description: Beneath the Black Palms lurks the other side of living.Los Angeles—the siren, the beast—is the central antagonist within these eleven masterful, stylistically-diverse short stories. Nolan Knight maneuvers the City to destroy with open arms, its warm torments ushered for lonesome dreamers, outcasts, squares, con men and have-nots. A couple on the run fouls-up by taking refuge in a Mid-City roach motel; a gambler scrambles to save his life through a gauntlet of loan sharks; a young gang member’s dream of becoming a famous T.V. chef are dashed by turf warfare; these sordid tales and more await.Come for the sunshine, stay for the dread. No one is spared Beneath the Black Palms , the most unforgettable short story collection in recent years.Praise for Nolan “Knight’s slangy prose is a perfect fit for characters whose dreams die slowly or explosively.” — Publishers Weekly“ The Neon Lights Are Veins is a dope-fueled gutter-punk odyssey through a gaudy nightmare version of Los Angeles. With echoes of James Ellroy and Nathanael West, Knight carves out his own bit of L.A. crime-writing turf in this impressive debut.” —Richard Lange, author of Rovers , Dead Boys , This Wicked World , Angel Baby , Sweet Nothing and The Smack“Nolan Knight is at the forefront of Hard-Ass-Noir. He’s the mad hatter of words and dark moody storytelling. He’s a creative crime-pugilist!” —Frank Bill, author of Crimes in Southern Indiana , Donnybrook and The Savage“Nolan Knight has written a dark, dirty and entertaining sewer ride through the neon-lit streets of Los Angeles. Imagine Nathanael West and Darby Crash writing a twenty-first century noir and you’ve got The Neon Lights Are Veins . Highly recommended.” —Jim Ruland, author of Corporate Rock The Rise and Fall of SST Records , Forest of Fortune , My The Story of a Punk Rock Survivor and Do What You The Story of Bad Religion“High action. Very fast paced. A great read. Highly Recommended.” —S.W. Lauden, author of Bad Citizen Corporation , Grizzly Season and Hang Time“Nolan Knight’s The Neon Lights Are Veins is unlike anything I’ve read before (and that’s saying something!). The novel’s story is a fast-paced mystery and caper, dragging the reader through the underbelly of the Los Angeles night, but most impressive is Knight’s in your face and no-holds-barred.” —Steph Post, author of A Tree Born Crooked , Lightwood , Holding Smoke and Miraculum“Hardboiled as all get out—no noir devotee will want to.” —Barry Gifford“Nolan Knight is at the forefront of Hard-Ass-Noir. He’s the mad hatter of words and dark moody storytelling. He’s a creative crime-pugilist!” —Frank Bill, author of Crimes in Southern Indiana , Donnybrook and The Savage“Amazing, beautiful, heartbreaking work.” —Allison Anders, writer/director of Gas Food Lodging , Border Radio , Mi Vida Loca and Grace of My Heart
title: Beneath the Black Palms: Stories