I'm leavin' on a jetplane . . .

but I'll be back on Tuesday. In the meantime, might I suggest you take a gander at Birkensnake's latest issue? Yes, lots of good stuff there and you'll be impressed. And, I should have some reviews running at Boldtype in the near future so keep your eyes peeled for interesting work by Brian Evenson or maybe a little Blake Butler or even, say, um, Cris Mazza? Just putting that out there. I'll keep you posted! In the meantime, i have cooler weather waiting for me, along with Zuni Cafe and other good places to visit! Happy Labor Day weekend y'all.

The Collagist Takes Off

Okay party-people . . . it's time to pay close attention because all those gifted and talented writers we love so much are appearing in the premiere online issue of The Collagist. What's The Collagist, you ask? Well, Dzanc Books  has done it again. First OV Books, where the fantastic Gina Frangello and Stacy Bierlein reside over great debut authors and other notables, like Tod Goldberg, then Black Lawrence Press, and the print journal, Monkeybicycle and now this fantastic online publication has become part of the world where indy authors and books get a voice. Ander Monson, Kim Chinquee and others grace the online pages of this journal in the first issue out for August 2009. The best part is not only do we get to read great works of fiction and non-fiction, but also there's some great book reviews, too. Wander over to The Collagist, where Matt Bell has taken on the roll as Editor and manager of indy greatness. Do check it out, people because that would make you cool and everyone likes to be cool.

Jack Kerouac and the Beats at Naropa

I know, I know . . . long time since I visited my own blog, but guess what? Here I am. I've emerged from underneath the mass of papers, books and medical drama to bring these ever-so-tittalating posts back to you, even if it's turned into a quarterly blog. And now twitter . . . so who's blogging anymore? I've made some executive decisions in my time off. First and foremost, I've been writing my own stuff and not so much about everyone else's. Sorry guys, it won't be forever, but a girl's gotta do what she's gotta do. Next, I've decided to go back and get my MFA in Creative Writing. Some of you may be asking, "why bother?" but I am dying without the regular scholarly stimuli in my life that one only gets from being in a college setting (or in my case --my living room at my computer) but, it's clear to me that I'm needing to read more, write more, publish more. And because of this epiphany and because I'm inspired by other great writers (danielle, laird, selah saterstrom, blake butler, derek white, brian evenson) I feel the need to apply to that crazy-amazing university in Colorado they call Naropa. And whatsmore, there's a great book out right now from Coffee House Press called, "Beats at Naropa" that gives some amazing accounts of the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics and those who spent time there over the years. It's an amazing look at a place where mainstream thinking and caudled writers don't exist.

And even better, my new found freedom has given me my writing time back and all the neuroses that come with being isolated from the rest of the world while you write (and read). Oh, by the by-- Ms. Frangello, one of my Chi-town girls over at OV Books ,--has a new book entitled: Slut Lullabies coming out next year and I for one, couldn't be more thrilled. No one writes about a effing a trach like she does! Stay on the look out for this great new work! and follow her over at Twitter (ginafrangello). Stay tuned, people.