Episode #002 of The Velvet Podcastjust went live a few hours ago. Me, Chris Deal, Bob Pastorella, and Chris Bodenstein talk about:
I look forward to the future of this podcast. Please, give it a listen. Subscribe via Feedburner, Podcast Alley, RSS, or iTunes. |
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Author: Caleb J. Ross
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The Velvet Podcast, Episode 002: Hey, is that a copy of Kiss Me Judas on your desk, Professor Meriweather?
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Our Guy is your guy at the Orange Alert Podcast
Professional Orange Alert kind gent, Jason Behrends, invited me to contribute to his weekly arts and literature podcast. I’ve been dabbling in podcasting lately (contributing to The Velvet Podcast and getting things in line for next week’s AWP Conference, where I’ll have an audio feed to document the event), so to have this additional swath of experience is nice.For this week’s episode, I read my story “Our Guy” which originally appeared at Word Riot.
I’m really happy to be a part of this thing. Thanks to Mr. Behrends for having me. And be sure to check out past episodes for some great songs and readings. Scott McClanahan reading “The Rainelle Story” and Hosho McCreesh reading “Another Kind of Life” on episode 2 for starters.
Click over to the Orange Alert Podcast post to listen.
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Dialogue with Pablo D’Stair for Predicate #1
Someone needs to murder Pablo D’Stair. He’s making all of us, who for so long have relied on passion as a vehicle for discussing literature, look like asses. I’ve never met a person more in love with books (possibly more in love with the idea of- and the ideas within- books than the books themselves). This guy makes me imagine a beautiful world of quiet dive bars and smokey conversation. He recently asked me to be a part of the re-emergence of his literary journal, Predicate. What he’s done here is amazing. He invited seven authors to wax ever-so eloquently about literature. Sounds boring, I know. But these are not simple Q&A sessions. These are in-depth examinations of the meaning of literature. Okay, still sounds boring. But trust me, it’s not.
Despite what my description above may imply about my ability to be entertaining, I’m quite proud of my contribution. Pablo has a way of evoking all the thoughts I’ve had for so long about literature, providing the prodding I’ve been missing.
Best of all, copies of Predicate #1, (all 300+ pages!) are available at-cost via Amazon.com ($6.50 US) (link forthcoming), or for free .PDF format at the dedicated Predicate website.
On a side note, I’ll be drinking with Pablo sometime during the AWP Conference in Denver. Ohhhh, what should I wear!!!
In other Brown Paper Publishing news, Chris Deal’s flash story collection Cienfuegos has just been released. I am lucky to have known Chris for a few years. Everything this guy writes, I eagerly read. So, when he asked me to take a look at an early version of this collection, I jumped at the chance. I had this to say: ‘These stories render emotion in shades of stark gray. Like sculptures, Deal subtracts from his Cienfuegos superfluous elements, leaving a base from which the reader is allowed to interpret, perhaps participate in, his characters’ disjointed lives. Each word hints at two others; each line implies a life; each brief fiction describes a world.’
Author Stephen Graham Jones has this to say:
‘Prose haikus, fiction bullets, one-sentences novels, two fingers of story neat, no chaser . . . I don’t know what to call these, really. But I want more.’
Like all titles from Brown Paper Publishing, Cienfuegos is available as a free .pdf download, or at-cost for a print copy. I suggest you download and read now.
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Interviewed on Blog Talk Radio
Yesterday I appeared on ASNYCNOW’s Blog Talk Radio where I discussed my book, my role as an editor at the Outsider Writers Collective, my future publications, The Velvet, my upcoming AWP reading, and on top of all that self-promotion, I was inundated with compliments from the unbelievably nice Vicki S. Nikolaidis.Though technical issues had me cutting in and out through much of the discussion, and my voice had a space echo, all in all I had a great time.
Thank you, Vicki!
Click below to listen:
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The Velvet Podcast, Episode #001: Of Members and Horse Nostrils
I’ve been a member of The Velvet for a few years. During that time, I’ve come to respect the pool of talent over there not just for their writing chops, but for their reading tastes as well. They are my taste-makers.I am glad to now be able to share that camaraderie with you. Episode #001 of The Velvet Podcast just went live a few hours ago. Me, Gordon Highland, and Rob Parker talk about a few things writing, specifically regarding writing communities.
I look forward to the future of this podcast. Please, give it a listen. Subscribe via Feedburner, Podcast Alley, RSS, or iTunes (coming soon). And don’t worry, it won’t be my lame voice on the Podcast for every episode.
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A reader, too?! What a double threat!
Jim Gaffigan is right (and is the source of this post’s title). We admire beauty above most else in this country (this world?), despite all that’s been taught by teachers (probably ugly teachers) and parents. Beauty shouldn’t be all that matters. As ethical beings, we should be able to look beyond physical appeal when evaluating our various options.
But the one outlet that has for so long stood strong against the ravages of superficiality has come under attack as of late. Ugly people, you are no longer royalty in the world of novels. Katie Price, Courtney Thorne Smith, Lauren Conrad, Meg Tilly, Pamela Anderson, the list goes on. It’s only a matter of time before “chapters” will become a breast synonym and asking someone if they’ve read any good books lately will initiate locker-room tales of “creasing her spine until even used bookstores wouldn’t take her.”
Bookselling is a business. Attractive people sell things. We understand that. But when the product being sold is cerebral, why does a beautiful spokesperson (which I argue is essentially what many of these celebrity novelists are; those with ghostwriters) even matter? Are cover bylines and dust-jacket photos really that sexy? Or are most of these “fair weather” readers simply retarded?
The latter. Definitely. That’s not the question, here. The real question is whether or not it’s still feasible for authors to make a good living by writing intellectually stimulating literature without having the commercial backing of a celebrity or the commercial appeal of being a celebrity themselves. My hope, of course, is that if a book is artistically brilliant, it doesn’t need to be commercially brilliant; brilliant should sell intrinsically. But with that logic, I’m probably the retarded one.
So what is this ugly author going to do? Become an accomplice. I’ve got a few completely finished novel manuscripts, ready to have a celebrity author name slapped across the cover and printed for much monetary gain. I’m serious. Contact me.
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Caleb’s SNIPPETS OF TOMORROW (03/04/10)
@ Blinding Loud, Sean P. Ferguson gives some great words about Charactered Pieces:
The stories don’t change you because they cause you to rethink how you’re living in some great respect. You’re not forced on with issues that want you to decide whether or not to have an abortion, or pick a side when it comes to same sex marriage. They don’t beat down your door demanding that you give all of your belongings to charity. You’re presented with life and the ability to deal with what you’re dealt. Now put down what you’re doing, read, and start to live. Really live. Because if these people can, so can you, we all have Charactered Pieces in us.
@ kenwohlrob.com, site namesake and author, Ken Wohlrob, says some very flattering things about Charactered Pieces:
The prose is punchy and has a great rhythm to it, especially when the stories are told in first person. Ross nails his character’s voices, so you can feel yourself sitting in a bar and hearing the grim tales first hand. “Charactered Pieces,” “The Camp,” and “An Optimist is the Human Personification of Spring” — the best of the stories where you can’t help being drawn into the lives of the narrators — are worth the cover price alone.
@ Trick with a Knife, I’m contributing sporadic rants, opinions, essays, whatever strikes me (in accordance to their mission, of course:)
Trick with a Knife is the internet destination for commentary, opinion, and tidbits related to the artistic and literary scenes. Our contributors are writers and artists who are passionate about words and images and sounds.
@ RedRoom, Vicki Nikolaidis writes some great words about Charactered Pieces. She even comments on the cover art. Me, as just an armchair artist at best, takes this compliment especially well:
His phenomenal artwork graces the cover, but don’t look too hard, the drawing will make sense later…before you understand what is happening it is your world and you will be sharing a space in your brain with Charactered Pieces several weeks after you thought you had finished the stories.