[Darren]

About a year ago, I had finished the Slapshots and Monday Night Football Club series, had some notes about what I was going to say about them, and had started in on a re-read of No More Dead Dogs. I ended up injuring my hand at work and having it out of commission for six months and didn't do any reading during that time or the remainder of the year, really.

I just got back into it, reading for the pure pleasure of it and not taking any notes this time, having polished off No More Dead Dogs, Maxx Comedy, Jake, Reinvented, and the Son Of The Mob series during the past week. I wish I had taken some notes because there were a lot of great things to talk about in those books. I'm currently re-reading the super enjoyable Planes, Trains And Automobiles meets The Fugitive with the On The Run series.

While no notes, it did spring some questions to mind if Gord will indulge me:

1) When writing sequels do you find it necessary to re-read the previous work?
2) There's usually the disclaimer in the front of books about "any resemblance to characters living or dead is coincidental yada yada yada" but I noticed a few in these books, like Bobby Orr in Slapshots (if I remember that correctly), Julia Roberts in No More Dead Dogs, Ringo Starr in Hollywood Hustle. Was there any legal issue with that or, being famous celebrities, are they considered "fair game"?
3) Apropos of nothing, two of your favourite authors are Adams and Vonnegut. Are there any other sci-fi authors you enjoy?
4) In three of these books, the word dumpster was capitalized in the middle of a sentence, eg: "behind a very ripe garbage Dumpster." What up with that?

As always, thank you for your time, Gord. Enjoying the holidays with your books while I should be wrapping presents!

Hi, Darren,

Your questions:

1) I sometimes have to look up a fact or two in the previous work, but I've never had to reread anything. You have no idea how many times a writer has to go over his/her work before handing it in. So my previous work is almost known to me by rote!

2) The key word is "resemblance." Using the name of a real person unless you're defaming the guy/girl) is fine.

3) They're it, I think. I'm not othewise into sci-fi.

4) You have to ask the editors about Dumpster. I think it must be an official trade name to require a cap.

I hope this means your hand is better, Darren. But I'm sure wrapping presents is cruel and unusual punishment!

Merry Christmas! And a much better 2025 for you and yours!                                                                     ---GK---

[Darren]

Thank you, Gord.

A joyous holiday season to you and yours and a fantastic 2025 as well!