Q: Michael Connelly's last book, The Scarecrow, was about what happened to the profession of journalist when the MoJos started coming in.

A: Yes. Lawrence Block's Small Town was about what happened to the profession of writer.

Q: What happened?

A: A mid-list writer, whose career is in trouble, because if you're not going up, you're going down, is accused of strangling a woman.

He gets a $3 million advance for his next novel.

All his back titles are reissued.

It's like when William Kennedy got Ironweed published and all his old Albany Cycle novels were reissued.

Q: And he won a genius grant.

A: I didn't win a genius grant this year.

Q: Did you expect to?

A: I don't see how I would. How would they know?

Q: Did the writer actually strangle the woman?

A: He doesn't know. He was in a blackout.

Q: But that was the basis of his reversal of fortune? He was accused of murdering a woman?

A: Yes. Look at all the people the OJ trial made famous.

Greta Van Susteren? Star Jones? Kato Kaelin?

Charles Grodin?

Q: I like Charles Grodin.

A: So do I. But come on.

Q: You have to have a platform.

A: Dominick Dunne?

My platform is a pair of 13 EEE Irish Setter brogans with a 3/4" heel.

Note the bedspread.

Soon it will be cooler. I hope.

This 90° weather is getting tiresome. It's almost October.