New Book Review Based in LA!

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My friend Mark Haskell Smith shared on Facebook today the glorious news about the arrival of a new and comprehensive, old school meets multi-media book review called the Los Angeles Review of Books.

It’s still in the “preview stage,” but what they’re going to offer promises to be amazing, and fill a very large void left as a result of several major newspapers downsizing or eliminating their book reviews.

As a LA Times subscriber of many years, I’ve been very disheartened to see its Book Review go from a stand-alone Sunday section, to just a few pages in its Arts & Books section. A travesty, indeed. And ironic as well, as the LARB site explains: “…twenty times as many titles are published each year than were in 1980, and we have one twentieth of the serious book reviews.” Here’s to hoping that the LARB will inspire a positive change in that mentality.

Edited by Tom Lutz, an author and the Chair of Creative Writing at UC Riverside, LARB will feature in-depth book reviews, author interviews, online book clubs, something called LARB TV, and many other interactive features. Their list of contributors is expansive and impressive, including the aforementioned Mr. Smith, Janet Fitch, Susan Straight, Michael Tolkin and Jonathan Lethem; their topics as varied and intriguing as the fine art of the euphemism, literary tattoos, and literary dispatches from around the world and the microcosm of the world, Southern California.

So if you love books (and I know that you do) and crave a source for intelligent, insightful and passionate discourse on all things books, check out the LARB preview site and keep tabs on its official launch.

Build A Story With Bryan #1 – The Story Continues

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Photo by Aarynne

 

Writers and readers,  the story is picking up speed!

Here’s what we have so far:

   

For those who knew her, or thought they knew her, the sight of Brenda Duplicki sampling face creams at the beauty shop on Dexter two days after her death came as something of a surprise. More to the point, the Victorian frock she wore was unsettling, for age had muted its ebony folds to a dusty gray and the high white-lace color to a pestilent ocher. Suddenly, the crowd of onlookers was distracted by a high-pitched scream coming from the back of the shop.   

Brenda ran out of the front door and disappeared in the crowd. But she accidentally left her purse on the beauty shop’s counter. Tossed from it, a sprawl of Turkish gold coins, an asthma inhaler and a shark’s tooth capped in silver. A passer-by, Hanley Spurl by name, idly studied the items on the countertop before his jaw dropped in astonishment. The silver-capped shark tooth was the last item the private investigator needed to find to confirm Brenda’s true identity as the notorious antiquities thief, Suzanne Zhuravlyova.  

But was this the original silver-capped shark tooth or just another imposter, inconspicuously placed in the path of Hanley Spurl that would lead him on another anonymously concocted chase lasting 7.23 years? He removed the riding gloves he’d worn every day since losing the horse 6.76 years ago, and performed a pinching test on the shark tooth his mentor Sable Dakker had taught him back when they were working the aquarium murders together. The pinch test proved it to be the original; he took a puff from the asthma inhaler, and knew what he needed to do next. He had to find the woman he suspected was Suzanne Zhuravlyova and find out who she had given their child to all those years ago. 

With a furtive glance in each direction, he scooped the contents back into the purse, tucked the whole affair next to the .45 in his jacket and slapped the gloves against his leg. He had only one hour to get back to Applebee’s. He paused, stricken by memories of their doomed relationship and the heartbreak he still felt. Or was it the lasagna? That was it. Hanley Spurl’s lifelong battle with lasagna was to blame. His eyes curled shut as did his fist to his chest. He didn’t see the danger approaching him because his eyes were firmly closed as he experienced a lasagne-induced agony. 

There she was… Suzanne Zhuravlyova. Nobody but Hanley knew it was her because she changed yet again. This time she wore stirrup pants, a They Might Be Giants oversized T-shirt, and a cute stylish hat that complimented her eyes. And it was those eyes that said it all. 

Hanley sensed her and spun,  the gat already in his hand.  He aimed it square between those hazel orbs and let the lead fly.  It took her head into the next room for a chat and sent the other half of her crashing to the floor.  But wait.  Though the shark tooth was real, this Zhuravylova was another fake, the third he’d dispatched since noon. 

What will happen next? Add the next sentence or two and let us know…

Build A Story With Bryan #1 – The Story So Far

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Photo by Maksim

Hey, we’re off to a great start! Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. Let’s keep it going. Here’s the story as of this morning. I’ve added the very last sentence.

For those who knew her, or thought they knew her, the sight of Brenda Duplicki sampling face creams at the beauty shop on Dexter two days after her death came as something of a surprise. More to the point, the Victorian frock she wore was unsettling, for age had muted its ebony folds to a dusty gray and the high white-lace color to a pestilent ocher. Suddenly, the crowd of onlookers was distracted by a high-pitched scream coming from the back of the shop.

Brenda ran out of the front door and disappeared in the crowd. But she accidentally left her purse on the beauty shop’s counter. Tossed from it, a sprawl of Turkish gold coins, an asthma inhaler and a shark’s tooth capped in silver. A passer-by, Hanley Spurl by name, idly studied the items on the counter top before his jaw dropped in astonishment. The silver-capped shark tooth was the last item the private investigator needed to find to confirm Brenda’s true identity as the notorious antiquities thief, Suzanne Zhuravlyova.

 But was this the original silver-capped shark tooth or just another imposter, inconspicuously placed in the path of Hanley Spurl that would lead him on another anonymously concocted chase lasting 7.23 years? He removed the riding gloves he’d worn every day since losing the horse 6.76 years ago, and performed a pinching test on the shark tooth his mentor Sable Dakker had taught him back when they were working the aquarium murders together.

Okay, so where will you take the story next?

Build A Story With Bryan

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Photo by Paul Keheler

Anyone in the mood to write a story with me? Here’s what I propose. I’ll start us off with an opening sentence, and if you’re inspired to continue the story please write the second sentence in the comment box. This will be on a first come first written basis, so whenever you join in please build off the last sentence written in the comment box immediately preceding yours. We’ll go for the rest of April, the goal at the end of the month being a stand-alone piece of short fiction.

For the sake of variety, I’d like to limit each participant to 2 sentences per week, and if there’s a lull I’ll jump back in and add something. Other than that, there are no rules, feel free to take the story wherever you want to go. I’ll check in periodically and repost the story with the sentences created so far, and then at the end of the month I’ll post the entire piece for all to enjoy.

Here’s the opening line for April:

For those who knew her, or thought they knew her, the sight of Brenda Duplicki sampling face creams at the beauty shop on Dexter two days after her death came as something of a surprise.  

Let the building begin!

My Job Interview With The Internet

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Photo by Alex Handy

Thank goodness I didn’t need the Internet’s permission to put up my new website and blog. But what if I did? Well, it might go a little something like this…

Internet: So what have you got for me?

Bryan: Okay, it’s a—

Internet: FYI, speak in 140 characters or less, or I’m catching z’s dude.

Bryan: I have this new website with a blog page, a way to establish a—

Internet: OMFG! :O You gotta see this video! A baby just ate a cat. ROFLMAO! 

Bryan:  —a web presence. I’m a writer. A novelist and a screen—

Internet: You got content. I got content. You show me yours, I’ll show you mine.

Bryan: Exactly. I’m posting excerpts of my stuff—

Internet: Plug in your e-reader, or go wireless if your computer’s into virtual sex, I don’t care. Download, upload, use me, abuse me. And I’ll return the favor. BFWB, right?

Bryan: I should admit up front I’m kind of a purist. I still prefer my books in a tangible form.

Internet: JCOATW. You probably read actual newspapers and magazines too.

Bryan: Is “yes” the wrong answer?

Internet: Hey, I read The New Yorker, big deal. Okay, only the cartoons, and only the ones with naked people in them. They should put more of those in. Something about cartoon naked people… 

Bryan: So, as I was saying, my website has a page for each of my—

Internet: Memes? Animated New Yorker cartoons with the naked people?

Bryan: No.

Internet: Too bad. I’d like to see that. How about a montage of shots from the Royal Wedding combined with the audio of that drunk kid in Florida who wrestled a lawn mower?

Bryan: Would I have a better chance with you if I did?

Internet: BOOMM. What’s trending right now? Babies eating cats, J-Beeb’s prison tats, Facebook’s Provisional Government in Libya. Are you still here, NOOB?