Steve Bensinger

Three novels I've written are now on sale via the Amazon Kindle site. "A Chance of Rain" is an action comedy about Harry Felix, an over-the-hill screenwriter. Harry tries to sell a story idea to movie executives, but problems arise when the CIA becomes upset that the story Harry is trying to sell sounds too much like an ongoing CIA operation. The main character of the romantic comedy, "I.P.O.: A Comic Novel" is a brilliant businessman named Scooter. The novel chronicles Scooter's attempts to find a steady lady-friend and his efforts to address a variety of issues that jeopardize the upcoming sale of his company's stock. Scooter is funny and many of the situations he wanders into are hilarious. The characters make a variety of observations about life and love, relationships and business. And there are witty comments about topics as varied as Pop-Tarts, bureaucracies, coincidences, Star Trek, and MIT. I hope a wide variety of readers will find the characters, plot, and the humor in "I.P.O." appealing--and that the universal aspects of Scooter's story and the novel's literate underpinnings will be just two of the reasons readers will return to it again and again. In "Freshmen: A Novel" three young men meet, become friends, and roommates. They savor the good times together and help each other through the tough times. Stan is a Mexican-American from a very rural area. Lenny comes from a wealthy family, and though he is enrolled in college, he spends most of his time attempting to launch his career as a comedian. Darius is an African-American with a near genius IQ. Like most freshmen they must adjust to a new and challenging academic environment, dating, dorm life--and dorm food. Stan's challenges are particularly daunting: he must learn how to live in a world he thinks is strange, convoluted, and very confusing. The novel is set in 1969-1970 so the young men also must deal with the draft, the war in Vietnam, and the campus unrest that followed the invasion of Cambodia. Reviewers have commented that the novel is warm and witty, funny and provocative. "Tips for Teaching High School English" catalogs a variety of teaching techniques I have found, discovered, and developed in the thirty years I have taught.
 Steve Bensinger

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Thirty years ago, Harry Felix was one of the hottest writers in Hollywood. He created a very popular situation.....

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Scooter Culminer thought being poor was tough, but as he is about to become rich, Scooter realizes how complicated.....

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In September of 1969, three young men meet on a college campus and decide to be roommates. They become friends as.....

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T'was the Night Before Christmas... 

 (With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore, may he forgive my doggerel...)

...and all through the shop,
all we minions were working,
   until ready to drop.

The ebooks were flying,
the covers were spare,
The edits were crazy,
   with "one more thing I must share!"

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old Saint Nick,
But Hitch made us work,
   Waving 'round an old stick!

So slave we all did,
And made all your books,
So that Hitch would say now,
   that we're off the hook.

Come today we're off,
to rest up our fingers,
Our hats we will doff,
   No books they do linger.

But we'll all be back,
Don't give it a thought,
for like all wage slaves,
   we're easily bought.

We'll be back on the fifth,
all eager and fresh,
All ready for you,
   after a well-deserved rest.

So Hitch wants to say,
very strongly and loud,
THANKS ALL YOU GUYS,
  you're the best type of crowd.

Indy and Len and Hitch and the gang,
will be back on the 5th,
to do books with a BANG!

In the meantime don't worry,
if you're in a hurry,
'cuz some poor guy got stuck
   sitting here like a duck.

Your emails we'll receive,
so no need to grieve.
We'll be a bit slow,
but we're raring to go.

Your books will be worked on,
your edits still made,
we're just resting a bit,
   before we all fade.

So please excuse the delays;
It won't be for days;
we'll jump on your queries,
   for your wondrous new series.

We waited for Santa,
'Cuz we love old St. Nick,
And sure 'nuff he came,
   It wasn't a trick.

And as he rode off,
into the night,
I could swear I heard Hitch yell,
   "That Edit's Not Right!"

~~~~~~~~~~

We'll be back on the morning of January 5th; we'll be here parttime between now and then, thanks.