Meet Scott Lerner.
Author and attorney Scott A. Lerner resides in Champaign, Illinois. He obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and went on to obtain his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign. He is currently a sole practitioner in Champaign, Illinois. The majority of his law practice focuses on the fields of criminal law and family law. Mr. Lerner lives with his wife, their two children, and their cat Quinn. Lerner collects unusual antiques and enjoys gardening, traveling, reading fiction, and going to the movies. Lerner’s first novel and the first Samuel Roberts Thriller, Cocaine Zombies, won a bronze medal in the mystery/cozy/noir category of the 2013 Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards. The second, third and fourth books in the series are Ruler of Demons, The Fraternity of the Soul Eater and The Wiccan Witch of the Midwest.
You can find Scott online at: scottlerner.camelpress.com.
Guest Post –There is Still a Place for Books
Peoples reading habits have changed over time. Americans are reading less when it comes to novels and more when it comes to the internet. Movies, television and other forms of entertainment are great but they can’t feed the imagination in the same way as a good book.
Why must the protagonists in movies and television be beautiful? Why are the only ugly characters evil? In The Hunger Games Katniss is starved and forced to fight to the death in an inhospitable environment. How can Katniss look as stunning as Jennifer Lawrence? I writer may describe a character in a book but the reader’s imagination fills in the blanks. This creates a fuller view of the word.
In films and television the settings are often limited by director’s budget and the director’s imagination. An author can create a world only limited by the reader’s imagination. Science fiction movies tend to create spaceships that look pretty much the same. Cities also tend to all look about the same. Most of the time it city scenes are either filmed in Toronto or Los Angeles. Locations are often picked for financial reasons. No matter how great computers get CGI can never be better than what the mind creates. A writer can take you anywhere the imagination allows.
Don’t get me wrong I love movies and television. I just believe there is still a place in this world for the novel. If for no other reason it seems most of our popular movies are based on novels. Although, lately, comic books should also be given some credit.
In deciding to produce a movie the investors must consider how to make money. Since movies cost millions of dollars to make and promote taking chances is dangerous. This creates an environment where sequels are the norm and action is more important than dialog. Creativity takes a back seat to profits. I recently looked at a list of the upcoming horror movies for 2017. Almost all of them are remakes or sequels.
In addition movies tend to be written for the masses. A movie that would offend a large group of Americans is unlikely to be made. A movie that does not have nonstop action might bore a large group of Americans and thus is unlikely to be made. When millions of dollars are invested producers don’t like to take chances.
I certainly have enjoyed the James Bond movies. Yet, the movies have little to do with the Ian Fleming books to which they are based. Explosions and car chases are less exiting in books than movies. At the same time espionage and the workings of the British Secret Service are more exciting in books than movies.
One of the primary benefits of writing is that the author has limitless control of the locations, characters and subject matter within the pages of his novel. An author, should only be limited by the imagination of the novelist and the reader. In addition there are no commercials in books. Although, my Kindle does put an advertisement up when I first pick it up. I certainly would not recommend cancelling your Netflix or ripping up your Frequent Moviegoer Card. At the same time I would keep my Library Card and Amazon membership. Remember if not for books there would not be a mystery, thriller week.
Raven C. Eckman 
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