Thursday, August 25, 2011

F——— Peter Rozovsky!

Hell, why don't we do that?'

"`Because it's y'know, Peter Rozovsky's idea.'

"`Fuck Peter Rozovsky.'

"`Yeah, fuck him.'

"Noir at the Bar in St. Louis was on."
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That's from the foreword to Noir at the Bar, a collection of stories by authors who have appeared at a reading series of that name in St. Louis inspired, in turn, by a reading series of that name I started in Philadelphia.

Why a bar? Why noir? In part because the guy I first discussed the idea with was a bartender, and his bar had black walls. But also because, as Jedidiah Ayres (co-editor with the mad Scott Phillips), writes: "The dark was an integral part. It hides blushes, obscures trouser tents, and makes you look more attractive. The drinks are self-explanatory."

Here's the beginning of the collection's first story:
"That's the biggest cock I've ever seen."

Here's how that section of the story ends:
"I turned around to face the huge rooster that was staring me down and I thought about shooting him too."
One day I'll give these guys the thanks they deserve. For now, though, I feel like a proud father sending his kid off to school, then being called to the principal's office a few hours later to find a smirking kid, a cop taking a statement, and a tearful teacher pulling thumbtacks out of her butt.
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Read about the collection here. Order it from Subterranean Books. And read about the original Noir at the Bar here at Detectives Beyond Borders.

© Peter Rozovsky 2011

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11 Comments:

Anonymous I.J.Parker said...

Funny! But surely that a different Peter from the erudite, suave, cosmopolitan fellow who usually hangs out here. :)

August 25, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Sure, but just try telling those ----ers that.

August 25, 2011  
Blogger jedidiah ayres said...

F--- me, I'm f---ing ashamed of my f---ing language.

August 25, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Ahh, eff it. It doesn't mean a (expletive deleted) thing.

August 25, 2011  
Blogger Scott Phillips said...

Peter, you might try quoting from MY version of the events in question. In my version I come off like a saint, whereas Doc Ayres comes off like a pervert with vaseline-smeared latex gloves.

August 26, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

"And mostly there was Peter Rozovsky, of `Detectives Without Borders' fame. Peter had devised the entire idea of Noir@the Bar ...

"`Why don't we just do the same thing here?'

"`I don't know. I guess we could ask Peter."


So, which one of you is lying?

August 26, 2011  
Anonymous Elisabeth said...

"Without"? It's beyond me...why people can't get this blog's name right. Well, I guess it's better than Detectives Without Frontiers in permaprint on the back of Following the Detectives.

I suppose one could be philosophical about the whole thing, somewhat along the lines of "call me anything you want, just don't call me late for dinner," huh?

August 30, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Following the Detectives got the blog's name right, but it has me working for the Philadelphia Times. It's enough to make a nominalist cry.

August 30, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Or maybe cheer.

August 30, 2011  
Anonymous Elisabeth said...

Hmm, the back cover of my copy of FTD says: "Peter Rozovsky--Editor of Detectives Without Frontiers and reviewer for the Philadelphia Times".

A triple whammy, but my original comment was only about the adverb.

Maybe it's better this way. You're kinda incognito. Well, at least your name was spelled correctly! (I should be so lucky.) And as there aren't too many Peter Rozovskys around, people will find you... somehow!

There are at least 2 more CV errors on FTD's back cover. I'm sorry to say it does bring into question the tome's accuracy elsewhere...

My research reveals there was a Philadelphia Times, 1875-1902... Not to mention The Philadelphia Times, Mechanics' Free Press and Reform Advocate, 1831-1834, and its even shorter-lived successor (and my favorite), The Philadelphia Times, People's Friend and Mechanics' Free Press, 1834-1835.

August 30, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

It's good to know that your cover contains a different error from mine. Perhaps that indicates the book has had several printings.

August 30, 2011  

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