“Flipping Boxcars,” a novel by Cedric Kyles (aka Cedric The Entertainer) coauthored with Palisadian Alan Eisenstock, is available on Amazon, starting September 12 click here.
“It’s a crime novel,” Eisenstock said, and explained the book centers on Cedric’s actual grandfather–a flamboyant gambler, bootlegger, and fighter–his family, friends, and enemies and is set in Cedric’s hometown of Caruthersville, Missouri.
“It’s fast, furious, funny and full of heart,” Eisenstock said about the novel that takes place in 1948 over the July 4th weekend.
Publisher’s Weekly wrote: “Kyles and Eisenstock deliver stirring gambling scenes, strong characterizations, and vivid prose. The result is an energetic caper that’s more than meets the eye.”
The book as been described as Cedric’s “most engaging best—a charming, fast-paced novel that pays homage to his beloved grandfather and a generation past, anchored by rich, multi-dimensional characters and oozing with irresistible charm.”
Want even more fun?
Listen as Eisenstock interviews Cedric at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 14, at the Barnes & Noble at the Grove.
“I’ll interview Cedric, we’ll hang out, have some laughs, and sign some books,” Eisenstock said click here. Everyone attending the event must have a ticket ($32.85). That ticket includes a copy of the novel, admission to the discussion, an audience Q& A and a book signing with Cedric.
“This book is completely different from anything else I’ve written,” Eisenstock said. He has coauthored numerous books including Elgin Baylor’s (Hang Time: My Life in Basketball), Theresa Larson (Warrior: A Memoir), Mark Borovitz (The Holy Thief: A Con Man’s Journey from the Darkness to Light) and Sonya Curry (Fierce Love).
Cedric the Entertainer was born Cedric Antonio Kyles. He is a comedian, an actor, a television host, a producer and author, who has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His first film appearance was in 1998 in Ride and he worked steadily through 2020 with The Opening Act. His first television appearance was in 1987 It’s Showtime at the Apollo and he just appeared in April on The Daily Show.
How did Cedric and Eisenstock team up? “My agent connected us,” Eisenstock told CTN. “It was ‘love’ at first sight, well, it was on Zoom, and I couldn’t see, but, yeah.”
Writing this was especially fun for Eisenstock because, “I’ve always wanted to write a novel.”
He said that he tries to write nonfiction books/memoirs as if they are novels. “I try to go for that kind of pace, urgency, storytelling, and, yes, dialogue, too.”
There were two things Eisenstock said were particularly fun working with the legendary Cedric.
Alan Eisenstock
“It was just having the freedom to make stuff up,” Eisenstock said. “So fun. But the book is a novel, a crime novel, kind of heist, so it was challenging to create the caper and make sure it made sense. That was a blast.”
Maybe Eisenstock’s greatest joy was “just working with Cedric. He is smart, funny, generous, very creative, an absolute joy. We’re talking about doing something again, maybe a sequel.”