Oxfords own, BARRY HANNAH , passes away at 67

I was saddened this evening to learn of the death of Oxford,Ms. author, Barry Hannah, at the age of 67. Mr. Hannah died at his home on Monday of natural causes. I wasn't fortunate enough to have met him in person, however I was a huge fan of his work as a writer. He was funny, witty, and had a gift of creating wonderful southern characters. Many of those characters were hard drinking southerners. Barry taught writing at the University of Mississippi for over 25 years and had made his home in Oxford. I have mentioned my love of Oxford,Ms. on this site in the past. The writers who live in Oxford are truly special and caring people. I was just there in July,and had left all of my Barry Hannah collection with my friend Cody Morrison to be signed when Barry came in to the store the next time. The year came and went, but in late January Cody contacted me to let me know that Barry had been in and signed them, and that they would ship them to me right away. I can still remember my excitement the day that they came, and as I opened them up, I felt a little bond to this wonderful author. Now,only a little over a month since that day, Mr. Hannah is gone. Tonight in Oxford, those same Oxford writers (Tom Franklin, Ace Atkins, Jack Pendarvis & several others) will gather at a local watering hole and raise a glass in memory of Barry Hannah. Here, I too will raise a glass in his honor, but in spirit, I will be some 6 hours away.

Future of the Auto Industry?

We can put a man on the moon, but the best we can do is 28-32 mpg. when it comes to automobiles. Are you kidding me? Is it any wonder that the auto industry is in huge financial trouble these days. Then I see that the Germans are close to putting out a VW that gets 258 mpg.. Their Volkswagen single seater car is supposedly ready to hit the market in Shanghai, China in 2010. The vehicle has gone from conception to production in only 3 years. It's being billed as the most economical car in the world, and will retail for $600 U.S. dollars. The vehicles fuel tank capacity is only 1.7 gallons and would get you 404 miles on a full tank. The car travels at a top speed of 74.6 mph., and the company's headquarters is in Hamburg, Germany. On a website I visited, it states that you could go to Shanghai on vacation, buy 2 of these cars for your wife and yourself, buy one for each of your kids, have them shipped home and still spend less money than if you bought a car at home. If this is for real, it really makes you wonder what we're doing over here. It could be bad news for "Big Oil".

Fire Destroys Iconic Grocery in Elliottstown,Il.

It was sad to see this local landmark burn down a couple weeks ago. It had been a grocery store for over 40 years before being turned into an apartment complex. It held many fond memories for a close friend of mine (Steve Endebrock) who's grandparents had ran the grocery store all those years. Most kids today don't remember these types of grocery stores at all. The ones with all kinds of candy, cool advertising signs, and glass soda bottles filled with grape, orange, strawberry and chocolate. It was also a place you met and talked to your neighbors, a slower place in time, or some might say a better place in time. This place reminded me of a time period that I was into collecting antiques & bottles. Steve and I spent many a day bottle hunting & searching for those metal advertising signs. It brought back alot of good memories, like the time we carried a sign over our heads, in shin deep mud, about a half mile back to our vehicle. We found some pretty cool stuff in those days, original advertising signs for Sunbeam Bread, Dr. Pepper, Shell, Gargoyle and I'll never forget Steve's biggest treasure, a couple sets of hard plastic or ceramic coffee cups with a straw or bamboo weave design inside them. I laughed at the time, but I have to admit I still use the set he gave me some 10 years later. He said they reminded him of the cups he drank out of at his grandmother's house when he was a child. We should all be so sentimental and nostalgic. It's always sad to see another landmark destroyed...but the memories of the past are safe and sound in our hearts and can never be taken from us.

"AVATAR", the "BEST PICTURE" ?

I have to start out by saying that for some reason I just did not want to see this picture. I don't really know why. I had loved Titanic, and everyone I knew who had seen Avatar, had liked it. I mean film buffs I respect like Tyler Renshaw. Maybe it was all the blue people, or all the sci-fi stuff (I'm not a sci-fi guy for the most part). Whatever the reason was, doesn't really matter. I finally gave in this Sunday afternoon and checked out the 3D version (3D is another aspect I'm not crazy about). All I could say was WOW !! It's a long film that didn't seem long and that is always a mark of a good film. The special effects are amazing, but what really got my attention was what the film had to say, and it said alot. I couldn't help but keep thinking of how there was no way this film could have gotten made in J.Edgar Hoovers time. It just wouldn't have been allowed and if it did, James Cameron would have ended up on a FBI watch list. The film is very much a knock on the war in Iraq, with lines something along the way of " If we want something they've got, we just call them the enemy and go take it". Does that sound like oil talk to you ? Another line was ..."we fight terrorism with terrorism". The movie is also about the environment and it's destruction. Yes, James Cameron is a "tree hugger", as some would say. Parallels have to made between the Skypeople and the U.S. Government. There is also a underlying spiritual or religious thing going on here. Avatar is alot of things to alot of people. However, I'd sadly say the majority who've seen it, saw it as nothing more than a great special effects film. I can't wait to here James Cameron's acceptance speech next Sunday. I'm thinking he'll have something significant to say. Finally, is it the best film of the year? I'd say no..my vote still goes to THE HURT LOCKER, a film that shows us what our brave military men are dealing with on a daily basis. Huh, two war films battling it out for best picture...interesting.

" IT'S HIP TO BE SQUARE"

Let me begin by saying that I'm 44 years old and most people would consider spending a day on the road with their mother (at that age) a pretty uncool thing to do. Perhaps, but then again, my mothers not the typical Mom. My wife had to work Saturday and my mother was in town to visit us for the weekend. No problem, we grabbed all my (Tom Russell, Slaid Cleaves, Jim White & Leonard Cohen CD's) and hit the road. We drove through some great towns along the way (Greenville, Hillsboro, Leitchfield) before we ended up in Girrard,Il. at the Deck Bros. soda shop and bookstore. We grabbed root beer and chocolate floats from the 50's soda shop and I picked up Woody Guthrie's, autobiography "Bound for Glory" at the bookstore. We had a very interesting conversation with the legendary Deck brothers, about the history of the area, books & the two buildings they own. From Girrard we were only 4 miles from Virden, Il. ( a town I wrote about only a couple weeks ago) and the SLY FOX and BOOKS ON THE SQUARE bookstores. We spent the afternoon in these two shops buying books and chatting with George at the SLY FOX & John and Jeannie Alexander at BOOKS ON THE SQUARE". I found some brand new mystery 1st editions still on the shelf from the late 90's of (Charlie Stella, Vicki Hendricks, Ace Atkins,Jason Starr and Ken Bruen)at the SLY FOX, and some wonderful vintage paperbacks of (Dashiell Hammett,Raymond Chandler,Rex Stout, Jim Thompson,Graham Greene,Dorothy B. Hughes, and William Faulkner) at BOOKS ON THE SQUARE. Funny... but both stores owners said we were the best customers of the day. That's probably why I'm always broke. If I could eat my books, I'd weigh a thousand pounds! Before we left town we stopped at the corner gourmet coffee shop and grabbed some terrific cappuccino's and a bag of Dutch Apple coffee beans for later. The latter part of the day didn't go as scripted. We left Girrard headed for Decatur, but we ended up in Springfield, looking for a restaurant that she had seen featured on one of her favorite cooking shows. The kicker is, she couldn't remember the name or address... but she did remember it looked like a Quonset hut. After 45 minutes of searching downtown Springfield to no avail, we gave up. We settled ( if you can call it that), for the Rt.# 66 icon, "THE COZY DOG". I've been several times, but it was her first time and was quite a treat. This is a must stop on any Rt. #66 trip and was the origin of the corn dog. Make sure you order the homemade fries as well. It was now getting dark, so we headed home through Decatur,Il. We did stop at Best Buy, Hickory Creek Mall, and a going out of business sale at Hollywood Video. It was there that I found a Leonard Cohen DVD. We made a pass by the Avon Theatre to see what was on, but decided to pass this time. We got back to the house about 9:30 pm ( or about 12 hours after we'd started). It was a great day and just proves it's not that unhip to spend time with Ma!

DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI Interview 2/25/19

Duane Swierczynski, is the author of the nonfiction titles "This Here's a Stickup" and "Big Book 'O Beer". His fiction titles include " The Wheelman",
"Blonde",and "Severance Package". He writes for Marvel comics and has a new book coming out in March entitled "Expiration Date". Duane makes his home in Philadelphia.

It was a real thrill to have had the opportunity to do this interview. I want to say thanks to Duane, it was a pleasure! So.. lets get right to it...Mr. Duane Swierczynski.

1) Have you ever done the "Rocky" thing where you sprint the steps to the top of the Art Museum or attend Eagles games and throw batteries or snow balls at opposing players?

No. But my kids have. And they've never seen any of the ROCKY films. Creepy, huh? It's like they're programmed to be Philadelphians at a genetic level.


2)Philly gets a bad rap at times, but its your hometown & obviously you love it. Your books are all set there as well. What should we know about Philly but probably don't?

I have a love/hate thing going with Philly. Love its history and neighborhoods, but hate the dumb asses who ruin everything. By that I mean the thugs and the politicians.


3) Bukowski spent time there, so you got that go in for you... what's the best writer's bar in Philly and where can we get the best Philly cheese steak? My arteries are hardening just thinking about it. Ha

Oh yeah -- I love that Bukowski spent some time here. I keep meaning to dig up the Philadelphia Inquirer article about his Philly haunts. I do know he spent time drinking near Broad and Fairmount, and I used to live nearby. (Not at the same time, obviously.)
The best writer's bar? I'd say McGillin's Ale House on Drury Street.

And best cheese steak? What, are you trying to get me stabbed?


4) How good are Tasty Kakes really? They are legendary, and Marvin Harrison brought them with him to training camp every year. Can you send me some?

I'd send you some, but I believe it is against the law to mail something as sweet and awesome.

5) One million dollars for a comic, are you kidding me? The Superman #1 just sold for that. Did you collect comics as a kid & do you remember your first love?

I didn't collect them -- I bought them and read the living shit out of them. My grandmother would give me a dollar every so often, so I used that to buy one comic and one candy bar. I read a lot of Spider-Man, Iron Man and Moon Knight back then.


6) My mother burnt all my comics in a burn barrel while I was at school one day when I was about 12 or 13. Hundreds of Batman, Superman, Thor, Flash, Spiderman, etc.. from the late 60's and early 70's. She didn't burn my Archies & Richie Rich or Casper though. Do you believe in the death penalty or is that to harsh?

Man. What did you do to your mother?


7) I heard they misspelled your name on one of your early book jackets, how does that happen and how many of those made it out there into collectors hands?

Actually, it was the spine of the actual book, not the jacket. So it's well-hidden. It was the entire first printing of "THE WHEELMAN", so if you own one... it might be worth five cents more on eBay.

8) You published a book entitled, " Big Book O' Beer" ...I assume that required many hours of research, and did it do any permanent damage? Your favorite beer is?

Writing THE BIG BOOK 'O BEER was grueling, man. Every day, I'd come home from work and have to open yet another beer, take some notes, open *another* beer, take more notes...

Okay, it was actually pretty awesome.

Favorite beer? These days it's Shiner Bock. Brewed in Texas. Hard to get here. Which is probably why I like it.


9) I've seen where you signed an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics, is that a long term deal and is it a very lucrative thing?

I make it rule to never discuss business and/or money unless we happen to be sitting around a giant pile of cocaine with guns in our hands.


10) I saw where you were once editor of Men's Health & Details, are you a fitness buff & can you give me any fitness tips I can use while I'm on my computer for hours at a time?

I was the minority hire at both magazines. At Men's Health, I was the tubby one. At Details, I was the un-hip one.


11) You and your brother are both named after members of the Allman Brothers. So, your family must have been big fans. Whats your favorite Allman's tune and have you seen them in concert? Good thing you were named after Duane Allman, & that none of the Allman Bros. were named Sue, or we'd be having a totally different conversation right.

I saw Greg Allman, at Woodstock 2. Duane Allman died before I was born. Catching him would have been a little tricky.
Hell, I'm just glad my parents weren't Sonny & Cher fans. My little brother was picked on enough in school, without him being named "Cher."


12) Your mothers maiden name was Wojciechowski, and Swierczynski translates into "dweller near a fir tree". Is there such a thing as to much information in today's cyber world?

The Internets a wonderful thing, isn't it? You can just lie your ass off and Wikipedia picks it up!


13)On a serious note you named your youngest son Parker, after Peter Parker in Spiderman. What qualities did you admire in Peter Parker or did you just like the name?

Actually, Parker's named for two of my literary heroes: Peter Parker (as you note) and Richard Stark's (a.k.a. Donald Westlake's) Parker, from the long-running crime series. I figure with two role models like Spidey and Parker, my boy will be able to handle anything.


14)Which art form to enjoy working in the most, novels or comics?

I love both, but novels are ultimately more satisfying -- for better or worse, it's just you in the pilot's seat.


15)What writers have mentored you, guided you, or helped you along the way?

Allan Guthrie, a brilliant Scottish crime writer, has been a close friend and mentor to me for geez, six years now. He was my first fiction editor, and his advice and counsel over the years has been invaluable. Plus, he's not utterly shite in bed, either.
And so many other pros have been ridiculously kind to me over the years -- Ken Bruen, Laura Lippman, Michael Connelly, Terrill Lankford, Bill Crider, Ray Banks, Tom Piccirilli, just to name a few. The most talented writers tend to be the most generous.

16)Was being a writer something you always dreamed of from an early age or did it just happen and you went with it?

It wasn't a dream at an early age so much as something I loved to do. Even in college, I never thought I could survive writing fiction for a living -- which is why I became a journalist.

17) Whose books made you want to be a writer?

If we're talking back in high school.... God, so, so many. Stephen King's IT. Joe Lansdale's COLD IN JULY. Clive Barker's BOOKS OF BLOOD. Robert Cormier's FADE. David Schow's LOST ANGELS. Skipp and Spector's THE CLEANUP. An anthology called THE GREAT AMERICAN DETECTIVE.

18) This Here's A Stickup, was a great book but we don't hear as much about it as we do the others. Why is that and what was your inspiration in writing it?

Thanks, sir. My inspiration? An editor I knew wanted a book on bank robbery. He gave me an advance and three months. I got to work.


19) I recently read and followed along on the website for "Level 26". It was a interesting concept, the cyber world working hand in hand with literature at the same time. What kind of feedback have you received and just how much involvement did you have in that project?

I wrote the novel from Anthony Zuiker's detailed notes -- and he wrote and directed the "cyberbridges" (filmed sequences bridging some of the chapters). I think the best way to enjoy it is on something like an iPhone, where you have the pages right there, and you link to the cyberbridges instantly. It's a totally different way to experience a novel.


20) In Level 26, the serial killer is just flat out creepy, who came up with his profile and in the real world could sleep at night knowing someone like him was really out there waiting?

Sqweegel was 100% Zuiker. The man is sick, sick, sick... in all of the right ways. The moment I heard about Sqweegel, I was like, "Sign me up."


21) I was just blown away by "Severance Package", and the word on the street is that Lions Gate Entertainment has picked it up with Brett Simon directing. Also, I hear your co- writing the screenplay which is great news. Is there any news of possible cast members yet and can you tell everyone a little about Brett Simon and the work he's done. This movie has a chance to be a great flick doesn't it?

Everyone should check out Brett's debut, ASSASSINATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT. It's out on DVD now -- and very much a noir flick set in high school. I loved it. We wrote the script together, and now we're waiting for the next step. Stay tuned.


22) Obviously your a film buff, so can you tell us some of your favorite films, actors or directors who you admire?

I could literally sit here for hours, talking about favorite movies and directors -- I think your readers will have nodded off long before I finished. My all-time favorite movie remains Paul Verheoven's ROBOCOP. If I could ever pull off that blend of action, big ideas and black comedy, I'd be a happy man.


23) I see that Noir Con's in Philadelphia in November of this year. What can you tell us about it for those who've never been to one?

I seem to remember a lot of heavy drinking.


24) Do you ever really know what to expect when your on one of those panels at something like Bouchercon? In Indy, you were on a great panel with Michael Lister and Reed Farrel Coleman and I remember thinking, Duane's the wild and crazy one of this group... and yet you ended up moderating things. A complete role reversal?

Wait, *I'm* the wild and crazy one? When did this rumor start?


25) Whats your back ground musically? Who do you listen to and how much of a role does it play in your writing if any?

I used to play in my father's bar and wedding band -- and some of that experience makes it into my next novel, EXPIRATION DATE (due out March 30th at finer bookstores everywhere!)
When I write, I tend to listen to movie soundtracks. Today, for instance, I've been outlining a new book while listening to the soundtracks of some 80s neo-noir: TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A., MANHUNTER and BODY DOUBLE.


26) Are you a sports fan, casual or passionate? If so any of the hometown teams...Eagles,Phillies,Flyers or 76'ers?

Not a sports fan in the least. My father isn't either, and I think that's key. I think you have to grow up with it.


27) I saw on Wikipedia a while back that your considered a member of the ( Ken Bruen posey) along with Jason Starr and Reed Farrel Coleman. Now... that's a group I want to hang out with. Is there a secret handshake or password you could let me in on?

"Hey, guys, can I buy everybody a round?"




28) Whens the next book due in stores, its title and anything you can you can share with us? Set in Philly?

As I so ham-handily mentioned a few questions ago, it's called EXPIRATION DATE, and about an out-of-work journalist who moves into his grandfather's apartment and becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. All of my books, it's the most Philly-centric. It was originally slated to be one of the New York Times Magazine's fiction serials, but sadly, they cancelled the feature not long after I started. I finished it anyway and made it my next book.




Final Question: Where would you like to see yourself 20 years down the road?

Answer questions for part two of this interview: SWIERCZYNSKI, TWENTY YEARS LATER.

TOM RUSSELL Interview: 2/24/10

Tom Russell, is one of the last great singer-songwriters of our time. If you want honesty, blood and tears, and heart and soul, laid out on the line in every song..then you've found your man. Tom is passionate & insightful beyond his years. He is one of my heroes and I am thrilled to share this Q & A with you.

I can't tell you what an honor it is to do this interview. Tom, I appreciate your time & willingness to participate. I know your time is precious so I will get right to it. The questions are as follows:

1) I've heard that your putting that Criminology degree to work by writing your first mystery novel. How is the book coming along, the title, setting, and how long before we might see in bookstores?

Well, book writing isn’t my main job, songwriting is, so who knows when this will see the light of day? We live just across the river from the most dangerous city in the world, Juarez, Mexico, and that’s what I’m writing about. Sort of a Narco-Corriddo song with 20,000 verses.

2) So many of your songs have religous/spiritual references in them, what are your personal beliefs?

I’m a fallen away Catholic altar boy trying to dig deeper. I’m not interested in religion. To me Religions are like the Kiwannis Club or the Boy Scouts. Lots of Rules and a place where a community of people can hang out and hope there’s something better in the afterlife. I’m an isolate loner. I’m more interested in passion and belief on a spiritual plain which defies religion and travels beyond it and speaks of mystery and freedom and poetry. Like the Gnostic Gospels. I saw mystery in the Shrine of Guadalupe in Mexico City. I only hit on it in shattered glimpses in some songs.

3)You spend an incredible amount of time touring, do you ever get tired of the road?

People who don’t like hotels ask that question a lot.

I thrive on the road. I love the stage and all that the stage implies. It’s Shakespearean and ancient. It’s the minstrel trade and one of the few honest jobs left – if you have something to say. The road makes sense. When you get home you have to deal with cesspools and leaking ceilings and mail. On the road I feel like a boxer or a bullfighter going from city to city throwing the jab, swinging the cape and trying to create magic.



4) I've seen some of your art, and it's really incredible work, when do you find time to paint and how did you learn to paint like that?

I never learned. It’s primitive stuff. I just went in one day and drew a cow and then painted it blue and I was off to the moon. I felt Picasso was in the room for a few seconds. There’s no pressure on my art because I’m not trying to contend in any current market. I have galleries in Santa Fe (Rainbo Man) and Austin (Yard Dog) which seem to move the paintings out the door. It’s a blessing. I paint at night. We don’t have a TV. And the nearest bar is in Juarez, and that’s off limits now. When you’re painting, as Picasso said, you leave your mind outside the studio like Arabs take off their shoes before they enter the temple.

5) Have you gotten a chance to see "Crazy Heart" & if so, how realistic is Jeff Bridges "Bad Blake" as a veteran musician's life on the road?

Have not seen it. I might, but I usually find movies about musicians lacking or pimping to a Hollywood mentality. I don’t think actors can play musicians…

Most of these people want to be songwriters but need to be actors to pay their enormous Karmic rent.

6) I found "Hotwalker" to be just amazing..it really captured the spirit of a vanishing America and icons like Edward Abbey, Charles Bukowski, Dave Van Ronk...real Americans. Are there any voices still out there today, crying from the pulpit & dying to be heard?

Precious few. There aren’t many young writers of merit. But we still have songwriters like Steve Young and Jesse Winchester and Leonard Cohen who can knock you down with a song. I like the new Jenny Shienman album with vocals. It’s simple but hits me. I love what Ken Bruen does in his novels…

7) As a country we've come so far so fast that its hard to even keep up on a daily basis. Some call it progress....what do you call it and where do you see this country headed? Can we even slow the tide?

I’m not an historian or economist or political scientist, thank God. I’m a believer in art, and not politics and history. I think a Van Gogh or a Bob Dylan can arrive any moment and shatter history forever and create something that resonates for centuries.

A great song might be our only hope.

8) It's obvious your a real champion of the people, from your music...you treat people with such dignity that it has to break your heart to see the working class people being exploited & big buisness getting greedier & greedier. Will we ever see a world where those without means arent a pawn for those who do?

Hell no. There’s not going to be any Utopian Dream come true. I don’t think in terms of a class struggle.

I think in terms of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Willem de Kooning. My songs are about myself or about individuals. Not classes or groups.Topical songs have a shelf life.

That realization is what killed Phil Ochs.







9) You can capture an individuals life in a three or four minute song better than anyone. Where does the inspiration come from to write tribute songs such as "THE KID FROM SPAVINAW" ,MUHAMMAD ALI, RACEHORSE HAYNES, ISAAC LEWIS ?

Those songs were easy because they were about real people. People with real lives and people of huge character. I grew up watching Muhammed Ali and Mickey Mantle and listening to Bob Dylan. Giants walked the earth. Every chapter of their life; every fight and game and concert was grist for a novel or song.

10) How on earth do you come up with such soulful songs such as Ash Wednesday or Guadaloupe?

Trying to escape my Catholic past, shed that layer of skin and ask myself what love or faith or passion is really about.

And it ain’t on CNN or the six o’clock news or the weather channel.

11) Stealing Electricity and Who's Gonna Build The Walls, are just brilliant. How long did it take you to write those 2 songs.

Probably thirty minutes a piece. Those two came quickly because they were driven by a need to say something fast

about the people I love. Mexicans.

12) Your most memorable or meaningful accomplishment in your career?

Arriving at a place where I could write the songs on “Blood and Candle Smoke,” realizing it was a new plateau, but that there is a higher ground and much work to do.

Final Question: What are some of your favorite venues & what would you like people to remember about Tom Russell 50 yrs. from now?

I love em all. Especially Belfast, Reno,Oslo, London,New York, Chicago…anywhere a few hundred people assemble and want to hear songs. I like to see the audience and I like to pull them in with gypsy moves and good writing…the old craft.

I trust some of the songs will be alive in fifty or a hundred years and that’s enough. But I plan to be around long enough to piss on Methusaleh’s grave.

I have a young and beautiful wife who keeps me in good health…like a great boxing trainer. Adios and thank you. TR El Paso