From personal conversations with the author -- a long-term (many decades long!) personal friend & professional colleague -- it is my understanding that Clint Eastwood once considered making this novel into a motion picture.

[Mister Eastwood chose instead to bring Malpaso's expertise to a picture about a hijacked Soviet stealth fighter -- a memorable film, nonetheless, which was better & far more suspenseful than "Play Misty for Me" -- in my humble opinion].

The aircraft described in this 'novel' really exists and resides now in the Smithsonian. A mock-up should be used in the film.

John Joss and I even considered the pleasant task of casting MEL GIBSON in the starring role, but pleasantries fell apart trying to consider who to play the other two roles.

For the aircraft designer = I suggest PAUL NEWMAN, who enjoyed a recent UNLV men's basketball game sitting a few rows ahead of me! [Paul - I continue to enjoy your "Hail Caesar" dressing]!

For 'the love interest': Golly, there are so many attractive and thoughtfully pleasing ladies in and out of Hollywood. Maybe we need to film this in Canada? Or in the United Kingdom, perhaps?

For pre-production and directorial details: I'd trust Eastwood.

Ground scenes & in-cockpit close-ups must be done -- not in a simulator (ala Pierce Brosnan's superb motion picture with some soaring scenes (in the New York State hills -- but, preferrably, at "Skyland North" gliderport [a.k.a. Mountain Valley Airport on your FAA en routes] in Tehachapi, CA -- for purely personal reasons: 'The Raven's Nest' is the best coffee shop of its kind in North America!

Technical assistance could be provided by the Soaring Society of America out of Hobbs, New Mexico - Larry Sanderson, President.

[Besides I owe Jane and Larry Barrett a 'free lunch' for past favors, while flying 'my' GROB-103 there]!

"LET's ROLL!" ;-)

With Joss Whedon busy at work on the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" animated series, which takes the gang back to those thrilling High School days (but this time with Dawn part of the picture), it is interesting to go back and read a story of the Scoobies way back when. As if there is not enough fun stuff happening in Sunnydale, a carnival comes to town. Buffy, Xander and Willow head out for some serious rest and relaxation only to discover things are not as they seem and now the corpses popping up around town bear the marks of coyotes not vampires. But while Buffy is suspicious, Xander is smitten with Rose, a seductive siren from the carnival midway, while Willow has caught the eye of Lonnie, the barker. Somehow, you just know all the pieces are going to come together and it will then be Slayer time.

My complaint, such as it is, is that John Vornholt has made Buffy, Xander and Willow more like real teenagers than they appear on the show, which ends up being something of a tradeoff with the show's trademark humor. I know, I know, it is mondo ironic to judge his realism by the standard of a television fantasy, but this is what I am thinking. This is still an above average Buffy novel. It is also rather interesting to read this book and know that Willow is going to end up dating Oz for a spell down the road, since our favorite gal pal spends some serious timing kissing a carney guy who turns out to be a werecoyote. So if you are looking for a Buffy book to download, "Coyote Moon" is one of the better ones currently available.