On Tuesday, March 19, author Dan Stout will launch his new book Titanshade at Toledo’s Fusion Bistro starting at 6pm.
Now based in Columbus, Stout is excited to return to his hometown of Toledo, “Readings are fun, but this is a party! We’ll have some cake, and there’ll be plenty of talk about the book and the publishing process. But ultimately, it’s an excuse to visit with old friends, make new ones, and enjoy some food and a few drinks while we’re at it.” Perrysburg independent bookstore, Gathering Volumes, will also be part of the event, handling book and audiobook sales.
Titanshade, Stout’s novel, published with DAW Books, which he says was targeted by him and his agent. Though headquartered in New York City’s Penguin Group offices, DAW operates editorially independent, which attracted Stout from the start— the autonomy and energy of a startup with the marketing support of a major publisher.
Prior to Titanshade, Stout published an array of short stories in different genres, settings and points of view. His work appeared in a range of publications— crime magazines, science fiction anthologies and more traditional literary magazines. Stout was drawn to, what he calls, “rapid prototyping stories and styles” which allowed him to play with craft and form.
It seems that some of this splattering of genres remains in his novel Titanshade, though he seems to see it mostly rooted in fantasy. “Fantasy is an amazing genre because it allows writers to approach topics obliquely, without coming across as “topical material.” Titanshade, with its unusual blend of 1970s police procedural and otherworldly magic, let me examine ideas that mattered while never losing sight of its over-the-top fun.”
Titanshade. Stout’s first novel, is, he explains, “a noir fantasy thriller, combining all the things that I love about fantasy novels and gritty crime dramas. Set in an oil boomtown on the verge of collapse, it follows a detective whose murder investigation spirals out of control as powerful political interests get involved. The elements of fantasy, blended with the tone of noir, provide humor and wonder in the face of moral ambiguity and grim circumstances.”
When asked to list his influences, be it film or music or other books, Stout said one big influence has been his work ethic. “I’m most productive with my writing when I approach it like I’m back on the Honda assembly line. The bell sounds, the line starts running, and I don’t look up from my computer until that (segment) is over.”
Meet the author during his book launch.
6pm | Tuesday, March 19
Fusion Bistro, 3136 Markway Rd.
419-537-9959 | danstout.com/titanshade
