Otis' characters inhabit unlovely corners of the city — barbecuing at a
dingy condo, dallying in a Van Nuys parking lot, renting an apartment
underneath a hillside garage and having sex in a basement storage
closet.
bonus byline: By Carolyn Kellogg, Carolyn Kellogg hosts the literary blog "Pinky's Paperhaus," at www.pinkyspaperhaus.com.