Month: October 2012

http://www.metazen.ca/?p=11347. And while there, check out “Saul Lies” by fellow Milwaukee writer, friend Tony Van Hart: Saul Lies by Tony Van Hart | Metazen Strange Visions is Flash Fiction Friday’s October theme, full of interesting tidbits and great stories as my co-host Stephanie Lecci interviews local author Paul McComas, and he reads “Harry & Sally vs. New York.” Also I read James Claffey’s “Blood a Cold Blue” which first appeared at Word Riot: http://www.wuwm.com/programs/lake_effect/lake_effect_segment.php?segmentid=9788 Linda Simoni-Wastila has landed at Smokelong Quarterly (again, thanks to editor Christopher Allen!!!) with “The Abridged Biography of an American Sniper”: http://www.smokelong.com/flash/lindasimoniwastila38.asp Apocrypha & Abstraction has published its special Halloween issue, congrats Cheryl: http://apocryphaandabstractions.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/halloween-special-edition-2012/ Michael Seidel is at Housefire with the strange and wonderful “I Am Not Literally A Person Under A Bridge”: http://housefirebooks.com/i-am-not-literally-a-person-under-a-bridge-fiction-by-michael-seidel/ MaryAnne Kolton quizzes Charles Finch about his new book, “A Death in The Small Hours”: http://www.heralddeparis.com/charles-finch-a-death-in-small-hours/192398 Howie Good waxes about poetry in “Empire of Words” at Circleshow: Sevencirclespress: http://www.sevencirclepress.com/CircleShow Vol. 8.pdf Laura Bogart brings speculation of a wondrous writer’s sort, cracking codes at The Salon: http://www.salon.com/2012/10/28/so_much_for_family_values/ Mark Follman hits a bullseye with “More Guns, More Mass Shootings- Concidence?” at Mother Jones: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/mass-shootings-investigation?fb_action_ids=4255816685378&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582 Bud Smith getting spooky at Drunk Monkeys with “The Portal to Hell”: http://www.drunkmonkeys.onimpression.com/featured/the-portal-to-hell-by-bud-smith/ Dorothea Lasky has three new poems up at The Good Men Project: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/the-only-old-thing-i-really-loved-was-poseidon-he-won-the-ocean-poems-by-dorothea-lasky/ Be safe out there, whether you trick, or treat! Or both.]]>

Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing Q. What is the working title of your book? A. Microtones. Q. Where did the idea come from for the book? A. Much of the material was generated through the ongoing influences of music; rhythms, patterns, refrains, lyrics. Also my vast array of artistic mentors. The title is a nod to musical outsider, genius Harry Partch, an American composer and instrument creator. Q. What genre does your book fall under? A. Poetry chapbook, comprised of 24 poems Q. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? A. Any indie Off-Off Broadway actor who has not recently acted and continues to work some other job to make ends meet. Q. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? A. Microtones is a massive, experimental expression for Robert Vaughan’s foray into publishing his first collection of poetry. Q. Will your book be self-published or represented by a publisher? A. It is forthcoming from Cervena Barva Press, Gloria Mindock is editor. Q. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? A. These poems developed over a period of 4-5 years. Many of them were published in online or print journals prior to this collection. Q. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? A. My poems have been compared to Charles Simic, Maureen Seaton, Simon Perchik, James Tate, Andrew Michael Roberts, Li-Young Lee, and Dorianne Laux. Q. Who or What inspired you to write this book? A. I can’t possibly list an entire group here- surely my partner, family, friends, teachers. Also everyone who has ever told me “this is not good enough” or sent a rejection. And James, Mel, and other loved ones who are in spirit now. Inspiration comes in multiple forms, daily, weekly. It’s ongoing, happens in spurts. Q. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? A. One day, in looking back, you can say you own my first published poetry collection. Also, Cervena Barva Press has been publishing consistently great chaps and full-length books since 2005. It’s important to support our indie presses. And now, as usual, our 10 other links for this HUMP day: Lost in Thought magazine has a new website, thanks Kyle Schruder, editor-at-large! Check out the material here: http://www.lostinthoughtmag.com/ A gripping article, Kao Kalia Yang speaks out about “The Science of Racism” at Hyphen: http://hyphenmagazine.com/blog/archive/2012/10/science-racism-radiolabs-treatment-hmong-experience PANK’s Queer issue 3 guest-edited by Tim Jones-Yelvington: http://www.pankmagazine.com/category/2011/7-12-queer-issue/ Shabby Doll House has a new issue, 73: http://www.shabbydollhouse.com/ Re-post: Flash Fiction Chronicles not only keeps an active list of markets to submit, it also compiles these list of recommended stories (with added links) for 2012. My piece “Ten Notes to the Guy Studying Jujitsu” is #50 (thanks Gay Degani!): http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/ss-links-2012/ Out of his mind? Some might say so, but not Daniel Botelho: http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/37393/the+most+incredible+great+white+shark+encounter+you+be+the+judge/ Did you ever hear a better poet than Bill Yarrow read his work? I think not! Here he is reading “She Waited For Him:” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXFk6jsnmXc I have a Flash Fiction piece called “In it to Win It” included in Fast Forward Press’s fifth anthology of flash fiction! http://fastforwardflash.wordpress.com/ Mia Avramut has two poems at Scissors and Spackle: scissors and spackle :: Mia Avramut Alex Pruteanu has a new piece “Orange Cigarettes” at Specter Magazine: “Orange Cigarettes” by Alex Pruteanu All the stories for October are up at Bartleby Snopes, and editor Nate Tower wants your vote: Bartleby Snopes Current Stories Check out this fun, bizarre and timely project: 12 Dead Poets (I Would F&@^) at poetrycrush: 12 Dead Poets (I Would Fuck) « poetrycrush Cycling has always been one of my favorite sports. And yet, I was never a Lance Armstrong fan (sorry for those of you who are/ were). Even when I cheered for him to win a Tour de France it was just my American supremacy flag-waving crap. Still, I would not wish his latest demise on anyone: banned from competitive cycling for life, stripped of his seven Tour titles (1999-2005), and fired from endorsement deals with Nike, Trek, and Anheuser Busch. Damn. Some really severe punishment for the fallen “hero.” And this has nothing to do with the ‘Lance as cancer survivor’. Or does it? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this, or anything really.]]>

Last night I attended a fantastic reading at Café Fixx in Milwaukee, sponsored by Redbird- Redoak Writing. Director Kim Suhr hosted and nine writers, a cross-section of roundtable participants, all read excerpts from their works-in-progress. Carol Wobig, my dear friend, premiered the paperback version of her short story collection, Poached is not an Option, which will be available at Amazon with her current e version: http://www.amazon.com/Poached-Not-Option-ebook/dp/B007OV4S1A/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350485562&sr=8-1&keywords=Poached+is+Not+an+Option I received my copies of LOST IN THOUGHT magazine, issue 3, the journal for which I am fiction editor, and Kyle Schruder is editorial, designer/ publisher. It’s simply fine art in all senses. I highly suggest seeing for yourself. You can peruse the sample copy and ordering info here: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/442741 Finnegan Flaunt briefly revives and returns at BULL: Men’s Fiction in the form of Marcus Speh: http://bullmensfiction.com/marcus-speh/obituary-for-a-poetic-heretic/ My precious buddy, Meg Tuite brings it with “Mixed Tape,” up at The Molotov Cocktail: The Molotov Cocktail Interview with JA Tyler of MudLuscious Press at Huffington Post Denver: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/16/ja-tyler-author-and-found_n_1970428.html Rachel Heimowitz, an amazing friend and poet, has three poems up at Shot Glass Journal: http://www.musepiepress.com/shotglass/rachel_heimowitz1.html Check out the latest at Pure Slush with Matt Potter at the editorial helm, also new work by Berit Ellingsen and many others: http://pureslush.webs.com/thelatest.htm MaryAnne Kolton interviews Carol Anshaw, author of “Carry The One;” http://www.hercircleezine.com/2012/05/01/standout-stpryteller-gifted-painer-an-interview-with-carol-anshaw/ Sara Fitzpatrick Comito has two new poems up at A-Minor: http://aminormagazine.com/2012/10/15/not-for-long-overdone/ Gessy Alvarez, Timmy Reed and Janee Baugher (oh my!) have new work at Connotation Press: http://connotationpress.com/fiction Gesture #3 is up and ready to bounce, from Matt Sherling: http://thegorillapress.com/gesture_3_.swf There is nothing like dear, old friends to help you laugh through these “debates.” So thanks, dear Andrea and David, for being my true blue pals. I love you!]]>

http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/442741. Contributors include Len Kuntz, Meg Tuite, Eryk Wenziak, Helen Vitoria, Alex Pruteanu, Nate Tower, Laurel Landis, Bill Yarrow, Agnes Marton, Christopher Allen, Sheldon Lee Compton, Gessy Alvarez, Sam Virzi, Justin F. Ridgeway, and Sara Peterson. TV’s New Gay Couples- Progress or Cliches? up at The Good Men project: http://goodmenproject.com/good-feed-blog/tvs-new-gay-couples-progress-or-cliches/ Paul Lisicky’s new book, Unbuilt Projects, is available: http://www.fourwaybooks.com/2012fall/lisicky.php?PHPSESSID=2ca127b6d046bc11620493b5cabfa077 To say that Gloria Mindock is busy is like saying, “it might rain today,” during a monsoon. Check out the latest news at Cervena Barva Press: http://www.cervenabarvapress.com/newsletter.htm Jane Hammons is up at Metazen with a new Headstone (for Michael 1952-2004): http://www.metazen.ca/?p=11267 Scott McClanahan gets grilled at Oxford American by James Williamson: AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Scott McClanahan :: Oxford American – The Southern Magazine of Good Writing Cheryl at Apocrypha & Abstractions likes them quirky, but she likes them great, too. Here’s Gessy Alvarez with her latest: http://apocryphaandabstractions.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/sassy-wench-by-gessy-alvarez/ Joseph Quintela dishes at Discordia with So Old It’s New: http://www.discordia.com.au/so-old-its-new-interview-with-emerging-artist-joseph-quintela/. Then check out his new artwork in A-Minor Magazine: http://aminormagazine.com/2012/10/08/living-in-the-end-of-time/ Matthew Sherling has two new pieces up at Have U Seen My Whale #4: http://husmw4.tumblr.com/matthew_sherling Patrick Ryan in Granta with “Grand Mal”: http://www.granta.com/New-Writing/Grand-Mal (thanks for the link, Loren!) At HTMLGiant, an anonymous reviewer of Frank Hinton’s (of Metazen) new Action, Figure: http://htmlgiant.com/reviews/action-figure-2/ James Claffey brings it at Necessary Fiction with the birdcage: Necessary Fiction Don’t hold your breath, it’s just another debate! They come, and they go, like everything else in life.]]>

http://jmww.150m.com/ Ten rules for writing fiction (courtesy of friend and writer Michael Seidel) up at The Guardian, UK: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/feb/20/ten-rules-for-writing-fiction-part-one My pal and fantabulous fellow Wisconsin writer David Tomaloff (dt) is UGLY MOUTH at HOUSEFIRE: http://housefirebooks.com/ugly-mouth-poetry-david-tomaloff/. Way to represent! Fiction writer Jacqueline Vogtman is featured at Connotation Press, courtesy of fiction editor Meg Tuite: http://connotationpress.com/fiction/1562-jacqueline-vogtman-fiction. And happy birthday sweet Meg…here’s to many, many more! Gregory Sherl has an awesome poem at poets.org: Two Minus One- Poets.org – Poetry, Poems, Bios & More. Damn, can he write! Blue Fifth Review has a Flash special issue including pieces by Stephen Hastings-King, Hobie Anthony, Kari Nguyan and more: http://bluefifthreview.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/flash-special-september-2012-12-20/ Roxane Gay waxes and wanes with The Politics of Entitlement at The Rumpus: http://therumpus.net/2012/09/the-politics-of-entitlement/ Nancy Fraser Freund was the guest editor at Necessary Fiction for September, and I was so fortunate to have my piece, “Mother/Father and Clown” published there on September 23: http://necessaryfiction.com/writerinres/MotherFatherandClown. And here are the rest of the pieces Nancy chose for the month: http://necessaryfiction.com/tag/writerinres+September 2012 Three new poems by Sasha Fletcher at Hobart: http://www.hobartpulp.com/web_features/three-poems–2 If you haven’t already, it’s time to get Amber Sparks’s debut collection, May We Shed These Human Bodies from Curbside Splendor: http://curbsidesplendor.bigcartel.com/product/may-we-shed-these-human-bodies Dennis Cooper’s blog, DC, discusses three new books he recently read and loved: http://denniscooper-theweaklings.blogspot.com/2012/10/3-books-i-read-recently-loved-blake.html?zx=1852724834aecd63 My bro, the prolific Len Kuntz, has a new story, “Hooks,” up at the new Seattle zine, Spartan: http://spartanlit.com/hooks I am happy to be alive. What a lovely time to be on the planet. Happy trails all!]]>