Thursday, October 22, 2026

The Breaker - series. Books 1 - 3:

 


The Breaker


ISBN: 9781656281517

Description:

How do you know the one you love won’t hurt you?
Or even try to kill you?
In many cases … you don’t.
How do we choose our path and purpose in life?
What makes us who we are?
When Seth Egan starts working as a private detective, he knows he’ll make enemies.
It goes with the territory.
As Seth works on a murder case and hunts down the killers, he becomes the target.
Some people have no conscience, shame, empathy, or remorse.
To get their own way, to get what they want, to take everything, they will do anything.
Even murder.
In the end, they will drag you down to hell with them.
Sometimes, our enemies are those closest to us.

Amazon link:


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Bad Blood

ISBN: 9798682203192

Description:

No one is paying Seth Egan for his latest case.

He keeps this one unofficial.

Pro bono publico.

Off the books.

For him, this one is personal.

A matter of bad blood.

A woman with a grudge of her own leads Seth to a place where people vanish without trace.

Money is the motive.

Greed is the motivator.

Scores that can only be settled in blood.

A dark underworld of illegal gambling, prostitution, drugs, violence and murder.


Amazon link:

 

https://t.co/e0XiS8crAr?amp=1


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Mall Maze

ISBN: 9798729917235


Description:


Friday the 13th.

Unlucky for many.

What should have been a routine adultery case ends with Seth Egan fighting for his life.

Cut off from the world.

With no way to call for help.

Trapped in a place where the walls are coming down around him.

Seth is running out of places to hide.

As chaos reigns and the city burns … the hunters close in.


Amazon link:
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Themes:
Abuse by proxy, Adultery, C-PTSD, crime, detective, domestic abuse, enabler, flying monkey, gaslighting, hardboiled, heist, infidelity, murder, narcissism, narcissist, narcissistic abuse, neo-noir, personality disorder, psychopath, sociopath, suspense, thriller, vigilante, violence.

Books available in hardcover, paperback and Kindle.

A percentage from sales of my books is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research.

What’s On?

What’s On?

A Guide to Movies and TV Shows


Hardcover

ISBN-13: 9798342696098

Paperback

ISBN-13: 9798341177307

Kindle

ASIN: B0DJTZ8T58

Back cover description:

What’s On? … is the timeless question we have all asked ourselves almost every day of our lives, as we reach for the remote control and settle in front of the TV screen.

Jack Kost, a life-long movie buff and coffee addict, offers his choice of favorite movie and television masterpieces.

Providing possible answers to the question of What’s On? with over 1,900 titles, from golden oldies and timeless classics, to more recent releases, all meticulously logged and summarized.

An invaluable and collectable go-to source for discovering new favorites and revisiting old ones.

Perfect for film enthusiasts and casual viewers alike, this guide will spark conversations, bring back memories, and help you navigate the ever-evolving world of screen entertainment.

A wealth of recommendations and insights from a passionate movie buff to enrich your viewing experience, complete with personal reminiscences and nostalgic reflections, told with a world-wise critical eye, sardonic dry wit, a healthy dose of cynicism, biting observations, and a well-founded rant here and there.

Just don’t challenge or get him started on his personal favorites, like The Shining, Point Blank, Jaws, The Exorcist, The Duellists, Romeo Is Bleeding, or The Ninth Configuration. His opinions on these and other iconic titles are as intense and unyielding as the movies themselves.

All compiled by an author who not only watched the movies, but also read the books on which they were based, did his research, drank a lot of coffee in the process, and advocates for the importance and value of reading.

A glimpse into the over-caffeinated mind of a writer with a passion for great stories.

What’s On? is a celebration of the intersection between page and screen, and a reminder that great on-screen adaptations often start with a great book and a strong cup of coffee.

Kick back, grab your coffee, and enjoy the show!

As author Jack Kost says:

“Happy viewing … and do yourself a favor … read the books.”

Slipped Masks:


Slipped Masks

ISBN: 9781719330640

Description:

I can’t call you because if he hears me talking on the phone he’ll hit me again. He scares me. I know sooner or later he’s going to kill me. I’ll text you again when I can. I love you, Casey. I’ll spend the rest of our lives proving to you how much I love you. Please come. Please save me …

With only text messages to guide him, Casey Byrne is on the hunt, racing across five states to save his ex-girlfriend, Madison.
Casey loves Madison deeply and wants desperately to save her life and rekindle their relationship.
But the closer he gets to her, the more surreal his journey becomes as the dead bodies pile up in his wake.

Clinical Lycanthropy: the delusion that a human can physically transform into a wolf.


If you were insane, would you know it?


How would you see the world if you were convinced you could transform into a wolf?


The hunter … and the hunted.


Slipped Masks is a dark neo-noir thriller about how the need for love and companionship becomes twisted into obsession, possession, jealousy, violence and murder.

A horrifying portrait of Clinical Lycanthropy.

Amazon link:


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Themes:
Sociopathy, narcissistic abuse, personality disorder, Clinical Lycanthropy, crime, murder.

Book available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle.

A percentage from sales of this book is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research.

Work in progress:


My next books are Triangulation and Stinger.

Books 4 and 5 in The Breaker series.


Set in the year 2001, the story continues from Mall Maze.



Themes:


Crime, detective, hardboiled, heist, murder, narcissism, narcissistic abuse, neo-noir, psychopath, sociopath, thriller, vigilante.

 

A percentage from book sales is donated to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) research.


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The Breaker is an on-going series.


I’m outlining other stand-alone thriller novels.

Several coffee table books on my photography and my wife’s artwork.

A humorous book, based on the antics of our crazy pet Ragdoll cat, entitled: It’s That F****** Cat Again!



Here’s a GIF I made of our cat, settling down for another of his daily naps:

On this day in movie history - Loft (2008):


Loft

directed by Erik Van Looy,
written by Bart De Pauw,
was released in Belgium on October 22, 2008.
Music by Wolfram de Marco.


Cast:

Koen De Bouw, Filip Peeters, Matthias Schoenaerts, Bruno Vanden Broecke, Koen De Graeve, Veerle Baetens, Tine Reymer, An Miller, Charlotte Vandermeersch, Wine Dierickx, Maaike Cafmeyer, Marie Vinck, Jan Decleir, Gene Bervoets, Sara de Roo, Dirk Roofthooft, Laura Verlinden, Ruth Beeckmans, Barbara Dzikanowice, Ina Geerts, Sophie Van Peel, Olivier De Smet, Carl Van Baelen, Ben Mouling, Veronique Boubane, Lindsay Bervoets, Tiffany Van den Brande, Pam Borgoo, Sara Giulini, Tessa Van Winkel, Sylvie Kruppa, Els Talloen, Imke Courtois, Véronique Billon, Marianne Bolle, Nana Jans, Adia Panteleeff, Britt Van Driessche, Bente De Graeve, Elise Regaert, Cindy Ghijsel, Patrick Roef, Renée Fokker, Cela Yildiz.

On this day at The Pie Hole:


Pushing Daisies

Season 2. Episode 4.
Episode entitled: Frescorts.
Released October 22, 2008.
Directed by Peter Lauer.
Written by Lisa Joy, Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts.
Series created by Bryan Fuller.
Music by Jim Dooley.
Narrated by Jim Dale.


Cast:

Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Chi McBride, Jim Dale, Kristin Chenoweth, Ellen Greene, Swoosie Kurtz, Field Cate, David Arquette, Debra Mooney, Alexandra Barreto, Dana Davis, Hayes MacArthur, Phil Abrams, Amelia Borella, Heather Brooker, Colton Haynes, Joshua LeBar, Carolyn McDermott, J.R. Nutt, Steven Wash Jr., Courtney Alvarez, Sean R. Lake, Jamie McCall.

On this day in the Star Trek universe:

Star Trek: Enterprise (2003 & 2004)
Star Trek: Discovery (2017 & 2020)


Star Trek: Enterprise
Season 3. Episode 7.
Episode entitled: The Shipment.
Released October 22, 2003.
Directed by David Straiton.
Written by Chris Black, Brent Friedman, André Bormanis, Jonathan Fernandez.
Created by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga.
Based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.
Opening theme song: Faith of the Heart, performed by Russell Watson.
Closing theme: Archer's Theme, by Dennis McCarthy.
Music by Jay Chattaway.
Cast: Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, Connor Trinneer, John Cothran, Randy Oglesby, Steven Culp, John Eddins, Amir AboulEla/Jack Alsted, Sam Witwer, Alexandrea Ortiz, Mark Correy, Aldric A. Horton, Aouri Makhlouf, Louis Ortiz, Monika Spruch.

Star Trek: Enterprise
Season 4. Episode 3.
Episode entitled: Home.
Released October 22, 2004.
Directed by Allan Kroeker.
Written by Michael/Mike Sussman.
Created by Rick Berman, Brannon Braga.
Based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.
Opening theme song: Faith of the Heart, performed by Russell Watson.
Closing theme: Archer's Theme, by Dennis McCarthy.
Music by Velton Ray Bunch.
Cast: Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, Connor Trinneer, Joanna Cassidy, Michael Reilly Burke, Ada Maris, Gary Graham, Vaughn Armstrong, Joe Chrest, Jim Fitzpatrick, Jack Donner, Alexandrea Ortiz, David Keith Anderson, Bill Blair, Alex Chansky, Amy Kate Connolly, Glen Hambly, Dieter Horneman, Terita Jackson, Louis Ortiz, Bobby Pappas, Linwood Porter, Paul Anthony Scott, Pablo Soriano, Darryl D. Stewart, Ator Tamras.


Star Trek: Discovery
Season 1. Episode 6.
Episode entitled: Lethe.
Released October 22, 2017.
Directed by Douglas/Doug Aarniokoski.
Created by Bryan Fuller, Alex Kurtzman.
Written by Joe Menosky, Ted Sullivan, Bo Yeon Kim, Erika Lippoldt, Kirsten Beyer, Sean Cochran.
Based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.
Music by Jeff Russo.
Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Shazad Latif, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Jason Isaacs, Jayne Brook, Wilson Cruz, James Frain, Mia Kirshner, Kenneth Mitchell, Conrad Coates, Emily Coutts, Julianne Grossman, Luke Humphrey, Clare McConnell, Sara Mitich, Oyin Oladejo, Damon Runyan, Jonathan Whittaker, Jordan Lockhart, Ronald Tang, Serena Thompson.

Star Trek: Discovery
Season 3. Episode 2.
Episode entitled: Far from Home.
Released October 22, 2020.
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi.
Created by Bryan Fuller, Alex Kurtzman.
Written by Michelle Paradise, Jenny Lumet, Alex Kurtzman, Sean Cochran, Anthony Maranville, Chris Silvestri, Brandon Schultz.
Based on Star Trek, created by Gene Roddenberry.
Music by Jeff Russo.
Cast: Sonequa Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Wilson Cruz, Rachael Ancheril, Michelle Yeoh, Tig Notaro, Jake Weber, Emily Coutts, Patrick Kwok-Choon, Oyin Oladejo, Ronnie Rowe, Sara Mitich, Wole Daramola, Raven Dauda, Kevan Kase, Jonathan Koensgen, Lindsay Owen Pierre, Adrian Pavone/Sanjay Pavone, David Benjamin Tomlinson, Avaah Blackwell.

On this day in music history:

Metamorphosis by Joan Jeanrenaud (2002)
Virgins, Vixens & Viragos by Susan Graham and Malcolm Martineau (2012)
Pinky’s Blues by Sue Foley (2021)


Metamorphosis
Album by Joan Jeanrenaud,
released October 22, 2002.
Credits: Cairn (Steve Mackey); Escalay (Hamza El Din); Altar Piece (Joan Jeanrenaud); The Song of Songs (Karen Tanaka); Metamorphosis Four (Philip Glass); Blood Red (Mark Grey).


Virgins, Vixens & Viragos
Album by Susan Graham and Malcolm Martineau,
released October 22, 2012.
Credits: The Blessed Virgin’s Expostulation; La Mort D’ophélie; Heiß Mich Nicht Reden; So Laßt Mich Scheinen; Mignons Lied; Romance de Mignon; Nur Wer Die Sehnsucht Kennt; Kennst Du Das Land; Lady MacBeth; La Dame D’andré; Dans L’herbe; Il Vole; Mon Cadavre Est Doux Comme Un Gant; Violon; Fleurs; The Physician; Ages Ago; Les Chemins de L’amour; The Boy from Tacarembo la Tumbe Del Fuego Santa Malipas Zatatecas la Junta Del Sol y Cruz.


Pinky’s Blues
Album by Sue Foley,
released October 22, 2021.
Credits: Pinky’s Blues; Two Bit Texas Town; Dallas Man; Southern Men; Say It’s Not So; Hurricane Girl; Stop These Teardrops; Boogie Real Low; Think It Over; Okie Dokie Stomp.

On this day in movie history - Bringing Out the Dead (1999):


Bringing Out the Dead

directed by Martin Scorsese,
written by Paul Schrader,
based on the novel by Joe Connelly,
was released in the United States on October 22, 1999.
Music by Elmer Bernstein.


Cast:

Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Rhames, Tom Sizemore, Marc Anthony, Mary Beth Hurt, Cliff Curtis, Nestor Serrano, Aida Turturro, Sonja Sohn, Cynthia Roman, Afemo Omilami, Cullen O. Johnson, Arthur J. Nascarella, Martin Scorsese, Julyana Soelistyo, Graciela Lecube, Marylouise Burke, Phyllis Somerville, Mary Diveny, Tom Riis Farrell, Aleks Shaklin, Leonid Citer, Jesus A. Del Rosario Jr., Larry Fessenden, Bernie Friedman, Theo Kogan, Fuschia! (Fuschia Walker), John Heffernan, Matthew Maher, Bronson Dudley, Marilyn McDonald, Ed Jupp Jr., J. Stanford Hoffman, Rita Norona Schrager, Don Berry, Mtume Gant, Michael A. Noto, Omar Scroggins, Craig muMs Grant, Michael Kenneth Williams, Andy Davoli, Charlene Hunter, Jesse Malin, Harper Simon, Joseph Monroe Webb, Jon Abrahams, Charis Michelsen, Lia Yang, Antone Pagán, Melissa Marsala, Betty Miller, Rosemary Gomez, Luis Rodriguez, Sylva Kelegian, Frank Ciornei, Catrina Ganey, Jennifer Lane Newman, John Bal, Raymond Cassar, Tom Cappadona, Jack O'Connell, Randy Foster, Richard Spore, James Hanlon, Chris Edwards, Mark Giordano, Michael Mulheren, David Zayas, Terry Serpico, Floyd Resnick, Megan Leigh, David Vasquez, Judy Reyes, Joseph P. Reidy, Queen Latifah, Erica Bamforth, Peju Bamgboshe, Carolyn Campbell, Michael Carbonaro, Joe Connelly, Marshall Dancing Elk Lucas, George F. Miller, Christine J. Noble, Davell j Owens, Brian Smyj.

On this day in television history - Fallen Angels (1995):


Fallen Angels

Season 2. Episode 3.
Episode entitled: A Dime a Dance.
Released October 22, 1995.
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich.
Written by Allan Scott.
Created by William Horberg.
Based on the short story: The Dancing Detective by Cornell Woolrich.
Theme music by Peter Bernstein.


Cast:

Jennifer Grey, Eric Stoltz, Richard Portnow, Wayne Grace, Douglas Roberts, Estelle Harris, Louise Stratten / L.B. Straten, Jeanine Jackson, Antonia Bogdanovich, Barbara Howard, Bill Moseley, Bernard Hocke, James Intveld, Miguel Ferrer, Sandie West.

On this day in movie history - A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story (movie & book):


A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: The Annette Funicello Story

directed by Bill Corcoran,
written by John McGreevey and PJ Torokvei,
based on the book by Annette Funicello and Patricia Romanowski,
was released in the United States on October 22, 1995.
Music by George Blondheim.
Cast: Eva LaRue, Len Cariou, Frank Crudele, Jack Gilardi, David Lipper, Don S. Davis, Louis Ferreira, Andrea Nemeth, Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Linda Lavin, Austin Basile, Ahnee Boyce, Jay Brazeau, Victoria Brooks, Stefania Ciccone, Demetri Goritsas, Elysa Hogg, Gary Jones, Lorraine Landry, Hrothgar Mathews, Alexandra Purvis, Claire Riley, Suzanne Ristic, Greg Rogers, Nina Roman, Domenico Sansalone, Michelle Skalnic, Blair Slater, Kavan Smith, George Touliatos, Scott Augustine, Kim Bailey, Talia Derksen, Laura Jenkins, Ben Newcombe, Kelli Stewart, Rene Tardie, Kimberly Wallace, Virginia Funicello, Joe Funicello, Glen Holt, Gina Portman, John Portman, Jason Gilardi, Jack Gilardi Jr., Rob Stewart, Dick Clark, Shelley Fabares.

Recommended reading:


A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: My Story

By Annette Funicello, with Patricia Romanowski.

Published 1994.
Published by Hyperion.
ISBN-10: 0786860200
ISBN-13: 978-0786860203

Description:

When on a spring evening in 1955 Walt Disney saw a pretty, talented twelve-year-old performing in her dance school's annual recital, he knew he'd found just what he'd been looking for: the twenty-fourth and last member of the cast of the new children's TV series he was planning. Only a few months later Annette Funicello set a pair of black felt ears atop her brown curls and marched onto the set of The Mickey Mouse Club, and into the hearts of millions of Americans. From then on, nothing would ever be the same.

Whether as a Mouseketeer, as a Top-Forty singing idol, as the reigning sweetheart of the classic Beach Party films, or as the familiar "Skippy Mom" of TV commercials, Annette (who almost instantly became known by her first name alone) has been a beloved star for nearly four decades. In her charming autobiography, A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes, the wholesomely sexy (and eternally youthful) girl next door looks back with equal parts of wit, wistfulness, and wonder on her remarkable career, and gives us a privileged look behind the scenes at some of the most cherished landmarks of our popular culture.

As the shy only daughter of a close-knit Italian family, Annette was unprepared for the phenomenon The Mickey Mouse Club would prove to be, and in these pages we learn not only about the thrill of appearing on the show but also about the pleasures and challenges her own status of favorite Mouseketeer brought. It was through Walt Disney's encouragement that she later undertook her successful recording career, and in her account of her years as a teen idol we learn what it was like being the youngest member of Dick Clark's arduous Caravan of Stars tour, as well as the difficulties her popularity placed in the path of her first romance with Paul Anka (who presented her with the sublime gift of "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," which he wrote in her parents' living room). Next came the movies, and a series of beloved Disney films (including her own and her fans' favorite, Babes in Toyland), until, with Mr. Disney's blessing, she headed for the beach and a role in the epochal Beach Party. Even though, as Annette confesses, she never really liked the beach (it frizzed her hair), she was delighted to be enthroned with her friend Frankie Avalon as one of the great cinema couples.

At the peak of her career Annette chose marriage and motherhood, and for over twenty years appeared only occasionally in films and TV shows. By the late 1980s, however, she was eager to perform again, and along with Frankie made a new beach film, Back to the Beach, and launched a triumphal comeback tour. It was during this period, after she experienced a series of puzzling symptoms, that she discovered she had multiple sclerosis. Her subsequent struggles with her condition, and her ultimate decision to make it public, bring A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes to a poignant and inspiring conclusion that will draw her even closer to the millions of fans who, from the start, have dreamed along with her.

On this day in movie history - First Blood (1982):


First Blood

directed by Ted Kotcheff,
written by Michael Kozoll, William Sackheim and Sylvester Stallone,
based on the novel by David Morrell,
was released in the United States on October 22, 1982.
Music by Jerry Goldsmith.


Cast:

Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, Bill McKinney, Jack Starrett, Michael Talbott, Chris Mulkey, John McLiam, Alf Humphreys, David Caruso, David L. Crowley, Don MacKay, Charles A. Tamburro, David Petersen, Craig Huston, Patrick Stack, Stephen E. Miller, Raimund Stamm, Robert Metcalfe, Stephen Dimopoulos, Bruce Greenwood, Earl Klein, Danny Wozna, Peter Lonstrup, Mike Winlaw, Donald Adams, David Menzies, Frank Richter, Grahman L. Galativk, Ian Hutchinson, Amy Alexander, Gary Hetherington, Alex Kliner, R.G. Miller, Stephen Chang, Suzee Pai, Robert Prowse, Jack Rigg.