"Random Thoughts"

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

William Gay to appear at Landmark Books

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

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"

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"

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

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....