Midwest thrillers are few and far between, but every time one crops up it scratches a special itch in my heart. There is something rich and powerful at having scenes from your childhood play out with hints of something absolutely foreign. Mindy Mejia is helping build the Midwest mystery genre with the third installment of her “Iowa Mysteries” series…
Iowa City Authors
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The Early Tears with Vic Pasternak: Lesson #13 — The last ride
The first time I quit cab driving, I figured it was my last — but I ended up quitting three (technically four) times after that. I might again. My first last shift was on a hot night in May. School was done and traffic was thin; everybody was moving out. It was time for me […]
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The Early Tears with Vic Pasternak: Lesson #12 — Mississippi Fred McDowell makes for a good night
Some nights are made lucky. For instance, the dayshift driver left a blues CD in the pleasure radio. Blues ain’t really my thing, but for whatever reason this set grabbed me. I even pulled the disc out to look at the name markered on it, then slid the disc back in. Just one dude playing […]
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The Early Tears with Vic Pasternak: Lesson #11 — Sometimes it’s best to pass up a good deal
Lyle stayed at the far end of 9th Street, out at 23rd Ave. He had a tic. He would gasp and catch a hand on his face like he might sneeze. The frequency and depth of his gasping would become pronounced as he got excited, which was often. He was peculiarly particular, an older gentleman, […]
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Comic by local artists Ben Mackey, Sean Lewis optioned for television
Artist Ben Mackey, a frequent Little Village contributor who’s illustrations most recently graced issue 203’s Weird Al interview, and writer Sean Lewis, who in June was named interim artistic director of Riverside Theatre, are staples of the arts scene in Iowa City. Recently, their work together has been garnering a lot of press outside of […]
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The Early Tears with Vic Pasternak: Lesson #10 — The one who got away
Sheraton circle, 0245 hours and two young lasses, one of whom began to dribble vomit as she plunked down. “Take it outside the cab.” Her friend asked, “Will you wait for us?” “I said take it outside the cab.” I was getting better at knowing who was going to puke, and when. I was also […]
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The Early Tears with Vic Pasternak: Lesson #9 — And Babel is the traffic of Language
#23. Maintain your lane. Dominate it. Most drivers aren’t paying attention. Take advantage of this and look the fuck out. #24. Drive off-center of the driver in front of you so as to see a direct angle of the traffic lanes ahead. If you can’t get an angle, look through their windshield. Try to get […]
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Writer’s Workshop alum Garth Greenwell makes National Book Award longlist
Iowa Writers’ Workshop graduate Garth Greenwell made the longlist for the National Book Award in fiction. His novel, What Belongs to You (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2015), has earned wide international acclaim and even received a separate UK edition. What Belongs to You follows the unlucky and complicated romance between an American high school teacher […]
