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caleb carr
Books/Authors Word & Film

Caleb Carr

Caleb Carr 

is the critically acclaimed author of The Alienist, The Angel of Darkness, The Lessons of Terror, Killing Time, The Devil Soldier, The Italian Secretary, The Legend of Broken, and Surrender, New York. He has taught military history at Bard College, and worked extensively in film, television, and the theater. His military and political writings have appeared in numerous magazines and periodicals, among them The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He lives in upstate New York. (Penguin/Random House)

The Alienist – Season 2 now streaming

 

paul levine
Books by Location Books/Authors

Paul Levine

Location-South Florida

Paul Levine

Author Paul Levine is an American born writer who loves to write in the genre of crime fiction and legal thriller. He was born in Williamsport in the state of Pennsylvania on 9th January, 1948. He completed his graduation in the year 1969 from Pennsylvania State University. Soon for The Daily Collegian newspaper he became the editor in chief, while his stay in Pennsylvania State University. In the year 1973 from the University of Miami, he received his J.D. Before becoming a writer, author Paul Levine was a lawyer and was a partner along with other positions at Lewis & Bockius, Morgan and was also working on television as a legal commentator. He started writing from 1990 onward and since then he is an active member and has written 19 novels and the translation of his novels have been done in 21 languages. There are two series that he has written so far. The first one is Jake Lassiter and the other one is Solomon & Lord. Both of the titles of the series are based on the main protagonist in the books.

Jake Lassiter has appeared in 10 novels of the American author Paul Levine. Jake is shown as a lawyer who was an ex-Penn State linebacker once. Booklist has described the character of Jake Lassiter as among the characters that are most entertaining in the genre of contemporary crime fiction. Perry Mason was good, but he didn’t have as much charisma as Jake Lassiter, says The Miami Herald. Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord are two arguing lawyers who have appeared in four novels of author Paul Levine. Both characters have been loved by many people and have been praised by many critics. Los Angeles Times named To Speak for the Dead by author Paul Levine as among the 10 best mysteries of the year. The character of Jake Lassiter was described as of Travis McGee holding a law degree. A movie was made by adapting the book in the year 1995 and the named was “Jake Lassiter: Justice on the Bayou” The actor in the leading character was played by Gerald McRaney in the role of Jake Lassiter and it was produced by Stephen J. Cannell. He has written 9 Scorpions and in the year 1999, he moved to Los Angeles from Florida after his friend Don Bellisario gave him an invitation. He came and became a writer of JAG, a CBS military series. The show aired from 1995 to 2005 and he has written 21 plays in it. For excellence in Florida fiction, he has been given John D. MacDonald Award. (Book Series in Order)

marcia ball
Blues/Soul/R&B indie music artists Music

Marcia Ball

Marcia Ball

“Fifty years have passed in a flash,” says Texas-born, Louisiana-raised pianist, songwriter and vocalist Marcia Ball of her long and storied career. Ball, the 2018 Texas State Musician Of The Year, has won worldwide fame and countless fans for her ability to ignite a full-scale roadhouse rhythm and blues party every time she takes the stage. Her rollicking Texas boogies, swampy New Orleans ballads and groove-laden Gulf Coast blues have made her a one-of-a-kind favorite with music lovers all over the world. With each new release, her reputation as a profoundly soulful singer, a boundlessly talented pianist and a courageous, inventive songwriter continues to grow. Her love of the road has led to years of soul-satisfying performances at festivals, concert halls and clubs. 

The New York Times says, “Marcia Ball plays two-fisted New Orleans barrelhouse piano and sings in a husky, knowing voice about all the trouble men and women can get into on the way to a good time.” 

The Houston Chronicle says simply, “She’s as perfect as an artist can be.”
Music Music Festivals and Live Venues

Bandhouse Gigs

Bandhouse Gigs

BandHouse Gigs, founded in 2004 by local Bethesda, Maryland musicians Ronnie Newmyer and Chuck Sullivan, and later joined by David Sless, Greg Hardin, and Danny Schwartz, is the D.C. area’s premier producer of one-of-a-kind tribute concerts for iconic artists and influential musical movements.  Over the past 13 years BandHouse has produced 25 sold out shows at The Warner Theater, The Music Center at Strathmore, The Fillmore Silver Spring, Wolf Trap, Rams Head On Stage, and The Hamilton Live.

They collaborate with professionals willing to donate their services, including writers, graphic artists, videographers, photographers, make-up artists, lighting designers, marketing professionals, and audio engineers.  Together they are the BandHouse Team.

Bandhouse Gigs on Facebook

 

perrotta
All Time Favorites Book Club Books/Authors Word & Film

Tom Perrotta

Tom Perrotta is often hailed as the “American Chekhov” of the suburbs, a writer who has spent over three decades dissecting the quiet desperation, suburban ennui, and darkly comic absurdities of middle-class life. Born in 1961 in Newark, New Jersey, Perrotta’s perspective was shaped by his upbringing as the son of a postal worker. This background instilled in him a “down-to-earth, egalitarian” literary voice that treats everyday struggles with the gravity typically reserved for epic drama.

Perrotta’s ascent into the literary mainstream was fueled by his uncanny ability to turn local settings into universal metaphors. His breakout novel, Election (1998), utilized a high school student council race to satirize the broader American political landscape. The introduction of Tracy Flick—a character defined by relentless, terrifying ambition—created a permanent cultural archetype, further cemented by Alexander Payne’s iconic film adaptation. He followed this success with Little Children (2004), a novel that transformed the mundane world of playgrounds and neighborhood pools into a psychological battlefield. By exploring the secret lives and unfulfilled desires of stay-at-home parents, Perrotta exposed the “Dante’s Inferno” hiding behind manicured lawns. The book solidified his reputation for writing with a “crisp and light” style that never shies away from moral complexity.
 
While realism was his initial forte, Perrotta took a daring thematic turn with The Leftovers (2011). Using a “pseudo-Rapture” as a catalyst, he shifted his focus toward communal grief and the search for meaning in an indifferent universe. The novel’s adaptation into a celebrated HBO series, which Perrotta co-created, marked a major evolution in his career. He became a rare “writer’s writer” who successfully navigated the worlds of prestige television and literary fiction, a trend he continued with the 2019 adaptation of his novel Mrs. Fletcher.
 
Perrotta’s prose is characterized by its lack of judgment. Whether his characters are struggling with sexual identity, religious zealotry, or professional failure, he presents them with a compassionate clarity. He draws heavy inspiration from his former teacher, Tobias Wolff, and the disciplined storytelling of Raymond Chandler. Like his father’s commitment to his mail route, Perrotta maintains a rigorous work ethic, viewing his writing as a way to process subconscious material that holds deep personal and social significance.
 
In his most recent works, Perrotta has explored the complexities of aging and the weight of the past. Tracy Flick Can’t Win (2022) revisited his most famous character in middle age, finding her still fighting for a seat at the table. His 2026 novel, Ghost Town, marks another shift toward a “pared down” and essential style, focusing on abandonment and the lingering presence of those we have lost. Living in Belmont, Massachusetts, Perrotta remains a vital voice in American letters, consistently proving that there is nothing “small” about suburban life. His legacy is defined by a body of work that finds original and beautiful truths in the most ordinary of places.
 
mavericks
Music

The Mavericks

The Mavericks

R.I.P. –  Raul Malo

In the world of music, The Mavericks are celebrated for their “post-punk spaghetti-western” sound, blending neotraditional country with Latin, rock, and ska influences. 

Led by the incomparable voice of Raul Malo, the band became a symbol of musical eclecticism. Tragically, the music community mourned the loss of Malo in December 2025 at the age of 60. Fans and colleagues remember him as a legendary performer who treated every audience, regardless of size, with the same “awesome” energy. His death marked the end of an era for a group that refused to be pigeonholed into a single genre, consistently proving that authentic artistry knows no borders. Raul Malo was widely regarded as one of the finest vocalists of his generation, often compared to Roy Orbison for his power, range, and emotive delivery. Born in Miami to Cuban parents, his music served as a bridge between cultures and languages.

Founded in 1989 in Miami, Florida, The Mavericks quickly established themselves as “mavericks” in both name and practice. While they initially found success in the Nashville country scene, they were never easily categorized, drawing heavily from Malo’s Cuban-American heritage and various retro influences.

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