DAVID FULMER - BIOGRAPHY
SHORT STACK
David Fulmer has been a writer and producer for over twenty-five years.
His first published novel, "Chasing the Devil's Tail," won a Shamus Award in 2002,
along with nominations for a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Falcon Award and a
Barry Award, and was selected for Borders "Best of 2003 List" and other plaudits.
"Jass," the second Storyville mystery, was published in January of 2005. It was
selected for the Best of 2005 lists by Library Journal and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
and won the Georgia Author of the Year Award for Fiction.
"Rampart Street" was published in January of 2006. A BBC America audiobook of the novel
was released in February of 2006. It was selected as for New York Magazine's list of
"The Best Novels You've Never Read" and the audiobook version won the 2007 Benjamin
Franklin Award for Adult Fiction.
All three Storyville books will be published in French by Payot and Rivages, beginning with
"Chasing the Devil's Tail" in November 2008.
"The Dying Crapshooter's Blues" was published in January of 2007 and "The Blue Door"
in January, 2008 "Lost River" will be published in December 2008.
Among his production credits is the documentary "Blind Willie's Blues." In giving the
documentary a four-star "Editor's Choice" rating, Video Librarian called it "nothing less than the economic, social, and
historical evolution of America's indigenous music." It earned a nomination for W.C. Handy Award in 1998.
Included in his long list of newspaper and magazine credits are features on blues and jazz for The Atlanta Journal & Constitution,
Atlanta Magazine, Southline, Blues Access, the All Music Guide, Il Giornale, and National Public Radio.
A native of the small town of Northumberland in the Susquehanna Valley in eastern
Pennsylvania, he lives in Atlanta with his daughter Italia.
FACTS OF LIFE
Born in Northumberland, PA; son of Thurston (a teacher) and Flora (a homemaker;
maiden name, Prizzi). One sister, Karen Mertz.
Married Suzanne Mercier, October 15, 1974. Divorced, February 4, 1979.
Children: Italia Patricia, born July 2, 1996.
School: Shikellamy High School, Sunbury, PA; U.S. Army Photography School,
Ft. Monmouth, NJ; Georgia State University, B.A., 1979
Military: Photographer, U.S. Army , Heidelberg, Germany.
CAREER MOVES
The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, reporter; The Union County Journal, Lewisburg, PA,
reporter and photographer; US Army Intelligence Center, Heidelberg, Germany,
photographer; Dempster, Inc., Northumberland, PA, welder; Rose's Cantina,
Atlanta, GA, bartender, 1977-79; Road Atlanta, Ltd., Atlanta, media director, 1988-99.
AWARDS, ETC
Chasing the Devil's Tail
2006 Georgia Author of the Year Award for Fiction
2007 Ben Franklin Award for Adult Fiction Audiobook
A New York Magazine "Best Novel You've Never Read"
The Dying Crapshooter's Blues
"Ice Pick of the Month" - BookList, January 2007
BOOKS & STORIES
MAGS & NEWSPAPERS
Contributor to periodicals, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Backstage, Blues Access, City Life,
Atlanta Tribune, Southline, Atlanta Magazine, Creative Loafing, Advertising Age, Business Atlanta, and Il Giornale.
What'd I Say? As told to Contemporary Authors
"I write because it's the only thing I do with any skill; and it's my path through the wilderness to the
river. I count among my influences all those writers for whom I felt a particular affinity from the
beginning: Poe, Malamud, Steinbeck, Burroughs, Garcia Lorca, Oë, a dozen others. My family,
my first source of stories. Also, those men and women who have crossed my path and left me with
gifts that I could use: working people,mostly, with words and lines, and jokes and stories as good or
better than I heard in any of mycollege classrooms. Finally, the poets of the last part of the century
who attached their lyrics to music for my eager ears.
"I write every day, no matter what. Mornings are best, especially before dawn. I'm slow, and do
tons of rewriting and editing. My characters are assembled from parts that hang around on different
corners of memory until they arrive on my doorstep. It's my job to do justice to them by finding a
time and place that allows them to tell their stories. It all builds from there, in layers. In the end, I
hope the work has a depth that allows the reader to see a reflection."
SHORT STACK
David Fulmer has been a writer and producer for over twenty-five years.
His first published novel, "Chasing the Devil's Tail," won a Shamus Award in 2002,
along with nominations for a Los Angeles Times Book Prize, a Falcon Award and a
Barry Award, and was selected for Borders "Best of 2003 List" and other plaudits.
"Jass," the second Storyville mystery, was published in January of 2005. It was
selected for the Best of 2005 lists by Library Journal and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
and won the Georgia Author of the Year Award for Fiction.
"Rampart Street" was published in January of 2006. A BBC America audiobook of the novel
was released in February of 2006. It was selected as for New York Magazine's list of
"The Best Novels You've Never Read" and the audiobook version won the 2007 Benjamin
Franklin Award for Adult Fiction.
All three Storyville books will be published in French by Payot and Rivages, beginning with
"Chasing the Devil's Tail" in November 2008.
"The Dying Crapshooter's Blues" was published in January of 2007 and "The Blue Door"
in January, 2008 "Lost River" will be published in December 2008.
Among his production credits is the documentary "Blind Willie's Blues." In giving the
documentary a four-star "Editor's Choice" rating, Video Librarian called it "nothing less than the economic, social, and
historical evolution of America's indigenous music." It earned a nomination for W.C. Handy Award in 1998.
Included in his long list of newspaper and magazine credits are features on blues and jazz for The Atlanta Journal & Constitution,
Atlanta Magazine, Southline, Blues Access, the All Music Guide, Il Giornale, and National Public Radio.
A native of the small town of Northumberland in the Susquehanna Valley in eastern
Pennsylvania, he lives in Atlanta with his daughter Italia.
FACTS OF LIFE
Born in Northumberland, PA; son of Thurston (a teacher) and Flora (a homemaker;
maiden name, Prizzi). One sister, Karen Mertz.
Married Suzanne Mercier, October 15, 1974. Divorced, February 4, 1979.
Children: Italia Patricia, born July 2, 1996.
School: Shikellamy High School, Sunbury, PA; U.S. Army Photography School,
Ft. Monmouth, NJ; Georgia State University, B.A., 1979
Military: Photographer, U.S. Army , Heidelberg, Germany.
CAREER MOVES
The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA, reporter; The Union County Journal, Lewisburg, PA,
reporter and photographer; US Army Intelligence Center, Heidelberg, Germany,
photographer; Dempster, Inc., Northumberland, PA, welder; Rose's Cantina,
Atlanta, GA, bartender, 1977-79; Road Atlanta, Ltd., Atlanta, media director, 1988-99.
AWARDS, ETC
Chasing the Devil's Tail
- Nominee, 2004 Falcon Award
Borders Books "Best of 2003 List"
Nominee, 2001 LA Times Book Prize
Winner, 2002 Shamus Award
Nominee, 2001 Barry Awards
"Best New Series," Booklist
"Best of 2001 List," January Magazine
"Hottest Beach Read" (Summer 2003) Books Read Lately
2006 Georgia Author of the Year Award for Fiction
- Library Journal "Best of 2005 List"
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Best of 2005 List"
Deadly Pleasures Magazine "Best of 2005 List"
2007 Ben Franklin Award for Adult Fiction Audiobook
A New York Magazine "Best Novel You've Never Read"
The Dying Crapshooter's Blues
"Ice Pick of the Month" - BookList, January 2007
BOOKS & STORIES
- Chasing the Devil's Tail (Hardcover), Poisoned Pen Press, November, 2001.
Chasing the Devil's Tail (Trade paperback), Harcourt Books, June, 2003
[Published in Japan and Italy. French publication, September 2008 ]
[Also Blackstone Audiobook, May 2007]
Jass, (Hardcover), Harcourt Books, January, 2005 (Trade paperback) January 2006
[ French publication 2009]
Rampart Street (Hardcover), Harcourt Books, January, 2006 (Trade paperback) January 2007
[ Also BBC America Audiobook, January, 2006 ]
[French publication 2010]
The Dying Crapshooter's Blues, Harcourt Books, January, 2007 (Trade paperback) January 2008
[Also Recorded Books Audiobook]
The Blue Door, Harcourt Books, January, 2008 (Trade paperback) January 2009
Lost River, Harcourt Books, November, 2008 (Trade paperback) January 2010
Anthracite, novel serialized on Amazon Shorts
black cat bone, short story, appeared in Blues Access, Spring, 1997
Back o' Town Blues, short story, appeared in "Flesh and Blood," 2003
Algiers, short story, appeared in "New Orleans Noir," Akashic Books, April 2007
MAGS & NEWSPAPERS
Contributor to periodicals, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Backstage, Blues Access, City Life,
Atlanta Tribune, Southline, Atlanta Magazine, Creative Loafing, Advertising Age, Business Atlanta, and Il Giornale.
What'd I Say? As told to Contemporary Authors
"I write because it's the only thing I do with any skill; and it's my path through the wilderness to the
river. I count among my influences all those writers for whom I felt a particular affinity from the
beginning: Poe, Malamud, Steinbeck, Burroughs, Garcia Lorca, Oë, a dozen others. My family,
my first source of stories. Also, those men and women who have crossed my path and left me with
gifts that I could use: working people,mostly, with words and lines, and jokes and stories as good or
better than I heard in any of mycollege classrooms. Finally, the poets of the last part of the century
who attached their lyrics to music for my eager ears.
"I write every day, no matter what. Mornings are best, especially before dawn. I'm slow, and do
tons of rewriting and editing. My characters are assembled from parts that hang around on different
corners of memory until they arrive on my doorstep. It's my job to do justice to them by finding a
time and place that allows them to tell their stories. It all builds from there, in layers. In the end, I
hope the work has a depth that allows the reader to see a reflection."
| Italia Patricia Fulmer and David Fulmer Photo by Karin Koser Moonshadow Photography |
| Photograph by Michael Riley |
| Photograph by Lance Lipman |
| With my big sister, 1951 Let the stories begin.... |