Lucky Jocco

By Frank Anthony Polito

Two blog posts in two days! What's up with that?

I read an interesting article this morning from Where Writers Win, a blog/website that provides information/advice for writers. Most of the things they post I've already heard of -- or I disagree with. But today's tidbit, entitled "5 Ways to Promote Your Words" touched on an issue I've been dealing with as of late: having no idea what to write about here on this blog.

You can read the full article HERE (a subscription may be required), but the basic jist is: if you're a writer looking to promote your work, don't just talk about YOURSELF. Instead, find other interesting items to post about -- that are connected to what you've written or are working on.

I just opened up Yahoo to do some online research for my current novel, The Spirit of Detroit, only to find the most interesting headline: "Man's Estate Left to Actors He Never Met." I immediately recognized both good-looking men: Peter Barton and Kevin Brophy.

 Brophy & Barton

While I didn't know either of their names off the top of my head, Barton I remembered from his stint on Young & the Restless during the '80s, and Brophy is none other than the jerk named "Jocco" from my all-time favorite episode of The Hardy Boys  -- which I wrote about in my second novel Drama Queers! See below for an excerpt...

 

I particularly loved the part when Joe befriended Jocco and they 
threw that party out at their fancy beach house. I immediately
recognized the Muzak version of “How Deep is Your Love?” from 
the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack playing in the background . . . 
God, I wanted to see that movie sooo bad!

I remember being confused when Frank arrived and Joe acted
like he didn’t recognize his brother. Really, it was all just part
of the plan to set Jocco up and bust him for selling stolen goods.
 
Until Jocco got wise to Frank posing as a big-time surfer, and
sent him out on his board in shark-infested waters . . . I’ll never
forget the sight of Parker Stevenson in that wetsuit, even though
my heart would always belong to Shaun Cassidy.
 

By the way... I just discovered that Drama Queers! is available on Amazon.com right now for just $6 :-)