A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Winslow graciously discussed his series and this final book with me. A small but interesting piece of the interview can be read in Publishers Weekly, titled “Iliad on the Strip: PW Talks with Don Winslow.” A version of that article also appears in the 02/12/2024 issue of Publishers Weekly under the headline “Iliad on the Strip.”
Interview with Don Winslow for PW Read More »
The winter 2023 volume of Lowestoft Chronicle features exceptional travel essays by Tim Morris and Daniel Robinson, poetry by David Havird, Julie Allyn Johnson, Susanna Kittredge, and George Moore, and stories by James Gallant, Mark Jacobs, Brian Sacca, Stuart Watson, and Chila Woychik. There’s also an absorbing story from Diana Senechal, author of Republic of Noise and Mind over Memes. Senechal had this to say of the current edition: “What fun! My favorite pieces include “The National Road” by Tim Morris (a magnificent piece), “High Relief” by David Havird (full of wonderful twists), “The Fires” by George Moore, “The Bear’s Bear” by Brian Sacca, and “Paris Is Still Burning” by Daniel Robinson. Something about Lowestoft Chronicle makes me savor the reading throughout. There’s a feel of curling up with a book, or a pile of books, and traveling along. Maybe it’s the travel and humor theme that generates this momentum: the mind follows the pieces’ travels and wants to keep on going (and laughing).”
Lowestoft Chronicle Issue 56 Read More »
Earlier this month, Stark House Press published both novels as a twofer. The collection includes my essay, “The Solidly Considerable Talent of Harold R. Daniels,” in which I speak about the power of these two stories and the author’s relatively short but impactful writing career. There’s a lot more I can say about Daniels. His final two novels certainly ought to be reissued. But for now, I’ll hold off and simply say that these two stories are worth seizing while you still can.
The Harold R. Daniels Twofer: The Accused and The Snatch Read More »
The newest compilation released this month, 24 Hours to Kill / Blue Mascara Tears, includes a couple of varied, well-written novels from the 1960s. My essay, “Idolatry and Playing God to Cure “The Fix,” which introduces the volume, explores McKimmey’s writing career and these two works in particular. Those who enjoy hardboiled fiction from the golden era will not be disappointed.
The High-profile Prisoner and the Detective’s Obsession Read More »
Over the years, I’ve appreciated book reviews in the Sacramento Book Review and San Francisco Book Review. These websites, managed by City Book Review, are just two of the nine brands. Since the days I started reading them, the company has rapidly expanded. Apparently, a tenth brand, New York Book Review, is coming soon. Surprisingly, the content on each of the websites is distinctly different.
So, imagine my surprise and absolute delight when I stumbled across a glowing review of An Adventurous Spirit, the most recent book in the Lowestoft Chronicle Anthology Series. I wish I had seen it sooner.
An Adventurous Spirit Reviewed in Seattle Book Review Read More »
Those who like their hardboiled mysteries short and slick and with hearty dollops of wit and action would do well to ferret out the tales of the tough but likable PI Timothy Dane. Though a bit rough around the edges, Dane was a decent and honorable chap who was good with his fists and, according to one critic, “catnip to women.” Better known than many gumshoes of the Fifties, Dane proved popular with readers and had influential book reviewers like Anthony Boucher regularly singing his praises.
The Tough and Compassionate PI Timothy Dane Read More »
This month marks the release of Cat Dixon’s engrossing What Happens in Nebraska, her fifth poetry collection, and as with Eva and Too Heavy to Carry, Stephen F. Austin University Press is the publisher. Arranged into three parts, with roughly twenty poems in each section, the general focus is on the dissolution of a romantic relationship and the process of mending.
Book Review: What Happens in Nebraska by Cat Dixon Read More »
The autumn edition (#51) of Lowestoft Chronicle features fiction by Barbara Bottner, Anne Dorrian, Andrew Edwards, James Gallant, Sharon Frame Gay, and Mark Jacobs, poetry by Cristina Legarda and Joan Mazza, and creative nonfiction by Craig Dicker, Jesse O’Reilly-Conlin, and Lynette Yetter. Among the entertaining stories is “After the Meltdown, On the Hunt,” a provocative dystopic fiction yarn by Mark Jacobs, author of the critically acclaimed novels Stone Cowboy (Soho Press) and A Handful of Kings (Simon & Schuster), in which bankrolled big-game hunters vie for the ultimate prize. The issue also contains my interview with Mark, which covers, among other things, his writing career, valuable advice from mentors, and the Latin American media attack on his most famous short story. Remarkably prolific for many years, Mark’s excellent stories appear in dozens of prestigious venues. As regards this small literary magazine, here’s his splendid assessment of Lowestoft Chronicle: “For those of us driven to know the world, to read it, to write it, Lowestoft Chronicle is an essential way station on the highway. Good writing on things that matter, a clean presentation that’s easy on the eye, and variety that coheres around taste. Check it out.”
Issue 51 of Lowestoft Chronicle Read More »
The John Trinian (aka Zekial Marko) revival continues with this latest twofer from Stark House Press, The Big Grab / The Savage Breast. The author, a very proficient writer of crime novels, found success with numerous works, most notably Scratch a Thief and The Big Grab, each written in the early 1960s. Both of those crime tales became movies—the first filmed as Once a Thief, the latter as Any Number Can Win. Trinian wrote the screenplays.
A John Trinian Twofer: The Big Grab/The Savage Breast Read More »
This month sees the reprint of Grey Face and The Green Eyes of Bâst, two masterful mysteries by the king of eerie occult fiction, Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward (1883 – 1959), known to readers as Sax Rohmer. Although best remembered for his sizable collection of stories featuring the fiendish Dr. Fu Manchu, the author enjoyed great success with many of his other works. His standalone novels and book series containing Parisian criminal investigator Gaston Max attracted a large international fanbase. His tales concerning the female supervillain Sumuru went from radio to book and were eventually adapted to the big screen, spawning a couple of movies (produced in the 1960s and 1980s).
Two Haunting Classics from Sax Rohmer Read More »
