Hello Los Angeles--

Me and my book, "A Rose by any Other Name: An Alphabet of Tales about a Man and a Woman" return to the city in which it was written in a few weeks. The twenty-six tales poured out of me over a four month span spent in Hollywood a few years back. It was the first prose I had written in as long as I can remember and much of it was written in less than ideal conditions.

My girlfriend at the time - she's in a few of them in bits and pieces - was living with me in my tiny studio apartment, so to get away from hearing her over-loud thoughts in my head, I had to write elsewhere. Much of the book, handwritten in notebooks, was done on the bus in LA. More of it was written in two coffee shops within a few blocks of the aforementioned apartment.

The Karma Cafe - defunct now, I wonder whose bad karma caused that - was my favorite location for writing: good coffee, comfy couches and a creative vibe local shop (ie, not everyone in the joint was "writing a screenplay"). The only problem - and it was a rather big one - was that they wouldn't keep out or kick out the bums. And I was fine with that attitude - really, I was - except for that the place often got too stinky to stay in long enough to finish penning a short story.

My other option was Starbucks. Bad coffee, none-too-comfortable seating and really just a sterile, McAtmosphere, but ... and this is a big  B  U  T  ... they forced the bums to stay out on the patio/smoking area out front. Hated this piss poor attitude but I was never driven from my writing spot because of offenses to my olfactory system.

I will be making the first leg of the mini-book tour from May 3rd to 6th in LA. The events the first two nights: one at a loft party downtown (Friday), the other at house party out in Malibu (Saturday), are quasi-private, invite-only events, but if you think you qualify, drop me a line for an invite.

But on Sunday early afternoon, I will be doing a joint promotion with the tattoo artist/friend who has done much of my ink. Click here to see the facebook-invite for this very special promo: for $40 you get to hear me read you a tale from the book as you get a Rose-tattoo and then leave with not only some fresh ink, but also with an inscribed copy of the book. Again, all for just forty bucks!

The final appearance of the Los Angeles leg will be that afternoon at the Bronson Bar in Hollywood. I'll be there from 3pm-6pm reading a tale from Rose on or near the top of each hour. There's very good chance that I'll be able to squeeze a drink special or two out of the manager/friend so come on down, hear a story, drink a beer, buy a signed copy of the book ($14) and still be home in time for Game of Thrones. Click here for more details on the facebook-invite.

Thanks much and I hope to see some of you in LA next month: I promise I won't bring any melon-farming snow out there with me. Details soon on the New York City leg of the Rose tour for June.

Cheers,
Brian