Necessary Fiction's First Footing

So Necessary Fiction is doing a month of fictional "first footings" where they've "invited our past contributors to let the last line of someone else’s story get a foot in the door of their own fiction."

My contribution is called "The Banshee" and took its footing from Kevin Spaide's story "The Beard." You should definitly read his even if you don't read mine. By the way, his is about a beard and mine is about a banshee.

Me in Jelly Bucket

So my short story "No One Drowns Here Anymore" is in the 2010 issue of Jelly Bucket, a cool literary journal put out by the MFA program at Eastern Kentucky University. I'd especially like to thank Russell Helms. You can get copy of Jelly Bucket here.

Me in moonShine review

So my short story “An Introduction to Conflict as Understood by the Philosopher Diogenes” is in the latest issue of moonShine review #12 (Volume 6:Issue 2, that is). It’s more about a father and son than Diogenes. Though it is also about Diogenes, who is one of my favorite philosophers…of all time. He lived in a tub and masturbated in public, like an obscene Oscar the Grouch. The best.

Here’s some other info about the issue: moonShine review #12 released early Dec 2010, just in time for your holiday gift shopping! Only $8 ~ a lot of bang for the buck ~ this issue features fine prose by these talented writers other than me: Billie Bierer, Susan M. Boyer, Jessie Carty, Peg Daniels, Kate V.M. Ferguson, Gary V. Powell, Tom Quinn, Susan Snowden, Bob Strother, and Charlotte Wolf... and gorgeous featured photography by Clarke Armstrong.

Me on the Twitter

So I've decided to join Twitter. It's been a momentous decision I will soon regret. I mostly made it because blogging is too hard.

I joined today in honor of NaNoWriMo. I thought it was the least I could do in honor of novel writing month. Quite literally the least I could do. Because novels are actually longer than blogs I hear. Geez.

What Kids Want for Christmas: Bitter Cynicism

Turns out the must-have-but-impossible-to-find gift this Christmas season is the Autobiography of Mark Twain, joining the ranks of Zu Zu Pets and Cabbage Patch Kids. Go books!

Me on McSweeney's Internet Tendency II

My piece "A Disgraced Congressman Apologizes for His Recent Poor Choices of Costumes" is up at McSweeney's Internet Tendency, as part of their Short Imagined Monologues Series. It's about a Congressman who has bad taste in costumes. It's perfect for the holiday weekend--you can print it out to give trick-or-treaters. They'll love it. Except for the bit about the human centipede. And the phallus.

You should, on second thought, just buy some Reese's. Or like me buy some Reese's for yourself and a fifty pound bag of Tootsie Rolls for the little monsters--they need to earn their own Reese's. That's the problem with this country everybody wants a handout. Buy your own chocolate peanut butter cup.

Last time.

Kick-start Knee-Jerk

Knee-Jerk, a cool online magazine, is going all retro and putting out a print version. You can help by making a contribution. The level of your contribution will earn you a copy of the magazine, buttons, and/or mix CD. The editors will even make you dinner (geographic restrictions apply on this one, I think). And more...

This first annual print issue of Knee-Jerk will include "fiction, essays, Reviews of Things, artwork, comics, illustrations, and lists by David Shields, Roy Kesey, Kim Chinquee, Joe Meno, Dan Kennedy, John McNally, Zoe Zolbrod, Billy Lombardo, Adam Kidder, Kenny Keil, Aaron Delehanty, and many, many more!"

At the time of this posting, they're only $90 away from their $1000 goal, actually. But I'm sure they'll put any extra to good use.