It runs in the family

I'm not the only writer in the family.  My father also enjoys telling tales with his fingers, and I'm proud to announce that he has a new book out.  It is called The Hole in the Doorknob.  It is a wacky mystery, set in the world of casinos and bars.

Here is the description on Publish America's website: "Silberman creates a cast of characters that you will grow to love. In an effort to recapture the life he once had with Barbara, his wife of fifty years, eighty-year-old John invites Lindsey, a local bartender, to spend a weekend with him at a luxurious casino hotel. As the subsequent events unfold, we meet an assortment of degenerates, including all of Lindsey's former husbands. When Lindsey turns up dead there are many with motive and opportunity, John included. The Hole in the Doorknob is written with humor and pathos, events that will make the reader laugh, wonder at the absurdity of the characters, and lastly cry. The rowdy yarn ends up being a sensitive metaphor for faithfulness and long-lasting love."

He also has other books available on Amazon. His autobiography, "The Life and Times of an Ordinary Joe Named John" describes his years working for a technical consulting firm. "Growing up in the 1930s in New York City and shuffled between divorced and bitter parents, he recalls times of great wealth as well as periods of abject destitution. At the tender age of eleven, his socialite mother packed him off to a rigid military boarding school, where he learned lessons of survival that proved invaluable throughout his life. As an adult, John built several companies from the ground up, soaring to the heights of his profession. At the same time, he put up with crazy neighbors, oddball friends, and eccentric drinking buddies. The book is replete with anecdotes about business, friendships, and family. Silberman’s voice is refreshingly homespun as he talks about the world of business and the inevitable disappointments — and triumphs — that come with living."

Joseph's Revenge is described thusly: "What do part-time prostitutes, penny-pinching lawyers, pasta-guzzling partners, and snubbed British wives have in common? One man cheated them all. Joseph has just been laid off from his company, and then fleeced out of $3.2 million in stock options by its president. Revenge is on Joseph's mind as he sits down to a gourmet meal with his wacky group of friends. As they formalize their plot, we meet wildly funny characters: Part-time Sally, law student by day, lady of pleasure by night; wool-wearing UK Maggie, who recognized the smell of Sally's perfume on her husband; and Adios Raul, attorney and renowned cheapskate. Joseph, Portia, and best friend, Fat Max, mastermind the plan, and hilarity ensues as they carry it out. The aftermath of Joseph's evil plot is the story, and we read with pleasure as Joseph and his cronies take advantage of their opportunities. Set in Sacramento, California, much of the action takes place at notable city landmarks and prominent restaurants, but the amusingly named characters also take us through Nevada, Paris, the Emerald Isle, and the wilds of United Airlines from Sacramento to New York. In Joseph's Revenge, we are treated to a rollicking ride through the world of corporate politics by way of whorehouses and houseboats."

And finally, This is All About Joey, "is a page-turner from beginning to end. We see how Joey's good fortune of winning a progressive jackpot in a Reno casino starts a journey which includes a cast of characters as well-defined and interesting as any in modern fiction. In Joey's hunt for the missing money, the author leads us through the best and worst of the gambling world. The less than honorable characters Simon and Roberto, attempt to beat the odds at the blackjack tables, and end up in the middle of an undercover FBI scam to uncover a terrorist cell. The twists and turns take us to casinos all over the U.S. and lead us into predicaments and situations that keep us wondering until the last pages. This is a must read for an afternoon of sheer enjoyment."

All of these books, with the exception of his autobiography, are quick reads, novella length, and great for an afternoon under a tree.  You will see where my sense of irreverence comes from, and although I'm not as apt to write about whores and drinking - in fact, my only topic is cancer - we do share a sense of cheeky fun.