Impossibly Funky Comes from Detroit to Conquer the World!

For fourteen years Detroit author/editor Mike White toiled nights and weekends on his movie zine Cashiers du Cinemart. Starting as a scrappy xerox and stapled publication, the zine mutated over time to a magazine with international distribution, long after the siren song of the internet wooed most small publishers to its cheap epublishing. Now, the best of Cashiers du Cinemart has been collected into one volume, 2010's Impossibly Funky, a treasure trove of articles about film and popular culture.

White will be appearing with various guest stars in a Midwest tour in Autumn 2010, reading, signing copies of his first book, and doing occasional movie/shorts screenings.

• October 24 - Burton Theater - RSVP on FB - 3420 Cass Avenue Detroit, MI 48201 (w/Screening of Black Shampoo)
• November 3 - Brickbat Books - RSVP on FB - 709 South Fourth St, Philadelphia, PA 19147 (WSG author Chris Cummins)
• November 4-7 - Noircon - Society Hill Playhouse, 507 South 8th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
• November 12 - Vault of Midnight - RSVP on FB - 219 S. Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (w/Shorts & Trailers Screening)
• November 17 - Copacetic Comics - RSVP on FB - 3138 Dobson Street, Pittsburgh PA 15219 (WSG Cover illustrator Jim Rugg)
• November 18 - Midtown Scholar - RSVP on FB - 1302 North Third Street, Harrisburg PA 17102
• November 18 - Raconteur Books - RSVP on FB - 431 Main Street, Metuchen, NJ 08840 (WSG author Leon Chase)
• November 19 - Atomic Books - 3620 Falls Rd, Baltimore, MD, 21211 (WSG author Mike Faloon)
• November 21 - Chop Suey Books - RSVP on FB -Gallery 5, 200 W. Marshall St., Richmond, VA (w/Screening of Cockfighter)
• November 22 - Moviate - Mantis Collective Gallery, 1306 N 3rd St, Harrisburg, PA 17102-1970 (Screening of Black Shampoo
• November 23 - Washington Psychotronic Film Society - RSVP on FB - The Passenger, 1021 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 (w/Screening of Phantom of the Paradise)
• December 4 - Quimby's Bookstore - RSVP on FB - 1854 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
• December 11 - Toronto, ON (PENDING)

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The Voice of Detroit

I was lucky enough to get an invite down to WDET 101.9 FM, the local NPR affiliate, for an interview on the Craig Fahle show. Rob St. Mary locked me up in a little soundproof booth where my screams were ignored by everyone at the station. After I calmed down, I sat for a few questions and answers. A film fan, St. Mary asked some great questions. The above pic is a shot of Rob from where I sat in the Isolation Room.

The segment ran today and can be downloaded or listened to here: http://www.wdet.org/audio/craigfahle/227/CFS_10-18_Podcast.mp3. I'm about 1:46:45 into the proceedings. If you listen to the entire show, keep in mind that it's pledge time on public radio!

Speaking of, if you enjoyed the show, feel free to pledge at WDET.org.

Dude, That's Your Sister

Impossibly Funky Book Release Party in Detroit!

I'm just getting back from the Burton Theater in downtown Detroit where I locked in details of the Impossibly Funky book release party!

I've put the word out on Facebook and am hoping to get the word out to more folks. Feel free to spread the word as it's an open event! Here are all the pertinent details:

What	Impossibly Funky Book Release / Film Screening
Where	Burton Theater, Detroit
When	2PM-4:30PM, October 24, 2010
Who	Anyone who can make it!
How Much	$7 US

This will be the first time since the '70s that Black Shampoo has played in Detroit! There will also be a set of previews and short films including Who Do You Think You're Fooling? since it plays such big part in the book.

C'mon out for a good time!

Bookstores Selling Impossibly Funky

Having a book on Amazon feels like a big accomplishment for me since it's a worldwide site but I want to emphasize that there are a lot of good, local, independent booksellers that have picked up the book and are selling it in their brick & mortar stores as well as online. If you're going to order it, patronize these fine folks first, would ya?

• The Book Beat in Oak Park, MI
• Atomic Books in Baltimore, MD

There will be more places soon as I drop off books at the stores I'm visiting as well as stores who take the chance and order the book via Ingrams distribution. Note that the book in Ingrams's system is marked as "non-returnable" so a lot of booksellers will shy away from ordering a book by an unknown author with a goofy title. That said, most bookstores will special order and will carry a book if there's an audience for it. The key is to let them know that people want it.

Oh hai, Amazon!

How nice it was to finally do a search on Amazon on "Impossibly Funky" and find that the book is now available via the online book behemoth! That's right! You can now buy Impossibly Funky via Amazon, or put it on your Wishlist and have your loved ones buy it for you for your birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa!

Here's the link!

The Expendables Vs. My Soul to Take

My gang's got some cheesy shadows," says Stallone.

My gang's got some bitchin' reflection effects," says Generic Movie Teen #4

Who's gonna win?!?

Paracinema 10 - Now Available!

It's that time again, folks! It's time for the new issue of Paracinema, one of the best independent movie magazines being published today -- and I'm not just saying that since I've had a couple stories in their hallowed pages.

ISSUE 10 / Fall 2010 features:

• Melodrama in Fast Motion: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls As Not Just Strange but Scathing by Adam Blomquist
• Pink Socks and Monsters: Excess in Andrzej Żuławski's Possession by Todd Garbarini
• Film Fanatical: A Conversation with Author Danny Peary by Brian Saur
• Robert Downey, The Fool Prince by Brett Taylor

And, also, my piece about talking genitals in the movies. And, if that doesn't sell a few copies, I don't know what will.

Copies are just $7 (no shipping in the US) -- what a bargain! Order Now!

The Big Push

And now begins my big push to get Impossibly Funky into as many media outlets as I possibly can. Newspapers, blogs, radio, TV, social networks, whatever. Between the release of the book and the tour, it's time to take out all stops.

I've started compiling a list of media outlets in all the cities where I'll be appearing in November but if anyone can chime in with information -- the local alt-weekly, good film/pop culture/entertainment radio shows, book reviewers for the local paper, etc -- I'd appreciate it. As a refresher of where I'm going to be appearing, here's the list.

Of course I'm going to concentrate on Detroit and Philadelphia first and then bust some butt on Pittsburgh, Metuchin, Baltimore, Richmond, Washington DC and points in between. Thanks in advance for any help!