From Laila Lalami’s blog, in which she describes a reading in which she was put on trial by several religiously conservative students: As I talked, I realized that this young man (and indeed several of the people who were so eager to ask questions that put literature on … [Read more...]

Raisin seems to think that baby birds are jiffy-pops.  I rescued one from him about an hour ago, and now I’m at a loss for what to do.  I found a grub in the garden, as well as a little slug—and the baby ate those just fine. Worms, on the other hand, he spit … [Read more...]

This is cool. Tiger Eye is being translated into German.  Here’s the cover art: And here, a brief interview with William Gibson, who is writing the introduction to a reissue of Labyrinths, a collection of writings by Jorge Luis Borges: I think of him as one of … [Read more...]

The artist one day falls through a hole in the brambles, and from that moment he is following the dark rapids of an underground river which may sometimes flow so near to the surface that the laughing picnic parties are heard above. -- Cyril Connolly Tonight, taken on the … [Read more...]

Lovely day.  The turkey is back, and I think he has a nest in the field—or the woods—or the big woodpile.  Hard to say.  But he has attitude, that’s for sure.  Totally not scared of the lawn mower.  The deer, however, are a bit … [Read more...]

Mitch asked if I could post the poem I mentioned earlier this evening, the one that ETS used.  It was first published in the October 2000 issue of Cicada, though I think I wrote it when I was seventeen, or so: In My Mind In my mind, there are only hallowed halls, … [Read more...]

I just checked my email a little more closely and found out that one of my friends has gotten their first starred Publishers Weekly review!!! Whispers in the Night Edited by Brandon Massey. Dafina, $14 paper (320p) ISBN 978-0-7582-1741-7 African-American horror writer and … [Read more...]

Howdy.  Thanks for all the well-wishes.  After another disastrous encounter with the medication this morning, I’ve decided that I must be allergic.  Like, really, really, allergic.  If I had been just a little more allergic, I would have had to go to the … [Read more...]

Right after I blogged this morning, I went off to cuddle the little orange opera singer—and promptly got raked across the throat and chest.  Little Z is the sweetest cat alive, but something spooked him badly enough (I have no idea what—ghost? turbulence in the … [Read more...]

Just a reminder: if you want to put your name in for the SOUL SONG buzz campaign, Monday is your last day.  So hop to it!  *** So, remember the cow?  Never did reappear, though it left a “gift” the size of a hubcap.  No … [Read more...]