From the Booking Desk:
I first met Avram Lavinsky online via Twitter and it was immediately clear how interested he was in the crime fiction community. He instantly felt like part of the family. We have since meet on the ground at various crime fiction conventions and I can tell you the conversations are always interesting, supportive, and just a ton of fun. Avram is also one of the most loyal BOLO Books followers, always championing the brand. Avram even goes so far as to always make sure he reads ALL the books that appear on my Top Reads Lists at the close of each year. That level of commitment is so appreciated and I am thrilled to feature him here today as our Composite Sketch profile.
Name: Avram Lavinsky
Location: Boston’s South Shore
This person from my personal life is such an inspiration:
My three teenage sons inspire me on a daily basis, not because they accomplish extraordinary things sometimes, but because they each view the world and their own place within it in such a unique way.
Maybe kids today nourish their individuality with greater ease than previous generations. They certainly encounter more choices and more perspectives. There were just a few cliques when I was their age. Sometimes I reacted against norms, but my guys seem to do their own thing effortlessly.
One of the people I admire most in the crime fiction community is:
How do you narrow it down to one? Am I allowed to pick you, Kris? I often marvel at how hard bloggers and podcasters work for the reward of promoting great books and very little else. You’ve certainly made me feel like a welcome member of the crime fiction community from our first meeting and even our first online conversations.
If I had to pick the person who has taken the most time and effort to help me along within the crime fiction community, I’d have to say Dale T. Phillips. Dale is an accomplished writer and writing instructor, but he’s also a born glue guy; he enjoys bringing people together, and he does it well.
Crime fiction is just a special group of people. I’ve been around other creative communities. I spent my formative years around musicians and music fans, many of whom remain my closest friends, but crime fiction is the most copacetic bunch I’ve ever encountered.
STALKER ALERT! If this fictional character were real, they would likely need to get a restraining order against me:
I love Ann Cleeves’ Vera Stanhope. Guess I’m not alone there. Reviled by strangers, feared by her fellow detectives, she carries this profound loneliness. She only admits to it in the briefest moments of her innermost thoughts, but when she does, it rocks me. I’ve never seen the television adaptation of those novels; I’m a little afraid to tarnish my own conception of Vera. Maybe after I get through all the books at least twice.
People are always surprised that I am a fan of this individual (singer, actor, or artist):
Like many people, I have pretty eclectic tastes in music and film, but I doubt that would surprise anyone. People are surprised at what a fan of Christmas music I am though…a nice Jewish boy like me. I had a piano residency at a local restaurant for a couple of years, and I figured out that you can turn those melodies upside-down and inside-out, play them as boogie-woogie or ragtime or stride, and people still recognize them. Even with the long winters here in New England, I generally bust out a few dozen carols at the piano in midsummer.
My personal catch phrase is (or should be):
Pay it forward. I’m new to crime fiction, and so many people with a wealth of experience and outstanding accomplishments have gone out of their way to make me feel like I matter. I want to return that favor in any way I can with every opportunity. I want to let someone else know they matter too.
Find out more about Avram on his website, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
