Thomas Trang

James Ellroy

A great series of author interviews that touches on different genres.

Insightful questions and some really fascinating answers.

Justified

Take It to the Limit One More Time: Michael Mann’s ‘Miami Vice’ at 19 • Cinephilia & Beyond By Tim Pelan Michael Mann’s 2006 big screen revamp of 1980s groundbreaking TV show Miami Vice (Brandon Tartikoff, NBC's entertainment president scribbled “MTV cops” on a cocktail napkin; Hill Street B...

cinephiliabeyond.org/miami-vice/

There are days when I legitimately think this is the greatest film ever made.

“We are at the delicate interface between ocean and air … liquid and gas … the event horizon where molecules evaporate. This interchange is ethereal.”

Brain melting sci-fi

Great film. Easily the best sequel. The key is its simplicity.

This one is genuinely unsettling

DARK NEON & DIRT

www.amazon.com/Dark-Neon-Di...

bookshop.org/p/books/dark...

Currently listening

I’ve finally got around to setting up my man cave bookshelf. All of my signed hardbacks, favourite paperbacks, plus various coffee table books. Now the shelves in the living room have space to be filled which is an added bonus.

A fantastic and kind review of Dark Neon & Dirt from a writer whose own novel kicked my ass hard when I read it.

Have you read the Jim Harrison novella it’s based on? Incredible.

I loved this book but I really couldn’t tell you why. It reminded me of a less pervy Houellebecq, though that’s not entirely accurate. Istavan is such a cipher. I really never got a hold of who he is but I was absolutely invested in him. The ending slayed me.

Befuddling but brilliant.

Four months ago today, this book of mine was published. If you’re in the market for a fast talking crime novel with characters who are mad, bad, and dangerous to know, I’ve got you covered.

shotgunhoney.com/books/catalo...

@cwblackwell.bsky.social let’s goooo

These days, if you say you’re English, you get arrested and thrown in jail!

I always recommend KINGDOM COME - Ballard's last novel all about the aspirational consumerism to violent fascism pipeline. Some people hate it because he labours the point endlessly but that's actually why I love it. It also works as deadpan comedy.

Cults are weird like that

It’s like that classic Madonna song from the 80s “Micro Retirement “

Weird. I call them something else.

Absolute banger of a film

Listening now!

Probably my favorite too. The entire 411 album is iconic.

But it cracks me up to this day that the music video eye candy is none other than Simon Adebisi.

Zodiac by Neal Stephenson. Very different to his other books I’ve read before. Travis McGee with a doctorate in chemical engineering and a thesaurus.

The Big Bearded Bookseller features a lot of really cool stuff - art, film, cooking. Too much to list here.

He was also kind enough to have me on for a quick Q&A about the writing process, favourite bookshops, and the weird and inappropriate things I read as a kid.

Ocean’s Eleven remake but it’s about Billy Ocean leading Arsenal to the Champions League final.

I was there on Thursday night. The print looks weathered and definitely like something that is 48 years old, but it also has character and a patina that is lost with all the digital dicking around.

It looks like a film.