'The Martini Shot'

We weren’t surprised that George Pelecanos has a short Bucket List; after all, he is an award-winning author as well as a producer for The Wire. With 19 books under his belt, multiple producing credits and non-stop offers, it’s no wonder the list is short. It’s impressive though: “I’d like to direct,” he told Hollywood on the Potomac at a book party in his honor at The Woodley hosted by Andy & Mike Manatos, Jim & Ted Pedas and a Q&A with Garrett Graff, Editor Politico Magazine. “I think I could do a good job at that. And, I’d like to make a Western.”

Pelecanos is a proud Washingtonian of Greek descent who started working with his dad when he was 11 delivering food orders from his diner. He has worked as a line cook, dishwasher, bartender, and woman’s shoe salesman before publishing his first novel in 1992. “I was a kid,” he told us reminiscing about working with his dad. “It was a turbulent and exciting time for a boy.” Those experiences were the impetus for his crime writing based on the underbelly of Washington.