September 4, 2012 Jess Walter has packed his wondrously strange seventh novel to the breaking point. Its dual narratives alternate between the destructive, self-serving pursuits of a present-day Hollywood producer and the personal, romantic quest of an Italian man searching for his long-lost love—until the two stories converge. The plot itself is remarkable, not least of all because it’s comprised of so many threads, but the most impressive aspects of Beautiful Ruins are its surprising humor, emotional depth, and exquisite writing.Jess Walter will discuss Beautiful Ruins at the twenty-fourth annual Southern Festival of Books, held October 12-14 at Legislative Plaza in Nashville. All events are free and open to the public.

August 31, 2012 Mayor Pete Pigg has a grand design to make Memphis the home of The World Barbecue Hall of Fame. Who could complain about new construction jobs, a tourist boom, and lots of money to spread around? The bigger question: who gets the money? After ten years as a reporter for the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Blake Fontenay (now a resident of Old Hickory, Tennessee) has a pretty good idea of where it will go. He knows Memphis politics and uses its rich tradition of absurdity and sleaze as the backdrop for his first novel, The Politics of Barbecue. It’s all here: deal-making and threats, hidden agendas, chases and violence, beautiful women, intrigue of all sorts—everything a fancier of slightly-less-than-serious thrillers could want. Fontenay will discuss the novel at Parnassus Books in Nashville on September 9 at 2 p.m., at The Booksellers at Laurelwood in Memphis on September 18 at 6 p.m., and at the twenty-fourth annual Southern Festival of Books, held October 12-14 at Legislative Plaza in Nashville. All events are free and open to the public.