I am Remiss

I have been so busy with the holiday and working on the book, I have neglected my blog. How am I ever going to keep people coming back if I don't write something. Ugh.

In the grand scheme of things, my Thanksgiving was wonderful. Wonderful weather, awesome family, terrific friends, and then there was the food. More than we could eat but all good. Driving conditions were optimal most of the trip. A few flurries on my return home.

I have been connecting with old friends and outlaws it's been wonderful. I find there are some connections you should always keep open. I am working harder on that.

Aside from the normal life of humdrum I find myself in things are still good. Work on the book progresses and I'm still looking at sometime in 2013 for the release. Keeping my fingers crossed.

WJ

Thankful

Wow, so much has happened this week. I have been picked up by Lilac Publishing, LLC for my book. That is the most exciting thing to happen to me. I feel blessed. The book is not even finished yet.

I awoke this morning at a loss for what to do, I wasn't feeling much up to writing as I had no place to send the novel even if it was done. Now I do. I'd better get myself busy.

Life tosses curve balls then something better comes along. Right now I am one of two authors being taken in a Lilac Publishing. Others may come, but it's a great feeling to know I'm one of the first. We'll see how this works out.

Have a great day all.
WJ

Bad News

I am so disappointed. Unforgettable Books, Inc. has closed it's doors. I no longer have a publisher. I am however working on it. The choice is whether to look for a publisher or go Indie. I have to admit Indie is looking better to me all the time.

So, I need to get busy and get this novel written. Then get on the move promoting. There is so much more to writing a book than I thought there would be. I never knew how much promotion and marketing is involved. There will be book signings and social networking, interviews and who knows what all. I never dreamed I'd have to do much more than write.

That's my news.
WJ

Are You Wondering?

Why the posts in this blog have to do with Chicago? Why they refer to the 1920's? Are you a bit curious as to why I think you need some kind of history lesson?

That's the tease. It has something to do with the book I'm working on. Oh it's nowhere near ready for publication, but I thought I'd give you some hints.

If you are looking for a few more you might try gum shoe, murders, investigation, family, hit, and any other thing you can think of that might fit in this category. You might think money, vengeance, mob, bootlegging, and words that go with those.

As time goes by, I will drop a few more hints, but this is the teaser for now.

WJ

Wow An Award

On August 5, 2012 Ramblings by Rebecka nominated me for a Liebster Award. I cannot tell you how humbling this is.

 What is the Liebster Blog Award? 

“The Liebster Blog Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The Meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.” Wow! What a mouthful! Thank you Awakenings for honoring me in this way!

As with all blog awards, there are 'rules' so I will proceed with the 11 questions Awakenings left for me to answer:

1) What is your biggest dream?

      Right now, to get my first novel published.

2) Do you have a plan for making it happen?

      Yes, I have ten days of intensive writing this month to get it started.

3) What keeps you going when you want to give up?

     I've never wanted to give up. Life is too short to worry about giving up.

4)Who are your favorite musicians and why?

        Hard to say. Depends on my mood. I have an eclectic taste in music from jazz, folk, rock, country, instrumental.....to classical and barroom. 

5) If you could invite anyone at all to dinner who would it be and why?

       Tough question. Probably someone who could give me tips on private investigation so I don't get it wrong when I write about it.

6) What's one thing you'd like to change about the world?

        There are too many things that need changing to pick just one.

7)What is one small thing you can change?

        I am in charge of how I treat others. So I treat them the way I'd want to be treated. Maybe everyone should do that.

8) Where do you see yourself in five years?

      On some island, sipping drinks, sitting in the sand and collecting royalties from my book series.

9) Who do you most admire and why?

       Going to ponder this and get back to you.

10) What one thing about yourself would you share?

         I'm unique. I'm one of a kind.

11) Which is more important making millions or making a change?

         Making a change is more important, but having millions would make change easier.

I'm going to have to do some blog hopping so I can find people to give this award to. 

WJ

Chicago and Crime

You can't talk about Chicago in the 1920's without mention of Al Capone AKA Scarface. He rose to infamy as one of America's most famous gangsters and leader the Chicago mafia during Prohibition.

Capone was a master of public relations. He saw to it the press was friendly toward him. He never missed an opportunity to play up his charitable donations. He was seen as the "hero" of Chicago saving them from the oppression of Bible thumpers.

The biggest thorn in his side was the North Side Gang run by Dion O'Banion and later by Bugs Moran. Moran became the leader when most of his associates were killed by Capone's South Side Gang (or outfit) AKA La Cosa Nostra. Capone had been from Brooklyn and relocated to Chicago's Little Italy.

Gangsters were popularized to folk hero status during this time. Chicago with it's close proximity to Canada became a major point of liquor distribution for the U.S. This impacted everyone because of the cash flow. Chicago had a major growth spurt between 1920 and 1931. This lead to the 1920's being the decadent era it was.

Other Crime
Many cons came out of this time. Couples would promote speculative schemes promising huge returns: such as buying swamp in Florida for development.

On the streets were crooked card and dice games, the shell game, and other flim-flam scams. They flourished.

Burlesque Theaters with their vices flourished as the last of the vaudvilleians were cast out in favor of motion pictures which were the new craze crossing the country.

Law
The Chicago Police Department was rife with corruption. Eitghty to ninety percent of the police officers were on someone's payroll. There was no law and order in Chicago.

Superstitions
Parlor games, seances, fortune telling and ouija boards were all part of a good dinner party. The wealthy enjoyed the company of psychics and astrologers. Carnivals and fairs featured these charlatans and books on tarot and witchcraft. Most cities had a rich oral tradition of urban legends and Chicago was no exception.

WJ

The Ecomics of the 1920s

The religious fervor that thrust rural values on the nation created a backlash response. In part it was caused by the dazzling upswing in the country. WWI the war to end all wars was over, unemployment was low, wages were up, and many in all classes found themselves with "money to burn." The middle class following the example of the rich began buying on credit and speculating in the stock market which was rising at a fever pitch.

This new confidence in most urban societies led to a change from the old to the new. The new generation resented the old crones with their stranglehold on temperance and their Victorian ideals of society. Those newly rich mixed with the old money crowd, but were resented for their lack of breeding. It was hardly an issue as the main goal was the party.

The Rise of Organized Crime and Bootleggers

Prior to Prohibition the mob was limited to racketeering, extortion, prostitution, and infiltrating labor unions. Prohibition provided a demand for an illegal service that was too lucrative to miss. The money earned from the sale and distribution of alcohol was enough to bank roll the mob, allowing them to become an invisible  force even in today's modern times.

Smaller bootleggers and distributors were squeezed out in the lawless age of tommy guns. Gang wars caused territorial disputes that spilled into the streets causing the nation to rethink the Prohibition "experiment."

In Chicago the Capone Gang was big. They frightened the nation. Smuggling  alcohol in from Canada for private distribution in underground bars called speakeasies. Speakeasies had a number of disguises, like funeral homes with secret entrances and everyone drank "100 proof coffee." Those were now as fronts and often had a burly doorman waiting behind a panel to hear the secret password.

WJ

The Roaring 20s

What to do you know about the 1920s? Did you know that the women featured above were part of a movement? They were part of the Women's Christian Temperance Union that was formed in the late 1800s to confront the lawlessness that surrounded saloons. They campaigned through the Bible Belt in the mid-west  and finally in 1919 they were able to get the 18th Amendment ratified outlawing alcohol in the United States.

Did you also know that Prohibition played into the fears of white Anglo-Saxon Americans? Oh yes, they believed that the European immigrants had too many social issues including consumption of alcohol. These new immigrants were held in contempt and with suspicion. Racism at that time included both African Americans and immigrants. African Americans were saddled with segregation laws that were prevalent in both the North and South. Chicago was no exception and tensions rose among the working class blacks and whites as they competed for the same jobs. Immigrants tossed into the mix fared no better.

Women were finally seen as a political force when on the heels of the 18th Amendment they got the 19th Amendment ratified in 1920 giving them the right to vote. However their prime roles were in society and in the home. They were paid less than men and their opportunities were slim. Well brought up young ladies still required a chaperon when out on a date. All women were dependent on first their fathers and then their husbands.

Flappers grew out of young women who were trying to break the mold. They shortened their hair and raised their hemlines. They even took to painting their faces. The counterpart to flappers were known as Flaming Youth. Both were decadent partiers who demanded access to liquors that were accessible to the well connected, thus increasing the demand for liquor.

Speakeasies flourished. Those were the hidden clubs that still served liquor in violation of the 18th Amendment. The next post will deal more with speakeasies and the crime that grew out of them. 

Imagine what it would have been like to live in that time.

WJ

Just Getting Started

I really have nothing to post yet, I am working on a blog idea and getting a website ready. So for now this is hello.
WJ