"I’m never quite at ease in a Ran Walker story.
And that’s a good thing. He's a master of the 100-word form."
~ Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo and Co-Founder of 100 Word Story
"To paraphrase Ethridge Knight: Making jazz swing in one hundred words AIN’T no square writer’s job."
~ Rion Amilcar Scott, award-winning author of Insurrections and The World Doesn’t Require You
"Ran Walker is a writer's writer."
~ Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You and We Cast a Shadow
And that’s a good thing. He's a master of the 100-word form."
~ Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo and Co-Founder of 100 Word Story
"To paraphrase Ethridge Knight: Making jazz swing in one hundred words AIN’T no square writer’s job."
~ Rion Amilcar Scott, award-winning author of Insurrections and The World Doesn’t Require You
"Ran Walker is a writer's writer."
~ Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You and We Cast a Shadow
“Ran Walker brings the blues into the 21st century and shows us how we can never forget our roots as long as we keep the love in our hearts.
Thank you, Ran, for picking up the guitar of fiction and fretting together characters of such warmth, depth, and humanity.”
~ Tyehimba Jess, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olio and Leadbelly
“In The Last Bluesman, readers encounter a modern-day blues novel, complete with a forgotten musician and a historically disenfranchised past. Walker's clarity of style and smooth, mellifluous language render this effort one to be proud of. This work places him among the cadre of new black voices budding with fresh, ripe tales of a past and present yet to untold.”
~ Daniel Black, author of Perfect Peace and Twelve Gates to the City
“Ran Walker's The Last Bluesman plays an authentic Blues song on the page, filled with all the sorrow, heartache, and beauty that entails. This layered, haunting book is worth listening to.”
~ Mat Johnson, author of Pym and Loving Day
Thank you, Ran, for picking up the guitar of fiction and fretting together characters of such warmth, depth, and humanity.”
~ Tyehimba Jess, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olio and Leadbelly
“In The Last Bluesman, readers encounter a modern-day blues novel, complete with a forgotten musician and a historically disenfranchised past. Walker's clarity of style and smooth, mellifluous language render this effort one to be proud of. This work places him among the cadre of new black voices budding with fresh, ripe tales of a past and present yet to untold.”
~ Daniel Black, author of Perfect Peace and Twelve Gates to the City
“Ran Walker's The Last Bluesman plays an authentic Blues song on the page, filled with all the sorrow, heartache, and beauty that entails. This layered, haunting book is worth listening to.”
~ Mat Johnson, author of Pym and Loving Day
Reviews
On Mojo's Guitar
“Ran Walker brings the blues into the 21st century and shows us how we can never forget our roots as long as we keep the love in our hearts. Thank you, Ran, for picking up the guitar of fiction and fretting together characters of such warmth, depth, and humanity.”
~ Tyehimba Jess, Pultizer Prize-winning author of Olio and Leadbelly
“Ran Walker's Mojo's Guitar plays an authentic Blues song on the page, filled with all the sorrow, heartache, and beauty that entails. This layered, haunting book is worth listening to.”
~ Mat Johnson, author of Loving Day and Pym
“In Mojo's Guitar, readers encounter a modern-day blues novel, complete with a forgotten musician and a historically disenfranchised past. Walker's clarity of style and smooth, mellifluous language render this effort one to be proud of. This work places him among the cadre of new black voices budding with fresh, ripe tales of a past and present yet to unfold.”
~ Daniel Black, author of Perfect Peace and Listen to the Lambs
“The blues is a strange beast. Unpredictable; blindsiding. Ran Walker’s Mojo’s Guitar stitches blues with a literary style that is smart, accessible, and unexpected. A collection that resonates like the songs of Blind Willie Johnson, Son House, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others. Serious, humorous, sexual, intelligent, and descriptive, Mojo’s Guitar is what makes the blues good and novels great.”
~ Van G. Garrett, author of Songs in Blue Negritude
"Mojo's Guitar is a Southern tale ripe with lust, regret, death. It epitomizes the blues. Read with a stiff drink in hand."
~ jewel bush, author and founder of MelaNated Writers Collective (New Orleans, LA)
“Mojo's Guitar touches deep in the soul. The words jump off the page, and I feel like I'm right there with the characters of the story. And the Blues...it's ever so present and honest!”
~ Lamont Jack Pearley, Talking Bout The Blues Podcast and Blog, NYC
On Black Hand Side
"Ran Walker's Black Hand Side: Stories shows the uncommon, the comical and the role reversal where every story refutes the stereotypical black male image. [...] Walker introduces a cast of characters who are all confronted with some kind of moral conflict around what blackness itself means to them--a dilemma that America itself has struggled with since 1619. Ultimately, while several stories explore the ideas of black love, much of Black Hand Side: Stories presents a commentary on cultural appropriation and engagement and how in reality African Americans find themselves dealing with, ignoring or living in and around whiteness. Walker does an excellent job of pushing the racial envelope in this book, confronting preconceptions and notions while always helping readers see the shifting black persona."
~ Shonda Buchanan, author of Black Indian and Who's Afraid of Black Indians?
On B-Sides and Remixes
"B-Sides and Remixes is rare indeed. It sports lingo of the new and old age [...] and boasts underground artists like The Foreign Exchange, Jesse Boykins III & Eric Roberson. Simply put, this isn’t urban fiction. It’s no grab-it-on-the-corner unedited literary fix. It’s a mix of SOB’s Sol Village, your parent’s music, metropolis and culturally aware adoration."
~ Erica Buddington, HBO Def Poet, author of Of Micah and Men
"[B-Sides and Remixes] was a good read for sure!"
~ Nicolay, Grammy Nominee and 1/2 of The Foreign Exchange
"I enjoyed Ran Walker's story [B-Sides and Remixes] that was laugh-out-loud funny at times and had great characters who were believable, which, for me, makes for good reading. I recommend this book!"
~ Linda Chavis, RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers (4 out of 5 Stars)
On 30 Love
"30 Love reminds me of the conversations I've had with good friends over the years about getting older and being single. If you like romantic comedies, you'll enjoy this book."
~ Phill Branch, Director of Searching for Shaniqua and Producer of The PuNanny Diaries
On The Keys of My Soul
"Dynamic · Real · Soulful — only a few words to describe The Keys Of My Soul. This story truly exemplifies the storm before the calm (overcoming grief, romantic relationships), trust (the loss & gain in friends), and the start of something new (finding love, fresh beginnings) – ALL centered around music."
~ Charli D. Holbrook, editor-in-chief of PSLove Charli blogmag
"The Keys of My Soul is a heartfelt and powerful story about love and friendship."
~ Nsayel Mputubwele, Artist
“Ran Walker brings the blues into the 21st century and shows us how we can never forget our roots as long as we keep the love in our hearts. Thank you, Ran, for picking up the guitar of fiction and fretting together characters of such warmth, depth, and humanity.”
~ Tyehimba Jess, Pultizer Prize-winning author of Olio and Leadbelly
“Ran Walker's Mojo's Guitar plays an authentic Blues song on the page, filled with all the sorrow, heartache, and beauty that entails. This layered, haunting book is worth listening to.”
~ Mat Johnson, author of Loving Day and Pym
“In Mojo's Guitar, readers encounter a modern-day blues novel, complete with a forgotten musician and a historically disenfranchised past. Walker's clarity of style and smooth, mellifluous language render this effort one to be proud of. This work places him among the cadre of new black voices budding with fresh, ripe tales of a past and present yet to unfold.”
~ Daniel Black, author of Perfect Peace and Listen to the Lambs
“The blues is a strange beast. Unpredictable; blindsiding. Ran Walker’s Mojo’s Guitar stitches blues with a literary style that is smart, accessible, and unexpected. A collection that resonates like the songs of Blind Willie Johnson, Son House, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and others. Serious, humorous, sexual, intelligent, and descriptive, Mojo’s Guitar is what makes the blues good and novels great.”
~ Van G. Garrett, author of Songs in Blue Negritude
"Mojo's Guitar is a Southern tale ripe with lust, regret, death. It epitomizes the blues. Read with a stiff drink in hand."
~ jewel bush, author and founder of MelaNated Writers Collective (New Orleans, LA)
“Mojo's Guitar touches deep in the soul. The words jump off the page, and I feel like I'm right there with the characters of the story. And the Blues...it's ever so present and honest!”
~ Lamont Jack Pearley, Talking Bout The Blues Podcast and Blog, NYC
On Black Hand Side
"Ran Walker's Black Hand Side: Stories shows the uncommon, the comical and the role reversal where every story refutes the stereotypical black male image. [...] Walker introduces a cast of characters who are all confronted with some kind of moral conflict around what blackness itself means to them--a dilemma that America itself has struggled with since 1619. Ultimately, while several stories explore the ideas of black love, much of Black Hand Side: Stories presents a commentary on cultural appropriation and engagement and how in reality African Americans find themselves dealing with, ignoring or living in and around whiteness. Walker does an excellent job of pushing the racial envelope in this book, confronting preconceptions and notions while always helping readers see the shifting black persona."
~ Shonda Buchanan, author of Black Indian and Who's Afraid of Black Indians?
On B-Sides and Remixes
"B-Sides and Remixes is rare indeed. It sports lingo of the new and old age [...] and boasts underground artists like The Foreign Exchange, Jesse Boykins III & Eric Roberson. Simply put, this isn’t urban fiction. It’s no grab-it-on-the-corner unedited literary fix. It’s a mix of SOB’s Sol Village, your parent’s music, metropolis and culturally aware adoration."
~ Erica Buddington, HBO Def Poet, author of Of Micah and Men
"[B-Sides and Remixes] was a good read for sure!"
~ Nicolay, Grammy Nominee and 1/2 of The Foreign Exchange
"I enjoyed Ran Walker's story [B-Sides and Remixes] that was laugh-out-loud funny at times and had great characters who were believable, which, for me, makes for good reading. I recommend this book!"
~ Linda Chavis, RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers (4 out of 5 Stars)
On 30 Love
"30 Love reminds me of the conversations I've had with good friends over the years about getting older and being single. If you like romantic comedies, you'll enjoy this book."
~ Phill Branch, Director of Searching for Shaniqua and Producer of The PuNanny Diaries
On The Keys of My Soul
"Dynamic · Real · Soulful — only a few words to describe The Keys Of My Soul. This story truly exemplifies the storm before the calm (overcoming grief, romantic relationships), trust (the loss & gain in friends), and the start of something new (finding love, fresh beginnings) – ALL centered around music."
~ Charli D. Holbrook, editor-in-chief of PSLove Charli blogmag
"The Keys of My Soul is a heartfelt and powerful story about love and friendship."
~ Nsayel Mputubwele, Artist