THE WILD WEST WORLD

We've had Spaghetti westerns, Taffy Westerns, Kiwi Westerns, Limey Westerns, Aussie Westerns, Jock westerns - well now you can add Turkish Westerns to the list - check out these guys HERE

GOOGLE TO SELL EBOOKS

The internet giant are all but ready to move into the market -

Google’s manager for strategic partner development Chris Palma disclosed the company’s plans during a Tuesday morning panel discussion sponsored by the Book Industry Study Group in New York City. The panel discussion focused on cloud computing and the business of publishing.

Unlike Apple and Amazon’s eBook services, Google’s will be available through any computing device. The launch of the service appears to have been delayed by the negotiations over the different visions between Google and the publishing industry over how its service should function.

The Journal story says that the service will allow readers to both buy digital books directly from Google as well as from book retailers’ web sites. The pricing of the books will be closely watched as the publishing industry has fought Amazon’s push to sell books for a flat $9.99 on its electronic book device the Kindle.

Consumers have already downloaded more then 1.5 million eBooks through Apple’s new iBookstore, according to a company statement issued Monday.

Crime Fiction Essential

Barry Forshaw is a name well known to fans of crime/mystery fiction and so to is The Rap Sheet - and when the two get together the result is a great interview HERE

"precisely the way I became an expert on British crime fiction, American crime fiction, Italian, and so forth--just by being commissioned to write so much over the years for various papers (The Times, the Independent, the Express) and various magazines. Slowly but surely, you acquire a considerable breadth of knowledge. Of course, this breadth of knowledge is actually a byproduct of enthusiasm--"

I am Googol

What is a Googol? Well apart from being a sound I sometimes make when drunk, that is.

Comic book fans need to go HERE to find out about this exciting new project from Archive friend, Bobby Nash

80/80 - The man with no name

There are many versions of how Clint Eastwood ended up starring in the Spaghetti westerns that transformed his career, but what really happened is that the part was offered to Eastwood's Rawhide co-star, Eric Fleming but he turned it down. The part had already been turned down by James Coburn, Charles Brosnon, Richard Harrison and Henry Fonda. It was Irving Leonard, Eric Fleming's agent who passed on the offer to Clint.

This has been disputed by Sergio Leone but then Leone was always fanciful with the truth. After watching an episode of Rawhide, Incident of the Black Sheep, he said - "I noticed the lazy, laidback way he stole every scene from Fleming. His laziness is what came about so clearly."

Clint wasn't initially keen but his wife, Maggie saw something in the script and persuaded the star to take the role. There were rumours that Maggie wanted to get Clint away from his mistress, Roxanne Tunis and whilst this may have had something to do with it, Eastwood was highly skilled at keeping his public image pristine.

"I was tired of playing the nice green cowboy in Rawhide. I wanted something earthier." Clint told an interviewer after the films were huge international hits.


"I needed a mask more than an actor." Sergio Leone.

As every western fan knows Clint went onto make three movies with Leone, each of them better than the last, culminating with The Good and the Bad and The Ugly which must rate as one of the best westerns ever made. The films would establish Eastwood as a mega star - a standing he enjoys to this day.

However while Clint was away filming that first western, trouble was brewing in America when Roxanne Tunis, Clint's on-off mistress gave birth to a child, Kimber. The baby's father on the State of California birth certificate is given as Clinton Eastwood Jr.

Clint had to return to Rawhide after finishing work on The Magnificent Stranger (AKA A Fistful of Dollars) and would for the moment stay married to Maggie, but then Clint always lived a charmed life where his many women were concerned.

NEXT - WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN CLINT AND BEST FRIEND, BILL TOMPKINS?

80/80 - Firefox fails to fly

What's so wrong with the movie, Firefox? Whilst it may not be one of Clint's very best it's certainly not as bad as some people say. Upon its release in 1982 it wasn't a hit but its budget of $21 million was easily made back. Mind you that was the age of the VHS boom and most modestly budgeted movies would eventually make their money back.

Firefox isn't your standard Eastwood film, he's almost branching out into Star Wars territory here with this Sci-Fi Cold War Spy thriller. Eastwood directs himself - The majority of the cast is made up by British character actors. The first half of the film is a straightforward spy thriller and can be pretty nail biting at times . The second hald of the film is like a video game with some impressive visuals as the super plane cuts majestically through the skies, the enemies in pursuit.

It's one for Eastwood fans only, I guess but it does have its moments. I think the problem with the movie is that the character Eastwood plays just isn't suited to the actor, nor is the style of movie and the film does plod in places but it's not all bad and I quite enjoy it. The aerial scenes are excellent at least and although the cold war setting (good Americans Vs Bad Russians) is these days dreadfully old fashioned in this post Glasnost world is is good fun if you check your brain in at the door.

Publisher actively seeking writers

Solstice Publishing is seeking talented authors with a well written story to tell. We are open for submissions for all genres. Please see our submission guidelines on www.solsticepublishing.com.

And look out for an interview with Kelly Abell of Solstice on The Archive soon