Tales of Lost Southtown by Erik Bosse
Many people find themselves moving to a new town or neighborhood only to feel they arrived too late—all the fun and exciting possibilities in that region’s history had already come and gone. Such is the opinion of the narrator of Tales of Lost Southtown, a struggling filmmaker who finds himself navigating through a series of unlikely adventures in one of San Antonio’s older and funkier neighborhoods. He learns about the mysterious Elmendorf Beast (a genetic experiment gone awry), a cursed oil painting purchased at a thrift shop, a trilobite fossil the size of a VW, and Alfie Montoya, head of the Alamo Urination Appreciation Society, who is trying to conserve the historical site where a certain rock star relieved himself on the “shrine” of Texas Independence. Although Tales of Lost Southtown is essentially a book about loss as seen through the lens of the gentrification of the older neighborhoods of San Antonio, the author maintains a tone of warm humor and an appreciation of the absurd, allowing this collection of interconnected stories to catch a glimpse of a hopeful future amid a prevailing era of uncertain change.
Many people find themselves moving to a new town or neighborhood only to feel they arrived too late—all the fun and exciting possibilities in that region’s history had already come and gone. Such is the opinion of the narrator of Tales of Lost Southtown, a struggling filmmaker who finds himself navigating through a series of unlikely adventures in one of San Antonio’s older and funkier neighborhoods. He learns about the mysterious Elmendorf Beast (a genetic experiment gone awry), a cursed oil painting purchased at a thrift shop, a trilobite fossil the size of a VW, and Alfie Montoya, head of the Alamo Urination Appreciation Society, who is trying to conserve the historical site where a certain rock star relieved himself on the “shrine” of Texas Independence. Although Tales of Lost Southtown is essentially a book about loss as seen through the lens of the gentrification of the older neighborhoods of San Antonio, the author maintains a tone of warm humor and an appreciation of the absurd, allowing this collection of interconnected stories to catch a glimpse of a hopeful future amid a prevailing era of uncertain change.
Many people find themselves moving to a new town or neighborhood only to feel they arrived too late—all the fun and exciting possibilities in that region’s history had already come and gone. Such is the opinion of the narrator of Tales of Lost Southtown, a struggling filmmaker who finds himself navigating through a series of unlikely adventures in one of San Antonio’s older and funkier neighborhoods. He learns about the mysterious Elmendorf Beast (a genetic experiment gone awry), a cursed oil painting purchased at a thrift shop, a trilobite fossil the size of a VW, and Alfie Montoya, head of the Alamo Urination Appreciation Society, who is trying to conserve the historical site where a certain rock star relieved himself on the “shrine” of Texas Independence. Although Tales of Lost Southtown is essentially a book about loss as seen through the lens of the gentrification of the older neighborhoods of San Antonio, the author maintains a tone of warm humor and an appreciation of the absurd, allowing this collection of interconnected stories to catch a glimpse of a hopeful future amid a prevailing era of uncertain change.
After ending a career in the antiquarian book trade, Erik Bosse moved to San Antonio, Texas. For over a decade he honed his skills as a writer, filmmaker, and creative collaborator in San Antonio, Texas. During those years he worked for several of that city's art and cultural nonprofit organizations. When not busy as project manager, program documentarian, or marketing director, Erik kept busy with creative work. He directed several music videos, produced a couple of plays, and collaborated in a series of multimedia public art projects. He also wrote a series of short stories that were eventually woven into the novel, Tales of Lost Southtown.
Erik currently lives in New Orleans with his partner, Laurie Dietrich. He continues to write and do film work. He has been published in Rum Punch Press, The Bitter Oleander, Maudlin House, Razor, and Unlikely Stories. Much of his work can be found on his website: erikbosse.com