Born and raised in Laredo. Deep south side (El 4). Went out into the world, spent twenty years in the film industry, and eventually wrote a novel It's titled The Focus Puller. About half of it takes place in Laredo, 1975. The streets, the heat, the people, the feel of the place. Just published it. Wanted to share it with the people who'd recognize it most.
Santa Fe has a way of attracting people who are slightly out of focus with the rest of the world. That quality made its way into my first novel, The Focus Puller. A good chunk of it takes place there — eccentric seniors on a bus stop bench, a dream interpreter in tie-dye, a Kickapoo veteran with an Area 51 story, and Rio Zapata wandering through it all on a long strange trip he doesn't quite understand yet. Just published it. Felt like the right place to mention it.
Hey. I've lived in Austin for a long-ass time, Gerald Ford was president and Raul's was still hosting the Huns and The Skunks, deep south Texas roots as in Laredo. Spent two decades in the film industry as a camera assistant, finally wrote the novel I'd been putting off. Just published it. Feels like the right place to mention it -"The Focus Puller".
Been a lurker here for while, wanted to share some about my filmmaking past that may ring here and there. It was a world of smoke and mirrors, people playing pretend in wide, medium and closeup, and long-assed hours of glamour-free, stressful labor. I worked with many a fine camera operator, and one or two noteworthy DPs. Career put to a halt by attrition (I'd kinda had enough), With no more calls sheets to bug me (do they even give out call sheets anymore?) I became a novelist. My first book, "The Focus Puller" grew out of that filmmaking world.
Rio Zapata wakes up with a nagging ghost of a dream that sends him on a rambling walkabout in search of an answer to just what the hell it meant. We go along with him, sometimes leave him, but always meet up again along the way. Sometimes it's today, sometimes yesterday, occasionally even his or someone else's tomorrow. Rio gets his answer, makes his peace, and does it all with his eyes closed.