Charactered Pieces: stories Archives » Page 5 of 8

Caleb’s SNIPPETS OF TOMORROW (01/02/10)

January 2, 2010

@Fictionaut, I've started a profile. I'm still not entirely sure what the site is all about. But it has the word "fiction" in the url, and I like fiction. @JMWW I'm interviewed. We talk about fatherhood, stories, and the reasons behind my lack of manliness. @everywhere, all installments of my AUTHOR NOTES series have been posted. Click here for a full list. The AUTHOR NOTES are a series of posts that contain specific extra information about each of the stories in Charactered Pieces. When I get a die-hard fan, this will please him. @Prospero's Books in Kansas City, Charactered Pieces is now for sale. If local, go there to support this fantastic bookstore. 1800 West 39th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 { Directions } phone: 816.531.WORD · email: info@prosperosbookstore.com

Blog Orgy Tour stops #13 & #14: read “Refill,” and get drunk with Bukowski

December 31, 2009

Today is another double-header, sending me from the literary and artistic haven for poets, writers and artists known as Troubadour21 to the subterranean bloke's room populated by Bukowski, Kerouac, Carver, and Waits known as Bukowski's Basement (I think Bukowski contributes more than is 1/4 of the rent to get his name on the sign). At Troubadour21, a full story from Charactered Pieces is posted. This one called "Refill," which originally appeared in the now defunct Green Muse Review. This story is a personal one, semi-autobiographical, yet despite what that description implies, it isn't boring. Over in Bukowski's Basement, I talk a bit about my secret dream of being a barstool stereotype. It's not secret anymore. The post also acts as the final installment of my Author Notes, this one about the non-fiction piece, "A Chinese Gemini." Fitting, the piece spends some time in a bar. The Blog Orgy Tour is…

Blog Orgy Tour stop #12: Ren & Stimpy & Charactered Pieces

December 29, 2009

Today, I stop at Nicholas Karpuk's blog, which consists of a series of posts tagged "Cartoon Hell," that comment on a cartoon DVD from a $5 collection called “150 Cartoon Classics." You have no idea how much this idea excited me when I first heard about it. So, to be able to add a bit of cartoon talk to his blog is an honor. There, I talk about how Ren & Stimpy inspired the cover design for Charactered Pieces. And just for fun, check out this playlist featuring Tex Avery's most well-known cartoons. As a child, I absorbed Looney Tunes cartoons. Avery's "[Blank] of Tomorrow" newsreel satires were my favorite (as evidenced by an earlier post here).

Caleb’s SNIPPETS OF TOMORROW (12/27/09)

December 27, 2009

@ This Blog Will Change Your Life, kindness aficionado and author extraordinaire, Ben Tanzer notes his excitement about Charactered Pieces. I'm excited too for his book Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine, which should be in the mail right now. People have good things to say. And I believe people. @ Oxyfication.net, each Charactered Pieces story is being discussed. I plan to offer the printed and bound discussions in the future to use as a giveaway. Join the conversation here. @Present Magazine Pete Dulin offers a generous review of Charactered Pieces. @Goodreads the reviews for Charactered Pieces keep coming in and are equally as generous as Pete's above.

You know you want it…

December 25, 2009

The response to my free lit journal back issue offer has been beautiful. Thank you to all who have ordered a copy of Charactered Pieces, and thank you more for giving homes to those back issues sitting on my shelf. Originally, I intended to offer free back issues through the end of the year. But, because I have so many back issues and because I am in the middle of the Blog Orgy Tour, I figured, I might as well extend the offer through the duration of the tour. So, until January 16th, every order of Charactered Pieces placed directly with the publisher, will include a free back issue of a literary magazine (you even get to choose). Orders though Amazon.com cannot count, unfortunately. Click here to see the full list of remaining issues. Click here to see the full list of Blog Orgy Tour stops. The final bit of…

Blog Orgy Tour stop #8: Why it’s okay to trust a black magician

December 21, 2009

Today, the wind takes me to xTx's blog, Nothing to Say, where I say precisely that. Except I use words to do so. The post is a play on the title of xTx's chapbook, Nobody Trusts a Black Magician, which I suggest you read. After you read my guest post, of course. And, of course (x2), after you read my chapbook, Charactered Pieces: stories. See the rest of my stops and dates at the Blog Orgy Tour page. And definitely spread the word of my many virtual miles. If you ask nice, I might just do a stop at your blog, too (you actually don't have to ask nice...I'll do it).

Free print Lit Journals through January 16th

December 20, 2009

Now, through the end of the year January 16th, every order of the print version of Charactered Pieces will include a free back issue of a literary journal (orders direct from the publisher only; no Amazon.com orders for this deal). I'll even let you pick which one you'd like (just put the title in the COMMENTS/SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS section of the PayPal checkout). The list is below (it's a long one; study it carefully). Contact me if you want to know the content of a specific issue. Keep in mind that the cover price for most of these journals is well above the $6 for Charactered Pieces. Just try to make a bad deal out of that. One way, I guess, would be to put all of the money you save into an emergency cash loan. But really, don't do that. I know that some of you out there have considered…