I just wanted to be one of the famous writers who played poker with Rick Castle in the TV series CASTLE.

 

Back in 1978, when STAR WARS producer Gary Kurtz gave me 5 posters and a Darth Vader Helmet, they were filming the next STAR WARS movie. I asked if I could be one of their storm trooper extras, and that I'd even pay my own expenses to fly wherever. Alas, he said that wouldn't be possible. Sigh.

I had high hopes for my first novel, DESTROYING ANGEL. Then the television series CASTLE came out, where mystery writer Rick Castle played poker with real-life bestselling authors James Patterson, Michael Connelly, Stephen J. Cannell, and Dennis Lehane. Alas, my novel got GREAT reviews but didn't put me in the orbit of best selling. Drat.

Heck, G. Gordon Liddy got to be on MIAMI VICE. And I even would have loved to play a bad guy on NYPD BLUE. I've written all my novels as if they were movies. DESTROYING ANGEL, DADDY'S LITTLE FELONS, and THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF HARLEY & HIS DOG would all have made blockbuster movies. But no dice.

Yo, David Ellison Films, my ads helped make your dad his first billion dollars at Oracle. Any chance Skydance could use an enthusiastic extra in the next Jack Reacher series?

Sincerely yours,
Rick Bennett
Ad Hit Man

May the 4th be with you. Here's STAR WARS producer Gary Kurtz giving me a Darth Vader helmet.

 

In 1978, Gary had a private collection of Darth Vader prototype helmets, one of which he gave me in trade for one of my inventions (a voice stress analyzer which I had anodized in black to commemorate Darth Vader). Gary is dead now, and I keep the helmet locked in my safe.

In 2000, Gary also gave me a great review for my first novel, DESTROYING ANGEL. Too bad it didn't get made into a movie. Maybe I'll get it out today and wear it when answering the door? Sincerely yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man

When are we going to see some knock-down/in-the-gutter competition for A.I. leadership? Come on, Elon, show yourself!

We need to see some open-field running to suck the air out of A.I. marketing. Darn it, but I'm chomping at the bit to get a client with guts to take on the world. Siincerely yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man

A note on all the A.I. posts: I have yet to see one that claims uniqueness.

 

That's right. We are lost in the wash of "me-too" ads. Whenever a new client approaches me with their AI story, I simply ask "What do you do that nobody else can do." I get a lot of throat-clearing noises. If you have an AI story that can start with the headline "No other AI can adequately answer this question," then give me a call. I'd love to do some open-field running with you. Sincerely Yours, Rick Bennett Ad Hit Man

This would have been a GREAT scene in a movie from my novel DESTROYING ANGEL. I could even have been a Broadway stage masterpiece.

 

From the beginning, I wrote my novels to be made into movies. DESTROYING ANGEL could also have been a Broadway musical. Here's a scene in which BJ, who doesn't yet know he's being groom to become the real Destroying Angel, has a meeting with John the Old Testament Revelation prophet atop 727 flying from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The plane is flying at 30,000 feet. Obviously, only two immortal beings could be in this place at this altitude.

To do this cover shot, that's me in the white suit. And that's the REAL BJ (Brian Johnson) who I've been trying to relocate after lo these 26 years.

Sincerely Yours,
Rick Bennett
Ad Hit Man

Here's a link to the scene. Enjoy! http://rickbennett.com/BJatopA727.pdf