Book World Live

Walter Mosley

"The job of the writer is to take a close and uncomfortable look at the world they inhabit, the world we all inhabit, and the job of the novel is to make the corpse stink. If writing was always only a good adventure with a teary or cheery ending, books would not be worth the effort to read or to write."

-- The Writing Life , (Nov. 20, 2005).

Renowned novelist Walter Mosley, whose essay on the writer's obligation and lessons learned along the way appeared in yesterday's issue of Book World, will be online Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m. ET to field questions and comments.

Submit questions and comments either before or during the discussion.

Walter Mosley is the author of nearly two dozen crime novels, including the well known Easy Rawlins collection, "Devil in a Blue Dress" and most recently, "Cinnamon Kiss."

Join Book World Live each Tuesday for a discussion based on a story or review in each Sunday's Book World section.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: When you began writing, you stated it was difficult or risky for writers to place within their works political discussions. Now it seems many writers are challenging readers with political viewpoints. If you agree there has been greater acceptance and instances of political writings, what do you attribute this to?

Walter Mosley: Hmm. That's an interesting question. I think as a rule there still is reticence on behalf of publishers to deal with politcal work. It's not that they won't publish it, it's just that they don't invest very deeply in it. That being said, we live in very political times. Somebody has to address our wars, our plagues and America's deep disconnect with the rest of the world.

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Cinnamon Kiss: I read this book recently and I have to say, I'm so envious of your ability to really make me see the LA you describe in your books. I like how Easy, Mouse, Jesus, Flower, Etta (I did not see that ending coming by the way, great job!) et al have evolved as characters throughout the novels. Though I love it, I know some folks were critical of Devil In A Blue Dress...do you have plans to adapt any more of the series to the screen? Or at least as a series of movies on HBO or something -- with Denzel and Don Cheadle, of course. (smile)

Walter Mosley: No Denzel and Don, I think. But we are trying to make Little Scarlet at the moment with Mos Def and Jeffrey Wright. I think on the whole the reaction to Devil in a Blue Dress was pretty good. Let's hope the same is true with Little Scarlet.

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Annandale, Va.: I seem to have read recently that you changed publishers recently and it was intimated that this was because your old publisher was dissatisfied. If somebody as successful as you has to change publishers, what does that say about the market for writers in general and what will you be focusing on with the publisher?

Walter Mosley: I didn't change publishers. I am publishing a book, Killing Johnny Fry, with Bloomsbury Press because that's how the deal ended up working out. But as far as the second half of the question, no writer is ever assured a smooth ride. Most writers' careers have about a ten-year arc and then they either reinvent themselves or they disappear.

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Arlington, Va.: You talked about the importance of poetry in your piece on

Sunday. Do you regular poetry regularly, who are your

favorites, and even if you think you stink, what does it do for

your other work? Thanks.

Walter Mosley: I read so many poets that I couldn't list them all, from Elizabeth Alexander to W.S. Merwyn.

Some people are talented as poets; others' talents lie in different areas of writing. I am no poet but I don't think that hurts me as a fiction writer.

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Washington, D.C.: Ever think about capturing another city in your work other

than L.A., which you do so well? Any places on the planet

that are worth packing a suitcase for?

Walter Mosley: I don't think I'd try to figure out another city on vacation but I do live in New York and I've written at least five stories that are centered in New York.

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Arlington, Va.: Walter, what do you like to do when you're not writing? What

wakes you up and brings you back to the page when you're

feeling...not so.

Walter Mosley: I love writing and I write everyday, 360 days a year, and I love drawing and pottery and reading. And some people tell me I'm pretty political.

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Alexandria, Va.: You use color in your Easy Rawlins stories (i.e., White Butterfly, Black Betty, A Red Death, Devil in a Blue Dress, Bad Boy Brawley Brown, A Little Yellow Dog). Basically, where did you get this idea?

Walter Mosley: I wrote the first book and I called it Devil in a Blue Dress. I wrote the second book and called it A Red Death in homage to Poe. After that, my editor said I had to have colors in all the Easy Rawlins book titles.

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