind of “mirror” of the Usenet Python Group. But if you go to the google group and sign up, you can post your question exactly as above and I’ll bet you have four authoritative answers within two hours.

Visit the Python Google Group at:

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.python/topics

Have fun and good luck,

RD

Left by Richard Dooling on February 10th, 2008

Seen this? Brain Storm is holding up well:

http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/neuroimaging-and-capital-punishment

Left by Bill Walsh on April 14th, 2008