Christopher Meeks To Read From 'A Death In Vegas' At Skylight Books – Sept. 5

August 29, 2014 - The publication party for Christopher Meeks's new crime novel, "A Death in Vegas," will be at Skylight Books in Los Angeles on Friday, September 5, at 7:15 p.m. In "A Death in Vegas," the president of a company that specializes in beneficial bugs for organic gardeners discovers a young woman dead in his Las Vegas hotel suite. She had worked as a sexy lady bug at his convention booth — and he had nothing to do with her death.

While that's being investigated, the FBI raids his booth on a money-laundering scam that he knows nothing about. Soon, the coroner doesn't have good news, either. Who has set him up? Why? With the police and FBI are against him, and his wife missing, he flees to find answers and his wife.

Mr. Meeks will read briefly from his novel following fellow White Whisker Books author Shelly Lowenkopf, who will read from his recent short story collection, "Love Will Make You Drink and Gamble, Stay Out Late at Night." They will then take questions and sign their books.

Christopher Meeks first published short fiction in a number of literary journals, and the stories are available in two award-winning collections, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" and "Months and Seasons." Recently, he's focused on novels. "The Brightest Moon of the Century" is a story of a man who yearns for love and success, covering over thirty years-a tale that Marc Schuster of Small Press Reviews describes as "a great and truly humane novel in the tradition of Charles Dickens and John Irving."

"Love at Absolute Zero" is about a physicist who uses the tools of science to find his soul mate—and he has just three days. Critic Grady Harp calls the book "a gift." "Blood Drama" had him edge into a thriller when a graduate student in theatre is taken hostage in a bank robbery gone awry.

"With his tongue planted firmly in cheek, Christopher Meeks spins a charming and surprisingly sexy tale of murder, betrayal, and the importance of beneficial insects," says Mark Haskell Smith of the new book. Smith is the author of "Baked" and "Raw: A Love Story."

Shelly Lowenkopf taught in the University of Southern California's Master of Professional Writing Program for 34 years, has taught at the annual Santa Barbara Writer's Conference since 1980, and has been guest lecturer in many schools and conferences. He is currently Visiting Professor at the College of Creative Studies, UCSB, with classes in noir fiction, the modern short story, genre fiction, and developing a literary voice. Mr. Lowenkopf has served as editorial director for literary, general trade, mass market, and scholarly book publishers, seeing over 500 books through the editorial and production process. His own short fiction has appeared widely in the literary press.

Skylight Books is a general bookstore serving the historic Los Angeles neighborhoods of Hollywood, Los Feliz, Silver Lake, Echo Park, and Downtown. Skylight Books is located at 1818 N. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027; Tel: (323) 660-1175. For more information or ordering online, go to http://www.skylightbooks.com/event/charles-meeks-reads-death-vegas-and-shelly-lowenkopf-reads-love-will-make-you-drink-and-gamble

A DEATH IN VEGAS - ISBN 978-0983632993 - $14.95