i'm obsessed with shorts. short. stories.
i’m reading HOW FICTION WORKS by James Wood, a great little book that functions as a discussion of what this literary critic thinks is important to writing stories. i’m struck by the identification of several tactics i’ve gravitated towards in my own work. it’s good to know intuition takes me down narrow backstreets in the … Read more
nepotism. i try not to care. most of the time i can stay true to myself but it’s hard. when you hear that the publishing house is only accepting manuscripts “on referral”. when the same writers appear, time and time again, in literary magazines. when it’s clear it’s who you know not what you write. … Read more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu08CxbunGM
Mitzi hated the breakfast shift at the hospital, staring into vats of lumpy oatmeal. and scrambled eggs, congealing, then crusting on the underside of the ladle. disgusting. she adjusted the net that kept her hair in place and hauled the metal vat of oatmeal onto a rolling cart. “Need a hand?” a male voice. a … Read more
i’m posting a podcast of a short short i wrote in honour of JD Salinger. i hope you imaginary readers of this blog like it.
JD mojito Heineken whiskey tea dispensed by a tea lady martini scotch-scotch Beamish duty-free rum Tsing Tao vodkatini
Head Above Water by Hunters & Collectors Disorder by Joy Division This is not a Love Song by PIL Temptation by New Order Pacific Theme by Broken Social Scene The Fairytale of New York by The Pogues (with Kirsty McColl) Ever Fallen in Love by The Buzzcocks Ceremony by New Order Stranded by The Saints … Read more
i’m reading Joseph Boyden’s collection titled BOTH WITH A TOOTH and it’s fucking fine writing. the forward propulsion, sentence by sentence, is engrossing. here’s a sample from a story titled “Born With a Tooth”: It was three months, close to the ice breakup that first winter, before my wolf finally trusted me enough to stay … Read more
“Let’s get out of here,” said Maggie. Together, they ran back to the car and drove away before traffic came to a complete standstill, the road clogged with firewatchers streaming out from the city for a glimpse of the fire. The Saints played on the radio, a song about being stranded far from home. Maggie … Read more
yes, i have a stereo stand with a record player. a fucking record player. it’s a bit dusty but i still use it. and scattered across the top of the stereo stand are the following CDs: The National Trouble will Find me Joe Henry Fuse Deerhof Breakup Song alt-J An Awesome Wave Club des Belugas … Read more