Banville/Black on LARB

[Lee Lamothe]

Just thought I'd let you all know there's a very interesting article in the Los Angeles Review of Books this morning. John Banville/Benjamin Black is interviewed by Jon Wiener. While I'm not a fan of B/B in either his literary or genre work, he does have his head screwed on right. Give it a read. Lee lamothe

[John McFetridge]

Yes, it's a good interview. People here may like this part: "I hate genre. Some of the best writing of the 20th century was in crime novels. James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Richard Stark, Simenon of course — this is wonderful work, and shouldn’t be put off into a ghetto."

The link is here: http://lareviewofbooks.org/interview/hate-genre-interview-john-banv...

And, I'm sorry, but I can't help it. Kirkus had an article last week about "Spring Breakout Books" that started with Banville/Black's, "The Black-Eyed Blonde" and included my own, "Black Rock:"

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/features/spring-breakouts-dark-tales-...

(you have to scroll pretty far down to find mine ;)).

[I. J. Parker]

Congrats, John!  Very nice indeed.

 

As for Black, he doesn't list a single one of my favorites, and I don't believe him anyway.

[Eric Christopherson]

Congrats, John. I'm reading my first Cain right now, Double Indemnity. (Of course I've seen the movie version.) Sucker's only 104 pages in my edition but I love the tight writing.

[John McFetridge]

Thanks folks.

It seems quite unlikely that my book will "breakout" like most on that list but to be a writer is to be ever optimistic, right?

[Dana King]

I don't think your breakout chances are any less than the others'. You've written books of quality that did not receive the recognition they deserved for a long time now. The Dougherty books--and their historical underpinnings--may catch a wave of public interest. I'm more convinced all the time, that's what "breaks out" authors more than anything: timing. 

[John McFetridge]

Congratulations to Lee Lamothe, his novel Presto Variations has been nominated for an Arthur Ellis Award for best novel.

[Lee Lamothe]

John, thanks. I seem to have bad luck when I hit that list: The Finger's Twist made it a few years ago and the publisher ended up cancelling The Glass Pieces, the sequel (it's now an ebook); this week my agent told me the publisher of the Presto Variations/Ray Tate/Djuna Brown passed on a fourth book, essentially ending the series. Good thing I've got other hobbies. But thanks. Lee

[I. J. Parker]

Publishers are idiots. Same thing happened to me.

[John McFetridge]

Summed up nicely.