Say Goodbye to Hollywood

“I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation, I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun. I put them on and went out of the room.”
― Raymond Chandler, Farewell, My Lovely

I hope some of you made the trip!  In case you came in late, this week was prompted by a proposal that was too good to pass up.  I wish Vickie the best of luck with the book, and hope my Raymond Chandler references got taken in the right spirit.

“The girl gave him a look which ought to have stuck at least four inches out of his back.”
― Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

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Hollywood Boulevard

“It seemed like a nice neighborhood to have bad habits in.”

“She lowered her lashes until they almost cuddled her cheeks and slowly raised them again, like a theatre curtain. I was to get to know that trick. That was supposed to make me roll over on my back with all four paws in the air.”

“I don’t mind your showing me your legs. They’re very swell legs and it’s a pleasure to make their acquaintance. I don’t mind if you don’t like my manners. They’re pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter nights.”
― Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep

Beer, please

“There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands’ necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.”
― Raymond Chandler, Red Wind: A Collection of Short Stories

30 feet away

“From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away.”
― Raymond Chandler, The High Window

“Despite an age difference of fifty years, both women’s faces had a sculptural, impassive, shiny-skinned, plump-cheeked quality Anne found unnerving.”  Vickie Lester, It’s In His Kiss

Downtown

“The streets were dark with something more then night.”
― Raymond Chandler

“Anne felt something like a splinter of ice sink into her chest.  She moaned and found herself clutching for something that wasn’t there.” Vickie Lester, It’s In His Kiss

 

Somewhere, there’s a place for us

LA, Hollywood, Beverly Hills.  The locals know where one ends and the other begins.  I don’t pretend to.

“Anne climbed into her uncle’s old Jaguar.” Chapter 4 of It’s In His Kiss came pretty quickly.  The only old Jaguars we get around Portland seem to be in Monte Shelton’s showroom window.  You’ll have to check in with Vickie Lester for more details on her world.

“One would think a writer would be happy here — if a writer is ever happy anywhere.”
― Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

 

Take the next right

We’re going on a different ride this week.  A couple weeks ago a proposal came my way, a proposal to get a pre-release copy of a murder mystery, read it, then blog about it.  She acknowledged this might be “too far afield” from my normal posts.  After all,  Sanslartigue is sub-titled “The Silent Camera.”  But the book’s prologue starts out “There’s no mistaking death.”  I was hooked!  So, we’re off to Los Angeles, for a visit to Hollywood and downtown LA, with a little help from Phillip Marlowe and Raymond Chandler, a few photos by yours truly and my Dad, and the hope that I don’t lose you along the way!

The book is It’s In His Kiss, by Vickie Lester.  She’s also known for Beguiling Hollywood, one of the sexiest blogs I know.

“Tall, aren’t you?” she said.
“I didn’t mean to be.”
Her eyes rounded. She was puzzled. She was thinking. I could see, even on that short acquaintance, that thinking was always going to be a bother to her.”
― Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep