Mind-numbing amounts of words that go through my mind and actually hit the page = not enough!

Here's the latest in the world of me. First and foremost---you should go read my column at The Nervous Breakdown. That's one. Two. I am reviewing some fantastic books in the next few months and will be doing an issue in the fall on Jewish authors and stories for the high holy days. Three. I will interview Gina Frangello for an website (info to follow soon) and you will also see Marisa Matarazzo's interview with yours truly up at Astrophil Press. Four. My work will debut at Marco Polo Quarterly sometime in June. Stay Tuned for that. My fiction people. Not a review. Yay me. Five. I cannot begin to list all the fantastic books out there for you to read but i'll try to post a list of more things in the works soon. Right now, what I can say is please go read Shya Scanlon's, "In this alone Impulse" and Kate Zambreno's "O Fallen Angel." Incidentally, I'll be reviewing each of them. Shya's work at DIAGRAM and Kate's work at The Collagist. Six. Next month at TNB, there will be reviews of more LGBT authors. Think: Julie Enszer's "Handmade Love" and Raymond Luczak's, "Mute" and Owen Hill's, "The Incredible Double" from PM Press. Oh yes, and an interview with the one and only Aimee Bender will be forthcoming at The Nervous Breakdown, too. So, stay tuned for that. While you're at it, wander over to DIAGRAM and check out the current issue. Aside from all the amazing fiction, there's a great review of Kim Parko's work, Cure All that Caketrain published. Lots of good things coming. And then there's the long weekend. Poolside. Margaritas. Friends. Sun. A book. Happy birthday to all my crazy Gemini girlies (Kelly, Shauna, kristin, Neila) and manly-men (my witty dad and the fabulous and amazing Robert Zuckerman!) you guys are the real deal. Actually, Neila and Robert, you share the exact same birthdate AND year! Wouldn't it be wild if you were born in the same place, too? Strange little world. And you know, that whole "twin" thing really does hold true. There really are 2 sides to you, Gemini! In the meantime, I'm laying low and as my dad would say, "Staying out of trouble." Next up, a new car. I need a good rate on my loan so I can go get my Audi. Stay tuned, lovlies. Until then . . . go forth and read, smart people.

Pay it Forward

So, I firmly believe that when someone does good it comes back to them and well, that might be my naivete, but no matter, I'll continue in the footsteps of Haley Joel Osmont's character in that same movie, entitled, "Pay it Forward" and do just that. First things first, before I get into all that, let me tell you that I'm so incredibly excited about all the books I am in the process of reading. This month in my column, "Between the Pen and Paper"  (at The Nervous Breakdown)  I reviewed Travis Nichols's, Iowa and Matthew Simmons, A Jello Horse, both of which were fantastic and put out by indy presses (Big Letter Machine and Publishing Genius Press). I love these works and am continually amazed at how much raw talent exists out in the little universe of which we writers are a part. I'm reading Sara Veglahn's, Another Random Heart and Gina Frangello's, Slut Lullabies as well as a review coming for Kim Parko's, Cure All published by the wonderous Caketrain! Love them! Diagram will be running the review of Kim's work. Still on the agenda are Goldberg's, Zornoza's and Marisa Matarrazo's interview.

 I know, I've said it before but a girl can only do so much. Next I would like to point out, while on the topic of small presses that a brand new literary quarterly that will debut in June 2010 called, "Marco Polo Quarterly". These guys are looking for original, quirky, odd, artful pieces that break boundaries and blur the lines between real and surreal, poetry and prose. And, they're currently accepting submissions which you can peruse here. Yours truly will be contributing  a piece of original fiction to the debut issue as well work from Steve Almond, an interview with Nick Flynn, a lyric essay from Kevin Killian and poetry from novelist Joanna Rose. Okay people, there, I've said it, so go forth and put yourselves out there! Between all the writing and reviewing we'll see how I do at my conversion classes for Judaism. I am loving the temple I've decided to attend, Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC) for those who live here in Los Angeles. I'm thrilled and excited and find it incredibly interesting and a total challenge. I once attempted  to commit to being a Jew (although half-assed) many years ago and right now, for me, it really resonates with me in a way that nothing else has or does. Lots to learn!

Okay, smart people--as you were. Go forth and read.

Not Just Words on a Page

It's March and you know what that means . . . aside from green beer and people pinching you for your blase attitude where Irish holidays are concerned --it's time for a few more suggestions from yours truly. i'll keep this short and sweet. Since life has handed me several lemons lately in more ways than one, I've had to do some reshuffling and here's what you can now look forward to: Marisa Matarazzo's interview (location now TBD), a review of "Other Resort Cities"  by Tod Goldberg ( yes, I know I keep saying it's coming, but it is), Andrew Zornoza's, "Where I Stay" at the Collagist and my latest thoughts on work by Lisa Jarnot, Matthew Simmons's  "A Jello Horse" and hopefully debut author, Zoe Zolbrod's latest, Currency. There's stuff coming and people, this year there will actually be some of my own work in print. Stay tuned for those locations. By all means, go to The Nervous Breakdown and see what's brewing and in the meantime, yours truly might be taking up trepanning, just to . . . um, you know, ease the pain of it all.

Hurry over to TNB!

Well, it seems it's only been a mere five months or so since my last post. For anyone who's wondering why that is . . . um, it's really because there's not enough time to post regularly but I'll keep trying for more. Since the last post I've been accepted to grad school at Naropa University and have been writing like a crazy woman for various websites and now I have a monthly column that will be up at The Nervous Breakdown called Between the Pen and Paper. If you're looking for good books to read, head over to TNB. Also several reviews forthcoming and two you should check out. Billy Lombardo's "How to Hold a Woman" is reviewed at PopMatters and Ever by Blake Butler is reviewed at The Collagist. Also, Les Figues Feminaissance review will be up soon at Area Sneaks and Tod Goldberg's latest at the Rumpus, not to mention newcomer, Marisa Matarazzo's interview with yours truly also forthcoming very soon at The Rumpus. I'll keep 'em coming. In the meantime, please do take a quick trip to TNB. You'll be glad you did!

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.