How Charles Ardai Picked Up a Cocktail Waitress

This past week noir-heads were were thrilled to learn that Hard Case Crime's Charles Ardai had found a lost James M. Cain novel called The Cocktail Waitress, and will be publishing it next fall. I first read about this supposedly "lost" novel in Roy Hoopes's excellent biography Cain, never imagining we'd all have the chance to enjoy it. Ardai, who's clearly the Indiana Jones of pulp fiction, agree to talk about how he tracked the novel down.

Secret Dead Blog: How did you manage to unearth The Cocktail Waitress manuscript? Can you tell me more about the "detective work" involved?

Charles Ardai: A little more than nine years ago, when I first approached Max Allan Collins with the idea of writing for Hard Case Crime (this was a year before we signed the original deal with Dorchester, two years before the first Hard Case Crime book ever got published), we were brainstorming about what authors and books might be a good fit for our new line, and he mentioned that he knew of one last crime novel James M. Cain wrote at the end of his life but never published.  He hadn’t actually seen or read the book, all he knew was the title: The Cocktail Waitress. But he knew that it existed. And he suggested that it might make a good addition to the Hard Case Crime list.

Not Now, Starling, I Have a Headache

I'm excited to report that Birds of Prey #1, my collaboration with artist Jesus Saiz and part of DC Comics's "The New 52" relaunch, will be out in comic shops (and your iPad!) next Wednesday. Comics Alliance posted a few preview pages today, if you want a little taste of the mayhem. You can also read my editor Janelle Asselin's take on the new series on the DC blog.

And next Wednesday I'll be celebrating the Birds launch at Jim Hanley's Universe (4 West 33rd Street, right across from the Empire State Building in New York City), signing copies along with Ivan Brandon (Men of War), Scott Snyder (Batman, Swamp Thing), Peter Tomasi (Green Lantern Corps, Batman and Robin) and Fabian Nicieza (Legion Lost). New Yorkers! Drop by after work and come hang with us, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Above: that's new character Ev Crawford, a.k.a. Starling, kicking a little ass inside a church. I'm especially proud of Starling, since Jesus and I were given the opportunity to create her for the series. If you've read my crime novels and dig characters like Kelly White (from The Blonde) and Molly Lewis (Severance Package), I think you'll feel right at home with Ms. Crawford. Come to think of it, those three would make for a hell of a team-up...

For Appearances' Sake: Bouchercon Edition

The early Bouchercons always freak me out a little. Bouchercon is the annual World Mystery Convention. And by "early Bouchercons," I mean the ones in September. Usually they take place in October, but once in a blue moon (as in Chicago, 2005) you get a September. Summer's not even technically over, and yet, I'm packing up for a B'Con. Doesn't seem natural somehow...

Of course, that doesn't mean I'm not excited as hell about the whole thing. And this time, the fun will be in lovely downtown St. Louis, MO. A city that I've only visited once, but dug very, very much.

Schedule-wise, here's my deal:

Wednesday (9/14): I'm proud to be joining Hilary Davidson, Glenn Gray, John Rector and Anonymous-9 for Noir at the Bar: De-Bouchercon Kick-Off (Meshuggah Cafe, 6269 Delmar Blvd.) Fun starts at 8 p.m.; brace your livers. You know, one of you may prove me wrong... but after this event, I may be the only writer to have appeared at all three Noir at the Bar venues (Philly, L.A., St. Louis). Go ahead! Prove me wrong! I double-dog dare you! Anyway, you don't have to be registered for B'Con to attend, so stop on by.

Thursday (9/15): I'll be on the 2:30 p.m. "Unnatural Vices: Comics and Crime Fiction" panel moderated by Cullen Bunn, along with co-panelists Max Allan Collins, Gary Phillips and Jason Starr. Room: Majestic D, which also happened to be my nickname in high school. (Note: This is not true.)

Friday (9/16): Come 3:30 p.m. I'll be hunkered down at the Crimespree Magazine table in the book room, signing stuff with the immortal Christa Faust. We'll most likely be warming up/practicing schtick for our joint appearance at Murder By the Book in Houston this November.

Saturday (9/17): My second panel! My God, are the B'Con organizers gluttons for punishment? This time, it's "Payback: Contemplating the Future of the Genre," moderated by the amazing Laura Lippman, along with co-panelists Hilary Davidson, Kathleen George, Bryan Gruley and Bill Loefelm (4 p.m., also in Majestic D). While we're all busy contemplating, I'm sure we'll be cracking a few jokes. Stop by and join in before you head out to get plastered.

Sunday (9/18): I'm proud to say that I'll be attending the Anthony Awards Brunch, since my 2010 novel, Expiration Date, is up for Best Paperback Original. Wish me luck. The awards are determined by votes from this year's B'Con goers, so if you do happen to be a B'Con goer... make sure you find me so that I may buy you the drink of your choice. And perhaps some fine leather goods, or jewelry?

Also, a small reward for those of you who've read this entire blog post: The first five people to see me at Bouchercon and tell me to "Go to hell" will receive an arc of Hell & Gone, my second Charlie Hardie thriller. Come on up, don't be shy. (Believe me, I'm used to hearing those words.) People who walk up to me and tell me to "Fuck off" will be obligated to buy me a beer to soothe my bruised soul.