"Machine Gun" Kelly primer
INFAMOUS won’t hit bookstores until April 15th but in expectation, here’s an overview of George Kelly’s life from www.alcatrazhistory.com. Enjoy — Ace George “Machine Gun” Kelly is probably considered one of the most famous “gangsters” from the prohibition era. “Machine Gun” was born George Kelly Barnes on July 18, 1895, to a wealthy family living […]
Great piece on L.A. Crime by Christa Faust
The City of Lost Angels Another woman slain makes a crime fiction writer conclude: It’s a man’s world. We just die in itBy Christa Faust Los Angeles magazine, December 2009 In August a 28-year-old swimsuit model was murdered, her mutilated corpse stuffed into a suitcase and dumped behind an apartment complex in Buena Park. In […]
ELVIS TURNS 75 ON JANUARY 8th
After electrifying the recording world, television and live audiences of the 1950s with his bump-and-grind brand of rock-and-roll, Elvis Presley made his movie debut in the 20th Century Fox Western Love Me Tender (1956). He seemed at least partly intent upon becoming a serious actor in some of his early roles: a semi-autobiographical part in […]
NEW YEAR’S EVE THIN MAN MARATHON ON TCM
MGM director W.S. (“Woody”) Van Dyke was a big fan of detective novels – he’d even written a few himself. When he learned that the studio had the rights to Dashiell Hammett’s novel, The Thin Man, Van Dyke thought the story of private eye Nick Charles and his wife Nora would make a terrific film. […]
Christmas Tunes
A buddy of mine recently commented that one of the worst things about Christmas was the crappy music. And while I have to agree after a recent trip to a Memphis shopping mall, I’d like to offer a few alternatives to Celine Dion, Mannheim Steamroller, Michael Buble and various assorted junk. This is by no […]
Get Signed and Personalized Books until Christmas Eve!
This holiday season, I’ll be working with Square Books here in Oxford, Mississippi to sign copies of all my novels, including the recent special editions of both Crossroad Blues and White Shadow. Each of these new editions, just out this month, contain never-before-published bonus materials and — of course — make fine gifts. Contact books@squarebooks.com […]
The Burial of Robert Johnson
As I look forward to the re-release of my first novel CROSSROAD BLUES in two weeks, it’s gotten me thinking of Robert Johnson again. Not that R.L. was ever too far from my mind. (He makes a cameo appearance in INFAMOUS next year). But I had the unusual experience of writing about his death and […]
The Prisoner
Starting next week, AMC will begin to air a mini series based on the classic British show, The Prisoner. Jim Cavezial is taking over the role of Number 6 from the show’s star and creator, Patrick McGoohan. And although it will be odd to see an American playing the part, I believe Cavezial is a […]
North By Northwest/Vertigo on TCM tonight
You’ll find that I often reference the lineup on Turner Classic Movies on this blog. As a film addict, I can find almost any night on TCM is a pretty good reason to tune in. Tonight is even more so as they feature two of my favorites and biggest influences on my writing. The double […]
Looking Forward/Looking Back
For the last several weeks, I’ve been looking at final edits on my eighth novel, INFAMOUS, out this spring from G.P. Putnam’s Sons. Without doubt, it’s my most ambitious work: a sprawling Depression-era crime epic that weighs in at more than 500 pages. The story of George “Machine Gun” Kelly is a massive road trip, […]