Remembrances of Elmore Leonard

cj Sez: When NYT best-selling author Elmore Leonard first suffered a stroke in August 2013, writer and poet Fenton Ludtke, a dear friend of mine and one of Mr. Leonard’s former work-a-day colleagues, shared some of his personal memories of his former colleague. 

Following is an excerpt of Fenton's note:

“When I left the AP (Associated Press) in 1963 and joined Campbell Ewald, Elmore Leonard also was a anew copywriter. He wrote copy on the Chevrolet account. He was quiet, and almost shy. We talked and drank (a few) at home parties, where he came out of his shell a bit. We named him “Dutch” after Dutch Leonard, then a major league baseball pitcher with a tipsy knuckle ball, as I recall.

Back then, Elmore would rise around 6 a.m. and write for an hour. He disciplined himself. His venue, westerns. Then he’d shower and dress and make it to the agency in the GM building on West Grand Boulevard in Detroit. After a while he was doing so well, his westerns were selling in paperbacks, and later one as a movie, “3:10 to Yuma,” that he left the agency to go on his own. 

After his stroke, Elmore still continues to work on his latest book. (cj Sez: It was Raylan, his 46th novel.)

George Will, the columnist, has called Elmore “America’s greatest mystery writer.” It isn’t a mystery to me. It’s a matter of discipline.” 

cj Sez:  Discipline . . . a necessary ingredient for any NaNoWriMo participant, so I’d better get back to it!

VETERANS' DAY is Saturday...

Veterans Day (November 11) was originally called “Armistice Day,” and the date was chosen to commemorate the signing of the armistice with Germany that ended the hostilities of World War I. It was also once called “Poppy Day,” a name inspired by John McCrae’s poem, Flanders Fields. “In Flanders fields the poppies blow. Between the crosses, row on row…”

Not all states observe the official holiday, although all Federal offices will be closed for the holiday on Friday, November 10.

We have the freedom to do and say stupid stuff because of our Armed Forces veterans. Since some of us seem to need a special day to remember to say “thank you,” this is a reminder that you can do that on Saturday…Veterans Day is November 11.

That’s it for today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S. Please say a prayer or my sister who suffered a stroke last week.

Qrtly newsletter sign-up:  cjpetterson@gmail.com

cjpetterson/author on Facebook    

Amazon Central Author Page

Simon&Schuster Author Page

Qrtly newsletter sign-up:  cjpetterson@gmail.com

 “Bad Day at Round Rock” in The Posse Western anthology of 8 short stories @99 cents

Choosing Carter  -- Kindle  /  Nook  /  Kobo   /  iTunes/iBook

Deadly Star --  Kindle  / Nook  / Kobo

California Kisses—10 book publisher’s bundle @ 99 cents (includes Deadly Star)

The Great Outdoors  8 book publisher’s bundle @99 cents (includes Choosing Carter)

Bodies in Motion — 10 book publisher’s bundle @99 cents (includes Choosing Carter)

Note: On the bundles, the “look inside” invitation gives you a taste of only the first book