Front Loaded

I don't often write about the books I've read. I think this is a direct result of having burned out on academics as an undergrad, tiring of constantly being analytical rather than reading for the sake of reading. Every now and then there's a book that I have to say something about. Today that book is Lucky Man by my friend Ben Tanzer.

Ben is a consistently fantastic writer. I've yet to read something subpar by him, which as a fellow writer spurs me to always be on my game, too. Lucky Man was Ben's first novel and it's a doozie. First of all, it is seriously front-loaded, so much goes down in the first 60 pages that you'll marvel at how much can be fit into that amount of space. Be careful, though, it might make you self-conscious of your own novel...

A lot of messed up stuff goes down in this novel, but there's never a sensationalism, never any kind of lingering sentimentalism, and beyond anything the most affecting aspect of the book is its ability to subtly explore the generation gap between fathers and sons, and the general male discomfort expressing emotions. Even for men who are "in touch" with their emotions it's generally something that has taken growth and still causes angst and reflection in some manner or other. Ben touches on this without making the story hinge on it.

The novel spans years, multiple characters' points of view, and a lifetime of tragedies. And it does so succinctly. Something most writers can't pull off.

Lucky Man isn't Tanzer's best. His best is yet to come (cough cough 2011 cough cough). But it's damn good, and it should be read, if for no other reason than as guide on how to trust the reality around us and turn it into art. I read the almost the entire book yesterday, could barely put it down. Sure, the story was good, but it was the writing that I couldn't stop thinking about. Do yourself a solid and pick up the second edition "red" copy HERE

(as a sidenote, the book also introduced me to an awesome illustrator, check him out HERE)

Now With Pictures

The surgery went well. Today I'm trying to kick the prescription pain killers. Below you can see what I'm dealing with here. Three layers of stitches, and an incision that's finger-length. Tuesday the stitches will come out and the biopsy will be in.



While I was doped up on the painkillers I was zoned out a lot and occupied myself doing random design stuff for kicks. I made this poster:



I also started a series of posters/redesigns of existing books. The first one came to me like a bolt of lightning after I downloaded Ben Tanzer's collection, Repetition Patterns (get it HERE):



I've started another one, but it still needs a little work. Anyway, these sorts of things have kept me occupied. I'm in a lot of pain, but I suppose that's to be expected. Comes a time when you grit it out and deal.

In the midst of all this a new project was born. A collection of essays/conversations about reading and writing-related compulsive behavior. I've got an outline (something I don't normally do), an opening essay, a couple others started, and a couple writers lined up to partake in the conversation portions. Good times.

Unknowns

I sent out a batch of submissions yesterday, for the first time in a while. Felt good.

I've been doing some design stuff, as always, and can't wait to share. Along the way there's always a bit of me goofing around with random design ideas, I'll post some of those here soon.

I've kept myself up later than I've stayed up in a long time tonight. It's 3:38 a.m. at the moment. I'm trying to ensure I sleep late. In the afternoon I'm having surgery to remove a baseball-sized tumor from my back. Odds are on my side that it's nothing to worry about, but it came out of nowhere and the doctors were eager to get it out as quickly as possible. I'm a neurotic person by nature so having the proverbial "c" word thrown around has been grueling on my psyche. I've tried not to talk about it too much, but writing things out helps my neurosis, so I decided to post something small about it. Both my grandfathers died of cancer. One of a brain tumor, the other of lung cancer. The weirdest thing was that just a day or two before the word was thrown into the equation I had started a new story that dealt with cancer. Weird intuitive nature? Who knows.

I had a weird dream that spiders were crawling out of the tumor.

Like I said, though, odds are on my side. Chances are it's nothing to worry about, nothing that will effect me in the long run, so I'm trying to keep that in mind. The next few days I'll be out of it though, on pain medication and stuff.

Hopefully I'll only miss two days of work from this. The plan is to be back to the regularly scheduled program on Saturday.

The press that had expressed interest in my full-length poetry collection declined it in the end. It was fun while it lasted.

We cut our two year old's hair for the first time. I got a bit choked up. His hair is iconic, but it's not like we gave him a buzz cut by any means. I have moments now where I realize doing things like getting married and having kids has done strange things to my emotions.

If you read this whole thing, more power to you for sticking with it's spectrum of randomness. I'm going to go to sleep now. I'll see ya on the other side of the knife.

Linkapalooza

Mel Bosworth interviews me HERE. ***UPDATE*** The interview's been updated with a giveaway of my chapbook Aquarium, go be the first to request it in the comments and I'll send it your way! ***UPDATE UPDATE*** The copy has been won. Stay tuned, I may be giving away another copy soon.

My chapbook Aquarium is on GOODREADS. So, you know, add it and stuff. You can download it or purchase a real live copy of it HERE.

I interviewed my buddy, Ben Tanzer HERE.

There are some exciting books coming out this fall. I am looking forward to THIS and THIS and THIS. And that's just to name a few.

Three Faces is Better than Two

Barry Graham of Dogzplot, National Virginity Pledge, and checkers championship fame interviewed me at Third Face. Read it HERE!

Stuff to Read, Now and in the Future

The preorder for ADP's upcoming release, To The River by Rose Hunter. Go HERE to order yours!

Go HERE to check out Ben Tanzer's 99 Problems, a fantastic epublication of essays about running and writing.

I've almost finished In The Devil's Territory by Kyle Minor. Holy shit. Book is beyond good. Can't believe it took me so long to finally read it. If you haven't yet you better get on it. Go HERE for more about it and links to order it.

I started some early work on a new story. All summer I've been compelled to write something that took place at a zoo, in front of a polar bear display. I didn't expect it to end up being about the things it has ended up being about. You can take the writer out of their themes, but you can't take the themes out of the writer, I guess.

And Now to Sound Smarter

For my birthday my mother-in-law bought me a subscription to the Paris Review. I got my first issue today and just finished reading the interview with David Mitchell (read a snippet HERE). I've never read anything by Mitchell before, though this interview made me want to pick up something of his and give it a spin. And there were some quotes I loved. So, here they are:

PR: How many hours can you write a day?
DM: I could probably do ten if I had them, but I've got two young children, so I can either be a halfway decent dad or can I be a writer who writes all day.

PR: You said earlier that you distrust words like inspiration to describe the creative process--
DM: I even distrust the phrase creative process.

PR: Do you ever allow yourself to think that your novels might be read in the next century?
DM: ...writing for the future is the best way I can think of to ensure that you'll be forgotten. Make your work as good as you can, as seaworthy as you can, as human as you can, and it might go the whole distance...

Aquarium

I am extremely excited and tickled pink, as the kids say, to tell you that my first "official" chapbook, Aquarium is now available from the venerable Thunderclap Press. Amanda Deo, Thunderclap's wonderful founder/editor was a pleasure to work with and infinitely patient with me as I removed a poem somewhat last minute, among other such annoying authorial behavior.

Aquarium is the middle section of Mile Zero, the full-length collection I've been sending out. Beyond that it's a mess of poetic traditions, and probably a decent representation of my actual personality. The chapbook is available in print for $7 or as a free download. Check it out along with some incredibly blush-inducing words about myself over at THUNDERCLAP!

Amanda also indulged me so much as to let me design the cover:

Another Day

A few rejections have trickled in lately, and I've done my best to maintain by getting them right back out there. Summers are slow for this sort of thing. If I had time on my hands summer would be the time to be cranking out new work.

I did finish a big revision project, though. And have sent it off to the powers that requested the revision in the first place. I've been hesitant to talk about this project because it's not even to the "no guarantee" point of excitement, which believe me, will still be a point of great excitement if it gets there. Let's just say I never thought I'd even be thinking about this kind of potential direction for a writing career.

There's something exciting coming soon though. I'll have a big ol' post about it as soon as it drops.

In non-writing related news I took my older son to a baseball game the other day and got a gnarly sunburn. Seriously had some major heat stroke. Was sick for about two days. So that was cool. On the way to the game I had an idea for a possible poetry project though, so it wasn't a total loss. Plus time with my boys alone or together is always good.

Change Is Good (Power to the People)

This Zine Will Change Your Life is graciously playing host not only to some words of mine right now, but also to a bit of my music. CLICK HERE and you can read a poem called "Bare Knuckles" and then listen to a song with the same name.

The song comes from a solo album I recorded under the Morning Gorgeous moniker. The album has been finished for over a year now, but I've yet to release it. Here's how this will go. If people listen to this song and show interest I will release the album (and I'll make it available cheap). If not, no harm no foul, it'll stay in the vault so to speak. Power to the people.

Much thanks to my man, Ben Tanzer, the curator of all things life changing.