Be Cool (1991) is the second in Elmore Leonard’s Chili Palmer series. Ernest (Chili”) Palmer was introduced in Get Shorty as a mob-connected Miami loan shark chasing down a deadbeat in LA. The deadbeat, Harry Zimm, is a producer of B movies and Chili joins with him to produce a movie called Get Leo. The movie is a success and the profits pay off the producer’s loan and give Chili an asset boost. But a sequel named Get Lost tanks at the box office. Twenty-six of Leonard's novels and short stories have been adapted for the screen (19 as motion pictures and another seven as television programs). Berlinale: 1996 Programme". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 2012-01-20 . Retrieved 2012-01-01.

Commended by critics for his gritty realism and strong dialogue, Leonard sometimes took liberties with grammar in the interest of speeding the story along. [23] In his essay "Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing" he said: "My most important rule is one that sums up the 10: If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it." He also stated: "I try to leave out the parts that readers tend to skip." [23] Chili is a big movie buff who thinks he might give up loan sharking for producing, and he sets out to help Harry get a deal with the help of Karen Flores, a former actress known for screaming in Harry’s horror movies who just so happens to be Michael’s ex. Unfortunately, Bo Catlett has also been dreaming of breaking into the film industry and starts trying to drive Chili away from Harry with the idea of taking over the project. The scene that made no sense was this: Chili is at the late Tommy Athens' office with an associate and Tommy's widow and they are looking at his financial records to see if Tommy's company has potential. Chili's associate thinks the books have been "cooked" to impress potential clients. Tommy's widow remembers he keeps a set of financial records at home, too. The associate says if they don't show a different financial picture, "we're out of business before we start". Huh? The books at home would be financially worse, not better!Mitgang, Herbert (October 23, 1993). "Novelist discovered after 23 books". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 25, 2018 . Retrieved December 2, 2018. Leonard, Elmore (January 23, 1998). "Martin Amis interviews Elmore Leonard" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by Amis, Martin. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 9, 2013 . Retrieved August 21, 2013. Elmore Leonard's Papers (and Hawaiian Shirts) Go to University of South Carolina". October 16, 2014. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015 . Retrieved November 27, 2014.

Leonard believed that his books during the 1980s were becoming more humorous and that he was developing a style that was more free and easy. His own favorites were the Dixie Mafia story Tishomingo Blues (2002) and Freaky Deaky (1988), about ex- hippie criminals. [11] Elmore Leonard archive goes to South Carolina". October 15, 2014. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020 . Retrieved November 27, 2014. From 'Get Shorty' to 'Glitz:'10000000002 USC acquires collections of crime novelist Elmore Leonard". October 15, 2014. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Lipez, Zachary (December 23, 2015). "Second Impressions of Protomartyr". Vice. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020 . Retrieved July 18, 2019.a b "Elmore Leonard > About the Author". Random House. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015 . Retrieved August 21, 2013. Perry Moore, 'Narnia' series executive producer, dies at 39; Don Peterman, Oscar-nominated cinematographer, dies at 79; Nancy Carr, network TV publicist, dies at 50". Los Angeles Times. 2011-02-22. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29 . Retrieved 2011-02-23. Ward, Nathan (May 16, 2018). "Elmore Leonard's gritty westerns". Crimereads. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020 . Retrieved December 2, 2018. Elmore Leonard". fantasticfiction.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2019 . Retrieved December 5, 2018. I was intrigued that Chili was able to talk to an A-list movie star when others couldn’t get to him. Chili used his typical methods for finding people. Chili had a way that got the guy interested.