Jim Ruland: 'Make It Stop'
Prolific novelist and punk rock journalist and historian Jim Ruland has a new novel coming out, "Make It Stop," a speculative look at a dysfunctional capitalist healthcare system and the underdogs, vigilantes and avengers who are (messily) trying to upturn the status quo. Ruland's writing is a compelling mix of page turner thriller, humor and cerebral, wry insight into the darker corners of the human condition.
Ruland will be in conversation with author Patrick Coleman at the Book Catapult to celebrate "Make It Stop."
—Julia Dixon Evans, KPBS
About the book:
Scores of detox and rehab centers across Southern California have adopted a controversial new conditional release policy that forces patients to stay until they pay their bills. And if they can't pay? They don't leave. Enter: Make It Stop, a group of highly skilled recovering addicts dedicated to rescuing those trapped in these prison hospitals by posing as patients and getting them out by any means necessary. But when Scary Gary, one of their top ops, gets killed on assignment, Melanie Marsh and her crew set out to avenge his death and unravel an unthinkable medical conspiracy that threatens to destroy the organization and cripple the city with a dangerous new drug. Melanie may be LA's best hope but if, and only if, she can stay sober. From decrepit rehab wards to beachside punk clubs, Make It Stop takes readers into LA's darkest corners, exploring sobriety, sanity, and a society hell-bent on profiting off those who need its help the most.
About the author:
Jim Ruland is the author of the award-winning novel Forest of Fortune and the short story collection Big Lonesome. He is the co-author of Do What You Want with Bad Religion, My Damage with Keith Morris, founding member of Black Flag, Circle Jerks and OFF!, and Giving the Finger with Scott Campbell, Jr. of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch. He is currently working on a collaboration with Evan Dando of the Lemonheads. Jim writes about punk and pop culture for Razorcake — America’s only non-profit independent music zine. He also writes book reviews and author profiles for the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Review of Books. Jim’s work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Believer, Electric Literature, Esquire, Granta, Hobart and Oxford American, and has received awards from Reader’s Digest and the National Endowment for the Arts. Jim is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has worked for advertising agencies, entertainment enterprises, and the gaming industry. He is available for copywriting, ghostwriting, editing, and consultation. He lives in Southern California and is an avid enthusiast of punk rock music, tattoo culture, and strong coffee.
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