Willy Vlautin

Northline in Dutch

willy — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 15:22:18 +0000

Northline is freshly printed in Dutch by publisher NIJGH & VAN DITMAR. The book is beautiful! And it comes with the original CD soundtrack.

spring 2013

willy — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 05:50:51 +0000

March 11 : Willy opening for Rick Bass and Stellarondo at Secret Society, Portland, OR
April 12 – 14 : Get Lit at the Beach, Cannon Beach, OR
May 5 – 10 : Richmond Fontaine acoustic (Sean, Dan & Willy) residency, Crystal Hotel, Portland, OR (see the RF site for details and special guests!)

Richmond Fontaine Duo (Willy & Dan)

May 29 : Leap Castle, Roscrea, Ireland

May 31 : Writers Week, Listowel, Ireland (afternoon reading and evening performance)

June 1 – 2: Working Class Hero Festival, Drammen, Norway

June 3 : Mono, Oslo, Norway

Rare Solo Gig with Rick Bass

willy — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 05:43:09 +0000

Come on down to Secret Society on Monday, March 11 to see Willy in a rare solo performance opening up for Rick Bass and Stellarondo. As you may have noticed, Willy’s been on the down-low for a year or so, finishing his new novel The Free (coming out this time next year) and working on new songs. Expect to hear some new stuff at this gig, and don’t expect to see him again any time soon (unless you live in Ireland, Norway, Sweden or Finland – more on that later). Of course, Rick Bass is draw enough and Willy is a huge fan.

The Motel Life (film) Wins 3 Awards

willy — Thu, 22 Nov 2012 21:00:37 +0000

Great news from the Rome International Film Festival! The Motel Life made an impressive showing, taking home the Audience Choice Award as well as the awards for Screenplay and Editing. It received a roaring round of applause after the premier screening and there was quite a bit of buzz about its cast, cinematography, animation, and story. Release dates are still TBA but fingers crossed you’ll see it at a theater near you soon…

Meanwhile, check out this early review.

Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving!

The Village Voice

willy — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 04:40:38 +0000

We just came across a great article in The Village Voice about musicians who also write “damn fine” fictional prose. Apparently Willy’s keeping company with the likes of Nick Cave, Gloria Estefan, Richard Hell and fellow Portlander Colin Meloy. Nice props.

The Motel Life goes to Rome

willy — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 16:41:20 +0000

For those of you wondering what’s going on with the movie version of Willy’s first novel, The Motel Life… there is news. And it is good. The Motel Life will have its premier screening at the Rome Film Festival in November. In case you didn’t know the movie had been made, it was filmed last year in and around Reno, and stars Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Dakota Fanning, and Kris Kristofferson. We’ve seen some footage and are pleased to say that Reno looks amazing and there is some great animation by the venerable Mike Smith. We can’t wait to see the final version in Rome.

fall events

willy — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 03:44:37 +0000

Willy is planning to be holed up most of this fall, working on literary and musical projects, but he’s been convinced to come out for a couple events…

October 10 @ 5:00 pm : Kalama Council Chamber, Kalama, WA (part of READ KALAMA, a Kalama Public Library program)

October 20 @ 7:00 pm : Manzanita Writers’ Series, Hoffman Center, Manzanita, OR

And then a little jaunt overseas…

November 9 – 17 : Rome Film Festival (premier screening of The Motel Life)

late summer events

willy — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:37:00 +0000

Willy reading with Jonathon Evison, author of West of Here and The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving…

Saturday, August 25th @ 5:00pm : Sunriver Books and Music : Sunriver, OR
Wednesday, September 5th @ 7:30 PM : Powell’s Books : Portland, OR

Late Summer Events

willy — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:33:17 +0000

Willy is happy to announce two readings with his great pal Jonathan Evison. Johnny has a tremendous new novel, The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving, so Willy is coming out of hiding for two events. He’ll likely read from a new story called Lorna, soon to be published by the good folks at Tin House. Hope to see you there…

Saturday August 25th @ 5:00pm : Sunriver Books and Music : Sunriver, OR

Wednesday, September 5th @ 7:30 PM : Powell’s Books : Portland, OR

New York Magazine

willy — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 03:44:45 +0000

Check out the column George Pelecanos wrote for “The Vulture Diaries” – a daily catalog of his cultural consumption – which features Richmond Fontaine and Willy Vlautin, along with some other great book and movie tips. George Pelecanos is, as far as we’re concerned, the greatest American crime novelist working today. He’s responsible for some of Willy’s favorites – Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go and The Sweet Forever, as well as HBO’s brilliant The Wire and Treme. Willy and the boys greatly appreciate the props from such a revered dude.

city lights

willy — Thu, 17 May 2012 04:26:45 +0000

Willy couldn’t be more excited to be reading at the world famous City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco with the iconic Barry Gifford. Barry will be reading from his new book of poetry, Imagining Paradise, and Willy will read from a new story, soon to be published in Tin House’s upcoming issue. Who knows – Willy might even play a song…

Hope to see you there: Thursday, May 31 @ 7:00pm

Lean on Pete shortlisted for IMPAC award!

willy — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:46:16 +0000

The 10 finalists for the prestigious International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award were announced this morning, and Lean on Pete made the cut from some 150 on the longlist. The Irish Times says Pete is a “stand out”. The IMPAC award is the largest and most international prize of its kind with nominations submitted by libraries all over the world for books in any language. Willy is overwhelmed by the honor. The winner will be announced June 13. Keep your fingers crossed for Pete and Charley!

Lean on Pete longlisted

willy — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:51:09 +0000

Lean on Pete is on the longlist for the Dioraphte Jongeren Literatuurprijs, a prize for the best young adult book of 2011 in Holland (where “young adult” means under 30). You can help get it on the shortlist by voting here (much easier to do if you can read Dutch). There is a jury prize and an audience (vote) prize. Really cool to be on the list in one of Willy’s favorite places in the world!

Update March 30: Made the shortlist!

Cheers, and happy spring!

Lean on Pete in France

willy — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:25:38 +0000

Lean on Pete is being published by the very cool house 13e Note Editions, release date in April. 13e is well known for publishing such great authors as Nelson Algren, Barry Gifford, Charles Bukowski, and William S. Burroughs Jr. Willy is thrilled to be on their roster. He’ll be attending the international lit-film-art festival Quais du Polar in Lyon in March and doing a string of appearances in France in support of Lean on Pete. Thanks 13e!

spring tour & the jayhawks

willy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:25:06 +0000

In March, Willy and Dan will be heading across the pond to do a handful of acoustic gigs, including a bunch of shows supporting The Jayhawks (sweet, huh?!). Go to the events page for dates.

Then… end of March/early April, Willy goes to France for readings and a couple of literary festivals. Lean on Pete will be fresh out in France. Stay tuned for details!

spring tour & the jayhawks

willy — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:16:59 +0000

Willy and Dan will be heading across the pond to do a handful of acoustic gigs, including a bunch of shows supporting The Jayhawks. How cool is that? See you soon…

March 8 – Leicester – The Musician

March 9 – Tingewick – Village Hall

March 10 Edinburgh – HMV Picturehouse *

March 11 – Liverpool – Academy *

March 12 – Bristol – Academy *

March 13 – Dublin – Button Factory *

March 14 – Belfast – Spring and Airbrake *

March 15 – Dundalk – Spirit Store

March 16 – Cologne – Die Kantine *

March 17 – Berlin – The Lido*

March 18 – Hamburg – Greuspan*

March 19 – Guildford – Crypt Bar, Angel Hotel

March 20 – Cardiff – Ten Feet Tall

March 21 – Bath – Chapel Arts Centre

March 22 – Zagreb – Mali Pogon, Tvornica Kulture

March 23 – Belgrade – Gun Club

March 24 – Vienna – Haus der Musik

*Supporting THE JAYHAWKS

The Motel Life, Swedish + HUGE Sonic article

willy — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:14:06 +0000

Willy is happy to announce that THE MOTEL LIFE has just come out in Sweden, published by the great folks at Bakhall. The edition is hardback and really looks amazing – a really beautifully printed book with nice paper, printing, and a great cover… very collectible! Huge thanks to our pals in Sweden. Northline will be published by Bakhall next fall.

There’s a great article on Willy & Reno in Sweden’s leading music magazine, SONIC. It’s a really nice (and huge – 8 pages) article with great pics. Even better if you can read in Swedish.

summer / fall tour

willy — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:01:28 +0000

Richmond Fontaine is touring the new album The High Country overseas this summer & fall. Singer Amy Boone (The Damnations) will be along for the first set of dates, singing The Girl parts and playing keyboards. The album will be played straight through from start to finish, plus some oldies but goodies from the RF back catalog and a Damnations tune or two…

Sept 8 – MFNW, Portland, OR- Mississippi Studios
Sept 10 – MFNW, Portland, OR – Burnside Party @ Rontoms 6pm
Sept 15 – Manchester Academy 3
Sept 16 – Oxford – Bullingdon Arms
Sept 17 – Exeter – The Phoenix
Sept 18 – Winchester – SXSC Festival at the Railway
Sept 19 – Bristol – The Tunnels
Sept 20 – Sheffield – The Greystones
Sept 21 – Leeds – Brudenell Social Club
Sept 22 – Glasgow – Stereo
Sept 23 – Newcastle – Cluny
Sept 24 – Bedford – The Civic
Sept 25 – Nottingham – The Glee Club
Sept 26 – Norwich – Arts Centre
Sept 27 – Scala, London. Richmond Fontaine perform “Post to Wire” and “The High Country” in full
Sept 28 – Antwerp – Twix
Sept 29 – Groningen, NL – Vera
Sept 30 – Oberhausen, DE – Druckluft
Oct 1 – Amsterdam – Paradiso
Oct 2 – Brighton – Coalition
Oct 6 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
Oct 7 – Portland, OR – Star Theater
Oct 19 – Cadiz, ES - Edificio Constitución 1812
Oct 20 – Murcia, ES – 12 y 1/2
Oct 21- Santander, ES – black bird
Oct 22 – Vigo, ES – la iguana
Oct 23 – Madrid, ES – siroco
Oct 25 – Freiburg, DE – Cafe Atlantik w/ 22 Pistepirkko
Oct 26 – DE – TBC
Oct 27 – Munster, DE – Gleis 22 w/Pistepirkko
Oct 28 – Bremen, DE – MS Treue
Oct 29 – Berlin, DE – White Trash
Oct 30 – Svendborg, DK – Kulturhus
Oct 31 – Norderstedt, DE – Music Star
Nov 1 – Copenhagen, DK – KB18
Nov 2 – Malmo, SE – KB
Nov 3 – Stockholm, SE – Debasser Slusssen
Nov 4 – Dublin, IE – Work Mans Club Dublin
Nov 5 – Cork, IE – Cyprus Ave
Nov 6 – Kilkenny, IE – Cleere’s
Nov 7 – Belfast, UK – Empire
Nov 8 – Galway, IE – Roisin Dubh
Nov 9 – Trondheim, NO – Credo (Willy & Dan duo show)
Nov 10 – Oslo, NO – Mono (Willy & Dan duo show)
Nov 11 – UK tbc
Nov 12 – Liverpool Americana UK Festival (Willy & Dan duo show)

gearing up…

willy — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:49:49 +0000

The new record, The High Country, is all wrapped up and ready to go. Release dates are: September 5 in the UK & Europe, and September 20 in the US. (Psst, if you’re a superfan and must have it now, you can buy it on the RF site. Early reviews have been great! Uncut gave it 4 stars and Americana Album of the Month, Q Magazine gave it 4 stars, and the Irish Times 5 stars. Forget your preconceived notions about concept records… The High Country actually makes sense! And musically, it’s a whopper.

Willy and the RF boys are gearing up for The High Country tour overseas. But first, they’re plaing two shows in Portland this week for Music Fest NW. Amy Boone (The Damnations) will be along for these gigs, singing The Girl parts from The High Country, and playing keyboards. See the events page for dates.

Willy and Roddy Doyle

willy — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:58:19 +0000

Willy is absolutely thrilled to have the honor of reading with Roddy Doyle at the Galway Arts Festival on July 19. You can’t have a conversation about books with Willy without hearing about Roddy Doyle and his books Paula Spencer and The Woman Who Walked into Doors. Willy considers him to be one of the greatest contemporary writers. Plus, this is happening in Willy’s favorite Irish town, Galway. Doesn’t get much better…

The Ne’er-Do-Well

willy — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 02:33:58 +0000

Willy recently contributed a story to a nifty literary magazine, with its most current issue of working class stories, The Ne’er-Do-Well. Sales of this issue go to support the strike fund of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (which includes employees of our beloved Powell’s Books). Buy a copy and check out Willy’s story “Maybe in the End…” along with work by Kevin Sampsell, Suzanne Burns, Gigi Little, Chris A. Bolton, Sheila Ashdown, Megan Zabel, Daniel Hall, Christina Mackin, Jill Holtz, and John Gifford.

Pete gets a lucky break

willy — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 23:51:41 +0000

Make that two lucky breaks… We are thrilled to announce that on Monday night Willy took home two awards for Lean on Pete: the Ken Kesey Award for Fiction and the Oregonian/Literary Arts Peoples’ Choice Award. Big thanks to everyone who voted! Look for Willy this summer at events across Oregon with other Oregon Book Award winners (dates TBA).

Meanwhile, today Willy is off to Holland to promote the release of Lean on Pete there (see events page for info).

A Motorcycle for A Horse

willy — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:19:08 +0000

Keeping busy these days… The trade paperback edition of Lean on Pete recently came out in the UK (Faber) and Willy recorded a special story to accompany it. Titled A Motorcylcle for A Horse, the short story was written as a companion piece to Lean on Pete and features characters from the novel: Charley Thompson, Lonnie Dixon, and Lean on Pete. The recording includes music by Richmond Fontaine members and, of course, reading by Willy. You can download it here.

Richmond Fontaine just wrapped up recording on their tenth studio album, The High Country, which is set to release in September 2011. Tour dates TBA. Check back at the RF site or Willy’s Events page.

If you haven’t already done so, please vote for Willy and Lean on Pete for the Oregon Book Awards Peoples Choice Award, to be announced April 25. Voting ends on the 18th. Your support is most appreciated!

Oregon Book Awards

willy — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:07:28 +0000

Great news… Lean on Pete has been shortlisted for the Oregon Book Award (Ken Kesey Award for Fiction). Literary Arts presents the Oregon Book Awards annually for the finest accomplishments by Oregon writers in poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama and young readers literature. This year’s awards will be presented April 25, 2011.

Lean on Pete is also eligible for the People’s Choice Award, for which you can vote here. Voting closes April 18. Fingers crossed…

year end accolades for lean on pete

willy — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 04:43:55 +0000

LEAN ON PETE is popping up on the darnedest Best of 2010 lists..

Eileen Battersby’s Books of the Year (Irish Times)
Hot Press #1 Book of the Year
The Oregonian’s Best Books of 2010
Roddy Doyle’s favorite books of the year (The Guardian)
Chicago Sun Times “Our Favorite Books of the Year”
Uncut’s top ten books of the year
RTE, “10 from ’10, the Books of the Year”
and #3 on The Independent’s 50 Best Winter Reads

pnba shortlist announced

willy — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 19:26:40 +0000

The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association has announced the shortlist for its 2011 awards, and LEAN ON PETE has been selected as one of 19 finalists from over 200 nonminations. Winners to be announced in January.

pete makes #3 in britain

willy — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 01:56:03 +0000

Lean on Pete has been chosen as #3 in The Independent’s “50 Best Winter Reads“. The low-down from the judges: ‘An occasionally heartbreaking novel from Vlautin, one of the freshest voices in American fiction.’

richmond fontaine, the horse

willy — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:31:19 +0000

A very kind and hopeful gentleman in England has named a 2-year-old thoroughbred racing colt after Richmond Fontaine. And by God, the little guy won his first race. Very exciting news. We’ll post updates on his career. Like his namesakes, quite the handsome young fella….

thank you

willy — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:07:27 +0000

Willy would like to extend a huge Thank You to Multnomah County Libraries, Friends of the Library, and Pageturners for inviting him to discuss Lean on Pete. Willy attended ten Pageturners groups and greatly enjoyed meeting the readers at each one. It is groups like these that keep books alive and well. Thank you!

wordstock, satyricon

willy — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:53:54 +0000

Fresh back from Festival America in Paris (yes, some French people actually appreciate American film & lit), Willy is lucky enough to be making two appearances at the great Portland lit fest Wordstock this weekend. Look for him Saturday and Sunday — panel discussion and reading, respectively. More details on the events page.

Next weekend RF will be playing at Satyricon with Fernando and Bingo. It’ll be one of the last gigs there before the building is demolished. Word is Fontaine will be dusting off some vintage material for this one. Come on down and say farewell to Portland’s greatest ruck club, Friday Oct 15.

summer news

willy — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 04:13:24 +0000

Willy is heading overseas for a quick trip to the Edinburgh International Book Festival and then to Germany to celebrate the release of Lean on Pete there. Later this summer he and pedal steel genius Paul Brainard will be playing at the Sisters Folk Festival and RF will be playing Musicfest NW. Check out the events page for gig info.

summer festival time

willy — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:25:19 +0000

Willy is just back from Australia, where he had a great time at the Sydney Writers Festival and enjoyed a few swell acoustic gigs with Dan in Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. Check out this Conversation with Richard Fidler Willy recorded for ABC radio in Sydney.

Willy and Richmond Fontaine are looking forward to a mellow summer, but will be appearing at Edinburgh International Book Festival, Pickathon, and Sisters Folk Festival. Check the events page for dates.

Willy on W+K Storytime

willy — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 03:59:53 +0000

Willy recented recored an episode of the super-cool Wieden+Kennedy radio program Storytime. The episode features tunes by RF and Willy reading an excerpt from Lean on Pete. Click here to listen.

Lean on Pete makes Indie Pick list

willy — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:39:31 +0000

The American Booksellers Association has chosen Lean on Pete for its Indie Next Great Reads list for May 2010, making Willy 3 for 3 (The Motel Life and Northline also made it).

Lean on Pete on Irish TV

willy — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:58:53 +0000

RTE’s arts program The View (not to be confused with the American program!) recently featured Lean on Pete. Watch it here.

US dates set for Lean on Pete

willy — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:52:42 +0000

The US release date for Lean on Pete is April 13, and Willy will be heading out on the road for readings and gigs in April & May. Click here for dates.

Paint a Vulgar Picture

willy — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 19:31:53 +0000

Willy was mentioned recently on NPR’s All Things Considered for his contribution to a book of short stories based on songs by The Smiths (in the UK it’s called Paint a Vulgar Picture: Fiction Inspired by the Smiths and in the US Please: Fiction Inspired by The Smiths). In the interview, editor Peter Wild cites Willy’s story based on the song Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before. Click on the MP3 link below to listen.

npr-atc-smiths

Press for Lean on Pete

willy — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:14:40 +0000

So far the critics have been kind…

‘As one boy’s journey, Lean on Pete is as real as blood: as a novel it is remarkable. Willy Vlautin, romantic and realist, has written something special that will make you shudder, weep, rage and wonder at how such things happen and do, and how some individuals such as Charley can suffer them, absorb the grief, and somehow survive. How good is contemporary US fiction? This good: catch your breath good.’
Eileen Battersby, Irish Times

‘Lean on Pete confirms his status as one of the most emotionally charged writers in America … Spare, dry, ingenuous, his prose is quickly compelling … Vlautin’s characters, memorable however curtailed their cameos might be, become a sketchbook of America … It’s a dark tale, lit with sporadic flashes of redeeming brilliance, told with aching compassion. There’s music in the stark writing, the urban clamour or Portland giving way to the keening twang of the open spaces. The band has to be a hobby now. Vlautin is a writer.’
Sunday Herald

‘Lean On Pete is an archetypal American novel, Huck Finn for the crystal-meth generation. If there’s the occasional touch of sentimentality, it’s hard-earned and welcome. This is a sad, often brutal, but oddly beautiful portrait of an America that’s forgotten only because we choose not to remember its continuing existence.’ Independent

Coconut Pirate

willy — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:22:36 +0000

826 National is a non-profit that helps kids aged 6-18 improve their writing skills. The good folks there have a cool fundraising project going, and Willy is the latest contributor. Read his super-short story, Coconut Pirate, and then bid on the actual coconut pirate here to benefit 826 National. Come on. You know you want a coconut pirate.

UPDATE: SOLD! Yes indeed the coconut pirate has sold to some lucky bloke. Envious, aren’t you?

Lean on Pete video

willy — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:30:37 +0000

Check out the short video created by Brad Beenders for Willy’s new novel, Lean on Pete. It features some cool race horse footage shot at Portland Meadows, a house that looks remarkably like the one Willy imagined Charley to live in, and of course Willy’s voice & tunes.

Lean on Pete release in the UK & Ireland

willy — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 02:19:13 +0000

Willy’s third novel, Lean on Pete, is out February 4 in the UK & Ireland (US fans will have to wait until April, sorry). Willy is heading out for readings & solo gigs in early Feb., and will be joined by the band later in Feb./March for a slew of gigs across the EU. Hope to see you there. Click here for tour dates. Cheers.

Happy Holidays

willy — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:07:27 +0000

What better way to celebrate the holidays than with an alcoholic overweight unemployed jockey! Willy wrote, narrated, and created music for A Jockey’s Christmas, a spoken word short story about misfit jockey JD going home for the holidays. Order now and get it in time for Christmas.

Cheers & Happy Holidays!

Northline out in Spain

willy — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:18:22 +0000

Spanish publisher La Otra Orilla has just released Northline, translated by Nuria Salinas (who also translated The Motel Life). These guys really know how to print a book. It’s a real beauty of a cover, featuring an illustration by Nate Beaty. Thanks to the kind peeps at La Otra Orilla for treating Willy so well.

Thanks Sanibel & FGCU!

willy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:09:27 +0000

The Sanibel Writers Conference was fantastic! Met a bunch of cool writers and other literary types there, and really enjoyed the Florida sunshine. Conference director Tom DeMarchi does an amazing job with this event. Big thanks to Tom and FGCU for hosting me and putting on such a great gathering. Cheers!

Big in Texas. Going to Florida.

willy — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 02:08:41 +0000

Northline is a finalist for the 2009 Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards.

Willy has been invited to the Sanibel Island Writers Conference in November. We’re pretty sure it will be warmer there than in Scappoose, so he’ll be there with bells on. He’ll be teaching a workshop and doing a reading (and perhaps a song or two if he has any voice left after the current tour and sickness).

Happy Autumn. It hit hard today here in the not-so-pacific Northwest.

vote for willy & the boys

willy — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:42:41 +0000

Magnet’s latest online poll for “What Album Are You Most Looking Forward To Next Week?” includes Richmond Fontaine. Please VOTE for RF’s We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like the River! Let’s see if we can’t get a respectable voter turnout…

Thanks.

We Used to Think…

willy — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:24:16 +0000

Sorry we haven’t posted any news lately. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.

Two good reasons to check out the new Minus 5 record Killingsworth: first of all, it’s a great record and secondly, Willy co-wrote the lyrics to the song “Big Beat Up Moon” with legendary musician and all-around cool guy Scott McCaughey. Click here for more info.

Willy and the Fontaine boys have just completed their new CD We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River. The album will be released in late August in the UK and in the fall in the US and Europe. Tour dates to come. The nice folks at Trash Aesthetics are putting out a 7-inch of “You Can Move Back Here” from the new album plus an exclusive song “Now You Know It Too”. The 7-inch is a cool package, featuring a screen-printed, hand colored cover and a great short-short story from Willy.

Another cool tidbit: Willy is one of three writers selected by the BBC to write a short story based on a Tom Waits song. Willy’s story is called Muriel and it will be read on BBC radio later this summer. Details to come.

And finally, Willy’s third novel Lean On Pete is complete and headed for the presses in the US and UK. Release dates are set for winter 2010. This is a good one, folks… some are saying it’s his best yet.

Stay tuned for details on release dates, gigs, readings, etc.
Cheers

NORTHLINE published in Germany

willy — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:06:20 +0000

NORTHLINE has just been released in Germany by publisher BERLIN VERLAG. The reviews are coming in and they’re great! (We’ll post them on the press page soon). Berlin Verlag put together a fantastic tour featuring German actresses reading as Allison Johnson, accompanied by Willy and RF guitar man Dan Eccles playing songs from the NORTHLINE soundtrack.

Willy and Dan had a great time in Germany and would like to thank the actresses who read at the events – Nicolette Krebitz, Lesley Malton, and Maren Rahmann – and everyone who came out to support. Special thanks to the great people at Berlin Verlag!

Actress Nicolette Krebitz read NORTHLINE for a German audiobook. Click here to learn more about the making of the CD.

If you’re ever in Regensburg please go to Buchhandlung Dombrowsky to buy your books. Danke Ulrich!

More year-end accolades for Northline

willy — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:02:45 +0000

More reasons for Willy to not feel like a loser…
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer’s book critic John Marshall gave Northline the #2 slot in his 10 Best Books Read in 2008 (right behind Out Stealing Horses–not too shabby), calling Willy “a master of raw, realistic dialogue”. And The Willamette Week picked the Northline soundtrack as one of its Five Local Albums We Love, saying “…the record grabs you by the gut and pulls you into its pages… This one stays with you.” The Mercury chimed in with a last-minute “best of” list, too, with perhaps the cheekiest quote of all: “If you haven’t yet read… Willy Vlautin, I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU.”
From overseas… John Burnside of the Sunday Herald calls Northline “perhaps the most moving novel of the year.” The Irish Independent also includes Northline in its best of 2008, calling the novel and soundtrack “quality through and through”.
Right on.

Thanks Music Millennium!

willy — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:52:09 +0000

We want to thank our friends at Music Millennium (the coolest ever record store, which we are lucky enough to have in Portland) for the great window display they did for A Jockey’s Christmas. If you’re a Portlander, please go check it out and support your local record store. If you’re not a Portlander, you can still support our local record store here.

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all.

Oregonian picks Northline in Best of 2008

willy — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:37:18 +0000

The Oregonian has selected Northline as one of the ten best Northwest books of 2008. “Northline demonstrates that (Vlautin) is not a one-hit wonder… this sad, sweet, short book tells a moving story of beaten-down figures struggling to survive in the gritty landscapes of urban Nevada.” The Oregonian also chose Willy’s debut novel, The Motel Life, for this list in 2007. Read more here.

UNCUT includes Northline in ‘Best of 2008′

willy — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:09:16 +0000

The UK’s Uncut magazine’s December issue includes Nothline in its list of Best Books of 2008. “Heartbreaking excursion into the world of woe… (this) was as good as anything similar by notables of destitute American fiction like Denis Johnson and Daniel Woodrell”.

If you haven’t yet got a copy, Willy’s offering a Christmas special through December 24. Get a signed copy of Northline (or The Motel Life) and he’ll throw in A Jockey’s Christmas for only $5!

Happy Holidays

A Jockey’s Christmas

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:59:32 +0000

Just in time for the holidays, Willy has released a spoken word Christmas story on CD. A Jockey’s Christmas is the story of an alcoholic overweight misfit jockey going home for the holidays. Written and narrated by Willy (of course) with sound effects and musical accompaniment by Willy, Paul Brainard, and Ralph Huntley, it plays like an old time radio show. Includes two bonus songs about horseracing. Order your copy from our store.

Courtney Hunt set for Northline

admin — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:29:26 +0000

We are thrilled to announce that Courtney Hunt just signed on to write and direct the film version of NORTHLINE! Her film Frozen River won the grand jury prize at Sundance. Jeff Sharp of Sharp Independent will produce the film. Read more here.