Many thanks to Bonnie ZoBell for featuring me on West Coast Interviews. We talked about addiction, casino culture and Forest of Fortune. An excerpt: 

Bonnie ZoBell:  I know you worked in an Indian casino outside of San Diego as a copywriter. This type of huge establishment with an all-powerful management calling the shots often seems like some big dysfunctional family, probably worse since the rules are different in casinos. From what I’ve seen, there are a lot of bizarre, off-the-grid individuals visiting these properties, and the people who work there get to see them more up close and personal. Is this partly what made you write the book—the unusual characters?

Jim Ruland:  Absolutely. I knew almost immediately that I was going to write about my experiences at the casino. I’m also drawn to historical subjects, and the framework that created casino culture in the United States is pretty fascinating. Casinos attract people who are somewhat less risk averse than others so you get some interesting characters coming through the doors at all hours of the day and night. I think that also applies to the people who work there.

Read the rest of the interview.

Sheldon Lee Compton served up a whole bunch of anarchy in the form of a short interview for Enclave’s Chaos Questions. Here’s a sample. 

E: So there’s this painting by Jackson Pollock called “Mural” and there’s this six-year-old kid who wants to know what it’s all about. Tell them whatever you think’s best and share it with me here.

JR: “Look, kid, art isn’t “about” anything. It just is. Like when you pick your nose and wipe your boogers on the wall, that isn’t “about” anything is it? Fuck no. It’s boogers on a wall. Don’t tell your mother we had this conversation.”

Read the rest of the interview…