Photo: Amazon Crime & Western Author Bruce Harris Welcome to another spurious edition of Center Stage with your increasingly apprehensive host Mick Rose. Sidling under the Spotlight today—as we resume parsing the gritty pages of the HARDBOILED crime collection from Dead Guns Press, I'm pleased to present Amazon Author Bruce Harris—who not only writes across several genres: he also blends and bends them. Knowing full well the night will turn cacophonous once psychotic interrogator Jesse Rawlins takes the stage, I asked the cool-n-collected Mr. Harris to swing by early for a couple of drinks. And to discuss some "business matters." The cash bar's officially open—and the pizza's free as always, just like the Admission Tickets. MR: Welcome, Bruce. The mics are “hot.” You grew up in Plainview, NY out on Long Island, but later attended North Carolina State University—which is only about 9 hours and 540 miles south. If you don’t mind us asking, what did you study there? And when did you first get the hankerin’ to start penning your own stories? BH: That 540-mile one-way commute nearly killed me freshman year, Mick. Thank goodness for my Ford Pinto. It might have been infamous for its exploding gas tanks, but it got good gas mileage. I studied psychology, eventually earning a Ph.D. in Social Psychology. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories hooked me on reading. My early writings are “serious” Holmes articles that appear in The Baker Street Journal, The Sherlock Holmes Journal, Canadian Holmes, and others. My first book is Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: About Type, published by The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box in 2006. It’s still available online! It’s a look at Holmes and Watson, comparing Type A and Type B personality types. To this day I continue writing Holmes-related articles. Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer hooked me on crime and detective fiction. I’m still blown away by the Ellery Queen mysteries. Murder mysteries—especially locked-room mysteries—interest me more than straight crime. I’m also a big fan of the old pulps and hold the writers from the 1930’s – 1950’s in high esteem. That’s not to say there aren’t incredibly talented crime and mystery writers today—there are! But, I don’t want to forget about those who came first. MR: Gotta love Fords, Bruce. The later technology in their “run-away” Explorers might’ve gotten you back and forth quicker—but your gas mileage wouldn’t have been as good. Glad you survived the Pinto and the commutes. How many years of study before you got to clutch that Ph.D. parchment in your hands? Did you plow straight through starting with that freshman year? BH: Yup, straight through. I never intended to get a Ph.D. when I started out. But after my senior year, I had no job prospects. Instead, I applied to the graduate program and got in. I became the epitome of a professional student. It took almost 10 years from my freshman year to the end. That’s a long time. A couple of those years are still a little fuzzy. MR: Quite an accomplishment, Bruce. Most of my conscious daily moments are fuzzy. And I didn’t study for a decade. But I've read some Mickey Spillane. And a slew of John D. McDonald: though largely his Travis McGee series that launched in 1964, rather than his early works, which first saw print in the 50s. Good reading. But trying to wrap my head around some of the generational mindsets held by some of the characters had a tendency to tax my bourbon-addled brain. Though on second thought what doesn't? When you say that locked-room mysteries interest you, does that mean you also write these puzzles, Bruce? I couldn’t write one of those buggers if my life depended on it. BH: The closest thing I’ve written to a locked-room mystery is “Death Trail,” a western short story from September 2016 that appeared online at Frontier Tales. In this twister, Polk City’s Sheriff Stock finds himself under pressure to fill a vacant jail cell—and gets his chance to put a killer behind bars when the stagecoach pulls into town—and its only passenger is a dead man. But how can a man stab himself in the back? The sheriff quickly discovers this is no ordinary murder. I’d direct readers interested in these types of stories to Otto Penzler’s massive 2014 anthology, The Black Lizard Big Book of Locked-Room Mysteries. MR: Besides writing mysteries and seeing your crime tale “Last Meal” published in the gritty HARDBOILED fiction collection alongside 13 other writers, you’ve also had your crime stories published in a number of online magazines including the Flash Fiction Offensive and Shotgun Honey. Yet you just mentioned Westerns—you’ve authored 7 such books so far, and you’ve also had various Western stories published in collections. So, Bruce, how did a kid from Long Island fall in love with the west and decide to put pen-to-paper and write Westerns? BH: “Write what you know?” Nah. “Write what you like.” That’s what I did. I grew up watching TV shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke and The Rifleman. Who can resist a saloon brawl, or a card game in a smoky saloon? Admit it, Mick. You’ve wanted to swing open batwing doors at some point in your life! I admire the cowboy’s code of honor—the downtown settings—as well as the wide-open trails. The western pulps captured the characters of the old west: rifles, stagecoaches, robberies, and the like. Authors like Louis L’Amour and William W. Johnstone bring these things to life. My two favorite westerns I’ve written are actually mixed genre western-mysteries. In addition to “Death Trail,” my 2018 book, Murder at Bullet Pass is also a mystery. This one features a Rabbi who helps a sheriff solve the murders. MR: I’ve actually swung through batwing doors, Bruce. But that’s cuz I needed to use the loo in a dive bar. My quiet life idea of high drama at midnight! Speaking of drama, that rat-tat-tat we’re hearing tells me Jesse “Heels” Rawlins is approaching stage right. Don’t know who they are … but she’s got a couple of scary brutes with her. My cue to vamoose and grab my balcony seat. “Hi, Jess. Bye, Jess.” JHR: Later, Mick. Well, well, well. If it ain’t Bruce Harris. Sounds like we both suffer from “arrested development,” Dr. Harris. But I’ve always been a Dr. Seuss fan. So I call these thugs Thing 1 & Thing 2. For a couple a bottles of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill wine they do anything I tell ’em. “Lucky for me. Not so lucky for you. Since you love the old west so much, but I’m far less nostalgic, my Things here are gonna strap you to this mechanical bull, which I’ve set for a sloooow ride. And while we have our little chat, I’m gonna stab ya with this custom Buck Frontiersman Wild Bill Cody knife. After the show, I’ll mail this baby to you in New York for a souvenir. The price was absolutely criminal: $425 on eBay. But for now you can enjoy the quality of the blade firsthand—by my hand, of course. Did you know that I’m a Leftie, pardner? The only Westerns I’ve read are by mystery writer Robert P. Parker. And to the best of my recollection, Parker’s tales aren’t set in “the old west.” Sounds like this genre’s pretty wide open. What kind of characteristics do writers like Louis L’Amour and William W. Johnstone tend to use in their novels? And how are yours both “similar to” and “different” from theirs? BH: Fortunately for me, Things 1 and 2 aren’t as sharp as the $425 knife with which the sinistral Jesse seems so enamored. In fact, I’m not sure these two made it out of grade school. I think I can loosen my hands …. Yup, her dynamic duo don’t know how to tie a proper knot. Without oversimplifying things, Jesse, Louis L’Amour and William W. Johnstone each give the reader good guys and bad guys and the good guys always win. I guess you can say their stories are anti-noir. Johnstone is probably more adept at character development, but both know how to keep the action going, forcing the reader to turn pages. The other important thing the two have in common is that their stories are well researched and historically accurate. Their various heroes share common traits, including love of family, honesty, and loyalty. William W. Johnstone is now a cottage industry, run out of the family’s Tennessee farm. William W. Johnstone passed away in 2004, yet the Johnstone name continues stronger than ever. This year, 23 books will be published, and 29 are planned for release in 2020. I wouldn’t mention my westerns in the same breath as L’Amour or Johnstone. That’s like comparing the 1927 Yankees with a lousy little league team. There … got my hands loose. Jesse, your two friends make me nervous. A Pair of Polished Peacemakers happens to be the title of one of my westerns, available at Amazon. And whaddya know—I also happen to have a pair of polished peacemakers aimed at their roid-filled bodies. So tell ’em to back off, Rawlins. JHR: Hey, Mick! How much did Bruce pay you to keep his heaters? MR: Hundred bucks and a bottle of Four Roses bourbon. Man’s gotta right to defend himself if the price is right. JHR: Okay Thing 1 and Thing 2. Here’s four more bottles of Boone’s and bus tickets back to Cleveland. Now go play in traffic. Meanwhile, since I live life in The Gutter, I don’t trust any of you varmints. If you look carefully at your chest Bruce, you’ll see 3 red circles dancing across your dubious heart—cuz I placed snipers in the balcony. So set your Peacemakers on that table by the bourbon—and plant your ass on that bull. Very good, sir. Now that we’re all pretending to be civilized, you recently retired. And I imagine that’s given you a lot more time to write. And watch old westerns, of course. Do you have a routine writing schedule nowadays? How much time do you typically set aside for writing? BH: I typically write between 1 and 4 hours a day. It breaks down to one or two hours in the morning and the same in the afternoon. I work in a coffee shop or the library. I don’t like writing at home. If things go really well in the morning, I’ll skip the afternoon. The rest of the day is spent reading, cooking, and walking for exercise—I refuse to run or jog. JHR: I’ve got few professional sports teams I irrationally hate more than your Yankees, Bruce. I won’t stab you for that. But I will say I once visited an Irish bar that had three shamrocks mounted on the wall. They read: A-Rod sucks. Jeter Sucks. And Clemens is FAT. My kinda bar! Meanwhile, if The Gutter whisper-stream is true, I hear you’ve got a baseball story due for publication. Care ta talk about that? BH: In what part of Boston is that dive located? I wouldn’t step foot in a dump like that even if they were doling out free vodka. Well… maybe if it was Grey Goose. Okay, if it was Grey Goose I’d go in … but I’d sit with my back facing those odious signs. Jeez, word gets around in The Gutter. I’m a SABR: Society of American Baseball Research member. One of the society’s many committees is the Baseball BioProject. SABR’s website says, “The Baseball Biography Project is an ongoing effort to research and write comprehensive biographical articles on people who played or managed in the major leagues, or otherwise made a significant contribution to the sport.” I’ve finished one biography, that of Bob Tufts. Bob pitched for the 1981 San Francisco Giants. Are you listening Bill Baber? And also for the Kansas City Royals in 1982 and1983. Bob is a bright guy, with degrees from both Princeton and Columbia Universities. I’m also working on a bio of Pete Craig. Pete pitched for the Washington Senators between 1964-1966. Neither are household names, but both have fascinating stories to tell. There are currently 4,985 completed bios on SABR’s website. By the way, Rory Costello is co-chairman and chief editor of the BioProject. He’s completed around 100 biographies. Rory is also no stranger to crime fiction or The Gutter! JHR: You also recently saw a slice-of-life essay involving one of your childhood experiences published. I was amused and stunned when the corporation involved responded on the magazine’s web site in a matter of mere days. What was your reaction when you saw the company’s response? BH: You’re referring to my piece on Charles Atlas that appeared in Mr. Beller’s Neighborhood. It’s a fantastic website, chronicling stories about New York City past and present. Initially, I was surprised that the “Charles Atlas folks” responded, but after thinking about it, it makes sense. The product is still available, and there is nothing more important to a company than its brand. My piece was intended to be humorous and hopefully it was taken as such. I think the company’s response was professional and appropriate. JHR: Since you mentioned “cooking,” Bruce, and your contribution to the HARDBOILED crime fiction collection from Dead Guns Press chances to carry the title “Last Meal”—are you one of these guys who tosses spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks in order ta tell if it’s cooked “just right?” And what are some of your Specialty Dishes? Fenway Franks and popcorn? By the way, that bar with the awesome shamrocks? Not even in the state of Massachusetts, let alone Boston. This may come as a shock to you: but peeps from all across the country hate the Yankees, Bruce. BH: Some people don’t like the Yankees? Surely that’s fake news. Don’t get me wrong; I love Boston and Fenway Park. As for the Red Sox … let’s talk about cooking. My specialty is roast chicken. I make it at least once a week. The following day I turn the leftover chicken into chicken salad. I make pretty good codfish cakes—very labor intensive, and a mean egg salad: naturally very easy. I also love grilling—burgers, steaks, hotdogs, chicken, ribs, fish, etc. JHR: Stories I’ve read by you have involved characters ranging from crooked cops to stunt pilots, hardened criminals, and sleazy amateur con-men. Some involve surprising twists. Some are comical. Others violent. But “Last Meal” proves “sad.” And that fact surprised me. Have you written other sad stories, Bruce? And what motivated you to pen “Last Meal?” BH: The only other sad story that comes to mind is a flash piece, “Tommy and the Jerk,” which appeared in the obscure and defunct Twisted Tongue magazine back in April 2010. I have a 14-word untitled story online at Nanoism published July 19, 2019. It’s sad. And a sad 10-word untitled story that appeared online in Dime Show Review in May 2018. “Last Meal” was inspired by Cornell Woolrich’s, “Cigarette.” That story originally appeared in the January 11, 1936 issue of Detective Fiction Weekly. “Cigarette” also appeared in the 2005 Woolrich anthology, Night & Fear. It’s a race against time story. The protagonist, Eddie, tries to locate someone named Adams before Adams lights up a poisoned cigarette. Woolrich is a master at creating tension. I wrote “Last Meal” while vacationing in Singer Island, Florida. I sat outside on a 6th floor balcony, overlooking the pool and ocean, distracted by the poolside sights and smells coming from the grill. It took several days to write but somehow I finished it. JHR: On the subjects of “finished” and “cooking, you’re starting to look like an over-filleted mignon, Bruce. So the Angels of Mercy—otherwise known as the Story and Grit medical team are gonna stitch you back together—then dump you in The Gutter so you can go about your miscreant business. Oh! And since you didn’t answer my question about throwing spaghetti against the wall? Take that! A delightful 7th stab. Thanks y’all for joining the show. And thanks Mick Rose for hosting us. Photo: Crime Fiction Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583
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Photo: L.A. Crime Author "Steve" S.W. Lauden Greetings, ladies, gents and miscreants. Your host Mick Rose here. When I constructed Center Stage: lovingly laid the hardwood floors, hung the burgundy curtains, cushioned the leather seats, and fastidiously strung the lights, I never imagined featuring bloodbaths. Who in their right mind would allow a knife-wielding psychotic dominatrix to repeatedly stab them in exchange for free publicity? The answer's obviously no one. But many Writers are far from "normal"—and crime writer Jesse "Heels" Rawlins fiendishly takes full advantage of their lust for fame and fortune—and more likely, their kinky thirst for pain. Marching under today's spotlight is Los Angeles crime writer and musician "Steve" S.W. Lauden. While Steve's always beat the drums, I've got a sickly suspicion he'll soon be singing out of key. Could he possibly look more stoic? I can't decide if I should admire Steve ... or pity him. While I muddle this question, it's time for me to march to my safe and comfy balcony seat. Please join me in raising a glass to Mr. Lauden and Ms. Rawlins. Two sick puppies without doubt! JHR: What 12 words best describe your Anthony Award-nominated crime book CROSSWISE—and its companion follow-up CROSSED BONES—which feature disgraced former NYPD cop Tommy Ruzzo and his manipulative Florida-born love interest Shayna? SWL: Girlfriends who love cocaine too much are really bad for NYPD careers. JHR: You grew up living a punk rock life in Southern California, and these days you live in Los Angeles. Your Greg Salem private investigator trilogy and your recently-released power pop heist THAT’LL BE THE DAY are also set in California. So, Steve, what inspired you to unleash Tommy and Shayna roughly 3,000 miles away in fictional Seatown, Florida? SWL: My family vacationed at a beautiful beach town on the panhandle of Florida. We stayed in a big clapboard house with a huge front porch and balconies that faced the white sand beaches and crystal-clear water. I got up early every morning to write while my wife and kids were still asleep. The area was so peaceful and relaxing that my crime writer brain decided it was the perfect place to set a series of murders. I had a lot of fun playing with crime fiction tropes and Florida clichés. Crosswise started out as a short story, but eventually grew into a novella after a little encouragement from my editor at the time. Down & Out Books, which is based in Florida, was the perfect publisher for that one and the even crazier follow up, Crossed Bones. JHR: You called these Ruzzo capers crazy. Other readers have as well. I tend to describe escapades like this “Zany.” No guy—or gal—in their right mind would continue to pursue the affection and attention of a babe like Shayna. I got the impression from our chats last year that your punk rock private investigator Greg Salem lives a much darker life. Yet despite the levity in CROSSWISE, the murders are truly gruesome. You just don’t clobber us with details. In what ways are the Ruzzo capers similar to the Salem series, Steve? And in what ways do they differ? Meanwhile, where does THAT’LL BE THE DAY play into this mix? SWL: The Greg Salem books are much darker and probably more self-serious. I was writing from personal experience about the things I had seen first-hand—or heard about from reliable sources in the punk scene I grew up in and around. I witnessed and took part in a lot of self-destructive behavior during my high school and college years, but somehow managed to find my way to the other side of it. Meanwhile, I have friends who are still living that life and those books were really about me questioning what my life would have been like if I never left and never changed. In a way I admire them for sticking to their guns, but I also know that it’s ultimately not the life for me. Crosswise came along after I had gotten a lot of that out in the first Greg Salem book, Bad Citizen Corporation. I think that I needed to tackle something that wasn’t so personal, and maybe even a little funny, at least according to my own warped sense of humor. Meanwhile, That’ll Be The Day sort of strikes the balance between Greg Salem and Tommy Ruzzo. In my opinion, it’s some of the best writing I’ve ever done. JHR: Crossword puzzles play a strong central role in CROSSWISE. I chanced to discover online that CROSSED BONES hinges on a quest for rumored hidden treasure. Did you do any factual historical research, Steve? Or is this treasure simply the concoction of a demented crime writer who spent too much time baking in the Florida sun? SWL: The pirate treasure in the book is meant to be an overblown example of the lengths Shayna will go to in her never-ending quest to entertain herself. The research I did was more about the types of small Eastern seaboard tourist traps that rely on their historical connection to Blackbeard and other famous pirates to drive the local economy. The pirate treasure and backstory were really fanciful and mostly the product of my own over-active imagination. It was a lot of fun to write, but I’m not sure readers totally understood what I was going for—which means I either missed the mark or I’m a lot more like Shayna than I care to admit. Pick your poison. JHR: Despite my love for music, I dove into the Ruzzo series first because of a comment you’d made about Shayna. She’s not a major character in CROSSWISE—she’s the force that drives most of Ruzzo’s actions. And a cold and calculating dame she is. But you mentioned she took on a life of her own when you wrote CROSSED BONES. Would you say she’s evolved or “devolved,” Steve? Her lust for hidden treasure suggests she’s still incapable of genuinely caring about anyone except herself. SWL: It became clear in writing and publishing Crosswise that Shayna was the real star, so it seemed natural to center the second book in the series around her. But she’s absolutely insane compared to Tommy Ruzzo, so Crossed Bones is consequently a lot crazier and unhinged than the first book. As a character, Shayna’s a bundle of energy with a huge brain that’s always working overtime. She’s wickedly smart and absolutely ruthless, but also way too easily bored. It’s a dangerous combination that often doesn’t end well for her or the people closest to her. She has neither “evolved” or “devolved” because she’s known exactly what and who she is all along, and she makes no, er, bones about it. It’s everybody else around her, and perhaps a few readers, who insist that there’s a heart of gold somewhere in there. That’s the power she has over people and she’s not afraid to use it to her advantage again and again. JHR: Your latest work THAT’LL BE THE DAY is a self-published project. How long did this affair take you start-to-finish? And what do you think of the process? Did you run into any pitfalls the rest of us might learn from? SWL: I honestly spent longer thinking about That’ll Be The Day—and convincing myself to explore self-publishing—than it took me to write the thing, get it edited and hit “publish” on Amazon. It has been one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve had in publishing. A lot of that has to do with the length—17,000 words, and the subject matter, power pop. I’m currently putting together the outline for the second book in the series which I hope to self-publish in early 2020. The main thing I’ve learned from self-publishing That’ll Be The Day is to have realistic expectations. This isn’t the kind of project that lends itself to unrealistic fantasies about seeing your book in airports, or even most bookstores. That’s freeing in a way, especially when it’s a world you really love and that you truly believe the right readers will find over time, even if there aren’t thousands and thousands of them. At least I hope so. I’m really proud of it. JHR: Since I hate math, here’s a Bonus Question. Maybe I’ll stab you; maybe I won’t. Got any new work hovering on the horizon? Or is a writing break just what the doctor ordered? SWL: The inspiration for That’ll Be The Day actually came from a non-fiction project I co-edited with Paul Myers. It’s an essay collection about power pop bands like Big Star, The Bangles, Sloan, Fountains Of Wayne, A.C. Newman/The New Pornographers and others called Go All The Way that will be published by Rare Bird Books this October. I also have another crime novel that will likely see the light of day in the second half of 2020. Thanks so much for repeatedly stabbing me! JHR: I'd say the pleasure's all mine, Steve. But in your case I highly doubt that. You're still engaging in self-destructive behavior, just like in your youth! A second childhood, perhaps? I'm on my third. And I plan on staying here. Meanwhile, the dedicated Story and Grit medical staff flew in from Oklahoma on their own dime, and they're gonna stitch you back together. As for our kind and attentive audience, I offer some thoughts on CROSSWISE, which Mick and I both awarded 5 out of 6 Stilettos. Crosswise launches quickly—and, without fanfare, we meet P-whooped Steve Rizzo and his love-interest Shayna Billups. I would've welcomed a bit of foreplay in the form of a Prologue portraying their time in New York City. But the action in Seatown, Florida warms us hot and fast. We're suddenly at a murder scene: and the killer needs catching! Lauden's keenly created some of the craziest characters I've ever encountered. And he tosses these tropical fruits in a whirring blender, along with some coconuts. A certified recipe for disaster as the death toll mounts like a raging hurricane. If you're looking for a serious police procedural, you may wanna whistle past this particular graveyard. Absurdity routinely routs sound reason in this zany crime caper. But if you enjoy humor, action and who-dunnits? Rizzo, Billups and a cast of miscreant misfits should keep you smirking and entertained in this hot, breezy read—where the players shroud their motives. And missteps do prove fatal. While Steve readily admits to employing tropes and stereotypes, I found his corporate moguls splendidly unique, and even more bizarre than legendary Howard Hughes. Thanks for hosting us Mick Rose. Y'all stay safe out there and thanks for joining the show. Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583 Photo: Crime Fiction Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins Photo: Crime Writer Chris McGinley Please, step right up, folks. Unlike Vegas, what happens at Center Stage with your host Mick Rose doesn't stay here at Center Stage. Nope, we share these performances all over Social Media. And today we're casting our eyes once again on the grit-filled crime fiction collection HARDBOILED from Dead Guns Press, co-edited by M. Leon Smith and John L. Thompson. The challenges backwoods law enforcement officer Curley Knott faces in "River of Nine Dragons" prove difficult. And for author Chris McGinley, answering questions from crime writer Jesse "Heels" Rawlins while knowing full well she'll be stabbing him with an Italian-made stiletto's no simple feat either. So rather than postpone the inevitable, time for me to scoot upstairs to my balcony seat and pour myself some good Kentucky bourbon. Anyone interested in grabbing their own copy of HARDBOILED can find this gem by clicking the Magic Box below the tantalizing cover. JHR: Hi Chris. Welcome to 6 Stabs. You live and do your writing in Eastern Kentucky, USA. The city of Lexington to be exact. Roughly 320,000 people—just like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, Ohio. Mention Lexington to most people and immediately they think of horses and the festive Kentucky Derby. But you typically set your fictional crime tales in backwoods Kentucky places: dark Appalachian mountains, where nearly everyone owns guns. Places where “outsiders” are sometimes not welcome. Men are often violent. Illegal drug use common. Some criminal characters live in single-wide mobile trailers “that should have been abandoned.” Beach towels hanging from the windows instead of drapes or curtains. I’ve heard tales such as yours dubbed Kentucky noir—or Appalachian noir. How do you view your writing? Do you see yourself as adding to this tradition? CM: Hi, Jesse. Nice to be here. “Noir” is such a slippery term nowadays. In recent years, it seems to have broadened to include all sorts of elements I would never have considered “noir” in the 30's and 40s sense. And yet, I'm not averse to its use, nor do I reject it as a means to describe my writing specifically. Yes, there are dark elements in all of my stories, absolutely. But as for the people in my stories, I write about crime, so disreputable types appear all over the place—hardly the typical folk of the region—who are genuine, warm, and intelligent. That must be borne in mind: The elements in my work are those of genre fiction, not real life. Eeriness is also a big goal in what I try to achieve. If I can create a strange mood, something mysterious or unnerving, then I feel I’m on my way to writing a piece that could be successful. Though the term “noir” might be limiting for a writer who seeks to publish “literary” fiction, I feel it suits my work pretty well. I also like to think that extant in the writing are other genre elements, like those of the thriller or even the horror story. If these sensibilities dovetail with what’s considered “noir,” and I think they do, than yes, the writing’s “noir.” JHR: You drew attention to the “real-life” folks who dwell in regions where some of your backwoods stories are set. Some fiction writers set their tales in actual cities and places. Others create “imaginary” cities and towns. While lots of writers—myself included—use a mix of both. Without doing a bit of research, fiction readers can’t discern what’s “fact” and what’s “fiction” in terms of geography and setting. Your stories “Hellbenders”; “With Hair Blacker than Coal”; and “River of Nine Dragons”—which appears in HARDBOILED—strike me as good examples. “Hellbenders” launches with a gruesome murder investigation in the heights of Black Owl Mountain. In the other two tales, we follow the investigations of Burley County sheriff Curley Knott—a Vietnam war veteran, whose combat experiences in the Mekong Delta linger. One of Curley’s manhunts takes him to Red Loon Mountain. Far as I can tell, Burley County, Black Owl Mountain and Red Loon Mountain don’t exist. But in the mid-1990’s I did a fair amount of traveling through the Appalachian Mountain range: including parts of Georgia, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia—where I witnessed living conditions that mirror some descriptions in your stories. One of my Kentucky excursions included a canoe trip at Richmond’s historic Kentucky River Lock and Dam, roughly sixteen miles southeast of Lexington, near Fort Boonesborough State Park. Most of the decrepit mobile trailers were adjoined by mountains of trash—that towered over their homes. Led me to wonder if some of these poor folks had electricity or running water. I made this five-mile river trek the week of Thanksgiving: all the trees bare of leaves. But the trees proved far from bare—black, green, and white garbage bags … and trash like fast food wrappers—all clinging to and fluttering from their otherwise naked branches. And I’ve never seen more spent shotgun shell casings, which littered those river banks, in my entire life. So three-part question, Chris. Have you spent time in Appalachian regions similar to where your stories are sometimes set? Do you get the sense that living conditions have improved in the past twenty or thirty years? And do you use fictional names for your settings as a conscious attempt to avoid creating the appearance of “stereotypes?” CM: I’ve traveled all around central Appalachia over the years, especially eastern Kentucky, West Virginia and eastern Tennessee. In fact, there are also rural areas just outside of Lexington that are similar in many ways to Appalachia proper. But as for conditions in the mountains, Jesse, some areas have suffered while others have remained economically constant, or even improved—just like many other regions in the USA. It’s true that the decline of coal over the last several decades has affected the economic heath of the eastern Kentucky region that I write about. But the whole story is so much bigger than coal alone, and far too daunting to discuss here. Sadly, in popular depictions of Appalachia—in Hollywood and TV productions, for example—people are first and foremost portrayed as poor and unintelligent. There are, of course, many reasons for this: not the least of which is a romantic mythos about the region itself, and simple ignorance as well. Yet it’s important to remember that such representation are skewed in several respects. For anyone seeking to learn about the Appalachian economy, and about Appalachia generally, the Appalachian Regional Commission’s easy-to-access publications, and Elizabeth Catte’s fine book, What You are Getting Wrong About Appalachia, are good starting points. As for place names, all of mine are fictional. Fictional places give authors a freedom to invent material without worrying about accuracy: Is that mountain really east of the house? How long would it take to drive from point X to point Y in that particular county? Is that old convenience store still on that same road? So, in my stories place names reflect the kinds of names one will find in the region, but they’re all 100% imaginary. Much of my interest in setting stories in Appalachia has to do with geography. Because I try to create an eerie atmosphere in my work, the wooded hills of the region nicely suit my aims. Appalachia is a place of intense natural beauty. But in any atmosphere where locations are remote and sparsely populated, a writer can create a sense of foreboding or fear—even within a place of great natural beauty. Obviously, there’s a long history of American writers and their engagement with the woods, or with what was once known as “primeval nature” in university literature courses. So, my approach is nothing new, though I hope that I add a new twist to the tradition in some way. JHR: You also teach middle school children. And I often see on Facebook you keep these kids engaged with vital projects, including growing vegetables. Given the violence in your stories, do you tend to keep your “Writing Life” segregated? Any of the school administrators—or parents of your students—ever express concerns? CM: The sixth graders I teach are pretty oblivious to the fact that I write stories at all. If it does come up, I always say that the stories I write are geared to adults, and they seem to understand that. On the other hand, a colleague recently taught a unit in creative writing for eighth graders during which the students read one of my flash stories, “The Haint.” I came into her classes and did a tutorial on story arcs, characters, endings, and on the elements of short fiction generally. We talked about my story and how it operated. There’s violence and profane language in that one, and yet the session reminded me of some of the more successful talks I conducted when I taught English and film at the University of Kentucky—completely professional and serious. Happily, parents and administrators are incredibly supportive of my writing, Jesse. They’re forever asking about my forthcoming book of stories, and about when they can purchase it. Not too long ago I attended a writers conference in Milwaukee for which the school supported me. The principal noted, “You're writing informs your teaching,” and indeed it does. JHR: In stories like “The Haint”—which appears in online flash-zine Shotgun Honey, and is free for folks to read—we certainly feel that eerie quality you alluded to. Some mention “local folklore” … creepy tales first murmured in the days of yore—even before Kentucky became the fifteenth American state in 1792. Your approach reminds me of early American writer Washington Irving, and his well known stories “Rip Van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” These tales were published in 1819 and 1820, less than thirty years after Kentucky’s statehood. Irving drew from Dutch and German folklore—even though Van Winkle’s set in New York’s Catskill mountains, and Ichabod Crane’s Sleepy Hollow takes place in rural colonial Connecticut. Do you turn to “actual” Kentucky folklore when you pen your stories, Chris? Or do you rather use the traditional idea of “folklore” to give your tales a spooky feel? CM: The folklorish elements in my stories are really a synthesis of components found in old American writers like Irving, Hawthorne, Cooper and Charles Brockden Brown. I mix these in with what I know of rural folklore the world over, including Appalachia. Indeed, it’s hard to separate the origins for many of these myths and stories. Even old Gothic tales like those of Poe and Irving can be traced back to earlier, European traditions, as you noted, Jesse. Though my style is obviously modern, I get a good deal of inspiration from stories like Irving’s “The Adventures of the German Student,” Hawthorne's “Rappacini's Daughter,” and Poe's “Imp of the Perverse,” among others. Sometimes there’s a real-life mountain-type character, like a granny woman or an archetypal midwife, who gets tied into a story with a folklore element. Or I might use an animal, like a hawk or a snake, to create an eerie mood or a scary moment. JHR: You have strong passions for film, food, books, and architecture to name a few. So what lured you into the writing life, Chris? And when did the desire to see your work published first hit you? CM: I came to fiction writing late in life, at about age 50, so I’ve only been at it a few years. I produced some scholarly publications way back in graduate school, and I wrote some movie reviews for a local newspaper as well. Though none of it was noteworthy, really. But a few years ago, I read a piece of flash fiction on a friend’s advice, and I said to myself, “Wow, I could do that.” I did, and online magazine the Flash Fiction Offensive accepted the piece. I felt a little thrill and produced a few more. From there I moved to longer fiction and into forums like Tough, Switchblade, Mystery Weekly, Pulp Modern, and a forthcoming story in Mystery Tribune. I’ve written a 70,000 word police procedural about cops in the late 70s—a case involving a nun’s convent and a killer who’s taking out pimps. If anyone is interested in this piece, please contact me. The 70s are suddenly topical again! This whole writing thing just snowballed. A book of my Appalachian stories was accepted for publication, and I'm presently working on a novel that features Sheriff Curley Knott. JHR: You’ve withstood this stabbing impressively well. But before you get dizzy from too much blood loss, what can you share with readers about your forthcoming debut book. I imagine we may bump into Sheriff Curley Knott out in the mountains. But I’ve also read your story, “Anka” at Story and Grit: an adventurous tale featuring an Inupiak eskimeaux woman the locals in her village call Anna Reed. So will we find more stories like hers that aren’t set in Appalachia? CM: Shotgun Honey, an imprint and partner of Down & Out Books, is set to publish a collection of my stories called COAL BLACK in December. The book contains about ten pieces, all set in Appalachia—but across different time periods. Two stories include Vietnam Veteran and expert tracker Sheriff Curley Knott. The rest involve a host of miscreants and losers, flawed lawmen and forlorn types generally—along with noble types, too, though they have a tough time. Several feature female characters, both law enforcement types and criminals. Others showcase animals and spirits based on the region’s topography and folklore. Which of these creatures are real might be tough to tell, however. JHR: I gotta tell ya, Chris. The way your tattered skin's flapping like dying fish gasping for oxygen—while spewing blood like a leaky lawn sprinkler—I can't tell if you're still human or a creature-feature either. So time to turn you over to our Story and Grit Good Hands medical staff, who flew in from Oklahoma to join us once again. Meanwhile, I'll raise a glass and three cheers to Mick Rose for hosting us! Stay safe, y'all. Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583 Photo: Crime Fiction Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins Photo: Crime Writer Donald Glass Greetings, ladies and gents. Your delinquent crime writing host Mick Rose here. Pleased once again to pull back the stage curtains and fire up the spotlight—which blazes tonight on Pennsylvania writer Donald "Don" Glass. Mr. Glass is one 14 writers featured in the HARDBOILED crime collection, published by Dead Guns Press, and co-edited by M. Leon Smith and John L. Thompson. I snagged a copy of this collection for several reasons: I'd read stories by some of the featured writers; and I've enjoyed illustrations by John L. Thompson at illustrious Yellow Mama Webzine. Though I'm still delving HARDBOILED, I haven't found a bad apple in the bunch. Sure a lot of the characters are bad apples—but that's why we read hard-boiled crime fiction, yeah? One of the tastiest apples in this bunch ain't a Red Delicious or a Granny Smith. It's Don's kidnapping tale, "Sibling Rivalry." The suspense in this hard-edged thriller kicks all kinds of ass. While crime writer Jesse "Heels" Rawlins normally writes interviews for Southern Crime mag Story and Grit, that butt-kicking trailer trash noir saloon is on a well-deserved Holiday. So once again heavy-duty plastic sheathing's now carpeting my hardwood floors. And soon as I grab a balcony seat—far from the pending blood splatter—Ms. Rawlins will skewer Mr. Glass ... presumably for your entertainment pleasure. But more likely cuz she gets off on torturing writers. You may wanna grab some pizza quick. Or you could wind up with extra sauce. Interested in grabbing your own copy of HARDBOILED? That's easier than pizza pie: just click the magic button below the rockin' book cover. JHR: Welcome to 6 Stabs, Don. You live and write in Altoona, Pennsylvania—and you’ve seen your crime stories published in online mags like Shotgun Honey, Flash Fiction Offensive and England’s hard-hitting Close To The Bone. When did you first start writing? What drew you to penning crime tales? And when and where did your first story get published? DG: I first started sometime in the 90’s. I can’t type for shit and still only use 2 fingers. But along came the computer and modern word processor, making it a lot easier. I’ve mostly read horror. But horror stories are harder to find online. Crime fiction was exploding and easily available online. I started reading more of it. I discovered I loved the genre, the down to earth feel and realness of it. So when I decided to put some words on paper it became an obvious choice. My first published piece was “Sucker for a Redhead” in the Flash Fiction Offensive over at Out of the Gutter Online. JHR: Some of your stories like “Sucker for a Redhead,” “Salvation” (Shotgun Honey), and “Crossed” (Yellow Mama Webzine) involve people with troubled pasts suddenly making radical choices in hopes of “trying to make things right.” What spurs you to write these types of stories, Don? DG: I’ve never set out to write to write that type of story it just happens. I rarely plot anything. When I get an idea I just fly with it. At times that’s left me with gaping holes that can’t be filled and I have to scrap it. I have an entire folder filled with files like that. I’ve always been a fan of the underdog and believe that every person, no matter how bad they may be, is capable of doing at least one decent thing. Although in my stories usually it’s done for self preservation, as a means to and end, or they are forced into it. JHR: Some crime writers weave humor into their stories. The stories I’ve read by you tend to focus on the darker side of life. Have you written any humorous stories, Don—and if not why? DG: It’s easier to write about the dark things in life than the humorous for me. I don’t know why. Maybe it's a personality defect. Don’t get me wrong I’m a fucking funny guy and see humor all around me but I can’t seem to blend it into crime fiction. JHR: The Author’s Bio you’ve used throughout the years when your stories get published at Shotgun Honey always notes that you’re working “on a lot of stuff.” What kinds of stuff are you usually working on? Or is this a case of if you told us you’d have to kill us? DG: I always have three or four things started at different stages. I’m also a procrastinator and that doesn’t help. Currently I’m working on one about two stoners that time travel to make some easy cash to finance their demo tape. In time travel there's always something that gets messed up. It’s completely outside the genre I usually write in, and will probably never see the light of day. But it was fun doing something completely different. JHR: Have you ventured into writing novellas or novels, Don? Or do you stick to shorter tales? If you stick to shorts what keeps you writing them—even if some aren’t likely to get published? DG: I’ve always liked short stories and flash fiction, both reading and writing them. I have a short attention span and that format suits me better. I have a few ideas for some longer pieces, but haven’t gotten around to them. Working ten and twelve hour days leaves little time for anything else. As far as getting published that’s just a byproduct. When I get something in my head that I think is interesting I just run with it. JHR: Like your hard-edged tale, “Crossed" your HARDBOILED anthology story, “Sibling Rivalry” tosses us some curve balls and keeps us in suspense. We can never get “comfortable” about where these tales will take us. As the name suggests “Sibling Rivalry” involves a brother and a sister: both with dreams and ambitious … but in dramatically different ways. The brother you created also happens to be a “writer.” What led you to make this character a “writer?” And did this story take shape fairly easy for you? Or present a bit of a struggle? DG: That one was interesting to write. It started out as a straight forward kidnapping tale with a twist at the end. I shelved it for about a year because I thought it was too short. Then I got the idea to write a story about someone who journals their crimes. That story evolved into one about a writer who uses his own crimes in his stories. I know that’s been done but I gave it a shot anyway. I didn’t work out so I decided to combine the two and it led to the additional twist at the end. Of course it also left me with multiple endings that took a while to work out. JHR: Well, Don, I love how the story turned out. But since you're bleeding copiously from multiple wounds and I'd hate to see you suffer a gruesome ending, now's a good time to turn you over to the Story and Grit medics who flew in from Oklahoma just to stitch you up. And I wanna grab some pizza while it's still hot. Anybody wanna help me clean up this mess after I'm done gorging? Sigh. Guess not. Cheers ya'll. And thanks for hosting us Mick Rose! Addicted to tawdry tales that sometimes make her blush, Jesse typically writes crime, mysteries, and humor. You’ll usually find her stories on the wrong side of the tracks, including flash-zine Shotgun Honey, The Rye Whiskey Review, and Punk Noir Magazine. She dazedly accepted the online publishing torch for 10-year-old Crime, Pulp & Humor mag the Flash Fiction Offensive in February 2019. And her murderous band of writing cohorts keep Jesse on her “heels.” Wanna say “Hello?” You can visit Jess on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jesse.rawlins.583 Photo: Crime Writer & Editor Jesse Rawlins |
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