{"id":4907,"date":"2022-11-01T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/?p=4907"},"modified":"2022-10-31T12:34:18","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:34:18","slug":"scene-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/scene-report\/","title":{"rendered":"American Underground Literature Scene Report Inside of Los Angeles and Small Part Minnesota by Candle Shaster"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-4907-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/TLE-Reading-at-Stories.m4a?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/TLE-Reading-at-Stories.m4a\">https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/TLE-Reading-at-Stories.m4a<\/a><\/audio>\n<p><br \/>Hello! My name is Candle Shaster, new \u201ccreative reporter\u201d for The Last Estate. For beginnings, here are some things: I am from Tokyo, Japan. But today, I live in Los Angeles. I enjoy rockabilly music, cheeseburgers, Marilyn Monroe, science fiction and modern American literature. I wear so many Murray\u2019s in my hair, I slide when I walk; like a Gumby show. Ha!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>(I am partly betraying your trust: my real name is Hibiki Kaneko. When moving to Los Angeles, I made a game to reinvent myself. I picked the most American name I could think: Candle Shaster, name of the tough guy in Harlan Ellison\u2019s first novel \u201cWeb of the City,\u201d best street gang story to be from Brooklyn, New York. But look now and consider\u2014here I am in Los Angeles!)<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Imagine my joy to Gabriel Hart permission of my feet in the water, to write this essay on the reading hosted Sunday at Stories Books in Echo Park: The Last Estate Presents! Featuring these underground writers: James Nulick, Grant Wamack, Adam Johnson (he is from Minnesota!) and Linda Ravenswood. Oh! And of course, Gabriel Hart, the host!\u00a0<br \/><br \/><\/p>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-4907 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-scaled.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"193\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-193x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4922\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-193x300.jpg 193w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-660x1024.jpg 660w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-768x1191.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-990x1536.jpg 990w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-1321x2048.jpg 1321w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_0853-scaled.jpg 1651w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 193px) 100vw, 193px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4922'>\n\t\t\t\tAdam Johnson, Gabriel Hart, Grant Wamack, James Nulick\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3309.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"213\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3309-213x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4921\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3309-213x300.jpg 213w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3309-727x1024.jpg 727w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_3309.jpg 742w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 213px) 100vw, 213px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4921'>\n\t\t\t\tJames Nulick, Grant Wamack\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5404.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5404-300x283.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4917\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5404-300x283.jpg 300w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5404.jpg 620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4917'>\n\t\t\t\tGabriel Hart\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-scaled.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5338-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4919'>\n\t\t\t\tLinda Ravenswood\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-scaled.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_5339-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4920'>\n\t\t\t\tAdam Johnson\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-scaled.jpg'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-225x300.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/IMG_1183-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt>\n\t\t\t\t<dd class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4918'>\n\t\t\t\tAll pictures taken by Candle Shaster (me!)\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><br \/>Where are my thoughts? First, was Gabriel Hart. He nicknamed himself \u201csacrificial lamb\u201d to start the show. Hart read a very exciting story about cocaine, Mexican gangster, and white people called \u201cCrossing Alvarado.\u201d It is featured story in Rock and a Hard Place, issue 6. When I told him I enjoyed the story, he started to say it was proposed Best American Mystery and Suspense, but then quieted himself, shaking his head. He said he felt sad tonight because his friend Lizzie was on program to participate, but she is now deceased.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Next on the stage was Linda Ravenswood, a poet who created cold temperature in the courtyard. Her poem was told of an unfortunate girl with no arms, begging for help. Did anyone ever help her, I wondered? When I asked Linda what happened to the girl, she said she is still alive. And, also married! Even though it\u2019s just a poem, it was so good that I still think about the girl today.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I hoped in my heart so that Grant Wamack would not remind us about dead girls. He didn\u2019t! Instead he read of his new book <i>Black Gypsies<\/i>, and drove a nighttime car ride through the dark streets of Chicago. They stole a car and found money! The police did not arrest when they saw the gym bag,\u201d instead telling \u201cGordo\u201d to use it because he is fat.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Adam Johnson is always from Minneapolis! He comes to L.A. very much for the reading in a premium grey suit. Before he performed, he told Gabriel Hart \u201cDon\u2019t tell audience I am a criminal defense lawyer, people hate lawyers.\u201d He read from his new book <i>Cialis! Verdi! Gin! Jag!<\/i> and many people laughed. Also, many people felt discomfort. He said, \u201cI think that\u2019s enough for now!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For the very last but not first, James Nulick was the best. Gabriel curled his fingers, told me he was an \u201celder statesman\u201d of the American underground literature. Dropping night, Nulick heard this and felt a shyness about his age. Despite this, Nulick is talented with great passion and remarkable suffering, a story called \u201cDoe\u201d from his new book \u201cLazy Eye\u201d from Expat Press, my favorite. No dead women this time, only dead babies, but Nulick appeared mad about the dead baby.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And when I thought it was finished, Gabriel introduced me to his deceased friend Lizzie\u2019s father, also named James! An honor. I tried to feel her spirit though him, but instead, I learned he remembered how to smile again, sometimes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Until next time! xoxo Your friend, Candle (single, much dripping, because The Spiciest Flame!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hello! My name is Candle Shaster<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":4910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beyondthelastestate.com\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}