HUMP Big Things

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.]]>