In an Uncharted Country

Cliff Garstang's collection of linked stories comes out this week. I've just ordered my copy. Have you ordered yours?

Great reads:

I've just discovered two new online journals: Pank and > kill author. I tend to be a little leery about new journals (> kill author is less than 6 months old), but the stories I read in issue 2 were terrific.

Two I especially liked were:
Roxane Gay's Important Things to Know About Career Girls
Lauren Becker's Boilerplate

The other journal, Pank, is out of Michigan and for some reason I thought this was a journal where editors of other journals submitted stories for publication. Not so! Check out Steven McDermott's Sliver -- crisp, fresh prose; engaging. Terrific.

Great read:

I stumbled onto the Waccamaw Journal from Coastal Carolina University and found a great story from Andrew Coburn: Ginger.

Great reads:

Two great flash pieces in decomP:

Alicia Gifford's Smoked Oyster, Thunderhead

Steven McDermott's Insane Barker

Go on, take a look. You won't be sorry.

Wash Me Again

I'm happy to share that my story Wash Me Again is up at Staccato Fiction today. Wander on over and have a looksee!

Great reads:

Here are 3 stories to read and enjoy:

Myfanwy Collins' Wash, Dry, Fold in Mississippi Review

Alicia Gifford's Afterlife in Narrative Magazine

Jennifer S. Davis' "The Lives of Diamonds" in Epoch, Vol 57, No 3

Jupiter

There's a gorgeous full moon tonight (last couple of nights, actually, though I think it's not "technically" full until tonight...whatever; it LOOKED full), called the Sturgeon Moon. And just to its left, and down a scratch, is Jupiter! If I knew how to operate my awesome telescope I'd be out there right now checking it out. I love looking at planets and imagining other worlds.

writer's block

How does one break a writing block? I've tried lots of things: reading; watching the birds; sitting outside; watching movies; cleaning; gardening. I have some cool pictures of birds feasting on my flowers and weed-free flowerbeds (for the moment, anyway), but not much output on the story I'm struggling with. I'm able to eek out only small, 3 to 5 line paragraphs at a time. At this rate, it'll be 2012 before it's finished. Sad.

Birthday

Folks with August 2nd birthdays:

Butch Patrick (Eddie - Munsters)
Peter O'Toole
Carroll O'Connor
Victoria Jackson (SNL)
Mary-Louise Parker
Wes Craven (director: Nightmare on Elm Street)

And: me!