About
SAN FRANCISCO, 1980. A NEW SOUND. A NEW STYLE. AN ANCIENT CRIME.
SCOTT CARLSEN and his teenage friends spend their nights pogo dancing at the punk dives of early 80s San Francisco and their days wrestling with the social and academic rigors of senior year. In the aftermath of a riotous gig, one of their number, a sweet natured punkette named Nadya, is found savagely murdered, and Scott’s best friend Benny, her boyfriend, is hauled in by the police. Sure of Benny’s innocence, but cynical of their chances of seeing it proved through official channels, the close knit band of young punks sets out to prove it on their own. In the process they become entangled in a terrifying conspiracy involving Hells Angels, racist skinheads and a missing satchel of methamphetamines.
Drawing on his own experiences as a teenage musician in the early days of the San Francisco punk scene, author Todd Stadtman has, with Please Don’t Be Waiting For Me, created a work that is part mystery thriller, part cultural history, and part teenage coming-of-age tale. It is a book every bit as fast paced, hard hitting and brutally to-the-point as punk rock itself.
Cover Artwork by Andrew Nahem
Events
Meet Author Todd Stadtman at MOE'S BOOKS in Berkeley, Wednesday, December 6, 2017.
Todd will be stopping by Berkeley institution Moe's Books on the evening of Wednesday, December 6, 2017vto talk with readers and sign copies of PLEASE DON'T BE WAITING FOR ME. As reflected in the novel, Todd was born and raised in Berkeley, so this event should hold a lot of local interest. Moe's is located at 2476 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704. Phone number: (510)849-2087
Meet author Todd Stadtman at San Diego's HORRIBLE IMAGININGS FILM FESTIVAL, Sept. 8 & 9 2017
Todd will be signing copies of his books PLEASE DON'T BE WAITING FOR ME and FUNKY BOLLYWOOD as part of San Diego's HORRIBLE IMAGININGS FILM FESTIVAL on Friday, September 8th and Saturday, September 9th. Now in it's seventh year, the festival was founded by blogger, podcaster, and horror movie scholar Miguel Rodriguez with the goal of showcasing "art and film that explores the darker or more macabre sides of the human condition" and has gone on to attract more devoted followers every year. The event will take place at the Museum of Photographic Arts, which is located at 1649 El Prado, right in the heart of Balboa Park, one of San Diego's most beloved tourist spots. If you're there, be sure to stop by, get a book signed and say hello.
A video of Todd being interviewed by Nancy Davis-Kho at Wednesday's PLEASE DON'T BE WAITING FOR ME launch event
Commentary
“Captures the unique, bitter pathos—and dark comedy—of a vanished world: Bay Area youth culture at the dawn of the Reagan era.”
—ANDREW O’HEHIR, Executive Editor, Salon.com
“A slamming séance summoning early eighties SanFrancisco, a never-never land of mosh pits, thrift storing, divorced dads, police raids and white punks on dope.”
—GRADY HENDRIX, author of My Best Friend’s Exorcism
“As hardcore, hilarious and heartfelt as punk itself. What’s not to love?”
—CAROL BORDEN, The Cultural Gutter
