bubba ho-tep

July 21, 2023

Join the celebration for THINGS GET UGLY: THE BEST CRIME STORIES OF JOE R. LANSDALE

Rick Klaw blog, Events armadillocon, austin, bookpeople, bubba ho-tep, cold in july, dallas, houston, interabang books, joe r lansdale, Lone Star College–Montgomery, los angeles public library, murder by the book, Reavis Z. Wortham, texas theater, things get ugly, violet crown

Edgar Award winner Joe R. Lansdale hits the road, literally and virtually, in celebration of THINGS GET UGLY: THE BEST CRIME STORIES OF JOE R. LANSDALE. Be sure to stop by and chat with the affable and entertaining legend.

Wildly entertaining, binge-worthy, and a total escape from hum drum reality, Things Get Ugly is pure Joe Lansdale on terrific display. In this collection of his greatest crime fiction stories, Lansdale’s scalpel-sharp wit and prose will have you cackling one minute while it chills you to the bone the next. A rollicking, sometimes haunted trip through his piney-woods soaked noir landscape, Things Get Ugly confirms that Joe Lansdale is to crime fiction what Willie Nelson is to country music: wholly original, genre-defying, raw, gritty, soulful, and lastly, timeless. I could not put this book down!
—May Cobb, author of The Hunting Wives

August 4-6 ArmadilloCon Austin, TX

Sunday, August 6 Violet Crown 4PM Austin, TX

screening of Cold in July with signing and q & a. Ticket includes a copy of THINGS GET UGLY. Book People will supply additional Lansdale books for sale at the screening

August 19 Murder by the Book 3PM Houston, TX

with Reavis Z. Wortham

Things Get Ugly, cover by John Coulthart — Design by John Coulthart

September 5 Los Angeles Public Library 4PM PDT

Virtual event

September 9 Texas Theater 7PM Dallas, TX

screening of Bubba Ho-tep with signing and q&a. Book sales by Interabang Books

October 19 Lone Star College–Montgomery TBD Conroe, TX

May 12, 2020

A must read, Joe R. Lansdale’s OF MICE AND MINESTRONE is an experience worth savoring

Rick Klaw blog Alan Cranis, all hail the popcorn king, bookgasm, bubba ho-tep, char's horror corner, chris haught, cold in july, dave writes and draws (and reads), david m. simon, grimdark magazine, hansi oppenheimer, Joe R. Lansdale, john baggett, movies, of mice and minestrone, review, the tyler loop 0

Joe R. Lansdale’s OF MICE AND MINESTRONE and other things Lansdale continue to garner effusive praise.

CHAR’S HORROR CORNER recommends the book.

I originally rated this 4 stars, but thinking about it overnight-I decided to change it to 5. I didn’t think about the corona virus at all when reading this, and I read it over two days, but could easily have done it in one. I wanted to savor the experience. I think you should too! The only caveat to that would be that I recommend you reading the Hap and Leonard series in order. If you do, these tales will be that much more meaningful-providing insights into the lifelong friendship of Hap and Leonard.

My highest recommendation!

Alan Cranis at BOOKGASM concurs.

A unique feature of this collection is the recipes for the food mentioned in the stories, compiled by Kasey Lansdale. They are fun to read, even if you do not prepare the dishes themselves. (But don’t worry – the recipe for the Minestrone does not include mice.)

OF MICE AND MINESTRONE is a must-read for all Lansdale devotees. If you somehow missed or avoided the previous Hap and Leonard novels or story collections – or are new to the works of this prolific and distinctive author – this anthology of stories from the duo’s early years is a wonderful introduction.

On his DAVE WRITES AND DRAWS (AND READS), David M. Simon felt much the same about the earlier HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE.

BLOOD AND LEMONADE is a hybrid beast, a group of short stories held together with loose connective tissue. If you’re new to Hap and Leonard, this is not the one to start with. For fans, though, this is a goldmine, because we get to know Hap and Leonard as young men when they first met. I loved it.

October 3, 2019

Don’t miss LANSDALE-PALOOZA!

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized all hail the popcorn king, bubba ho-tep, elvis, george rr martin, hansi oppenheimer, jean cocteau cinema, Joe R. Lansdale, lansdale-palooza, new mexico, santa fe, the elephant of surprise

Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe, NM on October 5th for a ONE NIGHT ONLY hosts Lansdale-Palooza, featuring a special screenings of All Hail the Popcorn King and Bubba Ho-Tep, a q&a with Joe R. Lansdale, Hansi Oppenheimer, and George R. R. Martin, and an Elvis costume contest! One ticket gets you in for every event and you can get a signed copy of
Lansdale’s new book, The Elephant of Surprise, for just $10.00 more.

Lansdale-Palooza
Saturday, October 5
5PM
Jean Cocteau Cinema
418 Montezuma Ave
Santa Fe NM

May 23, 2018

HAP AND LEONARD tackles societal problems in an unapologetic yet humorous manner

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized 1428 elm, black girl nerds, blood and lemonade, bubba ho-tep, dana roberts, elizabeth story, hap and leonard, high fever books, John Picacio, jonita davis, kasey lansdale, michael patrick hicks, petition, review, sundanceTV', susan leighton, terror is our business, the best of joe r lansdale, the big book of hap and leonard

The cancellation of the popular and acclaimed SundanceTV series Hap and Leonard has not sat well with fans.

Jonita Davis for BLACK GIRL NERDS argues that the show was cancelled because tv execs were not comfortable with the show’s uncomfortable content.

There hasn’t been a show in a long tine that embodied so many important tropes depicted in such natural forms. Thee now-cancelled AMC SundanceTV show “Hap and Leonard” took on several problem areas in modern society with an unapologetic yet humorous manner. From the toxic white feminine complacency to the conservative black gay man and the black woman driven to her death by racism and misogyny, the show never shed away from a subject.

<snip>

There won’t be another show like “Hap and Leonard”, In fact, the next shows lined up bu SundanceTV center whiteness once again with three white women in the lead and no POC to be found so far. Fortunately, we will have Lansdale’s extensive collection of books about our characters on display and ready to read.

The whole fiasco shows us that, until the tv execs get comfortable airing uncomfortable content, we will never be able to keep a great show like “Hap and Leonard”.

Fans have started the petition: Netflix or Amazon should pick up future seasons of Hap and Leonard!

The Sundance Channel cancelled a much-beloved show with many loyal viewers (that they did little to promote) and after 3 great seasons, there’s are many more Hap and Leonard books ready to be adapted.

One of the prime streaming channels like Netflix or Amazon should and allow the current fans and future fans to find this wonderful series!

For 1428 ELM, Susan Leighton shares a lengthy 2 part interview with Joe R. Lansdale.

From Part 1:

1428 Elm: Let’s talk Bubba Ho-Tep. Knowing that Elvis spent time in Gladewater, were you a fan? What was the genesis for the short story that became one of the most beloved cult classics of all time?

JL: First of all, the genesis for it would be that I grew up with Elvis. Of course, my brother had that loose connection with him. It was almost like he was a distant cousin in a strange way.

In many ways because of him, I discovered all of these different types of music. Without Elvis, a lot of white kids would never have known about black music, country music and folk music because they were all connected to what he did.

That meant a lot to me. So, when I was asked to write an Elvis story, I had this title in my head. Bubba Ho-Tep which I thought would be a funny thing for a mummy story.

Photo by Ulf Andersen/Getty Images

Part 2:

428 Elm: Sorry to hear about the cancellation of this terrific show. What are your takeaways from your time with Sundance and being one of the producers?

JL: James Purefoy and I were talking via email and neither one of us are sad. We had three great seasons. If we would have been able to continue we would have been more enthusiastic to do so. We’re both very content.

Fans were even disappointed and angry. I don’t think there is anything to be angry about. My takeaway is that Sundance treated me very well.

We were hoping it would move somewhere else but it didn’t. It was a wonderful experience. I met some great people.

I am working on the Bottoms which my friend Bill Paxton was supposed to direct. He was such a great guy with such a great vision of the film and his direction would have been awesome.

We have other plans, I’m not going to say what because that’s confidential. I am excited about it. I will be a producer on it. Although I am not the absolute producer on it, I hope to be more involved with it.

I am trying to be a more active producer on other projects of mine or a more absolute producer. So, we’ll see what happens.

Michael Patrick Hicks at HIGH FEVER BOOKS praises the forthcoming collection Terror Is Our Business: Dana Roberts’ Casebook of Horrors
by Joe R Lansdale and Kasey Lansdale.

Terror is Our Business collects the Dana Roberts stories, previously published elsewhere, into a single volume, along with a new story, “The Case of the Ragman’s Anguish,” that is exclusive to this story. The book is split pretty evenly, with the first half devoted to stories written solely by Joe R. Lansdale, with the back-half featuring stories co-written by Joe and his daughter, Kasey Lansdale.

<snip>

Following Kasey’s introduction to this collection, we are introduced to a woman named Jana, initially in a stand-alone story focused solely on her encounter with the paranormal, before joining Dana’s investigations for the final two casebooks. Jana is a bit more my style – she’s fun, witty, has a bit of mouth on her, says things without thinking, and is pretty much always in way over her head. Dana, on the other hand, is very reserved and proper, an upper-class sort of personality. Jana is her Watson to Dana’s Holmes, and becomes our window into the world of the supernormal for the collection’s back-half. Once Kasey and Jana hit the pages, the stories become livelier and Dana finally has a counterpoint, a polar opposite, to act against. The burgeoning friendship between these personalities present an entertaining foil. The last two stories present supernormal threats that are also unabashedly Lovecraftian, which hit a particular sweet spot for me. While Jana presents an airier narrative voice than the stuffier gentleman author transcribing a moneyed ghost hunter’s adventures, the introduction of cosmic threats really tickled me, even if the stories still follow the by-now well-established Dana Roberts’ Casebook story formula.

All in all, Terror is Our Business: Dana Roberts’ Casebook of Horrors is a largely delightful introduction to this investigator, but it took a while for me to connect with the work as a whole. It’s not really until the last couple stories that everything began to click for me, and it’s clear that Kasey Lansdale’s influence was key to the development of Dana Roberts and helped give the series a fresher perspective. I do hope to see more of Dana and Jana, as well as Joe and Kasey as collaborators, in the future though.

For more info about HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info on HAP AND LEONARD, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info on THE BIG BOOK OF HAP AND LEONARD, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info about THE BEST OF JOE R. LANSDALE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by John Picacio

August 3, 2017

Tachyon tidbits featuring James Tiptree Jr., Joe R. Lansdale, Jo Walton, and Michael Swanwick

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized bubba ho-tep, flogging babel, her smoke rose up forever, james tiptree jr, jeopardy, jo walton, Joe R. Lansdale, John Picacio, lightspeed, michael swanwick, necessity, sunburst award, the last flight of doctor ain

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web.

James Tiptree, Jr., Joe R. Lansdale (photo: Karen Lansdale), Jo Walton, and Michael Swanwick (Beth Gwynn)

James Tiptree Jr.’s “The Last Flight of Doctor Ain” was reprinted in LIGHTSPEED July 2017 (Issue 86). It’s also part of her acclaimed collection HER SMOKE ROSE UP FOREVER.

Dr. Ain was recognized on the Omaha-Chicago flight. A biologist colleague from Pasadena came out of the toilet and saw Ain in an aisle seat. Five years before, this man had been jealous of Ain’s huge grants. Now he nodded coldly and was surprised at the intensity of Ain’s response. He almost turned back to speak, but he felt too tired; like nearly everyone, he was fighting the flu.

The stewardess handing out coats after they landed remembered Ain, too: a tall, thin, nondescript man with rusty hair. He held up the line staring at her; since he already had his raincoat with him, she decided it was some kooky kind of pass and waved him on.

She saw Ain shamble off into the airport smog, apparently alone. Despite the big Civil Defense signs, O’Hare was late getting underground. No one noticed the woman.

The wounded, dying woman.

BUBBA HO-TEP, the cult classic film based on Joe R. Lansdale’s novella, was the subject of an answer on a recent episode of JEOPARDY.

NECESSITY, the conclusion of Jo Walton’s Thessaly trilogy, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award. Congrats to Jo and the other honorees.

On FLOGGING BABEL, Michael Swanwick dances on his own grave.

Marianne and I went to West Laurel Hill Cemetery today and bought two plots in their “green” section. Not that we’re planning on using them anytime soon. But making these arrangements is the sort of things adults do to save the next generation a lot of bother when our time comes.

The green section of the cemetery is a field of wildflowers, essentially. People are buried there in biodegradable coffins or just a linen shroud, either cremated or whole but unembalmed. Their names with dates of birth and death are carved into a low stone wall nearby. Several beehives are located nearby to pollinate the flowers and once a year some goats are brought in to crop the dead plants down to the ground. No headstones, no plastic flowers, or even jewelry allowed. Eventually, trees will grow up and there will be a small patch of woodland abutting the more conventional (and quite beautiful) cemetery grounds. And in some distant future, perhaps, a fox will dig its burrow among what once were my bones.

<snip>

Here are some shots that Marianne took of me dancing by my grave.

For more info about HER SMOKE ROSE UP FOREVER, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by John Picacio

April 12, 2017

Listen to Joe R. Lansdale discuss HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized bubba and the cosmic blood-suckers, bubba ho-tep, hap and leonard: blood and lemonade, interview, Joe R. Lansdale, libritudine, rusty puppy, subterranean press, the best of joe r lansdale, united public radio

In a lengthy interview, the gang at UNITED PUBLIC RADIO sat down with Joe R. Lansdale to discuss HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, RUSTY PUPPY, SUNDANCETV’s HAP AND LEONARD, Batman, and other things Lansdale.

The Italian site LIBRITUDINE praises BLOOD AND LEMONADE.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Little tales from Hap’s infancy, the meeting with Leonard, Their beginning (that could have been Their end too) and life in the 50’s and 60’s in rural south US where being a “nigger’s friend” or a black homosexual could mean a very bad end.

Small stories from childhood Hap, his meeting with Leonard, their first adventures (which could very well be their last) and life between the 50s and 60s in the Deep South of the United States, when to be “ friend of a negro "or a homosexual black, could mean a bad end.

Translation from Italian courtesy of Google.

Subterranean Press is now accepting pre-orders for BUBBA AND THE COSMIC
BLOOD-SUCKERS, the novel-length prequel to Lansdale’s classic “Bubba Ho-Tep,” which is currently available in THE BEST OF JOE R. LANSDALE.

About the Book:

Part of a secret government organization designed to protect civilians, Elvis Presley and a handful of hardcore warriors set out to save the world from an invasion of hive-minded, shape-shifting vampire-like creatures from a dark dimension who have taken up residence in a New Orleans junkyard.

Besides Elvis, among these righteous warriors is a hammer-wielding descendent of John Henry of railroad fame, a Blind Man who sees more than those with sight, Jack, a strategic wizard, and Elvis’s right hand man and journal writer, Johnny, all thrown in with Raven (real name Jenny) a female recruit who is also a budding pop star, and like Elvis, high on the charisma chart.

Their leader is none other than Colonel Parker, Elvis’s cutthroat manager, and a warrior himself, directly in contact with President Nixon, or possibly one of his doubles.

It’s an unnerving peek into a secret world, and a possible delusion. It’s what happened before Elvis, aka Sebastian Haff, found himself in an East Texas rest home, mounted on a walker, fighting an Egyptian mummy and worrying about a growth on his pecker.

Strange monsters, wild fights, sex with a beautiful ghost, a drug-induced trip into another dimension, and all manner of mayhem ensue, along with a Mississippi riverboat ride on a giant paddle wheel, and of course, there will be 3D glasses, fried peanut butter and ’nanna sandwiches, and a few hard working zombies.

Bring the kids, but plug their ears and blindfold them. This is one wild and nasty ride to the dark side, but with laughter.

For more info about HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info about THE BEST OF JOE R. LANSDALE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by John Picacio

February 16, 2017

Visit with HAP AND LEONARD creator Joe R. Lansdale, his ownself

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized bubba ho-tep, event, hap and leonard, hap and leonard: blood and lemonade, hap and leonard: mucho mojo, Joe R. Lansdale, kathleen kent, rusty puppy, signing

Joe R. Lansdale will be hitting the trail this month. Be sure to stop by and say howdy to the affable Joe.

Photo: Karen Lansdale

Tuesday, February 21, 7:30PM at Wild Detectives in Dallas, TX

with Kathleen Kent

Wednesday, February 22, 6:30PM at Murder By the Book in Houston, TX

with Kathleen Kent

Thursday, February 23, 7PM at BookPeople in Austin, TX

with Kathleen Kent

Monday, February 27, 7PM at The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ

with Kathleen Kent

Tuesday, February 28, 7PM at Eagle Eye Books in Decatur, GA

Wednesday, March 1, 7PM at Powell’s Books – Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton, OR

Thursday, March 2, noon at Seattle Mystery Bookshop in Seattle, WA

Thursday, March 2, 7PM at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, WA

Friday, March 3, 7:30PM at The Historic Balboa Theater in San Francisco, CA

Screening of the legendary BUBBA HO-TEP followed by Q&A and signing

Saturday, March 4, 3PM at Borderlands Books in San Francisco, CA

Saturday, March 4, 7PM at Copperfield’s Books in Petaluma, CA

Sunday, March 5, 2PM at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA

with HAP AND LEONARD cast members Ron Rogge (Hap’s Dad), Trace Masters (Little Hap), Pollyanna McIntosh (Angel – Only signing Hap & Leonard Season 1), Jeff Pope (Chub), Neil Sandliands (tentative), Lowell Northrop, Jeremy Platt & musician Kasey Lansdale

Monday, March 6, 7PM at Book Carnival in Orange, CA

Tuesday, March 7, 7PM at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, CA

Monday, March 13, 7PM at Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe, NM

Screening of first episode of HAP AND LEONARD: MUCHO MOJO followed by Q&A and signing

For more info about HAP AND LEONARD: BLOOD AND LEMONADE, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info on HAP AND LEONARD, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

June 28, 2016

It’s official! HAP AND LEONARD to return, both on TV and in books

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized bruce campbell, bubba ho-tep, cheryl eddy, don coscarelli, elvis, hap and leonard, hap and leonard ride again, io9, james purefoy, michael k. williams, news, ossie davis, rusty puppy, sundanceTV'

James Purefoy and Michael K. Williams as Hap and Leonard

On Twitter, James “Hap” Purefoy made the announcement.

On a brighter note @HapAndLeonard has been officially picked up for Season 2..

In other Hap and Leonard news, Joe R. Lansdale’s not-so-dynamic duo will return in the spring to Tachyon with an original mosaic novel of the boys early years, at time when they first met as very young men. That’s on top of the 10th Hap and Leonard novel RUSTY PUPPY from Mulholland Books.

Not Hap and Leonard related but of interest to Lansdale fans, Cheryl Eddy at IO9 explains Why Bubba Ho-Tep May Be the Most Perfect B-Movie Ever Made.

BUBBA HO-TEP is about foul-mouthed ancient mummies, conspiracy theories, and the ultimate battle between good and evil. It’s also a surprisingly layered tale about growing old, regrets, and redemption. And it stars Bruce Campbell as Elvis Presley. Is this the perfect B-movie? If not, it’s damn near close.

Adapted from Joe Lansdale’s novella by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm), who also directs, Bubba Ho-Tep is that rare cinematic combination of totally unique story and near-perfect execution. The set-up is entirely insane: an aging Elvis meets an aging John F. Kennedy—played by Ossie Davis, because the presumed-dead POTUS was “dyed black” after Dallas—in a sleepy Texas nursing home, and they team up to battle a cowboy hat-clad mummy who begins terrorizing the place. (Are these guys who they believe themselves to be, or are they just delusional? Doesn’t matter, really.) The premise is so goofy that it shouldn’t work, but it absolutely does.

For more info on HAP AND LEONARD, visit the Tachyon page.

For more info about HAP AND LEONARD RIDE AGAIN, visit the Tachyon page.

Covers by Elizabeth Story

February 19, 2015

The subdued and strange BAR TALK from the mind of Joe R. Lansdale

Alec Checkerfield Uncategorized /film, bar talk, bubba ho-tep, cold in july, elizabeth story, hap and leonard, incident on and off a mountain road, joe lansdale, Joe R. Lansdale, lowell northrop, masters of horror, movie, movie tie-in, short film, the bottoms

The short film BAR TALK, based on a story by Joe R. Lansdale (COLD IN JULY) and directed by Lowell Northrop, is now available for all to see.

In a dusty Texas bar, a chatty stranger insists on striking up a
conversation with the man sitting next to him. The more this
out-of-towner talks, the more obvious it is he’s not from ‘round here.
Heck, he’s not even from this planet! Based on the short story by
legendary author Joe R. Lansdale (“Bubba Ho-Tep”, “Cold in July”).

This is not the first Lansdale story to be filmed. Just last summer COLD IN JULY, directed by Jim Mickle and starring Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Sam
Shepard (Black Hawk Down), and Don Johnson (Miami Vice), garnered
abundant praise. It is currently featured on the Showtime networks.

His novella “Bubba Ho-Tep” was the basis for the cult film of the same name, directed by Don Coscarelli and starring Bruce Campbell as
Elvis. Coscarelli also helmed “Incident On and Off a Mountain Road” for
the MASTERS OF HORROR series.

A movie based on the
Edgar award winning novel THE BOTTOMS is scheduled to begin production
this spring as is the Sundance Channel’s show HAP AND LEONARD, which is
based on the popular series of crime novels.

For more about COLD IN JULY, visit the Tachyon page.

Book cover design by Elizabeth Story.

HAP AND LEONARD cover by Elizabeth Story.

Tachyon Publications

bubba ho-tep

tachyonpub