Thursday, March 24, 2011

Crucified Dreams (And Author Bios)

Just got my contributor's copy of this new Joe Lansdale anthology, featuring my tale "The Mojave Two-Step." Also spotted a new review of same over at Horror World, spotlighting "Mojave" for praise. Nice way to start the morning.

I've got to admit I'm one of those readers who always flips to the author bios before I start reading an antho. I just can't help myself. I'm the same with story notes. Best unknown tidbit in Crucified Dreams so far: Noir master Tom Piccirilli apparently co-authored a book of lit crit called Deconstructing Tolkein... which makes me wonder what other secrets Pic's been hiding from me. C'mon, Tommy. Give 'em up, and while you're at it answer this question for me: Who'd win in a fight between Aragorn and Robert Mitchum?

My own bio takes a little bit of a wrong turn, though. It puts me on the map as a San Francisco guy, but I'm born and bred in the North Bay (Vallejo), now living over the hill from Oakland in Lafayette. In other words, I'm not a big city guy. I need some hills around. We've still got a few of those here. We even have a few cows on 'em. About five miles from my house there's a redwood grove that makes you feel like you're a couple hundred miles up the coast, somewhere between Eureka and Crescent City. And last year I spotted a coyote while out on a walk. All that works for me just fine.