Big Blue Marble Readings for Writers series continues with Noir novelists Jon McGoran and Tony Knighton. They'll be reading from their own work, and from classic Noir, and giving advice on following the now-famous Mamet Memo and the Elmore Leonard "leave out the parts people skip" rule of writing.
Tony Knighton is both an author and a lieutenant in the Philadelphia Fire Department, a thirty year veteran. Born in western Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh, his family moved to Philadelphia when he was seven. With the exceptions of a short stay in Toronto, Ontario, and the military, he’s been in Philadelphia ever since.
His novel Three Hours Past Midnight, as well as his novella and story collection Happy Hour and Other Philadelphia Cruelties, have been published with Crime Wave Press. His story “The Scavengers” is included in the anthology Shocklines: Fresh Voices in Terror, published by Cemetery Dance, as well as in Year’s Best Hardcore Horror: Volume 1 from Comet Press. and his story “Sunrise” is included in the anthology Equilibrium Overturned, published by Grey Matter Press. He has also published short fiction in Static Movement Online and Dark Reveries.
In addition to his work as a fireman, he has also worked on the side as a roofer for many years. Knighton served in the United States Marine Corps, and attends classes sporadically at Community College of Philadelphia, where he met his wife Julie, an associate professor of English.
Jon McGoran is the author of Spliced, a near-future YA science fiction thriller that Kirkus calls, “Timely, thrilling, and more than a little scary.” Splintered, the sequel to Spliced, will be out May 2019.
McGoran’s other books include the acclaimed ecological thrillers Drift, Deadout, and Dust Up, as well as The Dead Ring, based on the hit TV show, The Blacklist. Writing as D. H. Dublin, he is also the author of the forensic thrillers Body Trace, Blood Poison and Freezer Burn.
When not writing novels and short fiction or cohosting The Liars Club Oddcast, McGoran works as a freelance writer (samples available here), developmental editor, and writing coach. To learn more, email jon@jonmcgoran.com.
