Tag: Fiction

Shay Kauwe, in conversation with Keala Kendall, discusses & signs The Killing Spell

In this spellbinding fantasy debut set in a future where language magic reigns, a young Hawaiian woman must solve a murder to clear her name.

Kea Petrova is dealing with more than her fair share of trouble. At just twenty-five years old, she’s the youngest of five Hawaiian clan leaders living on the Homestead in outer Los Angeles. Nearly 200 years ago, when a catastrophic flood submerged the Hawaiian islands and unleashed magic into the world, these clans forged a treaty with the city, establishing a new Hawaiian homeland. But that treaty is about to expire.

“Deadweight” Q&A and Book Signing with BOBBY LEE

The LAST BOOKSTORE Studio City welcomes comedian Bobby Lee as he discusses his debut graphic novel “Deadweight” with Matthew Medney!

Bobby Lee visits The LAST BOOKSTORE Studio City to discuss his debut graphic novel Deadweight!

From the twisted minds of Bobby Lee, Matthew Medney, Steve Orlando, and GUNGNIR, DEADWEIGHT is a blood-soaked, nut-cracking, soul-reclaiming battle royale that mashes Bruce Lee, John Wick, and Scott Pilgrim into one gloriously deranged saga of destiny and demons.

Bobby Lee was just a grease-stained loser scrubbing dishes in a decaying hell tower–until a haunted sword showed up and everyone in his building turned into flesh-hungry death cultists armed with blenders, bug zappers, and bloodlust.

Now Bobby’s slashing his way floor by floor through possessed neighbors, chainsaw perverts, satanic raver armies, and a hallucinogenic horde of suburban nightmares. Every kill drags him deeper into a war he doesn’t understand, but the sword in his hand has other plans–and it’s not letting go.

Destiny called. Bobby sent it to voicemail.

Now it’s kicking in the door with a flaming stripper pole.

Rune Edition

In Norse mythology, runes are not merely letters–they are sacred, magical symbols drawn from the ancient Germanic alphabets such as the Elder Futhark, used by Vikings for writing, divination, and the public display of power. Each rune was believed to carry cosmic knowledge, a fragment of the universe’s hidden order, first revealed when Odin sacrificed himself to Yggdrasil, hanging between life and death to seize wisdom from beyond the veil. More than phonetic marks, runes embodied gods, elemental forces, and spiritual truths, functioning as a living bridge between the material world and the unseen. Even the word rune comes from the Old Norse rún-meaning “secret” or “mystery.” Our Rune Editions honor this legacy: books forged not simply to be read, but to be held as vessels of power, knowledge, and myth, carrying stories meant to endure.

Presented as a GUNGNIR Rune Edition in a custom magnetic case.

Bobby Lee is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster. He co-hosts the podcasts Bad Friends with Andrew Santino and TigerBelly with Khalyla Kuhn. From 2001 to 2009, Lee was a cast member on MADtv, and from 2018 to 2019 he co-starred in the ABC sitcom Splitting Up Together alongside Jenna Fischer and Oliver Hudson. His film credits include Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004), Pineapple Express (2008), and The Dictator (2012). He also appeared as the cynical, burned-out Dr. Kang in FX on Hulu’s comedy series Reservation Dogs.

Steve Orlando is a comic book writer best known for his work with DC and Marvel Comics, including acclaimed runs on Justice League of America, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, X-Men, and The Avengers. In 2015, he wrote Midnighter for DC Comics, which was recognized by io9 as one of the “20 Best Comics of 2015” and “The Best Portrayal of a Gay Superhero in Mainstream Comics.” His two Midnighter series went on to receive GLAAD Media Award nominations in 2017. Currently, Orlando writes Scarlet Witch for Marvel Comics, and his work has earned him an Eisner Award nomination, cementing his place as one of the most dynamic voices in modern comics. approved

Matthew Medney Founder, Publisher, Creator

Matt Medney is a visionary storyteller, co-founder of Iconic Arts LTD, and Founder, Publisher of Gungnir Books. Former CEO of Heavy Metal Magazine and co-founder of Hero Projects, he is a best-selling author of Beyond Kuiper, Above The Ground, Dark Wing, and The Adventures of Adrienne James. Medney has led major collaborations with icons like Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shaggy, Steve Aoki, and brands such as Disney, the NFL, Coca-Cola, and Live Nation’s Rolling Loud. He made history by bringing comic books to the NFL with the Bobby Wagner and Seattle Seahawks graphic novel on Monday Night Football. Medney was also Head Writer for the $300M-raised MMO Star Atlas and continues to innovate in online gaming.

Horror Book Talk: The Curse of Hester Gardens by Tamika Thompson

Tamika Thompson discusses her new socially conscious horror novel in conversation with Rachel Howzell Hall.

Former Journalist Tamika Thompson celebrates the release of her new book The Curse of Hester Gardens with a lively discussion with author Rachel Howzell Hall.

About the participants:

Tamika Thompson is author of The Curse of Hester Gardens. A former journalist and producer, she is also author of Unshod, Cackling, and Naked, which is the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner for Horror, as well as author of Salamander Justice. Her work has appeared in several speculative fiction anthologies as well as in Interzone, Prairie Schooner, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Review of Books, among others. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she hosts her own blog and newsletter, Tamika Talks Terror. Visit her online at tamikathompson.com or on social media @tamikadthompson.

Rachel Howzell Hall is the New York Times bestselling author of Fog and Fury, The Cruel Dawn, The Last One, What Never Happened, We Lie Here, These Toxic Things, And Now She’s Gone, They All Fall Down, and, with James Patterson, The Good Sister, which was included in Patterson’s collection The Family Lawyer. A two-time Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist as well as an Anthony, International Thriller Writers, and Lefty Award nominee, Rachel is also the author of Land of Shadows, Skies of Ash, Trail of Echoes, and City of Saviors in the Detective Elouise Norton series. A past member of the board of directors for Mystery Writers of America, she has been a featured writer on NPR’s acclaimed Crime in the City series and the National Endowment for the Arts weekly podcast. Rachel lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. For more information, visit www.rachelhowzell.com.

About the book:

We Need to Talk about Kevin as if written by Jason Reynolds and Tananarive Due meets Model Home by Rivers Solomon in an innovative twist on the haunted house novel: about a mother desperate to protect her sons from the twin specters of gun violence and otherworldly menace in their public housing project.

Nona McKinley raised three boys in the Hester Gardens section of Medford, Michigan, an impoverished community divided by those who follow their faith in God and those who turn to crime to survive. With her drug dealer husband behind bars and her eldest son shot to death at eighteen, Nona has devoted herself to ensuring her other children escape their brother’s fate.

Her second son Marcus is on the right path. He’s a valedictorian heading to an Ivy League school. He can get out.

But then, strange things start happening to Nona and other residents: mysterious footsteps are heard when she’s alone, people have phantom encounters in the streets, unattended appliances go off at all hours. Even more concerning is the state of Nona’s living sons. Her youngest, Lance, is hanging around with a bad crowd, and Marcus becomes moody and secretive. Sometimes he even seems to act like a different person entirely.

Nona has her secrets too. Her affair with the married church pastor has been weighing on her conscience, but that’s not the only guilt haunting her. She fears that someone—or something— is seeking revenge for an act she made in a moment of weakness to protect her family. And now everyone in Hester Gardens must pay the price . . .

Author Event! Lauren Okie and Clare Osongco

In person author event at Zibby’s Bookshop, 1113 Montana Ave, Santa Monica 90403!

About the book:

In this lush, slow-burning romance, two childhood neighbors, connected by a shared tragedy, unexpectedly reunite to ghostwrite a love story for a reclusive author. Spending the summer at her secluded Hamptons estate, they soon discover that dozens of classic romance tropes, including the ones they’re crafting on page, are mysteriously playing out in real life.

Tropesick is a powerhouse of a novel, perfect for readers who crave smart and sexy beach reads with a modest side of emotional devastation. It’s speculative book club fiction meets romance – marrying what readers love about Rebecca Serle’s work with what they crave in a delicious love story. It’s perfect for readers who are looking for a high-concept premise, strong writing, and an absolutely captivating love story.

About the authors:

Lauren Okie studied English and American Literature at New York University. When she’s not mining old traumas or blocking sex scenes on the backs of grocery lists, Lauren works as a copywriter. Originally from Miami, she lives with her husband and daughter in the Los Angeles area.

Clare Osongco is a mixed Filipino American author living in Los Angeles who likes to write about falling in love, messy family relationships, and ghosts. She is also the author of the young adult romance Midnights With You.