Monday, August 31, 2009

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?

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

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.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Great read:

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

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

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.

Friday, August 14, 2009

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!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

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

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

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.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

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!