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riddlebird: October 2022

Author Showcase: Stephen Policoff

Perfect October book release

Stephen Policoff Dangerous Blues reviewed by Audrey Fong

For fans of Haruki Murakami’s ability to blend reality with fairy tale elements, Stephen Policoff’s third novel, Dangerous Blues, is a must read. Like Murakami’s work, Policoff’s stories follow lost characters who find themselves in supernatural circumstances.

Dangerous Blues follows the journey of Paul Bricker and his sprite-like daughter, Spring. After the death of his wife and Spring’s mother, Paul moves to New York in hopes of a new beginning, where he meets Tara White, a blues singer and mother to Spring’s new school friend, Irina. But Tara, who grew up in a cult, is being stalked by her brothers for stealing a magical Tibetan vessel from their leader. Soon, Tara’s brothers stalk Paul as well, demanding he hand over the vessel. If moving to a new city, raising a preteen daughter, and menacing cultists isn’t enough, Paul is also seeing his wife’s ghost – a sign he’s not sure is a blessing or a curse.

Despite the darkness, Policoff writes with such warmth and humor that Dangerous Blues leaves you feeling optimistic for the future of both Paul and Spring. The novel ends on a tender note about the relationship between Paul and Spring, and on their enduring friendship with Tara and Irina, suggesting a world in which all these characters will endure and thrive.

Purchase here through bookshop.org or your favorite local store.

A literary brunch will be held on November 5, 2022 at the Old Stone House in Brookly, NYC. Tickets and information.

Flexible Press will donate a percentage of its profits to the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation (NNPDF) a cause dear to Mr. Policoff.

Mr. Policoff is currently Clinical Professor of Writing in Global Liberal Studies at NYU. You can read his essay “About Suffering” here. Dangerous Blues is his third novel.

Indie bookstore of the month: Squeezebox Booksand Music

743 Main Street, Evanston, IL 60202 (847) 943-9309

Squeezebox is not just a place to buy books and music; it is an experience. You will often find several books grouped by a current theme, a place for children to peruse classic tales, a used record player might perch on a shelf near the rows of vinyl where customers can have a musical shopping adventure, and DVD’s and CD’s and cassettes can also be found in abundance. When Josh and I moved from Chicago, leaving Squeezebox behind was truly one of the worst aspects. We would regularly visit to purchase books or just chat with Tim and Brenda. They have created a welcoming and CLEAN neighborhood used bookstore with a selection that seems to rotate weekly. Their stock is always of the highest quality and perfectly priced. If you live in the Chicago area or are visiting Evanston, visit them!

They will be hosting a children’s October book release: The Most Haunted House in America, by Jarrett Dapier.

From Tim: We're excited about Jarrett Dapier book signing at 1pm Oct on Saturday 29. There will be three drummers in skeleton costumes as part of neighborhood trick or treat. Then Jarret reads his new book about drumming at White House Halloween party!

Witch hazel

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