Monday, August 15, 2011

Lars Trodson's Novel Eagles Fly Alone Out On Sept. 1



A new thriller by Seacoast writer Lars Trodson, titled Eagles Fly Alone, will be published nationally by Mainly Murder Press on Sept. 1.

The novel will be available at bookstores and also online at all major booksellers. 

Eagles Fly Alone introduces Langley Calhoun, a police chief in a quiet New Hampshire town called Fenton. Chief Calhoun is well-liked and he loves his little town. But then a rare, dead eagle is found on someone’s property. The eagle, which has been deliberately killed, is looked upon as nothing more than an odd, eerie incident by the townspeople until Chief Calhoun begins to look deeper into why the rare eagle was brought to Fenton, and who might have killed it. What he finds sets the whole town on edge, and destroys the fragile bonds that have held his own family together. 

Editor Jack Murphy said the publishers at Mainly Murder Press “originally thought of this as a mystery for men, but women are going to love Langley, too. Brave, smart, loyal, loving – what’s not to like? He’s a terrific protagonist from any point of view, and we wish him well.” 

James Landis, author of such novels as The Last Day, said “You’ll want to be alone when you read Eagles Fly Alone. In one sitting. Uninterrupted.  It’s that compelling. Mystery. Complex family tale. Love story. All wrapped around, and within, the wonderful Langley Calhoun. Long may he live in many more books by the formidable new writer, Lars R. Trodson.” 

The novel weaves together the threads of a unique mystery, while also creating a vibrant picture of New England life. Its customs and idiosyncrasies are richly detailed, and the novel is filled with surprising, fascinating people who help  propel the mystery along. 

“I wanted to write a great mystery, something fresh, but I also wanted to write a uniquely American book,” said Trodson. “I know that people are frustrated with our country now. But this is a story of people who do the right thing, and who are honorable and decent. They struggle but they also succeed, which I think is a story of also what’s happening in America today. I wanted to paint a picture that’s not idealized, but one that is also real and hopeful. The ending of this story is a triumph because so many people do the right thing – and they hold accountable those who don’t.”

Trodson has been a writer and editor in the Seacoast for the past 20 years. He has had numerous plays produced at The Player's Ring in Portsmouth. Five films that he has written and produced have been selected for the New Hampshire Film Festival. He has been honored numerous times by the New Hampshire Press Association and the New England Press Association for his newspaper reporting and editing. He is currently the VP of Public Relations for JBC Communications in Portsmouth.  A public reading will be held at RiverRun Bookstore, 20 Congress St., Portsmouth, NH at 7 p.m. on Sept. 7. For more information for sales and other public readings, please visit www.eaglesflyalone.com. For media inquiries please call (603) 498-4742.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Manohla Dargis: One Of The Worst Movie Reviews Ever

This is a great example of what is wrong with modern American movie criticism in print journalism today. This is a review of a major motion picture in a major newspaper. The New York Times, in fact. I defy anyone to figure out whether Manohla Dargis is actually recommending you go see "The Help" or not. Can't she -- or her editors -- get to the point? Is the paper hamstrung by a possible boycott of advertising if the review is no good? Who knows? We'll post the link, but you're better off spending your time taking out the garbage.

http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/movies/the-help-spans-two-worlds-white-and-black-review.html?hpw

--LT

Lars Trodson is the author of two novels, "Eagles Fly Alone" (http://amzn.to/1uRsL0E) and "Tide Turning." (http://amzn.to/1v38X9O)