There’s a very fine interview with my friend, editor and fellow MexRev nut Craig McDonald out today.
Give it a read — and snap up the Hector Lassiter series…
I’ve sung the praises of “Head Games” here a couple of times, and it’s a dandy. But Hector’s adventures include much more than bizarre capers involving the head of a certain Mexican Revolutionary general. Hector Lassiter enlisted in the Punitive Expedition against Pancho Villa at the age of 16 (he was born with the century), served in World War I, hung out in Paris with Hemingway, participated in the Spanish Civil War and World War II — was friends with Papa and Ian Fleming and Orson Welles.
Taken as a whole, the series (which I have not yet completed ) serves as a kind of pulp alt-history of the 20th Century. This interview really gets at Craig’s passions and what he is is about in the Hector Lassiter series, including the delightful metafictional game that is afoot in Hector’s alt-20th Century.
As an extra treat, we get a glimpse of the cover for the “final” Hector Lassiter, “Three Chords and the Truth.” Of course, we don’t buy the “final” business at all. There’s too good of a tale to be told in Hector’s coming-of-age in the wild Chihuhuan desert, so dry you couldn’t spit…
Steven Powell says
Jim,
Thanks for plugging this interview. The Lassiter novels are an incredible series and it was great, as always, talking to Craig.
Steven
JimC says
You guys dug deep. Really excellent work.
Wayne says
I can’t wait for the current book to become available. Thanks to Steve Watts for giving me a copy of Head Games to get me started on the series, and thanks to you for keeping us current on the doings of Mr. McDonald.
JimC says
Always a pleasure. Craig’s a great guy.
Saddle Tramp says
Hell… I’m on just for the cover art!
JimC says
No kiddin’. Betimes Books does great cover art. If I understand it correctly, Craig has considerable input on the design, so his aesthetics aren’t all “verbal.”
Craig Rullman says
In.