RE: RARA-AVIS: Willeford thoughts

From: cs_will@btopenworld.com
Date: 10 Jul 2003


Miker wrote:
>I also prefer the shaky, fallible protagonists instead of the
> Arnold Schwarzenegger's. Probably because it's easier for me to identify
> with the losers. ;-)

You and me both.

> Have you read BURNT ORANGE HERESY? Some people
> don't care for it because of the art tangent, but it's my favorite so far,
> winning out over WILD WIVES and MIAMI BLUES.

Yeah I loved it. It got better as it went along. I thought it opened with a bit too much of the art, but on reflection I think that's the way it has to be, since the art and how he sees it is so much of the story. I don't think a person needs to like or know a thing about art to enjoy this one. Willeford's skill is in taking any subject matter and spinning a great novel out of it.

Another "art" crime novel I read about the same time was "Ripley Underground" by Highsmith, and I'd say Burnt Orange handled the art much better, and with a lot more depth. Highsmith went around in too many circles for me. I was just more convinced by Willeford's grasp of colour and texture. Are we talking about novels here or paintings?

> You've got a book cookin', don't you Charles? Is it in print yet?

"Deadfolk" is still cooking, Mike. In fact it's out of the oven and getting iced up and decorated as we speak. Should be packaged and ready to go next year around April or so. (And it'll be published under "Charlie Williams", so as not to startle any rara avians.)

Charlie Williams.

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