Reading Season: Officially Open

It's late September, and that means the start of Reading Season here in the Pioneer Valley. Sometimes, there are so many readings, I have to cut myself off. But summer's been long. Bring on the words and the after-beer.

*This Fri, September 24*
LIVE LIT
feat. Greg Purcell, Sara Majka, Kristen Evans, Bryan Beck, & Kate Litter
8pm Amherst Books

*Thurs, September 30*
BERNADETTE MAYER
8pm Memorial Hall (UMass, part of the Visiting Writer's Series)

*Sat, October 1*
FLYING OBJECT GRAND OPENING & READING
feat Eugene Ostashevsky, Christian Hawkey & Uljana Wolf, Amanda Nadelberg, and Jono Tosch **rumored special guests and dance floor**
**artwork by Susan Metrican**

Just got back from seeing the restored Metropolis at Amherst Cinema. Off to contemplate the actual political stance and my missed calling as a silent film star.

While I'm doing that, check out the bad news then the good news.

How to Work on a Saturday

Need to comment on 30 essays in the next 3 days? 10 a day is totally doable, right? Oh, you haven't started yet? Started blogging instead, I see. Maybe you should follow these rules of positive reinforcement:

1) It already feels like fall so walk downtown to the farmer's market.
2) Make a big sustainable breakfast.
3) Use this.
4) Use this.
5) Take a break and read this.
6) This just landed in your mailbox so read it too.
7) Use this.
8) Order this.
9) Read this
10) And this
11) Use this.

By now, you've made very thorough comments on at least 2 essays. Nice work. Reward yourself with a beer.

Sick of the Old Age of Ferociousness?

Sounds like you need the New Age of Ferociousness. Agnes Fox Press announces the release of Jeannie Hoag's new chapbook. Beautiful hand-sewn books. Ferocious poems by everyone's dream librarian.

When I was first learning what poetry was (I am still learning what poetry is), I heard Jeannie read at Amherst Books. I remember thinking afterward, "Hey, these poem things? I think I want to write them. But only if I can make them as amazing as those poem things."

I am still trying.

Your thoughts may be a little more eloquent, but just as heartfelt.

Read more of Jeannie here.

Buy her book here.


AND and and--if you haven't explored Amber Sparks' Ancient City at Necessary Fiction yet, what is wrong with you? Great work up from Salvatore Pane, Mel Bosworth, and many others.

Excavation

Amber Sparks is doing some excavating over at Necessary Fiction this month. Learn more about The Ancient City and check out the Artifacts, including a little piece by me, she's turned up so far. Big thanks, Amber.

More to come all month.

Summer Made Me Forget About the Kitchen

My roommate has stolen enough grapes to make jam.

I'm baking granola, but I bought all the ingredients.

We've both taught our first class in the same building, and the house smells fantastic.

It was in the high 80s today, but I feel fall coming. I added cinnamon.

Speaking of, Back to School and Cinnamon come together this Thurs at the Rendezvous:
8pm Sept 9
The Cinnamon Urns


New songs by Mike
New band members
Same lovely Gale
Same serious oboe
A venue that's not a living room!

I don't do much, but if you're lucky, I'll play a bottle of pills. And I am genuinely that enthusiastic about my "Oh Yeah"s.

In a Valley Full of Pioneers

Classes start back at UMass on Tues.

Getting the syllabus together. Ready for a regular paycheck again. Not so ready to defend this thesis, but getting there.

In MFA news, Route 9, the journal of the UMass Amherst Creative Writing MFA, is live. Check out a reprint of my story The Attractive Man, along with other goodies from Matthew Zapruder, Leni Zumas, Emily Hunt, and others.

Visiting Writers Series for '10-'11 has been announced. If you're in the area, or close, check em out.

9/30 Bernadette Mayer(!!!)

10/21 Michael Knight

11/18 Michael Earl Craig & Natalie Lyalin

12/2 Lance Olsen

1/20 Aimee Bender (!!!)

2/17 Matthew Rohrer

3/10 David Means

4/7 Brandon Downing

Back to planning and settling in to my new place.