Crime Expert BURL BARER. Edgar Award Winner and NYT Bestselling Author

HEART -- ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME!

Once upon a time, there was a litte band called "A Boy and His Dog" == they played at the Trolly Club in Seattle where I was the primary DJ.

Once upon a time, there was a new band called HEART. comprised of folks I knew from A Boy and His Dog. My pal Chet Tozer did roady work for them, and I did the very first radio commercial for their very first gig -- "The debut of Roger Fisher's new  band, HEART!"

That was back when steam was still rising from the surface of the planet, and dinosaurs were just hatching out of the primordial ooze. 

Tonight, HEART is being inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, and they were kind enough to include me in the "thank you" section of their official HEART book.  I was tempted to attend the event...I could get a ticket up in the nosebleed section for a reasonable price -- but the view is better on the TV broadcast, and the reason for going in person would be to offer my personal congradulations. That, of course, would be next to impossible at that venue at that time and under those celebratory circumstances.  So, suffice it to say that I am very proud of Ann, Nancy and the whole band, past and present.  It does warm my heart to know that I, in some minor way, was able to contribute to their career path..their success on that path is because of their talent, skill and show-biz determination.

I'll bump into them again, sooner or later -- I always do -- and give them the same encouragement I did back when we were alll much younger, less lined, and not as famous. 

LEE GOLDBERG IS STUNNED - Get the smelling salts!

.Lee Goldberg, another literary genius in the never ending flow from my family's gene pool, was perusing stats on Amazon.com when he saw something that left him drop jawed -- in his own words, Lee says...

 "THE HEIST is the #10 bestselling ebook on Amazon...and #6 bestselling book on Amazon in any format... and it's not even out until 6/18! I am stunned. Someone get me smelling salts..."

From Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying new series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.
 
FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years the only name she’s cared about is that of Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.              
 
Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: He convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.
 
Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

DEADLY SINS' DARREN KAVINOKY -- cool guy, great show!

I first met Darren Kavinoky about four years ago via our mutual friend, Leonard Buschel, co-founder of Writers in Treatment, where Darren serves on the Board of Directors, and I serve on the Advisory Board.  What a combination! 

Darren had a great idea -- a project based on the 7 Deadly Sins, each exemplified by a particular criminal case.  While we tossed around the idea of a book, or series of books, that didn't come to fruition. Instead, Darren tranformed it into a compelling television series, DEADLY SINS on Investigation Discovery, with him performing brilliantly as the insightful wise-cracking host.  

Darren and I occassionaly appear together at speaking engagements. It is always fun working with him, and I was delighted when DEADLY SINS approached me about adapting one or more of my true crime books for the series. 

"Mommy's Little Killers," based on the case I wrote about in MOM SAID KILL, debuted recently, and I couldn't be more pleased with their presentation of the case.  Apparently the crew of DEADLY SINS was equally pleased with my commentary, and we are discussing additional shows based on my other books.

As Darren was kind enough to have me on his show, I'm returning the favor this Saturday, April 6th, pm Pacific Time when Darren joins us on TRUE CRIME UNCENSORED on Outlaw Radio.  I'm sure it will be great fun as Darren hangs out with co-hosts Howard Lapides, Executive Producer of Celebrity Rehab, "fact checker" Mark Boyer and, of course, Burl Barer (that's me!).