Literary Las Vegas: Dennis Goode

Las Vegas novelist, poet and short story author Dennis Goode grew up in New York City, the setting for his novel "Time Squares." The book follows the adventures of two young boys curious about the lives and stories of the neighbors stacked in apartments around them, "intrigued by the fact that people lived on top and below one another, and that they could be seen at once in a single swooping glance."

Goode has taught creative writing to students and teachers and served as the co-director of the Southern Nevada Writing Project at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

He is scheduled to sign copies of "Time Squares" at 1 p.m. Saturday at the 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd. Barnes & Noble.

Excerpt from "Time Squares"

Jacob Todd Oliver wondered exactly where these kids in the books, magazines, and television shows actually lived. He certainly never visited such places, but knew they existed because so many stories spoke of them, and pictures showed smiling, happy faces of running children virtually ecstatic in their vast playing fields. "That must be what the real country is like," he would think to himself, trying to imagine what playing and running amounted to carefree of brick and metal and people and hydrants and items in front of you always needing a watchful eye.

It was certainly not part of his world, but it mattered little because that was the way it was. ...