William McKeen is chairman of the University of Florida's Department of Journalism and author of several books, including the Hunter S. Thompson biography Outlaw Journalist.

COMING TO INKWOOD: Hunter Thompson used to say that every writer needed to serve time in a sports department. The drama of the games and the deadline demands brought out a writer’s best work, the Prince of Gonzo said.

Here’s a chance to test Dr. Thompson’s theory. Dave Boling comes to Inkwood Books at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, to sign copies of his new novel, Guernica (Bloomsbury, $26). Set during the Spanish Civil War and based around the bombing of the Basque city of Guernica, the novel is Boling’s first published book.

This article appears in Oct 15-21, 2008.