Michael A. Gonzales is a cultural critic, essayist and short story writer. He has written magazine features for New York, Wax Poetics, Stop Smiling, Vibe, Essence, The Village Voice, XXL and High Times. A former NY Press columnist, his essay on literary hero Chester Himes appeared in Best African-American Essays 2010 edited by Gerald Early and Randall Kennedy (Random House). In addition, Gonzales has also written erotica for Brown Sugar 2: Best One Night Stands edited by Carol Taylor (Random House), Gotta Have It edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Cleis Press) and Bunnie 2: Voyeurism.Inspired by the works of David Goodis, Howard Chaykin and David Lynch, he has written noir fiction for The Darker Masker: Heroes from the Shadows edited by Gary Phillips and Chris Chambers (Tor Books), Bronx Biannual edited by Miles Marshall Lewis (Akashic Books), Needle, Pulp Metal, Crime Factory and A Twist of Noir. Originally from Harlem, he has also lived in Baltimore and Brooklyn. Currently finishing his noir novel Uptown Boys, he blogs at Blackadelic Pop.
This week Mr. Gonzales is at BTAP with A Different Kind of Blue.