Thanks to Rita Mae Reese for suggesting this blog post. One side-effect of being a full-time writer is that I’m also the stay-at-home parent for my two sons, ages 5 and 2. They impinge on every single moment of my day, especially the younger one, since he’s underfoot almost constantly. My wife works in an office 45 minutes away and … Read More
It was the best of lines, it was the worst of lines
Is there a more famous opening line in all literature than, “Call me Ishmael”? It introduces a mystery (the narrator doesn’t say, “My name is Ishmael,” he says you can call him that), it sets up the tone, and it tells us that the narrator has a wry, dry wit. It’s brilliant. So brilliant that even people who’ve never read … Read More
Solving the Murder at the Cheatin’ Heart Motel
Longtime readers of this blog will know I have a somewhat unresolved relationship with my home region of West Tennessee. It’s not the most scenic area: the state of Tennessee slopes downhill from Appalachia in the east, so the western end is the lowest, muddiest and flattest part. Except for Memphis, there are no notable cities (I suppose you could … Read More
The Last Mile(s): a review of King of the Road
Recently I wrote about Miles O’Keeffe, movie star and former resident of west Tennessee. Thanks to that post, I corresponded with Monica Surrena, the writer-director of Miles’ most recent work, a short film titled King of the Road. You can see the trailer here, and she was kind enough to send me a DVD. King is the story of Wild … Read More
"I’ve got a lot of patience, baby": the story behind the dedication of The Girls with Games of Blood
My first Memphis vampire novel, Blood Groove, was dedicated to the memory of Duncan Browne (read why here). Browne remains a fairly obscure musical figure, although I hope I’ve nudged a few people toward seeking out his work. But The Girls with Games of Blood is dedicated to one much better known, whose songs helped define the Sixties, even if … Read More
Release day for THE GIRLS WITH GAMES OF BLOOD!
It’s release day for The Girls with Games of Blood, the follow-up to my first Memphis vampire book, Blood Groove. When Blood Groove came out last year, I of course checked at my local Barnes and Noble to see if they carried it. I was disappointed at first not to see it among the other vampire novels in the Sci … Read More
Exclusive new Memphis Vampires short story
As a thank-you to all the folks who enjoyed Blood Groove, and in anticipation of the release tomorrow of The Girls with Games of Blood, here’s the first part of a short story that takes place between the two books. You can read the whole thing on my website here. J’OUBLIE (c) 2010 Alex Bledsoe Memphis State University, late summer, … Read More
Going the extra Mile(s)
After I wrote yesterday’s post on Miles O’Keeffe, I spoke with with Monica Surrena, the writer/director of King of the Road, Miles’ most recent film. She said: “Miles is a really easy going guy. Kind of soft spoken and was delightful to work with. Even though it was a student short, he took it very seriously, did many of his … Read More
Giants of West Tennessee: Miles (and miles) O’Keeffe
NOTE: This is the latest in an ongoing occasional series about notable figures from my home region. These are personal reminiscences and opinions; where available, I’ll include links so interested readers can find out more. “My name is spelled with two e’s, two f’s and another e, and nobody ever spells it right.” If you’re of my generation, you remember … Read More
Gone (but not forgotten) in 60 Seconds
If one cinematic trend defines the 1970s, it’s not the summer blockbuster (Star Wars, Jaws), the “New Hollywood” grit (Mean Streets, Taxi Driver) or even grindhouse exploitation. It’s the car chase movie. And the undisputed king is H.B. Halicki’s 1974 film, Gone in 60 Seconds. To make an independent movie in the 70s was a sign of drive and willpower … Read More