Wet Ink

Art2Art7 - Candlelight and Tigers

I haven't had time to import the pictures from last night's fabulous event, but if you'd like to read about the evening and get info on our performers, please visit the A2A blog.  

Honey, I Shrank the Audience

There was a wild storm in Massachusetts last night.  Crazy stuff.  And the Thursday Theater of Words and Music, which is an event that's usually packed to bursting, was much depleted.  When Stace and I turned up to present our writing group's flash fiction chapbook, our audience members, which included close friends, comprised a handful of people.  Of course, it didn't matter a jot.  Honestly, it was a real honour presenting our work and ideas about flash, especially to such a receptive group.  In fact, the organisers, Laurette Folk and Jennifer Jean, gave wonderful talks themselves about the artistic process, inside the wind-whipped bookstore.  The open mic afterwards was also most enjoyable, featuring three talented readers including our own Steve Mac.  

Something Stace and I were keen to put across was that our work doesn't have to be released by a major publishing house (or anything approaching it) to have an effect on the world.  A while back, Steve Almond gave a book launch for his own brilliant self-published chapbook, in which he said we writers make a choice about whether to affect a lot of people in a small way, or a few people in a deep way.  His words touched on a feeling I've had for a long time -- while I'd love my work to be shouted aloud by many, I'm happy if it's whispered by a few.

That said, it was amazing to turn up to Tara Masih's book launch the other night and see the Brookline Booksmith packed out.  It was a gorgeous evening.  Tara read from her beautiful work and everyone seemed to have a copy of her book in hand -- after the huge amount of work that goes into a story collection, how lovely to see it celebrated by so many enthusiasts.  

Audiences who truly listen are always an absolute privilege, and while it's lovely to have a bustling crowd, a smaller group can be just perfect.  

It really is all about the whispers.  And you know how those can spread.

Rule Breaker?

I highly recommend this article from the Guardian (thanks to Stace Budzko for the link) in which well-known authors give their top ten rules for writing.  There are some corkers in here: words of wisdom, inspirations, rules to either adopt or snort at depending on your views.  It's an absolute treasure trove.  Here are a view I love:

"If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."  Elmore Leonard

"Do back exercises.  Pain is distracting."  Margaret Atwood

"Do keep a thesaurus, but in the shed at the back of the garden or behind the fridge, somewhere that demands travel or effort.  Chances are the words that come into your head will do fine, e.g. 'horse', 'ran', 'said'."  Roddy Doyle

"Don't worry about posterity -- as Larkin (no sentimentalist) observed 'What will survive of us is love.'"  Helen Dunmore

"Have regrets.  They are fuel.  On the page they flare into desire."  Geoff Dyer

"Remember:  when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right.  When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong."  Neil Gaiman

And seriously, that's just a smattering of the rich, insightful (and sometimes downright hilarious) quotations from this article.  

Enjoy them, but remember, you don't have to keep all of them.  We writers know rules are for breaking.

Three Events

This week, I'll be enjoying myself at these great evenings:

Tara Masih's book launch at Brookline Booksmith, which starts at 6.30 tomorrow night (Tuesday Feb 23rd).  Her short story collection, Where the Dog Star Never Glows, is going to be a stunner.

Stace Budzko and myself will be reading from our writing group's chapbook, Authors Anonymous (written by the Hanover Street Writers Group), this Thursday evening at the Thursday Theater of Words and Music, Cornerstone Books, Salem, MA.  We'll be talking about writing / reading flash fiction, collaborative process, and working on a small book.  Promises to be a lot of fun!  There'll be an open mike too.  See below for details.

We'll also be giving a presentation, along with Cathy Elcik and Steve Mackinnon, at Art2Art on Saturday night.  Again, we'll be reading from the chapbook.  Mike Schiavone, also of Hanover Street Writers Group, will be reading, possibly from his forthcoming novel, and there will be lots of other great acts.  Let us know if you'd like an evite.

Lastly, some fun news.  I just found out that my own chapbook, They Say We Don't Exist, was a semi-finalist in the Black Lawrence Press Black River Chapbook Competition.  Many thanks to the judges.

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The Thursday Theatre of Words and Music

An open mike will be held following featured writers/artists--artists are chosen by first-come-first-serve.

November's featured artists: Stace Budzko and Sue Williams will be presenting sections from their forthcoming chapbook, Authors Anonymous, a flash fiction anthology by the members of The Hanover Street Writers Group, which showcases the range and possibility of the short-short story form.

Stace Budzko is published or forthcoming in Hint Fiction: A Norton Anthology of Stories, Night Train, The Collagist, Hobart, Monkeybicycle, Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction, Flash Fiction Forward, Brevity & Echo, Quick Fiction, SmokeLong Quarterly, Long Story Short, Southeast Review, Carve Magazine and elsewhere. The film adaptation of his short story, "How to Set a House on Fire" (Factory: Bay Area Video Coalition) recently finished production and is in national distribution. At present, he is a writing instructor at Emmanuel College and Grub Street as well as writer-in-residence at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston.

Sue Williams is both an Assistant Editor at Narrative Magazine and a writing instructor at Grub Street. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Narrative, Night Train, Salamander,Redivider, Gargoyle, Blue Earth Review, The Yalobusha Review, Even More Tonto Short Stories, Hint Fiction: a Norton Anthology, Hacks: Ten Years on Grub Street, and elsewhere. She was two-time prizewinner in this year's Soul Making Competition, where she was awarded first place in Flash Fiction and third in Short Story. Sue was also a winner in the 2009 Tonto Books Short Story Contest, received the Glimmer Train Best Start Award, and won Flashquake's 'Less is More.' She recently completed a linked collection, "Touch Me, I'm a Monster," and is working on the final draft of a novel. Sue keeps a writing blog at www.suewilliams.co.uk

A Drama of Possessiveness

As a young wife, Anais Nin and her husband Hugh Guiler (Hugo) discussed the possibility of a temporary separation to sate their hunger for extra-marital sex.  These talks gave way to a drama of possessiveness.  In Henry and June, her unexpurgated diary (1931-32), Nin writes about the couple's lovemaking during these turbulent weeks:

"We have never been as happy or as miserable.  Our quarrels are portentous, tremendous, violent.  We are both wrathful to the point of madness; we desire death.  My face is ravaged by tears, the veins on my temple swell.  Hugo's mouth trembles.  One cry from me brings him suddenly into my arms, sobbing.  And then he desires me physically.  We cry and kiss and come at the same moment.  And the next moment we analyze and talk rationally...  In cooler moments I wonder at the extravagance of our feelings.  Dullness and peace are forever over."

It isn't the first or the last time Nin speaks of lovemaking as being inexplicably bound to feelings.  There is a great force, not only in her word choice but also of her sentencing, which mimics the quick little gasps of trauma and longing.  In fact, she suggests the fulfillment of desire made way for a cooler rationality -- as if the feelings had been worked through and expressed, and now the thinking could take over.  Perhaps it isn't surprising they experienced a need for intense possession -- a reminder that they did belong to each other, after all.  

I have a deep respect for women who write of their own sexual experiences, especially with the candour and sensitivity of Anais Nin.  I also love her admission that after the act, she and Hugh felt more rational: to the point, in fact, of wondering at the "extravagance of their feelings" both before and during sex.  Mind you, when you think about it, this isn't surprising.  The most intimate rituals are often the most transformative, as the ancient pagans taught us:  

You leap through the ring of fire, and afterwards you're changed.  

After We Made Love

I love stories about sex and sexuality, including what happens after lovemaking itself, be this afterplay, affection, growth or moving on.  Whatever the genre, sexual connection often has a transformative quality.  This week, I thought I'd mention a few authors who write beautifully about an after-sex moment, and today, I'm going with the wonderful Erin Cressida Wilson, who wrote the screenplay for Secretary and, along with Lilian Ann Slugocki, published (and carried out) The Erotica Project.

This excerpt is from Wilson's microfiction piece, entitled The Shell, and it contains some magical realism I find powerful.  During a tender climax, a woman produces a shell, which lands in her lover's palm - a gift:

"He held it and turned it, and moved it in his hand.  Later, he took it out and laid it on top of the bureau.  And when he left in the morning, he forgot to run his hand along the top of the bureau.

He forgot to take the shell they'd worked so hard to make.

She sat up and watched this happen."

Shells, of course, can be deeply erotic symbols.  It's said Venus was born from one, and the female sex has often been likened to one in shape.  Plus the sea is seen as a powerful sexual symbol, all rhythm, salt and shifting tides.  But of course, what Erin Cressida Wilson really appreciates here is the transformational power of sex and the sense that something is made from it.  Be the process easy or difficult to achieve, what is born from intimacy is precious.  

And that's why afterplay can be so meaningful, I guess.

Some More Good News from Glimmer Train (The Stars)

In some respects, it's been rather a shabby week.  Thank heaven for friends and inspiring students.  Also, I have a nice bit of news to share:  My novella, "The Winged Hendersons of Welton-on-Sea" received an Honorable Mention in the Glimmer Train Fiction Open (Dec '09).  I may not be sure of my place in the world, but if my stories have a place...that's a pretty good start.

This blog is a comfort too, of course.  I shall be writing again soon.

Redivider (the Great Valentine's Hangover)

Redivider will be hosting their Valentine's Hangover party on Monday Feb 15th.  I can't go as I'll be teaching our monsters course, but it sounds fantastic.  At the event, they'll be launching issue 7.1.  Check out the details here.

Why Valentine Hearts are Fake and the Real Heart's Underrated

So I go to the loo this afternoon (that's "the bathroom" to some of you) and I find my usual brand of toilet paper is suddenly embossed with cutesy hearts.  I almost throw the whole roll of it right into the bin -- but I guess that would leave me high and dry.

Seriously, though, I loathe Valentine hearts.  Firstly, they're not even slightly reminiscent of the real human organ, which is vast, fist-shaped, and riddled with veins and arteries.  It's an unbelievable muscle, designed to pump the body's weight of blood in a constant, reinvigorating circle...and it can keep on going for years and years.  Now that's something to marvel at.  The real heart is gutsy, relentless, and animal -- all our processes, be they cerebral, emotional, physical, sexual...each and every one relies upon our heart.  The real heart will see you through every situation until the day you stop.

In 1369* at Inman Square, I was ordering some tea when I noticed a picture of the human heart -- not a twee cartoon, but something close to the real muscle.  It formed the cover-design for The Inman Review, a beautifully presented, local lit mag I'm looking forward to reading.  I wish I could show you the gorgeous cover (artist: Alethea Jones) but I can't find a pic on the internet, so allow me to describe it:   Alethea has used the real, human heart to communicate the connections between the different parts of Cambridge -- a major artery is labeled as Cambridge itself, while smaller veins form Inman and Prospect.  By using such a powerful symbol, the artist shows us how local life can be the thumping centre of artistic community and creative inspiration.   

That's true love.  Right there.  And it deserves an honest symbol.  In fact, my dear friend, KL Pereira, who's a truly inspirational teacher, encourages writers to build monster characters starting with the heart.  Sketch your monster's central organ, says KL.  Build from within.  Right on, sister!

So don't give away your real heart.  Adore it.

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*1369, at both Inman and Central, is one of the best places to drink tea / coffee while you're writing.  Committed to the arts, both coffee houses display the work of local artists.  I meet my dear writer-friend Amy there, which gives it added pleasure for me.  Highly recommended.  I love these guys.

Famous Literary Drunks and Addicts - Life Magazine

Well, we artistic types are famous for our addictions, aren't we?  See the amazing, moving, thought-provoking photos here.  Seriously beautiful.  Thanks to Richard Cooper, for the link.