It is Friday: Go Right Ahead

Visit me! You can come unannounced, drunk, sober, or even leading a giraffe.

Rivers of gin and oysters.

Why did you tell that pretty girl, who was probably your sister, that I was drunk?

Muzzle a dog and he will bark out of the other end.

Instead of banning drink I will ban my limited sense of obligation.

The clouds once more bid me.

How drunk, or how drunkly sober under-drunk, can you calculate you are now?

Hurray for the wine-colored corduroy!

Sorry about last night. A sloth or mudlark would have probably been better.

No, I’m not drinking anymore. Only wine.

Random / 4 Comments
March 26th, 2010 / 12:17 pm

Book Pots

[recycled+pot+books-1.jpg]

What are the best book/plant combinations you can think of?

The Day of the Triffids is probably too easy.

(via NotCot)

Random / 20 Comments
March 26th, 2010 / 11:28 am

Scott McClanahan reads “Kidney Stones” in Atlanta

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziUYE3Xaww4&

Video courtesy of Matt DeBenedictis.

Forwarding-video-to-me courtesy of Jeremy Schmall.

Author Spotlight / 15 Comments
March 26th, 2010 / 10:12 am

Going to AWP? Like Shane Jones? Ok, good. You qualify for this free thing.

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Annalemma Six Issue Release Party 4/12/10 7:30 pm

Uncategorized / Comments Off on Annalemma Six Issue Release Party 4/12/10 7:30 pm
March 25th, 2010 / 9:13 pm

Teabaggers teach me something about writing: magical thinking


Watch CBS News Videos Online

“There are millions of people across the country who wish you ill, and all of those thoughts that are projected on you will materialize into something that’s not very good for you. We don’t have to do anything but sit back and wish.”

There are times when I have a character in a story who I wish and wish and wish ill upon. Unless the crazy, teabagging magical thinker transcribed from the news report above, though, when I’m writing my wishes can come true. I’m an author. I am in control. I am God/a god/etc. here.

Sometimes, though, it might be helpful to ignore that wish. Maybe most of the time. Maybe most of the time, it would be detrimental to the story, to the story’s world, to be the vengeful et cetera.

I mean, nothing will happen to Stupak because millions of people across the country wish him ill. Not from the wishing. Why should I always get what I want just because I’m in control?

Craft Notes / 14 Comments
March 25th, 2010 / 7:29 pm

Sam Lipsyte interview by Paul Constant of The Stranger. It’s a good one. Q: This book in particular felt Elkinish to me. And I was wondering if you were thinking about him a lot when you were writing… A: Well, I think that his example is always with me. The notion of doing it with language—whatever you’re trying to do—of doing it with language and the example he set with his books is always with me. If you are in Seattle, Sam Lipsyte will be reading tonight at Neptune Coffee.

Obama drops into Prairie Lights to browse. I’d like to see a picture of Obama and Paul Ingram hanging out.

Octopus 13. Featuring poetry by Sawako Nakayasu Daniel Lin Julie Carr José Díaz Chanel Clarke Cherise Bacalski Tim Van Dyke Ayane Kawata translated by Sawako Nakayasu Kristin Sanders Jenny Zhang Cathy Linh Che Justin Marks Jon Leon Christopher DeWeese Natalie Lyalin Alejandra Pizarnik translated by Jason Stumpf Bin Ramke Bhanu Kapil Lesley Yalen Jonah Winter Geoffrey Nutter Claire Donato Caroline Knox Takako Arai translated by Jeffrey Angles, etc.

Who is the greatest rapper ever? I mean total package: fun, lyrics, beats, power. If you say Jay-Z, say it to yourself under your breath so I don’t have to slap a dummy.