Title: The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town

Author: John Grisham

Publisher: Random House

ISBN: 0385517238

Price: $28.95

REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: MUST READ 

What would you do if you were suspected by the police of the rape and murder of a young woman? Whom would you turn to if you were convicted of a crime based on circumstantial evidence and shoddy legal tactics? Whoever believes we are all innocent until proven guilty hasn’t truly been put to the test.

John Grisham’s newest legal masterpiece hits home—and hits hard. Temporarily forgoing his status as a legal thriller novelist, he delves into a non-fiction tale that could be almost anyone’s story. Ron Williamson had to rely on officials of a system that was corrupt and desperate, and he paid a terrible price. Twenty years of his life. Haunting, chilling and foreboding, The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town gives us a glimpse into the life of a man hounded by police, found guilty because of fraudulent testimony from convicts and sentenced to death row.

Williamson isn’t the only man wrongly convicted and sent to prison. Over the years, many cases have been appealed, and with new DNA testing and other evidentiary sciences in place, both Canada and the US have released convicted felons with little more than a “we’re sorry”. Grisham, a former criminal defense attorney, reveals a world of political power and policing agencies that show very little remorse for getting it wrong. It’s hard to imagine that even now there are people waiting on death row or in prisons who are innocent of the crimes of which they have been convicted. Powerful and emotional, this is one book I couldn’t put down!

See the Amazon Interview with John Grisham.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, author of The River, Divine Intervention and Whale Song (ISBN: 978-1-60164-007-9 available April 2007 from Kunati Books)

Title: Save the Cat, The Last Book on ScreenWriting You’ll Ever Need

Genre: Non-fiction Cinema/Writing

Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions

ISBN: 1932907009

Price: $19.95 Paper 

REVIEW RECOMMENDATION: MUST READ

Review by L. R. Morris

There are many, maybe too many, books on screenwriting, but if I could keep only one, this is it. Blake is funny and entertaining, smart and satisfying as a teacher. It feels like he’s in the room with you, a buddy screenwriter helping you out — except this buddy has millions of dollars in screenplay sales. Some of his advice is common sense, but put in ways you’ll never forget, other tips are unique to Blake — and he jokingly tells us he wrote the book so he can claim ownership of these ideas.

The Title? It’s catchy, no? In typical hilarious Blake style, the auhor explains his premise. Sympathetic protagonist – crucial to success. Common sense, perhaps, but it’s worth a quick read of the chapter, anyway. Blake’s proposition: you must have your character, regardless of genre, perform the equivalent of rescuing the proverbial cat from the tree, somewhere in the first few pages of the script. By no means is this original, but Blake’s writing, jokes and style is. And from there, it gets better and better, with clear, concise and detailed help for script structure – of course, Blake takes full credit for naming and owning Blake Snyder’s 15 Step Beat Sheet. And he goes on to RENAME genres. Hardly necessary, but insightful. And his genre names are totally funny brilliant. 

Then, at chapter six, Blake writes his “The Immutable Laws of Screenplay Physics”, not one of his funny names (most of them are), but the “real inspiration for this book,” he writes. “There! I said it.” He explains. “I had a whole bunch of snappy rules for screenwriting and I wanted to get credit for coining them.” Well, full credit to Blake, because he’s not just full of comical hot air.

This is quick read, but every page is rich in insight and humor. You’ll learn and you’ll laugh, and chances are, if you follow his savvy advice, you’ll sell too.