Friday Fuck Books, Let’s Buy Stuff!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-D-0_jX1O0
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M3_DR5OZns&feature=related
Justin Taylor—
Dennis Cooper’s blog focuses on Crispin Best’s for every year project, which I did not know about at all, much less that it includes contributions from some of our own contributors and/or fellow-travelers, including Jimmy Chen, Nicolle Elizabeth, Paula Bomer, and the great long-lost Ryan Manning. So that’s cool. Then, down in the comments thread, DC directs our attention to a piece by Weaklings-regular and general purveyor of greatness David Ehrenstein’s interview with Anna Karina in LA Weekly, “Sexual Politics: Godard and Me.” How’s that for Friday afternoon?
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Servicey: Should You Get an MFA? Find out for $1100 + Room/Board in NYC
I have no problem with capitalism or unique ways of creating profit and independent magazines have to really think outside the box to generate money. To that end, today I got an e-mail from One Story about their intimate writer’s workshop that will answer the age-old question: Should I get an MFA?
For the tidy sum of $1100 PLUS a $25 application fee One Story says:
The week will include morning workshops, afternoon craft lectures, and evening panels with writers, editors, agents, and MFA directors. All events are designed to give students the practical advice they need to either apply for an MFA or launch their career outside of academia.
We are crafting a unique experience, both practical and creative, for writers who hope for a career in fiction writing. Students will leave with:
- A workshopped portfolio they can use as their writing sample
- Advice from MFA directors about what they look for in an applicant
- A full understanding of the range of MFA and non-MFA options
- Insight about what an MFA can offer a writer
- A breakdown of the financial implications of an MFA
- A community of writers at the same stage of their career
- Access to One Story editors and authors
- A look at the wider publishing world from literary agents, editors, and writers
I am fascinated by these sorts of workshops and people who could afford to spend this kind of money. I will do all these things for you for $110! One-tenth of the price! BARGAIN! For free you can consult Dr. Google about what an MFA might offer you. Or you could ask a writer. Options, they’re fantastic.
Woman William Vollmann
Vice publishes an excerpt of Vollmann’s latest nonfiction book, Kissing the Mask: Beauty, Understatement, and Femininity in Japanese Noh Theater. Damn.
Thanks to Gian, who today also on Vice published a story by Harriette Simpson Arnow.
So Many Books Contest Winners and Runners Up
We received quite a few entries and the quality was exceptionally high and picking the winner and finalists was pretty damn tough. Although, because of timing, we weren’t able to work with Rick Moody to select a winner, scores have been tabulated, tea leaves have been consulted, incantations have been made and we have come up with a winner and nine runners up, all of whom will be published on a very special, very sweet website in the near future. Thanks, all, for playing!
Administrative note: If you offered prizes please e-mail contest@htmlgiant.com and we’ll send you the appropriate winner or finalist’s address so you can dispatch them their prize.
Winner:
Kristi McGuire Revising the Pharmacist In Love
Runners Up:
Amber Sparks For These Humans Who Cannot Fly
James Greer Second Hand Blue
Joseph Goosey I < 3 Escapism
Kyle Minor Synopsis of Late Chapters…
Matt Salesses In My War Novel
Sandra Simonds Strays: A Love Story
Kristen Gleason Dear Homeowner
Daniel Portland Portland: City of Rosebuds
Will Luers Imperfections
Fans Revolt on Grateful Dead Comment Thread!
Title like that and ya’ll probably think this is going to be a joke-post, but people who know me know that I am an extreme Grateful Dead-partisan, so dispense with the notion that I am writing in anything but earnest, and turn your attention now to a website you probably haven’t visited lately, Dead.net, where the once-venerable and now Rhino Records-controlled GDP (that’s Grateful Dead Productions) is offering their latest in (what we can only hope is) an endless supply of live-releases from the legendary VAULT.
To give credit where it’s due, most of the vault releases over the past couple years have been fantastic. A lot of people despaired of the fate of vault-stewardship after the death of Dick Latvala (the band’s tape archivist whose eponymous Dick’s Picks series eventually ran 35 multi-disc volumes), but the Road Trips series has won over more than a few skeptics (yours truly included) who at first balked at the decision to move from Dick’s focus on individual shows to a model that sought to provide, over two or three discs, the “highlights” of a run or an entire tour. But nothing really comes close, imho, to the three big–as in nine discs apiece–box sets: Fillmore West 1969, Winterland 1973 and Winterland 1977. So why are the notoriously genial Deadheads so pissed off about Philly ’89?
Power Quote: John Berryman
We must travel in the direction of our fear.
—John Berryman, October 25, 1914 – January 7, 1972
Blake Butler—
I’ve been guest editing Adam’s Everyday Genius this month. Today is Sean Kilpatrick’s poem ‘fistfucking rules’ which again reiterates why he is one of the realest mothers in this. Also this month new work from Laura Carter, Mark Leidner, Rav Grewal-Kök, Kimberly King Parsons, Robert Kloss, Donora Hillard, Travis Nichols, Kevin O’Cuinn, Cameron Pierce, Kate Zambreno, and Amy McDaniel, and the month is only halfsies. Hit it, please!
boston’s best dad
As many writers alter ego as editors, all too often their own work is overshadowed by their press efforts. I know the feeling and its a little bittersweet. But today is a different day because Janaka Stucky has been voted Best Poet by the city of Boston.
