I will miss chatting with and 'listening' to Parnell at conventions and meetings. He always cracked us up. In honor of Parnell, I'm buying a copy of Chasing Jack, his latest book. You should, too!
Parnell Hall was born on October 31, 1944. His works include the Puzzle Lady and the Stanley Hastings series, as well as the screenplay to the 1984 cult classic C.H.U.D. Parnell collaborated with Manny Nosowsky for crossword puzzles and with Will Shortz for sudoku puzzles incorporated in Puzzle Lady stories.
He also has written under the pen name J.P. Hailey, under which he wrote the Steve Winslow series. He co-authored Smooth Operator with Stuart Woods. But Parnell was so much more.
This is my favorite Parnell Hall video. Everyone loved him. We will miss him.
And, the video of his famous song, Signing in the Waldenbooks.
12 comments:
Too many good people gone this year... Parnell was another face I always wanted to see at conferences. He knew how to brighten a room. RIP, Parnell.
Parnell was very supportive and kind to me when I was starting out. And he always took a moment to seek me out at conventions and make me feel like we shared a sensibility. I'll miss him a lot.
Love this man to pieces. Have known him since the mid-90's. He could always cheer you up, and put a bright face on a sad situation. But how talented he was. His panels with Donald Westlake and Joan Hess and others were the stuff of legends at mystery conventions. He was a genius at parody and musical shenanigans. He could poke fun without demeaning and he was a darn good writer. I will miss my friend Parnell terribly, but treasure his memory.
Just bought Chasing Jack. R.I.P. Parnell.
Such a loss. My condolences to his friends and family.
When I was just starting out, two decades ago, I was offered a panel--to do by myself--and my first mystery wasn't even out yet. Terrified, I asked Parnell Hall if he might stop by and offer some tips on promotion. He came and dazzled the audience, and absolutely saved me. We've been friends ever since. I will miss him.
Such a funny, goofy, endearing man. Always with a quick-witted comment. I can't imagine conventions without him.
Parnell was absolutely the funniest cast member of the old-time-radio-style plays that I produced at conventions. I always cast him in the lead - the detective or lawyer or whatever - and he was a pleasure to work with. He was Mark Markheim, the Hollywood hawkshaw, in my minuscule mystery "Vengeance In Vegas" at the Las Vegas Bouchercon; and even sang the lyric I set to music in "His Heart Could Break" at Malice. Whenever we were on stage together, I was always the straight-man and he the comic. He also served on the panel for a quiz show that I moderated, and - as people like him are wont to do - always came up with the best ad libs. He wrote funny songs. How many songwriters do you know who have a chorus that ends with these immortal words: " . . . and shoot 'em in the head" ? Over dinner at LCC in Honolulu, I proposed that we sing a duet at some future convention. His response: "If you write it, I'll sing it." I am so sad that, now, I will never have the chance to do that duet with him.
Well, darn. I didn’t know him well, but if you went to a book convention you knew him! Thanks for posting “The King of Kindle,” a perfect Parnell production. He will be missed and remembered by all of us in his tribe.
Parnell was always so sweet and encouraging to me before I became published and congratulatory to me when I was. He was a real genuine person! We all shall miss him and his terrific talent!!!
I remember his hilarious performances at several Bouchercon banquets. Good writer as well.
Such a huge loss to the author and reader community. Parnell was always witty and gracious. We will all miss him and his wonderful books.
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