Sad to hear this. I’ve been going to Palermo’s since it was on Hillhurst, 45 years! He was the nicest guy. Always gave us a warm greeting and a free appetizer or desert. “Spaghetti time!” Rest in power! www.latimes.com/obituaries/s...

Excited about this! Asphodel, my collaboration with Matt Hebermehl (he did the drawings, I wrote the words), is going to print! Available soon from Tonopah Press. Still looking for a spot to have a release party.

Nice Italian review of my novel The Smack. convenzionali.wordpress.com/2026/07/13/t...

“Bang My Box,” the Robin Byrd doc on HBO is really sweet. I used to watch her show when I lived briefly in New York. Brought back memories of my Larry Flynt days. youtu.be/QWl_IE5eN4I?is

Violent Saturday was great. A gang of robbers plan a heist in a small town where lots of shady stuff is going on. Like an Updike/Cheever/Yates novel with a bonus bank heist. Plus Ernest Borgnine as an Amish farmer!

Dan Slater, author of Wolf Boys and The Incorruptibles, has a cool newsletter, Nonfiction Nut, where he writes about, duh, nonfiction books. He’s got good taste, so check it out. open.substack.com/pub/bydansla...?

A sneak peek at Asphodel, a collaboration between me and Matt Hebermehl (He did ten drawings, I wrote ten poems.) Coming soon from Tonopah Press. Oh, and if any L.A. pals know of a free/cheap small gallery space where we could hang the drawings and throw a release party, get in touch!

My vampire novel Rovers takes place against the backdrop of 1976’s Bicentennial celebration, so it would be a perfect holiday read. Stephen King dug it, and you will too. The paperback includes a bonus short story set in the Rovers’ world. Check it out!

RIP Burrito King. Another neighborhood icon bites the dust. youtu.be/GXXH7Xkn7Bs?...

Here’s a link to the chat I had yesterday with @robertswartwood.bsky.social. Stuff about the Larry Flynt days, stuff about short stories, stuff about my very tolerant editor. youtu.be/30dOPXFGuzs?is

Check me out Thursday at 6pm ET. m.facebook.com/events/14807...

Mail from Italy!

Today is a great day to get yourself a boxed set of all five of my photo zines. Or maybe get one for someone else. Or how about one for you AND one for a pal? Do it! Etsy link in comments.

That time Joe Hustle made the L.A. Times list of Sizzling Summer Romances. Probably led to a few confused readers!

Another Joe Hustle promo in honor of the book’s two-year anniversary.

RIP David Hockney. When I was a young’un discovering modern/contemporary art, he was an easy entree into more-complex concepts. Plus, he painted some pretty pictures that captured the California light.

Still got Joe Hustle on the brain in light of the two-year anniversary of its publication. Here’s another promo I made when it was released.

Recently learned that Little Brown/Mulholland will be recording audio books for This Wicked World, Angel Baby, and The Smack. I’ll keep you posted.

In anticipation of second anniversary of the publication of my novel Joe Hustle, I’ll be reposting a few promo clips I made for the original release. Here’s the first.

My photo zine Not This Pig on display at a show in Switzerland.

Here’s a long interview I did for Bull. Thanks, Frank, for the questions. mrbullbull.com/newbull/the-...

Big fan of Xiu Xiu, and this David Lynch project sounds interesting. They’ll be doing two L.A. dates to support it in early October (link in article). pitchfork.com/news/xiu-xiu...

Coming soon is a book, Asphodel, that I did with artist Matt Hebermehl. Matt did the drawings, and I wrote the words. Two of the drawings from the book were chosen by American Illustration for inclusion in their AI 45 Annual. Congrats to Matt! www.ai-ap.com/slideshow/AI...

Heading to Europe: Venice, Padua, then Croatia: Dubrovnik, Split, Brodarica. Any hot tips appreciated.

More of this. deadline.com/2026/05/dogm...

Got this cool zine from my buddy Allan at The Useful Knowledge Press. Check ‘em out!

Rewatched We’re No Angels for the first time since it came out. Remembered liking it then and really liked it now. Tons of fun and genuinely moving at times. Written by David Mamet and directed by Neal Jordan. youtu.be/I5I2PvGbZRA?si

Pasolini’s first feature, Accattone, is the story of a Roman pimp’s downfall. Great neorealist tragedy. Beautifully shot street-level action with a cast of mostly non-professionals. On Criterion. youtu.be/WbHT2CCqZSY?si

An AI bartender reviews the Italian translation of The Smack! youtube.com/shorts/5ZoC7...

Nice review of the Italian translation of The Smack. www.thrillercafe.it/the-smack-ri...

A sneak peek at the cover and title page of Asphodel, a collaboration between me and artist Matt Hebermehl. I wrote the words and Matt did the drawings. Available soon.

My photo zine Not This Pig on display at a gallery in Switzerland! Get yours at the link in comments.

My fourth photo zine, Sugarlight, is a collection of evocative film stills. One reviewer said of it, “Beautiful work that makes me nostalgic for a past I never had.” Get it by itself or as part of a five-zine boxed set! Etsy link in comments

Over on Insta, the third and final installment of my book list for Hardcore Book Club. Check it out.

Help Hannah out with her dental surgery. She was Judge Judy’s best friend and is a super sweet lady. gofund.me/5fad80013

Over on Insta, Part 2 of my Hardcore Book Club list is up.

Over at Insta, I sent the Hardcore Book Club a list of ten books I dig. Check it out.

Any opportunity to hear William Vollmann speak is worth your time. Give this guy the Nobel already. An easy entry point is Whores for Gloria. If you like that, dive into the Seven Dreams series. Masterworks. My favorite contemporary author. youtu.be/EYL9B-pH4W4?si

Miracle on Main Street, a hard-boiled Christmas flick set in grimy old downtown L.A., was great. The star, Margo (?), is really something. On YouTube.

Not This Pig was my third photo zine and was described as “a treasure” by a satisfied purchaser. Get it by itself, or as part of a five-zine set. Etsy link in comments. The video soundtrack is Philip Levine reading his poem “Animals Are Passing From Our Lives.”

Rovers is an April Kindle Monthly Deal at Amazon. Get it for only $2.99! a.co/d/0fZZ92pL

The Italian edition of The Smack drops today from minimum fax. Thanks to the translator, Raffaella Vitangeli! www.instagram.com/p/DWZDv4GiJ5...

All That Glitter Ain’t Gold is the second photo zine I put out. A collection of eerie tableaux shot during the COVID lockdown. One satisfied customer commented: “I love the feels within -- beautiful little work.” Get it by itself or as part of a five-zine boxed set! Etsy link in comments.

My home is now to be referred to as Villa Gorilla. youtu.be/peqPXM2zq7I?si

This is pretty great. Whitman is best read aloud. fb.watch/FXWasbgyK1/?...

Here’s AI’s completely screwed up info on the Italian edition of The Smack. Right off the bat, the main character’s name is Rowan Petty, not Dixie Swinburne. There is no Dixie Swinburne in the book, or any book I’ve written.

What you need today: Will Oldham covering Pink’s “Trustfall.” youtu.be/8ck3ji3U-W4?si

Hard to Handle, directed by Mervyn Leroy and starring James Cagney was great. The ups and downs of fast-talking Depression-era hustler. This film zips right along and has lots of laughs and a couple of memorable set pieces. On Criterion. youtu.be/VttqFB8g2ck?si

Reading a little book on Lee Lozano, a somewhat forgotten artist from the 60s and 70s. Check her out. Puts me in mind of other neglected female artists who were, thankfully, rediscovered, like Barbara Loden and Lucia Berlin.

Great new Bonnie “Prince” Billy song. He calls it a spiritual cover of The Mekons’ “Horses,” which he’s already actually covered twice. Sally Timms of the Mekons sings on it and appears in the video. youtu.be/LjNghUy1Ykc?si