PODCAST 038 - Peter Farris

Author and rock singer, Peter Farris joins me on this episode to discuss his novel Last Call for the Living and chat about creativity, the similarities of writing and playing in a band and the other cool topics. I first saw Peter perform in a band called the Farewell Order and then later during his tenure in Cable.

Below is a top ten reading list that he put together which will serve a s guideline for those who might be interested in his band of crime fiction. Check it out.

10. "The Serpent Handlers" by Fred Brown and Jeanne McDonald

This study of three of the most prominent snake-handling families gave me a pivotal insight into the tradition of Signs Followers.

9. "Dirty White Boys" by Stephen Hunter

One of the most audacious, entertaining convict-on-the-run novels from the king of ballistic thrillers.

8. "The Black Hand: The Bloody Rise and Redemption of "Boxer" Enriquez, a Mexican Mob Killer" by Chris Blatchford

Well into revisions on Last Call for the Living, The Black Hand provided chilling background on one of the most notorious prison gangs operating today.

7. "Feast of Snakes" by Harry Crews

One of my favorite novels of all time. When I finished Feast of Snakes I knew I would never be able to write fiction that good...but I had to try anyway.

6. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor

A family encounters a dangerous escaped convict while on vacation. One of the finest, most powerful short stories ever written in my humble opinion.

5. "Gun Work" by David J. Schow

DJS is a genre unto himself and Gun Work is a masterwork in hardboiled gonzo gun play. One of the smartest writers working today.

4. "Provinces of Night" by William Gay

A giant of southern literature who sadly passed away last year. For me Gay bridged the gap between Cormac McCarthy and Larry Brown.

3. "Father & Son" by Larry Brown

A Mount Rushmore writer whose path to publication is as inspiring as the tremendous body of work he left behind.

2. "Blood Meridian" by Cormac McCarthy

I re-read it every year, accompanied by "Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method" by Earth.

1. "On the Yard" by Malcolm Braly and "Education of a Felon: A Memoir" by Edward Bunker

Braly's novel and Bunker's memoir compliment each other so well I had to put them together. Two of the most profound examinations of penitentiary life you'll find, by arguably our greatest convict writers.