Last summer (2008) I was forwarding my gmail account to Outlook. This was for, like, 2 months, but thanks to the Buffalo Poetics list it left me with thousands of unread emails in my gmail. So for the last year I've been whittling the amount of unread email down, from about 6,000. First I searched for "Buffalo" and marked all of those as read, but that still left over 2000. Occasionally I would search other terms and mark the items read.
It just occurred to me to search my account for "a" and mark all read. Boom, that got me from 1541 to 271. Then I searched for " " and got it down to 0.
I haven't seen an empty inbox in so long it actually makes me feel lonely. Just kidding. I am filled with possibility. 2009 is going to be a great year. I mean 2010.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Easter Rabbit Contest Results
Just announced, the results of the Write Like Joseph Young contest.
The winners are Ben White, Jessica Rigney and Andrew Borgstrom. Their winning entries, as well as a note from Ellen Parker, the contest judge (and FRiGG editor), are posted here.
The winners are Ben White, Jessica Rigney and Andrew Borgstrom. Their winning entries, as well as a note from Ellen Parker, the contest judge (and FRiGG editor), are posted here.
Monday, December 28, 2009
blog post
I went to Boston over the weekend. I rode in a plane that flew there, no problem, and my friend Josh met me in the chilly air and we took the subway back to his place in Jamaica Plain and he cooked up a roast. He is a great cook, like so good it's weird, like how come you decided to do cooking so good.
Then on Saturday I went via commuter rail to Providence and met with Mairéad Byrne, whose collection of poems, The Best of (What's Left of) Heaven, I'm publishing in a month or two. It was a delightful afternoon meeting with her, talking about the book and poetry in general and the business of poetry. I felt very privileged and then I took the commuter rail back to Boston and caught up with Daniel Trask, a diligent novelist who self-published a great, thoughtful book called DMR about working in a home for the mentals.
Then I watched the Ravens/Steelers game (irksome loss) at the Cask & Flagon, which ESPN called the second best baseball bar. It's right there at the butt of Fenway. I thought for a minute about taking a picture of the back of Fenway but instead wrote it with the ink of memory. Then I rode on a plane back to Baltimore. It seemed to take forever but finally I got home and look at me now: I'm at my desk at work.
So what's next? This weekend I'm driving up to Ithaca to go skiing with my brother, Alan. He probably won't cook a roast, but we're going to celebrate the New Year with some restaurant people or something.
Publishing Genius gets to nominate someone to contend at Opium Magazine's Literary Death Match on January 30th. Who will I pick? Remember "Thumbs Up 7-Up" from when we were in 3rd grade? I feel like that.
Then on Saturday I went via commuter rail to Providence and met with Mairéad Byrne, whose collection of poems, The Best of (What's Left of) Heaven, I'm publishing in a month or two. It was a delightful afternoon meeting with her, talking about the book and poetry in general and the business of poetry. I felt very privileged and then I took the commuter rail back to Boston and caught up with Daniel Trask, a diligent novelist who self-published a great, thoughtful book called DMR about working in a home for the mentals.
Then I watched the Ravens/Steelers game (irksome loss) at the Cask & Flagon, which ESPN called the second best baseball bar. It's right there at the butt of Fenway. I thought for a minute about taking a picture of the back of Fenway but instead wrote it with the ink of memory. Then I rode on a plane back to Baltimore. It seemed to take forever but finally I got home and look at me now: I'm at my desk at work.
So what's next? This weekend I'm driving up to Ithaca to go skiing with my brother, Alan. He probably won't cook a roast, but we're going to celebrate the New Year with some restaurant people or something.
Publishing Genius gets to nominate someone to contend at Opium Magazine's Literary Death Match on January 30th. Who will I pick? Remember "Thumbs Up 7-Up" from when we were in 3rd grade? I feel like that.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
from Mike Young's WE ARE ALL GOOD IF THEY TRY HARD ENOUGH
Here is a line from the first poem in Mike Young's book, which will be released by Publishing Genius in June 2010:
Feelings are expensive greeting cards.I love it.
You buy them several times a year and wonder:
how does the hologram work?
Doing Edits
I like being discussed in the Emerging Writers Network feature, "experience with editors." Thanks Shane.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Effin Burger
The scene on the street on Saturday in Baltimore
I want a freaking burger to eat or something
Maybe a spicy italian on italian herbs and cheese
I don't feel good
My shoulders are really tight
I can't focus
I just want to go back to bed
This morning I woke up and my Macbook was all bent up in my sheets
I had cuddled with it like a teddy bear
I thought it might be broke but it wasn't broke
It was fine
The fact is that Peter Cole and I went out last night and argued about something
Then played music at the practice space
The Summer is a good song by Yo La Tengo
I would find a link to it but you wouldn't look at it anyway
You're just an indie rock guy
A girl told me that
How long can we maintain being stupid
No one is going to buy this book
Who will review it and who will read the review
No Pandora you got it wrong
Beck is not like Yo La Tengo
The pain is spreading to my back
I had been watching 30 Rock
That's why my laptop was like that
Monday, December 21, 2009
Martin Luther
I have a poem called "Martin Luther" in the inaugural issue of Divine Dirt Quarterly, whose mission is stated like this:
Theology began as mankind's highest creative endeavor--the prototype of literature, with each story and/or myth fine-tuned according to the individual's life experience. Our mission is to return theology to its democratic and dynamic state.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Joseph Young Interview in The Faster Times
Regarding the 30 words in one story of Easter Rabbit, Joseph Young was interviewed by Michael Kimball. Click through this quote to read the whole thing at The Faster Times:
The mystery of the things you write, how they got there, out of your head, on to the paper, and then, whatever does the heavy lifting in the writing process, the thing that makes up the puzzles, back there in the dark of the head, it’s better than me, smarter. I’m wary to disturb it.
Justin Sirois in the City Paper
Massive article on Justin's novel that ends, "What the fuck have we done?"
I'm Not Thinking About This Anymore: 2009 Stuff
For a while I thought things were getting out of hand with all the best of lists, but then I realized I have an hour left to work and absolutely no interest in working, so here goes:
Top things I thought about:
1. Sadness/regret/guilt/love/when will it be next year
2. People I love
3. Why do people read what they read and how can I get them to give me money
Top things I talked about:
1. What is Publishing Genius doing
2. See #1
Top things I read from 2009:
1. Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler -- still on page 1 but I'm getting through it
2. Alaska by James Michener -- there are 30 pages in this book that stole Dostoevsky's lunch
3. With Deer by Aase Berg -- What? Poetry doesn't have to be funny to be good?
4. A Jello Horse by Matthew Simmons -- made me cry the first time I read it
5. Easter Rabbit by Joseph Young -- made me realize more about writing than anything else I read
6. The Collectors by Matt Bell -- I love the way it's structured
7. SFAA by Tao Lin -- he's just good
8. How Some People Like Their Eggs by Sean Lovelace -- how to make a sentence noticeable and also fun like a drawer of jelly
9. The Complete Collection of People, Places and Things by John Dermot Woods -- most underrated indie book of the year, needs to be read from the rooftops
10. Big World by Mary Miller -- careful writing, big thoughts in small scale
11. AM/PM by Amelia Gray -- different big thoughts in smaller scale
12. Pee on Water (the manuscript) by Rachel B Glaser -- a book that makes me want to talk about literature
13. DRUNK SONNETS by Daniel Bailey -- behind the case-insensitivity there is real sensitivity
14. The Difficult Farm by Heather Christle -- making the best of a random universe
15. Zizek and Theology by Adam Kotsko -- understanding Zizek through a discipline that is not his own gives an interesting, conversational perspective
16. Inside Madeleine (the manuscript) by Paula Bomer -- unbelievably throat swelling and unbelievable caring, still trying to decide if I can publish this
17. One of These Things Is Not Like the Other by Stephanie Johnson -- delicate relationship stories told in a way that made me care
18. Everything Was Fine Until Whatever by Chelsea Martin -- clever and savvy with an emotional core
19. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner -- the young part is inspiring, the old part is like Michael Kimball's book, How Much of Us There Was
20. Prose Poems a Novel by Jamie Iredell -- excellent writing makes it seem kind of arty and kind of meatheady (or something) at the same time
21. Ever by Blake Butler -- read it twice, still on page 1
22. MLKNG SCKLS by Justin Sirois -- I like the short ones the best, such a great idea, kind of sad that he doesn't like poetry anymore
23. A Cake Appeared by Shane Jones (the manuscript) -- poetry is colorful, accessible and fun like watching a good show on TV, wish I was publishing this
24. The Best of (What's Left of) Heaven (the manuscript) by Mairead Byrne -- out soon from PG, this collection of poetry is as profound in its emotionality as it is in its humor
25. I Am in the Air Right Now by Kathryn Regina -- with the trailer, maybe the most sublime one-two punch in poetry of 2009
Top fun I had:
1. January 1 breakfast with Stephanie Barber and Seth Goodman
2. Friends Thanksgiving in Madison, WI after almost everyone left
3. Quiet lunch/dinner with Shane Jones at AWP
4. Several rowdy occasions with Blake Butler
5. Charlottesville pool party on Sweatpants tour
6. Talking with Joe Young and the Worm, a retired priest, at a coffeeshop in Detroit
7. Pretty much every time Justin Sirois gets out of a car going to a bar he says something funny.
8. Watching Josh Maday and Matt Bell be bouncers at the Genius Party
9. Hearing Sesallee Hensley tell me I did a lovely job on the cover of Light Boxes, then finding out who she is
10. Selling 60 copies of Light Boxes in one day through SPD
Top art things:
1. Stephanie Barber's Lawn Poem
2. Stephanie Barber's "In The Jungle"
3. Animal Charm at Transmodern Festival
4. Stephanie Barber's house
5. Shauna Molton at Transmodern Festival
6. Kate Porter on cello and ? on violin at Cyclops books
7. Jonathan Burks's rawkin', rollin' CD, Brown Paper Bag
8. Josh Loomis's rock 'n roll CDs
9. Amelia Gray doing that "I'm walking down a staircase" gag behind an Ellsworth Kelly sculpture at the BMA
10. All of Ric Royer's performances
Top people who impressed me a lot:
1. John Dermot Woods -- met him in Baltimore and feel like we clicked
2. John Madera -- how much can one person do?
3. J. A. Tyler -- biggest believer
4. Jamie Gaughran-Perez -- stalwart like a bass player is meant to be
5. Justin Sirois -- I mean, did you read this City Paper article? Also, he is someone who appreciates inappropriate conversation.
6. Peter Cole -- he's really funny and packs a wallop
7. Michael Kimball -- knows a lot about contracts and I don't think I beat him in one bet, though I might have eked out a pool win
8. Carl Annumaro -- Greying Ghost books are still the most beautiful functional chapbooks in the world
9. David NeSmith -- if drumsticks were volatile substances we'd all be dead
10. Kevin Sampsell -- best book buyer
Top things I thought about:
1. Sadness/regret/guilt/love/when will it be next year
2. People I love
3. Why do people read what they read and how can I get them to give me money
Top things I talked about:
1. What is Publishing Genius doing
2. See #1
Top things I read from 2009:
1. Scorch Atlas by Blake Butler -- still on page 1 but I'm getting through it
2. Alaska by James Michener -- there are 30 pages in this book that stole Dostoevsky's lunch
3. With Deer by Aase Berg -- What? Poetry doesn't have to be funny to be good?
4. A Jello Horse by Matthew Simmons -- made me cry the first time I read it
5. Easter Rabbit by Joseph Young -- made me realize more about writing than anything else I read
6. The Collectors by Matt Bell -- I love the way it's structured
7. SFAA by Tao Lin -- he's just good
8. How Some People Like Their Eggs by Sean Lovelace -- how to make a sentence noticeable and also fun like a drawer of jelly
9. The Complete Collection of People, Places and Things by John Dermot Woods -- most underrated indie book of the year, needs to be read from the rooftops
10. Big World by Mary Miller -- careful writing, big thoughts in small scale
11. AM/PM by Amelia Gray -- different big thoughts in smaller scale
12. Pee on Water (the manuscript) by Rachel B Glaser -- a book that makes me want to talk about literature
13. DRUNK SONNETS by Daniel Bailey -- behind the case-insensitivity there is real sensitivity
14. The Difficult Farm by Heather Christle -- making the best of a random universe
15. Zizek and Theology by Adam Kotsko -- understanding Zizek through a discipline that is not his own gives an interesting, conversational perspective
16. Inside Madeleine (the manuscript) by Paula Bomer -- unbelievably throat swelling and unbelievable caring, still trying to decide if I can publish this
17. One of These Things Is Not Like the Other by Stephanie Johnson -- delicate relationship stories told in a way that made me care
18. Everything Was Fine Until Whatever by Chelsea Martin -- clever and savvy with an emotional core
19. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner -- the young part is inspiring, the old part is like Michael Kimball's book, How Much of Us There Was
20. Prose Poems a Novel by Jamie Iredell -- excellent writing makes it seem kind of arty and kind of meatheady (or something) at the same time
21. Ever by Blake Butler -- read it twice, still on page 1
22. MLKNG SCKLS by Justin Sirois -- I like the short ones the best, such a great idea, kind of sad that he doesn't like poetry anymore
23. A Cake Appeared by Shane Jones (the manuscript) -- poetry is colorful, accessible and fun like watching a good show on TV, wish I was publishing this
24. The Best of (What's Left of) Heaven (the manuscript) by Mairead Byrne -- out soon from PG, this collection of poetry is as profound in its emotionality as it is in its humor
25. I Am in the Air Right Now by Kathryn Regina -- with the trailer, maybe the most sublime one-two punch in poetry of 2009
Top fun I had:
1. January 1 breakfast with Stephanie Barber and Seth Goodman
2. Friends Thanksgiving in Madison, WI after almost everyone left
3. Quiet lunch/dinner with Shane Jones at AWP
4. Several rowdy occasions with Blake Butler
5. Charlottesville pool party on Sweatpants tour
6. Talking with Joe Young and the Worm, a retired priest, at a coffeeshop in Detroit
7. Pretty much every time Justin Sirois gets out of a car going to a bar he says something funny.
8. Watching Josh Maday and Matt Bell be bouncers at the Genius Party
9. Hearing Sesallee Hensley tell me I did a lovely job on the cover of Light Boxes, then finding out who she is
10. Selling 60 copies of Light Boxes in one day through SPD
Top art things:
1. Stephanie Barber's Lawn Poem
2. Stephanie Barber's "In The Jungle"
3. Animal Charm at Transmodern Festival
4. Stephanie Barber's house
5. Shauna Molton at Transmodern Festival
6. Kate Porter on cello and ? on violin at Cyclops books
7. Jonathan Burks's rawkin', rollin' CD, Brown Paper Bag
8. Josh Loomis's rock 'n roll CDs
9. Amelia Gray doing that "I'm walking down a staircase" gag behind an Ellsworth Kelly sculpture at the BMA
10. All of Ric Royer's performances
Top people who impressed me a lot:
1. John Dermot Woods -- met him in Baltimore and feel like we clicked
2. John Madera -- how much can one person do?
3. J. A. Tyler -- biggest believer
4. Jamie Gaughran-Perez -- stalwart like a bass player is meant to be
5. Justin Sirois -- I mean, did you read this City Paper article? Also, he is someone who appreciates inappropriate conversation.
6. Peter Cole -- he's really funny and packs a wallop
7. Michael Kimball -- knows a lot about contracts and I don't think I beat him in one bet, though I might have eked out a pool win
8. Carl Annumaro -- Greying Ghost books are still the most beautiful functional chapbooks in the world
9. David NeSmith -- if drumsticks were volatile substances we'd all be dead
10. Kevin Sampsell -- best book buyer
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
I'm a nerd so you can win stuff by preordering my book
If that picture doesn't make you want to order my book, what will?
(This is the ACTUAL COVER)
***
How about a contest?
OK.
Here is the contest. It is simple.
Pre-order my book before the end of 2009, and you will be automatically entered into a drawing to win some excellent prizes.
If you already pre-ordered, you are already entered.
You will receive one entry for every order you make.
Here is the prize package:
One (1) bloody shirt, pictured below
One (1) police report
One (1) copy of everything Narrow House (my publisher) has released
Question mark (?) I might add more stuff later
The bloody shirt (I estimate 2 cups of blood) and police report are from when I got mugged in the springtime and three kids beat me up and smashed a bottle over my head. The shirt is really nice. It fit me really well and I liked the fabric a lot. It is gray. You can wear this shirt if you are size 15 1/2 and don't mind wearing a really bloody shirt. I haven't worn it since the mugging.
Everything that Narrow House has done is a lot. Two books and several (5-10) CDs.
Check out their website to figure it out.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Reviews and Stuff
me and joe
1. Justin Sirois's book, MLKNG SCKLS, was gloriously reviewed in New Pages. John Madera, the reviewer and musician and editor of Big Other, says: "Sirois’s prose glistens with precision."
2. At BMore Art, which is like a premier Baltimore institution for finding out what's what in Baltimore art, Megan Lavelle has written an astoundingly good meditation on Easter Rabbit.
Joe and Joe (photos by Megan Lavelle)
3. Matt Jasper's long poem, "The Tip of the Iceberg," was released this week.4. For the second time since I started doing Publishing Genius stuff, a literary agent contacted me to get in touch with a writer I'd published. That was yesterday.
5. Tomorrow night is the release party for Easter Rabbit.
It's at Hexagon (1825 N Charles) at 7:30. It's free and BYOB.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Chapbook Genius: Matt Jasper
It's been like a million years since Matthew Salesses's brilliant live-action essay was published over at This PDF Chapbook -- so long that I changed the name of the series to Chapbook Genius.
Today I'm pleased to announce the release of Matt Jasper's long-awaited chapbook, THE TIP of the ICEBERG. It's fantastic. I love it. I introduced it at the Chapbook Genius site. Go there and read the introduction. Also read Matt's fantastic introduction to the book here.
Or, go straight to the heart:
Upcoming chapbooks include work from:
Jason Bredle, Molly Gaudry, Michael Kimball, PH Madore, Sasha Fletcher, Mark Baumer, Howie Good, Andrew Borgstrom, Buck Downs, Mathias Svalina, Ben Segal and more.
Today I'm pleased to announce the release of Matt Jasper's long-awaited chapbook, THE TIP of the ICEBERG. It's fantastic. I love it. I introduced it at the Chapbook Genius site. Go there and read the introduction. Also read Matt's fantastic introduction to the book here.
Or, go straight to the heart:
Upcoming chapbooks include work from:
Jason Bredle, Molly Gaudry, Michael Kimball, PH Madore, Sasha Fletcher, Mark Baumer, Howie Good, Andrew Borgstrom, Buck Downs, Mathias Svalina, Ben Segal and more.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Easter Rabbit Giveaway
This should be fun.
Announcing the Easter Rabbit giveaway, in which three entrants will receive an inscribed copy of Joseph Young's book.
It's a Write Like Joseph Young contest, judged by Ellen Parker.
It might be hard to prove that Joseph Young invented microfiction, but it's clear that he is its best practitioner. Read sample stories at Frigg and Lamination Colony to study up. And then, since he's the champ, it makes sense to try and emulate him. At least it makes sense in order to win a copy of his book.
To enter, submit three microfictions written in the style of Joseph Young. Entries can be funny or serious. They can be mocking or reverential. They only need to somehow copy Young's extremely distinctive style. Here, I just did one:
Submissions are due by December 15, which is the official release date. Send them to editor@publishinggenius.com with the words "ER Contest" in the subject. (There is no charge for entering.) Spread the word.
Announcing the Easter Rabbit giveaway, in which three entrants will receive an inscribed copy of Joseph Young's book.
It's a Write Like Joseph Young contest, judged by Ellen Parker.
It might be hard to prove that Joseph Young invented microfiction, but it's clear that he is its best practitioner. Read sample stories at Frigg and Lamination Colony to study up. And then, since he's the champ, it makes sense to try and emulate him. At least it makes sense in order to win a copy of his book.
To enter, submit three microfictions written in the style of Joseph Young. Entries can be funny or serious. They can be mocking or reverential. They only need to somehow copy Young's extremely distinctive style. Here, I just did one:
EndHey, that's pretty good. Why not see if you can beat it? There will be three winners.
He stood out in the breakwater, his vacation pants rolled like clouds. You forgot to take the stone, she called from the shore. He remembered it there, on the nightstand, it's gray beating as a face to the wall.
Submissions are due by December 15, which is the official release date. Send them to editor@publishinggenius.com with the words "ER Contest" in the subject. (There is no charge for entering.) Spread the word.
Friday, December 04, 2009
Easter Rabbit Read (While You Wait) at .the idiom.
Easter Rabbit is all over the place. Christopher Newgent has live-chronicled his reading over at .the idiom., a really cool blog, one that I'll be keeping up with for the long haul.
Easter Rabbit is a nice place to live.
10:44 – Neko, my cat, is reading over my shoulder. He seems to have enjoyed “Menlo Park”; when I started to turn the page, he put his paw to my shoulder and said, “Read it again.”
11:22 – Pushed past the halfway, reading onward, I never was a distance runner. This book is maps upon maps.His thoughtful post shows, I think, how close to impossible it is to read all of the book in one sitting. He says, "Honestly, by the end, I didn’t know what I was processing, or if I was processing anything at all beyond the language and myself." Which is saying a lot about a book that only has about 3,000 words in it.
Easter Rabbit is a nice place to live.
Joe Young gets knocked
I really like this quote from Christine Sajecki, the cover artist of Easter Rabbit.
Get a copy.
"There’s really only one [story in Easter Rabbit, 'Parallax,'] I don’t like at ALL, it bugs me every time I see it or hear him read it. The ambiguity in it feels so cheap and easy. With the last sentence in the story, the main man looks around at these people he 'has.' The end. It makes me want to scream at Joe. Has?? What a dumb word to end a good story on. He just purposely selfishly withholds everything from us there, with no image, no feeling, and I don’t even want to bother to imagine what 'has' possibly refers to. He gives nothing, I give nothing. Has. Fucking bullshit.I would have liked to have left off that last sentence, but oh well. I guess it's impossible to really hate Joe's writing.
"When I love one of his stories, which is most of the time, it's because it's a small puddle reflecting a tall stand of trees, with complete and startling accuracy."
Get a copy.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
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