The Plan at Pure Slush

January’s Pure Slush Counterpoint Story features Berit Ellingsen and I with complimenting pieces. Berit’s main piece The Punishment is a unique tale, and when asked, I jumped at the chance to write a counterpoint story.

It was a fun ride. Let’s just say I dove deep for this one. Pretty damn deep.

Here’s an excerpt from The Plan.

~~~

She flicks her hair. “I hate you.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“Why’d do have to do it?” she asks. “Why on my birthday?” My sister wrinkles her nose. Her face looks wavy in the plastic wall that separates us. “That’s all they’ll remember now,” she says. “Not me. Just you and that gun.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You said that already.” She crosses her arms. Exhales. “He came by the house the other day.”

“Who?”

“That guy…the guy who keeps poking his nose into our business. Doing research on you or whatever for the court.” My sister laughs, a little chirping sound. “I think he thinks mom used to beat you or something. It’s pretty funny.”

I put a hand to my temple and watch the light. “Hilarious.”

~~~

Visit Pure Slush to read the entire story and Berit’s piece The Punishment. Special thanks to Editor Matt Potter and Ms. Ellingsen.

Paper Chase

A quick and to the point blog post this week. Easy on your eyes and gag reflexes.

I have been published in print. On real paper from many murdered trees. Finally. After 5 years. Something I have been wanting for a long time finally actualized. Look ma, I’m not as lazy as I thought!

Not to brag but since this is a writing blog, I figured it smart and relevant to post my milestone here.

The magazine is called Lost in Thought. Put together by Kyle Schruder, a guy who simply wanted to create his own, it is an amazing collection of art paired with short stories. I have never seen such a gorgeous magazine. You can read my story (which came about by eavesdropping on conversations, Shhh, don’t tell anyone…) “Quotes to Live By (and Some to Run From)”, and pieces by Katrina Gray, Kari Nguyen, Sara Patterson and more.

If you want to order Issue One click here.

 

 

 

 

If you want to buy me a SpiritHood click here. The shipping’s free, you freaks.

 

 

 

 

 

Either way, I can rock both looks.

Bend Over and Let Me (S)Pank You

With much fanfare and joyous occasion let me brag that I am in PANK.

Today, people.

It’s up.

 My piece Guerilla Drive-In is ready to be read HERE. Or you can listen to my melodious tongue warble out the words.

But before we get all overexcited and squirmy, let me tell you why I am oh so very pleased.

Roxane Gay (among others) runs this show. And I know there are many more fab folks behind the scenes that I am not familiar with but the one that I am is Roxane Gay. This woman is a glossy dream. Her words stir me. She makes me want to be a better writer. I read a piece of hers and I have to catch my breath. Seriously. Go see what all the fuss is about.  Here is a goodie: http://www.fwrictionreview.com/post/3619416071/girls-with-eating-disorders-by-roxane-gay

The other reason (besides her writing) is that she is coolest, most badass writer chick I have the pleasure of following (and sometimes interacting with) on Twitter. She loves movies; she doesn’t discriminate (The Will and Kate Lifetime movie or Fast Five) and often gives the most entertaining movie reviews I’ve ever read.

She reads deliciously cheesy books. Case in point: Sweet Valley High Confidential.  

Her blog would eat mine.

So when I got the email, late one night and read the words –We would like to publish your work in the May 2011 issue of PANK online. This was so strange and so fantastic. The ending disturbed me in the best possible way – I yelped, jumped off the couch, forgot about the horror movie I had been watching and spread the joyous news to my husband and cats.

PANK liked me. And you better believe I love them.

Which brings me to my next point. As a writer it’s fun for me to set goals. Everyone needs something to aim for, kind of like Tara Reid trying to become a respected actress. It’s fun for a while but then all you want to do is pass out over a toilet seat with your skirt above the waist.

Luckily, I am not there yet. Luckily.

And so what I did in my own passive-aggressive competitive style was make a list of highly regarded lit mags I love to read and would love to write for and I said, Yes, yes, I will conquer you. Then I drank some Captain Morgan and practiced my shimmy.

I had three high on my list. >kill author, which I was published in in February 2011, SmokeLong Quarterly and then PANK. In fact, both >kill author and PANK were listed in Flavorwire’s 2010 article: The 10 Online Lit Mags You Should be Reading.  

I had submitted to PANK a few times before Guerilla Drive-In and each time my submission was turned down. I vowed I’d find the right story. It was hard; they take excellent work that has an odd edge to it. Right up my alley yet I couldn’t seem to get there.

Yet.

Then one bright, glorious day I wrote about a girl name Violet who lets her toes get sucked. And when I named my flash Guerilla Drive-In PANK was the first on my submit list. I crossed my fingers and danced a jig. And in the end, here I am.

There.

That’s it.

I’ve finished my gush fest.

So check out PANK’s May 2011 edition. That’s all I really wanted to say.

Read Guerilla Drive-In and a few of my faves from the issue:

Lidia Yuknavitch’s On Being a Woman Writer 

David Holub’s Fakiness

Barry Basden’s Why My Grandfather Had All Those Bessie Smith Records 

Red Lion Square

To lazy to read poetry, bitches? Well, then just sit back and listen. Red Lion Square makes it a piece of cake. Delicious, delicious cake.

Red Lion Square is poetry that speaks; a great website where it’s easy and cool to just pop on a poem and sit back and listen. Hearing a poem read aloud really gives it a different quality than what you would get by merely reading it. Maybe it’s Amy Watkins sultry voice drawing you in…or the general awesomeness of the poems selected and featured. Whatever it is, I’m listening.

Today, I’m proud to have a poem featured alongside Kim Hutchinson on episode #23. Click HERE to listen. Check out the other poems as well. Tell your friends and spread the word about a great site.