Author Jerry Thompson Thompson is not native to Oakland, but upon settling here (from New York, via Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vallejo), he felt at home. “In Oakland, I found my creative voice,” says Thompson. “I found the home I was looking for. And that filled me up.” After co-authoring the 2007 Arcadia Publishing book Black Artists in Oakland, A gregarious bookseller who’s stylish enough to pull off wearing plaid on plaid, Thompson thrives here in the cultural diversity of his chosen hometown. He loves helping people connect. “I’m the match striker,” he says. “I start the flame.” Latest book - Berkeley Noir co-edited with the amazing Owen Hill