alissa m.
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alissadmc.bsky.social
alissa m.
@alissadmc.bsky.social
23 followers 47 following 86 posts
she/her | freelance writer | 🏳️‍🌈 | my partner everywhere @lilyslabo.bsky.social

our richard stark's parker site: https://toughbusiness.neocities.org/
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alissadmc.bsky.social
alissa m. @alissadmc.bsky.social · Jul 3
We've got a new interview with Eisner-winning artist @seanphillips.bsky.social over on our website, discussing all things Richard Stark's Parker & sharing an exclusive look at the Grofield story from the second collection of Darwyn Cooke's Parker comics! toughbusiness.neocities.org/seanphillips...
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
We just posted a piece on Butcher’s Moon by Guillermo Piro, translated by my partner @alissadmc.bsky.social. Piro offers a rare exploration of the compelling dynamic at the heart of the final novel in the original Parker series.

Read it here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/guillermopiro
Author, journalist, and translator Guillermo Piro recently wrote a very insightful piece on Butcher's Moon for Perfil, where he's currently serving as culture editor. Perceptive yet fond, Guillermo engages with Stark's text on its own terms and elaborates on the compelling dynamic that constitutes the heart of the novel. Guillermo kindly granted Tough Business permission to share the article, you'll find our English translation below. Grofield's Gaze The Killers' Moon is a Richard Stark novel that I think I've mentioned far too often. I've given it to all my loved ones, I've read it a dozen times (every time I travel, although I can't explain why), and I can even recite passages from memory. It's not unusual for someone to recite poems from memory, but passages from a crime novel.... that says something. I don't quite know what, but it says something. I think The Killers' Moon by Richard Stark is the best crime novel to date. (Continued in link)
November 24, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
Directing everyone to our translation (by @alissadmc.bsky.social) of a foreword by writer Laura Grimaldi that analyzes Parker from a historical point of view and acknowledges Grofield as a complementary character to Parker.

Read it here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/itaforeword
Excerpt beginning with “Parker, to his author, is an ordinary man. Donald Westlake, in fact, has a sort of reverence for professionals (the others, the amateurs, don't interest him. Humanity, to him, should only be made up of Srofe smorela, no e with parier indes arior rama musines on, must be soal, and rthe well; whether it is a balance sheet, a speech, a robbery, or a diagnosis. And Parker does his jobs very well, so much so that in the end he'll have his score and revenge because the impulse that moves him, in addition to having chosen theft as a method of supporting himself, is a distant resentment towards some of his accomplices who -- believing him to be dead - had abandoned him*.”
November 5, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
completely agree for obvious reasons. fantastic actor who could’ve easily and effortlessly captured not only grofield’s passionate intensity but the way he gets anxious on a job and how he’s generally kind of a weird person
October 23, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
since i’ve done a couple “this guy could play parker” threads i figure it’s grofield’s turn, so here’s a quote from author brian garfield about how he and mr. westlake thought kevin kline would be a wonderful grofield
LTS: Did you have any specific actor in mind who would have been a great Grofield? I think we've all got ideas about Parker, but Grofield seems tougher to cast—any thoughts? BG: The only time we ever mentioned it was shortly after we'd been to a play and a party afterward, where Kevin Kline and Ben Gazzara and several others were present, and I said I thought Kevin Kline would play Grofield very well. Don agreed, but that was as far as it went. Don didn't write Grofield as a cinematic character. It's a mistake to write a book with one eye on the movies—you end up with a bad book that won't get filmed.
October 23, 2025 at 11:30 PM
alissadmc.bsky.social
Here's my complete collection of the original Parker series. With a couple first editions in there!
Richard Stark's Parker & Grofield novels in order. Original series from 1962 to 1974.
October 21, 2025 at 6:41 PM
alissadmc.bsky.social
what a completely stunning, heartfelt & evocative piece. if you know you know 🤫
October 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
two dark-toned zippered jackets
October 21, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
watched the sicilian clan earlier, made us excited to dig into the rest of henri verneuil’s filmography. any number can win is one of my absolute favorite crime films ever made and i also really enjoyed a monkey in winter so he’s 3/3 so far
October 20, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
thinking about lee marvin’s 1969 playboy interview in which he talks about how he’s played gay in ways only a person with seasoned knowledge of homosexuality could comprehend, his sympathy for the gay rights movement, and says— in theory— he could’ve been arrested for cruising
PLAYBOY: Do you think that homosexuality is becoming more prevalent as traditional male-female roles continue to blur? MARVIN: I certainly see it very heavily on the stage and in films. In fact, I deal in it most heavily. But it's so well disguised that only the ultimate of dissectors would know what I was doing. Let me put it this way: You get up daily and you go to work and do whatever your job is, right? But what does the actor do? He goes into his dressing room and he disrobes and he puts on make-up. Then he puts on a costume and goes out into an area that has a curtain. What normal man would do that? PLAYBOY: Could you ever impersonate a homosexual on screen? MARVIN: It would be easy for me to play a homosexual. Now that I know where I stand, I can indulge myself in such things without any fear. Every kid doubts his masculinity at one time or another; I got over those fears when I was younger. But a lot of people don't, and it's a real tragedy. You can take pride in fucking a broad, but there's no pride for homosexuals. No way. And the way the law treats them is really sick. If I were a homosexual and I saw a cop, I'd shudder. The motivation that makes a man get into the vice squad has got to be one of devious intent. He becomes more of a cunt than a female could ever be. His line is: "Look at that perverted son of a bitch!" After acquiring firsthand evidence, which he gets in a men's room, he then arrests the homosexual. He's sicker than the guy he arrested. There's no chance for a happy homosexual— presumably, there are such individuals who's just pursuing his own individual sexual outlet, 'cause here comes the fuzz. You know they're really going to get him. It makes me feel that I better behave myself, because, who knows, someday I might be in that situation. PLAYBOY: You're kidding. MARVIN: Not at all. We're all on the periphery of homosexual relationships, whether it's shooting the bull with the guys or whatever. If two guys are working on an idea, that could be deemed a homosexual relationship. They're both having a common thought. Who knows where the sexual twist starts and where it ends? My God, a guy might get a kick out of watching another guy open a can of beer. Are they going to lock him up for that? Theoretically, I could become a target in one of those male-male games that go on in a bar or wherever. A vice cop might zero in on me and my retaliation might be one of going out of control.
October 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
color study of lee marvin and sissy spacek in prime cut
October 18, 2025 at 3:03 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
lets all watch homoerotic french cinema and also parker #lastfourwatched
October 17, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
maybejed.bsky.social
Good site! Enjoyed this interview with Shane Black about PLAY DIRTY.

For folks who're unhappy about Parker's backstory, I keep wanting to say, "why do you assume Parker's telling the truth?" He's all about the job and whatever will get the job done. He tells the story to gain trust
October 17, 2025 at 4:08 AM
alissadmc.bsky.social
Always a pleasure writing with my love, but more so when we get to dive into Play Dirty and its wonderfully layered approach to the Parker mythos!
lilyslabo.bsky.social shay d. @lilyslabo.bsky.social · Oct 17
We just posted an article covering all of the Parker series references in Play Dirty, complete with their referenced passages from the novels!

Co-written by my partner @alissadmc.bsky.social and available here for your viewing pleasure: toughbusiness.neocities.org/playdirtyrefs
Play Dirty's Parker DNA: A Collection of References The vast majority of Parker adaptations have had a notoriously loose grasp on the source material but Play Dirty calls back to the novels again and again, from characters to setting to tone. In fact, in our recent interview with director Shane Black, he spoke at length about his love for Stark's work. Despite not being based on any particular title, the film draws inspiration from various novels in the series, and we've compiled an overview of the references that stood out to us. To begin with, the cast of characters encompasses Parker's enemies and allies from nearly the entire original series: Philly Webb and Stan Devers both come from The Green Eagle Score, Ed and Brenda Mackey first appeared in Plunder Squad, Lozini made his debut Slayground and later played a pivotal role in Butcher's Moon, and the Outfit is a constant presence through the novels. Alan Grofield, who had first appeared in The Score, takes his rightful place as Parker's partner and co-protagonist. Even recurring character Madge and her motel appear in Play Dirty, as does Grace Webb -- a stand-in for Grace Weiss of The Sour Lemon Score. The Sour Lemon Score, in fact, constitutes a major part of the opening heist and its subsequent betrayal. The score being less than expected, Zen cast in the role of George Uhl as the double-crosser, Parker's escape through the window -- these are all elements that render Play Dirty's intro an unexpectedly accurate adaptation of Sour Lemon's first couple chapters. Grofield said, "Shouldn't I have income before I pay income tax?" The man from Internal Revenue rested his forearm on the briefcase he'd put on Grofield's desk. Talking slowly, as though explaining something complex to a child, he said, "You have to have income, Mr. Grofield. You can't operate a theater at a loss five years in a row, it isn't possible." Mr. Grofield, you can't operate a theater at a loss five years in a row.
October 17, 2025 at 2:17 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
We just posted an article covering all of the Parker series references in Play Dirty, complete with their referenced passages from the novels!

Co-written by my partner @alissadmc.bsky.social and available here for your viewing pleasure: toughbusiness.neocities.org/playdirtyrefs
Play Dirty's Parker DNA: A Collection of References The vast majority of Parker adaptations have had a notoriously loose grasp on the source material but Play Dirty calls back to the novels again and again, from characters to setting to tone. In fact, in our recent interview with director Shane Black, he spoke at length about his love for Stark's work. Despite not being based on any particular title, the film draws inspiration from various novels in the series, and we've compiled an overview of the references that stood out to us. To begin with, the cast of characters encompasses Parker's enemies and allies from nearly the entire original series: Philly Webb and Stan Devers both come from The Green Eagle Score, Ed and Brenda Mackey first appeared in Plunder Squad, Lozini made his debut Slayground and later played a pivotal role in Butcher's Moon, and the Outfit is a constant presence through the novels. Alan Grofield, who had first appeared in The Score, takes his rightful place as Parker's partner and co-protagonist. Even recurring character Madge and her motel appear in Play Dirty, as does Grace Webb -- a stand-in for Grace Weiss of The Sour Lemon Score. The Sour Lemon Score, in fact, constitutes a major part of the opening heist and its subsequent betrayal. The score being less than expected, Zen cast in the role of George Uhl as the double-crosser, Parker's escape through the window -- these are all elements that render Play Dirty's intro an unexpectedly accurate adaptation of Sour Lemon's first couple chapters. Grofield said, "Shouldn't I have income before I pay income tax?" The man from Internal Revenue rested his forearm on the briefcase he'd put on Grofield's desk. Talking slowly, as though explaining something complex to a child, he said, "You have to have income, Mr. Grofield. You can't operate a theater at a loss five years in a row, it isn't possible." Mr. Grofield, you can't operate a theater at a loss five years in a row.
October 17, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
everyone love parker and grofield
October 16, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
casualvillain1.bsky.social
its really one of those "sounds real similar" and "it would be funny" things, but i enjoy the idea of parker being wasian
bust drawing of park frowning at someone offscreen while smoking, the smoke blending into speech bubbles. park is a man with slick dark hair/eyes and tan skin, wearing a dress shirt and tie. offscreen dialogue: "박- 박-... gee, fella- you got a name in the english lexicon???" drawing of parker sitting in the shadows while smoking and holding a drink, legs crossed as he rests his free hand on the knee. monologue: "parker" didn't mind the name. it was as unremarkable as any other name he'd ever chosen: palatable. simple. easy. whatever the anglo tongue could stumble along to- even if the original score was only a single note, sharp.
October 16, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
my lady and i watched jacques deray’s borsalino today. holy mother of god gay cinema… despite our best efforts we couldn’t find anyone talking about the homoeroticism in any real capacity which is baffling to be honest. other than that we found it to be wildly entertaining. five stars
October 14, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
We just posted a collection of New York Times reviews of Richard Stark’s Parker on our site, with an intro by @alissadmc.bsky.social! You might recognize some of them from blurbs on the covers of various Parker editions.

Check it out here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/nytreviews
If you've glanced at the back cover of just about any edition of Richard Stark's Parker novels, you've probably seen the high praise from Allen J. Hubin of The New York Times, and a description that goes something like this: "the ruthless, unrepentant, singleminded operator in a humorless and amoral world." Or, maybe, the praise came from Anthony Boucher, and sounded a little like this: "nobody tops Stark in his portrayal of a world of total amorality." Regardless of the exact wording, these reviews have been a mainstay of covers and dust jackets for decades. But where exactly do they come from? They've rarely been properly credited, and have almost never had a date attached to them beyond the nebulous attribution to The New York Times. As it happens, Richard Stark was one of the usual suspects in the NYTs 'Criminals at Large' column - a weekly review of the latest crime fiction books - for years. Between 1963 and 1974, thirteen out of the original twenty novels were reviewed; favorably, as was the rest of Westlake's work, right up until the final quartet of books in the series. In fact, it was in this very column that Anthony Boucher first revealed Richard Stark's identity as Donald Westlake. Sometimes it is impossible to keep a secret. I find no harm in revealing the alternate identities of Donald E. Westlake, even though I originally learned them under a seal of confidence. You see, Mr. Westlake was, apparently, completely honest in filling out his copyright forms; and his aliases are so familiar to the Library of Congress, and through its cards to librarians everywhere, that my conscientious efforts to preserve secrecy appear to some readers (who of course write in) as simple ignorance. So let me be, perhaps, the last to inform you that Donald E. Westlake is also Richard Stark, who writes about the hard-nosed professional criminal Parker, and Tucker Coe, who writes about Mitch Tobin, ex-N.Y.P.D. Since Westlake is three of my favorite contemporary suspense novelists, you can see why I welcome the first volume of his collected short stories. THE CURIOUS FACTS PRECEDING MY EXECUTION AND OTHER FICTIONS (Random, $4.50).
October 13, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
priscillapage.bsky.social
a terrific interview with Shane Black about Play Dirty from preeminent Richard Stark/Donald Westlake/Parker scholars @alissadmc.bsky.social & @lilyslabo.bsky.social
lilyslabo.bsky.social shay d. @lilyslabo.bsky.social · Oct 9
We have another exciting and exclusive interview up on Tough Business— this time with acclaimed director Shane Black! @alissadmc.bsky.social and I sat down to chat with him about Play Dirty and his thoughts on Westlake’s work.

Check it out here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/shaneblackin...
"We don't compromise Parker's code" - An Exclusive Interview with Shane Black A week after the highly-anticipated release of Play Dirty, Tough Business had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat on all things Parker with acclaimed director Shane Black. Best known for neo-noir hits like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, Shane spoke about his new film, his thoughts on Parker and Grofield's dynamic, and a glimpse behind-the-scenes of this latest Richard Stark adaptation. TB: You've talked about discovering Parker at a young age, but what drew you to the books? Do they still hold the same appeal years later? SB: That's a good question. Thave encountered Parker at various points in my life, and also not just him but the Dortmunder books as well - and the standalones. Westlake tended to be a writer of comic caper novels. My first introduction was The Hot Rock, and then I moved on to Parker. Like I said, I went through the years with him, and the novels don't lose anything at all. They have this sort of readability about them, and the fact that they're each sort of little gems; they're not huge novels, even Butcher's Moon slides past. The prose holds up, the attitude holds up. These evolved over the years - the first one was written when there were rotary telephones and the last was written when there were handheld Samsungs - so along the way, he managed to proceed with this character without compromising even an iota of the punch and the style and the grace of the books. I refer to Westlake as the mystery writers' mystery writer. It seems to me that if you would ask any of the ones in the business who sold more books than him, they'd say, “yeah, well, he's still the guy that takes you to school, he's still the guy that I go back to when I want the real stuff."
October 9, 2025 at 1:32 AM
alissadmc.bsky.social
Special thanks to @priscillapage.bsky.social - we truly appreciate all your help!
lilyslabo.bsky.social shay d. @lilyslabo.bsky.social · Oct 9
We have another exciting and exclusive interview up on Tough Business— this time with acclaimed director Shane Black! @alissadmc.bsky.social and I sat down to chat with him about Play Dirty and his thoughts on Westlake’s work.

Check it out here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/shaneblackin...
"We don't compromise Parker's code" - An Exclusive Interview with Shane Black A week after the highly-anticipated release of Play Dirty, Tough Business had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat on all things Parker with acclaimed director Shane Black. Best known for neo-noir hits like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, Shane spoke about his new film, his thoughts on Parker and Grofield's dynamic, and a glimpse behind-the-scenes of this latest Richard Stark adaptation. TB: You've talked about discovering Parker at a young age, but what drew you to the books? Do they still hold the same appeal years later? SB: That's a good question. Thave encountered Parker at various points in my life, and also not just him but the Dortmunder books as well - and the standalones. Westlake tended to be a writer of comic caper novels. My first introduction was The Hot Rock, and then I moved on to Parker. Like I said, I went through the years with him, and the novels don't lose anything at all. They have this sort of readability about them, and the fact that they're each sort of little gems; they're not huge novels, even Butcher's Moon slides past. The prose holds up, the attitude holds up. These evolved over the years - the first one was written when there were rotary telephones and the last was written when there were handheld Samsungs - so along the way, he managed to proceed with this character without compromising even an iota of the punch and the style and the grace of the books. I refer to Westlake as the mystery writers' mystery writer. It seems to me that if you would ask any of the ones in the business who sold more books than him, they'd say, “yeah, well, he's still the guy that takes you to school, he's still the guy that I go back to when I want the real stuff."
October 9, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
We have another exciting and exclusive interview up on Tough Business— this time with acclaimed director Shane Black! @alissadmc.bsky.social and I sat down to chat with him about Play Dirty and his thoughts on Westlake’s work.

Check it out here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/shaneblackin...
"We don't compromise Parker's code" - An Exclusive Interview with Shane Black A week after the highly-anticipated release of Play Dirty, Tough Business had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat on all things Parker with acclaimed director Shane Black. Best known for neo-noir hits like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, Shane spoke about his new film, his thoughts on Parker and Grofield's dynamic, and a glimpse behind-the-scenes of this latest Richard Stark adaptation. TB: You've talked about discovering Parker at a young age, but what drew you to the books? Do they still hold the same appeal years later? SB: That's a good question. Thave encountered Parker at various points in my life, and also not just him but the Dortmunder books as well - and the standalones. Westlake tended to be a writer of comic caper novels. My first introduction was The Hot Rock, and then I moved on to Parker. Like I said, I went through the years with him, and the novels don't lose anything at all. They have this sort of readability about them, and the fact that they're each sort of little gems; they're not huge novels, even Butcher's Moon slides past. The prose holds up, the attitude holds up. These evolved over the years - the first one was written when there were rotary telephones and the last was written when there were handheld Samsungs - so along the way, he managed to proceed with this character without compromising even an iota of the punch and the style and the grace of the books. I refer to Westlake as the mystery writers' mystery writer. It seems to me that if you would ask any of the ones in the business who sold more books than him, they'd say, “yeah, well, he's still the guy that takes you to school, he's still the guy that I go back to when I want the real stuff."
October 9, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
We just posted our review of Shane Black’s Play Dirty on our site! Co-written by @alissadmc.bsky.social, we discuss what worked for us as Parker fans and make a few comparisons to the novels.

Check it out here: toughbusiness.neocities.org/playdirtyrev...
Review titled Play Dirty: A Love Letter to the Richard Stark Novels
October 7, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
we'll get around to writing a play dirty review eventually but in the meantime im still thinking about lakeith's amazingly girlish grofield scream before getting hit by a truck. that's not really a spoiler he's ok
October 3, 2025 at 1:48 AM
alissadmc.bsky.social
Lots of exciting things coming up soon over on Tough Business but my god, Play Dirty was a dream come true!
lilyslabo.bsky.social shay d. @lilyslabo.bsky.social · Oct 1
play dirty was all we dreamed of and more by the way. our beautiful grofield…
October 1, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Reposted by alissa m.
lilyslabo.bsky.social
play dirty was all we dreamed of and more by the way. our beautiful grofield…
October 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM