A Nation of Literature

The Columbia Spectator is going on quite a trip. They're going to showcase a book from each state that best exemplifies that state. They start with Alabama. It'll be a long while before they come to my lovely home state of Washington, but I'm going to guess that they'll choose this book.

Created out of the Swamp by a Freak Accident

Nothing gets me happier than hearing these three words: Free, Swamp, Thing. DC Comics is letting readers download the new, Alan Moore-written Swamp Thing, issue #1 for free. Swamp Thing is an elemental creature who uses the forces of nature and wisdom of the plant kingdom to fight the polluted world's self-destruction! Happy reading, all.

Keep 'Em Guessing

The National Post has a story about a company making funny book jackets. "The intentionally controversial dust jackets can either be used as an innovative form of gift wrapping, or simply as a way of striking up conversation during an otherwise mundane commute to work." There's nothing mundane about Do-It-Yourself Dentistry and At Home Laser Eye Surgery. Which reminds me of a comedy bit I wrote up awhile back...

AS YET PUBLISHED “…FOR DUMMIES” BOOKS

Laser Eye Surgery for Dummies
Autopsies for Dummies
Covert Operations for Dummies
Speaking Mexican for Dummies
Captain and Tennille for Dummies
Circumcision for Dummies
Beards for Dummies
Grave Digging for Dummies
Prostitution for Dummies
Political Assassination for Dummies
Self-Immolation for Dummies
Ventriloquism for Dummies

Movie Trailers, But for Books

A new phenomena is upon us in the literary world. We all know about movie trailers, those commercials for upcoming movies at the beginning of the main feature. Now, they're doing the same thing for books. Check out the trailer for Lightship, a delightful kid's book I just picked up for my daughter:



The author, by the way, is super. You can check out his work on his site here.

The Good Deed of a Dead Bookseller

There's a short nice story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about David Bell who owned Magus Books for decades here in Seattle before his death. He's left half of his estate (totally around $700,000) to the University of Washington Libraries, specifically to financially support the Special Collections Department.

"This endowment was kind of a surprise to us," UW Libraries rare book curator Sandra Kroupa said. "I think this is just one of those situations where you can never tell how much of an impact you make on someone's life."

The Special Collections Department IS special when you take into account their...

Book Arts Collection, that includes books dating to the 11th century.

Book Collections that includes historical children's literature.

And oodles of other collections including architecture of the Pacific Northwest, images of 19th century actors and documents highlighting the Klondike gold rush.

Ah, to have oodles of free time to visit and peruse these wonders! Alas, a small child at home wants to play freeze tag.

The New Yorker and Science Fiction

Wanting to find science fiction in The New Yorker? You'll have about as much luck as flying to the moon on a homemade jet-pack rocket suit. Though, of late, science fiction has received kudos far and wide and a certain amount of literary prestige, there's been only one science fiction story within the page of The New Yorker in the last decade. io9 takes a look at the history of science fiction in The New Yorker, starting in 1978 (they only published three total sci-fi stories prior to that) with the works of Stanislaw Lem.

Edgar Allan Poe Round-Up

There's been a flurry of Edgar Allan Poe-related activity of late. Let's get to it!

In the Spectator is a review of Peter Ackroyd's latest book Poe: A Life Cut Short.

In movie news, Sylvester Stallone is going to write and direct a biopic of Poe. Yo, seriously. Rumors are flying as to who will be the actor to play the great writer.

Also, The Poe Toaster made their annual visit to Poe's grave recently, leaving three roses and a bottle of cognac.

There's also a new blog, The Bibliothecary highlighting one man's adventures in the world of Poe.

And how cool is this? The delightful Vincent Price reciting Poe's "The Raven"....

Book of Hours

A book of hours is a medieval illuminated manuscript. Their are a variety of books of hours out there but all contain religious text, prayers, psalms, and religious illustrations for Catholic Christian worship and devotion.

The fine Scott Brown, editor of Fine Books and Collections Magazine, talks about collecting Books of Hours on the AbeBooks website.

From the story:

As a group, Books of Hours are arguably the most beautiful of all books...Despite their strongly religious origin, the books served more as status symbols and fashion accessories than paths to heaven, a fact testified to in the large number of copies that survive in exceptional condition.

Now if I only had about $32,000 kicking around I could get a pretty nice one.

Tori Amos and Comic Books

Interesting news is coming forth from Undented. There's to be a series of comic books based on Tori Amos's songs.

From the site:

“Obviously, I’ll need to have a level of trust to turn these songs over to each writer,” Amos says. “With the unknown, there can be a feeling of reticence, but that in itself can be sexy.” More than 70 cartoonists have signed up so far.

Having been a fan of her work since her debut album, I'm officially intrigued. In college I wrote a lengthy essay about the symbolism in her song "Space Dog." The professor gave it an A and said, "You know you could make a whole thesis out of just this one song!" Though I wasn't in grad school I had thoughts of actually writing the thesis anyway just to prove to myself I could (yes, I'm a geek). You can watch Tori perform the song live here.

Being Funny, by Steve Martin

If you haven't had the opportunity to read Steve Martin's wonderful autobiography Born Standing Up you can still read a bit about his life in the February issue of Smithsonian Magazine. In the article Being Funny he talks about his early days as a comedian and how he became the biggest comedy act in the nation.

From the story:

A skillful comedian could coax a laugh with tiny indicators such as a vocal tic (Bob Hope's "But I wanna tell ya") or even a slight body shift. Jack E. Leonard used to punctuate jokes by slapping his stomach with his hand. One night, watching him on "The Tonight Show," I noticed that several of his punch lines had been unintelligible, and the audience had actually laughed at nothing but the cue of his hand slap.

These notions stayed with me until they formed an idea that revolutionized my comic direction: What if there were no punch lines? What if there were no indicators? What if I created tension and never released it? What if I headed for a climax, but all I delivered was an anticlimax? What would the audience do with all that tension? Theoretically, it would have to come out sometime. But if I kept denying them the formality of a punch line, the audience would eventually pick their own place to laugh, essentially out of desperation. This type of laugh seemed stronger to me, as they would be laughing at something they chose, rather than being told exactly when to laugh.

For me, Steve Martin's always been an inspiration. He made me want to write comedy. He made me want to be a good dad (due to his role in "Parenthood" which now sounds like a silly admission but it's true). He made me want to perform (I've done a few small plays here and there and have written a couple comedies as well). Anyway, he's great. So great, enjoy this vintage clip of him and balloon animals...

Periodic Table Printmaking Project

This is just great. Ninety-six printmakers of all experience levels, have joined together to produce 118 prints in any medium; woodcut, linocut, monotype, etching, lithograph, silkscreen, or any combination. The end result is a periodic table of elements intended to promote both science and the arts. You can find them all here. The one above is done by Natalia Moroz. To note: Darmstadtium is the synthetic chemical element, a superheavy metal, of atomic number 110. The first atom of the heaviest chemical element was detected in Darmstadt, Germany in 1994.

Celebrity Poetry

"What is it about celebrity poets that rile 'serious' writers of poetry?" The Poetry Foundation is there to find out. What? You're all riled by the poetic magic that is Leonard Nimoy?!

I give you a selection of his work:

I am convinced
That if all mankind
Could only gather together
In one circle
Arms around each other's shoulders
And dance, laugh and cry
Together
Then much
of the tension and burden
of life
Would fall away
In the knowledge that
We are all children
Needing and wanting
Each other's
Comfort and
Understanding
We are all children
Searching for love

My Find in Found Magazine

My find was the Find Of The Day on the Found Magazine website. Enjoy! If you don't know about Found Magazine yet, you owe it to yourself to, well, find yourself a copy. Good times! What happens is people find stuff - on the street, in a garbage can, stuck in an old library book - stuff like love notes, pictures, old homework, a jury summons with funny doodles all over it. These people (like me) send their finds to the fine folks of Found Magazine. They, then, print their favorites!

Quote of the Week

We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are. Sheep lice do not seem to share this longing, which is one reason why they write so little.
- Anne Lamott

Friday's Poem

A new feature on my blog. Each Friday I'll post a poem for you to ruminate over during the weekend. First up, Sherman Alexie's "Why We Play Basketball."

Happy Birthday Robert Burns!

Scotland is celebrating their beloved poet's birthday today. The Guardian Unlimited celebrates. You should to with a big helping of steaming haggis! A little frightened about the thought of eating spiced sheep innards? Watch this video and you'll end up loving it!...or getting very queasy indeed.

Drawing from literature of the past proves a recipe for success for The Decemberists

So the headline reads for a brief interview with Colin Meloy of The Decemberists (my favorite band) in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

From the story:
Meloy has found fulfillment penning songs that draw on 19th-century literature -- musical tales of dastardly deeds, maidens in distress and Civil War-era romance. The Portland indie-rock band even looks the part in vintage costumes fit for a Victorian parlor.

"I've always been fascinated with Victorian, 19th-century, turn-of-the-century, early 20th-century stuff," Meloy said.

Their best album they've thus far created is The Crane Wife. You owe it to yourself to give it a listen. The title song is based on a Japanese folk tale about a man who marries a magical bird. Meloy discovered the story while working at a bookstore in Portland (where he currently lives).

"I flipped through it during an idle moment, and it struck me as a really beautiful story." Beautiful it is.

Soul Brothers

Rambo and Rimbaud: Two Complicated Dudes. AWESOME! The story, care of the CBC.

And, just in case you're interested, the New York Times almost sort of likes, kind of the new Rambo movie.

Why This Post Matters

A rant, but headline writers, stop being lazy! "Why ____ Matters" has been done!
Take, for instance...

Why Austrian Economics Matters
Why Barack Obama Matters
Why Britney Spears Matters
Why Buffy - The Vampire Slayer Matters
Why Dairy Farming Matters
Why Data Binding Matters
Why Dodos Matters
Why Édouard Manet Matters
Why Ernest Hemingway Matters
Why Evolution Matters
Why Fantasy Football Matters
Why Fiber Matters
Why Global Warming Matters
Why Haditha Matters
Why Jesus Matters
Why John Milton Matters
Why Pete Doherty Matters
Why Poetry Matters
Why Poker Etiquette Matters
Why Turkey Matters
Why Wheat Matters

We get it. EVERYTHING MATTERS! Hell, even antimatter matters.

Thank you, Atlantic Monthly! Thank you!

Well, one of the best magazines in the world just got better. The Atlantic Monthly is getting rid of subscriber registration requirements. What does that mean to you, faithful reader? Everything on their website is now free. Really? Free? Absolutely. You can watch videos, read blogs, browse issues going back to 1995 and read hundreds of articles, some dating back to 1857. Really? 1857? Indeed, the year James Buchanan became President, Elisha Otis' first elevator was installed and Pope Pius XI was born! This is going to be awesome.

The Pencil Sculptures of Jennifer Maestre

I love using a Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencil when I write. Ever since childhood I've used them. There's something about a simple pencil that I've always appreciated (except those times I've stabbed myself on accident - see thigh, see hand, see ankle). So, I can't help but like the artwork created by Jennifer Maestre.

You Gotta' Love Studs Terkel

If you're any kind of writer, you must appreciate the life, times and work of Studs Terkel. Gary Young of the Guardian Unlimited talks to Terkel, now 95, about America's last century. If you're interested in learning more about Terkel, and better, read some of his enormous body of marvelous work and hear interviews he's done, go here, a site dedicated to Terkel presented by the Chicago Historical Society.

Bobby Fischer and a Bookstore in Reykjavik

Bobby Fischer, a genius at chess, died recently. The Smart Set has an interesting story about Bókin, a bookstore he haunted regularly.

From the story:

“Bobby said he liked this kind of bookshop because it reminded him of his younger New York years. The mess everywhere, the stacks of books, the smell,” says owner Bragi Kristjónsson. “He was often sitting here so long, reading from these shelves, that he fell asleep.”

The Best Bookstore Just Became Bester

According to a report in Publisher's Weekly report independent bookseller Powell's City of Books in Portland, Oregon is expanding. The Oregonian also has the story. The store is already 75,000 square feet. It takes up a city block! It's like saying, "We're going to make the Hoover Dam bigger. It's just not damming enough." Well, thanks, in advance, for the expansion, Powell's. There will be even more places to get lost in that wonderful behemoth.

Images of the Year, 2007

Chris Anthony is the Grand Prize Winner in PopPhoto's contest of the best images of the year. You can see his work as well as the work of the other finalists in the story. The image above is from Anthony's "Victims and Avengers" series. His personal website showcases more of his great work.

Haiku Round-Up

If you know me you know that I have a thing for haiku. I like reading it. I like writing it. I've had some success, publishing-wise, with my haiku, as a matter of fact.

My haiku poems have been published in Haiku Headlines and I'm a regular haiku contributor (a member of the Haikuza) for Portland Fiction based in Oregon. I was a finalist, and mentioned as such, in a book of haiku, Hipster Haiku and my ever popular welding-themed poetry has been published in Welding and Cutting Magazine, seriously.

So it's always nice to see haiku mentioned in the mainstream press. Which brings me to this story found in the latest issue of National Geographic. Howard Norman follows in the footsteps of Basho. Matsuo Bashō (pictured above) was the most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan.

And, if after reading the National Geographic piece, you want more of a haiku kick (and who doesn't?!)...

A Haiku a Day
Haiku Nurse
Haiku of the Day
Tiny Words: Haiku Daily

I'll leave you with this. A haiku I wrote that I always liked...

A revolution
High in the Andes Mountains
It was a high coup.

Craigslist and What Makes Me Batty

I, like many freelance writers, go to craigslist looking for writing jobs and writing gigs pretty regularly. I've written about this before, but there are some people that post on it that just drive me up a wall. It's not as though I'm some big shot writer (I'm not), but there are some posts that just make me nutty. Take, for instance, this writer from Florida. You can read the post in its entirety but there's a few things I'd like to point out...

"I am a published author and novelist, who is also one of the premier political bloggers for one of the major politial parties." Good for you! Though you don't note what blog you write for nor the major political party you're affiliated with.

"I am seeking an Agent to take over the representation of my novel, that had its initial launch late last year to wonderful success, but fell victim to both a New York Based Agent, and a New York Based Publicist - falling by the wayside for their own personal reasons, leaving me hanging with a novel that had just begun to take off and has since become stagnated as a result of their ineptitude." And you've come to think that all the major agencies and publicists are scouring Craigslist for up-and-coming writers than working with already established writers and/or writers who got an agent through normal means?

"The novel has been called in the press 'The single most important military novel of our times'." Seriously? What press? It's not even published yet! And this book is more important that Slaughterhouse-Five? More important that Johnny Got His Gun? The Things They Carried? Amazing!

"I have had so-called Agents want to work with me as the author, but they have no idea as what to do and how to go about representing the novel itself." Oh, you mean sort of like how authors have no idea as to how to go about getting a reputable agent.

And, here, my friends, is the kicker...

"I am searching for someone wonderful, someone professional, and someone who can take this amazing project and work with me, as I also have 13 other novels under development as well."

Good luck with those.

What Draws Novelists to Comic Books?

Jodi Picoult is writing Wonder Woman comics. Stephen King is overseeing the comic books based on his Dark Tower series. Michael Chabon has written several issues of The Escapist. Jonathan Lethem is at work on Omega the Unknown. What's the deal here? Why are all these famous writers into comic books all the sudden? The Times Online looks into it.

My Poetry in Portland Fiction

You can find it here.

100 Books Every Child Should Read

My local library is going to have to contend with me and my daughter now that we'll be in their so often checking out books that have been listed on the Telegraph. It's a rather complete guide to all things children's literature, from the early "I can't read" years to the teenage "I can handle Charles Dickens" years. "If children are to become readers for life, they must first love stories," it reads. I couldn't agree more. We read constantly to our four-year-old, stories about pigs and princesses, volcanoes and vampire bats. Currently, we're into star-gazing and have been poring over this book. Now that she's starting to know her constellations ("This guy looks like he's going potty!") she's starting to know Greek mythology ("Her hair was made of snakes?!") and that's the great thing about reading. You read something to a child and it just opens up all these other worlds. So, if you don't have a kid of your own, find one, and read to him or her. It's good for you and better for them.

The Last Bastion of Philosophical Writing

It's to be found in science fiction. So says Clive Thompson in this essay on Wired.

From the story:

Recently I read a novella that posed a really deep question: What would happen if physical property could be duplicated like an MP3 file? What if a poor society could prosper simply by making pirated copies of cars, clothes, or drugs that cure fatal illnesses?

The answer Cory Doctorow offers in his novella After the Siege is that you'd get a brutal war. The wealthy countries that invented the original objects would freak out, demand royalties from the developing ones, and, when they didn't get them, invade. Told from the perspective of a young girl trying to survive in a poor country being bombed by well-off adversaries, After the Siege is an absolute delight, by turns horrifying, witty, and touching.

Technically, After the Siege is a work of science fiction. But as with so many sci-fi stories, it works on two levels, exploring real-world issues like the plight of African countries that can't afford AIDS drugs. The upshot is that Doctorow's fiction got me thinking — on a Lockean level — about the nature of international law, justice, and property.

Which brings me to my point. If you want to read books that tackle profound philosophical questions, then the best — and perhaps only — place to turn these days is sci-fi. Science fiction is the last great literature of ideas.

Apocalypse Soon

In Canada's The Walrus, Jon Evans looks towards the future of reading and it's not looking all that rosy.

From the story:

A few years ago, my first novel was published. It did pretty well, won an award, was translated and sold around the world; the movie rights were even optioned. Now I want to put it online — no charge, no hook, no catch. My motivation is simple: greed.

My publishers are resolutely opposed to this idea. They fear it will “devalue the brand” and set a dangerous precedent. They fear, intuitively but wrongly, that fewer people will buy a book that is also given away for free. But most of all, they fear the future — and with good reason. Book publishing is a dinosaur industry, and there’s a big scary meteor on the way.

Quote of the Week

No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor any pleasure so lasting.
- Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689 - 1762)

The Strange Trips Our Books Sometimes Take

The New York Times has an interesting story about the strange trips our books sometimes take. You're never going to read that old book of Countee Cullen poetry given to you by an ex-girlfriend eleven years ago so you throw it away. Don't be surprised if someone grabs it from your trash, sells it to a bookseller, the bookseller sells it to someone interested in the poetry of Countee Cullen and now that book you thought was at the local dump is now sitting on someone's nightstand.

Design Leader: Chip Kidd

Book jacket designer Chip Kidd (the best in the business) has a video interview on Dwell.

How to Write a Novel....FAST!

You want to write a novel but you might be pressed for time. Perhaps you are being sent to a gulag (my condolences)and have no access to pen and paper. Or, perhaps you're the leader of a large nation and don't have time to write a romance novel in that you're busy invading. Or, perhaps you're just a regular full-time worker with other full-time responsibilities (kids/family/parole hearings) but you still want to write that book you know you have in you.

Well, Jeff Vandermeer at Ecstatic Days shows you how to write a novel in two months.

Two months too long for you? Need to get something out quicker?

You can always be a part of the National Novel Writing Month (November), where writers try and crank out books in 30 days.

Thirty days more than you can handle? Perhaps it's still too much time by, say twenty seven days. Never fear! You can write a novel in a weekend.

Stephen King seems to write a book in about the time it takes me to make a ham sandwich and Joyce Carol Oates writes a book about every time I blink. So, don't be intimidated. Don't give up. You have the time. You make that time. You write!

Stan Lee Tribute Artwork

Go here for a fun collection of Stan Lee inspired artwork. For those who don't know,
Stan Lee is a giant in the world of comic books, having creating such characters as Spider-Man, the Hulk and Iron Man, amongst others. The groovy piece above was done by artist Johnny Yanok.

Murder Unscripted

The folks on "Law and Order" support the writers on strike, with humorous results.

Ferrets! Plagiarism! A Libidinous Lakota Chieftain!

Intriguing, no? Grist has the story.

Independent Bookselling - It Isn't All Bad

In fact, it's pretty good. There were 115 new independent bookstores that opened in the U.S. in 2007. The American Booksellers Association celebrates the news. It was the third year in a row that there were more than 100 additions to the independent bookseller ranks.

Some new shops in my area include...

Berning Books in Clark Fork, Idaho.
Between the Covers in Bend, Oregon.
Camalli Book Company in Bend, Oregon.
Colette's in North Bend, Oregon.
Mostly Kids Books in Bothell, Washington.
Ninth Moon in Snohomish, Washington.
Paulina Springs Books in Redmond, Oregon.
Shelf Life Books in Redmond, Oregon.
Silverton Book Shop in Silverton, Oregon.

Also, in regards to independent bookshop good news, Bookninja relays the story of Seattle Mystery Bookshop highlighting the fact that the media is just targeting "the death of independent bookselling" rather than highlighting those that are doing very well at it, like the, yes Seattle Mystery Bookshop.

Also, in CNN, they note nine destination bookstores that span the U.S. The good news for Northwesterners, they've included Powell's in Portland the Elliott Bay Book Company here in Seattle.

At My Funeral

I read a poem by Walt Whitman this morning. When I go, I hope it's read at my funeral...

If you want me again look for me
under your boot-soles.

You will hardly know who I am or
what I mean,
But I shall be good health to you
nevertheless,
And filter and fibre your blood.

Failing to fetch me at first keep
encouraged,
Missing me one place search another,
I stop somewhere waiting for you.

Possibilities When You Refurbish Your Writing Nook

The Do-It-Yourself Dictionary Wall, care of Apartment Therapy Chicago.

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King, Jr!

I often think about how America would be better today had he not been killed. Him and Robert Kennedy. He was only 39 when he died. A brief biography care of the Nobel Prize website.

Skunks are Cool Poetry Contest Update

I'm afraid I'm the bearer of bad news. I didn't win the Skunks Are Cool! Poetry Contest this year. It's not for a lack of trying however. I wrote several poems in a variety of styles, including...

A skunk haiku chain.
Heartwarming skunk free verse.
Jolly skunk limericks here and here.

The big winners can be found here.

I'm not bitter, but this, like a skunk, stinks. But just wait until next year. Skunk sonnets! Skunk quatrains! Skunk villanelles!

Is Scottish Literature English Literature?

That's what the Library of Congress said. That is until, of course, the Scottish said, "What the hell!?" The Washington Post has the story about how the library's cataloguing policy and support office almost abandoned Scottish writing entirely, categorizing all Scottish writing under "English" categories. The Scots, rightly so, were pissed.

My Poetry on Portland Fiction

Enjoy my haiku here.

Prague's Weird New Library

Check it out, care of Wired Magazine's Underwire blog.

My Favorite Novelist in One of My Favorite Magazines

Ash Monday, a short story by T.C. Boyle is in the most recent New Yorker.

Roz Chast on CBS Sunday Morning

Roz is my favorite cartoonist at The New Yorker. Have you seen the book she did with Steve Martin? Have you heard her interview on NPR? Have you read the new blog done by all the cartoonists at The New Yorker?

You owe it to yourself to giggle, smirk, guffaw, chortle, and all that. Roz Chast will make you do those things.

Quote of the Week

Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.
- Natalie Goldberg

What I'm Writing, What I'm Reading

With the new year comes new stories that I've been fortunate enough to be able to work on them...



For Stage Directions Magazine I'm writing about the difficulties of young playwrights to actually have their plays produced. Oftentimes, theater companies give readings and workshops for new plays but that's as far as it goes. The New York Times has described the situation as "development hell." I'm writing about certain organizations in the country, including 13P in New York City trying to make this hell a little more heavenly.



For Northwest Magazine I'm visiting Tacoma this weekend as I partake in the auditions for Rhubarb. Rhubarb? What the heck is Rhubarb? Rhubarb, my dear friends, is the mascot for the Mariners minor league baseball team, the Tacoma Rainiers.



For Fine Books & Collections Magazine I'm doing some short pieces about some books that fetched high prices last year at auction. One, for instance, was a copy of the Declaration of Independence that a man found at a thrift shop in Tennessee. He paid under $3 for it and it sold at auction recently for nearly $500,000.

I'm also doing some reviewing of books and music.



Books are being reviewed for Bookslut and Earthwalkers Magazine. One is a novel about the life and times of Robert Frost. The others - a collection of travel essays and a book about a man who followed in the footsteps of Herodotus (pictured above).



Music is being reviewed for Venuszine, including The Eels (pictured above) new album and also for Now on Tour.

So, yeah, I'm pretty busy. It feels great!