Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Tommy, Angelica, Johnny and me


This week, the Cleveland Scene is featuring an excerpt of my brother John's novel Better, with an introduction by Yours Truly, in which I outline the strange connection between my brother and famed Rugrats Tommy and Angelica.

Read it here.


For those itching for more, I offer the following links:

Rugrat's "Toy's in the Attic" part one.

Rugrat's "Toy's in the Attic" part two.

And an essay I wrote on "Better" for the Los Angeles Times last month.

Today's photo of John and me was taken circa 1984, when Rolling Rock and Stroh's were all the rage.



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5 comments:

dean said...

never understanding the realities and terror of the habit, but always very impressed with their random stays in treatment programs and close calls that amount, at best, to just another Christmas tree light turned on behind their eyes.

Man.

Writing is more than stringing words together. Good writing is as much about perception as it is about craft, and goddam this is some good writing.

DogsDontPurr said...

Wow. Your introduction totally gave me shivers. Spooky in a way, yet magical at the same time.

Anonymous said...

Cindi Trim.
These posts about John always leave me melancholy and part of the irony is I bet he was a helluva lot of fun.
Cindi Trim. Haven't all men missed their designated port of call because of Cindi?

RJ

Erin O'Brien said...

Thanks Dean, DDP and RJ. I very much appreciate your comments.

One of my favorite things in the book is Cindi Trim and her "Graffiti" restaurant, with the cans of spray paint tethered to the foundation so passers by might add to the authenticity of the establishment's name.

good gawd.

DogsDontPurr said...

Hey Erin~ I finally got my long awaited last post up about your visit, with some links. If there's anything you want me to change or add, please let me know.

Again, it was so great to meet you, and amazing to hear some of the back story to John's writing. Really amazing. And that is not enough of a word.