My son’s name is Rocco, but Conan the Destroyer would be more apt. The boy has an appetite for destruction, and he’s always hungry. Rocco’s autism is a factor in his destructive behavior. He often uses items in inappropriate ways, like raiding my wallet and using the credit cards in an origami display (the plastic… Continue reading What’s For Dinner? Baked Cell Phone and Steamed Dad
There are lots of things that can hurt a marriage; financial problems, infidelity, differences in religion, differences in parenting, differences of opinion. In our house one of the biggest marital strains is another woman; a woman who comes into our home every night at ten o’clock. Her name is Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace has a… Continue reading Nancy Grace. Ghoul. Monster. Homewrecker.
Books are beautiful. Their construction is so basic — paper, ink, glue, and cardboard. But each is a doorway into another time and space, alternate dimensions both real and imagined. It doesn’t matter if you’re reading true crime, historical fiction, or a cookbook; all are woven from the fabric of the human condition. Books are… Continue reading Publishing’s Future: Toss the Bookshelf, Keep the Books
The world used to be a more civilized, more respectful, more courteous place. Now, extreme displays of public rudeness are becoming commonplace and an icy aloofness toward your fellow man has become the norm. The Age of the Asshole Need examples? You don’t have to look far. Joe Wilson, a Republican Congressman from South Carolina… Continue reading Uncourteous Interruptus, or Why Kayne West Is Still A Dick
There was an old guy wandering around the lobby of the office building where I work. He looked vaguely familiar, but I didn’t place him until the desk clerk called his name. “Hey…aren’t you Kurt Vonnegut?” It was Kurt Vonnegut. He looked the same as he did on the back cover of my copy of… Continue reading My Awkward Brush with Greatness: Meeting Kurt Vonnegut
With Anthony “Luke Atmee” Weiner back in the headlines, the time was right to break out this column about cheating politicians from 2008. Welcome to the Philandered First Wives Club, Huma Abedin! You see her on TV and in the papers looking sad and forlorn, standing by her man when no one else will,… Continue reading Philandered First Wives Undermine Political Credibility
I play a goofy game with my kids when we’re out. If we pass a mirror, I’ll pause and say, “Hey, check out those good lookin’ kids!” The kids turn, look, and see that the “good lookin’ kids” I’m referring to are them. I’ve played this game with my kids for years, since they were infants,… Continue reading Reflecting on a Dumpy House, and A Wonderful Home
Justin Cronin’s The Passage is an impressive work. The first book in a planned trilogy, The Passage reads like a series of short novels and novellas stitched together, creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts. There are shades of the Harry Potter and Twilight franchises here. The Passage is a long, sprawling,… Continue reading The Passage by Justin Cronin
Some people dismiss the late Richard Laymon as a hack horror writer. Those people should go fuck themselves. An originator of the early splatterpunk movement, Richard Laymon was an unsung artist who made the job of “novelist” look easy with his literary virtuosity and prolific output. But, like Rodney Dangerfield, Richard Laymon got no respect. He… Continue reading The Cellar by Richard Laymon
Thanks to the always helpful Genesis update and WordPress update, my site has now disappeared from the Internet! Hey, thanks guys. Truth be told — and it always is here on RobErrera.com — I screwed up and lost the encryption key to my online backup service. I have a backup of my entire web site… Continue reading WTF happened to my site! or Why am I a douchebag?
