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REVIEWS: Broken Lines

Pappalardo’s playful illustrated novel (after One More Cup of Coffee) tells a bizarre and frenetic story of pyromaniac demons dressed as firemen and a group of avenging heroes. Maggie, a waitress, asks for a ride home from work when her car won’t start, and she’s obliged by two characters named Cowboy and Spaceman. After she arrives home, the demons (ominously depicted in drawings with captions such as “WE’RE HERE TO BURN AND KILL”) set fire to her trailer park. Cowboy and Spaceman rescue Maggie, drawing her into a fundamental fight of good against evil. Continue Reading REVIEWS: Broken Lines

REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS: One More Cup Of Coffee

These hilarious shorts are a perfect snarkfest, combining people watching and café criticism with abundant humor. Pappalardo visits coffee emporiums in Northampton, Amherst, and other towns in western Massachusetts to sample brews ranging from fabulous to putrid and to jot his impressions of baristas and customers. He ranges from local coffeehouses to Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks locations, going so far as to reference the noncontroversy of the 2015 red holiday cups; he even experiences coffee in his local public library. In one riff, he rails against the ludicrousness of far-distant coffee pickup counters; elsewhere, he visits a Dunkin’ Donuts dominated by painful country music. Pappalardo’s enjoyment of doughnuts, pie, and other comestibles adds delight to the collection, as does his recording of overheard conversations and scenes. This collection is good for a consistent supply of laughs, regardless of whether readers live in Massachusetts or drink coffee.
Publishers WeeklyContinue Reading REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS: One More Cup Of Coffee

Radio Interview: One More Cup Of Coffee

“Not a coffee connoisseur, just a connoisseur of the human experience, chronicling the darker end of it, like a black coffee in and of itself, i guess.” I sat down with Monte Belmonte at WRSI to chat about One More Cup Of Coffee. There’s a real leg-room issue in that studio, believe-you-me. But I’m not complaining. I mean, I am technically actually exactly complaining. But it’s always fun to listen to Monte turn my rambling into a coherent radio segment. AUDIO MAGIC. Featuring a reading from “Cash Only” (The Whole Donut, Holyoke) and “Varying Degrees Of Ass-Hardship” (The Roost, Northampton).

See also: My Everything You Didn’t Ask For interview with Monte

INTERVIEW: The Bill Dwight Show

I stopped by the ol’ podcast shack to talk to Bill Dwight and Jaz Tupelo about my book Everything You Didn’t Ask For. Discussed: My soul, suicide, old movies, Charles Schulz, internet trolls, One More Cup Of Coffee (now a book you can purchase!), and other ramblings. I bet I will sell thousands of copies because of this! Check out a bunch of other cool stuff at The Bill Dwight Show.

(my bit starts at 24:30)

Continue Reading INTERVIEW: The Bill Dwight Show