MGOC Contributor News: Patrick Picciarelli's Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos

Many Genres One Craft contributor Patrick Picciarelli's new book "Undercover Cop: How I Brought Down the Real-Life Sopranos" from Thomas Dunne Books (St. Martin's Press) is getting some favorable reviews and a nice 2-page spread in the New York Daily News:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/real-life-sopranos-exposed-undercover-article-1.1404744

Publisher's Weekly had this to say about the book:
“Billed as a true-crime version of The Sopranos, the story of Russell’s violent life as an undercover cop cum trusted associate of the Genovese crime clan in Newark, N.J., has more plot twists than the acclaimed TV series. In fact, Russell predates Tony Soprano and company by a longshot—he was the subject of an HBO documentary that aired in the late ’80s, and his is a thrill-a-minute tale. Within the first 20 pages, Russell’s taken a bullet to the head, fended off a would-be corpse robber, and stumbled out of an alley to find help. Soon after, he returns to the tough work of weaseling his way back into the arms of the Mafia. Written in a street-savvy style reminiscent of Elmore Leonard and Mario Puzo, the nail-biting narrative moves from one crisis to another as Mikey Ga-Ga—his nom de guerre—infiltrates a profitable crew while rubbing shoulders with capos and bosses, all under intense mob scrutiny. Russell’s bravery and professionalism—along with some crucial surveillance—eventually led to the busts of more than 50 “wiseguys” and public officials. This tell-all page-turner is all the better for being true.”—Publishers Weekly

You can also catch an archived radio interview with Pat regarding the book at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lcs/2013/08/03/the-lcs-hockey-radio-show

MGOC Contributor: Patrick J. Picciarelli

PATRICK J. PICCIARELLI
Read an excerpt from "Guerilla Marketing: The Reality of Selling Your Book" by Patrick J. Picciarelli in Many Genres, One Craft.

Times were when a writer sold his first book to a publisher he stayed with that same publisher for the rest of his writing career.

The publisher expected to lose money on the first book, but assumed because they had faith in the writer’s talent and his ability to acquire a readership, that the writer’s second book would break even, the third make some money, the fourth make a little more and so on. This was called “bringing up a writer.”

Of course those were the Good Old Days. In the publishing world, we’re talking about the late twentieth century.

--

Patrick J. Picciarelli is the author of Jimmy the Wags: Street Stories of a Private Eye, My Life in the NYPD: Jimmy the Wags, Mala Femina: A Woman’s Life as the Daughter of a Don, and Blood Shot Eyes. “The Prince of Arthur Avenue” from the Bronx Noir anthology was made into a movie in 2010. Picciarelli, a former U.S. Army machine gunner in Vietnam, spent 20 years in the NYPD, retiring as a lieutenant. He is currently a licensed private investigator. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University, where he is now adjunct faculty.

MGOC Contributor News: Patrick W. Picciarelli's Film Trailer for The Prince of Arthur Avenue

Terrence Knight of Knight Vision Media adapted a film from Patrick W. Picciarelli's story "The Prince of Arthur Avenue," which appeared in the Bronx Noir anthology, edited by S. J. Rozan.

Here's the trailer:



posted by heidi