All posts by Axel Howerton

Axel Howerton is a former entertainment journalist, and the author of the Arthur Ellis Award nominated detective caper "Hot Sinatra", the modern gothic fairytale "Furr", and the forthcoming "Wolf & Devil" urban fantasy series. His work, including short stories, columns, poetry and essays, have appeared the world over, in no fewer than five languages. Axel is the Prairies director of the Crime Writers of Canada, and a member of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, the Calgary Crime Writers, and the Kintsugi Poets. He is also the editor of the books "Death by Drive-In", "AB Negative", and "Tall Tales of the Weird West", and is the organizer behind one of Canada's first recurring "Noir At The Bar" events, #NoirBarYYC. Visit Axel online at www.axelhow.com to sign up for the GotHow? email list and receive free exclusive ebook collections, sneak peeks, and more.#AxelHow #GotHow

#HotSinatra – Now Available in FRENCH and ITALIANO!

SurLaPisteDuSinatraPerhaps some of my french-speaking amis will help spread the word… Sur la Piste du Sinatra (Hot Sinatra en francais!) is now available on Smashwords and will be launching on Amazon, B&N, Kobo, etc in the next few days:

Moss Cole est détective privé, le genre d’homme que l’on ne voit que dans les vieux films et les feuilletons de l’après-midi. Il est intelligent, talentueux, parfois même charmant. Vous vous diriez tout de suite qu’il pourrait trouver un meilleur job, plutôt que de suivre les traces de son grand-père en tant que détective.

Cole vaut mieux que cela, mais il est sur la paille et est à court d’idées. C’est pourquoi il n’a pas d’autre choix que d’enquêter sur le vol d’un vinyle de Sinatra … un vinyle qui n’est peut-être que le fruit de l‘imagination d’un vieil homme.

D’un autre côté, si ce vinyle n’existait pas, il n’aurait pas tous ces gens à ses trousses.

La mafia de Las Vegas, les Yakuzas, un cartel de la drogue mexicain, la police de Los Angeles, … Tous veulent sa peau. Sans parler de l’exubérante rousse, de la rock star irlandaise grossière et de la petite fille futée qui viennent lui mettre des bâtons dans les roues, alors qu’il voudrait simplement retrouver le vinyle et se délecter d’un bon café.

Si toutefois il reste en vie suffisamment longtemps – et en un seul morceau – pour mettre la main dessus.

HOT SINATRA (FRANCAIS)

Also available en ITALIANO!

“Raggiunge il livello fantastico di Raymond Chandler.”
“Un romanzo di Sam Spade immerso nelle atmosfere di un film ‘Rat Pack’.”
“Se ti diletta scavare nelle psicologie di personaggi bizzarri e vivere l’azione selvaggia di Elmore Leonard, allora Hot Sinatra è il libro che fa per te!”
~~~~~
Moss Cole è un investigatore privato, uno di quelli che si pensa possano esistere solo nei vecchi film o nelle repliche che mandano in onda a notte inoltrata.

È intelligente, ha talento e magari potrà risultare addirittura affascinante. Forse avrebbe dovuto cercare un’occupazione migliore di quella di suo nonno, “Detective al soldo del miglior offerente”.

Ma Cole non ha il becco di un quattrino, si sente vuoto di idee e persino il suo stato di forma lascia a desiderare. Si lancia, così, alla ricerca di un disco di Sinatra rubato… un disco che potrebbe essere finanche frutto del delirio di un vecchio.

Ma se così fosse, perché alla sua porta continuano a bussare in tanti?

Dovrà vedersela con la mafia italiana di Las Vegas, la Yakuza giapponese, un cartello della droga messicano e un intero reparto della polizia di Los Angeles, tutti accomunati dall’unico scopo di seppellirlo sotto due metri di terra. Una procace dai capelli rossi, un irlandese sboccato di professione rock star e una bimba spigliata e dolce rischiano di ostacolare le indagini di Cole che, in realtà, desidera solo bere una buona tazza di caffè e scovare il maledetto disco di Sinatra.

Riuscirà a salvare la pelle –e a restare tutto d’un pezzo— il tempo sufficiente per ritrovarlo?

HOT SINATRA (ITALIANO)

Happy Dia De Los Duderino!

DuderMarch 6 is once again upon us. The Day of the Dude. Dia De Los Duderino. All Duder’s Day. The celebration of all that is Dude.

What is Dude, you may well ask? Well, Dude is an ethos, a philosophy of relaxation. It is a moral exploration of what it means to be a man (or woman) in relation to this whole durn human condition. It is a way for modern humanity to chill out, take ‘er easy, and review what is important in Life.

It is an attitude and a way of Life based upon the most fictional of characters, the laziest of characters, in the strangest of modern tales. When the Coen Brothers (creators of such offbeat and wildly existential films as Barton Fink, Raising Arizona and Fargo) unleashed the film The Big Lebowski on this date, sixteen years ago, the world was not ready for such a bizarro take on the classic detective story. The movie sort of came and went without much ballyhoo, and then floated out on home video to be gobbled up by only the most rabid of Coen fans.

But something unexpected happened.

People began to see something in the character of Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski. They began to see meaning behind the laconic and nonchalant behaviour of the ultimate slacker. They began to realize something missing from their own lives, and that this fictional character, so fond of blasting a ‘J’ and downing a White Russian, held the means to their spiritual enlightenment.

The Dude became a new symbol of pacifism in the face of fascist forces and the conservative elite; a bastion of cool in a world full of tension and frantic futility. The Dude became a new Buddha for the new century.

Now there are thousands upon thousands of followers. There is a loose affiliation of quasi-religious adherents to his style and his grace that calls itself the Church of the Latter Day Dude. Some of us are actually ordained Dudeist priests (I am one). There are festivals in his honour, songs written to his glory, beverages consumed in his name. And there are holidays held in his appreciation.

Today is one of those days. March 6, the Day of the Dude.

So chill out. Take ‘er easy. Maybe have a few oat sodas and watch The Big Lebowski, or not. Whatever, man. It’s totally up to you. That’s just how we roll. Your fate, your life and your relaxation are your own. We just urge you to relax responsibly, and to the core of your very being. Be excellent to others, be okay with yourself, and ummm… yeah… abide, man. Just abide. Maybe go bowling. Far out, man. Far fucking out.

For more information on Dudeism and His Dudeness, pick up any of these fine educational tomes:

The Abide Guide by Oliver Benjamin and Dwayne Eutsey

The Big Lebowski and Philosophy edited by Peter S. Fosl

The Dude and the Zen Master by Jeff Bridges and Bernie Glassman

The Dude De Ching by The Church of the Latter-Day Dude

I’m a Lebowski, You’re a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski and What-Have-You by Ben Peskoe et al.

The Years Work in Lebowksi Studies edited by Edward P. Comentale

The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers by Cathleen Falsani

For the classicists:

Two Gentlemen of Lebowski: A Most Excellent Comedie and Tragical Romance by Adam Bertocci (with Wm. Shakespeare, esq.)

For little Duders:

Am I a Dude? by James Duncan

 

And, of course, the ultimate guide to Dudeist studies (including my essay on The Big Lebowski and the history of Detective Fiction)

Lebowski 101: Limber-Minded Investigations Into the Greatest Story Ever Blathered edited by Oliver Benjamin

Lebowski 101

World Read-Aloud Day! Support LITWORLD!

wrad-bookAs some of you may be aware, I am a big supporter of the charity LitWorld and their commitment to worldwide children’s literacy. All profits from the COFFIN HOP: DEATH BY DRIVE-IN anthology and much of the COFFIN HOP STORE go to benefit LitWorld.

Today marks their celebration of WORLD READ-ALOUD DAY, which can best be honored by reading aloud with your favorite chilluns. Read below for more on this most excellent of days, and get your read on!

I’ll post some pics later from my own R.A.D. adventures this evening with me boyos. And don’t be afraid to click those links and support LitWorld directly, or by purchasing a copy of  COFFIN HOP: DEATH BY DRIVE-IN.

Raise your voice today for every child’s right to read.
 
 
Help us bring access to stories and the power of reading to children everywhere. Here’s what you can do:
Read aloud to a child, a cherished elder, or a colleague today!
Post Pam Allyn’s latest Huffington Post piece, Read Aloud. Change the World. on social media to spread the word. 

Share photos and videos from your day with LitWorld.

litworld.org facebook twitter youtube

Here’s how our WRAD day wraps up:

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