Preston L. Allen on Gambling

Welcome to my homepage. I hope you enjoy your visit. --Preston

ALL OR NOTHING (Akashic Books)

ISBN 978-1-933354-41-5

ALL OR NOTHING

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT THE BOOK "Allen's dark and insightful novel depicts narrator P's sobering descent into his gambling addiction. P, a Miami native, is a school bus driver and desperate gambler who spends his nights (and many of his days) in south Florida casinos. Both a surprisingly likable and an often despicable character, P is a perpetual loser with a $1,000-a-day habit who lies to his wife and scrounges in the seats of his bus looking for loose change the kids left behind. He takes the small amounts of cash that his destitute, dying mother offers him to support his obsession. P knows he's sick, but he doesn't want any help; he lusts for the next big score. Finally, his luck begins to change, transforming him from a broke degenerate into a legendary professional gambler in a signature black cowboy hat. The well-written novel takes the reader on a chaotic ride as P chases, finds and loses fast, easy money. Allen (Churchboys and Other Sinners) reveals how addiction annihilates its victims and shows that winning isn't always so different from losing. (Nov.)" --Publishers Weekly (August 13, 2007) "Allen has done for gambling what William S. Burroughs did for narcotic addiction. He's gotten into the heart of the darkness and shown us what it feels like to be trapped, to be haunted, to live without choice. Allen is relentless and unsparing in his depiction of the life of a gambling addict, from the magical thinking to the visceral thrill of risking it all. And now the world will know what we in Miami have known for a long time: Preston L. Allen is so good a writer it's scary." --John Dufresne, author of Johnny Too Bad " By turns harrowing, illuminating, and endearing, Preston Allen's All or Nothing is more than a gut punch, it's a damn good book." --Maggie Estep, author of Flamethrower "All or Nothing is a breathless tour through the mind of P, a gambling junkie who divines lucky numbers everywhere, even in the mumblings of his severely asthmatic son as he comes out of anaphylactic shock. Winning the bet is the only thing. And money has little value except as a means to place the next one. Preston Allen's writing is as tight as a high wire. Out of the hyperkitsch world of gamblers and the casinos they inhabit, Allen creates a novel that is frightening and sad and thrilling." --Gonzalo Barr, author of The Last Flight of Jose Luis Balboa "All or Nothing is a smart, riveting novel of obsession; an in-depth character study rendered in tight, sparkling prose. This is a moving story of love and addiction that will hook the reader from the first word." --Ivonne Lamazares, author of The Sugar Island

THE BOOK TOUR

DATES --Wed., October 17, 7pm--NEW YORK, NY--Tenement Museum (97 Orchard St.). *New York City book launch party for The Swing Voter of Staten Island by Arthur Nersesian and All or Nothing by Preston L. Allen. Beer, wine, and other complimentary refreshments provided. --Thurs., October 18, 7pm--BROOKLYN, NY--Brooklyn Public Library, Central Branch at Grand Army Plaza (S. Stevan Dweck Center for Contemporary Culture) *Please join us in celebrating the tenth anniversary of Akashic Books. With Amiri Baraka (Tales of the Out & the Gone), Arthur Nersesian (The Swing Voter of Staten Island), T Cooper (Some of the Parts), Felicia Luna Lemus (Like Son), and Tim McLoughlin (Brooklyn Noir) --Sat., October 27, Time TBA--ST. PETERSBURG, FL--St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading (University of South Florida) --Thurs., November 1, 6pm--CORAL GABLES, FL--Books & Books, Inc. (265 Aragon Ave.) *With Dedra Johnson, author of Sandrine's Letter to Tomorrow --Fri., November 2, 4pm--GAINESVILLE, FL--Headquarters Library, Alachua County Library District (401 E. University Ave.) *With Dedra Johnson, author of Sandrine's Letter to Tomorrow --Sat., November 3, 7:45pm--DECATUR, GA--Wordsmiths Books (141 E. Trinity Pl.) *With Dedra Johnson, author of Sandrine's Letter to Tomorrow --SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 4-- Birmingham TBA --Mon., November 5, 5:30pm--NEW ORLEANS, LA--Garden District Bookstore (2727 Prytania St.) *With Dedra Johnson, author of Sandrine's Letter to Tomorrow --Tues Nov., 6--TALLAHASSEE TBA --Weds., Nov 7--TAMPA TBA --Sat./Sun., November 10-11, Time TBA--MIAMI, FL--Miami Book Fair (Miami Dade College) *Details of individual programs TBA

Preston L. Allen is the author of ALL OR NOTHING, HOOCHIE MAMA, BOUNCE, and COME WITH ME, SHEBA, as well as the short story collection CHURCHBOYS AND OTHER SINNERS.

You can find his stories in the BROWN SUGAR erotic anthologies (edited by Carol Taylor), MIAMI NOIR (edited by Les Standiford), and LAS VEGAS NOIR (edited by Jarret Keene, forthcoming 2008). Contact the author at pallenagogy@aol.com or 305 586-6423