Literary Feud in Tallahassee
Vanessa Place looks on, as Blake Butler reads from his forthcoming book 300,000,000.
Probably I shouldn’t post this. Probably I should just keep my mouth shut.
But a few people have written and asked me to explain what happened, having heard about the fight from one source or another.
Basically, things got ugly between Blake Butler and Vanessa Place, nine days ago, down here in Florida, when the three of us convened for the first time as a group since the publication of our collaboration ONE
By the end of the night, which began with me introducing them, and then each of them reading, and then the three of us conversing with the audience, Vanessa had vowed to never speak to Blake again.
To tell you the truth, I don’t know how it happened. (Which is partly why I haven’t written about it until now.) It just sort of happened.
One of them said something about the other one being too orderly or too chaotic or too derivative or something — at least that’s how I think it started — which I thought was a joke, but apparently it wasn’t taken as a joke.
The next thing you know they’re shouting at each other.
The audience, not knowing how to react, weren’t sure if they should laugh or be worried. I was pretty much in the same boat.
I tried to stay out of it, partly because I was confused and partly because I didn’t want them to turn on me.
Over a hundred people were in the audience that night, so there are plenty of versions of what happened. But from my perspective, to put it generously, it seemed like a moment when two different approaches to literature were coming face to face and not for the purpose of a warm embrace.
It was an amazing reading anyways. They both killed it.
Vanessa Place is the LAST person I would want to be in a feud with.
thnx very informative
I was there. Basically what happened was that one of them said that the others’ books all taste like honey nut cheerios
sorry, I realize that sounded rude but this post is so silly. my curiosity is definitely piqued, seeing as how I’m in the rare place of being a fan of both members of this “feud,” but what were they arguing about? was anyone listening at all? did they say anything or just start yelling incomprehensibly at each other with no provocation? like what? is? this?
the strongest takeaway moment was, do not read jonathan franzen or any other jonathan
could we get some video documentation, so we can, you know, decide for ourselves
why
blk btlr
this is fake beef to boost their book sales
i love beef
blake butler published another book in the time it took you to write this up
i wondered same thing about the whole “printer refused to print marie calloway’s book” thing (nothing against marie calloway, just seems like excellent free publicity on the part of nytyrant)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xvlCFH1CSk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9PzpY0NAXU
Will this be resolved at Wrestlemania?
I thought they already met since they both read with me and a few other people at an Ear Eater this past March at AWP in Chicago.
I’m glad you wrote about this, but I’m a sucker for drama/gossip.
I like their writing, the both of them. I think Blake probably should have stabbed her with his chin and Vanessa Place should probably have pet him on the head like a child and whispered something in a very sincere tone that made his dick crawl inside his belly. Then they would both win. Duh.
WHERE IS ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THIS?
THE MORE ZZZZIPP READS ABOUT THIS THE MORE BORED ZZZZIPP BECOMES
CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT MATTERS ABOUT THIS
“SEEMS LIKE PUBLICITY THE MORE ZZZIPP SEARCHES THIS ON THE INTERNET”
“ZZZZIPPP FEELS VAGUELY ANNOYED”
“THE CONTROVERSY IS THAT SOME WRITERS DON’T LIKE EACH OTHER ANYMORE BUT ARE ALSO SELLING A BOOK TOGETHER”
Tallahassee is a great town to get in a fight at.
it’s the ingredients with which they sprinkle & douse their honey nut cheerios that make all the difference
a perfectly hyped segue into TWO, yes?
Those were their holograms.
If it’s not a pretty good put-on, it sounds, from Higgs’s tactically non-comital, what, reference, personal. –the friction being evidence of (at least) one person’s dissatisfaction with the workings or result of their collaboration?
I’d be interested in the “two different approaches to literature” that did – or might have – struck together, exclusive of whatever personal dislike might have or didn’t splash gasoline on those sparks.
HTML TMZ
I could see how Vanessa wouldn’t like Blake after that reading. Right?
http://vimeo.com/50628652
So Blake Butler read from his what, 90th book? It’s weird that he writes so quickly. Typically, language writers or stylists need more time, but he just vomits novel after novel. Joyce Carol Oates better watch out.
I really hope someone was standing off the side and started flicking the light switch on and off really fast.
strobe beef
beef strobanoff
Strobe Bryant – not-rape/anal/not-rape/anal/…
Kobe beef (神戸ビーフ Kōbe bīfu?) refers to cuts of beef from the black Tajima-ushi strain of Wagyū cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The meat is generally considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak, sukiyaki, shabu shabu, sashimi, teppanyaki, and more.
– wikipedia
Video proof?
[…] “internet literary blog of the future” founded by Blake Butler (and a blog no stranger to kerfuffles, controversies, and “shitstorms”). As catalogued here by Rauan Klassnik, disgruntled poet […]