Welcome to my website!
Please click on the book cover to learn more about my blues mystery, Sweet Man Is Gone (Five Star/Gale/Cengage). It’s been out since July 2008 and is now available on Kindle–for $1.99! Just click on the “Order from Amazon” link, then follow the Kindle link on the Amazon page. Watch this space for details on the sequel, Got No Friend Anyhow, due out in January 2011.
Some of my music-themed short stories are available in Kindle editions now. Visit my Other Writing page for more details.
The new Showcase is up, featuring a very cool NYC bluesman, Jonathan Kalb. Click here to get acquainted with Jonathan–and to find out what Jimi Hendrix borrowed from him.
The Last Stand Band, the band that inspired Sweet Man Is Gone, broke up long ago. But I’ve got a new band now, Still Standing. Left to right in the photo: Steve Wortman–vocals, harmonica, keyboards; Peggy Ehrhart–guitar, bass; J.K.–drums; Howie Bowe–vocals, bass, guitar. We played in the Patio Concert series at the Leonia Library in New Jersey on June 16 and we’ll be at the Bound Brook Library August 12.
Here’s a sample of our sound, “Woman Got Me Blues,” with original lyrics by yours truly and guest drummer on congas and high hat, Yuki Furui.
My friend and band mate, Howie Bowe, took some great concert photos in the sixties. He’s got six shots of Albert King and Chuck Berry up on Facebook. To check them out click here–then click on the first picture to turn the album into a slide show.
Now there’s an audio version of Sweet Man Is Gone, available from Books in Motion. 
The title’s different–Blue Murder–but it’s the same book, and I love the way the reader, Andrea Bates, interprets Maxx Maxwell’s words.
A year of pies! While you’re here, please take a look at my “Come On in My Kitchen” feature, the Pies page–a music-themed pie for every month of the year. Just click on the Pies tab.
I have a lot of speaking events lined up for this year. Check the Events page and, if you’re in the New York/TriState area, I’d love to see you at one of my events. If your group is looking for a speaker, just use the Contact page to get in touch. I’m happy to talk about any aspect of reading or writing mysteries–or click here for some specific talks I’ve prepared.
