NOVEMBER goes NOIR, AT THE BIJOU ~ "NOIRHEADS RULE!" ~ By the BISH, Paul Bishop

 NOIRHEADS RULE! 

Femme Fatale Ann Savage knows.

By ~ PAUL BISHOP 

Femmes know NoirHeads - intimately.

Noir in books and films has always been a genre unto its own. However, noir becomes like quicksilver when attempting to pin the genre down with a quick description. However, I know noir when I see it or read it, but more precisely, I know noir when I feel it. 

Tension, murder, the femme fatale who knows what she wants and just how to get it. Black and white or garish colors with low angled camera shots, or quick incisive sentences filled with language that snaps and bites. Throw in a harrowing sense of unease – the feeling none of this is going to end well – and you are almost there, but not quite.
 
Noir is more than just a combination of elements. Noir is indefinable because it brings something else to the soirée – a particular style, part padded shoulders, part nyloned gams, part prurient promise, part sordid threat, part gunplay, part bruised knuckles, all mingled together with the sweat of desperation.
 
On film and in books, noir tears characters apart. Conversely, noir brings together those who appreciate the beauty in the darkness – call us noirheads . . .
 
Noirheads never miss a chance to hang out together – whether it’s frequenting the darkness of midnight shows of Double Indemnity at the art house theatre, raising elbows during Noir At The Bar sessions, or here, AT THE BIJOU, talking noir and reveling in a well-turned femme fatale ankle, or a stunning story twist striking like a knife in the back.
 
Here, AT THE BIJOU, I’m delighted to bookend two of my favorite noirheads – Eric Beetner and Anthony Venutolo. These cats know from noir, both in their own fictional meanderings and in writing about the past, present, and future of noir.
 
The future is particularly dark for these two characters –, hidden as they are behind an imagined veil of cigarette the smoke and seen from a camera angled up from the floor – since I’ve corralled both of them to take a crack at Fight Card, a new series of boxing tales, noir and otherwise, which has just made its e-book debut.
 
Under the unifying pseudonym Jack Tunney, my entry Felony Fists, and The Cutman from series co-creator Mel Odom, are two-fisted tales inspired by the sports pulps of the ‘30s and ‘40s – noir prime time – such as Fight Stories Magazine, Knockout Magazine, and the Sailor Steve Costigan stories of Robert E. Howard.
 
The future of Fight Card stories includes Split Decision coming next month from Eric Beetner – reading like the best of the noirish Gold Medal originals – and an entry later next year from Anthony Venutolo. All hard-hitting stuff in which noirheads will revel.
 
It’s a honor for me to share space with these fellow noirheads, and with all you noirheads Absolutely*Kate has called into her virtual theatre ~ talking noir, living noir, and writing about noir.

Noirheads Rule, Okay! 

 Noirheads Forever! 

How many noirheads does it take

 to change a light bulb? 

    None. We like it here in the dark … 

©  Author/Showman/LAPD Detective of the Year ~ PAUL BISHOP
Written for NOVEMBER  goes NOIR ~ AT THE BIJOU

Noir Film photos of Mr Mitchum, Ms Greer and Ms Savage from IMDB star collections; 
tableside femme from vi.sualize.us/red

Hello again folks and fellow Noirheads. Enjoying our shows and author showcases? There's more in our lineup below.

Our BISH knows his noir, knows his showmanship, knows his talents, knows his craft ~ seeing crime where he finds it, doing something solid about it . . . then telling his own tales. At the trendy BISH'S BEAT, all your yesterdays come home today, in fleeting images remembered, in discoveries you wish next to take. Check it out. There's a gazillion Paul Bishop books to tuck into all the holiday stockings not already enhanced by gorgeous gams. I'm including two of the latest, for a femme fatale must keep up temptatiousness . . . but a plentitude of others lurk there, in Paul's bright shadows. Give 'em a gander will ya? And be ringside for the tomes of The FIGHT CARD SERIES. Everything this Noirhead puts his knucklin' down into is a knock out. 

    nOW AVAILABLE!

 
CLICK COVER TO PURCHASE VIA AMAZON.COM

<---- COMING SOON

<---- FIGHT CARD ~ 2012

~ Absolutely*Kate, fan and friend of Noirheads,

thanking BISH for co-hosting the FISTICUFFS, PALOOKAS and NOIR 

duking-it-out portions of our showbill

as NOIRVEMBER decks DECEMBER
into cold cunning Crime Scenes

 BE THERE OR BE SQUARE, FOLKS.

There's a dashing gang of Our Noir Authors

coming up to intrigue more than shadows off our stage! 

SIT DOWN SCHWEETHEART ~

 
HERE'S LOOKIN' at NOVEMBER going NOIR ... then decking DECEMBER, AT THE BIJOU

   LINK DELICIOUS INFLUENCES OF ~
 OUR NOIR AUTHORS' "JUST DESSERTS" ~

   LINKS TO OUR NOIR SO FAR ~

  

Kevin Michaels ... Graham Smith ... Julie Morrigan 

  

Chris Rat-a-Tat Rhatigan ... Joe Grant ... AJ Hayes

 Absolutely*Kate co-noveling with AJ Hayes

Paul Bishop ... Anthony Venutolo ... Eric Beetner

   NOIRTORIOUS COMING ATTRACTIONS ~ 

               Every other day that's November . . . decking NOIR NOEL into December

 

Nigel Bird ... Matt Hilton ... Ian Ayris ... Paul Brazill ... 

Steven Miscandlon ... Jeanette Cheezum ... BR Stateham ... 

Julian Bramwell Slater ... Sal Buttaci...  Kevin J Mackey ... 

Helen Howell ... Luca Veste ... Christina Vincent ... 

Charlie Wade ... Darren Sant ... Aidan Fritz ... 

Lily Childs ... Zelda Martin ... Vic Watson ... 

a Rex Pickett surprise ... 

AT THE BIJOU'S Harry B Sanderford ... Matthew Magda ...  

plus return appearances by our masters of the ceremonious ~ 

Kevin MadDog Michaels and Absolutely*Kate ... 

Why ~ Who knows who's getting into the act? . . . 

RAYMOND CHANDLER may be channeled! 

  

ABSOLUTELY*KATE, BOGEY & PALLY PRODUCTIONS

"NOVEMBER GOES NOIR, THEN DECKS DECEMBER AT THE BIJOU"  

    

Paul Bishop, crimefighter/author.

Absolutely*Kate, sailing possiblities.

I think that went 
rather swell Kate.

Open and 

shut case,

 dear Bish.

NOVEMBER GOES NOIR, AT THE BIJOU ~ "Before They Fall" ~ By Pushcart Nominee Kevin Michaels

As the Fisticuffs, Palookas and Noir portion of our showbill punches final rounds before AT THE BIJOU heats up Noir-hot on cold cunning Crime Scenes once again, we're punched-up proud to present a pugilistic piece from our pal, Pushcart Nominee, AT THE BIJOU's very own Kevin Michaels ~

Ladies and Gents hit your seats hard . . . and grip 'em ~

Fighter Photo finesse ~ Jim Lommasson

BEFORE THEY FALL 

By ~ Kevin Michaels

 ~ 2011 PUSHCART NOMINEE ~

It was a short hook to the body that took the fight out of me. A nothing punch in the fifth round – but once it connected the strength and will to go on drained away.

The problem was that I needed to make it through the fifth round so I could go down in the sixth. That’s the way it was supposed to happen and I couldn’t do anything to change that.

Not if I wanted to get off the hook with Matty “Two Fingers” Howard.

And not if I didn’t want bigger problems than the ones I already had.

Smoke hung in the air and the arena was heavy with the smell of sweat and stale cigarettes. I leaned into the Cuban, grabbed his shoulders, and tried pulling him into a tight embrace before he could dance away. He was tall, hard, and lean - the sweat on his body glistened under the overhead lights. I wrapped my arms around him but he banged a right into my ribs that backed me up a step then shoved me away.

Two more minutes.

Two minutes didn’t mean that much, I thought. Be lucky to last until then.

Especially with the Cuban banging that fucking right into my ribs all night.

Nobody was sure why they called Matty “Two Fingers”, although I thought it had something to do with him chopping off a guy’s fingers and stuffing them into his mouth when he welched on a bet. I was into Two Fingers for a couple of grand and the only way to clean that debt was to take a dive in the sixth against his fighter. There was a lot of money on that. A sure thing and a big payout for everybody, and a clean slate for me. I just didn’t think I could make it that long.

Everything hurt. I could taste blood in my mouth – it’s a thick and acrid taste you never forget; the bitterness hangs in your throat like stale coffee then hits your stomach with a nasty kick. More blood streamed down my face, mixing with sweat that stung my eyes. I couldn’t blink away the pain burning one eye and it was impossible to see out of the other. The skin on my face felt tender and raw, throbbing no matter how often my corner pressed the cold steel bar against it between rounds to control the swelling. But worse, something inside my gut was definitely broken - when I sucked in deep breaths the pain squeezed the air from my lungs like a vice. The noise from the crowd engulfed us but all I could hear was my own labored breathing as I rasped for air and moved around the ring, trying to find safety in the distance between us.

I hoped the ref wouldn’t move in to stop it.

When I shook the sweat from my eyes it sprayed the Cuban with blood. Popped two jabs to create room between us, trying to stay out of reach while fooling the crowd into thinking I was still in this fight. The Cuban easily blocked my jabs and circled, cutting off the ring. He was fast - five rounds into the fight and he hadn’t slowed down or lost a step, and I couldn’t keep up with him. Nobody told him that this fight was in the bag and he kept hammering me like the outcome was still in doubt.

His eyes were focused and determined. Not a hint of fear or doubt in his expression. There was a look in his eyes that I recognized as something that had once belonged to me when I was younger; before time had worn away everything I owned. Before life, carelessness, and my own mistakes caught up with me. Before guys like Two Fingers became part of my world. I offered a left-right combination but the Cuban slipped the punches and worked his way closer with sharp hooks and hard rights. He found that same soft spot in my ribs and dug each punch into my body so hard that at first there was nothing, then my insides imploded as all the air rushed from my lungs. All I could do was hold his arms and shake my head at the ref as he inched closer.

Ninety seconds.

Ninety seconds could feel like an eternity. Especially when my legs were gone and I had nothing left. There were no lucky punches and no miracles waiting to happen – just ninety painful seconds taking forever to fall away from the clock.

He was relentless in his assault and all I had were instincts and memories, and neither offered much help. I waved a jab and moved away, then tried hiding behind my gloves as the Cuban backed me towards the ropes.

Whatever will I had left to fight disappeared, and in each shot I felt every punch I had ever taken. There was no place to run, nowhere to hide, and nothing else I could do. In that instant I saw myself for what I was – a tired, beaten fighter suddenly too many bouts past his prime. Holding on to a dream, and holding on to something from the past, that was no longer mine to own. All that potential of youth was gone - if it had ever really been there the way I had fooled myself into believing it was. I should have realized the truth before I ever got into the ring - I was just a stepping stone on somebody else’s path.

Nothing more than a player in Two Fingers’ game.

Two quick jabs came at me then a right over the top. The Cuban whacked my arms and brought an uppercut between my gloves that slammed into my chin. By then I had lost the ability to connect thoughts with actions, and in a dozen different ways I felt helpless against each punch he threw.

I didn’t want to look foolish. There were too many people watching – too much shame and indignity to go out that way. I had known for a long time that I would never get that title shot, no matter how many hours I spent sweating in the gym, pushing my body past limits I never knew existed, and struggling through meaningless fights under the harsh stares of apathetic crowds. I would never go out on top as champion. I had planned to take a solid shot early in the sixth then drop to one knee, letting the ref count me out. There was dignity and grace in that – no shame in a warrior who couldn’t go on. I didn’t want to be one of those guys grabbing for the ropes in desperation, legs splayed in different directions, trying to find something solid underfoot to remain upright. Lurching and staggering from side to side, arms flailing like windmills. Eyes glazed and watery. Punch-drunk. Sad, beaten, and pathetic.

I didn’t want to be exposed like that. I didn’t want to look like another palooka in Loserville.

Sixty seconds left in the round.

I just wanted to hang on that long.  

© Pushcart Nominee ~ KEVIN MICHAELS

Written for NOVEMBER  goes NOIR ~ AT THE BIJOU

Fittingly, on ThanksGiving Eve, AT THE BIJOU's Kevin Michaels was in the attitude of gratitude to make this humble announcement at his tough gritty Jersey shore site, A COLD RUSH OF AIR ~

Pushcart Prize

I'm honored and tremendously humbled that my short story, NO TEARS FOR CRYING has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. It's flattering to not only be nominated for the literary prize that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" (especially the whatnot part in which I clearly fall), but one that has recognized the work of some of my heroes like Junot Diaz, Raymond Carver, Tim O'Brien, and William Monahon.

You can read the story here  
Thanks very much.

Kevin may be humble in his happiness, but when one of the worthy authors we know as pal and colleague make quantum leaps in astute authoring, the piazazz showmanship I'm somewhat comprised of wants to jump it all up and down the more . . . so, fellow authors and readers . . . do read NO TEARS FOR CRYING over at A Twist of Noir, and take a wild ride with Kevin's newly honed skills . . . book-trailer vrooming video-maker for his first book LOST EXIT:

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

CONGRATS KEVIN!
We're rooting for you in all you punch out!
Speaking of which, I was enchanted with this photographer while putting together this show:

Superb fight photos punch out
 photographer Jim Lommasson's book

Authors and Art are genuine knockouts, aren't they?

Watch for fellow showman, the BISH as the next bell rings,

when NOIRvember decks December in

 cold cunning Crime Scenes

SIT DOWN SCHWEETHEART ~

 
HERE'S LOOKIN' at NOVEMBER going NOIR ... then decking DECEMBER, AT THE BIJOU

   LINK DELICIOUS INFLUENCES OF ~
 OUR NOIR AUTHORS' "JUST DESSERTS" ~

   LINKS TO OUR NOIR SO FAR ~

  

Kevin Michaels ... Graham Smith ... Julie Morrigan 

  

Chris Rat-a-Tat Rhatigan ... Joe Grant ... AJ Hayes

 Absolutely*Kate co-noveling with AJ Hayes

Paul Bishop ... Anthony Venutolo ... Eric Beetner

   NOIRTORIOUS COMING ATTRACTIONS ~ 

               Every other day that's November . . . decking NOIR NOEL into December

Nigel Bird ... Matt Hilton ... Ian Ayris ... Paul Brazill ... 

Steven Miscandlon ... Jeanette Cheezum ... BR Stateham ... 

Julian Bramwell Slater ... Sal Buttaci...  Kevin J Mackey ... 

Helen Howell ... Luca Veste ... Christina Vincent ... 

Charlie Wade ... Darren Sant ... Aidan Fritz ... 

Lily Childs ... Zelda Martin ... Vic Watson ... 

a Rex Pickett surprise ... 

AT THE BIJOU'S Harry B Sanderford ... Matthew Magda ...  

plus return appearances by our masters of the ceremonious ~ 

Kevin MadDog Michaels and Absolutely*Kate ... 

Why ~ Who knows who's getting into the act? . . . 

RAYMOND CHANDLER may be channeled! 

  

ABSOLUTELY*KATE, BOGEY & PALLY PRODUCTIONS

"NOVEMBER GOES NOIR, THEN DECKS DECEMBER AT THE BIJOU"