Pop Flies

...Tidbits...Musings...
Miscellaneous...

2021

Hi folks, This has been a busy year and I'm happy to say I have some new writing coming your way. As always, I have high hopes that you'll fall in love with my new novel-length story.

Please stay tuned!

MUSINGS: stuff...Music: Lil Nas...vintage RUSH rock, "Get Back," the movie (how many times can I watch the preview...a million-plus), Linda Ronstadt... Screens: ...waiting for The Crown to Return...Titanic is on Netflix, so I will FINALLY see it (for the 20th time) ...Nerving up to watch all The Conjuring movies I haven't seen...Reading: Cynthia Freeman (find her), Stephen King LATER and BILLY SUMMERS, "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (masterpiece), "I'm With the Band" by Pamela Des Barnes, "Foundation" by Isaac Asimov, "How to Be Human" by Jory Fleming,  LITTLE WOMEN, "The Homecoming" by Earl Hamner, Jr. (Ever wonder where the Waltons came from? Here's one of the earliest sightings, even if they call themselves the Spencers in this work.), Lilyville by Tovah Feldshuh, YEARBOOK by Seth Rogan, poetry by Mary Oliver, Amanda Gorman,  Ogden Nash...

2020... Enough about this year. Onward!

2016...

Read all about MAKE SOMEONE HAPPY, release date: October 26, 2016.

This is my 3rd book with Dreamspinner Press and I'm super excited to share it with you.  I love feedback, so please share your review, questions, musings, tidbits...

Best wishes always,

Hank








Hi,

This is a silly section of the blog where I randomly toss out pop culture thoughts based on what I'm reading or watching on TV or screen, and especially about the music I'm listening to.  Who cares?  I don't know.

It's inconsistent and far from comprehensive.  But trust me, I MEAN well....More from 2016:

Music: "Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway" -- fabulous duets with Barbra Streisand.  Lots of dialogue, spoken word -- storytelling: simply wonderful.  My absolute favorite is "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" with Jamie Foxx.  

More Music: "Blond" by Frank Ocean..."Joanne" by Lady Gaga..."Lemonade" by Beyonce..."Night Shadows" by Bob Dylan...

TV: "Dancing With the Stars" captivates me every time...I loved RuPaul Drag Race All Stars...Enjoying "Finding Prince Charming" ... 

Movies: Saw "Carol" on cable and it's stunning.  Beautiful.  Heart-rending.  Saw "Zootopia" on Netflix and WOW -- the colors.  The creativity.  The humor.  Loved it....


2015 -- where are you?

2014...so far

Bruno Mars...Celine Dion and Stevie Wonder...The Conjuring...James on Dancing With The Stars...Ru...BONKERS by Jennifer Saunders...Pope Francis...Anna Karenina...Sister Wendy Beckett...Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings...2 Cellos...WONDER by RJ Palacio...Peter Ackroyd...Gerhard Richter...Parliament (the pop group)...Nancy Sinatra...Joan Rivers...LOOKING...

2013 saw the publication of my novella WHEN WE PICKED APPLES LAST AUTUMN, from Dreamspinner Press.  This is a story about a young man who thinks he doesn't really want a lasting love, even as he falls head over heels for a dashing pilot.  The title evokes a sweet and idyllic time during the romance of the two main characters, Josh and Benny, but the main parts of the story -- the beginning and the end -- take place in airplanes in big trouble.  Airplanes.  In big trouble. 

Thank you to the readers who loved this admittedly unconventional plot and  took the time to review it and post comments.  You inspire me!


2012 musings...

Best Pop Album of 2012:
CHANNEL ORANGE By  Frank Ocean

Fave Book of the Year:
VANISHED YEARS By Rupert Everett

Best Movie:
DJANGO UNCHAINED

    

Hank’s Revolving Flexible Top Ten Most Romantic Classic Pop Songs of All Time

1. Love Is a Losing Game / Amy Winehouse

2. Masquerade / George Benson

3. Let’s Stay Together / Al Green

4. Dancing With My Baby / Sam Cooke

5. Never Gonna Give You Up / Barry White

6. Cowboys and Angels / George Michael

7. Nobody Loves Me Like You Do / Whitney Houston and    Jermaine Jackson

8. Love’s Theme / Love Unlimited Orchestra

9. The Way You Look Tonight / Elton John

10. Love Takes Time / Mariah Carey

AND:

Bad Religion / Frank Ocean

YOURS?

Hank’s Top Fave 80s Brit Classics (From Nick’s era)

1. Tainted Love / Soft Cell

2. Don’t You Want Me / Human League

3. Just an Illusion / Imagination

4. See You / Depeche Mode

5. Golden Brown / The Stranglers

6. Love Plus One / Haircut One Hundred

7. Save a Prayer / Duran Duran

8. The Look of Love / ABC

9. Maid of Orleans / Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

10. Kids in America / Kim Wilde

Hank’s ELEVEN Fave Dance Classics of the Early 80s (Nick's era, again)

1. Billie Jean / Michael Jackson

2. Wanna Be Startin Somethin / Michael Jackson

3. The Safety Dance / Men Without Hats

4. You Spin Me Right Round / Dead or Alive

5. Let’s Pretend We’re Married / Prince

6. Do You Wanna Funk / Sylvester

7. Situation / Yaz

8. Blue Monday / New Order

9. It’s My Life / Talk Talk

10. Flashdance...What A Feelin / Irene Cara

11. Burnin Up / Madonna

Hank’s Indispensable Music Makers of Right Now

1. Adele

2. Amy Winehouse

3. Lady Gaga

4. Madonna

5. Lupe Fiasco

6. Usher

7. Skrillex

8. Kanye West

9. Jay-Z

10. Drake

Just b-cuz

1. Maybe Tomorrow / The Jackson Five

2. Ram (whole album) / Paul McCartney

3. Andrea Bocelli

4. Sinatra

5. Judy

6. Diamonds and Rust / Judas Priest

7. Something Stupid / Nicole Kidmann and Robbie Williams

8. Through the Years / Steve and Eydie

9. Rufus Wainwright

10. Leonard Cohen
11. Landslide / Fleetwood Mac

What Is Hank Reading These Days?

1. VANISHED YEARS by Rupert Everett.  Stunning and beautifully written memoir by the English actor.  Nails the age we live in with humor, warmth and bitchery.

2. TALES I NEVER TOLD by Michael Winner.  The English film director and food writer is hilarious, forthright, wise.  The perfect companion.

3. THE CHRISTMAS MOUSE by Miss Read.  Discover this English classic for warmth and cozy home truths.

4. THE DIFFICULTY OF BEING by Jean Cocteau.  Pretty much everything he says is a pearl.

5. DARK UNIVERSE by William F. Nolan.  Delicious walk on the dark side.

What are U reading and recommending?

Movies and TV?

Update:

"Behind The Candelabra" -- Fantastic.  Michael Douglas and Matt Damon are brilliant in this.

"Under The Dome" -- Great book by Stephen King; fun TV show

"Man of Steel" -- Henry Cavill is wonderful in this wayyy too long, too dark, too video-game bombastic spectacle.  I don't like the new broody Batman films for much the same reasons -- I don't find this kind of storytelling entertaining.  Sorry.. Because I love Batman and Superman.
       

Older notes: 

1. Kathy Griffin on Bravo -- 

2. RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES -- cool

3. Chelsea Lately

4. Watch What Happens Live

5. Baseball (yep)

6. Can't wait for the London Olympics
7. JOHN CARTER -- see this.  It's great.  yes, really.

UPDATE:

1. WAR HORSE -- simply gorgeous, and so emotional!  A triumph.
2. Graham Norton -- funny but also such pretty colors and production values.  Wow!
3. Must See: DJANGO UNCHAINED!!!!!

More TV

1. Newsroom -- wow.  Riveting.  (Update: actually, I haven't kept up with this.  Still on?)
2. RuPaul's Drag Race -- so smart, so funny!
3. Family Guy
4. Dancing With the Stars
5. Modern Family
6. THE OLYMPICS!

Just Cuz

1. India Arie / Ready For Love
2. Taylor Dayne / Love Will Lead You Back
3. Kelly Clarkson / The Trouble With Love
4.  

Something To Read?  Someone To Read

1. Gore Vidal
2. James Baldwin
3. E. Lynn Harris
4. Omar Tyree
5. Gordon Merrick - vintage funster
6. Gaywyk by Vincent Virga -- groundbreaker
7. Grief by Andrew Halloran
8. HP Lovecraft
9. Joyce Carol Oates
10. Patricia Highsmith
11. 

And by the Way

1. Scissor Sisters
2. Pet Shop Boys
3. Smiths
4.

Hall of Fame FOREVER

Noah's Arc -- I'm still in awe and always will be. 

Hip Hop

1. Jay-Z
2. Kanye West
3. Frank Ocean
4. Lupe Fiasco
5. Tupac, Dre, Snoop
6. Grand Master Flash
7. LL Cool J
8. Beastie Boys

Vintage Disco:

1. Don't Leave Me This Way / Thelma Houston
2. Donna Summer: All
3. Chain Reaction / Diana Ross
4. 

In a Class By Themselves

1. Cher
2. Bob Dylan
3. Liberace
4. Celine Dion
5. Prince
6.

Funny/Always Compelling Twitter People:

Lohanthony
Michael Ian Black
Nancy Sinatra
Patton Oswalt
Bridey Elliot
Cameron Slade
RuPaul
Wendy Liebman
David Alan Grier
Steve Martin