Ever since Blood, Bone, and Marrow was published, I’ve been hearing new Harry Crews stories, the kind I’ve been hunting for years. I heard a few more last Wednesday night at the Wrecking Bar Brewpub in Atlanta. A good portion of Atlanta’s literary community turned out to salute the work of Harry Crews, wave around a cut-out Harry Crews head-on-a-stick, and to drink a "Blood, Bone and Marrow" cocktail or two.
It was an honor to sit on a panel with two fellow writers, Michael Connelly and Jessica Handler and talk about the life and work of Harry Crews. The Wrecking Bar was the perfect venue to kick off the launch of the book, and I really appreciated all the warm wishes as the roll-out continues. It was a pleasure to meet the great Esquire writer Tom Junod, Gina Webb, the wonderful book critic for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, ace arts writer and books editor for ArtsAtl.com, Candice Dyer, and so many others. Thanks to everybody who turned out. And the appearance of several Valdosta State journalism graduates was the proverbial icing on the evening. The event wouldn’t have been possible the tireless efforts of Shannon Byrne, everybody at University of Georgia Press, Donna Scott Reed and Sheffield Hale, A Cappella Books, the staff of the Wrecking Bar Brewpub, and the soothing sounds of Burnin' Truck. All in all, a wonderful evening that I won’t soon forget.
