1.
Daniel, what inspired you to write your new book? When the Pierre robbery took place in 1972, it
spun in the national headlines for 6 months. It was a sensational crime that
amused the public and entranced the media. How it was engineered, and how
polite and sensitive the robbers had been with the hostages was fascinating to
me. Also, it was a unique crime because the authorities were
clueless, and still are to date. It was a perfectly executed heist by
astute, sophisticated criminals. And when the sole surviving gunmen, Nick
Sacco, contacted my agent, I leaped at the opportunity to have him
collaborate with me on the book.
2.
What is it about? The story is about the famous 1972 Pierre Hotel
armed robbery. The Pierre is a New York landmark that hosts presidents,
kings, and queens. The theme is also about greed, lust, betrayal,
political corruption, and a moving romance. Eight Mafia backed gunmen held the
hotel under siege for 3 hours, ransacked the guests' safe deposit boxes, and
made off with $27,000,000 in cash and jewels. (In 1972, $27,000,000 was
equivalent to a quarter of a billion dollars at present value). That
night, the hotel hosted 388 guests, and you can well imagine the
situations that arose in those 3 hours with so many people under one roof.
But incredibly, whatever happenstances cropped, the robbers were prepared
to deal with them without harming anyone. And some of the whirling
activity that developed was actually comedic. At the end of the robbery, as a
token for the inconvenience the gunmen caused the hostages, they gave
each of them a twenty-dollar bill. The book is also about
a heart-wrenching loves story that ended in a tragedy.
3.
So where are the jewels? Come on, tell us!! Shortly after the
robbery, the robbers began double-crossing one another, and in the process they
squandered most of the loot, except for Nick Sacco, who at the time was the
wealthiest jewel thief in the country, if not the world, and the most wanted by
the FBI. Unfortunately, after Sacco entered the Federal Witness
Protection Program for an unrelated matter, he couldn't suppress his
gambling addiction, and no longer earning as he did in his days of glory as a
jewel thief, lost his fortune of approximately $11,000,000.
4.
What is so interesting about your book that it should be the one
people buy if they only buy one book? The book is written in the style of a novel, a
genre` called Narrative Non-Fiction. And because it reads like a novel
with vivid dialogues, character development, and dramatic scenes, it's
entertaining to a broad audience and not just to true crime fans. In
addition, the book is quite informative, imparting relatively unknown facts
that the readers will find amusing and interesting. And as aforementioned,
it isn't a story merely about a robbery; rather it's about a faction of
obscure people, their unconventional lifestyle, and the consequences of their
actions and mentality. And of course, lust and betrayal are always
appealing to all. More intriguing, the frustrated and baffled authorities,
who could not solve the heist, adds another color to the plot. The
story is weaved in a cinematic and suspenseful yarn. In fact, it has
already been optioned for a full feature film by Titan Steel Productions.
5.
Why do these true crime mysteries capture our imagination? True crime captures our
fascination because of how criminals are glamorously portrayed by the media and
by Hollywood. As a result, they're regarded as heroes, such as Don Corleone in
the Godfather, and Henry Hill in Goodfellas. And our
subconscious yearns to lead a life of a debonair, powerful, influential
gangster. But in reality, there's nothing glamorous or suave about
those individuals. On the contrary, 99% of them can hardly scratch a
living and are unable to support their families. Most have vices, drugs,
alcohol, and gambling. And they're constantly under the fear of an
imminent arrest or of being murdered by a rival. Consequently, their families
suffer, and it's a rarity for a career gangster to die at home of old
age in his own bed. Most of them are either killed or die in prison.
6.
How are you marketing your book? My marketing strategies are an array of
promotional campaigns, but the most effective are appearances in print and TV
media outlets. I prefer to avoid book reviewers. They can be unpredictable
without a cause. For instance, a reviewer could praise a book that has no
merits, and dispraise the best book on the market. Submitting a book for
a review is a dangerous proposition.
7.
Any advice for struggling writers? My advice to aspiring
writers is most of all not to be defeated by the uphill road to
publishing. First and foremost, a writer must have a literary agent, and
it's almost impossible to recruit a worthy one to represent the manuscript
of an unpublished author. I recommend to devise a sensational topic for a
book written in a unique, engaging style. I also suggest for a writer to
associate himself or herself with an established author and negotiate a
co-author arrangement. A joint venture with a known, published writer
is usually the key to attract an agent. But above all, never
become disenchanted and discouraged. Those who lose their drive to plow forward
despite the rejections, will surely lose the quest to see their books
published.
8.
Where do you see the future of book publishing is heading? Book publishing has been
on a declining slope, and I anticipate that downward trend to continue.
Sadly, everyone of the current generation, and even the older generation,
is too engrossed into smart phones, and no one seems to find time to curl
up with a book. Perhaps, the best advice I should give to an aspiring
writer is to write apps instead of books, or to write screenplays. But that's a
whole different conversation for another time. I truly hope I'm
wrong about my negative projection of the current publishing trend.
THE PIERRE HOTEL AFFAIR by Daniel Simone is now available for
pre-orders on Barnes & Noble and on Amazon.com. This is the inside scoop of a sensational and
famous robbery of the world-famed Pierre Hotel, a New York landmark that has
hosted presidents, kings, and queens. The sole surviving armed robber of that
bold caper, Nick Sacco, collaborated with Daniel Simone, unveiling
never-before-told facts and explosive revelations about the largest unrecovered
jewel heist in history.... It is also the story of a love affair that ended in
a heart wrenching tragedy. DRAMATIC GRIPPING, AND SUSPENSFUL!
The Pierre Hotel Affair by Daniel Simone and Nick Sacco will be published by Pegasus in May 2017. It will also be available in hard cover, ebook form, and audio CD and can now be preordered at a discount on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. See link below:
https://www.amazon.com/Pierre-Hotel-Affair-Gen…/…/168177402X
The Pierre Hotel Affair by Daniel Simone and Nick Sacco will be published by Pegasus in May 2017. It will also be available in hard cover, ebook form, and audio CD and can now be preordered at a discount on Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. See link below:
https://www.amazon.com/Pierre-Hotel-Affair-Gen…/…/168177402X
About the author: Daniel Simone, born in New York City, is an American author who specializes in
writing about sensational crimes in collaboration with one of the perpetrators
or investigators of the actual event. He specializes in the narrative non-fiction genre, a stylistic fashion of crafting
a true story in the form of a novel, coloring the theme with character
dialogues, and vivid scenes dramatized with action and suspense. These elements
enliven a story, heightening the intrigue and entertainment of the
readers. Simone co-wrote with Henry Hill the The Lufthansa Heist. In
early 2015, Simone and a collaborator completed a revelatory, and quite
explosive, project about the Charles Manson murder convictions, a forthcoming book
exposing never-before-told facts. Simone has also published approximately
130 feature stories in several print publications. See www.DanielSimone.net
for more information.
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