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Tim Dorsey & The Nuclear Jellyfish Take CT
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With Tim Dorsey, author of The Nuclear Jellyfish.
“A book tour is weirder than anything…except for this fine crowd.” With these remarks, bestselling author Tim Dorsey met an enthusiastic group of readers at RJ Julia last night-including two who had traveled from New Jersey for the event. Dorsey is in Connecticut to promote his newest novel, The Nuclear Jellyfish. (If you missed him in Madison, fear not. He will also be appearing at the UConn Co-op in Storrs on Friday at 4PM.)
My wife and I, apparently the only Dorsey virgins in the room, smiled nervously as he continued with his relaxed discussion, with the mere mention of character names bringing uproarious laughter from the others. This did not bode well for us, as the author then revealed that having to explain his series to non-readers is often the most difficult part of book talks. Fortunately, his all-over-the-place presentation-“I’ll jump around like this because I want it to reflect the books”-was amusing enough that it didn’t require the Dorsey for Dummies spiel.
A resident of Florida, Dorsey worked for local papers for twelve years (following a stint at The Alabama Journal) before turning his attention to writing full-time in 1999. It was with the release of his debut novel, Florida Roadkill, that he introduced the now infamous Serge and Coleman to the world. He refers to the former as “the mouthpiece for all things Florida” and “a serial killer that you root for.” Coleman, on the other hand, is based on a real-life friend of Dorsey’s. When asked about where his material comes from, he quipped, “I just call my friends and say, ‘What did you do this weekend?’”
Dorsey draws frequent comparisons to Dave Barry and Carl Hiassen for his outlandish and often laugh-out-loud plots. He is also becoming quite well known for his methods of murder, calling a trip to Home Depot “a good trigger mechanism” for finding new and creative ways to off people. His book tours have served as fertile ground for inspiration, too. “Everyday is a front-row seat to a freakshow,” he claims, noting that, in previous outings, “The tour was becoming the book.”
Asked about the possibility of a movie based on his work, Dorsey responded that, while there has been interest, producers are having difficulty convincing somebody to play Serge. And then, with his trademark wit and a hint of pride, he concluded, “You’re being turned down by all the biggest names in Hollywood! How great is that?”
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