Movie Critic Writes Book on Gangsters in Trend-Setting Films

Hi! I am Carolyn Howard Johnson, your trusty New Book Review blogger and author of the multi award-winning HowTo Do It Frugally Series of books for writers. This blog has heretofore been exclusive for reviews but I thought I’d do a special series of interviews after I chatted with Jeanie Loiacono, President of Loiacono Literary Agency – Where ‘can’t’ is not in our vocabulary!  I thought sharing the interviews would help the many subscribers and visitors to this New Book Review blog, including authors, reviewers, and, of course, readers who just might find a new favorite author among the featured books and authors.

So, today welcome Dr. Bob Blackwood.

Dr. Bob Blackwood earned a Ph.D. in English Literature from Loyola University in 1972 with a dissertation on Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus.” He taught English, Literature, Film Study and Photography at Wilbur Wright College in Chicago until 2000, when he took an early retirement. For over forty years, he has continued to review books on film criticism and film history for Choice, the magazine of the American Library Association.

His nonfiction, From the Silent Era to “The Sopranos”: Italian American Gangsters in Trend-Setting Films and Television Shows (Publish America, 2006), contains critical commentary on the major Italian-American gangster films and TV shows and biographical data on the actors from The Black Hand (1906) to The Sopranos (1999-2005). Early 1930s sound films include Little Caesar, Scarface; from the 1940s—Kiss of Death, Key Largo; from the 1950s—Guys and Dolls and Some Like It Hot; and from the1960s—The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and The Brotherhood…among many others. Special chapters were needed for Martin Scorsese’s films (Mean Streets, Goodfellas, Casino) and Francis Ford Coppola’s films (The Godfather trilogy, The Cotton Club). The analysis includes seventy-seven contemporary films, such as: Thief, Prizzi’s Honor, Miller’s Crossing,Married to the Mob, True Romance, Bugsy, Out for Justice, Bullets Over Broadway, Get Shorty, Gotti, Donnie Brasco, Analyze This, and A History of Violence. Mentioned television shows include The Untouchables, Crime Story, Wise Guy and The Sopranos with an episode guide.

Since 1965, Blackwood has been writing film reviews for various publications, such as The Chicago Seed, Kosmozodiac, La Parola del Popolo, The Leader Newspapers, The Near North News from 1995-2002, and The Columbia River Reader (Oregon/Washington) from 2008-today. At Wilbur Wright College, he created the Literature and Film course.  In addition, he has worked as a photojournalist and correspondent for Fra Noi (Chicagoland’s Italian American Voice) from 1989-2004. Blackwood served as President of the International Press Club of Chicago for 2006 & 2007. He was also the editor of the College Union Voice, the newspaper of the Cook County College Teachers Union, AFT Local 1600, and the union’s webmaster and head writer/editor & photojournalist 2001-2012. In the last fifteen years, he has attended, moderated and participated in panels on film and/or literature at various SF and fantasy conventions throughout North America. Bob began reading the James Bond novels in the 1950s and is a life-long devotee of Ian Fleming. He has also co-authored two books with Dr. John Flynn: Everything I Know About Life I Learned From James Bond and Future Prime: Top Ten Science Fiction Films (Library Tales Publishing, 2015).

1.    What is your genre? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Nonfiction

2.    What made you want to be a writer? I’ve worked as a reporter and public relations person.

3.    Of all the authors out there, who inspired you most? Hemingway, Hunter S. Thompson.

4.    What is your writing style? Do you outline? Linearly? By scene? Why? I outline.

5.    Do you write every day? How much? How long? No.

6.    Do you think reading is as important to writing for an author? Why? You need inspiration when your own fails you.

7.    What are some of the things you would like to share with budding authors? The need to stay with a project.

8.    Do you have any marketing and promotional advice, referrals, tips you would like to share? Get a good agent; I’m lucky.

9.    Do you think conferences are beneficial? If so, what have you learned? Which ones do you frequent? They are an opportunity to strut your stuff.

10. Where can we find you, your books and when is your next event? Online on my website bob@blackwood.org. Represented by Loiacono Literary Agency, Jeanie Loiacono http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/authors/bob-blackwood/  Everything I Know About Life I Learned from James Bond & Future Prime: The Top Ten Science Fiction Films co-authored with Dr. John L. Flynn.

MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORING AGENT

Jeanie Loiacono, President, Loiacono Literary Agency

A facilitator of dreams, Jeanie Loiacono represents over eighty authors. Her forte is mystery, romance, thrillers, historical/military/southern fiction, and all quality fiction/nonfiction. Her passion is to see her authors succeed.
“There is nothing more rewarding than to hold one of my author’s books and know I helped bring it to fruition. I am so blessed and privileged to be able to work with some of the most talented writers in the world.” Jeanie.L@llallc.net  www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com

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The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.