LitFest Pasadena is this weekend! It’s a great event filled with all kinds of literary happenings around Pasadena. I’ll be participating at the Noir at the Bar on Saturday night from 7:30 to 8:30 at The Stand. Looking forward to hearing some great readings and seeing folks I haven’t seen in a while! Hosted by Eric Beetner and S.W. Lauden of course. Hope to see you there!
This is a great podcast hosted by the multi-talented crime fiction authors Eric Beetner and S.W. Lauden. I listened to the first two episodes and was blown away. Interviews with Megan Abbott, Reed Farrel Coleman, Joe Lansdale, Lou Berney, and Steph Post to name only a few, plus short stories, and reviews by Dan and Kate Malmon.
I was stoked to find out I’d be included in Episode 3 which had outtakes from Noir at the Bar on March 5. Travis Richardson and I read from his short story “Stranger in a Bar” which is included in the inaugural issue of SWITCHBLADE magazine. I read the part of the wannabe stripper whore, of course.
AND I was delightfully surprised to hear Kate Malmon sing FINN’s praises. That made my day!
Check out the podcast here and if you haven’t heard the first two, you need to catch up already.
It’s Happy Pub Day to FAST WOMEN AND NEON LIGHTS: EIGHTIES-INSPIRED NEON NOIR edited by Michael Pool. My short story Besties & Blow is one of 18 stories in this bitchin’ collection by Short Stack Books. Besties & Blow has Danny Elfman, the Greek Theater, Oingo Boingo, spoiled SoCal girls, and of course lots and lots of cocaine.
It was a blast to write and I’m honored to be in this totally awesome collection along with such talented writers as S.W. Lauden, Sam Wiebe, Dietrich Kalteis, Eryk Pruitt, Preston Lang, Greg Barth, Jen Conley, Kat Richardson, C.S. DeWildt, and many others. Thanks to Michael Pool of Short Stack Books for putting this over-the-top totally radical collection together!
If you want to know what inspired all of us to write our 80s stories for this collection, go to Dietrich’s blog Off the Cuff.
What a fantastic launch party! There were readings from yours truly, the always entertaining Danny Gardner, and of course, the star of the show himself, S. W. Lauden with the launch of his second Greg Salem book GRIZZLY SEASON by Rare Bird Books. Then we were entertained with an acoustic set from the talented Jeff Whalen of the band Tsar (which Steve plays drums for). Thanks to Steve and Book Show for throwing such a fabulous shindig.
(Credit for pics goes to Travis Richardson, Renee Asher Pickup, and others)
Reading from my short story “Besties and Blow” which will be in the upcoming 80s FAST WOMEN, NEON NOIR anthology by Short Stack Books.
The star of the show, S.W. Lauden reading from GRIZZLY SEASON.
Jeff Whalen from the band Tsar.
No idea why I look so angry!
Danny Gardner
Sunday, October 2 is the launch of S.W. Lauden’s Greg Salem sequel, GRIZZLY SEASON, from Rare Bird Books at Book Show. Danny Gardner and I will be reading and there will be an acoustic set from Jeff Whalen.
It’s 3-5pm so come on by!
I’m up today at the Writers’ Chateau with fellow writer, Lisette Brodey. She sprinkles in some unusual personal questions with the writer craft / process stuff which made for a fun interview. Thanks, Lisette!
Also, if you’re so inclined, there’s a fun post up today on S.W. Lauden’s blog where he re-posts a few of his favorite author quotes of 2016, including one from me!
It was a fantastic night at Book Show where the audience participation was the best I’ve ever seen! It was like having a discussion on writing and novellas in someone’s living room. A great time and a fabulous book store. I’ll have to go back.
With S.W. Lauden, Eric Beetner, Gary Phillips, and the owner of Book Show, the awesome Jen Hitchcock.
On Saturday, June 4, at 8pm, I’ll be participating on a panel with Eric Beetner, S.W. Lauden, and Gary Phillips where we’ll discuss the novella in modern crime fiction. It should be an entertaining night and since I’ve never been to Book Show, I’m doubly excited as it’s always fun to check out new venues.
Of course novellas (like CLEANING UP FINN) will be for sale! Hope to see you there!
Life is a constant party for restaurant manager, Finn Roose. When he seduces an underage woman on one of his booze cruises and loses her—literally, it sets off a massive search involving the police, her parents, and a private investigator. Finn is an expert manipulator but his endless lies only tighten the screws on himself and his unsuspecting best friend. Finn scrambles to make things right which may be too much to ask from a guy who can’t resist a hot babe and a stiff drink.
“Majorly screwed up. But in a good way.” — Brett Battles, USA Today bestselling author of the Jonathan Quinn thrillers
“Chen creates a compelling character with restaurant manager Finn Roose. Readers with certain taste (like me) will enjoy watching this self-deluded ladies man bumble from one mistake to another, trying to hide his involvement with a missing teenage girl. Sarah M. Chen creates a hybrid West Coast restaurant noir novella. A great read.” — Travis Richardson, author of the noir novella, Lost in Clover
“A speedboat ride along the Southern California coastline where the sun shines a light on the lecherous locals. Finn Roose is an opportunistic restaurant manager who finally gets in over his head when he meets an underage femme fatale. Lives are shattered and bullets fly through the salty ocean air in this fast-paced debut from Sarah M. Chen.” — S.W. Lauden, Bad Citizen Corporation and Crosswise
“If you like your crime fiction the way Finn Roose likes his women, hard and fast, you’ll love Sarah M. Chen’s debut novella. A challenging, unsentimental look at a man who may be beyond redemption. Chen is a writer to watch.” — Matt Coyle, author of the Anthony Award-winning Rick Cahill crime series
“Cleaning Up Finn is a complex morality tale of debauchery, selfishness, sacrifice, and guilt. This romp of a noir through Southern California’s South Bay will stay with you, challenging your ideas of poetic justice and leaving you wanting more from Sarah M. Chen.” — James W. Ziskin, Anthony-, Barry-, and Lefty-nominated author of the Ellie Stone Mysteries,
Styx & Stone, No Stone Unturned, Stone Cold Dead, and Heart of Stone
“A gritty and compelling journey, Chen navigates the intricate labyrinth of great modern storytelling with believable style. I’ll be tapping my foot waiting for more from this incredible author and more of her character Finn.” — Darrell James, author of the Award Winning Del Shannon series
Purchase on Amazon or Indiebound
So today was the day…the first FINN signing and I lucked out with having it at my favorite bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy! OK, I kind of planned it that way. And I was able to share the limelight with awesome and talented fellow crime fiction author, S.W. Lauden. He maybe even managed to make me look not so freakishly weird and anxious because he’s cool like that.
It was a blast and even better…we sold books! If you want to order copies from an indie bookstore, call Mysterious Galaxy. They ship anywhere!
Author Aaron Clark stopped by!
S.W. Lauden and I doing our thing.
My first FINN signing is this Memorial Day weekend at the best indie bookstore ever, Mysterious Galaxy San Diego! Come help me celebrate on Saturday, May 28 at 2pm.
I’ll be signing and discussing CLEANING UP FINN, published by All Due Respect Books along with awesomely-talented writer and friend, S.W. Lauden. He’ll be signing his novella CROSSWISE, released with Down & Out books.
We’ll talk about the novella in crime fiction, “surf noir” or “sunshine noir” stories, and why our covers look so badass (hint: we had the same graphic artist). And did I mention cupcakes?!
