I got the news from my editor Denise Hamilton yesterday that Los Angeles Noir -- which features my short story "The Kidnapper Bell" -- has won the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association award for best mystery of the year!

What an honor. I've always been proud to be in this excellent anthology. Now there's another reason to add to the list.

Congrats to my fellow contributors, to Johnny and Johanna at Akashic Books, and to Denise for everything she does!

Labels: Akashic, awards, Los Angeles Noir, SCIBA

Will I never stop? It certainly doesn't feel like it. So before I get backed-up with more deadlines, let me kick out the deets on this weekend's LOS ANGELES NOIR signings. I'll be two places on Saturday, May 12:

Mysteries to Die For
Thousand Oaks
11:30am
with Denise Hamilton and Gary Phillips

then

Metropolis Books
downtown L.A.
4:00pm
with Gary Phillips and Diana Wagman

I will probably read at the downtown signing, especially if enough of you show up and demand it! Ah yeah!

big news about Undertown next week...

Labels: Akashic, Los Angeles Noir, public appearances

Just a quick note before I jump back into my world of piled-up deadlines. Thanks to everyone who came out to the various Los Angeles Noir events the past couple weeks, including the crazy Festival of Books. The L.A. Noir anthology was arguably the hit of the festival -- it sold out in the entire fest. The publisher, Akashic, sold more copies of this single book than what UglyTown would usually sell of all our books combined! I did at least two signings that had booksellers sell out sooner than halfway through the signing.

Yes, this is NOT how signings usually go.

My lovely and incredibly talented editor, Denise Hamilton, wrote to inform me that Los Angeles Noir debuted at # 7 on the Southern California Independent Booksellers Association Trade Paper Bestseller List -- a first for any of Akashic's Noir anthologies. So thanks again to everyone who bought a copy.

I have a couple more Noir events coming up, but first there's another UNDERTOWN event this weekend. Details soon...

Labels: Akashic, Festival of Books, Los Angeles Noir

By the grace and hard work of amazing editor Denise Hamilton, the authors of Los Angeles Noir will be hitting the bookstores of Southern California for a book tour.

There are a number of stops on the tour that I won't be at ... but here is the list of appearances I'll be making. If you want to get a book signed, or if you just want to say hello, please stop by.

LOS ANGELES NOIR EVENTS

WEDNESDAY APRIL 11 at 7 pm

DUTTON'S BRENTWOOD Bookstore
11975 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 476-6263
www.duttonsbrentwood.com

Denise Hamilton, Janet Fitch, Lienna Silver, Emory Holmes II

[I'm not officially schedule to be at this first event, but I'm going to try to make it.]

*

THURSDAY APRIL 12 at 6:30-8 pm

Reception/Booksigning/Classic Film Screening

EGYPTIAN THEATER
6712 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA
323/461-2020

This event is sponsored by American Cinemathque on opening night of the 8th Annual Los Angeles Noir Film Festival. This is a ticketed event for the cocktail party reception, booksigning and film screening. Tickets are approx. $10.

ACT OF VIOLENCE, 1948 MGM (Warner Classics), 81 min. A dark masterpiece made during the Metro tenure of producer Dore Schary, this is emblematic film noir: Psychically-scarred WWII POW Robert Ryan stalks war hero Van Heflin from sylvan Big Bear Lake to the nocturnal underbelly of postwar downtown L.A. Stellar Robert Surtees cinematography captures not only the city, but superb performances from the whole cast, including a jaw-droppingly gorgeous 20-year old Janet Leigh and Mary Astor as a street-wise hooker! Directed by the great Fred Zinnemann. NOT ON DVD

FORCE OF EVIL, 1948, MGM (Paramount), 78 min. One of the most distinctive works of the original film noir era, Abraham Polonsky's directorial debut is both a detailed expose of the New York numbers racket (based on Ira Wolfert's journalistic novel, Tucker's People), and a riveting tale of a fallen man's search for his soul (John Garfield, who also produced, burns up the screen in one of his best roles). Stylized art direction complements the vivid New York location footage. Featuring an evocative score by David Raksin and a memorable supporting performance by the great Thomas Gomez as Garfield's older
brother. An innovative and superlative film in every respect!

Confirmed are: Jim Pascoe, Diana Wagman, Christopher Rice, Denise Hamilton, Neal Pollack, Patt Morrison, Emory Holmes II, Gary Phillips, Lienna Silver

More info here.

[Come on. Eddie Muller's Noir Film Fest PLUS cocktails -- if you're in the city you MUST COME!]

*

FRIDAY APRIL 13 at 7 pm

VROMAN'S BOOKSTORE
695 E. Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91101
626/449-5320
www.vromansbookstore.com

Patt Morrison, Naomi Hirahara, Emory Holmes II, Janet Fitch, Neal Pollack, Denise Hamilton.

[again, I'm not official here, but Vroman's is too cool not to go to]

*

SATURDAY APRIL 14 at 5 pm

Cocktail Party and Book Signing

MYSTERY BOOKSTORE
1036 Broxton Ave
Los Angeles CA 90024
www.mystery-bookstore.com
310/209-0415

Jim Pascoe, Naomi Hirahara, Denise Hamilton, Gary Phillips, Emory Holmes II, Lienna Silver, Diana Wagman, Christopher Rice

[must I remind you again ... cocktails + books + JPP = good]

*

SUNDAY APRIL 15 at 3 pm

MYSTERIOUS GALAXY
7051 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. Ste 302
San Diego, CA 92111-1040
858/268-4747
www.mystgalaxy.com

Gary Phillips, Jim Pascoe, Denise Hamilton, Emory Holmes II

*

SATURDAY APRIL 21 at 5 pm

SKYLIGHT BOOKS
1818 N. Vermont Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323/660-1175
www.skylightbooks.com

Denise Hamilton, Patt Morrison, Christopher Rice, Susan Straight, Diana Wagman, Janet Fitch, Neal Pollack and Jim Pascoe read, discuss and sign LA NOIR

[This is most likely you're only chance to hear me read from "The Kidnapper Bell." I'm personally very excited about this event.]

*

FRIDAY APRIL 27 at 5 pm

LATFoB party at the Mystery Bookstore in Westwood
1036 Broxton Ave
LA CA 90024
310/209-0415
www.mystery-bookstore.com

This is an annual party the store holds for ALL its authors, so I'll be among those mingling and meeting and greeting and signing.

*

SATURDAY APRIL 28 from 1-2 pm

LA Times Festival Of Books @ UCLA
Akashic Group Signing

Michael Connelly, Janet Fitch, Susan Straight, Denise Hamilton, Naomi Hirahara, Diana Wagman, Emory Holmes II, Lienna Silver, Christopher Rice, Brian Roley.

[location of booth/signing to come, check back ... or go bug Akashic.]

*

SUNDAY APRIL 28 from 10-11 am

LA Times Festival Of Books @ UCLA
Borders' Booth

Denise Hamilton, Gary Phillips, Neal Pollack, Janet Fitch, and Jim Pascoe.

*

SUNDAY APRIL 28 from 1-2 pm

LATFOB Group Signing
The Mystery Bookstore Booth

Michael Connelly, Denise Hamilton, Naomi Hirahara, Jim Pascoe and Gary
Phillips.

*

SATURDAY MAY 5 from 3-4 pm

Mysteries To Die For
2940 Thousand Oaks Boulevard
Thousand Oaks, California 91362
(805) 374-0084
www.mysteriestodiefor.com

Jim Pascoe, Gary Phillips, and Denise Hamilton.

[and if that doesn't sound like trouble, I don't know what does!]

*

I really hope everyone can come out to one or more of these events. See you on the road.

Labels: Akashic, Los Angeles Noir, public appearances

Just got a couple advance copies hot off the presses of the new book LOS ANGELES NOIR, which contains my story, "The Kidnapper Bell."

The book is beautiful -- no surprise given that Akashic Books puts out the best-looking books since UglyTown went away. I've read editor Denise Hamilton's wonderful introduction, and can't wait to dig into the rest of the stories. From the intro:

"Jack Nicholson's Jake Gittes wouldn't recognize the Chinatown of Jim Pascoe's story -- whose tiny crooked alleys now house hipster bars and art galleries -- but he'd sense the same edgy despair."

Edgy despair, people.

The book comes out in April, and I'll be making a handful of public appearances in Southern California to support the book, including a reading at Skylight Books. Stay tuned for the full itinerary when I get it confirmed.

For now, I've got the soothing sounds of Godspeed You! Black Emperor fueling me through the outline of Undertown Book 2.

Labels: Akashic, Los Angeles Noir