Essay on Grief

I have an essay over at Trop about reading Julian Barnes' grief memoir Levels of Life in the wake of my mother and grandmother's deaths. It's a beautiful book and I was so grateful for the chance to write about it.

Two Poems

I have two poems in the new issue of Plain Wrap which was edited by Lucy Tiven. I love Lucy's poetry and was so excited when she asked me to contribute.

Favor

Miracle Jones started his litvideos subreddit a year and a half ago as a response to the fact that YouTube has no "Literature" category. His efforts received attention from The Millions, The Rumpus, Galleycat, and The Atlantic among other sites.

Litvideos is great. It has been the only place where you can find such treasures as David Lynch's favorite quinoa recipe, Janice Joplin's final interview, and Anthony Hopkins reading "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Even more importantly, it is one of the few places you can find a collection of videos taken from readings and storytelling shows around the city that would have otherwise gone uncaptured. Recording and posting these videos is something Jones does in his free time. It takes a lot of work and as a poet, performer, and lit lover, it's an effort I'm so grateful for. There are so many stories and poems that only truly come alive when they're read in front of an audience and without the work Jones' does at litvideos far fewer people would be able to experience these moments.

If you have a Reddit account, or even if you do not, I would love you forever if you would subscribe to litvideos. Litvideos is the only reason I have a Reddit account and it is totally worth the 10 seconds it takes to create one. Also, post things!

In one sense I am asking for a favor, but in another sense I am doing you a favor because it really is a book/theater/music lover's dream and an even better way to kill a boring afternoon than searching for funny cat videos. And I live for funny cat videos.

Last week I went on vacation for the first time in a couple years. It was great. Here are some things I accomplished:

- Touched the ocean.

- Ate at least one type of seafood every day.

- Started reading both Moby Dick and A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again.

- Learned how to play a poker game called Night Baseball.

- Drank a milkshake at a pharmacy soda fountain.

- Bought a pair of sparkly fish skeleton earrings.

- Watched the entirely of the Miss America Competition. I hadn't seen it since I was a kid and let me tell you, watching a beauty pageant as an adult is a weird experience. I kept getting outraged by things like the fact that the swimsuit competition is supposed to be about judging the contestants' "commitment to health." I'm pretty sure every feminist in the world stopped paying attention to swimsuit competitions about 20 years ago. That fruit is so low hanging it's underground. The concept of Mario Cantone and Carla from Top Chef judging which 22 year old has the best bikini body and is therefore most deserving of a scholarship is kind of insane though.

- Saw a pig named Mr. Wrinkles crowned the winner of a livestock competition. (He beat two ponies!)

Feminism and Book Reports

- I did a reading last night at Bluestockings that was curated by the lovely Krystal Languell, who edits the poetry journal Bone Bouquet. We were asked to read one piece of writing by someone we considered to be our "feminist elder," along with our own work. I was so happy to be included and to have the opportunity to share one of my favorite poems by Sharon Olds. I first read "Sex Without Love," in college. It is amazing and taught me that it's possible to write poems about sex in a way that isn't embarrassing and does not involve flower metaphors.

- Miracle Jones' report on "Moscow, 1937," that he read at the Second Anniversary of The Book Report reading series was just published over at Vol. 1 Brooklyn. I hereby order you to stop reading my blog and go read Miracle Jones book report because it is fierce and brilliant and amazing.

Here is a quote:

"But we don’t live and die in the world. We live and die in our heads. We live and die making decisions as individuals that change the story of our life, in real-time, day by day, according to insane laws of our own devising. A higher intelligence is always watching, whether you believe that higher intelligence to be Stalin, Jesus, Spock, Krishna, or your friends who will tell your story when you are gone."

New Poem

My poem "Cricket Cage," was published today over at NAP! It's a really great journal and I'm very excited to have my work featured there.

Assuming I don't become overwhelmed by my fear of bumming everyone out, there is a good chance I will be reading this poem along with many others at one of my two readings this week. Come say hi!

Upcoming Happenings

- PANK Magazine interviewed Miracle Jones about my Rumpus interview with Miracle Jones. I would like to somehow take credit for this, but I think it more likely happened because Miracle is a fantastic interview subject and delivers quotes like, "A publisher should be no bigger than a pirate ship."

- I have two poetry readings next week! Both at Happy Ending! The first is on Wednesday June 19th at Patasola's Parlor hosted by the lovely Lisa Marie Basile and Emily Linstrom. I've read/danced at this show a few times and it's always a great time. Lots of whiskey and pretty women wearing alluring things.

Friday June 21st I'm reading at the perennially wonderful Derangement of the Senses. Lisa Marie Basile will be burlesquing! Todd Anderson will be poeming! Steve Zimmer will be storytelling! Miracle Jones will be amazing! As an added bonus, we'll also be livestreaming out house band's performance at The Greene Space as they represent Brooklyn in NPR's battle of the boroughs. Everyone must vote for them! If they win they'll get to perform at the Apollo. Go to http://www.thegreenespace.org/ for updates on how to help them win this thing.

Rumpus Interview with Miracle Jones

My interview with author/editor/coder/performer Miracle Jones is up at The Rumpus. He is hilarious and deranged in the best possible way, and if you ever find yourself becoming disillusioned with any element of publishing I encourage you to read this and be invigorated.

Time Ghost

My poem "Early Spring," was just published over at Time Ghost, along with videos of me reading some other poems at Kick Assonance. I haven't watched them because I can't handle the sound of my own voice, but you should!

The last Derangement of the Senses show received a really wonderful review in The Huffington Post! Every sentence of this review is true, except for one of them. Try to guess which one it is! (Hint: the show is on the third FRIDAY of every month.)

In honor of May 1st, I'm reposting a link to my poem "Beltane," that was published in Escape Into Life last Oct.

Kiss, Punch, Chapbook!

- Guys, how did I forget to post about this?! My chapbook "We Are Not Pilgrims," was published by Mondo Bummer last month. It contains poems about such varied subjects as death, bad boyfriends, and dental hygiene. Some of these haven't been published anywhere else so this is the only way to get your hands on them. Here is the best part: it is only $2! That's only 40 cents a poem! I'm not one to toot my own whatever but these poems are totally 100% worth 40 cents each.

You can buy it here. 

- Mark your calendars! Saturday April 20th I will be reading at Kiss, Punch Poem. I know I throw around the words awesome and amazing a lot, but this is for real, one of the best shows in the city. Three or four poets read poems and a troupe of improvisors make up skits about them. 

Fact: Improv is almost always terrible. Another fact: The improvisors in this show are hilarious. More facts: This show is in a real theater, it's only an hour long, and it is tremendously entertaining. Even if you can't make it when I'm reading you should definitely go. It is every Saturday at the Magnet theater at 9pm.

March Shows/Snows

Today is the first day of spring, and yesterday it was snowing. I am so over this weather I don't even have the energy to write a cute blog post.
 
 - Patasola's Parlour, Thursday March 21st, 7:30 Happy Ending Lounge. After taking a break for a few months Lisa Marie Basile and Emily Linstrom are bringing back their poetry/burlesque series. I'll be reading alongside Meghann Plunkett and Joseph A.W. Quintela. The lovely Lucille Ti Amore and Delysia La Chatte will be dancing burlesque

- Kick Assonance, Thursday March 28th, 7:00 KGB Bar. Andy Christie, B.C. Edwards, and Kick Assonance co-creators Kyle Erickson and Steven Leyva will also be reading. 

- Rae Bryant wrote an article about the intersection of the burlesque and literary communities for The Paris Review that includes a nice mention of Derangement of the Senses.

- I reviewed THE FUN PARTS by Sam Lipsyte for The Daily News. Shockingly, I didn't love it. 

Two New Poems

There have been some happenings in the past few weeks that I haven't had the chance to post about:

- I have two poems, "Taking Pills in Public" and "Kennebunkport" in the new issue of Sink Review. It's chock full of talented poets and I'm thrilled to be in their company. Also, the cover art by Bianca Stone is awesome.

- I reviewed VAMPIRES IN THE LEMON GROVE by Karen Russell for the NY Daily News the other week. Spoiler: I did not like it. I am apparently the only one because I can't find one other negative review of it. I know you're out there other people who do not love Karen Russell's work! I have occasionally commiserated with you.

- Derangement of the Senses has a website! With videos! It's almost like going to the shows! But not quite. Nothing is quite like going to the shows. You should totally still come to them.

- March 28th! That is the date of the next Kick Assonance, Kyle Erickson's fantastic reading series that I'm so happy to be part of. Jason Laney will also be performing which is good news if you just can't wait until the next Derangement to see us again.

- I started watching the cartoon series Avatar: The Next Airbender on Netflix. It is very good and surprisingly sophisticated and has turned me into a grown woman who wants to buy a plush water buffalo.

Important Information

My review of Tenth of December by George Saunders went up today on the Page Views blog of the New York Daily News.

If you have been turning over rocks to find just one review that says anything at all critical about this book, search no more! There are two whole sentences in a paragraph near the end that aren't completely laudatory.

In even more exciting news the endlessly talented Miracle Jones has graced the world with his third short story collection, Common Fantasies for Strong People. It is 100% amazing and 100% FREE. Each story allows for comments on every single paragraph. Commenting is also FREE.

Leigh Stein and Sasha Fletcher's wonderful The Book Report reading series now has a Tumblr! With pictures! And videos!

Jeanne Thornton Interview

The January issue of Bookslut was published today and it included my interview with Jeanne Thornton, author of THE DREAM OF DOCTOR BANTAM which was recently published by O/R Books.

Jeanne is a member of the Fiction Circus and I first met her at Derangement of the Senses a couple of years ago. We exchanged contact information and she included a cartoon rendering of herself along with her email address. She is equally wonderful and charming in our interview and I strongly encourage you to read it.

Happy New Year!

Like everyone else who is behind on things, I figured the beginning of the year would be a good time catch up.

I'm not going to reflect upon the last year except to say that it was simultaneously the best and worst I've had so far. Overall that made it very confusing and I am not sad to see it go.

As for the holidays, I had a week and a half off work which was completely amazing. My dad came to Brooklyn which meant I didn't have to travel at all, and I woke up late enough each morning that I started to wonder if something was physically wrong with me. It was great.

We're only two days into the new year and I already have news.

My poem "Graphology," has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize by the infinitely lovely editors of fwriction : review. Seriously, Laura Brown and Danny Goodman are wonderful and you should submit all of your best work to them. They really go out of their way to promote the writers they publish and I'm so so thrilled that they nominated me.

The also wonderful Amy Berkowitz will be publishing a chapbook of mine with her press Mondo Bummer later this month. It will be my first chapbook and will contain a handful of previously unpublished poems. You will be able to order it for $1. $1! That is less than 25 cents/poem. Stay tuned!