This week, we're turning the paper over to the roaches.
Now, I've met plenty of people over the course of my career who have told me the best use of the Tucson Weekly is swatting the roaches that emerge from their drains, but that's not what I'm talking about. Instead, we're running an excerpt from Tucsonan Alice Hatcher's debut novel, The Wonder That Was Ours. Hatcher's novel, which revolves around a black cab driver on a small Caribbean island as a deadly viral outbreak causes riots and associated violence and chaos, is narrated by the roaches that infest the protagonist's taxi.
The Wonder That Was Ours won Dzanc Books' 2017 Prize for Fiction out of hundreds of entries (which led to the publishing deal) and has landed on the Center for Fiction's 2018 First Novel Prize longlist. It's a fascinating read and we're excited to be giving you a taste of it this week. You can meet Hatcher herself at a book signing at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, at Barnes & Noble, 5130 E. Broadway.
Elsewhere in this week's issue: The Skinny recaps last week's election highlights; calendar editor Emily Dieckman lays out the literary highlights that we can look forward to in the upcoming months; arts writer Margaret Regan talks to a member of Scottish traditional band Tannahill Weavers ahead of their visit to Tucson this week; music contributor Eric Swedlund brays about the Mountain Goats' upcoming show at Hotel Congress; Chow writer Mark Whittaker profiles chef Wendy Gauthier; movie critic Bob Grimm is excited about a documentary exploring the secret sex lives of Hollywood stars; and there's plenty more inside, so it's time you started flipping through these pages. Or at least started swatting roaches.
— Jim Nintzel Executive Editor
Hear Nintzel talk about what's happening in Tucson's entertainment scene Wednesday mornings at 9:30 a.m. during The Frank AShow on KLPX, 96.1 FM. Frank Show on KLPX, 96.1 FM.
