by Michael Shapiro | Sep 6, 2012 | Blog, Gambling, Stories
A bunch of guys in a big room playing poker: a typical scene but one that could have led to jail time for its operator. Until a federal judge said game on – here’s the story I wrote for the SF Chronicle. — By Michael Shapiro, Sept. 6, 2012 Anyone who...
by Michael Shapiro | Aug 24, 2012 | Blog, Gambling
It’s amazing the lengths these young devout Christians will go to gamble. Yet the players revel in their trips to casinos. When Ben gets kicked out for card counting, he starts wearing costumes, ranging from a goth ensemble to, of all things, an M.I.T. student....
by Michael Shapiro | Aug 14, 2012 | Blog, Books, Literature
Last year I reviewed Sarah Vowell’s book “Unfamiliar Fishes” for the San Francisco Chronicle. It’s an uneven book, but recently I’ve learned of a book by Julia Flynn Siler that appears much more promising: Lost Kingdom. I look forward to...
by Michael Shapiro | Aug 11, 2012 | Blog
A friend passed this on to me years ago, still as appropriate as ever: Dear Editor, Thank you for your recent rejection slip. As it does not quite fit my present requirements, I am returning it. This in no way reflects upon its merits. Don’t be discouraged. I...
by Michael Shapiro | Aug 10, 2012 | Blog
I’m on a panel at Book Passage today on self-publishing. The two main ways to go about this are: produce a print book or publishing an e-book. Both have their advantages. For an art or photography book, there’s no substitute for print. But e-books have the...
by Michael Shapiro | Jun 6, 2012 | Blog, Stories, Travel
When an editor asks if you’d be “willing” to go to Kenya on a safari led by Micato, an outfitter known as among the best — if not the best — in Africa, it doesn’t take long to blurt out “Yes!” And that’s how I...
