Take Two: Firework
Firework by Eugene Marten has one of the most amazing endings I have ever eyed in literature. I read the ending 3 times. Just the ending. It made me feel like a dropped doll or a foghorn playing Tupac or a person who couldn’t draw freehand at all except for horses, could do excellent horses, etc. Amazing. Please buy this book. It is short fuse, independent, G-string, and prayerful–a word people keep using on Facebook. After I read Marten I prayed he will write a similar book and I’ll be alive to read the glow.
But this isn’t about Firework. Rather fireworks. Ah, Scorch Atlas, that ear trumpet. That brushed steel mobile home. A sign of a good book is you can’t kill the thing…but I am stoic and persistent and dumb to criticism, like any good American.
Enjoy:
Take One: Lucky Book
My yard needs cutting so I drank bottle-o-vodka tonight and shot at Blake’s book. There is something inevitable there. Missed twice, but bow season isn’t until October. I am happy Scorch Atlas is not a liver or a lung. A longing like 16 and first making out in a car. Failure to listen to reasoning. Etc. This was my first warm-up. I’ll be back, Butler. I’ll be back. (Arrows end at 20 seconds {my peep-sight snaps is why!}, after that just more birds and kids walking into frame {danger!} and stupid shit)
[There will be many takes coming–I will destroy this fucking book]
Also: What is the best way for me to edit iPhone videos? (on a PC) That would solve everything after 20 seconds. [Jimmy? I bet you know]
Blake Butler—
Stephen Schmunk is the winner of the Lamination Colony nice sentence raffle, receives a free copy of Scorch Atlas. Stephen, please email me your address for shipping. Forgive me the indulgence, too, for mentioning that you can read the shortest story in Scorch Atlas now at 52 Stories. Leave a comment on the story there from now until Friday and I’ll give another copy away to a random person. Thanks!
10
Blake Butler—
Free copy of Scorch Atlas for someone who comments with a sentence they like from the current issue of Lamination Colony. Winner will be selected at random from all entrants by Wednesday afternoon.
Breaking stuff.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqxwXopbdRg
Blake’s remix contest—which celebrates the beauty of taking something nice and fucking it up—results are in. The winner of the contest was Krammer Abrahams.
Couple of Giants made it in, too. Chris Higgs did a erasure of the whole book, which I skimmed through and loved the results of. Catherine is in there, too. I have a little thing—anagrams of the first few paragraphs of the story in question, “Tour of a Drowned Neighborhood”—also.
Lots of other friends, commentators, and relations. Two pieces by Brian Evenson, too! It’s Scrotal Cash. Download it here.
Alternate titles for this season’s two most anticipated releases
*click on covers to purchase original, and much better versions
Blake and Tao are two very talented writers, both in their own right spearheading the world of indie publishing in two very different ways. Just poking a little fun guys, good job both of you. I’m excited to read your books.
Major Book Announcement : Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler pre-sale/firefight
Scorch Atlas (destroyed) by Blake Butler from featherproof books on Vimeo.
Master and commander/Brother Butler/Crier of The Good Lit/Partygirlin Eater of Babies/W.I.B. BLAKE BUTLER has announced that his novel in stories, Scorch Atlas, can now be pre-bought before it’s 9/9/09 release date — and for a 33%off, i.e. $10! — from the inimitable Featherproof Books. And not only can they be paid for, but you can secure a limited edition ‘destroyed’ copy, i.e. a book that’s been punished brutally by our beloved friend Blake, & his company. Or, you know, you can just get a plain old regularly clean version of the book too, if that’s what you’re into.
I have been more excited to subsume this set of words than any other set of words in ________.
Buy this book.
Matthew Simmons—
Dear Leader’s book is in. Two things. 1) Book seems to have sustained water damage in shipping. (Har har.) 2) If his description of seeing the book for the first time is accurate, he was naked when he opened the box. NICE!