Sunday, February 18, 2018

Willy Vlautin at Broadway Books March 7th

We are thrilled to welcome Willy Vlautin back to Broadway Books, reading from his fifth novel, Don't Skip Out on Me, on Wednesday, March 7th, at 7 pm.
 
The novel tells the story of Horace Hopper, of half-Paiute, half-Irish heritage, who has spent most of his life on a Nevada sheep ranch but dreams of something bigger. Mr. and Mrs. Reese, the aging ranchers who took him in after his parents abandoned him, treat him like the son they always wanted. But Horace feels as if he doesn’t truly belong on the ranch, or anywhere. Believing that he needs to make a name for himself, Horace leaves behind the only loving home he has ever known for Tucson, where he aims to prove his worth as a championship boxer.
 
Horace struggles to adapt to his new life in the city and grows more and more isolated, withdrawing into himself as he struggles with the pain of his boxing injuries and his loneliness. An instrumental soundtrack by Richmond Fontaine, which perfectly evokes the spirit and setting of this stunning and heartbreaking new novel, will be available for download.

Vlautin is both writer and musician. His previous books all tell stories of hard-scrabble characters presented with heart and generosity by the author.
 
He is the author of four previous novels: The Motel Life, Northline, Lean on Pete (which won both the Oregon Book Award for Fiction and the Reader's Choice Award) and The Free (which was a finalist for the OBA Fiction prize and won the Reader's Choice Award).
 
Vlautin founded the band Richmond Fontaine in 1994. Now retired, the band achieved critical acclaim at home and across the UK and Europe. In 2014 he formed The Delines with singer Amy Boone. Born and raised in Reno, Nevada, he now lives in Scappoose, Oregon.
 
 This event is open to the public. Broadway Books is located at 1714 NE Broadway.  www.broadwaybooks.net