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Return to Wicked City
I'm headed out tomorrow for several events in Phenix City, Ala. and Columbus, Ga. and then onto the Alabama Writer's Symposium in Monroeville, Ala. Wednesday night, April 30, I'll be speaking at the Columbus Public Library before a special showing of the noir classic, The Phenix City Story. A book party to follow in Phenix City at the Broad Street Bar & Grill with a live blues band and plenty of cold beer. Thursday night, May 1, is the major event for that area with a reading and talk at the Phenix City ampitheater at 7 p.m. Those of you who've read the book will recognize the special treat of Sheriff Lamar Murphy's daughter, Nuria, and others who lived to the story joining me to answer questions. Early May 2— at 9 a.m.!— I'll be in Monroeville for the final official reading of the Wicked City tour at the Alabama Writer's Symposium although I will make up the New Orleans and Greenwood signings I had to cancel due to the flu. Check back for details. Hope to see you out on the road. I may look a little tired but always glad to see some familiar faces, - Ace
Signed First Editions Now Available  Just returned from the Florida leg of the Wicked City tour. I'll be reading at Turnrow Books in Greenwood, Mississippi this Thursday and at Garden District Bookshop in New Orleans on Friday. Check out my tour schedule for more. Wonderful time being back in Tampa. My thanks to Don Barco, owner of King Corona Cigars in Ybor City, for his hospitality hosting the Wicked City cocktail party. If you want to step into the world of White Shadow, definitely visit the bar/cigar store on Seventh Avenue. King Corona has a limited quantity of signed first editions of Wicked City. For more, visit their site at www.kingcoronacigars.com or call toll free (888) 248-3812 for availability. The end of the month wraps up the tour in Columbus, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama. I'll have my final event for a while at the Alabama Writer's Symposium in Harper Lee's hometown of Monroeville. See you on the road! - Ace
Me and Travis McGee  Greetings from Jacksonville Beach— I've jumped from Arizona to Texas and now down into Florida for several stops on the Wicked City tour. New reviews and features from several different papers have been posted in the Press section of the web site. I was especially interested in the piece that ran in Sunday’s Columbus Ledger. Check out the comments section from those in Phenix City who were none too happy to hear about a book about the wicked times. One of the joys of being out on the road is being able to reconnect with some of my favorite authors. On this trip, I’d packed a few copies of the immortal John D. MacDonald with me. Most readers will know of his recurring hero, Travis McGee—the beach bum/tattered knight who runs a salvage operations for friends in need. The books came to me by the way of my friend, Art Copeland, whose father was a John D. fanatic. The paperbacks—now long out of print—were a wonderful gift and a reminder of an author who influenced me a great deal. Tonight, I’ll be in John D.'s hometown of Sarasota. And I'll be sure to read a passage from my hero. Even better when read from one of the original Fawcett paperbacks with those gorgeous women on the cover. - Ace
Wicked City Release/National Tour  Crawfish and Billy Bass at the Flying Fish during my stop in Little Rock Wicked City is out and in bookstores now, and I'm out on the road promoting across the country. I’ll be in Birmingham, Ala., for the next two days, back in Oxford, Miss., on Thursday, and then I’ll head all the way out to Houston and Phoenix. The novel has already garnered some wonderful momentum in the national media. The Associated Press said, “for Atkins, who is both a fine stylist and a gifted researcher, this is the ideal niche and he knows it, promising more novels based on historical crimes.” The Washington Post called Wicked City, “a vile story well told… Atkins' best novel.” And the San Francisco Chronicle said: “a brawlin’, sprawlin’, caterwaulin’ tale, and Atkins steers it along like a big gas-guzzling ’54 Cadillac.” For more reviews and new feature articles, link onto my Press page. You will also find the most up-to-date information on the Wicked City tour and stops along the way. Thanks to all those who turned out this weekend in Little Rock. I’m really looking forward to being back in Alabama where the novel is set. I bet I’ll meet some people with some ties to “the wickedest city in America.” - Ace
Wicked City In One Week The final tour schedule for Wicked City is set in stone. For the whole roundup visit the Press page for more.
Kicking off the tour at his store wasn't an accident. Jake was the one who convinced me to finally write a novel about my home state. He said after five books, it was about time. Jake has done so much to highlight and support the literature coming from Alabama writers and I'm really honored to know him. From there, I'm in Oxford for Thacker Mountain Radio and then deep down in Florida for several stops including a "Sin City'' party at King Corona Cigars in Ybor City complete with smokes, booze and B-girls. If you don't know what a B-girl is, you'll have to read the book. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone out on the road. I've already heard from a bunch of readers who know Phenix City by reputation and have shared stories about the town. We're continuing to add video interviews in the Wicked City Extras and at aceatkinsbooks on youtube.com So continue heading back to the site for more. There is always something new. - Ace
Back to Back Starred Reviews for Wicked City
Both Kirkus and Library Journal have awarded the forthcoming Wicked City with a starred review, their highest honor. Kirkus says, "Atkins (White Shadow, 2006, etc.) is clearly in love with his colorful characters—on both sides of the moral divide—and makes them wonderfully believable. . . a riveting story about how the triumph of evil is forestalled when good men . . . do something.'' While Library Journal raved: "A classic Western tale of good vs. evil, 'played out not with horses and Winchesters but with Chevys and Fords and .38s and switchblades.' The result is a gripping, superb crime story, all the more remarkable because it really did happen. Highly recommended for all popular fiction collections.'' Double stars from the two prestigious trades is a great kickoff for the Wicked City tour. The novel will be released nationwide on April 10, 2008. For more on Wicked City click here or visit the Wicked City Extras and to see tour dates and stops click here. - Ace
February, 2008 Yep, the new website is up and running—gutted, revamped, retooled, and with a brand-new look. More features, more extras. This is a work in progress, and new historical content will be added in the coming months. So, why now?
Before the book is published, I hope you come here for a sneak peek of what’s to come. Check back often to learn more about the real town and the real players (some still with us) through a growing collection of multimedia from historic photos, recently released historic records, and YouTube video clips. This site is your companion to the fact-based novels I now write. My great thanks to those involved in this process and to all the readers who hung in there until the change was made. - Ace
WINTER '08 Hello again from a cold, gray Mississippi
I've already talked about this novel in the previous post. But it's a return to the gritty, violent deep South that people know from my Nick Travers' books. Only this is a real city and heavily based on real events in my home-state in 1954. Do visit aceatkins.com after the first of this year to see the newly gutted, retooled, and revamped site with tons of bonus material for both Wicked City and White Shadow for more. There you'll find historic photos of the towns and real-life players in both stories, maps, video interviews from those who lived it, crime scene photos and detectives' files. Keep checking back to the website as it continues to be reworked and loaded with extras throughout 2008. Some of you that have emailed and written in '07 have asked a lot about music. What do I listen to besides classic blues and jazz? Well, I'm partial to music coming out of the cradle of civilization here in the Memphis/MidSouth area. I'd turn anyone interested in good music to Reigning Sound's Time Bomb High School a great place to start with a legendary Memphis band. And although it's not completely Memphis, it has a Memphis feel, the comeback album for the Shanrgri-Las Mary Weiss, Dangerous Game. The album was produced by Reigning Sound frontman, Greg Cartwright. I also can't get enough of the Detroit's Cobras. Start off with Life, Love and Leaving with their killer version of a little known Otis Redding classic, "Shout Bama Lama.'' Those who love real rock 'n roll won't be disappointed. Best to all during the holiday break. Hope you enjoy the new website. - Ace
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