The next installment of Brushes with Greatness Week is my Summer encounter with (primarily hard-boiled detective) writer Walter Mosley. You may recognize his novel Devil in a Blue Dress which was made into a movie with Denzel Washington around 1995. President Clinton gave him a career boost back in the early Nineties when the prez said Mosley was one of his favorite authors. I think Mr. Mosley would’ve come to prominence eventually because he’s a solid scribe and a terrific speaker.
Turnout at Book People was excellent. I love it when I’m on the left-side of the age curve! As for ethnicity, there was a good mix of people since your color doesn’t matter when it comes to enjoying a great story. Mr. Mosley brought his book tour to Austin to promote the latest adventure of his signature character “Easy” Rawlins; it’s called Little Green and its set in the Sixties so “Easy” is getting up there, the first story was set in 1948.
Q&A segments are when guests get to shine. Mr. Mosley did not disappoint! I loved how he abruptly answered a young (likely aspiring) writer asking, “What’s the hardest part about your novels? Is it characters, motivation, plot…” with “Publishing.” With how the Internet has changed things, not all for the better, even an established author like him has trouble getting new books released. The bigger issue he said was pigeonholing. Once a mystery writer, always a mystery write in the minds of publishing companies. He has written for other genres yet everybody wants more “Easy” or Fearless Jones books.
Another point of contention he wanted to explain was something he once said that the Right takes out of context: If a Black man wants to succeed, he needs a White man in his basement to give advice. There was no endorsement of kidnapping plus his explanation made it for what it really was, a tongue-in-cheek thing. He gave an example of how a Black man is irked over not getting a promotion from his boss after five years. The White man asks, “Well, have you ever played golf with your boss?” I think Mr. Mosley gave me some solid advice!
I scored the new adventures of “Easy” and a copy of Devil, need to have a starting point, otherwise Green would be equal to seeing Return of the Jedi before Star Wars or Empire.
He was equally delightful to speak with. My face time entailed asking him if he ever considered doing a team-up with James Ellroy. Mr. Mosley just laughed and said how he loves Ellroy’s work but they would get along like oil and water. Oh well, “Easy” Rawlins and say David Klein working a case, reading the story from their points of view will have to stay in the fantasy camp for me.