Elmore Leonard dead at 87 (Oct. 11, 1925 - Aug. 20, 2013)  American author, screen writer, known for his dark humour, gritty realism, strong dialogue.
"The old neighborhood has changed.  Hurley Brothers Funeral Home is now called Death 'n' Things."*

Well-known for his Ten Rules of Writing, Leonard said that "if it sounds like writing, I rewrite."  "I try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."

*The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said by Robert Byrne, 1986, Simon & Schuster.

Photo:  Wikipedia