Month: July 2012

I was honored to read with Jason Lee Norman on his Americas book tour, stop # 2 in Milwaukee at: http://riverwestpublichouse.wordpress.com/2012/07/17/author-reading-july-23-7pm/. What a great spot for a reading! Upon entering, friend Pam Parker commented, I feel like I’m back in college! And I had to agree, but the premise of this Cooperative is unique: one of only two in the entire country at this time. The reading went off without a hitch, with so many great writing friends for a captive audience, some from as far away as Racine. (Not to mention Jason and Lamya drove from Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA!) And in the 100 degree heat! Even our bartender was full of compliments! Afterwards, Stephanie Lecci from WUWM’s Lake Effect was in the house so we could record our July segment of Flash Fiction Friday: Jason read a story from his Americas book: “Argentina.” In all there are 22 stories, and if you have not yet read this gem of a book, you must. Here is more information: http://jasonleenorman.wordpress.com/ And because a band I really like, Metric, is from CANADA, this is for you, Jason and Lamya: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we_czU9sJ3g. Thanks Deco Dawson for the short film. Here are some other happenings around cyber land and elsewhere: 1) Exciting news for me at JMWW magazine. Thanks, Jen Michalski: http://jmwwblog.wordpress.com/2012/07/24/meet-robert-vaughan-senior-flash-editor/. If you are writing flash fiction, please consider us when submitting!!! 2) Thaisa Frank’s new stunning collection, New and Selected Stories: http://www.sfgate.com/books/article/Enchantment-by-Thaisa-Frank-review-stories-3706270.php 3) Robert Kloss/ Amber Sparks at Vinyl Poetry: http://vinylpoetry.com/volume-6/page-35/ 4) Interview by Rafe Posey with Paul Lisicky at Cobalt Review: http://www.cobaltreview.com/interviews/2012/07/21/interview-paul-lisicky/ 5) Matthew Salesses at Necessary Fiction on What Matters in our Stories: http://necessaryfiction.com/writerinres/WhatMattersinOurStories 6) Please vote for xTx’s story, The Mill Pond in the storySouth contest:  http://www.jasonsanford.com/jason/2012/07/two-weeks-left-to-vote-in-the-storysouth-million-writers-award.html. And I’m not just saying this to sway your vote. Read her dang “HOLY COW!” story here: http://www.storyglossia.com/42/xtx_mill.html 7) Such a fascinating interview with Kristine Ong Muslim and Meg Tuite at HER KIND: http://herkind.org/one-to-one/fetal-abnormality-and-first-loves-a-conversation-with-meg-tuite-and-kristine-ong-muslim 8) Have you seen the new Thrice Fiction? Have you read it? What a lovely magazine, so honored to have my piece included, thanks, editors Bob and David: http://www.thricefiction.com/pdf/ThriceFiction005X.pdf 9) Poet Michael McGriff is podcast at PBS Newshour, and his poem ‘Alone in Hell’s Canyon,’ is posted here, thanks Dorianne Laux for the link: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2012/07/weekly-poem-alone-in-hells-canyon.html 10) And the best bonus ever: friends having kids that are just the best combination. Read why: http://oldstandby.tumblr.com/post/27919867374/open-letter-to-my-son-3-days-old. Thanks for this gift, Michael and Amy. Welcome, Sheldon! And this just in: Michelle Reale interviews Heather Fowler about her new story collection, People With Holes. Great title, isn’t it? The Slant Interview with Heather Fowler « Flash Fiction Chronicles]]>

Alchemy for Writers | Project Empty Space Here are some other current happenings: 1) I’m reading with the uber-talented Jason Lee Norman on his America’s Book Tour next Monday, July 23^rd at 7 p.m. at the Riverwest Public House, 815 E. Locust Street. Here is more information: http://riverwestpublichouse.wordpress.com/ Please help us spread the word and bring your friends! 2) If you want to know a little more about Jason Lee Norman, read this interview with him at LitStack: http://litstack.com/?p=7882 3) xTx’s “Last Things” up at Thrush Poetry: http://thrushpoetryjournal.com/?p=1860&preview=true 4) Meg Tuite delivers the goods (when doesn’t she?!) for July Connotation Press, fiction issue: http://connotationpress.com/fiction.html. Includes Timothy Gager, DJ Berndt, Lisa Marie Basile, Harley May and so many others! 5) Casey Hannon is “Headless” at Matchbook! :http://www.matchbooklitmag.com/ 6) Deep thoughts by Steve Almond at The Baffler: http://www.thebaffler.com/past/the_jokes_on_you 7) Press 1 is chock full of goodies. Including stellar James Claffey: http://www.leafscape.org/press1/v6n1/claffey.html. And the inimitable Marcus Speh: http://www.leafscape.org/press1/v6n1/speh.html. Also fine poet, James Valvis: http://www.leafscape.org/press1/v6n1/valvis.html 8) A wonderfully tender and sad story by Matthew Salesses at Guernica: http://www.guernicamag.com/fiction/high-schools-or-how-to-be-asian-american/ 9) I have no clue how I missed this gem from Berit Ellingsen at Everyday Genius: http://www.everyday-genius.com/2012/05/berit-ellingson.html 10) Molly Gaudry’s lovely “No-Nation Woman” is up at Barrelhouse: http://www.barrelhousemag.com/no-nation-woman-by-molly-gaudry/ Bonus Features: Thrice Fiction, July 2012 issue is out! My piece, “There’s No Place like Home” is included on page 36. Thanks, editor Bob Spryszac! http://www.thricefiction.com/pdf/ThriceFiction005X.pdf July Blue Five Notebook: http://bluefifthreview.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/blue-five-notebook-july-2012-12-13/ NAP 2.8 is out!!!: NAP New Sixth Finch: http://sixthfinch.com/mainsummer12.html]]>

http://projectemptyspace.wordpress.com/alchemy-for-writers/ 2) Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 Wisconsin People & Ideas/Wisconsin Book Festival Short Story Contest (I was the 2012 head judge for fiction):   • 1st –“Eyes in the Back of Her Head,” by Jill Stukenberg, Wausau   • 2nd – “All the Blues in the Night,” Andrea Lochen, Milwaukee   • 3rd – “Plan for Paradise,” by Christine Stocke, Madison Contest winners receive up to $500, a reading at the 2012 Wisconsin Book Festival, and publication in Wisconsin People & Ideas magazine. Look for the 1st-place winning story in the summer issue of the magazine and online at wisconsinacademy.org/magazine on July 15. 2nd- and 3rd place winning stories will appear in subsequent issues. 3) If you so desire, Amber Sparks it taking pre-orders for her new book, May We Shed These Human Bodies, at Curbside Splendor Publishing: http://curbsidesplendor.bigcartel.com/product/may-we-shed-these-human-bodies. Also, Amber and I might be reading together in Milwaukee this September, more information forthcoming! 4) storySouth has voting for its Million Writers Award. (And I’m not biased or anything, but check out xTx’s story, The Mill Pond). WOW! http://www.storysouth.com/millionwriters/2012voteform.html 5) The new Gigantic is online with some great content: http://www.thegiganticmag.com/magazine/articleDetail.php?p=articleDetail&id=110 6) She’s here. She’s there. She’s Super-Meg! Another amazing story up at Tampa Online Review: http://www.tampareviewonline.org/fiction/family-extravaganza/ Oh, and he’s also here, and there. On fire, this dude, James Claffey: http://www.tampareviewonline.org/fiction/hard-freeze/ And this fellow, well, can’t say enough superlatives: Len Kuntz at Northville Review: Red Pennies | The Northville Review 7) This looks super-cool and fun and I have to have it. Which is always the case with anything David Tomaloff is associated with: http://pachydermini.tumblr.com/post/26885351349/pack5 8) Speaking of ON FIRE, check this Tumbler update from Jess February. I never feel like a sloth unless I read his newsy latest: http://februaryy.tumblr.com/post/26907404136/writing-update 9) Mary Stone Dockery stops traffic at Melusine with Two Poems: http://www.melusine21cent.com/mag/node/321 10) Teacher, mentor and wonderful poet Ellen Bass has her poem in the new anthology Before There is Nowhere to Stand,” from Lost Horse Press: http://www.losthorsepress.org/catalog/before-there-is-nowhere-to-stand-palestine-israel-poets-respond-to-the-struggle/ And that, my friends, is all for this installment. Get your groove on. P.S. At lunch with two writer friends yesterday, this came up. One of the most controversial decisions in the writerly community this year: Letter from the Pulitzer Fiction Jury: What Really Happened This Year : The New Yorker. What do you think? Any thoughts about this?]]>

http://networkedblogs.com/zzDvR?a=share 2) David Tomaloff and Ryan Bradley’s collaborative You are Jaguar stalking you in the Amazon…http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Jaguar-Ryan-Bradley/dp/1467513423/ref=cm_cmu_up_thanks_hdr 3) Aleathia Drehmer brings the goodies with her Episode 26, theme is Deconstruction. My piece, “The Price You Pay for a Cult” is included. Thanks, Aleathia! http://inbetweenalteredstates.wordpress.com/2012/07/03/the-price-you-pay-for-a-cult-by-robert-vaughan/ 4) Ben Tanzer combines his prowess about running with his magical essays on writing: 99 Problems (although I could list several more!): http://cclapcenter.com/99problems/ 5) Alex Pruteanu writes like a “Resident Alien” up at Used Furniture Review: http://usedfurniturereview.com/2012/07/03/resident-alien-by-alex-pruteanu/ 6) Are you up for a little Joyland, a hub for short fiction? Sara Lippmann brings her panache with “Swanee.” http://www.joylandmagazine.com/stories/new_york/swanee 7) Have you read this brilliant interview with poet Dorianne Laux at combustus? If not, do! Also, Dorianne, husband Joe Millar, and Ellen Bass only have two spots left for their Esalen workshop: http://combustus.net/2012/06/16/all-poetry-is-preparation-for-death-dorianne-laux/ http://www.facebook.com/events/292923710778295/ 8) The brilliant Heather Fowler, my kangaroo pal, now has her book, People With Holes, at Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/people-with-holes-heather-fowler/1108838530?ean=9780982991381. Congrats, Heather! 9)  Just had to include this, courtesy of dazzling poet Helen Vitoria: http://www.motionpoems.com/?p=941 10) Can’t help but see the symbolic elements in this man-made disaster: http://news.yahoo.com/san-deigo-accidentally-set-off-fireworks-same-time-085739445.html Happy 4^th and many more. Thunderclap released our 2nd National Poetry Month chapbook this week, more about that here: National Poetry Month – April 2012 by thunderclappress (Paperback) – Lulu. Also, Amanda Deo’s latest news about the future of Thunderclap here: http://thunderclappress.com/. I will always be grateful for our work together, Amanda and wish you only the best in your writing life. We are off to take in “Twelfth Night” today at the American Players Theater in Spring Green: http://americanplayers.org/. What are you up to?]]>