Archive for February, 2011
Ask the Author: James Valvis
Poetry from James Valvis appears in the January issue. He writes us a poem, talks about breaking and entering into poetry and more. 1. Describe how you break into other people’s poems and steal from them to create new poems. … Continue reading
A Kite in Wind: Julia Cohen’s Triggermoon Triggermoon (a review)
Imagine this perfectly windy day. There is a kite, the most perfect kite. And we are on a perfect grassy slope, looking down a clean run, a lack of trees as a runway. We want to burst, kite string in … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Bess Winter
Bess Winter’s Men With Own Tuxedos is included in the January issue and she talks with us about the ritual of the tuxedo, Craigslist and the origins of her story. 1. Why must men in tuxedos be sad? We cannot … Continue reading
Our Million Writers Award Nominees
This year was especially difficult to pick only three stories to nominate for the Million Writers Award but here goes: Sarah Rose Etter, The Tongue Party Sean Doyle, Ladies First David Frederick Thomas, Hanging is the New Hugging:Â A Six Cassette … Continue reading
Tenderoni by Kathy Fish: A Review by Ethel Rohan
The story collection, Tenderoni, by Kathy Fish is forthcoming soon from Cow Heavy Books. I had the great honor and pleasure of reading an advance copy. I admit on first learning the story collection’s title, Tenderoni, I felt somewhat ambivalent. … Continue reading
Huckster: An Average Day For Someone Who Works In Advertising
—Wake up. Wonder why you have “If You’re Happy And You Know It, Clap Your Hands†song stuck in head. —Go to bathroom (number one). —Head to office. Realize you forgot your laptop. —Go back home, try to remember what … Continue reading
We all Want to be Glitter and Gold and Glamour
Fiction from Colin Winnette has been posted at Everyday Genius. Fruit, fiction by Len Kuntz is up at Staccato Fiction. The third issue of Muzzle includes poetry from Marcus Wicker, Steve Subrizi, and others. Lacey Martinez writes of lists and … Continue reading
There Is More To Life Than Writing
I have no business posting this. “ A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s the shit that happens while you’re waiting for moments that never come.†-Quote from The Wire *** I am of two minds, of two … Continue reading
Sightings
Our babies make their way in the world with or without us. Somewhere not here.
Ask the Author: Janice Harrington
We are lucky to have four poems by Janice Harrington in the January issue and she talks with us about grafting things to her body, the medical procedure that makes her most uncomfortable, writing science and medicine for children and … Continue reading
Divination in DC
Sorry this took me so long to get situated. But here it is, our madness from the DCAWP. Enjoy. Divination in DC I from M. Bartley Seigel on Vimeo. The first two flights of the [PANK]/Annalemma/Mudluscious reading in Washington DC, … Continue reading
Barry Graham’s Nothing or Next to Nothing: A Review by Martin Macaulay
I’ll always remember seeing Barry Graham (now Dogo Barry Graham) on TV about 20 years ago. It was a regional show called Scottish Books which ran in a past-bedtime slot. Each week a different panel discussed the latest releases, but … Continue reading
An Interview With Lavinia Ludlow by Barry Graham
BG : For me, ALT.PUNK is a tale of brutally honest, fatalistic, twenty-first century American Naturalism. I can’t help but feel that Hazel’s entire existence is preordained, that her germophobic, socially inept personality and her narrow, semi-elitist world view were … Continue reading
This Modern Writer: Half Ghosts by Elizabeth Nolan Brown
Today I found out that Casiotone Alone, the solo music project of singer/songwriter Owen Ashworth since 1997, is done. Like, Owen’s over it. Which I guess is just fine, I mean, I guess good for him. He’ll move on to … Continue reading
Poison
When I leave work traveling north on Highway 50 over the bridge I see the same billboard each day. “Heaven or Hell: Where Are You Going?” It’s a ridicules question. Hell is eighth grade. Or if you’re a writer, it’s having no time to write.  … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Micah Dean Hicks
Micah Dean Hicks’s remarkable “A Famine of Music” appears in the January issue and he talks with us about matters of great importance including inventing body parts, the danger of music in a dark alley and more. 1. What body … Continue reading
Hard to Say Now Available for Pre-Order
Ethel Rohan’s beautiful and poignant story collection, Hard to Say, is now available for pre-order. Please add the book to your shelves on Good Reads and get in line for this book that is sure to sell out. The book … Continue reading
the unfirm line – The Dears
“Galactic tides will end our lives -Â Taking us down in the moonlight” The Dears – Galactic Tides There are some masses, immense and greedy. I try to stay away from them, stay away from their gravitational field. Otherwise, the closer … Continue reading
If you don’t have anything nice to say…
1. Back in August Anis Shivani published a half-baked and perfectly dissmissible essay on the Huffington Post called The 15 Most Overrated Contemporary American Writers. There were responses to this, of course, there was handwringing, all of it equally half-baked … Continue reading
Congratulations Robert Swartwood!
“Seven Items In Jason Reynolds’ Jacket Pocket, Two Days After His Suicide, As Found By His Eight-Year-Old Brother, Grady” by Robert Swartwood, which appeared in the April 2010 edition of PANK, was just selected as the runner-up of the 4th Annual Micro Award! … Continue reading
Breeding and Writing: Does your choice of profession outweigh your rights?
I’ll make this brief. I read two news stories today that piss me off as a professional, as a parent, and as a human being. Because you know what? I am all of those things at the same time. Story … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Lincoln Michel
Two of Lincoln Michel’s fictions appear in the January issue. He talks with us about the Wu-Tang sword, face slapping as a motivational tool, what he would hunt and more. 1. What rank would you like to have in the … Continue reading
Huckster: The Legend Of My Grandfather, An Ad Man
Before he died, my grandfather once told me that everyone is supposed to stick to one thing in life. One thing. That, he said, was the secret of life. He was in advertising, my grandfather, but you’d never know it. … Continue reading
MEET NEPHEW
Mud Luscious Press has officially launched the imprint series Nephew: perfect-bound, pocket-sized, raw & aggressive titles published in limited-editions of 150 copies or for a sales period of three months, whichever comes first, & there will be no subsequent editions … Continue reading
A Writer Deconstructs His Rejection With an Angry Red Pen
A writer submitted a story that wasn’t right for us. We have to say no more than we can say yes. We take no pleasure in it. We sent this writer a form rejection without further commentary on his story, … Continue reading
This Modern Writer: The New World Order Designed and Distributed the Fish Flu Because They Love Us By Christopher Forsley
Now that economists, sociologists, conspiracy theorists, scientists and my Aunt all agree that the New World Order—with some help from Oprah Winfrey and the McDonald’s Corporation—designed and distributed the Swine Flu, we can discuss their motive. The economists believe the … Continue reading
There Was a Warm Wind and in the Wind, Hope for Winter’s End
Three more bodies from Mike Meginnis appear at Everyday Genius. Monkeybicycle features Stolen Fat Babies by the one, the only Sarah Rose Etter. The February issue of Knee Jerk includes a story by Angi Becker Stevens. There’s a House Fire … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Sam Cohen
Sam Cohen “goes there” with her fantastic story, Sustenance, in the January issue. She talks with us about the difficult choices inherent to cannibalism, how to sever a limb, and her tattoo wishlist among other things. 1. Whose voice would … Continue reading
A Review of Brevity, Winter 2011
I don’t know about you, PANKsters, but I am in that middle section. I’d like to pretend I’m far too busy and important to read things that are longer than 1,000 words, but as it’s midday and I’m still in … Continue reading
Rose Metal Press Open Reading Period
From February 15 through March 30, 2011, Rose Metal Press will be actively seeking full-length hybrid and cross-genre manuscripts for consideration for publication in 2012. They are particularly interested in short short, flash, and micro-fiction;Â prose poetry, novels-in-verse or book-length linked … Continue reading
Ask the Author: I. Fontana
I. Fontana’s Lamentations of Babylon appears in the January issue and the author talks with us about harems, unemployment, elaborate storytelling and more. 1. In one paragraph, categorize the first decade of the 21st century. Whether you’re in Estonia, Latvia, … Continue reading
This Modern Writer: Paging the How Its Beens by Chantel Tattoli
The writer is a reader first, even later on. To get in the mood of writing, I read. Which brings me to it: Some tricks you can’t teach to Sleek Machines. That’s all I’m saying. Forget the ink and paper … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Jen Besemer
Jen Bessemer’s imaginative work appears in the January issue and she talks with us about literary movements, hidden dangers and performance enhancement. 1. What hidden dangers are you fed up with? I’m fed up with the hidden dangers of contemporary … Continue reading
Read this…
Saw Mill, the new online extension of Lumberyard Magazine from Typecast Publishing. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty sweet, with new work from Leora Fridman, Michael Shorb, Christine Kanowick, and Jon Gertz. Start with Sky Poem by Nate Pritts.
CFS: The Best Poems
Just passing this along… The Best Poems would like to call for submissions for its first annual Poetry print Anthology for the best 100 poems written in the year. The deadline for submission is 25 March 2011. All current members … Continue reading
Impeded
Today is Sunday and I transmit from a cottage in Republican country after having suffered the worst of a terrible bout of flu. It’s early afternoon and already I’ve worn myself out doing laundry and a few other minor chores. I may not finish this … Continue reading
The AWP Wrap Up
De rigueur, I guess, given the number of these things I’ve seen posted this past week. Anywho, [PANK] went, of course. It saw, things happened, there were readings and bars and dancing, a pinch of mayhem, a dash of naughty, … Continue reading
Breeding and Writing: Big-bottomed girls and other playthings
When I was a kid, I was weird and lonely. My friends were my pets and my toys, in that order. Looking at my kids’ toys now, though, I think something big has changed. Girls’ toys, in general, are role-playing … Continue reading
Forbes & Jaded Ibis Press
Jaded Ibis Press, publisher extraordinaire & home to slick now & coming books by Lily Hoang, David Hoenigman, John Dermot Woods/J.A. Tyler, Janice Lee, Anna Joy Springer, Christopher Grimes, & Davis Schneiderman posted this in-depth interview today via Forbes.com. Chalk one up for team … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Lacey Martinez
Lacey Martinez’s Birth Defect is an imaginative, sort of disturbing but engaging story in the December issue. She talks with us about the letter Z, bilingualism, our biggest fears and more. 1. What exactly is ‘Z’? According to the latest … Continue reading
Huckster: Transcript Of An Ad Agency New-Business Pitch, Part 1: Introducing The Team
Hello, and thank you for letting us pitch your business. Half of the thinking you’re about to hear today will decidedly prove that we are the right advertising agency for you, and the other half will simply blow. Your. Mind. … Continue reading
Gather Round, Come Close Close Closer
Issue Eleven of >kill author is a powerhouse including writing from xTx, Jonathan Callahan, Helen Vitoria, Amorak Huey, Brian Oliu, Feng Sun Chen,Garrett Socol, Gary Moshimer, Sarah Rose Etter, Sean Doyle, Robert Alan Wendeborn, and more. Laurence Klavan has a new story in The Barnstorm. Up at A-Minor is … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Suzanne Rindell
Suzanne Rindell’s elegant writing is part of the December issue and she talks to us about being pretty in fiction, hated day jobs and how much of herself she puts in her writing. 1. Why must most everyone be pretty … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Aubrey Hirsch
At AWP 2011, I met Aubrey Hirsch, author of the story “Hydrogen Event In A Bubble Chamber” published in the May 2010 issue. Aubrey informed me over drinks that I did not interview her for that issue and after some … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Alec Bryan
Alec Bryan’s contribution to the January issue is quite epic, and he talks about selling himself, catching tears, and rattling questions among other matters. 1. When selling yourself, what is your slogan? I am more than a piece of man … Continue reading
Sex Scene: An Anthology, a Review by Ally Nicholl
Thirteen writers, each with different backgrounds and experiences, are given the simple brief : write a sex scene. This forms the intriguing premise of Sex Scene: An Anthology, edited by Robert James Russell, and the results are fascinating. It gets … Continue reading
This Modern Writer: Jesus and His Toga by Kathleen Radigan
In kindergarten I went to a school where I learned that Jesus was the man who fermented peoples’ water and went around doing good deeds. Sort of like a leprechaun, but half naked all the time.  I learned that God … Continue reading
Electric Parade: Patti Smith & Me
I’m a quarter through Patti Smith’s memoir, Just Kids. I don’t have anything to say about the book itself, other than I can’t wait to finish it. That aside, I was shocked to learn that Smith lived in my section … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Ande Davis
Ande Davis does beautiful things with language in his story Mechanics. He talks with us about ninja turtles, Mary’s father, dating the limbless and more. 1. What action figure would you wish to hug people like? A ninja turtle, probably … Continue reading
This Modern Writer: Belly Shots by Amye Archer
The women at Weight Watchers are tough. We are a gang. We are the Bloods, the Crips, and the Latin Kings all rolled into one. Sure, we look harmless enough. Ten or fifteen portly women standing like preschoolers in a … Continue reading
Higher
I’d like to write another story for Best Women’s Erotica; I’d like to publish that story in another edition of Best Women’s Erotica. Over the years, editors for the annual erotica collection have rejected my work once, shortlisted my work … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Shannon Peil
Shannon Peil’s Sam appears in the December issue and he talks with us about balance, voice, names that should be banned and other matters. 1. What is your middle name? What would you like your middle name to be? My … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Karen Munro
Karen Munro’s hilarious Agenda which any one in academia can relate to, is included in our December issue. She talks with us about her work, cybernetic implants, and the strangeness of the Northwest. 1. How did you go about creating … Continue reading
We’re at AWP, But We Rock Rock Don’t Stop
Jonterri Gadson has two poems in the Fall 2010 issue of Poetry Quarterly. You can find her work on pp. 28-29. Ester Bloom writes about her father’s gun for Salon. At Metazen, a truly lovely poem from Helen Vitoria. Metazen … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Sherry O’Keefe
Sherry O’Keefe’s poetry in the December issue is about what is not what it is about. She talks with us about Karl, dauntless tasks, and much more. Who is Karl? Every canoe I’ve ever paddled, I’ve tipped out of. Karl … Continue reading
PANKAWPDCOMFG
If you be lookin’ for PANK this week, you may direct your attention to the Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference in Washington DC. We will definitely be at all of the following, though you can check out just … Continue reading
Ask the Author: Annam Manthiram
Annam Manthiram’s Superheroes is part of the December issue and she talks with us about a soundtrack for escaping an exploding building, lame superpowers, and Indian superheroes. 1. What is the lamest superpower ever? Serrano chili pepper claws. If you’re … Continue reading
Mary Carroll-Hacket’s The Real Politics of Lipstick: A Review by Amy Whipple
At night, I read these memories like the finger-worn pages of my favorite childhood Mother Goose book. Â These memories are barefoot and covered in the first good sweat of late spring. Â Southern front porches and long green lawns. … Continue reading
This Modern Writer: The Shortest Distance Between Two Points Is Through the Pudenda by Shannon Connor Winward
Funny thing about my brain. I have to think of things in order. A – B – C. (except when I skip around, but) A. I had a teacher once – Honors Chemistry – who gave extra credit for homework … Continue reading