Wednesday, November 16, 2022

Short Story Wednesday Review: One Thousand Dollars A Word by Lawrence Block


From the magnificently massive archive here at Casa Tipple and Home Eatery Library…

 

It is a very familiar plight for just about any writer. James “Jim” Trevathan wants a raise and after twenty years he doesn't think it is unwarranted. He is a writer for a magazine edited by Warren Jukes. Jim has been placing stories nearly every month for over twenty years and still gets only 5 cents a word. He wants and deserves more.

Editor Warren Jukes isn't prepared to pay more. In his mind there is no need. If Jim wants more money, he better produce more stories each month. Or, he can just hit the road as Warren isn't about to pay more no matter how much he likes the guy.

What Jim will do to get his raise is what drives the second half of this simple, and yet complicated at the same time, story. Sure to touch a nerve with any writer, One Thousand Dollars A Word, is way too real. It is also a very good crime story that first was published in 1978 in AHMM.

The book also contains chapter one from Lawrence Block's latest book, The Burglar Who Counted the Spoons.


  

Material was picked up during the author’s free read promotion for my use in an objective review.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013, 2022

2 comments:

  1. This sounds like a great story. It is in his short story book, Enough Rope, so I will read it there.

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  2. Sounds like a plan.

    Just looked and my library system is not carrying the book. Over 10 bucks for the digital version is nuts.

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