August 4th, 2009 / 10:43 pm
Author Spotlight
Christopher Higgs
Author Spotlight
Devine Interview
An English sentence can expand and expand and it can do it with conjunctions (or clauses) — also qualifiers like adjectives and adverbs — but a greatly expanded English sentence is not so different from an English sentence that hasn’t been greatly expanded.
An Interview with Andy Devine
by
Josh Maday
(in the newest installment of elimae)
Tags: andy devine, josh maday
Such an excellent interview. Great job Josh!
Thanks, John. And thanks, Chris, for the post. Devine is an interesting guy. His forthcoming book, WORDS (Publishing Genius, 2010) is really interesting. Different from anything you’ve read before.
Thanks, John. And thanks, Chris, for the post. Devine is an interesting guy. His forthcoming book, WORDS (Publishing Genius, 2010) is really interesting. Different from anything you’ve read before.
I’d love to read his essays. Where should I start? Are there some online somewhere? Can I get them from him maybe?
Hey John,
There is a bunch of Devine’s work in the new Unsaid (which, if anybody is looking to start a new topic thread, is one of the single best issues of a literary magazine ever). There is a piece on prepositions, a piece on words that shouldn’t be used, and a piece on words that should be used.
Hey John,
There is a bunch of Devine’s work in the new Unsaid (which, if anybody is looking to start a new topic thread, is one of the single best issues of a literary magazine ever). There is a piece on prepositions, a piece on words that shouldn’t be used, and a piece on words that should be used.
Great interview of an amazing writer, Josh. I’ve been a longtime fan of Devine’s — he really takes us to the essence of language and of literature. There’s so much heart in his writing, and your interview really brought that out.
John, you can find some of his older writings at the now defunct, but still incredible, taintmagazine.com.
–gm
Great interview of an amazing writer, Josh. I’ve been a longtime fan of Devine’s — he really takes us to the essence of language and of literature. There’s so much heart in his writing, and your interview really brought that out.
John, you can find some of his older writings at the now defunct, but still incredible, taintmagazine.com.
–gm
Thanks Michael.
Hey GM,
I read one piece from Taint. Has he also written some expository essays on his ideas and theories about craft? And are there other interviews out there?
Yes, the latest issue of Unsaid is unbelievable, and Devine’s work in there is definitely no exception.
Yes, the latest issue of Unsaid is unbelievable, and Devine’s work in there is definitely no exception.
Thanks, GM. I think we’re in agreement that recognition of Devine’s genius is long overdue. Yeah, the Taint archives have some really good work.
Thanks, GM. I think we’re in agreement that recognition of Devine’s genius is long overdue. Yeah, the Taint archives have some really good work.
You know, John, I’m not entirely sure if there are any other interviews out there. There may be, but I didn’t find any in all of my research for this interview. Please let me know if you find any.
You know, John, I’m not entirely sure if there are any other interviews out there. There may be, but I didn’t find any in all of my research for this interview. Please let me know if you find any.
Interesting interview to be sure – I’m still not sure I have a clue what Devine is doing with his work, but appreciate the thought and conversation the interview provides.
As to the current Unsaid, it is truly a fantastic beast. I’ve had the pleasure of having editor, David McLendon, participate in some discussion about the individual pieces and authors in the issue over at the EWN – the project’s been on hiatus for a couple of weeks (at least) but should kick back into gear next week and go on through the Peter Markus novella that ends the issue.
David’s thoughts about the first 20 or so writers included can be read at: http://emergingwriters.typepad.com/emerging_writers_network/unsaid-four/
Interesting interview to be sure – I’m still not sure I have a clue what Devine is doing with his work, but appreciate the thought and conversation the interview provides.
As to the current Unsaid, it is truly a fantastic beast. I’ve had the pleasure of having editor, David McLendon, participate in some discussion about the individual pieces and authors in the issue over at the EWN – the project’s been on hiatus for a couple of weeks (at least) but should kick back into gear next week and go on through the Peter Markus novella that ends the issue.
David’s thoughts about the first 20 or so writers included can be read at: http://emergingwriters.typepad.com/emerging_writers_network/unsaid-four/
Hey John, Josh’s interview was the first I had seen. I’d love to see essays, too, but haven’t before. But I do think that the ‘on publishing’ bits on Taint (the lists of principles about metaphors and then the list of ideas about fiction) are actually like craft essays. Just in a Devine-esque list!
–gm
Hey John, Josh’s interview was the first I had seen. I’d love to see essays, too, but haven’t before. But I do think that the ‘on publishing’ bits on Taint (the lists of principles about metaphors and then the list of ideas about fiction) are actually like craft essays. Just in a Devine-esque list!
–gm
I think that reading Devine’s work is like looking at an abstract expressionist painting.
–gm
I think that reading Devine’s work is like looking at an abstract expressionist painting.
–gm
Dan, I’ve been enjoying your conversation with McLendon. It’s nice to get that kind of insight into an editor’s thinking about the work they publish. Thank you for helping me get my hands on a copy of this issue, too.
I think GM is onto something about Devine’s work. I don’t know if it makes sense, but I kind of let my mind slide out of focus and allow the words to accumulate and make their own connections. Evolutionary reading. Abstract expressionist painting seems like an accurate analogy.
Dan, I’ve been enjoying your conversation with McLendon. It’s nice to get that kind of insight into an editor’s thinking about the work they publish. Thank you for helping me get my hands on a copy of this issue, too.
I think GM is onto something about Devine’s work. I don’t know if it makes sense, but I kind of let my mind slide out of focus and allow the words to accumulate and make their own connections. Evolutionary reading. Abstract expressionist painting seems like an accurate analogy.
I did a reading with Andy Devine once. He read one of the alphabetical pieces. It was hypnotizing, and incredible, how much impact it had hearing it spoken. Wholly something else.
I did a reading with Andy Devine once. He read one of the alphabetical pieces. It was hypnotizing, and incredible, how much impact it had hearing it spoken. Wholly something else.