James Cain had Mildred Pierce set up in Laguna Beach, John Fante got Bandini lost in the desert in what would probably become the 5 freeway, and Raymond Chandler wrote one of his most famous passages ever about the Santa Ana winds. (And don’t forget neo-noir Brick, set along the surface streets of San Clemente.) Now noted publisher Akashic adds to the local lore with a new entry in its series of regional short-story collections: Orange County Noir, featuring work by authors like Barbara “Writers On Writing” DeMarco-Barrett and Orange Coast editor Martin J. Smith. “It’s the OC as you’ve never seen it,” said the LA Times, “and you’ll never think of it the same way.” Contributor, novelist and teacher Gordon McAlpine will read at this... More >>>