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Review This

I don’t write reviews. I don’t write reviews because I don’t like writing reviews. Maybe if I got paid to write reviews I would write them and eventually enjoy myself. But in general I’d rather write fan mail or get drunk with my friends and talk about the books I love or the ones that disappointed me. The process of writing a review feels a little like having sex with someone you barely know under the glare of a bare bulb on a hot afternoon in an apartment with no AC after having scarfed a bunch of Mexican food. You know, gross! Embarrassing. READ MORE >

26 Comments
July 15th, 2010 / 7:17 pm

Big Shoes

Has anyone else been reading Greg Oden’s webpage/blog? (“Greg Oden’s Recent Activity is empty!”) It’s like poetry of the clinically depressed. It’s so honest as to be beautiful.

Well to start, I woke up this morning with an itchy throat and a runny nose.

After media training, I went out to dinner with the little white guy, the really quick one and I think he told me he played soccer all summer.

The second half i went up to the press box because i was getting cold and was tired of standing.

I usually hate it when there is fruit with my meal.

The next night when i woke up i had a puddle of blood where i was sleeping. It was in the spot where my puddle of slobber is usually at.

No one really looks at me as a 19 year old kid, and no one has for a while now.

I never get a chance to just come out and be here to go see the sights and walk around.

Im actually here in Portland right now visiting Nike and on the way here I saw mountains with snow on it, I thought to myself its May.

I sucked worse then anybody who ever played golf, i didnt even have one decent shot.

Its so bad that i watch Cold Case up to 4 in the morning every week night, because it comes on TNT starting at 12 and they play 4 episodes back to back.

When i got back here and i was going to move in i didnt have anything in my room.

I get lost just about everytime I step out my room.

I don’t think I was supposed to do it anyway.

I saw a guy with a Ohio State shirt and I got hype I was like thats amazing someone who loves Ohio State then once i saw 30 more people with the same shirt I was like hold up not all these people like Ohio State, but its ok.

I was quiet most of the time, and when I did talk they told me to speak up.

After that i hung out at home with my dog who i havent seen in over a month.

I can keep going and going but mostly im thankful just to wake up each morning.

Random / 54 Comments
July 15th, 2010 / 3:08 pm

Memes Will Be Memes

In this here book, Richard Dawkins coined the term meme.

I heard he doesn’t believe in gawd or something. I dunno,

READ MORE >

Web Hype / 17 Comments
July 15th, 2010 / 2:54 pm

THE FACEBOOK MOVIE

I actually think this looks great.

Film / 96 Comments
July 15th, 2010 / 1:32 pm

This and That

1. If you like zombies, and really, who doesn’t, check out Zombie Summer at xTx’s blog, where you will find zombie tales from many familiar writers.

2. Dark Sky Magazine is holding a chapbook contest. Each entry is only $5 which seems quite reasonable.

3. Necessary Fiction has launched a Writer in Residence program. This month, it is William Walsh who is posting these amazing fictions. Last month, was my month, and you can find writing from Giant contributors like Ryan Call, Amy McDaniel and Ken Baumann among others.

4. Janet Fitch offers Ten Rules for Writers.

5. Brevity Magazine asks if they should charge for submissions.

6. Our Island of Epidemics by Matthew Salesses is available for pre-order with gorgeous cover art by Luca DiPierro to be unveiled very soon.

7. Forthcoming from me, here, once I finish unpacking: two posts on sex, one on learning to love submissions, and a love letter to depressing literary fiction.

Roundup / 16 Comments
July 15th, 2010 / 1:30 pm

Amelia Gray threatened an audience at a reading. The New Republic wrote about it.

I love this manifestation mode developing, objects offered to be: Statement of Facts by Vanessa Place.

Miéville, Erickson, LIT, Collagist, McElroy

1. @ AV Club, an interview with China Miéville.
2. @ Word Riot, an interview with Steve Erickson.
3. LIT‘s new issue looks rad and has some Giants in it:

4. New issue of The Collagist is live.
5. @ The Quarterly Conversation, a tribute to Joseph McElroy.

Roundup / 6 Comments
July 15th, 2010 / 11:07 am

OK, if no one else is going to say it, I will:
Blake’s book.
4/5/11. I can’t think of a way to say how much I’m looking forward to this. I sincerely hope to hear a lot about it over the coming 9 months.