News — Bring On the P.I. Novels & Libraries Celebrate in San Francisco

A couple of posts ago, I wrote about the dearth of Private eye depiction in todays‘ movies. But the private eye novel has been declared dead or dying from time to time. J Kingston Pierce, editor of the “rap sheet,” “the go-to source for crime fiction news), also picked up the theme for a Kirkus Magazine article.  Pierce is also senior editor of January Magazine and reviewer for Kirkus. If that weren’t enough for one human he has a special blog on “Killer Covers,” a great place to look at vintage crime book covers. Pierce is convinced P.I. novels are holding their own.  In his story, I found my recent book featuring P.I. Deets Shanahan on his list of new P.I. novels that assured him that the P.I. genre is alive and well.

Here are the five new private eye books the busy Pierce picked:

And Sometimes I Worry About You, by Walter Mosley

Robert Parker’s Kickback by Ace Atkins

Vixen, by Bill Pronzini

Shadow of a Hangman by Edward Marston

Killing Frost by Ronald Tierney

This morning a million folks are gathering on San Francisco’s Market Street to celebrate Pride. Given the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage, there should be a little extra energy this year. 

Two blocks away, mostly underground, at the vast Moscone Center, 10,000 or more people gathered for the American Library Association’s big national conference being held over this weekend.  Two huge exhibit halls are filled with booths for publishers, distributors, periodicals and others in the book business. I was invited by Orca Publishing to sign ARCs for my soon-to-be-released novella for them.  Yesterday, I signed and signed and signed. I found the visitors to be especially happy to have a book that takes place in San Francisco while they were here for a mix of business and pleasure. Due out the end of summer, The Blue Dragon is part of Orca’s Rapid Read series. I am thrilled with the concept – easy to read short books perfect for that flight from L.A. to New York. Some are for younger readers. However some are mysteries for the rest of us by authors you may know and love — Reed Farrel Coleman and Rick Blechta as examples.

Observations — In Indy, Not Naptown.

An Italian Poster for "Winning"

Yesterday, the world focused on the city of Indianapolis for the second time this year.  The Superbowl was played there a few months ago.  And on Sunday, there was the running of the Indianapolis 500, the “granddaddy” of auto racing, as it was once called.  It is also called the “Greatest Spectacle of Racing,” drawing as many as 400,000 spectators, roughly 10 times that of the Superbowl.

It is a big event, an international event.  Racing enthusiast Paul Newman once made a movie about the race, called Winning.  And the race itself attracts not only international racing champions but also celebrities from around the world.  When I lived in the “Circle City,” I attended with my father, who considered it a challenge to sneak into the track on race day. An otherwise law-abiding and honorable man he did so in his early days when he was impoverished.  Despite the fact that he could afford it later and against increasing odds of getting caught through better security, my father refused to give up the tradition.  We would sneak in and make our way to the infield where amidst the circus-like environment (this area inside the track was also called “the snake pit) we weren’t likely to be tracked down.

In honor of the celebration of this Midwestern City, I’d like to call your attention to my hometown.  Long ago Booth Tarkington wrote his famous book, The Magnificent Ambersons (later a movie), which focused on the wealthy class that lived in an area known as Woodruff Place. That area of the city, though no longer the home of the city’s current upper crust, still exists — wide streets with center strips of grass and sculptured fountains. The homes, many of them subdivided for inexpensive apartments years ago suggest an earlier grandeur. And, in fact, many are being restored.  Kurt Vonnegut grew up in Indianapolis.  His family ran a chain of hardware stores.  Wes Montgomery, considered one of the greatest jazz guitarists that ever lived, anchored Indiana Avenue, the city’s premiere black neighborhood. Some disreputable business folks tore down chunk of this historic district. However, there are bits and pieces left near downtown, including the Madame Walker Theater.  Born in 1867, Madam C. J. Walker was one of the country’s first successful black businesswomen.  She started a cosmetics company in Indianapolis and went on to develop a line of popular beauty products. She later became a philanthropist, using her wealth to advance the NAACP and the YMCA.

Comedian David Letterman as well as actors James Dean and Clifton Webb were also born in what used to be the nation’s largest inland city as was John Dillinger and Dan Quayle.

The First of the Samson Novels

Because this is a crime fiction blog, it’s important we mention a few mystery writers who continue to use Indianapolis as a setting.  The first is Michael Z. Lewin.  Lewin may have invented the regional private eye series with his creation of Indianapolis-based Albert Samson in 1971.  The fictional Samson lived in Fountain Square, another fascinating city neighborhood.  Until that time, private eyes only walked the streets of metropolises like New York, L.A. and San Francisco. The most recent to use of Indianapolis as a backdrop is screenwriter David Levien, who has had a couple of best sellers with his character Frank Behr.  As for me, why have a blog if I can’t engage in a bit of self-promotion.  The 10 novels I’ve written about a P.I. named “Deets” Shanahan take place in Indianapolis. And I’ve just finished a novella with Shanahan at the fore. (More on that later.)

I was back in Indianapolis from time to time — when I can.  I was fortunate enough to get back for the 15^th Annual Magna Cum Murder Conference, sponsored by Ball State University in nearby Muncie. (S.J. Rozan is the guest of honor this coming October). It is a wonderful and intimate conference. And in 2009, I was a panelist at Bouchercon, the Mystery Writers of America’s major mystery conference (3,000 or so writers and fans), held that year in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Public Library, Central Branch

What I discovered when I went back was a city that has continued to take its once neglected downtown very seriously.  Instead of a parade of chain restaurants, which used to be the situation, there were a number of fine new eateries, new hotels and all sorts of interesting nightlife.  The Massachusetts Avenue area continues to add a distinctive and exciting flavor to the city once called “Naptown.” The city also hosts a fine zoo, an increasingly bustling and beautiful area area along the canal, museums, and, my all-time favorite — the Indianapolis Public Library.  The central branch was my resource, inspiration and hideaway during my young adult years. Their recent expansion shows how modern and traditional could blend in a splendid way.

Thanks for reading my less than poetic ode.  It just seemed appropriate to honor my hometown on its grandest day of the year and where my first published book took place. By the way, it used to be considered rude to call Indianapolis, “Indy.”  I think those days have passed. It’s a tribute to its reemergence as a destination.  However, of my current town, San Francisco, it’s still not all right to call it “Frisco.”

Opinion — Ray Bradbury, Libraries, Budgets and Bureaucrats

"I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college." — Ray Bradbury

Not nearly as dedicated, talented or prolific, I nonetheless identify with Mr. Bradbury’s comments. Like most people, I’ve lived through periods of my life where I’ve had greater and lesser financial security. But I will never forget the years I lived in a studio apartment at the Ambassador on Ninth and Pennsylvania in Indianapolis.

I had just returned from a stint in the Army, had very little money, but wanted to spend my time writing. The city’s Central Library was, for all practical purposes, in my backyard. I could see the back of the stately building from my window. I spent hours there, wandering around the beautiful balconies, up and down the grand steps and into and out of the various rooms. Spending hours amidst all those books reinforced my belief that knowledge is important. I spent a lot of time in the stacks discovering authors who taught me about philosophy, literature and the cultures of other places in the world. The place made me feel rich even when I went home to my single-room apartment for a dinner of bologna and eggs.

Now that the national economy is struggling there are calls for cutbacks in city services. Libraries are having their budgets cut and that usually means closing library branches, reducing hours and cutting back on staff, not to mention books. However while we steal from valuable public resources, ones that enrich the community, the handsome salaries and pensions for legislators (city, state and national) continue. A U.S. senator, after one term, can receive a couple of hundred thousand a year for the rest of his or her life, which often means they can add that to the millions they will get as lobbyists, having an inside track to lawmaking as they do. The specific public resource available to those struggling at the lower end of the huge income gap — but who are determined to learn and improve their lives — is being choked.

I don’t know much about his private life, but I suspect Mr. Bradbury hasn’t had to worry much about money most of his long life. He is 91. What I do know is that he wrote many great books and provided inspiration and knowledge to millions. Where would he and so many others have been without a library? Where would any great civilization be, for that matter?