The Firebox Fiction Competition Winners have been listed. Congratulations to the top three.

I grew up rurally in the Adirondack State Park. As a child and teenager, I spent a great deal of time in the woods. I saw lots of deer and birds and a black bear or two but only once did I ever see a fisher and that was from a car window, as it quick took off back into the woods. The fisher … Read More

In a humorous, often tragic, and haunting collection of stories Quinn Dalton’s Bulletproof Girl explores the lives of women–young and old–who would like to disappear, to overcome, to become invincible, bulletproof. I liked all of these stories, but was especially drawn to “Midnight Bowling” about a Midwestern teenager, Tessie, in the 80s whose AIDs striken father has killed himself (rather than die scorned and … Read More

I am EXTREMELY happy to announce that one of my favorite people, the inspiring Ellen Meister, has sold her second book–read all about it here: A second book deal!

I’m uncomfortable with work that is published posthumously because I always wonder whether the author would have been happy about it or what would the author have wanted changed. With that said, I’m intrigued with the news of the publication of Marlon Brando’s coauthored book (the other author is dead as well), Fan Tan: The book, which was published by Knopf on Thursday, originated … Read More

From nerve.com, Steve Almond on why the fifty-year-old Lolita endures: There was one in particular, a women I’ll call Rita, who, as it happened, had more than a hint of the nymphet in her. She wasn’t exactly “four-foot-ten in one sock.” More like five-one in black stockings. But she was small and pale and occasionally dressed like a schoolgirl, and this made us all … Read More

Got the latest Black Warrior Review in the mail yesterday and read it cover to cover. It’s an absolutely fabulous read and gorgeous to look at. I loved all the fiction (especially the stories by Lewis Buzbee, George Singleton, and Adam Prince), the nonfiction by Rachel Rose was PERFECT (it’s about disgust), the poetry by G.C. Waldrep was great, and I am in love … Read More

Please take action–it will take you just a few minutes to make phone calls/send emails: Tell President Bush and Governor Blanco that Animals Need Their Help Other ways to help: Donate to the Humane Society of the US Donate to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary (on a personal note, I cannot say enough good things about Best Friends. Located in Kanab, UT, they are the … Read More

New at Ink Pot:

The Proof of God, by Mike Finley. Also, please do not forget to order you copy of Bob Arter’s The Gladrag Razzmatazz–there are only a few left and you won’t want to miss out.

A wonderful new friend of mine delighted me today. In the mail I got a card from Cook Children’s Medical Center letting me know that he had made a donation to them in my honor. He tells me that this hospital has been taking in transferees from New Orleans and that no child is turned away (regardless of ability to pay). I am deeply … Read More

If you read nothing else today, please do take the time to read the amazing new issue of Smokelong Quaterly, guest edited by the wonderful Joseph Young and featuring the work of such talented writers as: Nance Knauer, Jeff Landon,Bob Arter, Suzanne Lafetra, Tom Saunders, Antonios Maltezos, Astrid Schott and many others. What a great issue. Go on and read it!

Mark your calendars Seattleites

Cranky will host a reading from its sixth issue on Saturday, October 1 at the Miller Community Center (330 19th Ave E, on Capitol Hill). Issue six includes an interview with the poet Olena Kalytiak Davis, who will be flying down from Anchorage to join us. Visiting from New York is poet Matthew Zapruder (the issue five interview). Local contributors reading include J.W. Marshall … Read More Mark your calendars Seattleites