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Conversations with Joe R. Lansdale
Joe R. Lansdale (b. 1951), the award-winning author of such novels as Cold in July (1989) and The Bottoms (2000), as well as the popular Hap and Leonard series, has been publishing novels since 1981. Lansdale has developed a tremendous cult audience willing to follow him into any genre he chooses to write in, including horror, western, crime, adventure, and fantasy. Within these genres, his stories, novels, and novellas explore friendship, race, and life in East Texas. His distinctive voice is often funny and always unique, as characterized by such works as Bubba Ho-Tep (1994), a novella that centers on Elvis Presley, his friend who believes himself to be John F. Kennedy, and a soul-sucking ancient mummy. This same novella won a Bram Stoker Award, one of the ten Bram Stoker Awards given to Lansdale thus far in his illustrious career. Wielding a talent that extends beyond the page to the screen, Landsdale has also written episodes for The Animated Series and The Animated Series .
Conversations with Joe R. Lansdale brings together interviews from newspapers, magazines, and podcasts conducted throughout the prolific author’s career. The collection includes conversations between Lansdale and other noted peers like Robert McCammon and James Grady; two podcast transcripts that have never before appeared in print; and a brand-new interview, exclusive to the volume. In addition to shedding light on his body of literary work and process as a writer, this collection also shares Lansdale’s thoughts on comics, atheism, and martial arts.
Conversations with Joe R. Lansdale brings together interviews from newspapers, magazines, and podcasts conducted throughout the prolific author’s career. The collection includes conversations between Lansdale and other noted peers like Robert McCammon and James Grady; two podcast transcripts that have never before appeared in print; and a brand-new interview, exclusive to the volume. In addition to shedding light on his body of literary work and process as a writer, this collection also shares Lansdale’s thoughts on comics, atheism, and martial arts.
222 pages, Paperback
First published November 29, 2022
1 person is currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Andrew J. Rausch
37 books5 followersAndrew J. Rausch is a film critic, author, and celebrity interviewer, as well as film producer, screenwriter, and actor. He had written or co-written nearly 20 books on the subject of popular culture, including Turning Points in Film History, Making Movies with Orson Welles (w/Gary Graver), and The Films of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. He is the screenwriter of the motion picture Dahmer vs. Gacy and the author of three novels, The Suicide Game, Riding Shotgun, and Elvis Presley, CIA Assassin. He can be reached at cruelkindgom@gmail.com.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 1, 2023
Joe Lansdale was introduced to me with the movie Bubba Ho-Tep. When the movie was released in theaters we packed into two cars and went to some random theater in Dallas as it was the only theater showing the movie. It was a packed house due to Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, and Don Coscarelli and possibly those aware of Joe. After the movie was over I hunted down the short story and then looked for more Lansdale stories and I was hooked.
So to learn about his life and career is exactly as expected from reading his stories and from talking to other people who have met the man. The man built and maintained his home all by hand with his wife. Their anniversary is my birthday. His first published work is not what I expected but somehow I am not surprised.
When asked about what authors have influenced him he has rattled off over 40 or more people and often he either likes all their work or only one piece of work. He is critical and is not affraid to discuss this.
As you read this be ready to read the same question and answer over and over. Often it's a similar response by Joe but sometiems he throws something new in with his answer which makes you realize you need to be reading everything over and over because you might miss something. After all it is a series of interviews and people tend to ask the same types of questions.
Joe is asked about his work life and how it’s is to deal with small and large publishers. Which is as expected to be a headache. We learn that writers tend to be friendly to one another and often collaborate. Fans can be as expected. He has his favorite stories and his opinion that The Drive-In is a disaster. But we also learn about his taste in movies and music. I personally fell in love with The Drive-In and I don't believe it could ever be a movie but a mini-series or a video game.
Joe and his son Keith discuss screenwriting and making movies. While interesting to see how they are treated in doing so it’s just as interesting to see big time directors who wanted to film Joe’s books. Joe even discusses how difficult it is to bring his work to life.
Joe finally discusses his martial arts style and we even get to hear about how skilled he is and hear about how he demonstrated his ability in front of the reporter.
Overall, we learn Joe is a down to earth man who enjoys spending time with his family and his fans. He loves his town and people speak to him regulary and he speaks to them all by name.
As a fan of Batman TAS, Joe discusses the episodes and his love of DC comics.
Joe has an interview that provides more insight into his work with Bill Paxton and their friendship up to his death. Continues to give more insight into working on Batman TAS and other comics. He discusses his breaks in Hap and Leonard.
A conversation with Joe and Don on the filming of Bubba Ho-Tep and the possibility of a sequel. The sequel is dead. But it’s an amazing read and Don pitches his book to get more info on the story.
Joe is interviewed on Hap and Leonard. Discusses how the current political climates bring forth a story for Hap and Leonard. Discusses his dislike for Trump. He discusses far right issues and how they are making the country and people worse. Joe on religion is very enlightening but as an atheist he is saying what I’ve been saying since I was in the 5th grade. He goes on to explain the issue with Americans and trump and it might be the best explanation I’ve heard on the real issue.
Joe discusses the cancelation of Hap and Leonard tv. He also shines a light on what I thought could happen which was if they brought it to another network. At the time there was no way to bring the current cast as they were all involved with other work. Sadly Williams is now dead and I don’t think anyone could fill those shoes
Overall, this is a great insight into the mind of Joe Lansdale and I strongly believe that not just his fans should read this but anyone interested in Horror, Crime, Noir, Comics, and well how a guy went from struggling to making a name for himself.
So to learn about his life and career is exactly as expected from reading his stories and from talking to other people who have met the man. The man built and maintained his home all by hand with his wife. Their anniversary is my birthday. His first published work is not what I expected but somehow I am not surprised.
When asked about what authors have influenced him he has rattled off over 40 or more people and often he either likes all their work or only one piece of work. He is critical and is not affraid to discuss this.
As you read this be ready to read the same question and answer over and over. Often it's a similar response by Joe but sometiems he throws something new in with his answer which makes you realize you need to be reading everything over and over because you might miss something. After all it is a series of interviews and people tend to ask the same types of questions.
Joe is asked about his work life and how it’s is to deal with small and large publishers. Which is as expected to be a headache. We learn that writers tend to be friendly to one another and often collaborate. Fans can be as expected. He has his favorite stories and his opinion that The Drive-In is a disaster. But we also learn about his taste in movies and music. I personally fell in love with The Drive-In and I don't believe it could ever be a movie but a mini-series or a video game.
Joe and his son Keith discuss screenwriting and making movies. While interesting to see how they are treated in doing so it’s just as interesting to see big time directors who wanted to film Joe’s books. Joe even discusses how difficult it is to bring his work to life.
Joe finally discusses his martial arts style and we even get to hear about how skilled he is and hear about how he demonstrated his ability in front of the reporter.
Overall, we learn Joe is a down to earth man who enjoys spending time with his family and his fans. He loves his town and people speak to him regulary and he speaks to them all by name.
As a fan of Batman TAS, Joe discusses the episodes and his love of DC comics.
Joe has an interview that provides more insight into his work with Bill Paxton and their friendship up to his death. Continues to give more insight into working on Batman TAS and other comics. He discusses his breaks in Hap and Leonard.
A conversation with Joe and Don on the filming of Bubba Ho-Tep and the possibility of a sequel. The sequel is dead. But it’s an amazing read and Don pitches his book to get more info on the story.
Joe is interviewed on Hap and Leonard. Discusses how the current political climates bring forth a story for Hap and Leonard. Discusses his dislike for Trump. He discusses far right issues and how they are making the country and people worse. Joe on religion is very enlightening but as an atheist he is saying what I’ve been saying since I was in the 5th grade. He goes on to explain the issue with Americans and trump and it might be the best explanation I’ve heard on the real issue.
Joe discusses the cancelation of Hap and Leonard tv. He also shines a light on what I thought could happen which was if they brought it to another network. At the time there was no way to bring the current cast as they were all involved with other work. Sadly Williams is now dead and I don’t think anyone could fill those shoes
Overall, this is a great insight into the mind of Joe Lansdale and I strongly believe that not just his fans should read this but anyone interested in Horror, Crime, Noir, Comics, and well how a guy went from struggling to making a name for himself.
December 12, 2023
Conversations with Joe R. Lansdale, Andrew Rausch, Mark Slade (Ed.) [University Press of Mississippi, 2022].
“I don’t like everything Joe writes. I think he can be colder and crueler than Hell.” Robert R. McCammon
Interviews with Joe R. Lansdale which touch on various topics including his impoverished East Texas origins, his early literary influences, his refusal to be constrained by genre, and the process of adapting his work to film.
***
Joe R. Lansdale is “…the last surviving Splatterpunk sanctified in the blood of the walking Western dead…” (Austin Chronicle) and the “champion mojo storyteller.” His most recent work includes a novel, The Donut Legion and a collection, Things Get Ugly. A forthcoming Hap and Leonard installment , Sugar on the Bones, is expected from Mulholland Press/Little, Brown in 2024.
“I don’t like everything Joe writes. I think he can be colder and crueler than Hell.” Robert R. McCammon
Interviews with Joe R. Lansdale which touch on various topics including his impoverished East Texas origins, his early literary influences, his refusal to be constrained by genre, and the process of adapting his work to film.
***
Joe R. Lansdale is “…the last surviving Splatterpunk sanctified in the blood of the walking Western dead…” (Austin Chronicle) and the “champion mojo storyteller.” His most recent work includes a novel, The Donut Legion and a collection, Things Get Ugly. A forthcoming Hap and Leonard installment , Sugar on the Bones, is expected from Mulholland Press/Little, Brown in 2024.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews