One of the honored guests at the conference was Shawn Crosby, who was interviewed by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River and many other books). I’ve seen Shawn at conferences over the years and talked with him about his modest successes. Then Blacktop Wasteland
and Razorblade Tears exploded. Jerry Bruckheimer has bought the rights!
Shawn grew up poor in the south. Money was always an issue until these books came out. At the conference he told a story of going to buy a car after receiving some of his newfound wealth. He and his wife talked about actually buying a new car this time. They picked it out at the dealer and got offered all kinds of financing options. His wife looked at him and he realized he could buy it for cash. When he went home, he asked her to go inside and he just sat in the car. When she came out he was crying. She asked why. He said, “I never thought my words would buy this car.”
There were a lot of tears when he told that story.
I also got to meet Dennis Lehane, one of my writing heroes. As well as William Kent Kruger (Ordinary Grace), another wonderful writer. |