An exciting excursion/pseudo-expose into San Francisco's future
By Patti Pietschmann
Thomas Shess was the editor at a few magazines that I freelance for. I loved working with him as he was one of the best editors I ever wrote for. He always kept his writer's voice, was extremely clever, astute, professional and a great headline writer.
And now, with the publication of his first book, Cantina Psalms, I consider him one of the best new novelists of our time.
Cantina Psalms is entertaining, amusing, deep, sometimes troubling and engrossing as it transports the reader through the City by the Bay today and tomorrow via a series of short stories. The author captures the good and dark sides of San Francisco with a cast of well-crafted characters.
And a word from the author himself (pictured below with his lovely wife, Phyllis)
Cantina Psalms" is a rapid-paced collection of urban noir. These tightly woven short stories are deep with crime, erotic love, and ironic social satire. It is a crowded saloon of intertwined characters—all from San Francisco's gritty North Beach neighborhood. Each story is a table set with silver spoons, forks in the road, and sharp knives.
"Cantina Psalms" Main Characters Include Penthouse Politicos, Icy Homegrown Drug Czars, And A Mysterious ReDhead Who Creates Havoc For Everyone. Caught In The Middle, Is The Mayor's Bodyguard, Who Has To Protect Himself From Good Trouble And Bad, Including Broken Cops, Jealous Peers, And Even His Honor's Daughters. "Cantina Psalms" Cleverly Manipulates A San Francisco Cast In The Near Future. Can This World-Famous City Of Power Brokers, Innovators, Dreamers, And Misfits Save Itself From Chaos?
About The Author
Award-winning journalist Thomas Shess is a former editor in chief of San Francisco Magazine and an ex-San Francisco Examiner reporter. He has also been a senior editor of national inflight magazines and other major lifestyle publications in California. Through it all, he has developed a keen eye for the powerful, the climbers and the outsiders whose lives intersect in surprising ways.
