Archive for December, 2011
Dear Marie Calloway
I’m no angel. Hold yourself with care. I’m old enough to be your mother. But I’m no one. Lidia Yuknavitch, Rachel Resnick, Cheryl Strayed, Chelsea G. Summers, Antonia Crane, Susie Bright, Kerry Cohen, Sue William Silverman, Ethel Rohan, and Dylan … Continue reading
the unfirm line – Shome Dasgupta
“Again they stuck their heads back into the earth & laughed & sang songs until their lungs were full of land.” Shome Dasgupta, from {C.} An MLP Stamp Stories Anthology Again, I wait for Spring, wait for the warm sun … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Michael Shea
Two Poems by Michael Shea are a part of the October issue. Michael talks about his influences and what’s following him. 1. What mythical beast would make a terrible appliance? Probably most of them. I mean, you might think a … Continue reading
Gallimaufry: A Compendium Of Compendiums Regarding Wine, Bluff-Calling & English Majors In Prison
Compendium #1: Wine/Movie Pairings There are tons of lists that help you pair wine with food. But what about lists that help you pair wine with movies? Well, here it is: the definitive wine-movie pairing list. Chacayes Malbec 2003 Pairs … Continue reading
A Small Compendium of Words
We’re nearly all the way through the holiday season (phew) but literary gifts continue to abound. At Everyday Genius, DeWitt Brinson! And Melissa Broder! Joyland offers a story by Amanda Montei. Tania Hershman has a new story in New Scientist … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Vic Sizemore
“As The Spirit Moves” by Vic Sizemore is a part of the October issue. Here, Vic discusses religion, West Virginia and where this story came from. 1. What would it take to make you walk a great distance? I have … Continue reading
New E-edition of Sound of One Fork
Originally published in 1981 by Night Heron Press, The Sound of One Fork was Minnie Bruce Pratt’s first poetry chapbook. The Sound of One Fork represents a vibrant part of the history of lesbian print culture. In the new electronic edition, The Sound … Continue reading
Mule & Pear by Rachel Eliza Griffiths (A Review by Kim Loomis-Bennett)
New Issues Poetry & Prose 97 pages/$15 Mule & Pear contains voices of black women literary ghosts and their creators, collected and collaged. This is poetry made by a reader for readers—not ordinary rush-to-get-to-the-end-readers, but for those readers whose intimacy … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Ocean Vuong
In October, these Three Poems by Ocean Vuong were a wonderful addition. 1. Why are poets making everything pregnant? What would the episode of Maury figuring out who and who is not the father of these pregnant metaphors be like? I … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Meghan Lamb
Meghan Lamb’s work, “Mosquitoes”, appears in the October issue. Meghan discusses here how editing affects her writing and where the story came from. 1. How can nipples look like a rubber ducky? It’s an association thing. I do this a … Continue reading
How the Gingrinch Stole Christmas!
All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, But the Gingrinch, he did not. He hated Christmas and everybody who lived. It was because his heart was three sizes too small and his head two sizes too big. … Continue reading
The Victor
No one, they say, moves to Camden, NJ by choice. Camden is, comparatively speaking, no worse than north Philadelphia or west Baltimore or at least two of Washington, DC’s quadrants. None of these cities are inhabitable, so they say, but … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Justus Humphrey
In October, Justus Humphrey’s “Baltimore IKEA”.  Here, Justus responds to questions about weddings, funerals, Swedish meatballs and prose versus poetry. 1. Is IKEA the new forest we wander around in search of meaning? Maybe so. I think it’s a place … Continue reading
It Won’t Be Long Now
Jan Stinchcomb’s The Gill Bride is now up in The Red Penny Papers. There is a new issue of JMWW which includes work by Carrie Murphy, Robb Todd, and John McKernan. At A-Minor, a little something by J. Bradley. He … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Benjamin Walker
Benjamin Walker’s piece, “Pay No Attention to That Land Behind the Curtain”, appears in our October issue. Here, Benjamin answers questions about the military and his writing. 1. What made you choose to entwine The Wizard of Oz with “Pay … Continue reading
Mad for Meat by Kevin Simmonds (A Review by Ally Nicholl)
Salmon Poetry 78 pages/$17 When I first sat down to write a review of Kevin Simmonds’ poetry collection ‘Mad For Meat’ I had the uneasy feeling that I would end up using sentences like “Simmonds serves up prime cuts of … Continue reading
A Christmas Cheer
Admittedly it’s uncouth or uncool, perhaps even tacky to write about my financial straits, but it’s bugging me I can’t afford to buy my son a Christmas gift this year. Do you ever want to give up? Well I do, … Continue reading
[PANK] Goes on Hiatus
Until January 2, 2012, there will be no submissions to [PANK] and you can expect a little less from us. After January 2, it’s back to business as usual. In the meantime, read the December issue. It’s the bomb. Happy … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Jason Lee Norman
Jason Lee Norman’s “Beautiful Girls” is a part of the October Issue. Here Jason answers our questions about his porch, where the story came from and being an editor. 1. Does summer always get better when the bodies start appearing? … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Clara Changxin Fang
In October, these three beautiful poems from Clara Changxin Fang. Here, she answers our questions about American eating, poets and the acrobats of desire. 1. Where in the poetic license guidelines does it state that all poets must write at … Continue reading
The Whisper Was Surprisingly Loud
The December issue debuts today, and this one is, outstanding. Every piece is a showstopper and we hope as you head into the holidays, you find a little time to stay warm with the writing in this issue. Â This issue … Continue reading
If I Were A Poor White Single Mother
I read something at Forbes today because several of my friends on Facebook had linked the article. Here it is. If I Were A Poor Black Kid. The author, Gene Marks, describes himself as a “short, balding, and mediocre public … Continue reading
Hack by Dmitry Samarov (A Review by Brian Libgober)
The University of Chicago Press 184 pages/$18 If Augie March were a real person, it seems likely that his memoirs would have turned out a lot more like Hack than the novel Saul Bellow ended up writing. Consider the basic … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Matthew Vollmer
In October, “Gary” by Matthew Vollmer left us panting anxious and fulfilled. Here, he answers our questions. 1. Why did you choose to make “Gary” in a breathless structure? My guess–because I have a terrible memory–is that it’s just the … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Saehee Cho
“Units of Measurement” by Saehee Cho is a part of the September Issue. Here, Saehee answers questions about collections, mourning and hair. 1. What have you collected and measured? Sugar, butter, cream, flour, cocoa 2. How is taking a shower … Continue reading
Books We Can’t Quit – Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson
Harper Perennial December, 1993 Chosen by Andrew Bales Fuckhead Goes to the Moon [and Turns Back]… Jesus’ Son might as well be the literary world’s nineties gospel; the book of Johnson. The collection of interconnected stories— the bulk of which … Continue reading
Literary Los Angeles: Los Angeles Book Club
Sorry I haven’t posted in a long time (I wonder what percentage of total blog posts on earth begin with the phrase “Sorry I haven’t posted in a long time”). I will plead the excuse of having had an additional … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Matt Snee
“Ninibe and Tyyrehenus” by Matt Snee is a part of the October Issue. Here, Matt answers all our questions about the story. 1. Where did you get the names Ninibe and Tyyrhenus? The names in the story are taken directly … Continue reading
Gallimaufry: Reading Lorrie Moore
If you’ve ever read Lorrie Moore, you know she’s a genius in the tragicomic world of literary fiction. If you’ve never read Lorrie Moore, then you will have no idea what this post is about, and for this I’m sorry. … Continue reading
One Day We Are All Gonna Scream
Patricia Lockwood has two poems in The Awl. New magazine ILK has debuted and you will find Thomas Patrick Levy, MG Martin, Parker Tettleton, and Wendy Xu. Kill Author 16 is up and running. Check out the excellent writing of … Continue reading
Bearded Women by Teresa Milbrodt (A Review by David Atkinson)
ChiZine Publications 250 pages/$21 I do not think anyone would argue that most people are not overly attracted to the unusual, the bizarre. Freak shows would never have been so prevalent if this was not the case. Certainly, modern views … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Corrina Bain
In September, Corrina Bain’s Two Poems. Read them if you pine. 1. What kind of terrorism would you invent? The obvious answer is sex terrorism. But it’s so been done. 2. How does one paint a Russian stripper onto an … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Anya Groner
In the October issue is the wonderful “One Man Ponzi” by Anya Groner. All these question responses are brilliant, we really like them, they feel like exactly what we need. 1. You have a budget of $5 to create a … Continue reading
The $50 [PANK] Saturnalian LitOrgy Basket
Got a surly, hard-to-buy-for Litnerd in your life and them flipping holidays creeping up just around the corner? Four words for you, for you and your children, [PANK]‘s Saturnalian LitOrgy Basket. Just choose their t-shirt size, hit the buy now button, … Continue reading
Newpages Review of Ethel Rohan’s Hard to Say
HARD TO SAY Fiction by Ethel Rohan PANK, September 2011 ISBN-13: 978-0-9824697-6-7 Paperback: 54pp; $6.50 Newpages Review by Michele Finkelstein Hard to Say, recently published by PANK, contains a collection of short personal stories that will pluck at your heartstrings. … Continue reading
Ask The Author: Regina Marshall
“Wave and Particle” by Regina Marshall is a part of the PANK September Issue. We love her final answer. 1. What kind of dots do you like connecting? I have trouble finding dots, so I don’t try to make connections. … Continue reading
In the Time of the Blue Ball by Manuela Draeger (A Review by Alicia Kennedy)
The Dorothy Project 136 pages, $16 A succinct description of Manuela Draeger’sIn the Time of the Blue Ball (Three Post-Exotic Stories)would be:a children’s cartoon about a bumbling detective, set in a postapocalyptic dream. With that out of the way, you … Continue reading
Congratulations, Dan Lundin, of South Pasadena, CA!
Congratulations to Mr. Dan Lundin of South Pasadena, CA. He done just won hisself a free Kindle Touch from his friends at [PANK]! On its way, Mr. Lundin. Enjoy!
50 Word Stories: From The Special Issue Editor
For the last few months I read submissions for this special Stamp Stories edition of [PANK], and with each new submission, the realization came louder: writing stories in 50 words or less is not about condensing beginning, middle, and end … Continue reading
Gallimaufry: A Letter From The “Words With Friends†Corporate Office
Dear Concerned Citizen: We at Words With Friends received your letter regarding our—as you put it—“uncanny similarities to the board game Scrabble.†Believe it or not, you aren’t the first person to bring this to our attention. In fact, we … Continue reading
I’m Depending on You
Joseph Quintela has a story as program at Housefire. In the November issue of Anti, a poem by Wendy Xu. You can listen to a story by Todd McKie in the current issue of LITRO. At Everyday Genius, David Peak … Continue reading