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 It will be my first chapbook and will contain a handful of previously unpublished poems.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!

All Sorts of Stuff

Holy Moly. Being either a resident of NYC or a watcher of the news, you can probably imagine that the last couple weeks have been somewhat of a mess. Fortunately I never lost power so for me, the storm really just meant I was stranded in my neighborhood for a week and didn't have to go to work.

Other things that have happened in the last two weeks:

- I got a cold. You wouldn't think this would be a big deal, but you would be wrong. It was the biggest deal. Just ask my boyfriend who I complained to roughly 1,000 times a day until I started to feel better.

 - My review of Susanna Moore's THE LIFE OF OBJECTS was posted on the New York Daily News' Page Views blog.

 -  My poem "Beltane," was published on Escape into Life as part of their "Poetry of Fear" Halloween series (scroll down, it's at the bottom.) Kathleen Kirk is their poetry editor and she has been wonderful and super supportive.

 - I finished reading SHIFTING by Miracle Jones. Good God you guys. His books not only fucking amazing they are also free! FREE!! WHY HAVE YOU NOT READ THEM YET?? Download them here!

- Halloween happened. I ate some mini candy bars I purchased entirely for my own consumption and watched many episodes of Chopped.

- The line up for the next Derangement of the Senses was announced.

I know I always say to go to this show because it is always awesome and I am also always in it. But seriously. Go to this show. It's the two year anniversary and includes Leigh Stein, Elizabeth Crane, and Ghostwriter.

The first time Leigh and I met we bonded over our mutual love of Elizabeth Crane. She is the best. If you have not read ALL THIS HEAVENLY GLORY, read a book by Miracle Jones, then immediately read ALL THIS HEAVENLY GLORY. When you finish it you will have a strong desire to get drunk with her and share your most embarrassing secrets from middle school.

Also, Ghostwriter. He performs as a one man band and describes himself as the original punk-folk troubadour. I had no idea what this meant when I went to see him perform at the Branded Saloon in Brooklyn a few months ago, and honestly didn't think I'd be too into it. He performed in a tiny back room to maybe 20 people and I'm not exaggerating when I say it was one of the best shows I've ever seen. He is an absolute force with the energy of an entire punk band. His performance was completely compelling and unlike pretty much anything I had ever seen. If you can't make it to Derangement he will be playing another set at the Branded Saloon later that night, and if you don't take the opportunity to see him perform you will be missing out on something amazing. You can go to his website here.

3 New Poems + Ghost DOTS!

I have three new poems up at fwriction : review! It is a wonderful journal with wonderful editors, and I am so happy to be included in it! They also asked me to pick a song for their "waffle rocking" playlist. This was a fun thing to do, and I tried to think of something that would make me look really cool, but because I am me I settled on a Don Henley song. Yes that is lame, but in my life the lamest songs also seem to have the most personal significance, so what can you do.

ALSO, tomorrow is the October installment of Derangement of the Senses. You know what that means. Halloween DOTS! Yes these exist and yes they are guaranteed to be as inedible as regular DOTS, but unlike regular DOTS they are adorable and GLOW IN THE DARK. What? A candy that glows in the dark? Impossible you say! No. Possible. Additionally, there will be a whole lineup of amazing performers including Jenny Rubin, Paula Bomer, Lenea Grace, Jessica Smith, and Shelly Yosha. Miracle Jones will read a story! Kevin Carter will host! Jason Laney will play piano! And I will be performing my S&M Lesley Gore act because for some reason I equate PVC corsets with Halloween. Come out!

Sometimes There Are Reasons Not to Hate New York

I did not get to watch the debates last night because my friend Leigh and I went to see Fiona Apple at Terminal Five (she sounded great, looked insane, and Leigh and I both agreed that the next concert we go to will have assigned seating because we are old ladies who hate crowds), but my boyfriend took this picture of a crowd of people watching them on the street in Jackson Heights:

I think it is beautiful and it helps remind me why I live in New York despite the city driving me absolutely crazy most of the time.

The Worst Best Month

October is my favorite month. It's the beginning of jacket weather which means it's just chilly enough to start sitting around your apartment wearing fuzzy socks and feeling extra cozy, but not so chilly that the thought of walking two blocks to the deli to get a soda makes you want to cry. October marks the season of all sorts of delicious pumpkin flavored garbage. It also contains both Halloween AND my birthday (the 11th, just in case any of you want send me awesome presents).

Here is a thing I don't like about this October in particular: I am moving. I have been in my apt. for 5 years which is about a century in New York time. I am doing my best not to let my daily panic attacks get in the way of enjoying this most wonderful of months. Here is a list of fantastic things that are getting me through:

1. The Septober issue of Megazine. Content and design wise this is just about the best journal there is. For real. I read a lot of this stuff.

2. The release of Jeanne Thornton's wonderful new novel THE DREAM OF DOCTOR BANTAM.

3. The first season of Twin Peaks which I had somehow not yet seen. I am watching it sober because otherwise I would simultaneously suffer from a brain explosion and a heart attack at some point during each episode.