April 6, 2005

• One Thing and Another

  The first thing today is relief, a burden released.

  Some time ago, I mentioned an ethical dilemma of Byzantine complexity
  and Stygian mystery.  I didn’t and still do not want to be
  specific enough about it to embarrass or imperil anyone, but it was
  too important to me not to put it in my journal and when I started this
  journal I made a promise to myself that I wasn’t going to keep any
  secrets.  We are only as sick as our secrets and my primary
  objective for this journal was healing.

  When I wrote that first entry about the dilemma, I was wishing I’d
  given the matter more thought and declined the request at the
  start.  I was trying to find a simple way to back out of a
  commitment that, upon reflection, did not feel right.  I got lots
  of advice from readers.  People suggested every possible option
  I’d thought of and a few that hadn’t occurred to me.  I gave all
  that advice due consideration and came up with a course of action that
  felt right.

  Since the client’s end hadn’t been fulfilled as agreed, I felt
  justified in renegotiating the contract.  I declined that part of
  the original request that didn’t feel right to me, and offered
  something else that I felt would better serve the client’s needs. 
  Today, I fulfilled my end of that modified agreement.  The best
  thing I can find to say about this whole affair is that it was a
  learning experience.  I won’t be making any regular business out
  of this.

  From about day two of this affair, I’ve seen a little sign flashing
  behind my eyes:  THIS IS A TEST.  When I completed my final
  email installment today, that sign blinked off and was replaced by a
  gentle, fading message:  never again.

  ---

  the other –

  Yesterday I was asked by spinksy
  for book recommendations, presumably of the sort of detective fiction
  and true crime I had mentioned in that blog.  Months ago, soul_survivor
  asked for a different type of recommended reading.  I’m responding
  to the later request before fulfilling the earlier one for a very
  simple reason.  It’s easier.  Compiling a list of my most
  valued scientific, spiritual and metaphysical books is a task so
  monumental I’ve shied away from it.  I mean, who remembers, and
  where would I find room for such a list?  I could probably drag my
  heels on that job for the rest of this lifetime.  Comparatively,
  listing some of my favorite fiction writers and fictitious characters
  is a breeze.

  My favorite books are ones that tell stories about “people” I know and
  care about:  long-running (or not so long) series that involve
  well-drawn characters.  Below are some of the authors and
  characters that I like best.

  James Lee Burke’s sheriff’s investigator from New Iberia, Louisiana, Dave “Streak” Robichaux

  Lawrence Block’s unlicensed detective who does “favors for friends” and
  accepts “gifts” for his efforts, Matt Scudder, who sorta reminds me of
  an old fave, John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee

  David Wiltse’s serial killer who specializes in killing serial killers, FBI agent John Becker

  Patricia Cornwell’s medical examiner Kay Scarpetta (in the earlier books before she retired and jumped the shark)

  Jeffery Deaver’s quadriplegic criminalist Lincoln Rhyme and his
  “legman” Amelia Sachs, who are reminiscent of one of my earliest
  favorite detective duos, Rex Stout’s obese and reclusive horticulturist
  Nero Wolfe and his legman Archie Goodwin

  Michael Connelly’s former Hollywood homicide detective, now retired into private practice, Heironymous “Harry” Bosch

  J. A. Jance’s rural Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady

  Ridley Pearson’s Seattle detective Lou Boldt and forensic pathologist
  Daphne Matthews (Pearson has also collaborated with Dave Barry on a
  prequel to Peter Pan that I’m looking forward to reading.)

  John Lescroart’s lawyer/investigator/bartender Dismas Hardy

  Carl Hiaasen’s swamp-rat former Florida governor Skink

  Kathy Reich’s forensic anthropologist Dr.Temperance Brennan

  David Hunt’s achromatopsic photographer Kay Farrow

  Robert B. Parker’s mononymical Boston private eye Spenser and his big buddy Hawk

  

  • 9:42 pm
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