Category Archives: Books

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Deep Ellum by Brandon Hobson is a slender novel of less than 150 pages but one of my early favorites of 2014.

“Snow on the roofs of buildings gleamed in the moonlight. From the rear fender of a parked car along Elm hung little icicles that sparkled. I walked past the store windows, past small mounds of dirty snow along the street. A dog was barking from somewhere above me, in one of the apartments, but besides that there was no traffic and little noise. Deep Ellum in the winter was asleep.”

Read the rest of the review in The Floating Library.

Went to pay my respects to this great Hibernian today. (at Zurich, Switzerland)

Wipeout Blues

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I took this photo yesterday at the beach after my sister-in-law found an escape key from an old keyboard in the sand. I’ve been thinking all day about where the key came from, whether some traveler lost it at the beach or if it washed up on shore. The picture is kind of corny in that it’s a bit on-the-nose — all it needs is a corporate logo and a call to action. I find all kinds of things at the beach — but I can’t stop thinking about the strange and unexpected journey this little piece of plastic has made. What I love about the beach is that its always changing, it’s not a static place. Sometimes things are pushed up on shore and sometimes things are unexpectedly taken away. That brings me to this story, which I wrote several years ago when I lived near a different beach about 120 miles up the coast. A few weeks ago it was selected by Ben Loory as one of the Wigleaf Top 50 2014. I’m honored to be included. And remember: sometimes when you go looking for an escape you’ll find there is none. 

Welcome to Thunderclap

As many of you know I worked for many years at an Indian casino and these experiences served as the inspiration for my novel. It was a fascinating place to work – part Vegas-style local’s only casino, part low-end amusement park, part 7-11. Today I’m pleased to announce that Thunderclap Casino is open for business. Check it out and be sure to enter the Forest of Fortune Casino Giveaway: up to two nights at an Indian casino near you, compliments of Tyrus Books

Razorcake #80

The new issue features an excellent interview with Mind Spiders with cover art by Kiyoshi Nakazawa. Not only is Mind Spiders one of my favorite bands, they’ve written a song for the Forest of Fortune book trailer. Super excited to share this with you when it comes out next month. My column for this issue is a tribute to Dave Brokie aka Oderus Urungus lead vocalist for GWAR. I didn’t know Dave but having spent my adolescence and undergrad years in Virginia, he was an example of creative nonconformity at a time when I really needed it. Rest in Power Oderus.