Signs and Wonders

Best of "2011" It was one Heck of a Ride !!

2011-12-24T21:18:00.000-08:00

It seems like a long time since I've been back here writing on my blog, but their was no way I could close out 2011 without my best of list. I love lists and I especially love the "best of" end of the year lists. Kyle Minor & Keith Rawson are two of my personal favorites at this. It was a terrific year for books & music,a very disappointing year for film, and no one will ever forget the weather and its impact on the world in 2011. Love em or hate em..here they are. Of course the books, concerts and film lists are all that I read, saw, or attended personally. Oh, Did I forget to mention the St. Louis Cardinals were World Champions as well.

BEST CRIME FICTION NOVELS:

1)Devil All The Time by Donald Ray Pollock
2)Already Gone by John Rector
3)Wake up Dead,Mixed Blood, & Dust Devils by Roger Smith
4)One True Sentence by Craig McDonald
5)Hurt Machine by Reed Farrel Coleman
6)The Wilding by Benjamin Percy
7)Frank Sinatra in a Blender by Matthew McBride
8)The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt
9)The End of Everything by Megan Abbott
10)Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward
* honorable mention: The Adjustment by Scott Phillips

BEST SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS:

1)Crimes in Southern Indiana by Frank Bill
2)Drowing Tuscon by Aaron Michael Morales
3)Volt by Alan Heathcock
4)Sinners of Sanction County by Charles Dodd White
5)Outlaw Album by Daniel Woodrell

BEST NON FICTION:

1)The Fear by Peter Godwin
2)Crazy River by Richard Grant
3)Murder City by Charles Bowden
4)On Fire by Larry Brown
5)I Was Looking for a Street by Charles Willeford

FAVORITE NEW SERIES:

1)Fun and Games and Hell and Gone by Duane Sweirczynski
2)Claire Dewitt & The City of the Dead by Sara Gran
3)The Ranger by Ace Atkins
4)The Big Goodbye by Michael Lister

FAVORITE OLDER READS:

1)Give Us A Kiss by Daniel Woodrell
2)Tony & Susan by Austin Wright
3)Circus Parade by Jim Tully
4)Kiss Me Judas by Will Christopher Baer
5)The Siege of Trenchers Farm by Gordon M. Williams

2012 MUST READS:

1) Raylan by Elmore Leonard
2) El Gavilan by Craig McDonald
3) Gun Church by Reed Farrel Coleman
4) Donnybrook by Frank Bill
5) Wowzer by Frank Wheeler
6) Choke Hold by Christa Faust
7) The Devil is Real, The Louvin Brothers by Benjamin Whitmer
8) The Sex Lives of Missionary's by Kyle Minor
9) A Swollen Red Sun by Matt McBride
10) Me and My Likker by Popcorn Sutton

FAVORITE LITERARY EVENTS:

1) Texas Book Festival in Austin,Tx.
2) Frank Bill's Book Launch Party in Coydon,In.
3) Suspense Night at St. Louis County Library
4) Bouchercon in St. Louis,Mo.
5) William Gay's Art Exhibit in Oxford,Ms.

FAVORITE COLLEGE CLASS:

1) Jack Pendarvis (Univ. of Mississippi Lit. Class) with guest speaker Megan Abbott

TOP 10 CONCERTS ATTENDED:

1)Mumford & Sons at The Pageant St. Louis
2)Old Crow Medicine Show, Justin Townes Earle, Okervill River
at the Double Decker Music Festival in Oxford,Ms.
3)William Elliott Whitmore and Trampled by Turtles at Old Rock House in St. Louis
4)Drive by Truckers & Cardinals clinch Gm. #7 of World Series at The Pageant St.Louis
5)Jason Isbell and John Prine at Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis
6)William Elliott Whitmore at Off Broadway in St. Louis
7)Lucinda Williams in Bloomington,In.
8)Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Old Rock House in St. Louis
9)Tom Russell and Thad Beckman in Mt. Olive,Il.
10)Hayes Carll in Champaign,Il. or.. Slaid Cleaves in Springfield,Il.

MOST ANTICIPATED CONCERTS IN 2012:

1) Ray Wylie Hubbard
2) Todd Snider at Sheldon Concert Hall Jan. 13th in St. Louis
3) Scott H. Biram or Chris Knight
4) The Black Keyes
5) Tom Waits...a guy can always dream can't he.

BEST FILMS: 2011

1)Midnight in Paris
2)The Help
3)Drive
4)Take Shelter
5)The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
6)The Cave of Forgotten Dreams
7)Crazy,Stupid,Love
8)The Lincoln Lawyer
9)Martha Marcy May Marlene
10)Young Adult
*Sadly, I missed "The Rum Diaries"

HIGHLY ANTICIPATED FILMS IN 2012

1) Rampart
2) Shame
3) A Dangerous Method
4) Meeks Cutoff
5) My Week With Marilyn
6) The Descendants
7) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
8) The Artist
9) Melancholia
10)The Master

FINALLY CROSSED PATHS: (Yeah, I was a fan boy)

1) Ray Wylie Hubbard
2) Dannielle & Mike Wolfe from American Pickers
3) Guy Fierri
4) Keith Rawson
5) Jason Isbell

BEST NEW DISCOVERIES or EVENTS:

1) Sweetie Pies Restaurant in St. Louis,Mo.
2) Yuengling Beer
3) Roger Smith crime novels
4) The Kingdom of Survival and The Folksinger films by Slowboat Films
5) Scott H. Biram
6) Albums "Here We Rest", "A)Enlightenment B)Endarkment", "Bad Ingredients" and "Measbi".
7) Weird South Magazine
8) Turtleman, on Call of the Wildman
9) Artwork by Steve Keene and Tom Russell
10) Castle TV Series

TEN (ok 11) TV SERIES I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT:

1) Justified
2) The Walking Dead
3) Sons of Anarchy
4) Hidden City
5) Call of The Wildman
6) Treme
7) Bored to Death
8) Moonshiners
9) American Pickers
10) Off Limits and Boardwalk Empire

ONE TO LOOK FOR IN 2012:
1) Craig Johnson's new Walt Longmire TV series on A & E.

Donald Ray Pollock, Q & A

2011-07-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

Do not miss Donald Ray Pollock's appearance this Wed. night at Subterranean Books at 7 p.m. Mr. Pollock will be reading from and signing his new novel, "DEVIL ALL THE TIME". This book is guaranteed to make many Top Ten lists of books from 2011 & also several Best Book of the year lists. I am very thankful I was able to catch up with Donald in between book events this week and in advance of his trip to St. Louis. What follows is a Q & A we just finished up today. Many thanks to Donald Ray for his time and thoughtful answers.

S&W's) When people here the words "regional writer" it's like a curse word to some. I just have never understood that. The writers I love best, Larry Brown, Harry Crews, William Gay, are among those who've gotten that label. Shouldn't it actually be a compliment? These writers write what they know best & what they know is fascinating to most anyone who have read them. Why try to write about some area or people you know nothing about? I prefer hard core realism.

DRP) I think a large percentage of writers could be considered "regional". I mean, if most of your fiction is set in or around New York City or Dublin or Boston, hell, you're still focusing on one place. It definitely doesn't bother me to be known as a Midwestern writer or an Ohio writer or, heck, even a Ross County writer. Because I've lived in southern Ohio my entire life, there be something seriously wrong if the place wasn't a very important part of me.

S&W's) It was a long journey,(32 years at the paper mill, 5 years learning the craft at 45 years old,going back to school and getting the MFA), to getting KNOCKEMSTIFF published. How satisfying was it to hold that first book in your hands and realize you did it?

DRP) As for what I felt when I got my hands on that first finished copy of KNOCKEMSTIFF, I'd rank it among the four or five best experiences of my life. I felt, I guess , more than anything, extremely lucky. I mean, it's what every writer dreams of, right?

S&W's) You've used Knockemstiff, Oh., your hometown as a setting in both books. However, you also use Coal Creek, W.V. quite a bit in the new novel. Why Coal Creek W.V. as a setting?

DRP) Well, I'm not really sure. I knew that I had to move Arvin away from Meade, so that he would eventually end up on the road and meet up with Carl and Sandy, and so I chose a place that I figured I could write about. West Virginia isn't a whole lot different from Southern Ohio.

S&W's) I know you're gonna get asked this a lot and I believe people will make comparisons, so I'll go ahead and ask now. How much of an influence has Flannery O'Connor had on your writing?

DRP) There are many southern writers who have had a big influence on me: Carson McCullers, Tennessee Williams, Barry Hannah, Larry Brown, William Gay, Chris Offutt, Harry Crews, Ron Rash, Flannery O'Connor, the list goes on and on. I can tell you that I copied "A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND" on an IBM typewriter at least twice when I was starting out.

S&W's) Your books are dark, they're brutal, the characters seem to be always wanting to run away from something or aspiring to to be more than they are. Yet, there is such a sense of realism and honesty, and humanity, that you can't help but fall in love with these characters no matter their flaws. Your thoughts?

DRP) Even though many of my characters are mostly bad people, I think they would be very difficult to write about if I didn't feel at least a little empathy for them. And at fifty-six years old, I've seen a lot of people screw their lives up, and so I can understand ( to an extent, anyway) how easy it is to do that.

S&W's) Lets talk about working class writers like Larry Brown & William Gay and one of my new favorites, Frank Bill, for a moment. Did those writers inspire you and do you think that they have given voices to the voiceless?

DRP) Well, as I said, William Gay and Larry Brown have influenced me alot, along with Frank. But not just their writing. These are people who worked blue collar jobs for years while they were learning how to write. More than anything, they gave me hope that maybe I could do the same.

S&W's) There are two big events coming up soon, that you will be appearing at. The first is a reading & book signing event in St. Louis on July 20th at Subterranean Books and the other is Frank Bill's Book Launch in Corydon,In. on Sept 10th. For those folks who haven't been to one of these events, what can they expect when they come out?

DRP) Well, I don't know about Frank's book release party in Corydon, bas as for me reading in St, Louis, ha! I'll just read parts of the new book for maybe 30 minutes and then answer questions if anyone is still awake. In other words, I'm not a showman!

S&W's) Young kids today who want to be writers, and who might be in the same shoes you were as a young man. What advise would you have for them?

DRP) The first thing you need to realize is that if you don't love books and love to read, then you're probably not going to make it as a writer. Reading comes first. Then you have to learn to sit in the chair and write every day, or at least try to write. Figure on doing that for several years before anything starts to happen. When you go out, leave your cell phone and your ear buds at home and pay attention to the world around you.

S&W's) "DEVIL ALL THE TIME" is the best book published in 2011 that I have read. I cannot imagine anything coming close outside of Frank Bill's debut. To me it's an instant classic. It will no doubt draw comparisons to "Wiseblood", amongst others. Did you ever foresee being able to write something so good, that it will probably still be read long after we are both dead and gone?

DRP) Man, I really appreciate your wonderful and generous words about the book, but I have to admit I'm still not sure how "good" it is. Only time will tell, I guess.

S&W's) I don't want to give away anything about the ending of "DEVIL ALL THE TIME"..so I have to be careful here. However, my question to you is, any chance you will pick up and revisit it in another novel in the future? Is it something you want to come back to, or is it something you've even thought about?

DRP) I really don't know yet. I have thought that I'd like to write a novel about Hank, the storekeeper, at some point, but I've got a couple other things planned first.

S&W's) How important is life experience to writers? I just can't see how all these young writers can entertain people my age, when they haven't done, seen, or experienced much yet. Wouldn't you say life is the best teacher?

DRP) Sure, life is definitely the best teacher. Still, even if all you've done is go to school, you've still experienced quite a bit of life or the human condition with your family and friends, that is, unless you've stayed in your room all the time playing on the computer or texting or whatever. I do wonder about young people who are so obsessed with "social networking", ,which,really, is mostly bullshit. Don't get me wrong; I can get as hooked as anyone on that stuff, but I do try to limit myself. You're not going to find much material to write about if most of your time is spent trying to say "connected" through a little piece of plastic. Too, a college grad should probably spend a year or two working around people before they enter a MFA program, though I'm sure as hell not saying you need to spend thirty-two years in a factory!

S&W's) In regards to music, what kind of impact has groups like Drive By Truckers, Lucero, Hank III, and Steve Earle had on you or your writing?

DRP) I've listened to all these people, of course, but I think the way that music influences my writing is a little different.What I mean is that when I'm revising , I pick several albums and listen to them over and over, until I'm not really hearing them anymore, at least not mindful of the lyrics. For "THE DEVIL ALL THE TIME", I listened mostly to the following albums when I was doing the revisions (which took a long time): the first two Allman Brothers records, a piano tribute to Radiohead( Christopher O'Reilly's, "True Love Waits"), a collection of old gospel songs on Smithsonian Folkways, the self -titled album by Clutch,and Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night". These were used, basically, to help me get in certain moods.

Chapter 5 : The Royal Gorge Route by Rudy Phillips

2011-07-15T03:18:00.000-07:00

Rudy Phillips was a depression era hobo who rode the rails from 1925-32 & was crowned "King of the Hobo's " in Britt,Iowa at the Hobo Convention. He was a good friend of mine and I miss him dearly. I decided as an honor to Rudy I would print a chapter from his book "Hobo King Rambling Rudy" here on my blog. I hope you enjoy it and I'll be putting a new page or two up each day this week to the conclusion of this particular story. Enjoy this true tale of crime adventure!

The Royal Gorge Route:

A few days of the Salt Lake City Mission swill and Rudy was restored to his former self. His reluctant host was the City flop house on the West side of Town. The time was passed by walking the streets of skid row or accosting anyone looking congenial. In this way the lad kept a little money on him at all times in case of an emergency. He marveled at the fact there was a water fountain on practically every street corner after almost perishing on the parched, lonely desert from the lack of it.But ultimately, the distant whistle of an East bound freight train summoned him to its embrace.

Rudy sat perched atop a boxcar of the slow freight as it wound its way through the mountains. The amazingly scenic "Royal Gorge Route" was enjoyable with its many tunnels and 1000 foot cliffs. It was the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. Occasionally far below, he would catch a glimpse of a river as it wound its way through a canyon.

Rudy had to leave the train at Soldiers Summit, Utah. His visit there was a brief one because the authorities and local citizenry were animus. They advised him that his talents could possibly be plied better somewhere else; say St. Louis or Chicago.Yes, there was overt hostility from the people towards the poor hobos. So, being the agreeable sort he was, Rudy capitulated and stayed close to home, the jungle.

He sought out a fire and went over to get warm. While there he struck up an acquaintance with a young black boy, who was about his age, as they stood around trying to keep warm. The youngster introduced himself as Chi. He was of slight build, had a quick wit and a smart mouth, which at times he confessed, had caused grievous social disharmony amongst the brethen. Rudy judged him to be around fifteen or sixteen.

"They don't like colored folk none around here" he was saying, "so I think it would be a lot mo' healthier fo' me ta hop on the next freight outta here".

Rudy diverted his concentration from the entrancing flames to Chi. "I don't figure they care much for hobos neither" he interjected, "so I'm clearing out too as soon as I can. Folks around here ain't too awful friendly to us bo's".

I'm tolerable hungry "Chi continued after the short unsolicited interruption: his train of thought remaining stedfast, "and they ain't narry a sally or mission around these parts nowheres." He placed his hands inside the side pockets of his dark brown overcoat. "No sir, a man don'stand a chance in a hard place such as this." Bitterness hung heavy on each word.

"Where you from anyhow?" Rudy asked, just making conversation to kill time.
"Chicago, how about chu?"
"St. Louey."
" Looks like we is neighbors." Chi said with a broad smile revealing pearly white teeth.
"Sure does don't it."
"Well tell ya what, when we get ta Chi town ah'll show ya round. Then mebe you can show me' round St. Louey sometime. Is 'at a deal?"
"Sounds fair ta me" said Rudy extending his open hand.

(TO BE CONTINUED TOMM.)

Get yours Today !!

2011-07-08T08:28:00.001-07:00

You know you want to be the first to have one of these, your a trend setter not a follower, so skip tonight's pizza and pre-order one of these. After all, their is only 40,000 in the first printing so they won't last long. They would make a great Birthday or Christmas gift as well for that really cool but hard to buy for friend or relative.

"Fun & Games" A wild ride you wanna take !

2011-07-01T04:49:00.001-07:00

I just recently finished reading Duane Swierczynski's new novel, "FUN & GAMES", the first of a trilogy published by Mulholland Books. The second book "HELL & GONE", will be released in October of 2011 and the final conclusion, "POINT & SHOOT", will be out in March of 2012. Now, I know what most of you are thinking, you hate series novels because you have to wait so long in between books. But, that's the genius of Duane Swierczynski you see, he's releasing a trilogy that will be available before the end of the Mayan calender in December of 2012, so you can read these without worries of never finishing.You'll be done BEFORE the world ends. I think it's pretty thoughtful on Duane's part. And, all kidding aside, it's a terrific read and you won't want to put it down once you start. It's the story of an ex-cop,Charlie Hardie, who has left that career for a life of house sitting. Unfortunately the house he's watching in "Fun & Games" has a stow away who is being hunted by "The Accident People", a group who make people disappear and leave no traces, only the appearance of an accident. Charlie's life is suddenly at risk as is those from his previous life. Caught between the girl and the people who want to make her disappear, Charlie's in for a hell of a ride. This is one series you won't want to miss. Duane is the author of "The Wheelman", "The Blonde" and my personal favorite "Severance Package". If you haven't read Duane before, what are you waiting for? Start with "Fun & Games" and then go read his back list, you'll thank me later.

Frank Bill's Book Release Party for Crimes in Southern Indiana

2011-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Frank Bill's Book Release Party for Crimes in Southern Indiana
Click on the link above for details:

This is going to be an Event you want to put on your calender now. If you could go back in time and attend a first book event for Daniel Woodrell, Larry Brown, or William Gay, wouldn't we all. Well this is going to be one of those times and later you can look back and say yeah I was there. Pretty cool stuff, and that's without saying that some other really terrific authors will be reading as well (Donald Ray Pollock, Kyle Minor, Scott Phillips, Jed Ayers). Who knows, their may be others show up.

Noir @ Bar and Meshuggah Cafe a Winning Team

2011-06-18T13:10:00.000-07:00

I caught the latest Noir@Bar on June 11th which is normally held at the Delmar Lounge, but on this occasion was moved to the Meshuggah Cafe. This was due to necessity but in my opinion this was a better setting anyway. It's quieter, spacious, and had A/C along with the same options of drinks as well as coffee. Now, I know Bukowski would be saying,"Hell No" to the nicer digs, he would cry out that a Dive is required for these type readings and he may be right. I can only speak for myself when I say I prefer Meshuggah Cafe as a permanent home for N@B. Now, on to the important stuff like the all star group who read that night and the Alumni who were in attendance as listeners. John Hornor Jacobs ,the author of "Southern Gods" read first and delighted with a short story of Southern Goth & faith and snake handling. Aaron Michael Morales, author of "Drowning Tuscon" followed up with a short story entitled "New Mexico Drive By" and I can only say it will go down in N@B history..along with Aaron, as one of the most memorable readings ever. This was the stuff for which legends are born...both good & bad. Fred Venturini, author of "The Samaritan" then read an excert from his book and a short story about idolizing serial killers. Very funny stuff and did I mention Fred has muscles and that Aaron really liked those muscles...well if you were there then you would know that. Finally, my friend Frank Bill, closed the night with a tiny bit of his soon to be released debut novel, "Crimes in Southern Indiana". This was terrific and a real joy to hear Frank read those same words he has so carefully crafted in this collection. Overall a smashing success !! In attendance were Matthew McBride, Matt Kindt, Dan O'Shea, and of course MC's & hosts Scott Phillips and Jed Ayres. Dont forget Jesus Angel Garcia will be reading from "BadBadBad" at the next N@B in August. Also, Donald Ray Pollock, author of "Knockemstiff" will be appearing at Subterranean Books on July 20th with his new book "The Devil All The Time".

Diners, Drive Ins and Dives

2011-06-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

Since the summer has kicked in it seems that Guy Fieri has always been close by. It started when my wife and I made a quick trip over to St. Louis to meet Guy at Left Bank Books while he was promoting his new book "Guy Fieri Food" and then continued on as we traveled to Indianapolis for my Birthday and hit JERSEY"S restaurant (located in Carmel,In.) for lunch. Jersey's it seems had been recently reviewed by Guy on DDI&D's. The East Coast themed restaurant serves great food but is not a place to go if you want your food fast. Everything is made from scratch and you are given a sheet to read when you come in stating this and encouraging those in a hurry to move on. I had a chicken steak sandwich with ham shavings,bacon & cheese, and BBQ sauce, known as"The Red Sox Really Suck" that was wonderful. I also tried an appetizer of loaded chips (homemade potato chips) covered in cheese, bacon & BBQ. Great stuff. On the downside the service was also East Coast. We were ignored by our waiter who screwed up our order with another table, which added to our delay and which while he admitted his mistake he never apologized for it.Somehow I doubt they ignored Guy or screwed up his order.

American Pickers Festival LeClaire, Iowa

2011-06-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

I headed up to Leclaire,Iowa for the 2nd Annual American Pickers Festival June 4-5th and had a stroke of good luck. We got in town, and ran by our hotel around 5 p.m. and then decided head over to Antique Archeology and check out the shop. Well the shop was closed but the garage door was open and we were just wandering around snapping some photos when Mike Wolfe pulls in in the new Pickers van. Mike immediately jumped out and greeted us with a "Hey, how you doin" and jumped right into a conversation about where we were from (Effingham,Il.), where he had been (picking in Nashville,Tn.) and opening a new shop & my Oxford,Ms. shirt I was wearing. Seems we both love Ole Miss ! Mike told us we were welcome to look around, and he and his nephew Adam began loading T-shirts into the van. Well, I felt kinda bad just watching and told Mike so, who immediately said "well start grabbing boxes". I spent the next half hour working with the Pickers, which I found pretty cool and my wife found pretty funny (taking a picture to prove I was working). Yeah hilarious. It wasn't long before Danielle came out and Mikes brother dropped by and a couple of appraisers from the show. Mike and Danielle were gracious and took pictures with us and proved to be the same down to earth people you see on the show. No acting here, just downhome folk. I was probably ready to go home then, my dream fulfilled, but of course we hung around and stayed for the Festival and checked out LeClaire. We ate at Wise Guys Pizza, caught the city book sale, attended the antique car show and hit several of the city wide garage sales. The best part of Sat. was the Q & A with Mike and Danielle up on the levee. Mikes Mother, Judy Gimbel, the clowns, and Danielle's Dad were in attendance as well. The one thing Mike & I share and the one thing that always draws me in like a moth to a flame is "PASSION" ! Mike is very passionate about what he does and has since an early age. It was also cool to hear how much he gives back to the community and charity as well. It seems Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are very generous men. The Laurel & Hardy heads pictured above have been donated to St. Judes to be auctioned off (amongst other items). Mike is also working on a couple new projects including "Kid Pickers" books & website to educate kids on the importance of preserving our history. When the Q & A was over both Mike and Danielle stayed around in the 95 degree heat signing autographs. We left Iowa totally fufilled, and looking forward to coming back to see Frank in the years ahead. And, someday I just might be willing to let loose of some of my collection to the coolest Pickers around.

Debut Authors: Frank Bill and Matt McBride

2011-06-01T13:38:00.000-07:00

I truly believe that one of the greatest joys we can get in this life is in helping others and in seeing our friends and love ones achieve success. I have the pleasure of calling Matt McBride and Frank Bill my friends. I posted interviews with both these authors on this very site several months ago and I predicted both of these guys would hit it big. Well.. now months removed, I can say I was right. Matt's book "Frank Sinatra in a Blender" is now available for purchase on Concord E-books website and Amazon for $7.77. It includes a wonderful intro from Ken Bruen, one of the living legends in the mystery genre. I read this puppy when it was nothing more than a manuscript and I loved it and I sent it to Ken who was nice enough to read it.. and thank goodness he loved it. The rest is history...Matt's enormous talent so evident in his early short stories was finally given a home by Concord Free Press. This is only the beginning and someday we'll be able to sit back and laugh about the early days when he was a struggling writer. But, don't take my word for it, get over there and buy the dang thing..I think Matt gets half of every book sold & the other half goes to Concord Free Press to help with their charitable efforts. The only downside to Matt's book is my character, Officer Wiethop, got left on the cutting room floor. Such is my life story...close but no cigar !! Ha ps Also left on the cutting room floor was take a, LEFT ON PHILLIPS & RIGHT ON AYERS now those were streets I was looking forward to driving.

Frank Bill's first book "Crimes in Southern Indiana" comes out via FSG on Sept 7th & Aug 30th via Amazon. I read an early draft and this is one terrific book and early reviews are drawing lines to McCarthy, Woodrell, and William Gay. Those are HUGE shoes to fill. However, Tom Franklin and William Gay himself, have both recently given it high marks. Donald Ray Pollock, author of Knockemstiff gave raving reviews as well. So, mark it on your calender as this is one book your not going to want to miss.It's available for pre-order on Amazon as we speak.Then as we get closer to those above dates I'll have some other special things posted on here. Jed Ayres and myself spent a weekend with Frank & his wonderful wife Jenn,(she was a saint to put up with the 3 of us) not too long ago, and we shot some terrific stuff down there that will come out in due time. Don't forget Frank will be in St. Louis on June 11th at Noir@Bar and he will also have a short story published in Playboy some time in the Fall. Oh, and he's a Hoosier by the way..born & bred like yours truly.

The great thing, the exciting thing here, is that both of these guys are just scratching the surface of what will be long and fruitful careers. Get aboard these trains now before they leave the station.

Whole Lotta Shakin Going On

2011-06-01T11:37:00.000-07:00

Busy times my friends, but good times nonetheless. Traveled to St. Louis,Mo. Sunday May 29th to the Downtown location of Left Bank Books to do a meet and greet with super cool chef Guy Fieri. Guy was there from 12-2 and signed books & took photos with all those in attendance. The time was too brief but I'm still glad we went. Guy Fieri is the host of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives as well as the host of the game show.."A Minute To Win It". Also ran into my buddy Kevin who is one on the great autograph collectors in the Midwest, and who along with his partner in crime Mark Medley, always bring a smile to my face.

Tomorrow, (June 2nd) kicks off one of the best book sales that the Midwest has to offer, the St.Charles Friends of the Library Sale. It runs Thursday through Sunday and opens tomm. at 9 a.m. with a $10 admittance fee. Don't mean to grumble...but I will anyway, the fee doubled from $5 last year to $10 this year. I understand the St. Louis Book Fair charges $10 on it's opening night, but as good as the St. Charles sale is, and it is good, this is a bit much to ask with the economy the way it is. The answer is yes, I will grudgingly hand over my $10 anyway. Most hardbacks run in the $2 category, well below the $4-6 fee at the St. Louis Book Fair. See you there & happy hunting...oh by the way, do me a favor & leave all the Benjamin Percy, Daniel Woodrell, Chris Offutt, Will Christoper Baer and William Gay's alone..they have my name on it.

The first Annual American Picker Days will take place this Sat & Sun June 4th & 5th in LeClaire,Iowa and will be attended by Mike Wolfe and Dannielle and other guests from the show. The city will be hosting a city wide garage sale in conjunction with the festival. An appraiser will also be on hand to appraise your items at $5 an item. This promises to become an annual event. Frank Fritz will not be in attendance. Antique Archeology will also be open during the Festival. They are also opening a second location in Nashville,Tn. Maybe I'll see you there.

June 11th: Noir@Bar you will not want to miss this one!! Are you ready for this? Aaron Michael Morales "Drowning Tucson", John Hornor Jacobs "Southern Gods", Fred Venturini "The Samaritan" and the next superstar, Frank Bill "Crimes in Southern Indiana" all on the same night at 7 pm in the upstairs loft of Meshuggah Cafe in the heart of U. City. Another N@B has also been added for Aug 6th with special guest Jesus Angel Garcia, author of "badbadbad!" How can you go wrong with an author with Jesus & an angel in his name?

Also just in, the Queen of Crime Noir, Megan Abbott will be at Square Books in Oxford,Ms. on July 27th with her new book, "The End Of Everything" which Entertainment Weekly has called the next "Lovely Bones". Wow, now that's praise you like to hear.Proud of you Megan.

Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, the Real Deal

2011-06-01T07:41:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything and it's great to be back. Last evening, I was in St. Louis,Mo. at the Old Rock House to see Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. I became familiar with Jason's work through Frank Bill, as we both share a passion for The Drive By Truckers. Jason Isbell was once one of 3 singer songwriters in the DBT's. Unfortunately, about 4 years ago Jason left the band after splitting with his wife Shonna (also a member of DBT). He soon struck out on his own and formed the band the 400 Units. They have recently put out a new CD entitled "Here We Rest", their third CD and in my opinion the best yet. It's not simply better, it is terrific. Featuring some of Isbell's top notch songwriting, including not soon to be forgotten hits, "Alabama Pines", "Tour of Duty" and my personal favorite "Go It Alone". However, last night was my first chance to catch Jason & his new band in person, and..they were outstanding,simply one of the best shows I've ever seen. They rocked the Old Rock House, with a passion & energy that's rarely seen these days. I expected Isbell to be terrific, but I was unprepared for how talented the members of the 400 Units would be. Isbell is now surrounded by a group of musicians as talented and as passionate as he is. I truly believe in time this band will grow the same kinda cult following that The Drive By Truckers have. If you are going to be anywhere near Memphis,Tn. on June 24th, head on over to The Hi Tone & catch these guys along with Kentucky Knife Fight at 8 p.m.
While I'm thinking about I also want to put a plug in for the new documentary on the Drive By Truckers called "The Secret To A Happy Ending"...which honestly isn't all that happy. If you would like alot of insight into this legendary band and the individuals who formed it ( primarily Patterson Hood & Mike Cooley ), then this is the film for you. The film will also shed some light on Jason Isbell's departure from the band in 2007. So head over to Best Buy, Amazon or Netflix and check it out.

PITCH BLACK NOIR

2011-06-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

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This 9 minute clip was shot by Adam Wangler and features a brief cameo by yours truly if you don't blink. Anthony Neil Smith recently allured to St.Louis as becoming a hub for the Neo Noir world, in a large part due to the efforts of Scott Phillips & Jed Ayres and their little slice of heaven known as "Noir @ The Bar". It is held at the Delmar Lounge in U-City and has hosted writers such as Sean Doolittle, Frank Bill, Matthew McBride, Tim Lane, Derek Nikitas, Pinckney & Laura Benedict, Theresa Schwegel, Dennis Tafoya, Matt Kindt, Anthony Neil Smith, Kyle Minor, Malachai Stone, of course Scott Phillips & Jed Ayres, amongst others I've probably forgotten to mention.

YouTube - FLAREGUN!

2011-02-28T14:59:00.000-08:00

YouTube - FLAREGUN!

How cool is it to be in a video by author Scott Phillips and to be in it with Christa Faust? 32 below cool !!

Like Guinness, Brilliant, Absolutely Brilliant...McDonalds "ONE TRUE SENTENCE"

2011-02-06T15:00:00.001-08:00

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Craig McDonalds fourth novel in the Hector Lassiter series, ("One True Sentence") comes out Feb. 14th, and you'll want to pick this one up immediately. I've been a big fan of Craig's ever since reading "Head Games" , the debut in the series. That affection has continued with "Toros and Torsos" and "Print The Legend". However, to me, this is Craig's masterpiece. Set in Paris in 1924, Hector finds himself and best friend Ernest Hemingway caught up in a series of murders of literary magazine editors. A wonderful cross of fiction and non fiction, you feel transported back in time to The City Of Lights and the Lost Generation. McDonald blends the fictional pulp writer Hector Lassiter, into a world of non fiction characters such as Gertrude Stein, Alice Tolkas, Aleister Crowley, Man Ray, and of course Hadley & Ernest Hemingway. McDonald humanizes these literary icons like only he can. I have always found the Lassiter novels to be intelligent, rich and thought provoking, but "One True Sentence" takes the series to a new level and establishes this series as one of the best things going. This one has it all, mystique, intrigue, mystery, erotica, murder, the occult. I don't want to give away too many plot points, but lets just say that there are a ton of twist & turns and Hector's love life is down right steamy. Who knew that Craig McDonald could write erotica this good. Simply put,I did NOT want to put this one down and did not want to see it end. I cannot wait for the fifth book to come out and yet we're still 8 days away till the fourth ones official release date. Well, it's that good, and it leaves you thirsting for more. For those who have never read any of the Lassiter novels, it is not necessary to start at the beginning with Head Games. Each novel is self sufficient, but if you do read them in order, I really believe you'll find this one to be Craig's crowning achievement. This is also the last of the Lassiters that Hemingway appears in. We will be looking forward to more Brinke Devlin in the days & years to come. Brinke, a Louise Brooks clone, becomes the love of Hector's life but could also be the murderer.

YouTube - "American Pickers" on The Late Show with David Letterman (2011-01-11)

2011-02-03T18:15:00.000-08:00

YouTube - "American Pickers" on The Late Show with David Letterman (2011-01-11)

YouTube - Johnny Duhan The Burning Word

2011-02-03T15:43:00.000-08:00

YouTube - Johnny Duhan The Burning Word

I just received this new song from one of "Signs & Wonders" favorites, Johnny Duhan. Johnny says they refused to play list it due to its religious nature. Help us spread the word by clicking on the link above and giving it a listen.

Concert offerings for 2011, Heatin Up in the Midwest

2011-01-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Fred Eaglesmith Feb. 11th St. Louis,Mo. Off Broadway
Lucinda Williams Feb. 25th Bloomington,In.
Sarah McLachlan Feb.17th Indy & March 13th Louisville,Ky.
Arlo Guthrie March 15th Effingham,Il.
Murder by Death March 16th St. Louis,Mo. Off Broadway
John Hammond March 20th St. Louis,Mo. Old Rock House
Ryan Bingham March 10th Indy & March 12th Louisville,Ky.
James McMurtry March 26th St. Louis,Mo., The Paegent & March 29th Champaign,Il.
Guy Clark April 2nd Van Buren,Mo.
Carll Hayes April 7th Champaign,Il. High Dive
Tom Russell Oct. 7th St. Louis,Mo.
Slaid Cleaves June 19th Fayetville,Ak.

After a really weak 2010, it looks very promising in 2011. I'm still holding out hope for Old Crow Medicine Show, Tom Waits, Hank III, Steve Earle & William Elliot Whitmore to come around in the summer or fall.

William Elliott Whitmore - Diggin My Grave

2011-01-20T18:44:00.000-08:00

Brad Paisley - You'll Never leave Harlan Alive

2011-01-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

"FRANK SINATRA IN A BLENDER" by Matthew McBride

2011-01-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

Ken Bruen says of FSIAB

"2011 is off to a magnificent start, this novel dazzled me, delighted and provoked me. Never no more will I view Old Blue Eyes in the same light. A stunning piece of sustained imaginative artistry"

I also read the manuscript for Matt's unpublished crime novel and I gotta believe this one's gonna get snapped up pretty quick. This is by no means a cozy. This is a hard boiled crime story, set in St. Louis,Mo. It revolves around a heist of millions from a Credit Union and soon everything goes to Hell. There are alot of people who want to get there hands on that kinda cash and will kill to get it. This ones got great characters, great dialouge, and lots of action & some very brutal & sometimes funny scenes. It reminded me of early Ken Bruen. For all of you out there who loved Benjamin Whitmer's wonderful debut novel "PIKE", you will want to keep an eye out for this one down the road. I'm no pro at this, all I know is what I like and I liked this one alot. Like Ken says, it was a great way to kick off 2011. I can only hope to find a few more as entertaining as this one in the year to come.

BLAST OF SILENCE....speaks loud & clear.

2011-01-01T11:56:00.000-08:00

I really, really.. wish I could remember where I first heard of this film. I go to so many crime blog's that when I forget to write things down I can't remember who to thank. That is a real shame because I owe someone a HUGE thank you. If you come across this story and it was you, then consider yourself thanked properly. The film I'm talking about is "Blast of Silence" from 1961, and written, directed and starring Allen Baron. The film is available via Criterion on Netflix and contains in addition to the film, a special addition entitled " Requiem for a Killer: The Making of Blast of Silence" from 2007. How this film has ridden under the radar for so long is a crime. Blast of Silence is the story of Frank Bono, a hit man from Cleveland who's come to New York to do a job at Christmas. This film is vintage N.Y. and was made on about a $20,000 budget. Frank deals with his feelings of alienation while waiting to complete the job and soon things start to spiral out of his control. Frank soon finds his profession is not one you can simply walk away from. Lionel Sandler gives voice to film in the role of narrator. I watched the film twice in one day & then viewed the extras and just fell in love with it the more I saw of it and learned of it. I highly recommend it to all my crime noir buddies out there.

Interview with, JOHN RECTOR 1/01/11

2010-12-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

I couldn't think of any better way to kick off 2011 than with a interview with red hot debut author John Rector. John's debut novel "THE COLD KISS" was followed up with "THE GROVE" , both hitting shelves in 2010 to high praise. Be on the lookout for a third novel coming your way in the near future. It is my pleasure to introduce Mr. John Rector. Welcome John.

1) Your first book published was "The Cold Kiss", but your first book written & second published was "The Grove" . Can you explain the path or process that led to it happening this way?

JR: I wrote The Grove in the summer of 2006 and signed on with my agent that fall. He shopped the book around New York in early 2007, and while we got a lot of great feedback, we didn’t get any offers. So, I went back to work and wrote The Cold Kiss. That one was picked up by Tor/Forge in the summer of 2009, and later that year by Simon and Schuster UK as the first book in a three book deal.

2) "The Cold Kiss" has now been released in the U.K. Was it as well received there as was in the U.S.?

-- JR: I think so, but I’m not over there so it’s hard to get a feel for how it’s doing. I’ve had a lot of nice letters from readers in the UK, and wonderful reviews in places like The Irish Independent, and The SUN. I do know that everyone at Simon and Schuster has been fantastic, and my editor has championed the book from day one. It’s been a great experience, and I’m hoping to get over there this year.

3) "The Cold Kiss" has been optioned for a feature film. Has there been any movement that you can share with us?

--JR: It has been optioned and there’s a director and screenwriter attached, so I’ve got my fingers crossed. Beyond that there’s not much I can share.

4) "The Grove" was the first novel you wrote and was released as an E-book on Amazon and became a best seller there, and has subsequently been published by the Amazon Encore Imprint. Why did you chose to go that direction with "The Grove" and were you satisfied with how it worked out?

-- JR: I released The Grove on the Kindle right around the time Tor/Forge made an offer to publish The Cold Kiss, and the only reason I did it was to try and build an audience. I thought if I could sell a few hundred copies on my own, maybe those readers would turn around and pick up The Cold Kiss once it was released.

Turns out, The Grove did better than I thought it would. It hit #1 on all the horror, hard boiled, and mystery lists and stayed there for several weeks. Eventually Amazon noticed, and in January of 2010 I got a call from an editor at their Amazon Encore imprint asking if they could re-publish the novel. I jumped at the chance, and The Grove was re-released in November 2010.

I’ve been very happy with how things have worked out with that book.

5) I saw where you almost didn't write "The Cold Kiss" because it was dark as was "The Grove". So tell me, what's wrong with writing dark material, especially if you're good at it as you are?

JR: -- There’s nothing wrong with writing dark material, but I tend to gravitate toward endings where everyone loses and usually dies. The Grove was downright happy compared to what I’d written before, and when the comments came back that it was too dark, I started to rethink my approach.

The reason I stopped writing The Cold Kiss seventy pages in was because I saw where it was heading. I couldn’t think of a way to pull my characters out of the suffocating, claustrophobic nose-dive they were taking, and the last thing I wanted to do was write another book I wouldn’t be able to sell. I wanted to learn from my experience with The Grove, but all I ended up doing was second guessing myself.

Luckily, my wife is much smarter than I am. She read the first few chapters, loved them, and told me she needed to know what happened next. So, I kept going.

6)Can you thank your wife for us on behalf of all your readers, in regards to "The Cold Kiss".

JR:-- Sure, thanks.

7) Nebraska has given us two terrific crime fiction writers in yourself and Sean Doolittle. Are there others that you know of who we might be on the lookout for in the future?

JR: -- Not that I’m aware of, but you never know who’s out there. I know Alex Kava lives here, but that’s about it. Nebraska has a surprisingly strong art/music/lit scene. You’d never guess that coming from a state most people can’t find on a map.

8) You just finished up your first book tour for "The Cold Kiss". What were some of your impressions from that tour and some things you'll be looking to do for "The Grove" book tour coming up?

JR: -- Having the chance to travel around the country and talk with readers and booksellers was a great experience. The people in the crime/thriller genre are incredibly generous and supportive. I met a lot of great people and made some good friends. I can’t wait to go out again, but not for The Grove. I’ve had enough of airports and hotel rooms for a while.

9) I know you attended Bouchercon in Indy & S.F and just took in your first Noir Con in Philly, what were some memorable moments from those and are the big conventions something you'll want to keep doing?

JR: -- I’ll keep going as long as they keep publishing my novels. It’s fun to see everyone, almost like a class reunion, except these are people you actually want to see again. It’s nice to catch up.

As far as memorable moments go, Thriller fest in 2009 is the one that sticks out in my mind. I’d just signed my first contract a couple weeks earlier, and I got invited to the Tor/Forge offices in the flatiron building to meet my editor and the team that was working on the book. It was the first time the reality of becoming a published novelist hit me, and I’ll never forget it.

10) Did you meet any writers at those events that left you kinda star struck?

JR_-- All but a few of my favorite authors are dead, so I don’t get star struck too often. The closest I’ve come was when I met Sara Gran after the Mulholland panel at Bouchercon in San Francisco. I’d gone to meet Daniel Woodrell and ask him to sign a book, and as I was talking to him I heard Megan Abbott introducing Sara Gran to someone behind me. I turned and immediately stumbled over my words telling her how much I loved her books. She probably thought I was some psycho to be avoided, but that’s okay. Come Closer was a huge influence when I wrote The Grove, and she’s one of the very few contemporary writers whose books I’ll buy the day they come out.

11) Can you express what it felt like to walk into that first book store and see your book on the shelves for the first time?

JR:-- The first time I saw The Cold Kiss on the shelf I had just enough time to snap a couple pictures before being dragged off to the kids section by my four year old daughter who’d noticed a big, looming cardboard cutout of Harold and the Purple Crayon. In my house, Harold’s books are infinitely cooler than daddy’s books.

The experience that really got to me was walking around NYC with my wife and my editor the week after the book came out. We spent a day visiting various bookstores and signing stock. It’s one thing to see your book in your local Barnes and Noble, but it’s something completely different to go into Greenwich Village and see it featured on the front shelf at Partners & Crime. That was cool.

12) When are we gonna get you down to St. Louis for a Noir @ Bar because you should know that no writers career can be considered a success until he's made an appearance there? Really !!

JR:--I’ve heard the stories about what goes on down there and I’m a little intimidated, but if that’s what it takes, count me in. Once I get an invite, I’ll bet there.

13) Was being a writer something you always dreamed of from an early age or did you just drift that way?

JR:-- English was my worst subject in High School, and I avoided it during my time in college. I never once dreamed of being a writer until I sat down and decided to give it a try. I was always an avid reader, though, and that was enough for me.

14) What writers do you read and do you think you're voice was shaped by some of those you read?

JR: --Charles Bukowski, Raymond Carver, Flannery O’Connor, Stephen King, Ira Levin, Ross Macdonald, and Walter Mosely had the biggest influence on my style and voice. There are others, but these are the biggies.

15) The Cold Kiss" is a wonderful crime Noir novel that feels like it's set in the 70's but really it would feel at home in the 30's-50's as well. That is saying alot really. I think you & Megan Abbott would fit right in with Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, or Dorothy B. Hughes. What are your thoughts on that?

JR:-- The Cold Kiss is fundamentally about the choices people make, and if the book does translate to different time periods, I’m guessing that’s why. It’s basically a locked room story in that you have an eclectic group of characters trapped together in one isolated location, no modern technology, surrounded by endless snow. When you strip a story down to just characters interacting with one another like that, the period it takes place becomes somewhat irrelevant.

But for the record, The Cold Kiss takes place in the late 90’s or early 2000’s. There is a brief mention of a cell phone in there somewhere.

16) Where are you at in regards to Book 3?

JR: --Finished, thank God. I’ll have edits soon, but for now I can focus on something else.

17) You've said that Book 4 was "screaming to get out" and "will be your darkest yet". That has to have your readers just about salivating. Does it have a working title yet & can you share any more light on it other than it starts with a kidnapping?

JR:-- Sorry, can’t talk about it. I’m being superstitious about this one.

18) You've said that your first draft is just a starting point, how much time typically do you spend on edits?

JR: --I’ll keep editing books until I can’t physically look at them anymore. I’m kind of a perfectionist. When you read The Cold Kiss, you’re actually reading the manuscript I originally submitted. The only edits I had on that book were very light copy edits.

19) Does music play a role in your writing process and if so in what way?

JR:--I usually write in silence, but when I wrote The Cold Kiss I listened to a song called Playground Love by the band ‘Air’ pretty much non-stop. It’s a mesmerizing song to begin with, so I put it on a loop and let it run until it became white noise and I forgot about it.

20)How much time do spend in doing research for your books?

JR:-- It depends on the story. I’ll usually hold off on research until the first draft is done, but if a scene depends on specifics, like say the stages of decomposition a dead body would go through if left outside in the Midwest in the middle of summer, I’ll track down as much info as I can so I don’t have to do it later.

21) What kinda jobs have you done along the way and what do you currently do for a living? They say only 5% of writers write only.. do you hope to someday join that group, "give up the day job" and write full time?

JR:--I’ve had a lot of strange jobs. I spent fifteen years as a musician, so I job hopped a lot. Bar tending, telemarketing, psychic on a 1-900 psychic line, cemetery groundskeeper, gas station attendant, waiter, network engineer, graphic designer… Pretty much anything I could find that paid the bills.

As far as giving up the day job goes, I don’t know if I could. Part of me doesn’t think I’d ever leave the house. I’m not the most social person to start, and it might be worth it to keep the job just to have contact with other people. Still, it would be a nice choice to have.

22) Frank Bill?

JR:-- In his novel, Donnybrook, Frank Bill describes one of his female characters as having “a body shaped like a hunger”. That line still makes me happy. I’ll read anything he writes.

23) Do you think that E- books, blog sites, on line reviewers, are helping writers to get the work out there these days?

JR:-- The best thing you can do is get people talking about your book, so yes, I think those things are a great help. I’ve found a lot of great books after reading about them online.

I think social media can be an incredible tool, but I also think you can overdo the self-promotion thing. Reviews and interviews are great and can introduce a lot of people to your work, but when I see a writer on Facebook or Twitter posting the same post over and over, day after day, to try and get people to buy their book, my interest drops to zero. Maybe it’s just me, but I like the mystery. Books are fascinating. Writers are boring. If I’m overly aware of the person pulling the strings, it diminishes the experience.

24) When you’re not writing or working...what do you like to do for enjoyment?

JR: --I’ll hang out with my family, read... The usual stuff.

25) Do you already have a publisher for your next two books and if so whom?

JR: -- We’re ironing out the details on that as we speak. Hopefully I’ll have something to announce soon.

26) If it seems to good to be true..it probably is. Good thing Nate & Sara never listened to that advise?

JR: --Reasonable characters that follow good advice, play by the rules, and always try to do the right thing work just fine in places like Mitford, but they definitely don’t belong in noir fiction… Unless someone is stabbing them in the throat, I guess.

27) The snow worked so well here, a perfect setting..was that the setting from the get go or did it come to you later as you wrote?

JR: --I usually start writing without knowing anything about the story. Once I meet the characters, I’ll sit back and outline what I think will happen. With The Cold Kiss, I wrote the opening scene in the diner and the snow was already present, so it became part of the book.

Final Question: "The Cold Kiss" has drawn comparisons to books such as "A Simple Plan", "The Getaway", and "No Country For Old Men". That's great company to be in, Scott Smith, Jim Thompson & Cormac McCarthy. Although there are minor similarities in their story lines, it is the ability to write great characters and great prose that sets them apart. Would you agree or disagree with that?

JR: --I totally agree. Great characters and great prose will set anyone apart.

I’ve never read The Getaway, but I did enjoy A Simple Plan when I read it years ago, and No Country for Old Men is one of my all time favorite books. The simplicity and beauty of McCarthy’s prose in that one is absolutely stunning, especially if you understand how hard it is to write that way. Any writer who can strip a story or a novel down to its bones and still create such a vivid and heartbreaking picture like he did is really something special.

2010 "YEAR IN REVIEW" & Random Thoughts

2010-12-26T21:06:00.001-08:00

Top 10 FILMS of 2010 (in no particular order)
1. Winters Bone
2. Mesrine/Killer Instinct
3. Animal Kingdom
4. The Aura
5. The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo & Played With Fire
6. Exit Through the Gift Shop
7. The Wild & Wonderful Whites of West Virginia
8. The Killer Inside Me
9. True Grit
10.Black Swan

Honarble Mention:
* Red Riding Trilogy, The Fighter, Stone, Leaves of Grass

Top 10 Discovery's of 2010

1. Noir@Bar (St. Louis Style)
2. Frank Bill and Matt McBride
3. Old Crow Medicine Show
4. Howard Finsters Folk Art
5. Blake Crouch
6. Knob Creek
7. John Rector
8. Jim Tully
9. Chris Offutt
10. American Pickers

Honarable Mention:
Crimefactories, "THE BEST OF WHATEVER"
P&M Presses "Switchblade series"
Mulholland Books website
Tyrus Books/Busted Flush Press merger

Top Books Read in 2010

1. The Devil by Ken Bruen
2. Desert Places & Locked Doors by Blake Crouch
3. Pike by Benjamin Whitmer
4. The Cold Kiss by John Rector
5. Think of A Number by John Verdon
6. No Heroes by Chris Offutt
7. Savages by Don Winslow
8. Don't Quit Your Day Job by Sonny Brewer
9. Innocent Monster by Reed Farrel Coleman
10. Johnny Porno by Charlie Stella

* Note..the best thing I read all year, I can't even talk about. Someday maybe !!

Others of Note:
Print the Legend by Craig McDonald
Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski
The Poachers Son by Paul Doiron

2010 Favorite TV Series

1. Sons of Anarchy
2. Boardwalk Empire
3. Breaking Bad
4. The Walking Dead
5. American Pickers
6. Bored to Death
7. East Bound and Down
8. Justified
9. Storage Wars
10. The Glades

Honorable Mention:
True Blood, Oddities, Dexter, Billy the Exterminator

RANDOM THOUGHTS:

2010 was a pretty good year, not a great year, but a good year. Afterall, I got to meet two of my literary heroes ( Daniel Woodrell in April & William Gay in Nov. ). Then there was good times at Murder and Mayhem in Muskego, the Delta Blues Book Launch in Clarksdale,Ms. and Ebertfest. I also met Morgan Freeman and I started this website "Signs & Wonders" on Jan 3 and soon we'll celebrate 1 year. During that time I conducted 21 author interviews and man was that a treat. Each & every one was a blast to do, and I will always be grateful to those who shared their insights & time with me, ( as a matter of fact...the interviews were probably the highlight of 2010 for me personally). On the down side, my reading slipped quite bit in 2010. For the past 2 years I had read 65 + books a year, but it fell to 45 this year. I'm sure some of that has to do with this blog, but I'll make that trade and I'll bet in 2011 I'm back on pace. 2010 was also a terrible year for music in the area, especially after a super strong 2010. My only musical highlights were seeing Tom Russell,Gretchen Peters & Nanci Griffith perform together in Nashville, and catching Chris Gay, John Hammond, Blind Boys of Alabama and Loudon Wainwright III. The lowest point of 2010 was losing David Thompson and Barry Hannah. The older we get, the more people we lose and there ain't a thing we can do about it. But the spirit's of those we lost never leave us and are a constent source of comfort.

2011...Well it looks like it has lots of promise. How can we go wrong with the 2011 Bouchercon set right hear in our neck of the woods ( St. Louis, Mo ) in Sept. That alone is enough to keep a guys spirits up. In the coming days it looks like we got some great interviews coming your way as well. John Rector, Blake Crouch & Michael Lister, will all help to kick off the New Year in grand fashion. Hopefully we'll soon be finally getting that amazing interview with Guiness world record holder Martin Strel up & posted. Great things indeed. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year and I'll see you in the year ahead.

Got Pulp?

2010-12-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

Got Pulp?

Daniel Woodrell Books - Writer Woodrell Profile - Esquire

2010-12-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

Daniel Woodrell Books - Writer Woodrell Profile - Esquire

Newest Discovery & Random Thoughts 12/08/10

2010-12-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

This has been a year of terrific discoveries for me in the world of books. First I came across John Rector and "The Cold Kiss", Benjamin Whitmer and "Pike", John Verdon "Think Of A Number", and Chris Offutt's "No Heroes" and "The Good Brother". All terrific books and authors I will anxiously look forward to reading more of in the future. However, I am amazed that I had never read or heard of Blake Crouch. How did this oversight occur and why hasn't anyone I know been raving about this guy. Maybe I wasn't talking to the right people. I picked up Blake's debut novel "Desert Places" and the followup "Locked Doors" , at Murder and Mayhem and even introduced myself to Blake while I was there. It was Reed Farrel Coleman's recommendation that really did the trick and man am I ever grateful. I cannot wait to do a interview with Blake because I have alot of questions for him. The two Andrew Thomas books I mentioned previously read like lightening, & I couldn't and wouldn't put them down. My only disappointment was as I got closer and closer to the end of the second book, I didn't want it to end. These books really should be read back to back and they really read that way. After I finished "Desert Places", I immediately started reading "Locked Doors" and it felt like I had just paused and started the next chapter. I'd love to know if Blake wrote them as one book and then split them into two for publishing purposes. There are page turners and then there are "PAGE TURNERS". These books are well written and though some of the characters are serial killers and are truly evil people who do horrible things, he never gets too graphic in the kills or methods used. However, don't think for one second that these books aren't thrillers, they are downright scary, and you may think twice about settling in for your nice safe slumber next time. The Kite family can be summed up in 3 words "THE DEVILS REJECTS". My advise is to seek these two books out now, go over to your favorite independent mystery stores website or e-bay and purchase them both and read them in order..#1 Desert Places #2 Locked Doors and read them back to back. If you do as I ask you'll thank me later and I promise you a helluva ride.

RANDOM THOUGHTS: The next time your searching the web, go over to Mulholland Books and read Daniel Woodrell's newest non fiction piece posted there. It's outstanding and gives you some real insight to Mr. Woodrell's world that he so elegantly writes about in his books. Also, make sure you pick up the December issue of Esquire and flip to page 157 for a much overdue shout out to Daniel Woodrell. It looks like were not going to be able to keep him as our little secret much longer. It seems to me that William Gay can't be far behind and is equally deserving.

I was glad to see my buddies Jed Ayres and Scott Phillips made it to Fayetteville, Ar. recently to hear Tom Franklin read from "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter". Envious, jealous, but happy nonetheless, and thank God Jed has finally seen the light to the MECCA of the southern Gothic world, Oxford,Ms. You must go & you must take me with you. The folks at Square Books are just unbelievable nice folk & extremely well read and well versed and did I mention it's the home, or has been home, to Tom Franklin, Jack Pendarvis, Barry Hannah, Larry Brown, Willie Morris, John Brandon, Ace Atkins, John Grisham, Beth Ann Fennally, and some guy named William Faulkner. Oh, and you never know who will be there, actress Joey Lauren Adams of "Chasing Amy" calls it her home and just the other day singer Tom Waits was there. After you leave Oxford head over to Clarksville and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads" where he made a deal with the devil, and you might run into Morgan Freeman at the "Ground Zero Blues Club".
Whatever you do when you head down to the Delta, don't overlook a couple other really cool towns like Greenwood and Jackson.
Greenwood is home to a couple icons, Lusco's Restraunt (present since prohibition days) and the beautiful 5 Star Hotel "The Alluvian". Nearby is Turnrow Books, owned by Jaime Korngay and is a must see when in Greenwood. If you have a couple extra days on your visit, head south to Jackson.Ms and check out Lemuria Books "the jewel of Southern Ms." and spend some time with John whose a treasure trove of literary tales. If you can't tell that I'm passionate about Mississippi..then you ain't listening!

My new passion in the book collecting world is an overlooked writer from the 20's, JIM TULLY, who screams out to be rediscovered. Wait till after Christmas (so I can buy all my copies) and then track down "Circus Parade", Tully's work based on his days working the circus and carnival freak show circuit's.

Hunt down the magazine "COWBOY WAY" and read an enlightening story by one of the best living folk singer's Tom Russell on author & illustrator Tom Lea. Tom Lea lived in El Paso near Tom Russell and the two legends come together for one memorable day. Tom Lea is one of the true greats when it comes to illustrating the western way of life and penned the classic novel on bull fighting "The Brave Bulls".

Benjamin Whitmer's debut novel "PIKE"

2010-11-16T17:31:00.000-08:00

I recently heard my buddy Jed Ayres of "Hardboiled Wonderland" raving about a book he'd just read called "Pike". Well, I just finished up Benjamin Whitmer's debut novel, and the praise was warranted. The book was published by PM Press & Ben was nice enough to have them send me a copy. It may be a bit strong for those who love cozies, because there is nothing comfortable about "Pike". It is in your face, gritty, honest,and it revels in a world few dare to tread. Whitmer takes us on a journey through Hell and back (Cincinnati in fact) and exposes the underworld of dirty cops, drug addicts, prostitutes, and characters you'll love that aren't real like able. The book explores a hard world inhabited by even harder people. "This book is for those who like their Noir straight up, not stirred". I can't wait to see what Mr. Whitmer has for us next. I'll be keeping a close on Benjamin and PM Press.

Muder & Mayhem in Muskego

2010-11-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

What a weekend!! This was our first Murder and Mayhem in Muskego and we had a blast. The panels were interesting and it was great to see some of my favorite people again, but it's funny how the best part of these events is always the before and after, and the conversations on the side. After driving 6 hours to get there I was pumped to visit Mystery One Books, only to find a "Closed" sign hanging on the door due to working the meet & greet at Muskego. I was kinda bummed but things bounced back shortly after running into Reed Farrel Coleman, Victor Gischler, Sean Doolittle, Daniel Judson, Jeff Abbott, Libby Fischer Hellmann, Jen Forbus and her friend Judy in the bar at the Iron Horse Hotel. It was great visiting and catching up with old friends and making new ones. Judy & Jen.. sorry about the mix up at breakfast (our apologies), and Judy you can see already I'm terrible with punctuation as well. Ha One of the great things overall was discovering two new writers that I came away excited about, ( BLAKE CROUCH & HENRY PEREZ ). Before I forget, if you ever find yourself in Milwaukee and don't know where to stay, check out the beautiful IRON HORSE HOTEL located in downtown Milwaukee. It is just stunning! My wife and I caught a film on pay for view in our room that was...unforgettable. It's called "The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia", a documentary and I first heard about it on a tip from Jed Ayres,(thanks Jed). If you like southern goth & outlandish behavior then this film is for you. If you're a fan of Hank Williams III then you won't want to miss it as well. Saturday got off to a great start with a wonderful breakfast at the hotel with two of my favorite people, Scott Phillips and Reed Farrel Coleman. On the drive out to Muskego, we had an unusual experience when we stopped at a gas station to get directions & use the restroom and the owner tried to charge my wife 24.95 for a map of Muskego (which was free). He also didn't know where the library was ( 2 blocks away from him on the same road by the way) oh & the map did advertise for a 24.95 dollar oil exchange on the back...so it's easy to see how how he got confused. They probably never need to know how to give directions or read a map in the Middle East. That was interesting but the funniest thing that happened over the weekend was the show of effection Christa Faust's dog "BUTCH" had for Tom Schreck's stuffed beagle. I published the clean version (foreplay) at the top of this story, but if you want the rest of the story you gotta contact Christa for her photo. Let's just say Tom may wanna pick up a new version as this one got ravaged pretty good. It was great seeing Sean Chercover and hearing we're very close to seeing his next novel coming out and visiting with Michael Lister,( a great guy by the way ) and hearing that "Double Exposure" is going to be made into a film. That is very good news as "Double Exposure" was my favorite read of 2009. It was great to see Anthony Neil Smith, Chelsea Cain, Victor Gischler and Sean Doolittle again as well. Sean Doolittle needs to be doing audio books, he has a great voice for it and the guy is super smart as well. If there is a funnier writer out there than Victor Gischler, I haven't met him. Scott & Christa did a terrific job on their panel and kept the 50 & over group awake and on their toes. We had a event free trip home but we did enjoy our stop in Kenosha,Wi. at the MARS CHEESE CASTLE..it made me homesick for Wisconsin. I found the tollway on 294 interesting, pay the toll, don't pay the toll..your choice, quite interesting, and I missed all that downtown Chicago traffic. Good ending to a great weekend.

Dreams Do Come True...meeting William Gay 11/7/10

2010-11-10T18:29:00.000-08:00

As I boy I grew idolizing professional athletes like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Johnny Bench and Reggie Jackson. I grew out of that phase, but I have to admit even at 45, I am still star struck by a couple of my favorite authors such as Cormac McCarthy, Daniel Woodrell, William Gay, and Ken Bruen. I have been waiting to meet William for about 5 years now and had several close calls in the past with no success. There was a time I ran into Tom Franklin in Oxford,Ms. and we were in a discussion on William when Tom pulled out his cell phone, and says lets call him. Unfortunately,.. William never picked up. So, I waited patiently for William to make a public appearance for a book signing, but his new novel, "The Lost Country" has been held up for several years now. Then it finally happened, William was gonna be at The Southern Festival of Books & at Landmark Books in Franklin, Tn. I called up my friends and family and made plans and everything was set. On the day before he was scheduled to appear I got a call from Jed Ayres with the news William had cancelled both appearances due to his health. I can't begin to tell you how bummed I was at that moment. HOWEVER, the good news is William has made a full recovery, is feeling much better and rescheduled his signing at Landmark Books for Nov. 7th and it went off without a hitch. I was walking out of the bookstore following Madison Smart Bell's reading and book signing earlier that day, and I walk right into William Gay leaning against a car smoking a cigarette and it rendered me speechless, and for those of you who know me, that's quite an accomplishment. I soon recovered, and literally had one of the great evenings of my life. Sonny Brewer talked about how the book came about in the first place, ( an inspiration from John, the owner of LeMuria Books in Jackson,Ms.) which was pretty cool because I had just spent a couple hours in John's office this summer listening to tales of William Gay and other southern authors who had stopped in over the years. Then William pulled out his reading glasses and read his entire story from "Don't Quit Your Day Job". The packed crowd was delighted & the entire story was witty and quite amusing. William Gay has a wonderful talent for story telling and being able to find humor in himself and those around him. Sonny Brewer has put together quite the collection of authors here including many of my personal favorites such as Larry Brown, Pat Conroy, Tom Franklin, John Grisham, Silas House, Daniel Wallace and of course William Gay. Chris Gay, Williams son, also wooed the crowd with his talent as a musician. Check out the previous story to find out more on Chris. Following the reading's William hung around and signed books and spent quite abit of time in conversation with those lucky enough to be there for this occasion. I was thrilled that in the middle of telling William about an exciting new talented author who had admired his work, William says " would he like for me to blurb his book"...do bears #@%!* in the woods. Oh my goodness, I couldn't wait to get home & tell the author of the offer. I hope it works out! William also spent time sharing his thoughts on meeting Hal Holbrook,and his books being made into film (Bloodsworth & That Evening Sun) and just as I was asking him about "The Long Home" & the screenplay that Scott Phillips & Jed Ayres had done, we were interrupted by a young lady needing her books signed. I certainly understood the urgency and I forgave her but I sure would have liked to have heard the answer. The evening was everything I dreamed of and could have hoped for. William Gay is one of the nicest & coolest authors I've run across and I hope he enjoys the bottle of homemade rhubarb wine I took him..it's good stuff!

Chris Gay...Superstar in waiting !!

2010-11-10T18:27:00.001-08:00

I wanted to give everyone a heads up on a terrific musician I stumbled across that you may not have heard of yet, but I believe you will down the road. His name is Chris Gay, and he's the son of the very talented writer William Gay. I went down to Landmark Books in Franklin,Tn. on Nov. 7th for William Gay & Sonny Brewer's book signing for "Don't Quit Your Day Job". Well Chris came along & brought his guitar and really made quite the impression. Chris performed 4 songs he had written, starting with, "Go Crazy,Quietly" and "Lordy Elvis", before taking a request from his Father, "Statesboro Blues" and a request from Sonny, "Throw a Rock in the Road". Chris is a very talented musician & has recently recorded 3 songs in a studio in Nashville,Tn. and we'll be awaiting word on there availability. I talked with Chris afterwards and he's a heck of a nice guy, who's cut his teeth on his father's & Larry Brown's literature. I had a great time visiting with him and I hope to do a follow up interview with Chris very soon.

Jed Ayres Interview: 11/05/10 Hardboiled Wonderland

2010-11-05T14:48:00.001-07:00

Jed Ayres is one of the hosts of St. Louis' own Noir@ Bar. His short stories have been published in anthologies, magazines & on the web. He has just finished his first novel,"Peckerwood" and he writes screenplays. Jed acted in, wrote & produced the film "Mosquito Kingdom" which played at the Tivoli at the St.Louis Film Festival. Mr. Ayres also runs the website "HARDBOLIED WONDERLAND". He is a husband, and father of 2 boys and I'm proud to call him my good friend. It's my pleasure to bring you a new interview with Mr. Ayres who is currently in Philadelphia at NoirCon and is the envy of all of us who got left behind!

1)Noir @ Bar just met for the 7th time. Has it lived up to your expectations, is it something you hope to continue indefinitely, and would you like it to grow?

Noir at the Bar has surpassed my original expectations. I didn’t know if we’d register interest from anybody for it. I’ve been to some awfully dull literary events and we didn’t want our baby to resemble those bloodless readings in any way. The enthusiasm the event has garnered in the crime community has been very exciting, and I’m always floored and humbled when a writer I admire will come participate in our tawdry little production.

I would like to see it grow in a few ways. First, I’d love to see St. Louis become a destination for crime writers and hungry young talent to make a mark. Second, I’d love to see the city really embrace the event. Our budget is whatever is in my pocket… ummm, nothing. So, advertising is pretty much nil. The Riverfront Times has run some pieces on us and that’s been much appreciated, but we’re relying on word of mouth to promote it. Third, I’d like for Subterranean Books to prosper and independent bookstores and small publishers especially to get a shot in the arm from what we’re doing. And fourth, I’d like to become disgustingly wealthy from the whole affair.

2) Who first got the ball rolling, you or Scott? Was its origin based on the Philly Noir at the Bar?

When Scott came back from NoirCon in 2008, he mentioned that there was an event in Philadelphia called Noir at the Bar, so named by Peter Rozofsky(SP?), and wouldn’t it be fun to do something like that in St. Louis? Uh, yeah. It would. I have no idea if our events bare any similarity other than the name. I’ve heard that Scott Montgomery and Harry Hunsicker put on a Noir at the Bar Houston style recently and I’d love to have seen that, but again, I have no idea how similar an experience they may be.

3) Who's on your dream list of authors you'd like to see in St. Louis at N@B someday?

Here’s where I’m going to get in trouble for leaving somebody off, but the list truly is infinite. One of the first things that occurred to me when planning it was that it would be great to pair newbies with my heroes – kind of level the playing field and treat everybody equally – let the work speak for itself. So there are a bunch of writers without book deals that I would love to have participate alongside luminaries like…

4) Have you gotten an opportunity to read Scott Phillips's new book "RUT" yet and your thoughts if you have?

I read Rut a couple years ago in manuscript form and loved it. Scott’s got a real strength for creating ensembles of memorable characters to bounce off of each other in hilarious, perverse and tragic ways. He’s also great at seeing things through to their natural conclusions and consequences, for instance, nobody is ever neatly killed off in his books, once dead they pose new problems that have to be dealt with – he may have been a real sack of shit in life, but now he’s a literal sack of shit on the living room floor and we have to hide him - So, the opportunity for him to go a few years into the future and deal with the behavioral trends taken for granted now and play around with the consequences of it all with a fantastic stock of characters was not to be missed.

5) HARDBOILED WONDERLAND,is one of the best, if not the best, crime-mystery related sites on the web. What are some of your favorite websites to peruse?

That’s too much, really, but thanks. I have no idea how you’re supposed to do it. I have no idea what the gadgets and tools that ‘blogger’ offers do or how to install them, I’m totally useless there. I peruse very lightly and am often overwhelmed by a site’s main page – so many flashing lights and videos and advertisements and links – I skip ‘em. I’m an old fart. I get overwhelmed by print magazines that get too creative with their layout too. I check out The Rap Sheet and Spinetingler, Keith Rawson’s video interviews are great and The Nerd of Noir is always entertaining and insightful – I actually read the non-fiction portions of Crimefactory before the fiction too, they’re doing nice things over there. Mulholland Books has come out of the gates with a dizzying display of quality essays from top-notch talents. I don’t know how long they can keep that pace up, they haven’t even published a single title yet, but as long as they’re rolling along at this clip, I’m checking them out. Actually, I’d love to see a print collection of those essays. I’m a Luddite like that.

6) I know that you and Scott have been to L.A. recently pitching some screenplays and a TV series. Have you gotten any feedback or movement in that area since your return?

Scott and I have some scripts and concepts that are pretty kick ass, but I haven’t quit my day jobs yet.

7) You've been working†on your first novel for a while now, are you in the editing process now & how close are you to having a finished product, and shopping it around? Have started looking for an agent yet?

The novel’s working title is "Peckerwood" and it’s looking for a home now. I’m currently gathering dirt on various agents and publishers whom I hope to intimidate and coerce into making me wealthy.

8) You've written a novel, directed a film, acted in a film, written screenplays, had several short stories published,run a terrific website, and write a column for Barnes and Noble. Oh, I forgot you also help run St. Louis's own, N@Bar. AND..you’re a husband & a father of two wonderful boys. How do you do it or do you just change in a phone booth somewhere?

I have an amazing wife.

9) Otto Penzler recently commented on Cornell Woolrich, Jim Thompson, and David Goodis’ stature as legends of the crime noir, by saying that there are three current writers who may well be held in the same esteem some day. They were Stuart Neville, Ken Bruen, and Tom Franklin. Would you agree with that and is there anyone else you would add to that list? Also, I gotta note here that I've interviewed 2 of those here at S & W's, (Stuart & Ken), you think you can help me get one with Tom?

I don’t think there’s any arguing that those are three great contemporary writers, but there’s no way to say, with any kind of objectivity, what’s going to be carried on a generation or two down the road. In the case of Thompson, when he died he was out of print. I don’t think many people were banking on him having a resurgence or the legacy he does now. And he’s certainly not the first writer, (or artist of any field), to die in obscurity only to be greatly influential and appreciated a few decades down the road. So who’s to say who that could be now? But if you want to point out some folks creating exciting prose styles that are already being imitated and innovating the way we experience the written word, you’d have to throw in names like James Ellroy, Daniel Woodrell, Chuck Palahniuk and Irvine Welsh, plus a bunch more.

10) Tell me about Mosquito Kingdom, what did you enjoy about the experience and what did you dislike about it?

How long have you got? I enjoyed writing it. My second son was just born and I would literally be up in the middle of the night, rocking him to silence with my foot while typing away. In retrospect, I’m glad that I was such an integral part of the process of getting the film made. There were four of us that really got it done – Brad Hodge was the fearless visionary who had the sack to do it in the first place, Derek Elz is the only one who was present for every single second of production and post production, our workhorse and also responsible for the cool look and editing of the film, our star Chad Bockholdt kept showing up no matter what happened the last time we shot. I couldn’t believe it. I don’t know how many times I thought we’d lost him for sure, but Chad’s a dedicated actor and apparently has no standards or sense of shame. And I wrote it and rewrote it everyday into post-production just to make it coherent. It’s not a great movie. But it’s a movie. A finished and watchable movie. One that I’m proud of. I know more people with half-finished films that will never see completion and ideas for scripts that they’ll never get made. I didn’t want to be another one of those guys. I’ve got a finished film, dammit. Now I can try to make a better one. Anyone who has ever made a film can testify that even making a bad movie is very difficult.

11) I thought you did a very nice job acting in that one. Is that something you would be interested in doing more of in the future?

Thanks. I’m not opposed to it, but it’s not something I’m seeking out.

12) You and Scott Phillips are pretty good buddies, how did your friendship develop and tell us something about Scott that we might not know.

I was a bookseller when The Ice Harvest film came out. I’d never heard of the book, but when it came in with the movie cover on it, I picked it up to check it out. The movie credits shocked me. Richard Russo wrote the screenplay? Get the hell out. I figured that if it was worth Russo’s time it was worth mine. And it was.

I found out that Scott lived in town and approached him through his website to do an appearance in my store. He came in to sign some books and I slipped him a copy of a short story I’d written and he very graciously read it and offered to give me some notes on it. He’s been very supportive and I don’t think the fact that I possess some incriminating photos of him from his Paris days even factors into it. He’s the best.

13) The best 3 films I've seen this year were Winter's Bone, Mesrine & Animal Kingdom. How about you, can you give us your fav's and something we might have missed?

My theater going has slowed down to a pretty pathetic rate these days. What I’ve seen is hardly representative of what I’d like to. For instance, I missed Mesrine, Red Riding and The Square during their theatrical runs. I probably wont even get to see The Town or Jackass on the big screen and Valhalla Rising never even came around. I did see and enjoy Winter’s Bone, Animal Kingdom and The Killer Inside Me over the summer, and I thought Brooklyn’s Finest was worthwhile, but far and away my favorite film of the year is A Prophet. It’s out on DVD now. You have no excuse.

14) Do you think you'll look back someday & go "OMG" I helped host Frank Bill & Matthew McBride's first public readings? What do you think the future holds for these 2 youngsters?

I already do. I accept full responsibility for all of their success and apologize profusely to the world. I wouldn’t rule out jail for either of them.

15) Give me 5 living writers that you couldn't live without?

The dude who wrote “may be harmful if swallowed” on the cans of paint. That guy saved my life more than once, but I don’t know if he’s still around.

My bosses (2) who write my name and theirs on paychecks.

The lawmakers who crafted government support for my economically vulnerable family.

Nicholas Sparks. Without him reminding the world that books exist no one would buy them any more. Ever. As someone who’d like to make a living selling books some day I’ve got to say thanks for that, Sparks.

16)What are some books you have read lately that everyone should seek out immediately?

Pike by Benjamin Whitmer, Wolves of Fairmount Park by Dennis Tafoya, The Cold Kiss by John Rector, Savages by Don Winslow, Misadventure by Millard Kaufman, Wake Up Dead by Roger Smith, Nobody’s Angel by Jack Clark, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin, Florida Gothic Stories by Vicki Hendricks, Late Rain by Lynn Kostoff… are all 2010 books that I really enjoyed… I know I’m leaving off a bunch too… dammit.

17) I know that you and Scott wrote a screenplay for William Gay's first novel, "The Long Home.” Any movement or word on the chances of something happening there?

Haven’t heard anything new on that front for a while. I think people are waiting to see how the other Gay adaptations perform. We’ve had some nice attention from it. People say they like it, but I haven’t quit my day jobs.

18) Off the top of your head, are there a couple of books that you would love †to have a chance to†write a screenplay for?

The Ones You Do by Daniel Woodrell. That’s the one of his that just screams “movie” to me, though I hear the rights have recently been snatched up on that one. I’d love to write an adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s short story The Hardened Criminals. That is one of the most horrifying stories I’ve ever read and I think it could make a hell of a potent, scary movie. Duane Swierczynski’s The Blonde would make a great movie and it’s more or less structured like one already. I’d love to swoop in and take the credit for “writing” that kick ass film. Easy A.

19) You are a terrific interviewer, is there a dream interview still out there waiting to happen?

Definitely.

20) St. Louis will be hosting Bouchercon in 2011, are you planning any big events for N@B in connection with the mystery conference? It seems like a great chance to gather some very special writers for a night out on the town after hours at the Delmar Lounge.

I’m really torn about it. B’Con sounds like “play time” to me and I want to enjoy it. Noir at the Bar, especially on an epic level, sounds pretty stressful to carry. What I’m thinking at the moment is maybe an event the night before B’Con with the real nuts who are in town a night early. Could be a marathon event too. You comin?

Final Question: Where would you like to see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?

Between Abbott and Bardsley on the bookshelves.

William Gay Rescheduled at Landmark Books

2010-11-03T18:36:00.000-07:00

The William Gay booksigning with Sonny Brewer at Landmark Books in Franklin, Tn. that was cancelled in Oct. due to health reasons, has been rescheduled for this Sunday at 5 p.m. Author, Madison Smart Bell, will read and sign his newest book at 3 p.m. before the Brewer/Gay signing. This is a don't miss event as William does not make many public appearances these days. Hope to see you there.

Free Ticket Giveaway! Eat,Pray, Love

2010-11-02T07:36:00.001-07:00

I am offering 2 free tickets to the St. Louis Speaker Series to hear Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the amazing best seller, EAT,PRAY,LOVE on Nov. 9th at the Powell Symphony Hall in St. Louis. All you have to do is be the first one to post you name & address in the comment section & I will mail those tickets out to you tomm. Good Luck!

FRANK BILL INTERVIEW: 10/30/10

2010-10-30T16:25:00.001-07:00

It is a real pleasure to bring you this interview with Frank Bill. I really believe he will be a key voice in the future of crime writing. His short stories can be found all over the place at Thuglit,Plots with Guns, and Beat to a Pulp, amongst others. He is a midwesterner, a "Hoosier" and he writes from the heart and leaves blood on the page. I for one, anxiously await his debut and it's my pleasure to welcome him to "Signs & Wonders". The interview below was done all the while as Frank continued editing and writing and somehow still found time to squeeze this in. It is with great appreciation that I give you Mr. Frank Bill.

Q: I think everyone is excited about your debut. What's the title, the publisher and when can we expect to see it on the shelves?

A: Crimes in Southern Indiana, will be published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux, it’ll be my first book. It’s a group of stories connected by characters surviving within a small town. There’s not a tentative date, but it will hit shelves sometime in the Summer/Fall of 2011.

Q: Do you have anything else already in the can or are you already working on the next book?

A: As of this writing I’m working on edits for CISI. I’ve another novel written that needs some polishing and is very personal, my agent has it. And I’ve another I’m about 30 or 40 pages into called HOUSE OF FLIES and two other projects on the back burner.

Q: With your debut set to be released soon, will you be doing any book tours in promoting it & if so where will the first signing be?

A: Well the debut is still a ways off. I’m hoping to do a book tour but as of this writing I do not know when or where. That’ll be something discussed with my Publicist, Editor and Agent. But when I know more I’ll let everyone know.

Q: I asked this same question to Stuart Neville, but would we be seeing Frank Bill getting published, (thank goodness we are) without the short story? I mean you already have a following based on all your short stories that have been published all over the place.

A: I think so. My shorts and the characters that evolve within them were coming out on the page and regardless of the short form or the long form, they were looking for a home.

Q: Why is it all the really cool & crazy people are from Indiana? Did I mention we're both Hoosiers.

A: Every state has its share of interesting characters. Indiana has David Letterman, Woody Harrelson, James Dean and Steve McQueen and by Murder by Death (Great band).

Q: This isn't a very original question but I have to ask it because I really want to know. What writers have influenced you the most or made you want to be a writer?

A: My influences came in phases. I never read a lot of fiction growing up. As a kid I read Outdoor Life Magazine and books about Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Sandy Koufax and a lot of comic books. In my teens I read a lot about serial killers like Ed Gein, Henry Lee Lucas and Gary Heidnik. In my twenties I read books on Taoism, Buddhism (eastern religion or philosophy) and weight lifting. Sometime around 98 or 99 a movie came out called Fight Club. I read in the credits that it was based on a novel by Chuck Palahniuk. The bookstore I went to didn’t have Fight Club, so I ordered it and found out he’d written two other novels, one of which was on the shelf. I bought it, Invisible Monsters. After that I was hooked on Chuck’s work and style. And I began reading every interview on Chuck that I could find. I wanted to understand where his writing came from, understand his tone and style. I began writing like mad, mostly about things I knew little about. Filling up notebooks.

During this time period I read Irvine Welsh, Brett Easton Elliss, Jason Starr, Jim Thompson, Andrew Vachss, Craig Clevenger, A.M. Homes, Hunter S. Thompson, Will Christopher Baer and Larry Brown. There were others, but these writers molded me with style and mood.

I finished my first novel, Acting Out, in 2003. And it’s now in the Beat to a Pulp Anthology. It represents my anger as a young man during my twenties, in many ways I was still maturing as a writer. I hadn’t found my niche nor my subject matter. I’d found my voice but I was far from being mature.

The writer who really stuck with me was Larry Brown. I kept going back to his books cause I could relate to his stories, the characters reminded me of growing up around my grandfather, father and mother and cousins and all of the people I’d interacted with. I began rereading Larry’s work and searching out interviews with him while looking for similar writers and digging deeper into my own roots.

Eddie Little, Tom Franklin, Dorothy Allison and William Gay were next and they like Larry showed me that I could write about things I knew and where I came from but also things I didn’t. Cormac McCarthy, Daniel Woodrell, Silas House, Ron Rash, Chris Offutt, Pinckney Benedict, Gurney Norman and Chris Hollbrook came later. And in 2008 I discovered Donald Ray Pollock, Neil Smith and Kyle Minor.

Looking back, I’d say Larry Brown’s JOE, Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina, Ron Rash’s One Foot In Eden, Chris Offutt’s The Good Brother, Tom Franklin’s Poachers, Chris Holbrook’s Hell and Ohio, Harry Crew’s A Childhood and William Gay’s The Long Home, those novels really shaped my mind and told me you can do this. They brought back a lot of characters, stories and life experiences from when I was a kid.

And others I’ve got on my shelf and plan to read are Alex Taylor, M. Glenn Taylor, Benjamin Percy and Chris Holbrook’s new book of shorts.

Let me add this, one of the best books I’ve read in the past few years was Philipp Meyer’s American Rust. My father and uncles are form Pennsylvania and my grandfather worked in the steel mills. So this book was a real treasure.

Q: Keith Rawson ( someone I really respect) said that he felt the future of crime writing or noir was going to come from the backwoods, not the classrooms. When I think of that description I think of William Gay, Larry Brown etc... What do you think of that comment and what is it these writers bring to the table that other "schooled or trained writers do not" ?

A: Keith is a true friend and great supporter much like Neil, Jed and Scott. I think what Keith was saying is that the future of crime writing or writing in general will come from a natural person not schooled. Someone who has been or is down in the shit and dirt, who knows real problems associated with loss, dysfunction, abuse and acceptance. Rather it be a laid off factory worker in the unemployment line or the town sewage worker who drops a dime every evening at the local bar cause his wife left him for meth. They’ve lived and viewed scenes within life that others have not and they can relate this raw human condition through words on the page.

William Gay and Larry Brown bring the same thing Earnest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac and Erskine Caldwell brought to the table, a natural style from their everyday surroundings. It’s something a writer learns without direction but through hours and years of reading, writing and paying attention to life.

There’s nothing wrong with learning to write in a classroom but if you want to be a writer, you have to have a lot of life experience to draw from, you gotta ask questions and know how to make others see and feel your answers. And you have to make it interesting from the first word and each and every word that follows.

Q: Who's the craziest amongst you, yourself, Matthew McBride or Anthony Neil Smith or Jed Ayres?

A: Probably McBride.

Q: You participated in the very 1st Noir@ Bar in St. Louis, Mo. along with Anthony Neil Smith. Tell us about that experience, were you nervous, pumped, etc.?

A: That was a good time. Neil was and always will be a great a friend. He, Jed and Scott Phillips have helped me out in ways that I can never repay them. But back to the question. To be honest I drove 4 hours with my big buddy Don The Law Dog. And I was nervous because I’d never read my work to other people, let alone an audience and I’d just drank two double espressos back to back and when my turn came my nerves were rattled. My arms were shaking so bad from the caffeine that I had to hold the story I was reading with two hands. But it went well and I made some friends for life. Scott, Jed and Neil were great hosts and they killed it with their reads.

Q: I know you're planning a little book signing, or get together next year in Indiana ,with Jed, Anthony, Matt, and John Rector I believe. Can you share a little about that here? It sounds like a don't miss event to me.

A: At this point it’s only an idea. I’ve spoken with Rector, Smith, Ayres, Minor and Pollock. They’d like to do it. And if we do it’ll be at my buddies’, Thad Holton and Scott Alford’s family pub, Beef O’Brady’s here in Corydon. Have the local bookstore, Arlston’s Booksellers supply the books. Just a night of reading, drinking, hanging with friends, family and hopefully selling some books.

Q: What did you think of John Rector's debut novel " A Cold Kiss" and have you read his next novel "The Grove" yet? Oh, and thanks for the heads up in regards to John's work.

A: Rector’s ‘A Cold Kiss’ is AMAZING! I read it two or three sittings. It was one of those books you hated to put down, a cross between Raymond Carver and Cormac McCarthy. And I have not read ‘The Grove’ yet.

Q: Matthew McBride, wow...this guy is absolutely crazy and I mean that in the nicest way. You've read some of Matthew's work. Do you think Matt has what it takes to be the next big thing in crime fiction? He reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson to a large degree.

A: I’ve read some of his work. He’s hitting it. My belief is he’s got the chops but he’s still a ways from writing to his full potential. His writing tone and style are still maturing. That takes a good long while to do, you gotta waste a lot of pages to find the few that matter. But he’s on his way. He’s lighting fires at the heals of Ayres, Bardsley and Shea. Some others to watch are Patti Abbott, A-9, Nolan Knight, Chris Benton, Jimmy Callaway, Jason Duke, Matthew Funk, Michael A. Gonzales, Dan O’Shea, Steve Weddle and even the editor writers/reviewers David Cranmer and Keith Rawson. There’s an entire underbelly of writers waiting to explode. It’s pretty damn amazing.

Q: I know you are a big film fan. I also know you have a very dark since of humor. Can you tell us some of your favorite films or some of the directors work who really grab you?

A: Man, that’s a long list. But here are a few.
Full Metal Jacket, Pulp Fiction, Fight Club, A Perfect World, The Getaway (Old version),
Buffalo ’66, Chopper, Straw Dogs, Narc, U-Turn, Your Friends and Neighbors, Five Easy Pieces, Cool Hand Luke, Deliverance, Indian Runner, Cold Mountain, Chrystal, Sling Blade, 21 Grams, Devil’s Rejects, Come Early Morning, Audition, Old Boy, Bonnie & Clyde, A History of Violence, Frontiers, I Stand Alone, Big Bad Love, Crank 2, Hostel, High Tension.

I like drama and horror and directors who write their own material. Two films I recently caught, That Evening Sun and Winter’s Bone.

Documentaries like, Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus, The Rough South of Larry Brown, Born Into This (Bukowski), It’ll Be Better Tomorrow(Hubert Selby Jr.), are also of interest.

Television, which I watch less and less of, but Deadwood, The Wire, The Shield and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are great.

Q: Let's talk music for a moment here. Who do you listen to and does it have any place in your writing regiment?

A: I grew up listening to my mother’s 45’s of Elvis Presley or my grandmother’s boyfriend’s 8 tracks of Johnny Cash and Hank Williams Sr.. But it took me years and years to rediscover this.

Here are a few that I listen to:

Drive By Truckers, Hank III, Ryan Bingham, Hayes Carll, William Elliott Whitmore, Son Volt, Hank Williams Sr., Johnny Cash, R.L. Burnside, Blue Mountain, Bob Dylan, Todd Snider, Scott H. Biram, Justin Townes Earle, Tom Waits, Dock Boggs, CCR, Fred McDowell, James McMurtry, John Prine, Lucero, Lightin’ Hopkins, Lucinda Williams, Malcolm Holcombe, Old Crow Medicine Show.

Really too many to name. But like books, music has to be something that I can relate to. I’m more into singer/songwriters or real old country or Delta Blues. I’m not a fan of new country which isn’t even country music anymore. I can’t relate to the sound nor the voice. It’s too damn clean and flashy.

For me, music sets the canvas when I’m driving around and hashing out characters, actions and scenes for landscape or memory. It’s my soundtrack. When my cousin, Denny, comes in from Michigan the first thing we do is get the drinks going and listen to tunes, catch up and go over the old days and all of the crazy shit we used to do.

Q: What writers, publishers, people in general have reached out to you on your way to getting a book deal? Surely there has been help from someone along the way?

A: The following Editors, Lady D of Thuglit, Anthony Neil Smith of Plots With Guns, Aldo Calcagno of Darkest Before the Dawn, Elaine Ash and David Cranmer of Beat to a Pulp have all been really good to me. Really supportive. Neil and Lady D really helped me see the writing on the wall. Made me take more time in the realm of editing. Neil and Scott Phillips have been great friends and mentioned an agent to me. Jed Ayres, Kyle Minor, Kieran Shea, Greg Bardsley and Keith Rawson have offered a great amount of support, advice and friendship and they’re also great writers.

Q: Have you always wanted to be a writer, and at what time in your life did you first start putting pen to paper?

A: I’ve always kept a journal. I started trying to write fiction when I was twenty eight or twenty nine. And pen to paper is how I write. I keep notes in a leather bound journal and I carry a Mole Skin in my back pocket at all times. I’ll be at work on my fork truck and that voice will render it’s self and I gotta stop and write it down. Same goes in the car or at the grocery.

Q: Do you "put pen to paper" or do you write on your computer solely? It's funny how pen & paper and the typewriter are starting to disappear these days.

A: I write pen to page. Compile notes. Take it back to my computer and work it all out. Print it to hard copy and edit. Then compile more notes and ideas and brainstorming. It’s a vicious circle.

Q: Up to this point in your life you have had to make a living another way other than writing. What kinda jobs have you done to pay the bills? You can make up another name for hit man if you like?

A: Well, I still don’t make a living at writing. But I started washing dishes at a restaurant when I was fifteen. Delivered pizza when I got my license. I’ve worked in a lumber yard, a Home Quarters, a rent to own store (loved that job), then when I turned twenty one I got a job in factory and I’ve been doing that for 15 years. It pays well and I got insurance. But if a person can do what they love and make a living at it, I say go for it. Life goes too damn quick to waste it on the mundane.

Q: Why is writing important to you?

A: Telling a story and being able to show the flaws and frustrations of a person and the depths to which he or she will sink is interesting to me. Especially when the story is un-predictable. So to me it’s important to create fictional lives that represent a class of people who’ve struggled all of their lives and show what they come up with or don’t. I wanna give a voice to real people and tell their stories regardless of fault with no apologies.

Final Question: Was Bouchercon in Indy your first one & what was it like to you? Your impressions and did you use it at as a means of making connections or were you there just hanging out, and taking it all in? Will we see you in St. Louis in 2011 for Bouchercon?

A: Yeah, Indy was my first. I was a bit awe struck. I mean I’m walking around as a fan but being introduced as a writer. I hung out with Neil Smith all day. Met and hung out with Stacia, my super agent, we had drinks and lunch with Joelle Charbonneau, Dan O’Shea, Victor Gischler and Kieran Shea. Neil introduced me to Gary Phillips, Megan Abbott, Sean Doolittle, Christa Faust, Craig McDonald and a lot of others. I met with John Rector and long time friend on-line Greg Bardsley. The night before Jed stayed down at my place and we got to hang out and drink and discuss life, it was pretty surreal. Only thing I hated was not getting to stay longer and share drinks with Scott Phillips. But I plan on being at the Bouchercon in 2011 and hopefully making another Noir at the Bar.

Mystery and crime publishing is bloody booming! - Booked - Reading unbound - Forbes

2010-10-29T14:44:00.000-07:00

Mystery and crime publishing is bloody booming! - Booked - Reading unbound - Forbes

Interviews Coming..look out for Frank Bill & Martin Strel

2010-10-26T19:23:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on some exciting interviews soon to hit this site. I am very excited about both of them. The first is with Martin Strel a.k.a. "THE BIG RIVER MAN". Martin has swam the entire length of the Amazon, Danube, Yangtze, and Missississippi River and he is a fascinating man with quite a story to tell. The second is with a truly amazing debut author, Frank Bill. It won't be long till he's a household name, because he's that good. I'm just like everyone else here, I can't wait to here what they have to say. So stay tuned, it won't be long now!

" I Am Number Four" by Pittacus Lore

2010-10-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

I was in St. Louis a couple weeks ago & I was browsing the shelves of Subturranean Books in U. City when I stumbled onto an unusual looking book called "I AM NUMBER FOUR". I didn't buy it at the time but I did order a library copy to check it out later. I didn't know much about it other than it involved aliens living amongst us here on earth, and that the story was being told through #4. There were 9 to start with and 1-3 had been peviously killed. Now #4 was being hunted and on the run. If they die, then we die as well. I started reading it out loud to my wife and within 50 pages I was totally engrossed in the book. I am not a big sci-fi guy either, but the story is well told, fast paced, with lots of interesting characters. Half way through it I didn't want to put it down, but the biggest surprise was that as I finished the book I couldn't wait to read the next book in the series. It was that good. I'd highly recommend it to you, but I do have one disclaimer, it's for teens. Please don't let that stop you though. Yeah I know, it's kinda embarassing admitting you're reading teen lit but its a worthy indulgence. Dreamworks and Steven Speilberg must have liked it as well since they're hard at work on the movie version. I for one can't wait to see it and this may very well be the next Harry Potter, or Twilight series. Just remember you heard it here first!

"Random Thoughts"

2010-10-26T18:13:00.000-07:00

The fall is usually my favorite time of the year. This fall has been particularly beautiful, so why can't I shake those summer time Blues? I guess it's because I'm one of those people who get depressed when there is nothing going on that makes you feel alive. I need a reading event, a concert, a movie...something to be excited about or something to look forward to. This fall has offered none of those. I had to sit and listen to others rave about how wonderful Bouchercon was this year in San Francisco. Next week, I'll get to hear about how killer Noir Con was in Philly. Yes, I'm stuck here in the Midwest dreaming I was there. I finally had something to be excited about when I heard William Gay was making an appearance in Franklin, Tn. I've been waiting about 5 years for William to make an appearance and I wasn't going to miss this one. I even found sidekicks in Jed Ayers & Scott Phillips to go along. So, naturally he cancelled the day before the event. Then I missed my first Noir@ Bar in St. Louis since the first one, due to work. I missed Crime Factory's Cameron Ashley & Jonathon Woods as well. I've been waiting for weeks on a couple interviews I was excited about as well, so it's like Groundhog Day...everything seems in limbo lately..a perpetual holding pattern. I'm waiting on something or someone to break me out of these doldrums. Anybody got any good news to pick this downtroden fellow up?

I mean come on, there's only so much a guy can take. This summer I caught "Winters Bone" (twice), The Killer Inside Me, Animal Kingdom, Mesrine, both Dragon flicks, and now...NOTHING! Last year, I caught Tom Russell, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Slaid Cleaves, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Levon Helm while Lucinda Williams & Tom Waits hit St. Louis as well. This Fall, "NOTHING" NADA, ZIP !!

Someone please give me something, throw me a crumb, give me something to get excited about. I do know that Murder & Mayhem in Muskego is rapidly approaching (Nov. 13th) and I plan on attending before the guys in the white jackets and butterfly nets show up looking for me.

hunter.s.thompson.avi

2010-10-16T07:15:00.000-07:00

William Gay to appear at Landmark Books

2010-10-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

I really thought about keeping this a secret, so maybe I would be one of the few to attend. However, I know how much this rare opportunity means to me and I'm betting there are others like yourself out there who would be just as excited. William Gay, author or "THE LONG HOME", "PROVINCES OF THE NIGHT", and "TWILIGHT" will make a very rare appearance at Landmark Books in Franklin, Tn. on Sun. Oct 10th at 5 p.m. William Gay will be signing along side author Sonny Brewer, both will sign Sonny's new book "Don't Quit Your Day Job". This book is actually about authors who have done just that. Maybe we'll get lucky & Tom Franklin will show up as well. Tom is also featured in Sonny's book. If you are a huge William Gay fan I highly recommend this event, but do yourself a favor & show up early to have some time to explore Landmark's wonderful shelves and walk around beautiful historic Franklin. If you do go, come up & say hello...I'll be the one with a smile that just won't quit.

KNOW ANIMALS, Jonathan Safran Foer at Wash. U

2010-10-01T06:47:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Safran Foer, was in St. Louis on Thursday giving his last ever reading from his latest book "EATING ANIMALS". Foer spoke to a packed house at Graham Chapel on the campus of Washington University and then hung around to meet and greet and book signing. J.S. Foer is the author of two previous novels, "EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED" and "EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE". His latest novel "EATING ANIMALS" takes a good hard look at Factory farming and all it's evils in regards to animal cruelty and Foer's own decsion to become a vegetarian. Personally, I loved his first two novels but have not yet read his newest for a reason...I LOVE MEAT. I'm sorry but I do, I could, and often do exist on chicken, pork chops or steak in one manner or another. Vegetables, I can take them or leave them. So, the thought of a life without meat makes me cringe just thinking about it. However, on this night I was intrigued by Foer's witty insights and humor. He impressed me to the point of selecting "Eating Animals" for my book clubs first selection of this year. His passion wooed me and I do love animals so the least I can do is read it, contemplate it, and see what happens. The worst thing that can happen I suppose, is to follow Foer's request and cut out out meat at least one day a week. I mean is that really too much to ask after all. I'll keep you posted on this one. By the way, Jonathon Safran Foer published his first novel at the age of 25 and has been selected for a list of the greatest 20 writers under 30 alive today throughout the world. He is definitely one to watch.

Helen Simpson, of Big Sleep Books "Mystery Advocate"

2010-10-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

When my wife and I get to over to St. Louis, (as often as we can & afford) their are several places we usually try to get to while we're there. Those special places include Ted Drewes, Left Bank Books, Blueberry Hill, Big Sleep Books, Subterranean Books, The Tivoli Theatre, Plaza Frontenac, St. Louis County Library, The Fox Theatre, Vintage Vinyl, U. City, Central West End, The Hill. They all hold a special place in my heart and my wife Judy & I , have shared many special moments there. On Thursday evening, we headed over to St. Louis on an absolutely gorgeous evening to hear & meet Jonathan Safran Foer at Washington University at 7 p.m. We were running a bit behind due to a fender bender before we left town, so we didn't get into town till about 5:45p.m. Nonetheless, as were driving over to Wash. U., there it was. The neon "Open" sign of BIG SLEEP BOOKS, and like a moth to a flame I was drawn inside for a chance to say hello and visit with the stores dear owner, Helen Simpson. Even if I didn't buy a book (and I always do) it's worth it to just stop by and listen to Helen regale stories of her 20 + years in the book business and especially the mystery field. She knows her product and the authors who produce it. Over the years she has led me to many wonderful books. She has always been courteous and kind, a smiling face. She has even appeared in one of Robert Randisi's books as herself. How many booksellers can make that claim? On this night, I was rewarded as I knew I would be, as we spent a half hour just discussing writers, bookstores, book events, and exchanging stories from the past. Helen has many wonderful stories from a long career in the mystery world. I won't give her age, or I might become a casualty the next time I'm in the store...but I only can hope and pray that I'm as sharp, clever, witty, and as lovely as she is when I reach it. Helen does more, much more than sell books...she has lived a life immersed in the mystery world, she has transcended it. If you want to find out for yourself and make a new friend, drop by Big Sleep at 239 N. Euclid in St. Louis, or you can look for her at Printers Row in Chicago, or Bouchercon or the book event in Muncie,In. She'll be there, selling books, promoting authors and turning book lovers on to a new author. In my opinion she is an Institution herself in the Mystery World. p.s Thanks for the D.W. story! Just another wonderful night in St. Louis.

"Back With A Vengance, and it feels good"

2010-09-26T19:32:00.000-07:00

I feel like that bear just coming out of it's cave after a long winter in hibernation. Having just wrapped up another school baseball season and taking a month long sabatical from writing, it's good to be back. If you check in to this site regularly, I have a suggestion for what to do in the future during one of my sabaticals due to coaching. Type in http://spaceythompson.blogspot.com and head over to Jed Ayers website "Hardboiled Wonderland" and you will instantly feel at home. During my absence from my site I have been reading, catching some movies, watching some TV series, and gathering new writing material. Their were 3 items inparticular that I was going to write about, the new TV series BOARDWALK EMPIRE, the film, THAT EVENING SUN (based on William Gay's novel) and the film ANIMAL KINGDOM. Here's what I'm gonna do, you know that address I just gave you above for Hardboiled Wonderland, well head there now because Jed already hit on all 3 of these and did a better job than I ever could. He continues to amaze me, as I really think his site just keeps getting better and better. I'm even gonna steal Jed's tagline (sort of) for his Barnes & Noble column (Ransom Notes) since they say theft is the greatest form of flattery. So, Jed consider yourself flattered my friend.

Random Thoughts: In my time away I got quite caught up on some things I had been missing. I watched all 3 seasons of Deadwoood...amazing, great actors, vulgar, and dead on. I caught Season 2 of Sons of Anarchy & I thought it was even better than season 1. I watched Season 4 of Dexter and it was by far the best season yet thanks to the terrific John Litgow & the explosive finale. I loved the premiere's of Boardwalk Empire and The Event. I also caught a couple episodes of Justified and loved it. I'm really looking forward to Season 1 coming out on DVD.

I did get a chance to catch 4 movies over the last month. I got to see WINTERS BONE for a second time at The Avon Theatre in Decatur, Il. I liked it better the second time if that's even possible. I caught things that I missed on my first viewing. I was awed by its slow pacing, and its visceral beauty. Shot in the Ozarks it is rugged & brutal but beautiful as well. I hope that come Oscar time it gets the BEST PICTURE nod it richly deserves.

Another fine film I caught at a private screening at The Avon was "LEAVES OF GRASS". It's directed by Tim Blake Nelson a Coen Bros. favorite and his work here will remind and please those die hard Coen Bros. fans. The film stars Steve Earle, Keri Russell, Richard Dreyfuss, Tim Blake Nelson and Susan Sarandon but it is Ed Norton" who steals the show. Norton plays two different characters, brothers who are actually in scenes together. Some tough feat that is to pull off. However, it works here. You can catch it on DVD as it hits video stores in early October.

I caught 2 films at The Tivoli in St. Louis, ANIMAL KINGDOM & MESRINE: KILLER INSTINCT and I would highly reccomend them to any fan of gritty crime flicks.

I also caught some really good films on DVD, the best of which were "The Red Riding Trilogy", "The Take" a 2 Pt. BBC miniseries, La Sierra, Harry Brown, That Evening Sun, and "The Square".

For those looking for a good book to curl up to here in the Fall, I would like to recomend the following: "The Cold Kiss" by John Rector, "Savages" by Don Winslow, "Think of A Number" by John Verdon, "Still Missing" by Chevy Stevens, "The Poachers Son" by Paul Doiron, and "The Hanging Tree" by Byran Gruely. I also read Larry McMurtry's "Hollywood" but I won't advise you to read that one. Go back to his first (of his 3 memoirs), which is about his time as a book dealer & book scout and stop there.

The Fall also brings some great new books from James Ellroy, John Rector, Reed Farrel Coleman, Tom Franklin, Tom Schreck, and Scott Phillips to name a few.

Well all I can say is you can see I used my time wisely and that we'll have much to discuss in the near future...and some really cool interviews are headed your way starting with Martin Strel ( THE MAN WHO SWAM THE AMAZON).. all I can say is it's great to be back & be good to one another till next time.

Out of Print Clothing

2010-09-26T15:32:00.000-07:00

Out of Print Clothing
Click on the above link to go to the website:

Check it out by clicking on the link above. The sad thing is I had the same idea years ago but didn't know what to do with it. You snooze you loose. That's why I'm gonna make an offer right now...anyone who wants to bankroll my other idea, I'm ready to go. You've all seen American Pickers right, well how about a new series called "Book Pickers" . Jed Ayers and myself head out across the Midwest hitting peoples homes, garages, storage units and used bookstores, in search of literary treasures. Jed you have some contacts in L.A. so how about putting out some feelers. I'm willing to drive, all we need is someone to spot us some gas money & some cash to buy the books. Heck, we'd even cut you in on the spoils & give you dibs on the jewels we find. I'm just saying....

FYI, thoughts for the coming week.

2010-09-26T12:31:00.000-07:00

Just a heads up here. On Sept 30th, (Thurs.) at 7 pm., the wonderful writer, Jonathan Safran Foer will be at Washington University in St. Louis,Mo. from 7-8:30 and the event is free to the public. You won't want to miss this opportuntity to hear and meet the author of "Everything is Illuminated" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close".

If you find yourself in St. Louis with some time to kill, drop by Subterranean Books in U. City, and check out their new collection of classic T-Shirts of literary greats. I picked up 2 for Banned Book week, (The "Catcher in the Rye" and "On The Road" versions.) super cool and cost about 25 bucks, plus tax. Even more surprising..they are made right here in America, New York in fact. I thought EVERYTHING was made in China. If you can't make it out to see Kelly at the store, you can go to the website www.outofprintclothing.com and order it directly. However, if you can make it to the store you can also check out their art exhibition of prison paintings and find some really unusual books as well.

While I was at the Tivoli to see "Mesrine:Killer Instinct", I also saw an amazing trailer for a new film entitled "Stone" starring Robert DiNero and one of my personal favorites, Ed Norton. Oh yeah, and Mila Jovovich ain't bad to look at either.

Another film I here good things about is "CATFISH" ,and it's showing at Ronnie's 20 in the Lou. I'm really looking forward to seeing "WAITING FOR SUPERMAN" & I'm sure it'll be at the Tivoli or Plaza Fronteac in the near future.

Hey, here's another overlooked venue you might wanna check out if your near Collinsville and hungry or thirsty. The Westview Wine Cellar has a great selection of beer and wine and a terrific array of delightful sandwiches. They often host artwork and on many nights they have live music including folk singer Pete Morrissey. My brother Pat works there so tell him I sent you. Did I forgot to mention it's climate controlled with a sensational view of downtown St. Louis, especially at night. It's located just off HWY #70 on the hill above the McDonalds restraunt. Take the frontage road in front of the McDonalds & keep your eyes open on your left a 1/4 mile later.

IMDb Video: Mesrine

2010-09-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

IMDb Video: Mesrine

MESRINE: KILLER INSTINCT (PART 1) - AUGUST 27 | MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY #1 (PART 2) - SEPTEMBER 3 (2010 movie)

2010-09-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

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MESRINE: KILLER INSTINCT (PART 1) - AUGUST 27 | MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY #1 (PART 2) - SEPTEMBER 3 (2010 movie)

I'm not a film critic, I'll leave that to the experts like Illinois' own Roger Ebert. He's amazing in his knowledge & understanding of film. However, I know what I like and I know what captures my attention. Mesrine: "Killer Instinct", is one of those films. It grabs you from the opening scene & holds you by the throat till the credits role. It's relentless, and Vincent Cassel is terrific as the French version of our Scarface. Don't even get me started on the subtitle issue, I can't believe intelligent people who won't watch film's with subtitles, or B& W or silents. Some of the best films being made today..(shock) are not being made in America, and when you eliminate films with subtitles you just denied yourself some of the best films period! I saw this film yesterday in the comfort of the Tivoli theatre in U- City section of St. Louis, Mo. The films based on the true story of the French gangster Jacques Mesrine's life in the 60's-70's. If you see Pt. 1 which is "KILLER INSTINCT", you will know how PT.2 ends beforehand. My mistake was waiting till 7 pm to see Pt. 1 and then my wife didn't want to hang around for Pt. 2 at 9:30. I reluctantly agreed knowing we still would have a 2 hour drive home after the film. However, I really wanted to see "PUBLIC ENEMY #1" despite knowing how it would end because "KILLER INSTINCT" was that good. I may try to catch it next week but if not that's what Netflixs is for. Also, Scott Phillips you were right as always.

"ONLY THE GOOD DIE YOUNG"

2010-09-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

David Thompson was amazing, inspiring, a true friend, a publisher, bookseller, reviewer, a husband, so much to so many. I for one miss him very much and for those who have known him longer & even better...your hearts have to be breaking. I have put off writing my own tribute to David since his passing on Sept. 13 until I had time to find the peace and quiet necessary to write from the heart the things I wanted to say. I was fortunate to get to know David over the last couple years thanks to Ken Bruen and Reed Farrel Coleman. David made my world a much more enjoyable place to be. David sold me alot of books,and David refered me to alot of new authors. He was a champion of many authors in the mystery field. He worked diligently at keeping many authors books in print. His publishing company BUSTED FLUSH PRESS (recently purchased by Tyrus Books) was amazing. It championed wonderful authors such as ACE ATKINS, KEN BRUEN, DANIEL WOODRELL, and REED FARREL COLEMAN..some of personal favorites. But it was David's warm personality that won your heart. I finally met David in person for the first time at Bouchercon in Indianapolis last year after a couple years of phone calls, e-mails and texts. I was a customer yes, an avid book collector yes, but in the mystery field or book world I was a nobody, and David treated me like a somebody. Not just a somebody, but like a important somebody. We shared a passion for books, a love of reading, of authors and films and a love for life and that's all that mattered. The last phone conversation we shared was when David called very excited about a couple new authors with debut novels that he wanted to let me in on. The one he was most excited about was John Verdon's "Think of a Number" and went into detail as to the plot of the book. He said that Mr. Verdon wasn't going to be doing any book tours, but he would be signing copies for Murder by the Book and did I want one. Most definitely I did, because if David recommended it, you knew it was gonna be good and worthy. So, I find it fitting that as word spread and I heard of David's passing, that I was reading , "THINK OF A NUMBER" ,and as always he was right. There will be know one to replace David Thompson, for he was irreplaceable. He loved what he did and wanted nothing more than to share that with you...YOU being everyone. And, as I write this tribute and tears flow, my heart breaks like so many others out there for he belonged to all of us, the big and the small. He will remain in our hearts forever and just a thought of him brings a smile. However, the world just became a little colder place when your flame blew out. Gra Mor,and until we meet again, may you rest in peace.

"Provinces of Night" Sizzle Reel

2010-08-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Check out the trailer for William Gay's "Provinces of Night" movie adaptation "Bloodsworth" and leave me some feedback.

Matthew McBride Interview: 8/22/10

2010-08-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

I've been away from here for about a month and now we're back with a vengance! Here we have an interview guaranteed to grab you by the throat. I posted a story on Matt McBride earlier here at S&W's letting you know he's an author to look for to the future. Well, now we have an interview with Matt, red hot on his trail of short stories soon be seen at Crimefactory and Plots with Guns. This is not an interview for the timid and weak at heart. It is an interview done with complete honesty and straight from the heart.You gotta love and respect that. It's a privlege to call Matt my friend and I hope you dig his Q & A. Thanks to Matt for his time & patience. ENJOY THE REAL DEAL !!

1) You recently gave your first public reading of "Gunpowder & Aluminum Foil" at Noir @ Bar in St. Louis,Mo. I'm feeling lucky because I was there to see the lift off of a future star. Were you nervous that night & in hindsight what are your memories of that night in particular?

A – It seems like I was nervous, especially since I'd never read my writing before in public. As far as the memories, I'll never forget Scott's [Phillips] introduction where he spoke of my ability to leave funny voice mails. The greatest thing was seeing everyone laugh while I read. [Still not sure if they were laughing with me, or laughing at me] but Scott and Dennis Tafoya were definitely laughing their asses off. As long as you're making people laugh, you're winning.

2) You've had several short stories published in some impressive places, where are you at in regards to getting that first novel published. Are we getting close to a finished product that can be shopped about?

A - I wrote my novel back in 2003 and it's been rejected at least 100 times. Maybe more. It's currently with two different agents. Still playing the waiting game, but if they aren't interested I'm just going to burn it and move on. No, just kidding. I'll revise it [again] one of these days, then start the process all over. I haven't actually looked at it in years. Every time I try to read it I can't even enjoy it, because I start making new changes within the first paragraph.

On a side note, at one time I did have a contract on it back in 2005, but my deal went down the shit pipe at the last possible minute. And by that, I mean the Publisher went out of business the month it was supposed to be released and they never even bothered to tell me. I was not very happy about this.

3) What kind of writing background do you have? By that I'm really referring to your school days, did you have any interest in writing when you were in HS?

A - Even in HS I always liked to write, but it just seemed like such an uncool thing to enjoy doing. I can remember my first creative writing project in English comp. We had to write a 2-3 page story about whatever we wanted, but it had to be a fictitious story and we had a month to do it. I waited until midnight the night before it was due and pulled an all nighter. The story ended up being about 12 pages, which was about 8 or 9 pages longer than anyone else's. When she read them out loud she had to stop right in the middle when she came to mine because it was too inappropriate. I used words like fuck, and cocksucker. I did get an A+ on the story though and I still have it. Somewhere.

4) You know it's been said that many writers, only live the wild life in their heads & on the pages. Scott Phillips, has called you the "real deal" and a guy who lives what he writes. What are your thoughts when you hear that?

A - First of all, anything Scott Phillips says I take as a total compliment and I hold both his friendship and his praise in high regard. If he were to call me an asshole, I would find some way to view this statement in a positive light. As far as living what I write, I guess that could be true. I've done a lot of wild and crazy shit. Done a lot of, um, illegal shit.

Jail, check. Drugs, check. High speed police chases, check. Spectacular car crashes, bar fights, broken bones... Some people live life on the couch, I sorta live life on the edge. I fly by the seat of my pants. They always say life is the best experience for a writer, so I've packed as much dynamite in my suitcase as I can fit.

5) I read somewhere that you & the Black Hogan or BH are working on a documentary together. Is that a project that's still in the works or is it something you worked on and are going to come back to later?

A - We went to Vegas back in March and shot some video, but it was pretty difficult because he literally got mobbed every couple of feet. We started shooting video at the Minus 5 Ice Lounge at the Mandalay Bay, but then we ended up getting tanked and it all quickly went to shit. We did manage to shoot a video that we stuck on YouTube. Here's a link [I'm the drunk guy that yells at the end] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKQ1plxCGBc&sns=em

6) This a tough one, we share a mutual admiration of Steve McQueen and Hunter S. Thompson. Both were individuals who did things their way & gave the finger to the establishment. They both loved adventure, guns, violence. I can see their influence on you. I know you'll shoot straight so, I guess my question to you is, do you personally not worry about the fact that you yourself could die ? I guess I ask that because you had a motorcycle wreck at 100 MPH, and you could've been killed on your trip to Mexico where you were robbed by the military. You seem willing to put your life on the line. Am I wrong?

A - No, I guess I don't really worry about shit like that. In the end, everybody dies. I have no control over such things, so I may as well just enjoy the ride. I am a risk taker, and everyday is an adventure if you want it to be. I have no real regrets that I can think of, only memories.

7) Lets talk about that trip to Matamores in Mexico. Is that a 100% true story? It is something straight out of Hunter S. Thompson. It is absolutely believable, I mean it's nuts down there. Life is pretty cheap and it is often hard to tell who's the good guys & the bad guys between the drug cartels & the military police. Getting killed isn't real hard to do down there. Yet... you set out to buy Valium, and you had grass with you, when you encountered the military who robbed you of $166 dollars at gunpoint... machine gun's at that. Where you not a bit leery before you even left and while it is a hell of a story with a good ending, weren't you ever scared?

A - Yeah, that's all true with the exception of Doug shitting his pants. Those cocksuckers [Mexican soldiers] actually robbed us too. It was about three AM and we were somewhere between Matamores and Laredo when we came up on a military roadblock of some kind. Upon entering Mexico we'd wasted no time procuring as many drugs as possible so our pharmaceutical arsenal was in strong supply. The most important thing to remember in situations such as these is to stay cool under pressure and have a damn good hiding spot(s). A good rule of thumb is: the longer it takes you to hide something, the longer it takes the cops to find it.

The only time I was really worried was when this fat, bald headed soldier pointed that machine gun at me, but I was probably more pissed off than worried. At first I actually thought about attempting to disarm him, because every tough guy movie I'd ever seen flashed through my head. I knew we were in a tight spot and there was no reason to try and be a hero, but I also had no intentions of being a victim either. Everything worked out in the end though, because Doug's girlfriend was Mexican and she was able to negotiate a deal. It was just a money thing. After it was over I can remember being grateful they didn't steal my expensive bottle of cologne that was in the door pocket.

A funnier story [and one I probably shouldn't tell] happened a few days later. Doug announced that he and his girlfriend were going to make a run to some other town. After the previous ordeal, I was less than enthusiastic about the thought of another moonlight excursion across the lawless badlands of Metamores, so I stayed back at the Hotel. Besides, somebody had to watch the drugs.

Well, Doug didn't come back for 2 days. The problem was, all of my money was in Doug's truck. Well, the next day people started beating on the door to the room demanding money. I didn't know what to do and I didn't know when Doug was coming back. Or IF he was coming back. What I did know was there was enough cocaine in that room to kill a small herd of elephants, so I spent the next two days getting tweaked out by myself and staring out of the window. Then I'd think somebody was outside the room, so I'd lay on the floor and try to look under the door. It was horrible. I was afraid to leave the room and the ONLY thing on TV was The Firm with Tom Cruise. But Tom was speaking Spanish, and the only words I knew in Spanish were Senorita, Margarita, and Pharmacia. At one point I heard the door start to open, so I jumped off the bed and dove into the closet. To my horror, the housekeeper walked in and looked around the room for a minute while I was spying on her from the comfort of my hiding spot. It was at that point I remembered the mountain of blow on top of the TV, but I guess she never saw it. Then, and this is the craziest part, she just lied down on the bed with her hands by her side. She just stretched out on her back and took a nap I guess. I began to freak out. It was madness. I just layed down on the floor of the closet myself and fell asleep. When I woke up she was gone.

8) Did Doug really shit his pants, and would you go back?

A - See question seven ^ and I seriously doubt that I would ever go back. Cancun, maybe. But we were in the darkness and the chaos that was the Mexican underworld. Mean streets that had no name. At least not one that I could read. There were guys that operated out of storage sheds and they were selling cocaine out of trash cans. It was fucking crazy. Everybody was super cool to us, but American's do get kidnapped left and right down there so you had to watch your ass. One of the things that helped us was the fact that we were so much bigger than everyone else, and big people are hard to kidnap. I have so many stories about that place, because in a testament to how truly crazy Doug was, he ended up moving down there to be with his girlfriend. For 6 or 7 years he lived among the junkies and the killers. His own neighbor was a police officer named Carlos, and one time that son-of-a-bitch even got kidnapped himself. And he was a Mexican. I do not know how Doug survived, but he did.

9) I know you're a big film buff and a fan of the Coen brothers & Steve McQueen. What is your favorite McQueen film, ( I loved the Cincinnati Kid personally), and give us a list of some of your all time favorites. The films you couldn't live without.

A - I hate to sound cliche' but probably Bullitt, because I have fond memories of watching that on TV when I was a kid. It just seems like it was always on. As far as other movies, that's so hard. PULP FICTION was a film that really opened my eyes to the possibilities of chaos. The dialogue was so natural and one of the most subtle, yet interesting scenes in cinema history, [at least for me] occurred in that movie.

In the scene where Vincent Vega and Jules were driving down the road and there was that black dude in the back seat, and then the gun went off. That was just so BAM IN YOUR FACE unpredictable. Yet so completely believable, because that shit happens. It was so random, but it was such a strong, unexpected scene. The whole movie was just powerful.

I also love gangster films, or any movie about organized crime on any level. Millers Crossing was awesome to me. Goodfella's, Casino, The Departed, Heat, Snatch, The Road to Perdition, Smoking Aces. I love anything violent. Gladiator, 300, Apocalypto, Braveheart. For me to really love a movie it has to have strong characters and well written, well executed dialogue. I have a strong suspicion Tarantino could write dialogue in his sleep.

I appreciate strong, powerful scenes. The kind where everything is perfect. The words, camera angle, believable acting. I want to become a part of what ever I'm watching. I absolutely love Sin City and The Watchmen because I love spoken narrative and the words in those films are like poetry.

10) If the Devils Rejects isn't on the list I'm shocked. It just seems like a Matthew McBride kinda film. What did you think of it?

A - I love THE DEVILS REJECTS. Love it. Captain Spalding is a true gentlemen and a genuine role model that I feel others should strive to emulate.

11)Since your a fan of Hunter S. Thompson I gotta ask if you're familiar with Charles Bukowski's work? Here's another legendary icon who thumbed his nose at society and the man.

A - I don't know much about Bukowski but I have had other people tell me that I'd like him. His work is definitely on my list.

12) Speaking of "THE MAN" what's the outcome on the incident down at Vienna, Mo. where you were cowardly attacked and had 5 bones broken in your face when you & you're friends were jumped by a gang of thugs. The last I heard the DA & police department weren't doing much other than looking the other way. Did the St. Louis news ever pick up on the story?

A - Nothing has happened as far as justice goes and nothing ever will. I hope all of those assholes who attacked me die a very slow and painful death. Seriously.

13) Can we expect to see Vienna, Mo. show up in one of your novels someday?

A - The town is such a tremendous shit hole, the only way I'd ever write about Vienna is if I created a character who murdered everybody in the town starting with the Prosecuting Attorney and then set fire to the donut shop. [and by donut shop I mean Police station]

14)Steve McQueen kicks James Dean's butt any day wouldn't you agree? However, they are both Midwesterners as was Hunter S. Thompson and Johnny Depp and Hugh Hefner. Whats with all the rebels in our neck of the woods?

A – McQueen always. - I'm not sure, but it seems like someone who feels truly devoted to their passion will stop at nothing to make their dreams come true. Sometimes your passion just pulls you in a new direction and you become a slave to it. Plus, maybe there's a certain feeling of suffocation that comes from living in the midwest. There really isn't a lot of shit going on around here. Movies are in California and the literary world is in New York. Some people are just true searchers and explorers.

15) Lets talk writing influences for a moment. I think Daniel Woodrell & William Gay are two of the best living writers writing real stuff alive today. These guys are real people who have experienced much and write about the lives of real people trying to make the best of a bad situation. I could see you and Frankie Bill being the next Woodrell's & Gay's. I think Keith Rawson said it best when he said the future of writing is not going to come out of the MFA's of N.Y., but in the backwoods in the heart of America? Do you think a college degree or a writers workshop is necessary for great writing?

A - Holy shit, that's one hell of a compliment. As far as myself, I'll work as hard as I can to make it happen. I'll do whatever it takes. If an agent told me jumping off the roof of our farmhouse would secure me a book deal, I'd call home and tell my wife to set the ladder out. Now, Frank Bill on the other hand is going to be a rock star one day in the literary world. Hell, he already is. DONNYBROOK is going to karate chop the whole world in the throat.

As far as a college degree, no way. Not in my opinion. I recently returned to college for the second time in my life and I hated it. It was just like the first time I attended college. Only this time I drove a better car and I wasn't smoking weed out of a Mountain Dew can.

I believe writing is something that comes natural and all the education in the world will not teach you to create an idea with your mind. Then transfer it to your fingertips, have the self-discipline to spend thousands of hours building it, tearing it apart, then rebuilding it, knowing where to send it when it's done, having the patience to wait for eight months or a year before hearing if an agent likes it, and then not give up when you get rejected. Because you will. Over and over again. I don't think they teach a class that can prepare you for that experience. I think it's just an inner drive that pushes you to succeed.

As far as a writer's workshop goes, I can see that being completely beneficial for any writer, regardless of your level of publication or success. One can never learn too much about the publishing business and the networking opportunities alone would be worth the price of admission. Now, this is just my opinion, but it seems to me that writing is a business and I think a writer with any real ambition to succeed should treat themselves as a component of that business, and treat their writing like a product. Networking and building both personal and professional relationships are crucial to a writer. I just try to be myself. People won't always like you, but if you're not offending someone than you're just boring. Fuck boring. Nobody cares about boring.

16)Give us some background into Matthew McBride, the jobs you've had and how those experiences have shaped your writing.

A - I worked as a dishwasher, a floor buffer at a nursing home, I worked at a pool table factory, two hat factories, a t-shirt factory, a company that washed the dirty blankets for a Hospital, a factory that made parts for refrigerators, I worked at a day care, a rent to own center, I almost worked at a grocery store, a box factory, and I worked at a tent factory once for fifteen minutes. That was all before I was 18. What that taught me early in life is that I'm not really cut out for shitty jobs.

And then I went to work for Chrysler. We built mini vans, and that was really the place that may be responsible for helping to shape my writing background. I actually wrote my novel on the assembly line in between jobs. It took me two months, and I was on fire. I was consumed by the need to tell this story. But the auto industry was a horrible place to work and I had a 90 minute drive each way. Those bastards had stolen the best years of my life and I'd finally had enough and said fuck this place. I jumped ship before it sank in December of 2007 and I never looked back. The industry was in the final stages of a downward spiral and I could see the writing on the wall. I don't think a lot of other people could.

17) Are you looking forward to the time when you can put the chainsaw down and write full time or is that even something you want to do?

A – That's why I left Chrysler, to create a new destiny for myself, and that would be my version of the American dream. But I think every body's version is different. The bottom line is, if you're making a living doing what you love, or even enjoy, than you've already won. Cutting down cedar trees [what I do now] in full safety gear in 103 degree heat is a lot like cutting wood in Hell. Having said that, I feel lucky to have the job. I now make 1/3 of the money, but I work 11 miles from home. Money isn't everything, but I work with good people and I'm not trapped inside of a building. Chrysler was a prison for my mind, but it did teach me to think and to occupy my time. Most importantly, I have a lot more time to write. Even more if I can stay off my motorcycle.

18) Who do you read and what writers have had an influence on you so far?

A - I feel like a real asshole saying this, but I've read very little crime fiction in my life. I know it sounds odd coming from a guy who writes it, but it's true. I just never really knew any of it existed. I was just never exposed to it until recently. Previously I'd read a lot of Stephen King, John Grisham, Clive Cussler, a lot of mainstream authors whose work is always in the front of Barnes & Noble. Those bastards. I pretty much blame them for this you know. I've since learned these little independent bookstores owned by people who love books, not money, are the best place to go for choice material. Avid readers should seek these places out and support them before they're all gone, because the death of a good bookstore is a very sad thing indeed.

For a while I read a lot of Dean Koontz books, but I had to give them up because I felt like he just kept retelling the same damn story every time. I'm not trying to disrespect him or any of his literary accomplishments, it's just that I grew tired of what seemed like the same cookie cutter formula in every book. A male character, usually he was independently wealthy for whatever reason, and always single. Then he'd meet a women. Somebody would have a dog, and in the end it seems like at least half the time everybody lived happily ever after.

It was a formula that worked for him and brought him great success, but it showed me the kind of writer that I didn't want to be. Instead of writing 100 books that are all the same, I'd rather write 10 books that are all completely different.

19) What's your favorite thing you've written and why?

A - With all of the recent praise for Gunpowder and Aluminum Foil, that's probably the first thing that comes to my mind, but I'd have to honestly say at this point it's the story I just wrote for PLOTS WITH GUNS called HAVE CHAINSAW, WILL TRAVEL. I put many hours of time and research into the story, which is [loosely] based on something that happened to me when I worked security at an MMA fight.

It's a violent tutorial of sorts about dismemberment, and I've gotta thank Anthony Neil Smith for making a few suggestions and forcing me to see a different perspective on what the story could actually become. It was a challenging exercise which taught me a few things about the craft of story telling that I'd otherwise never have learned.

I also need to take this opportunity to thank a few of the people that have taken pity on me and allowed me to con my way into their lives. Scott Phillips, for one. He was one of the first people to actually believe in me and he suggested I write a story and submit it online. That story was called Mr. Parker and the Gun, and it was published at A Twist of Noir by Christopher Grant. He's been very supportive of my writing, and he's helped a lot of new writers by giving them a place to submit their work.

Also Hollywood movie producer Brad Wyman, for liking my book so much that he put me in touch with DHS Literary Agency. That was something very cool that he didn't have to do. He may even turn me into a baseball fan before this is all over.

Keith Rawson is another one. That fucking guy is everywhere. Writing, reviewing, coediting CRIMEFACTORY. He's given me good advice along the way and all of it's greatly appreciated. Plus there's Cameron Ashley, who helped me with great editorial direction on the story RED DONKEY that will soon be coming out in their Kung Fu Factory edition.

Aldo Calcagno, for publishing a few of my stories and for all he does in general for writers, not to mention Steve Weddle, who is currently working with me on a story for the upcoming issue of NEEDLE. That's turning out to be a pretty sick publication by the way and it has the potential to be the future of crime fiction as we know it. I can't forget about Jedidiah Ayres or YOU either Rod, for being so nice to me and giving me exposure. Between Noir@Bar and your blog posts/interview, you've both helped to draw attention to my writing and that's greatly appreciated.

20) You have a very entertaining blog called "GOT PULP" that you started I believe this past Feb. How is it coming & has it helped you move things along in regards to promoting your writing?

A - Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I'm new to the blog world and the first thing that comes to mind is that they're a lot of work. My goal when I began this blog was to create something interesting where I can do some unique things that I didn't really see on other peoples blogs. I know a lot of people do an everyday blog, but I don't know how they can find the constant daily motivation. I try to do a new post once or twice a month.

For my posts, I usually tend to focus on pop culture people or events. Coming up at the end of the year, I'll drive to Graceland and do a story about Elvis. I've been to Graceland before, but I just read ELVIS Still taking care of business, by Marshall Terrill, and I learned a helluva lot more about his life. He was one of the first real mega stars who had an entourage wherever he went. Plus, he was radically unpredictable and he pulled guns on people and shit. Now I feel like I need to go back and take another tour, and after knowing so much more about him than I did before, I think it would mean more to me this time.

21) When you started writing, did you ever think you would be a part of an interview series with the likes of Ken Bruen, Craig McDonald, Megan Abbott, Ace Atkins, Charlaine Harriss to name a few. Those are pretty big shoulders you're rubbing up against now.

A – No, I sure didn't, but I'm happy to be a part of this. Those are some great writers and I'm honored to be rubbing shoulders with them. Thanks for taking the time to get to know me.

22) You taught me one thing already on "Got Pulp" if you're going to Mexico or going to run from the cops...make sure you got a full tank of gas first. Am I right?

A - Fuel is important and a guy like me always tries to roll with a full tank. Just because you never know. Once when I was 21, I lead the cops on a high speed chase in the middle of a snow storm. There was ice all over the road, but I was in an all wheel drive Eagle Talon and the cop was in an old shitter Crown Vic. My first move was to hit the back roads because I knew he'd be fucked in that rear wheel drive cruiser. Unfortunately, that's when I realized my gas light had been dinging. I had just enough time to rid myself of any illegal substances [it's always best to do this at a visual landmark for future retrieval] and I just went ahead and pulled over thinking my best chance would be to try and bullshit my way out of it.

The cop was so pissed off he pulled a gun on me, cuffed me, then threw me in the back of his bacon wagon. But after he calmed down I started laying the charm on pretty thick. He'd clocked me at 137 in a 35, but by the end of the whole ordeal he only wrote me for doing 65 in a 35. Then, in an act of pure coolness which blows my mind to this day, he followed me to the nearest gas station and even went so far as to offer me gas money. I can say with complete honesty this was the best experiences that I've ever had with police. Hans, you rock brother.

23) I always wanted to go to the Big Lebowski Festival in Louisville, Ky and you are the first person I've met that has been there. What can you tell others about it & would you recommend going?

A – For me, Lebowski Fest was a combination of White Russians and Vicodin. Oddly enough, I'd just had my second motorcycle “mishap” in less than a month the night before we left. I was riding with my buddy Big Johnson and the headlight went out on his custom bike, so he was following me, riding my back tire so he could use my headlight. Suddenly, two huge dogs ran out in front of me. The first one made it by, but the second one slammed into me on the right side.

To make a long story short, I wasn't about to let this unfortunate situation do anything to fuck up Lebowski Fest. My ankle and wrist were trashed so I spent the whole weekend on crutches, but it was worth it. For three days everyone in Louisville was dressed as a character from the movie, quoting lines and posing for pictures. [For those interested the full story is on GOT PULP?] Would I recommend it? Absolutely. If you're a fan of the movie, or a fan of people watching, then hell yes. I had a blast on crutches, so an uninjured “Achiever” would be amazed.

24) What's your favorite line from the "Big Lebowski" ?

A - "Shut the fuck up, Donnie" - Walter Sobchak

25) What's on your bucket list of things you want to do but haven't yet?

A – Get a book deal, act in a movie, and survive a plane crash.

26) What's your Mom & your wife think of all your mishaps and accidents?

A – They probably hate me by now, but I'd say they're used to Hospitals. In the last two years I've broken 9, maybe 10 bones, spent the last two summers in casts, and been to at least three different Emergency Rooms. My wife Melissa takes super good care of me though. After the motorcycle wreck, besides broken bones, I had severe road rash all over most of my upper body [because when I piled up, I was wearing a sleeveless shirt, like an asshole] my left knee was pretty much ground down to the bone, and my right ass cheek was completely smoked off. She'd wrap me up in this medicated gauze and it would take like an hour. By the time she was done, where she'd started bandaging would already be bleeding through. This took place two or three times a day for a couple of months.

27) The one person dead or alive you would want to meet & why?

A – Jim Morrison or Elvis. Jim was an explorer and he's my favorite poet. I was obsessed with my parents old vinyl when I was younger. I remember playing The Doors and Jefferson Airplane in my room all the time and writing stuff. Elvis has always been an endless source of fascination for me ever since the first boss I ever had turned me on to the king. My very first job, and one that I forgot to mention earlier, was at a welding shop, and my boss was a guy named Clyde Zelch. Clyde is probably the most amazing welder I have ever seen, and he will probably tell you that I am the shittiest. Clyde would always play Elvis in the shop while I attempted to weld and I've had a soft spot for the king ever since. If it came down to it, I'd probably have to flip a coin.

Oh fuck, wait a minute. I just remembered about Hunter S. Thompson. I'd probably resurrect that crazy bastard instead. Why? Because one of the first books I ever read was Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and I don't think I've ever been the same. It branded an indelible impression on my guts and it drove a screwdriver through my brain. It was amazing and chaotic. Like a butterfly inside a tornado.

Final Question: Can I please be your sidekick on a future adventure, preferably one we live through? Ha

A – I'd be happy to have you Rod, but I can make no guarantees on our survival. Or even our safety, for that matter. What I can offer you, assuming we pull through, is a shovel full of memories to store on that computer chip inside your brain. I'm ready when you are brother, just say the word.

Vitality - Yahoo! News

2010-07-18T15:30:00.000-07:00

Vitality - Yahoo! News

The Bellamy Brothers - Jalapenos

2010-07-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

William Gay reads from PROVINCES OF NIGHT - CMHF 2007

2010-07-12T20:46:00.000-07:00

The 100 Greatest Movie Insults of All Time

2010-07-12T20:41:00.000-07:00

Animal Kingdom - Official Full Length Trailer

2010-07-12T10:44:00.000-07:00

FOXNews.com - U.S. Teen Known as "Barefoot Bandit" Arrested in Bahamas After Cops Shoot Out Boat Engine

2010-07-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

FOXNews.com - U.S. Teen Known as "Barefoot Bandit" Arrested in Bahamas After Cops Shoot Out Boat Engine

Heres the story from Fox News...just click on the link for the full story.

Colton Harris Moore: "CAPTURED" 7/11/10

2010-07-11T21:04:00.000-07:00

If you've been following S&W's since its inception back in January then you might remember a story I wrote about a teenage folk hero wanted for all kinds of theft of cars, boats, and planes. His name was Colton Harris-Moore and he had been on the run for about a year and a half. Today that all came to an end as he was arrested in the Bahamas after being recognized by some locals. He tried to flee in a stolen boat but was captured after police shot out his boats motor. He will prosecuted there first and then can look forward to being extradited back to the USA. The crazy thing is he got to the Bahamas by stealing a plane in Indiana....Yes I said "INDIANA", you know the state that borders us here in Illinois. He then flew that plane over 1,000 miles to his final destination. Who knows he might have been through here. A defense fund has already been set up for Colton and it is recieving donations. You have to remember this thief has over 60,000 Facebook friends. Well we knew it would end eventually & we feared it would end badly, so I'm just glad it's over with noone getting hurt including him. I'll keep you posted as to how this progresses.

FICTION: LARGE AND SIMPLE - The Brooklyn Rail

2010-07-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

FICTION: LARGE AND SIMPLE - The Brooklyn Rail

Check out Josh Gaylords new zombie novel !! Just click on the link above for the review from the Brooklyn Rail.

Half Way Point- top books & films of 2010 so far.

2010-07-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

It's only July 11th, but we're already past the halfway point in 2010. It's already been a pretty dang good year for film & literature. Here are my favorites in the first half of 2010 and remember all the books & films didn't necesarily just come out in 2010 but I saw or read them for the first time in 2010. Many of the offerings are new though.

Favorite Books:
The Devil by Ken Bruen
Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski
Print The Legend by Craig McDonald
Infamous by Ace Atkins
Dog Blood by David Moody
Thunder Beach by Michael Lister
Mr.Shivers by Robert Jackson Bennett
Blood Oath by Christopher Farnsworth
Dahlias Gone by Katie Estill
Graving Dock by Gabriel Cohen
T.K.O by Tom Schreck
The Chill by Jason Starr
Blacklands by Belinda Bauer
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Hoover Bartlett
Do They Know I'm Running by David Corbett
Pyres by Derek Nikitas

Favorite Films:
Winters Bone
The Aura
The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo
The Girl Who Played With Fire
The Killer Inside Me
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Leaves of Grass
Me and Orson Welles
Crazyheart
Red Cliff (Asian Full Length version)
The White Ribbon

That is a pretty good list and normally the best of both come out in the fall. I can easily see several of these making my years best list.

A few books I can't wait to tear into are Dennis Tafoya's, "The Wolves of Fairmount Park", John Verdon's, " Think of a Numb3r", John Rector's, "The Cold Kiss", Charlie Stella's, "Johnny Porno" and Paul Doiron's, "The Poachers Son".

It wont be long till I'll be able to see "Animal Kingdom", "Mesrine in 2 parts", "The Red Riding Trilogy", "The Square", "A Prophet" and "The Secret in their Eyes". All of this without even talking about the Oct-Nov releases. a good year indeeed!

I've seen the future of Crime & its in the Midwest.

2010-07-07T06:09:00.001-07:00

If you're anything like me, and for your sake I hope you're not, but anyway I always love a good heads up. I always love being tipped off to the next big thing whether it's a book, TV show, movie, musician, author or destination. I like to get on board long before everyone else starts jumping on. So, I assume other people do as well. Because of that I'm going to let you all in on a little secret, the future of crime writing comes from the Midwest. Write these 3 names down (Frankie Bill, John Rector,and Matthew McBride) & then follow them closely as they skyrocket to fame and fortune. Well at least fame. John Rector's debut novel "A Cold Kiss" started hitting shelves July 6th and "The Grove" will be in stores in November. "The Grove" was originally his first novel, but failed to find a buyer until Kindle picked it up and it became a best seller. John is a Nebraskan.

Frankie Bill (Ind.,& Ky. roots) and Matthew McBride (Mo.) are unpublished (as far as novels go), although both have had several short stories published in anthologies. I might mention that those short stories are terrific. However, stay tuned and keep informed, because I'm telling you now, they are simply too talented and have caught too many peoples attention for it not to happen sooner, than later.

Tom Russell/Who's Gonna Build Your Wall?

2010-07-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Cain Interview: 7/1/10

2010-07-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

I have been a big fan from day one after seeing Stephen Kings review of "Heartsick" and chasing down the book and just devouring it. I have read each subsequent book on the day they were released. I finally ran into Chelsea in Indy at Bouchercon this past fall and what a wonderfully nice person she was. She also appeared on a panel with another of S&W's favorites Megan Abbott. When I first came up with the idea of doing some interviews for the website, Chelsea was at the top of my list of authors I wanted to interview. And for that, I'd like to thank Hector DeJean who helped bring it all together and make it happen. Thanks to Chelsea, who gave up her time to do this. Chelsea is the author of the Archie Sheridan & Gretchen Lowell serial killer series, which includes "Heartsick", "Sweetheart" and "Evil at Heart". So..here's the interview with the terrific Chelsea Cain. Enjoy!

1)When I first read HEARTSICK, I thought it was the best serial killer novel since "Silence of the Lambs". Stephen King gave it rave reviews. Were you surprised at all as to how well it was received?

CC: Thank you. I was surprised that it was received at all. If someone had told me that Stephen King was going to read Heartstick, much less like it, I would have probably been too shy to publish the thing.

2) Gretchen Lowell is a serial killer that people love even though we shouldn't, much like Dexter or Hannibal Lecter. Have you ever been accused of glorifying serial killers or attacked by the media?

CC: Not really. I probably should be accused of that. But Dexter and Lecter have made the leap to TV/film, so those characters reach a lot more people. Also, although Gretchen is a big part of the books, we never experience her POV. She is always seen through the eyes of Susan or Archie. So I think there’s some narrative distance that prevents the reader from totally allying with her. Readers may love her. But they wouldn’t want to have her as a roommate.

3) You once said "if you ever got around to the story of Gretchen Lowell's childhood that you hoped someone takes the pen from your hand and uses it to stab you in the throat". Three books into the series, do you still feel that way or have you since changed your mind?

CC: I still feel that way. Readers ask for it. They beg me to write the Gretchen Lowell origin story. But I don’t think they really want it, you know? Of course we all want to see what makes a person into that kind of personality, but I think that one of the things that makes Gretchen compelling is that we know so little about her. She is completely enigmatic. Archie never knows what’s a lie and what’s truth, never knows what she’s thinking. Once she’s dissected and analyzed, that tension is gone. And she becomes a lot less scary.

4) What are you currently working on & when can we expect to see the next Gretchen Lowell on the shelves? please say it's very soon.

CC: I just finished the fourth book in the series. It’s called THE NIGHT SEASON. Yep, we’re moving away from the “heart” thing. It was just getting a little cute. I think it’s out in March. But there will be new paperback editions of the first three books out this summer.

5) I remember seeing that Heartsick had been optioned and the script was in development. Where does it stand at this time in regards to being a finished product?

CC: It’s now with a whole other team. I can’t talk about details yet, but I’m very excited about the direction. (There’s an actress attached to Gretchen.) But it’s just at the beginning stages – no script yet. So I have no idea if/when we’ll see movie posters in theater lobbies. Though I hope, when they’re made, they have a lot of blood splatter.

6) I remember reading on your website that you didn't like talking to strangers, and I was so surprised after meeting you at Bouchercon in Indy at how comfortable you seemed and how nice & friendly you were with your fans. Are you more comfortable now than you used to be meeting new people?

CC: I love talking to strangers. I just don’t like doing it over the phone. I’m actually very social, and I enjoy that part of the job. I even enjoy telephone interviews – I guess because there’s a clear idea of what we’re going to talk about. Me! Me! Me! It’s small talk that I’m not good at. I hate getting my hair done because it means three hours of chatting. And it’s all this terrible fake exercise. Because neither of us really cares about how the other’s day is going or where we went to high school. She wants a tip. And I just don’t want her to fuck up my highlights.

7) I love the fact you started your own animal cemetery for you & your neighbors and friends. Did anyone find that odd or show concern for you then? Because today they would be wanting you to see a shrink. Am I wrong?

CC: I think this might be the reason why some of my friends were not allowed to come over to my house. My mother never said anything. (Like, “you might want to wash your hands after handling that crow carcass.”) It was only years later that I realized that everyone didn’t have a pet cemetery growing up. I do have this fantasy about someone trying to dig up the yard in that house someday to put in a garden, and finding hundreds of tiny bones.

8) Is it just me, or is their a bit of Chelsea Cain in Susan Ward?

CC: Just between you and me, Susan and I do share some of the same neurosis. It makes it hard when a reader inevitably mentions to me that Susan is stupid and irritating.

9) On your website you give advice to aspiring writers, what made you decide to do this?

CC: Do I? I think that must be a link to a blog I agreed to write for a writing website. I did it because they asked, and I knew the guy who sent me the email.

10) How many mystery writers out there do you think cut their teeth on the Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew? Those books have inspired a whole generation of mystery fans & they certainly inspired you?

CC: I think those books turned a lot of us into readers. I went right from Nancy Drew books to Raymond Chandler. I tried reading Judy Blume, but when no one was kidnapped or murdered in the first few chapters, I’d lose interest.

11) Why do you think the New Testament is the most over rated book?

CC: I think I’m just jealous of the sales numbers.

12) I just saw were you're going to be attending Murder and Mayhem in Muskego in Nov., are you gonna catch a Packers game while you're there?

CC: My husband would LOVE that. (He’s from Wisconsin.) But they’re not playing at home that weekend.

13) There are some terrific kick ass women writing mystery's & thrillers today. Look no further than Megan Abbott, Vicki Hendricks, Theresa Schwegel, Sara Gran, and yourself. You guys take no prisoners. Do you think you that you have helped open the door even wider for the next generation of women writers?

CC: I think that door is splintered on the floor.

14) Who are some of the writers that you can't wait to read as soon as their next book comes out?

CC: I pee my pants a little every time Val McDermid publishes a Tony Hill/Carol Jordan book.

15) Had the Green River Killings never happened, do you think you would still have written Heartsick? I ask that because I know that you followed the case closely from the age of 10.

CC: I didn’t follow it that closely. It’s just that I was a kid when he was killing the general vicinity I was living in—so the case affected me. You couldn’t avoid it. So the Beauty Killer is less based on the Green River killer, than on my fear of the Green River killer, if that makes sense. Without him, I’m sure there would have been some other boogieman to take his place.

16) I saw where you were interested in Graffiti, have you seen the new film "Exit Through the Gift Shop" on street art and done by Banksy? A fantastic film.

CC: I haven’t, but I’ve read about it, and it’s on my list.

17) Were you ever a Twin Peaks fan, because it was filmed in your neck of the woods, and it strikes me as something you might enjoy?

CC: I loved Twin Peaks. I was in high school when it was on, and I watched every episode. The character “Molly Palmer” is named after Laura Palmer.

18) I loved the way you used the Stockholm Syndrome to explain Archie's fascination with Gretchen despite the terrible things she did to him. Was Patty Hearst an inspiration for you using that here?

CC: Only vaguely. There have been so many case studies written about people who’ve experienced Stockholm Syndrome. But having grown up with leftist parents, Patty Hearts was certainly a name I grew up knowing. My dad, in particular, was very affected by that case.

19)"Whatever you think this is going to be like" ...."its going to be worse" that line from Gretchen to Archie before she tortures him sends chills up your spine. That's a really great hook, but you were able to sustain it throughout the book. Once you get Gretchen's voice in your head...is it hard to get it out?

CC: No. None of that stuff keeps me up at night. Maybe it should. But it doesn’t. I love Gretchen’s voice. Those are the parts I enjoy writing the most. She’s a really thrilling character to write because she’s wicked and smart and funny, and she’s completely unpredictable.

20) Is this a series we can expect to be around for quite awhile and how will you know when it's time to end it?

CC: I hope to write several more in the series. Absolutely. I have a lot of ideas. I think it will be time to end it the day I sit down and start thinking seriously about a Gretchen-centered prequel.

Final Question: Dharma Girl is currently out of print , any plans to have it reprinted down the road somewhere?

CC: Nope. I love that book. It’s deeply important to me. But I sort of like that it exists in the world for the people who found it and care about it, and that there are a lot of other people who don’t even know about it. Then again, anyone who wants to read a copy can always find it on eBay.

NOIR @ BAR 4 at Delmar Lounge, St. Louis 6/28/10

2010-07-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

The 4th Noir@Bar held at the Delmar Lounge in the heart of U. City, may have been the best yet. This will create a good problem for hosts Jed Ayres and Scott Phillips. How can they continue to raise the bar over & over again. On the night of June 28th, Noir hosted authors, Derek Nikitas and Dennis Tafoya, Matthew McBride and Jed Ayres and all read from either a short story or a bit from one of their novels. On this evening Scott Phillips did not read but instead played MC and auctioneer. Phillips helped arrange a private auction for Heidi (a friend of Noir@BAR),who was facing some legal issues & the money raised that night helped to pay her bond. Scott did an amazing job of keeping things moving and entertaining at the same time. Derek Nikitas read from his novel "The Long Division" and Dennis Tafoya read from his newly released novel "The Wolves of Fairmount Park". Jed Ayres & Matthew McBride both read recently penned short stories. Noir@Bar 5, should be on any mystery fans radar that lives within a couple hours drive of St.Louis. In less than a years time, Noir@Bar has established itself as the preimere mystery event in St. Louis. Making appearances so far, is a who's who of some of todays top young mystery writers (Anthony Neil Smith, Frank Bill, Robert Randisi, Scott Phillips, Dennis Tafoya, Derek Nikitas, Theresa Schwegel, Sean Doolittle, Malachai Stone, Matthew McBride, Laura & Pickney Benedict and Jed Ayres.) Noir@Bar 5 is just around the corner so stay tuned to see what's next.

"American Bad Ass", Matthew McBride

2010-06-29T06:12:00.000-07:00

Noir@Bar 4 is now history, but what a night it was! Noir@Bar is always special but this one was extra special, and an unpublished author (not for long I'm sure) really stole the show. Matthew McBride, performed his first public reading at the Delmar Lounge and had the audience in the palm of his hand from the first sentence. Oh, and what a sentence it was! McBride read from a new short story, "GUNPOWDER AND ALUMINUM FOIL", that he only decided hours before the event to read from, and may well have been the funniest crime noir story I've ever heard at a reading. This guys gonna be a star and I'll keep all my "Signs & Wonders" readers updated as Matt progresses, so you'll know where to find his material. There were two things about Matt that really stood out, the first was something Scott Phillips said, "there are alot of hard core crime writers who really have never lived it except in their heads, but this guy is the real deal, a real badass!". The other thing was something that I think is very hard to find, a guy who can write crime with humor. That is a real gift that I don't see many writers doing today. McBride is frickin funny. I mean laugh out loud funny and I for one, cannot wait to read this guys first book. Someone's gonna snatch McBride up very soon and you're not going to want to miss it. If you've read the terrific writer Craig McDonald, whose fictional character Hector Lassiter, "lives what he writes, writes what he lives", well then you you'll understand when I say that Matthew McBride is a living & breathing Hector. And...before you get the idea that maybe Matt stood out because of a weak field, hold up, it's just the opposite, McBride was up against several established hitters like Jed Ayres, Derek Nikitas, and Dennis Tafoya who all hit it out of the park as well. It was just that McBride did it with the bases loaded. Congrats Matt, I'll always be greatful for being there that first time & I'll be looking forward to following your future. A full story on Noir@Bar 4 & photos from the event will be up by the weekend.

NOIR@BAR 4 at Delmar Lounge in St. Louis 6/28/10

2010-06-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Any mystery lovers in the St. Louis area tommorow night, should not miss this wonderful event, hosted by Jed Ayres and Scott Phillips. Noir at the Bar has already played host to Theresa Schwegel, Anthony Neil Smith, Sean Doolittle, and Laura & Pinckney Benedict. Tommorow night(June 28th), Noir@Bar will play host to two wonderful writers, Dennis Tafoya and Derek Nikitas. The evening kicks off at 8 pm. As always the event will be held at the Delmar Lounge. Hope to see you there!

Tom Russell and Gretchen Peters " rock the house"

2010-06-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

After a recent disaster where our basement got flooded with a foot of water and raw sewage, it was wonderful to get out of town and head down to Nashville to see two of my favorite musicians at 3rd & Lindsley. Gretchen Peters opened the show with Barry Walsh playing 8 of her own songs, including "If Heaven", which was recorded by Andy Griggs and 2 songs recorded by Martina McBride "The Secret of Life" and "Independence Day". Tom Russell followed with Thad Beckman and played 7 songs from his newest album "Blood and Candle Smoke. Tom also played fan favorites "Stealing Electricity" and "Whose Gonna Build the Walls" to a very receptive audience. The highlight of the night though was when Gretchen & Barry joined Tom & Thad for renditions of "Ash Wednesday" & "Guadalupe" and then legendary singer song-writer Nanci Griffith jumped on stage as well. I couldn't help but think of my friend Ken Bruen as he's described both "Ash Wednesday" & "Guadalupe" as his lifes story. It was a truly special evening and all the artist hung around after the show to visit with those in attendance. I got a chance to talk with Tom after the show and was pleased to hear that he's still writing and working on his first mystery novel, slowly but surely. Nashville was the last stop on a 14 city tour and Tom was soon to be headed back to Switzerland for a little down time, where he would have some time to write. That's always good to hear as Tom's one of the best song writers alive today & I know his mystery novel won't be anything less. I'm still holding out hope that some day we'll see a Tom Russell tune honoring JPS Brown, a friend to us both. Be on the lookout for Monte Hellman's new film with a soundtrack by Tom Russell. That's 2 giants in their respective fields collaborating there. Can't wait till 2011 and Tom's next tour. However, for now I'm simply thrilled that my Mother got to meet Gretchen & Tom on a night she'll long remember.

Winters Bone, A Don't Miss !!

2010-06-22T15:20:00.001-07:00

Winters Bone finally made it's way to St. Louis over the weekend and played to sold out shows at the Plaza Fronteac. I got a chance to catch up with it on Sunday evening and I wasn't disappointed in the least bit. The movie was true to the book as far as staying with the story but was obviously missing Woodrell's haunting prose. The location shoot was fantastic and gave the movie a gritty feel that it needed. The actors turned in strong performances, especially John Hawkes and 19 yr. old Jennifer Lawrence, (who I told you would soon be a star back in March) who plays Ree Dolly and is the film's main character. Also giving strong showings were Dale Dickey & Garret Dillahunt in limited screen time. Debra Granik did a tremendous job as the films director, and you also might want to seek out her earlier film "Down to the Bone" from 2004 staring Vera Farmiga. Down to the Bone garnered Granik several film festival awards. My hope here, is that the film will draw the praise it deserves, and in the process bring Daniel Woodrell (the author) an even wider audience. Daniel Woodrell, along with William Gay, may be the two most deserving overlooked authors alive today...I would be willing to make that argument. If you haven't read Winters Bone, read it. If you haven't seen it, seek it. You won't be disappointed.

The Killer Inside Me trailers and video clips on Yahoo! Movies

2010-06-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

The Killer Inside Me trailers and video clips on Yahoo! Movies

I'm getting very excited about seeing this film which should hit St. Louis next week. I've been a fan of Jim Thompson for years but I'm an even bigger fan of this book in particular. I will warn you this is not a date film or a movie you might want to take the wife to. It's violent, hard hitting & demented. Ken Bruen told me he's seen it and that it does not capture the feel of the book at all. That intrigues me even more. It cannot be any worse than the first film version that starred Stacey Keach and was set in the Northwest, as opposed to Texas in the book.
I'll keep you posted after I give it a look see.

Charlaine Harris Interview: 6/13/10

2010-06-13T07:16:00.001-07:00

Just in time for tonight's debut of Season 3 of "True Blood", comes this hot new interview with the wonderful author of those Sookie Stackhouse novels, Charlaine Harris. Charlaine is one of the sweetest writers you could ever hope to meet and is the author of numerous series, including the Sookie Stackhouse, Harper Connelly, Aurora Teagarden,and Lily Bard novels. I hope you enjoy this interview half as much as I did in doing it. I also want to thank Dannielle Harden, my step daughter for her assistance in preparing for this interview. Enjoy!! Interviewer: Rod Norman

1) Have you been pleased with the TV series, and does it bother you when "True Blood" strays from the books. Also, what kind of an impact has it had on your book sales overall?

CH) I am delighted with “True Blood.” The third season is going to be amazing! I went to the premiere this week and saw the first two episodes. I knew that the TV show would have to be different from the books, since the books are all told from the first person point of view, and a TV show can’t be filmed that way. Though the books were already on the bestseller list, the show has had a huge impact on my sales, which is also delightful.

2) You recently made a cameo in the finale of Season 2, what was that like for you & is it something you would like to do again?

CH) I wouldn’t mind, but I’m not driven to repeat the experience. It was a fascinating day on the set, because I observed how much work goes into a very few seconds of film. It’s always fun to see the actors and have a conversation with them; they’re all so talented.

3) Who does the art work for your dust jackets on the Sookie books & do they do your other books as well?

CH) Lisa Desimini does the artwork for the US covers, and I think the very difference of them got the books noticed initially. She also does the reissue covers for the Aurora Teagarden books, and I think the Lily Bard books also.

4)It seems to me you must have had some interest in Greek mythology at one time in your life. Would that be true and if so how has it impacted your writing?

CH) Yes, I was very interested in Greek and Roman mythology when I was in my early teens. I think you can see how that’s impacted my writing. There are some useful archetypes there.

5)Your leading characters are all strong women, have you considered writing something with a man as the lead?

CH) Not seriously. Sooner or later I’ll do that, but I really like writing strong women. Though they’re not always strong in the same way.

6) Did you always want to be a writer from an early age or was it something that just evolved over time?

CH) No, I always wanted to be a writer. I’m so fortunate that I was able to live my dream.

7) What are some of your favorite southern cities?

CH) New Orleans , of course. I’m also fond of Memphis , since I grew up near to it; Atlanta , where I have a lot of relatives; Houston, home of my favorite bookstore; and Dallas , where one of our sons lives.

8) I know author's love all their characters, even the ones they hate, its like their children. But, do you have a favorite or couple that you just love to write about?

CH) I love writing Dahlia Lynley-Chivers, who’s featured in several of my short stories. She also makes a guest appearance in one of the Sookie books. Pam is also one of my favorites. You can tell I like ruthless and sarcastic.

9) One of the best things about your characters is the way you make them relate able & real. Do you base some of them off of people you know or have met, or are they just composites melted together in your imagination?

CH) They’re most composites, created to be the characters I need to move the story along. Sometimes I’ll use a physical appearance and create the character, sometimes I’ll imagine the body and the character both.

10) One of the biggest discussions among Sookie fans is, who will she be with in the end...Eric or Bill? Do you yourself even know at this point how it will end or is that something that you'll just know when you get there or is it constantly changing directions?

CH) I do know.

11) Harper Connelly is a terrific series, have you been approached to do a TV series or movies about her?

CH) Yes, I have. We’ll see what happens.

12)So, how was the True Blood premiere in L.A. , can you ever tire of walking on the red carpet?

CH) Yes, you can. But it’s always nice to see the crew and cast involved in the show, and it’s been lovely to treat my family to an experience so out of the ordinary. However, answering the same questions over and over on the red carpet can be stressful and tedious.

13) When can we expect to see the "Dahlia" game hitting the market? Your thoughts on it as well.

CH) Oberon has sent me a timetable, but in case something slips, I think you’d better ask them questions. I’ve seen some of the artwork, and I’m delighted with it. The scenarios sound like fun to me; I plan on playing it myself.

14) You have a new T-shirt coming out w/ Harper Connelly and I believe the profits go to PROTECT, a children's protection service. How did you become involved with this cause and where can people buy this T-shirt and help kids at the same time?

CH) I am honored to be associated with PROTECT, a cause sponsored by Andrew Vachss, whose writing I really admire. I was approached by his people when they found I was a fan of his, and I gladly agreed to add Harper T-shirts to the fundraising effort. Go to my website and click on the link, and you can purchase one of the shirts.

15)Do you still get a kick out of attending events such as Bouchercon, Comic Con & other author events or are getting to the point where it's just nice to be home?

CH) I love to see other writers at mystery and science fiction based conventions. Comic Con is whole different kettle of fish; it’s very crowded, very stressful. I’m really enjoying staying home more and more.

16) Some of your fans may not not know that you sing some mean back up vocals. As was witnessed at the Delta Blues book launch where you helped back up Nathan Singer. ( I have pictures to prove it) ha.. Was that a one time thing or would you enjoy doing something like that again..any formal training in your musical background?

CH) Thanks, that’s an unexpected compliment! I had an excellent time in Clarksdale , and it was fun doing something so different and seeing the talents other writers have besides their writing. I’m pretty sure that was a one-time thing, but it was an amazingly freeing event.

17) Why did you feel comfortable selecting Alan Ball to adapt your books to TV?

CH) I think Alan is a genius. And I knew he got the combination of humor, horror, and violence contained in the books.

18) Where did the idea of combining a telepath and a
vampire come from?

CH) I figured a sane woman would have to have a disability to be interested in dating a vampire. That was my core idea.

19) It must have been extremely difficult keeping several series going simultaneously, trying to keep everything straight. I believe you once compared yourself to a Chinese acrobat juggling plates. Did you ever consider having them cross paths at some point? Such as Roe & Harper?

CH) Lily appears briefly in the Sookie books. But Roe’s world is too different to cross over with the others, and the reason Lily’s appearance was brief was that her world and Sookie’s just don’t mesh.

20) Any chance we will see Amelia again in future Sookie books?

CH) Yes.

21) How much longer is Harper going to refer to Tolliver as her "brother" ?

CH) She’s pretty much stopped doing that now.

22) Vampire politics can be confusing, have you ever thought of creating a family tree like system to explain all the different branches of their government?

CH) I haven’t, but other people have. Maybe one such chart will be in the SOOKIE COMPANION.

Final Question: In "True Blood", Jason says to Andy "This town might be full of dumb asses and rednecks, but their still Americans"... does that sum up our country?

CH) I don’t think so. I think it’s funny, but a vast over-simplification.

We're not talking an oil spill here, this problem should be fixed.

2010-06-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

REED FARREL COLEMAN at Suspense Night 2010 in St. Louis,Mo. Thats a terrific T-Shirt you're wearing by the way. An Effingham Mustangs T-shirt..yes that's my team !

My problem is somewhat like the chicken & the egg dilema. Which comes first. Ok,so here goes..I have all these wonderful authors that I love to read and want to share with others. Simple enough, I talk about them on here at "Signs & Wonders" and I verbally tell anyone who is willing to listen to go buy their books. The problem lies within. They can never find their books in book stores to buy. So..how can you read someone you can't find? Oh, you can find John Grisham, Stephen King, Stuart Woods, Mary Higgins Clark,Dan Brown, etc... on the shelves and at every used book store & booksale. You can find lots & lots of their books. But, lets be crazy and say we want to read any of the following authors.... ( Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Craig McDonald, Daniel Woodrell, Duane Swierczynski, Ace Atkins, William Gay, Megan Abbott, Tom Schreck, Victor Gischler, Anthony Neil Smith, Sean Chercover, Katie Estill, Sean Doolittle, Derek Nikitas, Michael Lister, Ray Banks, Scott Phillips, Robert Randisi, Gabriel Cohen, Jack Kerley, Sara Gran, James Sallis, James Crumley, John Shannon, Tom Piccirilli, Bob Truluck...) Just try and find their books. I could go on & on but just take the above list and head out to your local midwestern mega-bookstore ( Borders, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million ) and see how many of these authors you find on the shelves. I attend some of the biggest used booksales in the St. Louis area & will be lucky if I find 4 or 5 books from this list of authors. I understand how it works, if they dont move quickly, then they don't stock them. On the other hand, how can you develop a following when they aren't available to the average book buyer. I pick up just about every copy I run across at book sales to share with others who can't find them. Some might guess that the above authors must be not well known or critically acclaimed or they would be readily available. You would guess wrong! Daniel Woodrell & William Gay for example are considered two of the finest living writers today, among their peers. Bruen, Coleman, Abbott, McDonald, are all up for either Macavity or Anthony Awards as we speak. Yes, you can find their work if you know where to look. If you have a computer you can go to websites for wonderful bookstores such as "Murder by the Book", "Big Sleep Books", "Square Books" or "Poisoned Pen" to find most of the above mentioned authors. However, that doesn't solve my problem of not being able to actually send a friend to a local bookstore to find great writers that aren't mainstream cookie cutter bestsellers. I mean no offense to those who are, it's just that the others deserve to have a chance to be read as well. We need a bookstore in the St. Louis area that caters to the overlooked & unknown wonders that are just waiting to be discovered and become your next favorite author you can't imagine living without. Allright I admit it, that's my dream, to someday open a bookstore that caters to wonderful writers you might never have heard of. I truly believe if I can get you to buy that 1st book, you'll back again & again. A guys gotta have dreams right.

NOIR @ BAR 3 at The Delmat Lounge in St. Louis

2010-06-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

Rod Norman, Jed Ayres, Sean Doolittle

Sean Doolittle, Malachai Stone, Jed Ayres, Laura Benedict, Pinckney Benedict

Well, I can't say the 3rd Noir at the Bar went off without a hitch but I can say it was a great time as always. On June 3rd they kicked off the night with Jed Ayres reading a short from the anthology "Surreal South 09" and was followed by Laura Benedict who read her short from the same anthology. It was about this time that the evening got really interesting. Sean Doolittle followed Laura & began by reading a short story from "Bloood, Guts & Whiskey". Sean was about half way through his reading when Steve Ewing, (formerly of "The Urge" began belting out a Sly Stone tune in the other end of the bar. I had nevewr heard an author read with musical accompniament before. It made this evening one to remember for the ages. Sean...soldiered on to the end, while Jed sweet talked Steve into turning down the volume until we were through. Pinckney Benedict followed Sean and read from his new book "Miracle Boy and other stories". This wrapped up a memorable evening...I only wish Scott Phillips could have been there, he was away on family business and could have been counted on for some additional theatrics I'm sure.Like they say life is often stranger than fiction ! The next Noir@ Bar4 is set for June 28th, at the Delmar Lounge, at 8pm. It will kick off with readings from two wonderful authors, Dennis Tafoya, whose hot off the release of his new novel "The Wolves of Fairmont Park", and Derek Nikitas author of Edgar nominee "Pyres" and "The Long Division". This is an evening you won't want to miss. Of course we will also get readings from Jed Ayres and Scott Phillips which never disapoint. So, lets spread the word and get your butts out there.

2009 Oxford Film Festival - Five Easy Pieces Diner Scene Recreation

2010-06-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

Allright... I'll admit it, I'm sucking up here, but I'm a big fan of Oxford's Jack Pendarvis, who happens to be one of the funniest writers & witty people I've come across. Here's a short video of a recreation of his take on Nicholson's "Five Easy Pieces" at the Oxford Film Festival. If your looking for some humor in your summer reading, you can't go wrong with Jack's novels: "Awesome", "Your Body is Changing", and "The Mysterious Secret of the Valuable Treasure".

The DM Online: Square Books

2010-06-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

Marilyn Monroe - Unpublished photos from the "Seven Year Itch"

2010-06-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

Marilyn Monroe sings Happy Birthday to JFK

2010-06-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

New Release "The Devil" by Ken Bruen

2010-05-30T16:18:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite lines by Chelsea Cain, between serial killer Gretchen Lowell and the soon to be tortured Archie Sheridan, goes like this, "Whatever you think this is going to be like"..."it's going to be worse". Well if you take that same quote & just change the word "worse" to "better" you would capture what I feel like each time Ken Bruen releases a new novel. He never disappoints, however with the release of his newest novel "The Devil" he obliterated my expectations. This was the 9th book in the Jack Taylor series & I honestly believe it is the best one yet & in in my humble opinion I think its his best book ever. I know that's like saying that "Godfather 2" is better than "The Godfather"...I mean how can you raise the bar any higher, yet he has. I read this book in one sitting and could not put it down. I highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of Ken's, crime noir & good & evil. The subject matter of "The Devil" is a minefield yet Bruen takes us through it unscathed and leaves you worn out it the end. This could easily be the last Jack Taylor novel if Ken chooses to do so, however I have a feeling it won't be. The book mirrored the feeling I had when I watched "Angel Heart" for the first time. Your mesmerized & uncomfortable, and you can feel evil just lurking beside you throughout. The book is available only in the UK at this time, with an August release planned in the U.S. You can find the book on e-bay or Abe books or from a UK book dealer. If this book doesn't get Ken an EDGAR nomination, there is no justice. It was also cool to see Ken give a nod to "Searching for the Wrong Eyed Jesus" featuring music from Jim White, one of S&W"s favorite musicians and tips of the hat to other S&W's favorites Tom Russell, Leonard Cohen, Gretchen Peters & Daniel Woodrell to name a few. It's only May and Ive already read some incredible new books this year from Craig McDonald, Duane Swierczynski, Ace Atkins,and Michael Lister to name a few, but "THE DEVIL" zoomed to #1 on my chart and it will take a miracle to knock it off that spot for 2010. The last book that left me this enamored was Michael Lister's "DOUBLE EXPOSURE" in 2009. Don't take my word for it, check it out yourself, but let me warn you it's not for the weak at heart!

Interview with Oxford's Ace Atkins: 5/27/10

2010-05-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ace Atkins, is the author of the Nick Travers blues mystery series which includes "Crossroad Blues", "Leavin Trunk Blues", "Dark End of the Street", and "Dirty South". He is also the author of stand alones "White Shadow", "Wicked City", "Devil's Garden" and the recently released "INFAMOUS", on Machine Gun Kelly & his wife Kathryn. He was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for his investigative work on a 1950 murder which led to the novel "White Shadow". He makes his home in Oxford, Ms.

Ace is also one of the nicest guys you could ever meet and is the best tour guide anyone heading to the Delta could ever hope to find. It was a sincere pleasure to do this interview with Mt. Atkins, and I'm now in his debt. ENJOY !!

1) I want to get right into your love for the Blues which is a huge part of your Nick Travers novels. Who are some of your all-time favorites & who’s out there playing today that we can still go see?

Ace: Most of my favorites are long gone but I was fortunate to see Junior Wells, Albert King and Robert Lockwood when they were alive. I guess if I had to pick my top, it would be Muddy Waters. I have yet to find a musician who had that kind of charisma and wonderful voice. Right now, I love to see some of the folks playing music here in north Mississippi . R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough are dead but they have family keeping that tradition alive.

2) Are there any new musicians who've caught your eye lately?

ACE: I’m fortunate to have several friends who are music journalist and they continue to turn me onto new stuff. I just stumbled onto a southern rock band out of Austin called the Happen-ins who are just terrific. I’m also really into the Detroit Cobras and The Heartless Bastards right now.

3)If a person finds themselves in Mississippi & wants to hear the Blues, in the right way in the right atmosphere, are there any places you can point us to?

ACE: We have a great club right here in Oxford called Rooster’s. Any tourist would be lucky to find themselves listening to Kenny Brown on a week night. There’s also a new juke in Holly Springs I’ve yet to visit.

4)Do you listen to music while you writing ,and do you use it to set a feel for a time and place for that particular novel? For example while you were writing,"The Devils Garden" did you listen to music from the 20's era?

ACE: Music is a huge component of what I do. Although I’m not writing about music now, I always have it in mind as I work. For Devil’s Garden, I had a soundtrack of early jazz – folks like Marion Harris and James Reese Europe – his version of St. Louis Blues became kind of a theme for Devil’s Garden.

5)We know it's wrong to drink & drive, what about to drink & write? What kinda beverage is your choice for those hours at the computer?

ACE: Pretty much coffee in the morning and bourbon at night. But without coffee, nothing is possible.

6) I know we share a mutual love & appreciation for the writing of William Gay. I would put him in a class with Daniel Woodrell & Cormac McCarthy as the finest southern gothic writers alive today. How is it that his work has remained so overlooked by mainstream America ? And.. do you think that's even important to him?

ACE: William is a tremendous talent, much loved and respected by other writers and by all critics. He’s a Southern treasure who continues to grow his audience. He is also a big fan of crime fiction. I would put his knowledge of John D. MacDonald and Travis McGee against anyone. He can quote entire passages!

7) For anyone who doesn't know, you played college football for Auburn University & your character Nick Travers is an ex- pro football player with the New Orleans Saints. How did your experiences as an athlete help to prepare you for a career as a writer? What did athletics instill in you?

ACE: The older I get, the more I appreciate my time as a college athlete. It’s really about discipline and work ethic and after four years at Auburn , you take a lot of that with you. But I learned most of that from my father who was a college and pro coach. His lessons on work and attention to detail guide me to this day.

8) Oxford , Ms. is a magical place to live around.We can only imagine what it must be like to live & work in an area that has been called home by literary greats such as (William Faulkner, Larry Brown, Willie Morris, Barry Hannah, Tom Franklin, John Grisham, Jack Pendarvis, Beth Ann Fennelly, etc..). However, that is the life you live . What's it been like for you as a writer & how has it influenced or affected you personally?

ACE: We certainly have had our share of legends – Faulkner, Willie, Larry and Barry. We’re really down to four working fiction writers now. Jack Pendarvis, Tom Franklin and Lee Durkee and me. We all had dinner the other night and joked we should take a photo taken of us as they did in The Untouchables. We all miss Larry Brown and Barry a lot. Both of them were wonderful friends.

9) Oxford is also home to one of the best Independent book stores in the south in "Square Books" . What kind of support have you received from Rich & Cody and the others at Square Books?

ACE:I wouldn’t be here without Square Books. Of course, most of the folks there are my best friends in town. But it is one of the best bookstores – arguably the best – in the country. Living in Oxford is like being in Paris – eventually all great writers pay them a visit.

10) Did you have a tough time getting that first book published or were you one of the lucky ones? You hear horror stories of fifty and sometimes hundreds of rejections before breaking through.

ACE: I wrote one novel – rejected several times when I was in my early 20s. Crossroad Blues – my second – was never rejected, picked up immediately. But that much said, I wrote constantly for nearly nine years before that first book was published.

11) I never really had an idea of what Nick Travers looked like until I recently saw John Hammond perform. Is there anyone you can picture as him or is he just a combination of people to you?

ACE: I love John Hammond. I definitely see Nick as a John Hammond type trapped in the body of a pro wrestler. If I had to cast Nick for a film, it would be Dwayne Johnson – but I would insist he listened to lot of Hammond and of course, Muddy Waters.

12) How important are libraries and independent book stores in an authors success in the early going and getting established?

ACE: Without the support of the indies, I would not be working right now. They continue to be the backbone of my reading base. Stores like Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale and Murder By the Book in Houston helped establish me nationally.

13)Lets talk film for a minute, what are some of your all-time favorite southern films?

ACE: Smokey and the Bandit, Deliverance, Gator,. . . Intruder in the Dust. Anything that’s isn’t Steel Magnolias. Most all of ‘em with the great Burt Reynolds.

14) Can you name a film that you thought truly captured the spirit & or feel of the South as you know it?

ACE: You may laugh, but it would be Smokey and the Bandit. It’s a trip back to the South I knew as a kid.

15) What is your favorite William Faulkner novel?

ACE: Absalom, Absalom. As a crime writer, I also love Intruder, and Sanctuary.

16) The musician Jim White once said of the south, "that if you want to truly understand the south, you gotta get it in your blood, and you can't get it from a transfusion." What are your thoughts on that?

ACE: I completely agree. I was born in Alabama and raised by parents born and raised in Alabama . It’s a sense of place and perspective that’s hard for an outsider. When I was in Chicago researching a few years ago, I found myself having a real kinship with the folks on the South side and realized it was all very Southern. Everyone migrating from Southern states and bringing that with them.

17) Harry Crews, has always presented the south in a pretty eccentric & unique view. Have you read Harry Crews and whats your impression of his writing? Did you ever get to meet him when he made it to Square Books several years ago?

ACE: I certainly know and love Harry Crews work but don’t know him personally.

18) Flannery O'Conner or Edora Welty?

That’s really hard. A man can love two women at the same time. Right?

19) Do you consider yourself a mystery writer or simply a writer. Does their have to be a distinction or is that simply something the critics & the chain stores like to do to jumble everyone into something they can easily label?

ACE: The good critics will recognize a good story without a label. A label/genre can really limit your audience and the reason I hate them. I definitely am a crime writer but that doesn’t mean I write a mystery. I never set out to write a genre book . . . only the best story I can tell.

20) For Devil's Garden, did you spend any time out on the west coast doing research of Fatty Arbuckles haunts?

ACE: As a kid I lived for a while I San Francisco – my father had taken a job with the 49ers coaching. So I know that city very well and continued to visit during the writing of the novel. The great thing about The City is that it hasn’t changed much since Hammett’s time. You can follow locations in that novel to this day.

21) Are you a fan of the silent era & the giants of that period like Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin & Harold Lloyd?

ACE: Of course! And I watched every surviving Arbuckle film before I began to write.

22) The new books coming out in April correct? Whats the title and can you give us a little info? Megan Abbott's already read it & says it's terrific. Is it a Nick Travers or a stand alone?

ACE: The new novel is INFAMOUS – about the kidnapping of oil tycoon Charlie Urschel in 1933 by George “Machine Gun” Kelly – the South’s only Public Enemy. It’s a very dark comedy that I had a ball writing.

23) Your Nick Travers blues series is great stuff, but you've also written several wonderful stand alones like, " Wicked City ", "White Shadow" and "Devil's Garden". Do you enjoy the variation, bouncing back and forth between the series & something totally new to you?

ACE: When I finished Dirty South six years ago, I had no intention of revisiting Nick Travers but with the reissues I could certainly see a new story in NOLA for a novella or short story. I continue to get letters about Nick, people wondering what happened to him after Katrina. And I have an answer. But in the meantime, I’ve decided to wipe the slate and start a new series of stories based here in north Mississippi – that debut novel in the series will be out in 2011.

24) The early books are getting a new home with Busted Flush Press. I've seen the cover art for the book jackets and I thought they looked amazing. What was your reaction when you first saw them?

ACE: I am exceptionally fortunate to have one of my best friends – Mark Francis -- work as a graphic artist. We talked in depth about the look/feel of the Travers’ novels and for the first time, they are actually published in a format that’s true.

25) You gave me some great tips last summer on Greenwood ,Ms., Lusco's Restraunt, Turn Row Books and The Alluvian Hotel....what other jewels are out there in Mississippi just waiting for us to discover?

ACE: Too many to name here. But I would recommend everyone to tour around the Delta a bit. Check out the Hopson Plantation in Clarksdale and the Resthaven diner. So many great joints in Memphis like Payne’s BBQ and Gus’s Fried Chicken. Maybe my favorite is Annie’s soul food in Holly Springs , Mississippi – best fried chicken anywhere.

26) Can you tell us your favorite concert you've attended? Who, where, when?

ACE: Probably when I saw Prince in 1984 during his Purple Rain tour. He is a great blues man.

Final Question: Your writing habits, hours a day, a.m. or p.m & the length of time for the typical book for you?

ACE: I usually work from 9 until 4 every day while on schedule. I’ll take a short break for lunch and then return to my office. I think most people believe writing is relaxing and easy going. But do this for a living, it’s a true job. A great job. But a job none the less.

Crimeculture: Interview between Megan Abbott & Vicki Hendricks

2010-05-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Crimeculture

Click on the Crimeculture tab just above & make sure you continue to scroll down to read all of this interview between two of the leading ladies of Crime Noir. Signs & Wonders will also be posting interviews with Vicki Hendricks and Stuart Neville in the next couple days.

Interview with Vicki Hendricks on 5/24/10

2010-05-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

It was a real honor to do this Q & A with "The Queen of Crime Noir", Vicki Hendricks. Vicki is the author of 5 novels including, "MIAMI PURITY","IGUANA LOVE", "VOLUNTARY MADNESS", "SKY BLUES", and "CRUEL POETRY". She has a brand new book out, a series of short stories entitled, "FLORIDA GOTHIC STORIES". Please encourage Vicki to write that travel memoir she mentions in the interview. She is truly an amazing lady, and leads a fascinating life. If your looking for a new steamy hardboiled crime writer to pick up, start here and start with Miami Purity". You'll thank me later. So lets gets started with the interview between "Signs & Wonders", Rod Norman & Vicki Hendricks.

RN) It's often said that you should never confuse an author's work with the author themselves, yet I can see alot of the writers I know, in their work. How much of Vicki Hendricks is in your written word?

VH) Only my psychologist could say for sure! However, the most obvious part of me is my characters’ love of adventure. Many of the skydiving and scuba scenes contain true moments, places, and people. I never went in for steroids, but otherwise, Ramona in Iguana Love follows along in my path with her desire for strength and her scuba obsession—maybe her “iguana” obsession as well. In Sky Blues, for example, there’s a Vicki practicing to make a “lingerie jump.” In reality, I haven’t done a lingerie jump, mainly because I never happened to be around the drop zone at the right time. But it’s damn cold up there, so I don’t think I’ve missed anything! Same with the nude jumps—I’ve seen the blue flesh and shriveled . . . um, you know what I mean.
Anyway, I would say there’s a little of me in every character that I create, not especially the good traits either. “Madame Bovary, c’est moi,” –or Ramona or Destiny in my case.

RN) You have a new short story collection entitled "FLORIDA GOTHIC STORIES" coming out in May. How long have you been working on this collection and can you give us a little heads up in regards to what we have to look forward to here?

VH) I’ve been working on Florida Gothic Stories since 1995, if you take into consideration that the earliest story, “West End,” was written back then and published in Otto Penzler’s Murder for Revenge. Except for two, the rest of the stories have been in print, but have slunk around relatively unnoticed, except maybe for “ReBecca,” which was in Nerve.com and Best American Erotica 2000.
Megan Abbott wrote an elegant introduction that explains what I mean by gothic, in the Southern sense, and I would add that there are no vampires, but a major dollop of the grotesque. Some of the stories are more noir than gothic, but the characters all share a grotesque nature, some in a comic way, others being more gruesome. There are animals in almost all the stories and a noticeable amount of inter-species sex that some might call bestiality, but it’s necessary for my art!

RN) Do you have a personal preference between writing novels and writing short stories?

VH) I feel both ways about novels and short stories. I love it when a great idea for a short story hits me, and it seems clean and straightforward, and I can pretty much tell if it will work. I’m afraid to start a short story, however, if I don’t have an ending. Of course, I have done it more than once out of necessity, and it’s always a relief when something clinks into place. Whereas, for novels, I never know where I’m headed and can’t ever completely sort out the tangle of plots and characters to know if I’ve really accomplished what I set out to do. Or rather, I can sort them out in many ways, and never know which is the true analysis. I haven’t gotten to the point where I’m comfortable. Yet, there’s a satisfaction in completing a novel that makes all the hair-pulling worthwhile.

RN) Is it just my imagination or is the short story making a comeback after years of nearly going the way of the dinosaurs? We now have new magazines like "NEEDLE" catering to the short story format, and several new anthologies.

VH) I never hear of anybody, except fellow writers and English instructors, reading a short story by choice, but there surely continue to be many collections coming out in the past few years. Akashic has multiplied the number of noir stories. I’m with you, thinking that somebody must be buying them. Probably people in New York City—and that’s really all that matters!

RN)Your next novel is titled "FUR PEOPLE" and has been called a love story about animal hoarding..is animal hoarding what it sounds like, the guy with 50 cats or dogs? Please enlighten me here. What drew your interest to this subject in the first place?

VH) I’m the one who called it that—I’m still working on it. Most hoarders specialize in one species and my main narrator is a dog lover, but obsessed with anything alive that’s not human. Cats, a couple of ferrets, a raccoon, and rabbits are all part of her brood. She has a real problem eating, in case plants have feelings too. Now again, I’m very much this type of personality, except I have no problem eating. I’ve been obsessed with animals for my entire life and once lived with nine cats, sixteen rabbits, two dogs and a husband. Years later, after the divorce, I had an iguana, three ferrets, two cats. My son, a teenager at the time, forbade me to bring home any more friendly creatures. The ferrets and cats ran together around the house. The cats would knock things off the shelves and the ferrets would drag them under furniture so you’d never find them. It was fun. I even had the two cats and two ferrets when I lived on my little thirty foot sailboat. It was so hot (110 F) and crowded in summer that they’d stretch out together, belly up, ferrets draped across cat tails and arms and legs. (Yes, cats have arms.) Now I live in a condo where I’m only allowed one animal companion, my nineteen-year-old cat Snickers. (If I have any others, I can’t say so here.) I’m a wanna-be hoarder, always yearning to cross the line, every time I see a new furry face.

RN)Not only does your writing fascinate me, but you do as well. You seem to be someone who lives life to the fullest. You've done 600 + sky dives, you scuba dive, you've been dog sledding, you went birding in Costa Rica. You are quite the thrill seeker. Have you always been that way or was it something you picked up later in life? Also, what did birding entail...I've never been birding, but I have been snipe hunting, does that count?

VH) I started looking for adventure mostly when I could afford to, but as a child my favorite reading was about stowaways, pioneers, shipwrecks, and of course, Nancy Drew, as well as Trixie Belden, who solved mysteries and rode horses. I don’t know whether the reading drew me to adventure or the yearning for adventure made me read.
Until I wrote Miami Purity, I never had the money to do real adventuring, but I managed to save enough for scuba, and travel to Europe, Mexico, Jamaica, and the jungle in Peru, instead of spending on normal necessities like hairdos, makeup, furniture, or air conditioning. The skydiving is really expensive, so that was an indulgence that started after MP, along with trips to South Africa, Egypt, Guatemala, Finland, Australia, among others. I went dog sledding in Finland for a week along the Russian border, slept in an ice castle, swam off an ice-breaker boat. That might be the most memorable trip of all. But South Africa was the most exciting for a feeling of unexplainable energy and the animals, of course; and then diving the Great Barrier Reef in Australia was one of my life’s goals. Skydiving is a great travel boon too, and I’ve done it in Spain, South Africa, and Australia. You find a drop zone on the Internet and send an email, and they set you up with a cheap place to stay, as long as you’re not too picky, and you’ve got all the instant friends you want to jump with and party with day and night. Skydivers great people, friendly and wild!
Have you hunted for the Wilson’s snipe or the common snipe? Bet you didn’t know they’re real birds! They are well-camouflaged and blend in with the banks of lakes, so you do have to hunt for them. Birding in Costa Rica was fantastic. My boyfriend and I went at the end of the rainy season and tromped around through mountains and jungles and took the zipline through the canopy. My favorite part was the peninsula where we stayed in a lodge without electricity or outer walls, under mosquito net. Our clothes never dried and the cover rotted off of our bird book just from humidity, but it was fantastic, the sights, the people, wading through rushing rivers, and we loaded up our life lists with a hundred new species. Two summers ago we went to Colombia, and that was just as fruitful, although we stayed dry and had electricity. Colombia might be the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, with the vistas of mountains and farmland, again fantastic people. We had a great guide who had been captured by the FARC a couple of years earlier and held for eighty days, so he knew exactly where not to take us. He did all the driving too. That’s thrill seeking I can do without.

RN) Is their still something out there left undone that you still dream of doing? Running with the bulls maybe, mountain climbing? Another person who just amazes me is Martin Strel, he's the Big River Man. He's swam the Nile, the Mississippi, and the Amazon...he's middle age and weighs 250 + and drinks a couple bottles of wine a day while doing his swims. My kinda guy ! I get tired walking to my car so I have to live vicariously through people like Martin and yourself.

VH) I’m not really interested in running with bulls, but I was almost clipped by about a 150 pound warthog in South Africa. The cranky fellow apparently didn’t want his picture taken, and he scratched up a little dirt and charged when I clicked the photo. I stepped aside, just like a bullfighter. Then some Zulu women helped me out by throwing fruit to distract him. He always hung out by the garbage can at the market area in Lake Lucia, so he hadn’t seemed ferocious. You forget to be careful when a hundred or so monkeys cross the road at every sunset and you have to help push a stalled truck past a grazing hippo. Lots of good stories. At a reserve, Hluhlue, (pronounced slew-slewy, but as if you’re Donald Duck) baboons sat in a tree by the restroom every morning and I had three zebras blocking my rondeval door one night. It was a weird feeling when I saw them, like, oh, I must be at the wrong cabin because mine didn’t have any zebras! They were just grazing and after a while moved aside so I could get in.
Climbing. I’ve done a some rock climbing on walls and in Wisconsin. I did an eight hour trek on a volcano in Guatemala and got huge blisters that made thick squares of skin flap off my heels and eventually caused my big toenails to fall off. (They grew back.)
One unusual thing, I used to have friends who set up parties where we walked through hot coals and broken glass and fell off ladders letting people catch us. We bent silverware with one finger too. I still have the fork I bent and can’t imagine how that worked. These friends were the couple who got me interested in skydiving.
You can’t shut me up on this stuff1 I’ve been threatening to write a travel memoir for years.

RN)Any chance we'll see "MIAMI PURITY" made into a film anytime soon? It would make a great film I believe.

VH) Miami Purity has been optioned ever since it was published, and right now it seems on the verge of becoming a film, but there’s nothing definite. I know it will happen sooner or later and that will be a lot of fun. Maybe it’s the next adventure.

RN)You teach creative writing at Broward College. Do you enjoy teaching writing as much as you do writing?

VH) I’ve taught writing for twenty-nine years full-time at Broward College, so it’s not as exciting as it used to be. The paper grading is what bogs me down with five writing classes per semester. I teach online and night classes, which are mostly people coming back to school, so that makes me feel needed, but I might possibly retire next year or the year after, in order to finally settle into writing. However, I can’t say I enjoy sitting at the computer all day writing either. I just have several ideas stuck in my head that I have to get on paper so it’s a constant stress that drives me.

RN) Charles Bukowski once said something to the tune of "some people never go crazy, what horrible lives they must lead". I think all of the truly great writers are a little mad, because the "normal" ones bore me to tears. Your thoughts?

VH) Ah, Charles Bukowski, one of my favorites. Funny you should mention that. I’m now reading Touched with Fire by Kay Redfield Jameson, which supports that theory with examples of many writers, artists, and musicians from the past who were manic-depressive or had other forms of mood swings. However, at the pathological levels described, and considering the prevalence of suicide, I’m sure boredom would have been welcomed. Also, there are always sane and practical writers, and they are probably the ones making money. Money can be amusing.

RN) Speaking of Broward County, isn't that the same place where...oh, maybe 20-25 years ago, a sheriff got into hot water for hiding in the closet and watching men have sex with his wife? I was in college at the time and it made national news I believe. I've never forgotten that. Do I have the right place?

VH) Could be. I don’t remember. Florida out-fictions fiction all the time. I remember a mafia guy, “Fat Man” Carfagnia, who was found hiding in a compartment behind a closet in a house in my neighborhood on Halloween about thirty years ago. The house was searched and they couldn’t find him, and then one of the police, who had lived in the house previously, noticed some renovations to the closet, and they hauled Carfagnia out. I only remember that because I couldn’t get to my house all afternoon past police crouched down with rifles behind their cars. My son was around five and didn’t get to go trick-or-treating. I don’t think there was room in that compartment for any sex.

RN) James Ellroy once described "MIAMI PURITY" as a "redneck idiot savant classic" and said you were in a class by yourself. High praise indeed, but the more I thought about it, I came up with another Floridian who's work I love and who I think would feel right at home here. Harry Crews, especially his novel "Celebration" fits the bill. Would you agree or disagree with that summation?

VH) I would certainly agree, and I’m flattered to be compared to him in any way. Harry Crews is one of my mentors and biggest influences, although he might not know it. I never had a class with him, but my boyfriend at the time and I gobbled up Crews’novels and essays, and we visited him several times at his house to hang out and talk and drink beer. I have a photo of me sitting on his lap—I think. Did I dream that? Crews had taught at Broward College in the late 60’s, and my boyfriend was a student there at the time, so that’s how we made the connection. We were wanna-be writers under his spell.
You have to read the early books, like The Gypsy’s Curse, The Feast of Snakes, The Gospel Singer, Car, and others. I like Body, a newer one, in particular too. It has the most wonderful sex scene between a body builder who has maybe 2% body fat and a country girl who is obese and a virgin. I use it in my sex scene workshop because it goes beyond the expected humor of the contrast to create a believable and incredibly hot connection. I aspire to reach that level of craft some day.

RN)Have you ever came up with a word yet, for a women with that certain degree of sexual heat?

VH) Was I looking for a word? Normal? Remember, we’re inside these women’s minds, so who’s to say how many women feel exactly the same. I once had a Q & A heckler who insisted that he’d never met a woman so extremely interested in sex. I told him to think about it and he might figure out why he, in particular, hadn’t.

RN) Your dialogue can be highly erotic, super charged, was that something you had to really work at developing, or did you have the voice for it just naturally?

VH) I’ve always worked hard on my dialogue. The erotic scenes are something that I find fun, especially in trying to make them original, but it still takes plenty of reworking and considering word choices. I can’t explain how dialogue becomes “supercharged,” but I’m always careful not to waste words. It’s never easy. I start with something that seems real for the character, and after cutting and reworking it many times, it becomes more real. But even after the novel or story is published, I make changes when I read aloud. I always tell people that every time you finish a book you’re a better writer at the end, so you can keep starting over and over and getting better and better, but eventually you have to cut it off and make yourself live with it. Dialogue is definitely an important part of that. I think seven or eight full drafts is about my usual number for a novel, but I have no doubt that I could still improve if I had the guts to keep on going.

Interview with Stuart Neville 5/25/10 "GHOSTS OF BELFAST"

2010-05-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

It was a real pleasure to have a chance to do this interview with Stuart, who is one of the hottest writers going. Stuart's debut novel "THE TWELVE" in the UK & titled "GHOSTS OF BELFAST" in the U.S has recieved glowing reviews. The books film rights have already been purchased by late night host Craig Ferguson. I appreciate Mr. Neville squeezing this interview in, in what has to feel like a blur to him, as he has been traveling extensively on the books behalf. I hope you enjoy this interview with Mr. Stuart Neville.

1) Why the two different titles, "Ghosts of Belfast" in the U.S. & "The Twelve" in the U.K.?

It was purely a commercial decision. The original title was actually "Followers", but when I was revising it just before my agent submitted it to publishers, I changed it to "The Ghosts of Belfast". The problem was that in the UK, books about Northern Ireland, particularly if they're about the Troubles, are viewed with a little trepidation. There's a history of very mediocre fiction consisting of either trashy thrillers or dour literary stuff, and nothing in between. We didn't want that stigma to be attached to the book, so the title in the UK was changed to The Twelve.

2)The first short story you sold was" Me and The Devil Blues". When did you first become interested in Robert Johnson and are you a Blues Man yourself?

I first thought of writing this story as a teenager, but I didn't get around to it for about twenty years. I'm a blues fan, so I've always found the Crossroads myth interesting. I'm surprised it hasn't been explored more often in fiction.

3)When you first got that call from Nat Sobel, what was running through your mind when he started naming his clients, such as James Ellroy & Richard Russo?

Well, Ellroy's name was enough for me. It was a life-changing moment that I'll remember for the rest of my days.

4) I've seen where you're an avid reader yourself. What writers did you cut your teeth on and which writers do you still read today?

I grew up in the 80s, so of course I read a lot of Stephen King. My first proper grown-up novel was The Shining. I got into crime fiction as I got older, and Ellroy's American Tabloid had a huge impact on me. I was also influenced by an underrated British author called Ted Lewis who wrote a brilliant novel called Jack's Return Home. That was adapted as the movie Get Carter, starring Michael Caine.

5) You started writing around the age of 8 and continued to do so through 2007 without any commercial success. That's some 27 years & you never gave up, and you stayed at it. Then in 2009 you break through in a big way. Some will say, he's been an overnight success. But you know differently. What did the period of time between when you started writing &finally breaking through teach you?

I wasn't writing constantly since that age. I would just take a stab at it once every couple of years, but never very seriously. It wasn't until about three or four years ago that I started writing seriously, but I guess that's the lesson to be learned: you have to approach it seriously to stand a chance of accomplishing anything, you can't treat it like a hobby.

6) You did the Late Show with Craig Ferguson. How was that experience & does it all seem a bit surreal and take getting used to?

That was very strange. For one thing, they sprayed stuff on my head to make me look less bald under the lights. They told me before I went on that it would feel like it lasted thirty seconds and I wouldn't remember any of it when it was over. They were absolutely right.

7) We know that "Ghosts of Belfast" has been optioned and Craig Ferguson picked up the film rights, so when might we see the film in theatres?

That's a long way off. There's such a mountain to climb between here and there, so many obstacles in the path of getting any film into production, that I wouldn't like to speculate on it. But Craig is very passionate about it, and if anyone can get it made, he can.

8)The short story can really be linked to launching your career, without it you may have given up. Would you recommend to other writers just starting out, to start with short stories before attempting a novel?

Short stories are useful, but I think any given writer should work in whatever medium suits them best. But ignore the short story at your peril. Even today, it's still a relevant way of telling a story, and the Internet has only made it more so.

9) I have got to know, what are you eating, drinking or (etc)...before you go to bed at night, that gives you these terrific story ideas from your dreams and where can the rest of us writers get some? I love it, dreaming about a guy in a bar surrounded by people he's killed.

I don't know, but it definitely wasn't cheese!

10)Where too next, will you pick up again with Gerry Fegan in your next novel, or will you go a completely different direction?

The next novel, Collusion, is a sequel to The Ghosts of Belfast, and Gerry does play a part, but he's not the main character this time around.

11)Several short story anthologies have came out in the last couple years, staving off what looked like a dying vehicle. Is there any better way to get a taste for an author without first reading his novel than through the short story?

12) Any plans for a U.S. book tour in the near future?

I'll be touring the US in October 2010, starting with Bouchercon in San Francisco, and crossing the whole country. I can't wait.

13)The last 2 years has seen an explosion or "New Wave" of wonderful Irish crime writer's. How does it feel to be included in the same breathe as Ken Bruen, John Connolly, Declan Hughes and Adrian McKinty?

It feels pretty good. What's interesting is how diverse the styles are from such a small part of the world.

14) I noticed on your website that you include links to other artists? Is it important to you to help and support other writers?

I've been constantly surprised by how supportive writers are of each other, even those that could be considered rivals. There's no sense of competition. Other writers have been very kind to me, so it's only right to pay it forward.

15) For those of us in the U.S. who may not know, what exactly does a hand double do for a comedian?

Ah, that was a short film called Flying Saucer Rock'n'Roll in which Irish comedian Ardal O'Hanlon had to play guitar. I provided the hands for the close-ups.

16) I love the varied theme's you touch on in "Ghosts of Belfast", such as vengeance, deliverance, redemption, mercy, quieting the ghosts of our past & the realization that we all pay in the end. These are universal themes, but yet they are of vital importance to Ireland and it's history. Was it important to you to try make a statement in your book, or were you?

I just wanted to tell a story, but all good stories have themes at there core. You need to let the themes come to the surface by themselves, though. If you chase them too hard, they'll end up dictating your story until it becomes a sermon. And nobody wants to read that.

17) Without giving too much away, Gerry receives what he seeks in the end. Was there ever any thoughts of taking it the other direction? Not receiving what he was seeking?

18) Do you think you can ever top 2008?

19) Final Question: Where do think Gerry Fegan is today?

I know exactly where he is, but you'll have to read Collusion to find out!

The Wire, Theme Song, Final Season

2010-05-23T15:35:00.000-07:00

'The Adjustment Bureau' Movie Trailer

2010-05-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

Jonah Hex Trailer

2010-05-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

Outside of "Winters Bone" & "the Killer Inside Me" there are precious few movies to look forward to this summer. However, I stumbled across a couple more recently including this trailer for Jonah Hex. Check it out.

INFAMOUS by Ace Atkins

2010-05-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

In the days to come I will be posting an interview with Oxford's own Ace Atkins. Ace has just wrapped up a whirlwind book tour on the heels of his newest books release. The book is called "INFAMOUS" and is a wonderful summertime read. Here is a book trailer to give you a taste.

ART IN THE BLOOD By Craig McDonald Book Trailer

2010-05-15T17:29:00.001-07:00

ROGUE MALES By Craig McDonald Book Trailer

2010-05-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Girl Who Played with Fire - Trailer HD with English Subtitle [ Flick...

2010-05-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

Woodbox Gang The Hanging Of Charlie Birger

2010-05-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

WINTER'S BONE Trailer: In Select Theatres June 2010: MAPLE PICTURES

2010-05-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

NOIR @ BAR 3 & SUSPENSE NIGHT will soon be here.

2010-05-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Mark June 2nd & 3rd on your calender because their are two events in the St. Louis area for mystery fans that you won't want to miss. Suspense Night at the St. Louis County Library is on June 2nd this year. As always, in attendence will be St. Louis's own Scott Phillips and N.Y's Reed Farrel Coleman, along with Coleman's friend Gabriel Cohen (also from N.Y.). Scott Phillips is the author of "Ice Harvest" and Reed Farrel Coleman is the author of the Moe Prager mystery series. Gabriel Cohen is the author of "Red Hook" and "Graving Dock". The authors will participate in a Q & A session and will do a short reading before concluding the evening with a booksigning. This is always one of St. Louis County Libraries most popular & attended events.

The following evening will be the 3rd Noir @ The Bar, which is hosted by Scott Phillips and Jed Ayers. The date is set for June 3rd, at the Delmar Lounge at 8 p.m., and guests will include the husband & wife tandem of Pinckney Benedict and Laura Benedict. Pinckney has a new book coming out entitled "Miracle Boy & Other Stories" & Laura is the author of two novels, "Isabella Moon" and "Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts". I guarentee you a good time.

One Voice - Everybody Needs Jesus

2010-05-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

I have always been a big fan of southern gospel music. One trio that I followed for years was Ivan Parker, Kirk Talley and Anthony Berger. But recently I came across a new song entitled, "EVERYBODY NEEDS JESUS", by a new trio called "ONE VOICE" that just blew me away. It has been racing up the gospel charts ever since. The really cool thing is "One Voice" member Bryan Cowling, is a HS classmate of mine & a lifelong friend. I couldn't be happier for Bryan. He is a really good man & has a terrific voice and passion for Christ. It just proves that occasionally good things do happen to good people. Congrats Bryan !

Dont' Miss "DOG BLOOD" release on June 8th !!

2010-05-11T17:03:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to give everyone a heads up on the much anticipated follow up to David Moody's "Hater". "Dog Blood" will be released on June 8th here in the U.S.

I've got a great suggestion, stop by your local independent book store on the 8th of June, buy a copy, then head out to the cinema to catch Daniel Woodrells "Winters Bone" on the big screen. Then head home and stay up late reading "Dog Blood" into the wee hours of the night. Now.. that's a quality night out!

ACE ATKINS hits St. Louis on May15th w/ INFAMOUS

2010-05-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

A great opportunity for Midwest Mystery fans on Saturday May 15, when Oxford, Ms.'s, Ace Atkins, comes to town to sign his terrific new novel,"INFAMOUS". Ace will be signing his new novel, at Big Sleep Books on Euclid in the Central West End. Helen Simpson's store is worth a trip all by itself. Atkins in the author of the Nick Travers blues/mystery series, as well as several gripping stand alones, such as "White Shadow", "Wicked City", "Devils Garden". "Infamous" is highly enjoyable and is the tale of 1930's gangsters George "Machine Gun" Kelly and his his wife Kit. Ace is also a former football player for the Auburn Tigers and an all around nice guy. It has been confirmed now that Ace will be signing from 1 pm to 3 pm at Big Sleep on May 15th. Enjoy !

Woodrell's "Winters Bone" to hit theatres June 8th

2010-05-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

The most highly awaited film of the summer for many is Daniel Woodrell's "Winters Bone". The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the prestigous Sundance Film Festival. The film features 19 year old Jennifer Lawrence, in the role of Ree Dolly, in what I believe will be her breakout film. The film hits the bigscreen on June 8th. Put it on your calender now.

Tom Russell to play Nashville, June 17th w/ Gretchen Peters

2010-05-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

If your as big a fan of Tom Russell as I am, you'll be glad to hear Tom is returning to the Midwest, on June 17th to play in Nashville, Tn., at 3rd and Lindsley at 8 p.m., along with the super talented Gretchen Peters. This will also be as close as Tom will get in 2010. You wont want to miss this show, and it will be a nice time to return to Nashville and help out all those wonderful people who are trying to recover after the recent floods. I can't wait to see if Tom will play "Jimmie Martin" on this trip. My guess is no, out of sensitivity to the recent flooding, but you never know. As far as I know, the show is still scheduled to go on & I'll keep you posted if theirs any changes.

Where Does Time Go ?

2010-05-11T16:36:00.001-07:00

It seems like just yesterday that I was in H.S. and attending Cardinals games with my parents to see a friend of my parents, Tito Landrum, play for the Cardinals. We would often spend the weekend in St. Louis, at Tito & Theresa Landrum's apartment, along with their 2 daughters Julie & Melissa. The girls were about the same age as my granddaughter's are now ( 5 & 6 ). I lugged those two girls all over the place back then. So.. it was funny when I recently ran into ex-Cardinal's pitcher Ricky Horton at a FCA banquet and found out that Tito's youngest daughter Julie had just gotten married. It had been several years since I had seen Julie and it was a shock when I ran across the picture posted at the top of this story of Julie with her new husband,the Boston Celtic's, Paul Pierce. What a beautiful young lady...where did the time go. Congrats to Julie & Paul.

This Life (Sons of Anarchy Theme Song) Full

2010-05-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

Curtis Stigers & The Forest Rangers - John The Revelator

2010-05-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

JPS Brown Interview Pt. 5 The Conclusion

2010-04-27T15:29:00.001-07:00

14) When was the last time you were in Mexico?

I live on a cow ranch near Patagonia, Arizona 17 miles from the border. I go across to Nogales, Sonora periodically for my haircut, mine and my wife Patsy’s dental care, our prescription drugs, our saddle maker, and once in a while to have brunch in a nice restaurant with the music of the mariachis. For the past ten years I haven’t had occasion to do any business, or go any farther south than the ranch that I used to lease at Agua Zarca, Sonora. That ranch is only 12 miles south of Nogales, Sonora and I still visit my vaqueros and their families there from time to time.

15)You're a man whose done it all, ( writer, cattle man, bronco buster, gold prospector, cowboy, rodeo cowboy, ranch hand, pilot, smuggled guns and whiskey into Mexico, wrangled horses for Hollywood Westerns, and worked on a alpine search and rescue team.) Is there anything you haven't done that you wished you could have?

I’ve been plenty happy doing what I’ve done, but I’ve always wanted to do one job more. That has been to visit the home country of every great husbandman of the world and write a novel based in its folklore. Those husbandmen would include: the Argentine gaucho, The brave bull rancher in Spain, the Scottish sheep man, the Basque sheep man, the Mongolian horseman, the Arab horseman, the Australian stock man, the Finnish reindeersman, the Russian Cossack. If I could have done one novel about each of only these few, I would have been happy.

16) When you wrote your first novel "Jim Kane", did you have any idea that it would be a success and then go on to be made into a film?

No, I only wanted to write a novel about the work that cowboys do. The movies weren’t doing it and only two real cowboys have become writers to win recognition for their work. They were Will James and Max Evans. All other books, even the good ones, were about the shoot-em-up cowboys that had been heralded by the old pulps and later done over and over and over again in modern movies.

Sure, I hoped Jim Kane would become a movie and the actor that I dreamed would portray the protagonist turned out to be the one who played Jim Kane, Paul Newman. If the movie had told of the real work of cowboy Jim Kane, Paul would have been credited with revolutionizing the cowboy genre.

17) You were once the heavyweight champion at Notre Dame and you sparred with Rocky Marciano, and fought professionally in Northern Mexico. Can you share some of your memories of those days boxing & what was it like to be in the ring with a legend like Rocky Marciano?

I won Middle weight and Light heavyweight championships of Notre Dame in ’51 and ’53.
I started boxing in state tournaments when I was 12 and continued boxing as an amateur through my four years of active duty in the Marine Corps. I had 106 amateur fights and lost six. I won two state championships of New Mexico, the two Notre Dame championships, the Third Marine Division championship and the All Marine Pacific Ocean area championship in 1956. Because ’56 was an Olympic Games year, I was able to compete, although I was an officer. I also coached the Third Marine Division team.

When I was a senior at Notre Dame, before he became heavyweight champion of the world, Rocky Marciano visited our campus as our guest celebrity for the boxing finals of 1952. The finals bouts decided the boxing championships in eight weight divisions. He came a few days before the finals so that all of us boxers got to meet him and work out with him.

One day, after all the rest of the boxers had gone to shower and then to the dining room for supper, Dominick Napolitano, our coach and mentor, put me in the ring with Rocky. I had a lot of reach on him and always had a great left hand. We both had enough confidence in ourselves and in the other’s respect for us that we weren’t pouring it on, but I kept that jab in his face. I knew my range very well and he knew his, so we could make contact without injuring each other. In other words, we threw our punches right, but pulled them before they caused injury.

About the middle of the third round as I stuck out another jab, he dropped a nice, sharp right hand on my bicep and shocked my whole arm numb. After that I had to work inside and that’s when I found out how strong he was. His legs were like concrete pillars, except that he moved like a cat. His arms were strong as a blacksmith’s but he had great hand speed and snap in his hooks, both the wide ones and the short ones. He sparred with a quickness and ease that never seemed to tire him. We went six rounds and he never drew a long breath.

In the light heavyweight finals two evenings later, I stopped my opponent Larry Ash in the second round. When asked to comment on my fight, Rocky said, “He’s very good. He’s very, very good. He ought to be a professional.

I had a shabby career as a professional. I often fought under assumed names and only to make a quick payday. I didn’t use my own name and try to make a professional go at it until I was 33. In the Fall of 1963, under my own name, I stopped light heavyweight Indio Lopez in the second round. In January, 1964, I stopped his brother, heavyweight Yaqui Lopez, in the second. My old manager Mike McNulty flew down to Mexico to be in my corner for those fights.

In March of 1964, against a good middleweight named Ramon Hernandez I found out in the second round why he was called “Buffalo.” I will only say this as an excuse for losing that fight as ignominiously as I did. I had to lose twenty pounds below my fighting weight of 185 pounds for that fight. That weakened me, and besides that the Buffalo’s head was harder than any human head has a right to be.

I broke my right hand on the top of his head near the end of the second round. He went down on his back and I prayed that he wouldn’t get up, but he dammit did. I fought the next 8 rounds with only my left jab. I won the 1st two rounds and the 9th and 10th, but lost the decision, because he beat me hands down in all the middle rounds.

After my hand mended Mike called to tell me that he had arranged for me to go to Las Vegas to spar with Sonny Liston in preparation of another of his championship fights. A card was being made up for two world championship bouts on the same night and I might get to fight a preliminary bout.

On my way to Las Vegas from my home in Navojoa, Sonora, I came down with hepatitis. I got as far as Gila Bend, Arizona and had to turn back. I holed up with my grandmother in Nogales. She gave me a dose of Epsom Salts as soon as I showed up, then another dose the next day.

I couldn’t work cattle, could barely hold up my head, but I had to do something to make some money to feed my family. So I started writing the stories that became my first novel, Jim Kane. Of course, I didn’t sell a thing until 1970.

The Las Vegas card never happened.

Several other border cattlemen got hepatitis at the same time I did, but I was never as sick as the others. Some of them spent time in the hospital. I was up and able to go back to work with my cattle after a month of convalescence at my Granny’s house, even though I was still plenty weak. I always credited Granny’s salts cure with being able to go back to work so quick. Nevertheless, I needed another year before I thought about fighting again and decided that I didn’t have the liver for it.

My Mexican fans all knew about the hand that I broke, but after that when anybody else asked me if I regretted having to quit I always answered, “No, because I kept breaking my hands.” That was true, after I grew to be a middleweight I always had to go have one or the other hand put in a cast after the finals of a tournament. However, when I told someone who had not seen me fight that I had to quit because of my brittle hands, without fail, they always answered, “I never boxed, because I knew that I hit so hard my hands wouldn’t stand it.”

I always answered that kind of phony with, “Yeah, I know what you mean, but I didn’t quit because I hit too hard, my hands got broken up from the referees walking on them.”

The truth is, I never knew a fighter who quit the sport because of glass hands. A good taping always fixed them for another go in the ring.

One year after I contacted hepatitis I was in Calexico, California crossing cattle through Mexicali. My partner had been in the Yuma, Arizona country club the night before where he had been introduced to Rocky Marciano. My partner knew about my friendship with Rocky from having read my scrapbook and he told Rocky that I was nearby. Rocky told him to call me and arrange for me to meet him at the Hotel De Anza in Calexico the next day. Rocky was on his way to referee a fight in Mexicali.

We had a long visit in his room before he went across the line to referee the fight, and a long visit at breakfast the next morning. He had retired from fighting, but he said that if I decided to take it up again, to call him.

I said, “Rocky, I would, but my hands won’t stand it.”

He smiled. I said, “Even the step of light foot referee breaks them up.”

We both laughed at that, because the referees breaking hands by walking on them is an old joke among fighters.

Then I said, “Besides that, I just got over a whole year of the shits and it’s left me with a chicken liver.”

And that was finally the end of my 22 year boxing career.

18) When you wrote "Forest of the Night" in the 1970's, you lost it (the transcript) after a 4 day drinking binge, I believe. You finally found it in a garbage can. That sounds like something out of a Bukowski novel. Life is truly stranger than fiction is it not?

I was crazy wild in those days, and especially after a month of working on Forests day and night without letup except to eat. I never slept over two hours at a time during that month, either. It isn’t strange that I lost the manuscript during the week long Parranda, or celebration, that I gave myself when I finished it. My mistake was in carrying it around with me so that I could from time to time satisfy myself by rereading passages of my O-so-deathless prose. It’s not strange, either that a bunch of cowboys, some that I had never even met, ganged together to search every corner of every bar on both sides of the Mexico-Arizona border in Agua Prieta and Douglas. It is strange that there were two garbage cans in that pool hall where the manuscript was found. One had been emptied completely and the other only contained my manuscript.

19) Have you ever met or read Edward Abbey or Cormac McCarthy?

Who?

20) Craig McDonald has a series out about a fictional writer named Hector Lassiter whose tag line is "The man who lives what he writes and writes what he lives". Could that tag line fit you as well?

All through my childhood and adolescence writing was easy for me, because a lot happened to the people in my family for me to write stories about. I never liked to write, so I only wrote when I had to turn in a composition or a book report.

However, because it was easy for me, when I wanted to go to Notre Dame, I thought I could make it by majoring in journalism. I never would have graduated if I had majored in anything else.

I had a very hard time passing all the required courses during my first two years at ND, but an easy and happy time learning to write and finding an appreciation of good literature during the two years of my study of journalism. I also, for the first time in my life, found out how much professors who know about stories appreciated mine about cowboys, horses, cattle, and boxing.

After I graduated, I forgot about writing, because I didn’t have to do it anymore. Besides that, I figured I had exhausted the experiences of my life that were interesting and didn’t want to get into the kind of fiction that would require me to make up stories.

Then, I left the ranch after graduation and struck out on my own. I was half an invalid and couldn’t do hard work as a cowboy. On the way home from graduation a blood clot in my labyrinth, my inner ear, had laid me low for about a year and I lost 40 pounds. The only work I could do was write, so I found work first on two Arizona weekly newspapers and later on the Herald-Post.

I wrote on that newspaper for two years while I recovered from the blood clot, then joined the Marine Corps and forgot about writing again. After two years of writing five or six stories a day for the newspaper, I didn’t ever want to write another one.

The only writing I did in the Marine Corps was a manual for animal packing for the Mountain Leadership School at Pickle Meadows, California where I served as an instructor-guide. I was one of the first five officers who helped found that program.

I went to work in the cattle business when I was released from active duty in ’58 and the only times I wrote after that was when I was laid up injured, sick, or by myself in some camp way out where the sun set between me and town, until the hepatitis hit me.

I had plenty to write about then, a good warehouse full of stories that were unlike any that any other cowpuncher had written, or any other writer had written, for that matter. I was able to see the value of those stories as material for a book. Once I decided to write a book of those stories, I got hooked on writing. The more I wrote, the more I had to keep at it. The more that I could remember of the experiences, the more value I saw in the stories and in the way they had to be written, So, I had to see that they were written. The only trouble, that kind of writing got harder and harder. It still does. It ain’t easy anymore at all.

I have never liked to write and I have not enjoyed it any more than I have enjoyed going on drunken binges for months at a time. What’s to enjoy about being so totally absorbed in a task that you can’t eat, or sleep, or stop doing it? That’s what I’ve done as a drunkard and is exactly what I’ve done as a writer. The trouble is, I’ve never felt duty bound to go on a drunk, and I do feel duty bound to go on writing.

21) You come from I believe 5 generation of ranchers, do you have any children following in your footsteps?

I have two sons that I can count on to help me run another ranch, if I ever make another stake to buy and stock one. One son is a movie stuntman and the other is an artist. One of my three grandsons is a cowboy who works on a ranch near Austin, Texas. One studies to be an actor. The other has been studying classic guitar for four years in Seville, Spain and plans to remain there for two more years. Three out of five cowboys who can succeed me ain’t bad, but who knows if it will ever happen again. I hope to write 30 more books. If I get that done, it will happen.

22) You've said that some of the worst people in the world and also some of the best live in the Sierra Madres. Have all the best fled from there in recent days?

Decent people find it very, very hard to stay in the Sierra Madre these days. That’s not to say that the people who stay are all villains. The best of people everywhere in the world, find it to difficult to remain hardcore good all their lives. I know people in the Sierra Madre who live by earnings from illegal crops. I respect them, trust them, and am not bothered by what they do to make a living. They have survived because their goodness is universally respected. They are part of the hard core of good people of Mexico that no villainy will ever contaminate. They have kept their ranches and raised their children to respect justice and decency while their neighbors turned to banditry, lawlessness, and dissipation. What more could anyone expect of them?