Allan Duffin - Writer/Producer

"Mission: Cuba, Status: Top Secret" in Smithsonian Air & Space Magazine

Check out my new article in Smithsonian Air&Space Magazine's April/May issue. This year is the 50th Anniversary of the Bay of Pigs invasion, and Jim Storie — an aircraft maintenance technician who participated in the mission — told me a unique tale about his experiences at the secret base in Nicaragua. 

Here's the link the the article.

Jim and I met while I was working on The "12 O'Clock High" Logbook: The Unofficial  History of the Novel, Motion Picture, and TV Series. As a brand-new enlisted airman in the Air Force, Jim was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and found himself appearing as an extra in the movie version of Twelve O'Clock High, which filmed on base in 1949. (That's Jim in the photo on the right, at Eglin that year.)

Get a FREE eBook version of History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police

If you have an eReader, take advantage of this limited offer from the publisher: a FREE eBook version of History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers!

The promotion runs through 10 January (update: just extended to 17 January!). Just click on the link below to go to the publisher's website:

http://www.freekaplanebooks.com/

Versions are available for the Barnes & Noble Nook, Apple iPad, and Sony eReader. A version for the Kindle will be released shortly. Happy reading, and Happy New Year!

Dancing at the movies: just pure fun

Reposting this great video via Ken Levine's blog:

Washington Post review of History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police

Many thanks to Dr. Elaine Showalter for reviewing History in Blue in the Washington Post last Sunday! Check out full the review by clicking here. Here's an excerpt:

In Washington, D.C., we have become quickly accustomed to seeing Chief of Police Cathy Lanier and other women police officers report on violent crimes on the nightly news, although only 13 percent of municipal police officers nationally are women. And while women serve in support roles in the armed forces, they are banned from combat. Many argue that women should not put themselves in harm's way on the mean streets and the fields of battle, facing injury, capture and death at the hands of criminals or enemies, and that their presence undermines crucial male camaraderie....

Police work and military service are complex case studies for debate about women and work. Both "History in Blue," by Allan T. Duffin, and "A Few Good Women," by Evelyn M. Monahan and Rosemary Neidel-Greenlee, document women's work history and provide fascinating individual stories. There have been women in police work since the beginning of the 20th century, initially as mother-figures "with a badge," who would stop juveniles from smoking, advise wayward girls and patrol saloons.... In 1943, the NYPD issued a "combination gun holster and makeup kit" to female officers. Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia told women cops to "use your gun as you would your lipstick. . . . Don't overdo either one." But in the 1970s, federal law, mass media and popular culture, including Angie Dickinson's hit TV series "Police Woman" and the police procedural novels of Dorothy Uhnak, made the female police officer a familiar and respected figure.

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore,or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Today I became a Kindle Warrior: TheatreBook and Tow Truck Kings

I enjoy writing about a variety of topics, and over the last several years I've been fortunate to work as a regular contributor to two terrific industry publications: DramaBiz Magazine (the business of theatre) and Towing & Recovery Footnotes (the towing & recovery industry).

I've collected a number of those pieces into two eBooks — TheatreBook and Tow Truck Kings — available exclusively for the Amazon Kindle reader.

There's a lot of entertaining and useful information in each eBook. Theatre managers looking for tips on how to light a production or repair a costume, vehicle owners curious about how first responders clear a traffic accident, towing company owners who want to boost business — there's a little something for everyone in these two eBooks, in a portable and easy-to-read format.

You can download a free preview to your Kindle. That way you can check out the table of contents for each eBook, plus the first chapter or so. I hope you enjoy reading about the people in these two worlds as much as I did writing about them. You can click on the links below to go to Amazon's Kindle store:

TheatreBook: A Compact Guide to Running Your Theatre

Tow Truck Kings: Stories of the Towing Industry's Best & Brightest

New article in Leatherneck Magazine about HBO's "The Pacific"

I had the privilege of writing the cover story for this month's issue of Leatherneck Magazine, the official publication of the Marine Corps Association. HBO's new 10-hour TV miniseries "The Pacific," which follows the wartime exploits of three World War II Marines, premieres this month.

Many thanks to the following folks who took time out of their busy schedules to do interviews for the article: Bruce McKenna, co-executive producer and writer; Captain Dale Dye, USMC (Ret.), senior military advisor; Penny Rose, costume designer; and actor Jon Seda, who portrays legendary Marine "Manila John" Basilone. HBO's media relations staff was equally giving of their time and assistance -- thank you so much!

You can take a look at this issue of Leatherneck by clicking here, but you'll need a subscription to read the entire article.

Thanks also to Colonel Walt Ford, USMC (Ret.), the editor of Leatherneck, who's a terrific boss. He loves his job, and it shows.

Policewomen On Patrol, New York City, 1974

March is Women's History Month! Celebrating the publication of my new book, History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers: Here's a clip from YouTube featuring rare black-and-white footage of New York policewomen on patrol in the Bronx, 1974. For more information, click on the clip to contact the filmmaker.

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore, or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Women in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Celebrating the publication of my new book, History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers: Here's a clip from YouTube featuring women of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore, or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Official publication date for History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers

It's February 2, 2010 — the official publication date for History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers. Check your local bookstore today!

— We're #1 in Australia! History in Blue is listed as the #1 title at Borders.com in Australia (under "Police & Security Services Books"). Check it out here.

— Our publisher, Kaplan Publishing, is generously supporting charity events like the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association's Black Tie Gala on February 25, 2010. Five copies of History in Blue will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Association's college scholarship program, the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Foundation, and the Minnesota Special Olympics.

I want to thank a bunch of people for making this happen: Jane Dystel, my agent; Don Fehr, editorial director at Kaplan Publishing; Rachel Bergmann, my editor on the book; Kim Bowers, production editor; Tim Brazier, director of marketing at Kaplan Publishing; Janet Renard, copyeditor; Nancy Gillan, proofreader; Adina Kahn, who sold the original concept; and everyone else who helped turn a pretty cool idea into a real, honest-to-goodness book. (I've missed a few people who were part of the process and will update my thank-you's to include them soon.) Thanks so much!

History in Blue: 160 Years of Women Police, Sheriffs, Detectives, and State Troopers is published by Kaplan Publishing (a division of the Washington Post Company) and distributed by Simon & Schuster. Visit your local bookstore, or order your copy from the Simon & Schuster website or from Amazon.com, Borders.com, or BarnesandNoble.com.

Many thanks to BearManor Media and Ben Ohmart

With History in Blue about to come out, I wanted to take a moment to thank the publisher of my first book — The "12 O'Clock High" Logbook — for believing in me during that first go-round, and generously publicizing History in Blue on his website and blog.

Ben Ohmart founded BearManor Media to publish unique books about "classic cinema, retro radio, and timeless television." Hey, why don't I stop explaining and let him tell you about it? From his website:

Ben Ohmart here, and I started this publishing company in 2001, as a writer. I learned how hard it was to tap into the mainstream market with what is essentially nostalgia fodder. So I published The Great Gildersleeve myself. Then I learned something important. I seemed to enjoy the publishing side more than the writing side, so, when I began to get offers to publish other people's work (Jane Kean was one of the first), I began doing what I love full time. It still doesn't seem like work. And I know now that that's the greatest life of all.

Back in 2004, when co-writer Paul Matheis and I were shopping The "12 O'Clock High" Logbook to publishers, we were fortunate to meet Ben, because the book was a perfect fit for his catalog and his company's interests. And because Ben was so generous with his time and expertise, he made the process of creating my first book a terrific experience. He taught me a lot, and for that I am forever grateful.

So Ben, though I've said it before, many, many thanks to you. You made a huge difference in my life. And I hope you enjoy the new book!