'Slap Noir'

Earlier this year, longtime Austin Chron­icle columnist Michael Ventura explained how James BigBoy Medlin's novel Slap Noir changed his life, inspiring him to launch LettersAt3amPress, an imprint for publishing that book and works of similar character. This week, he and Medlin return to Austin for a reading and booksigning of Slap Noir (Friday, July 18, 7pm, at BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar), which provides us with the perfect opportunity to run an excerpt from the book. But first, Ventura has a little something to say about the author.