Booksellers at Chevalier’s Books — L.A.’s oldest indie bookshop, located in the heart of Larchmont — were untangling projector cords near the rear of the store on Wednesday night when a woman strode in.

“I thought there was an author event tonight,” she said as she stopped in front of the screen displayed in front of rows of folding chairs. “What’s with the screen?”

“The author is phoning in, ma’am,” the bookseller said.

“He’s not coming to his own event?” the woman said, turning to leave.

“Ma’am, he can’t come,” the bookseller replied. “He’s in prison.”

Journalist and author John J. Lennon, wearing prison greens and gel in his graying hair, appeared on screen. “I’m excited to be joining you all in L.A. tonight, straight out of Sing Sing,” he said in the video.

His debut book, “The T

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