Get yourself some Michael Farris Smith!

I feel like the universe has been nudging me more and more toward the work of author Michael Farris Smith, and I am grateful for it, ’cause I am absolutely Fan-Boying for him now.

Over ten years ago, my wife told me about a book review she read in a women’s magazine (Oprah, maybe), and that it sounded like something I would enjoy. I read the review and agreed, and bought it: RIVERS, a literary thriller (slight post-apocalyptic book) about the flooded Gulf Coast with crime and adventure. I liked it a lot, but it didn’t compel me to search out more of his work, mainly since I have 10,000 other books to read in my TBR. I later met Michael a couple times at L.A. Times Festival of Books, and he’s interesting and laid-back, and I found out about his official prequel to The Great Gatsby called NICK, and ran out and got it, and 1000% loved it. I recommend it to everybody. Still didn’t compel me to search out more of his work though, cause… TBR.

But this year for Pandi Press’s July book box, they paired my newest collection A GRAVESIDE GALLERY: TALES OF GHOSTS AND DARK MATTERS along with Michael’s LAY YOUR ARMOR DOWN, and so therein I got a third novel by him and loved it, and NOW, NOW, I’ve been compelled to go back and read his backlist. So, just finished DESPERATION ROAD, and it was fantastic. Am I just got next to read BLACKWOOD.

Reoccurring themes and tone for his work are Crime Thrillers set in desperate circumstances and dealing with human tragedy, more often than not brought on by the protagonist(s) themselves. But the voice, the imagery, darkness and grief, and the dive into human condition and struggle all resonate so much with me. Fans of Cormac McCarthy, Joe R. Lansdale, and Jordan Harper will dig him. I sure do.