Summer is dying. Soon enough I’ll be back in boots and flannel, and feel at ease with the world. This month has been another busy one, especially the last week or so, but the words are coming. That’s the best any of us can hope for.

The final edits for my short story collection are almost done, and at the moment I’m only waiting on the last few stories before my editor and I go through the entire manuscript a final time.

Once again, after much back and forth, the title of the book has changed. When the collection was originally accepted by Foxhead Books it was titled The Geography of Love, and composed of four different sections (north, south, east, and west) each containing four stories. When my editor and I began breaking down the manuscript we threw out that title in addition to one of the stories. The working title then became See How Much I Love You; a line taken from one of the stories. After much debate with my editor, who felt that that title didn’t do the collection justice since the stories were more complex than just love stories, I’ve changed the title for good. When my book comes out late this year it will be called Romance for Delinquents. This title better suits the book, and I’m happy with it. Lastly, the cover Ryan Bradley has done for the book is awesome, and I couldn’t be more stoked.

Besides editing the collection, I’ve spent a lot of time turning my chapbook Bad Kids from Good Schools, which was published earlier this year by Winged City Chapbook Press, into a novel. My friend Erin Keane suggested that I do so after I read a few stories from it at Spalding University’s homecoming. I took her advice and sent out the chapbook to agents to see if any could sell it as a partial, or would be interested in it as a novel. Thankfully, the second agent I contacted loved the stories and wants to see it in novel form when it’s finished. I’ve written 21,000 words of it in the last ten days, and hope to have a completed first draft to shape and cut into by the end of the month. With any luck the entire novel will be completed by November 1st.

Other than editing stories and working on the novel this month, I completed two book reviews. One will appear in Necessary Fiction at the end of September, and the other is forthcoming in Atticus Review. Currently I’m working on my first review for Fjords Review which is due in six weeks. I only hope that my reviews help these authors find readers. In the lit world we have to rep our own, and hope for the best.

I’m worn through at the moment, and listening to old Dylan to let the night go. But I’m still in the fight.

I reviewed Gabe Durham’s wonderful book Fun Camp for Necessary Fiction. You can read my review here.

“Make it funny, or make it dirty, and if you can, make it both.” -Richard Cecil on public readings

I was once told that F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “Nothing lasts forever, except for poetry readings.” I don’t know if this attribution is correct, quotes are often misapplied, but the spirit of that line is a familiar one to most of us when it comes to public readings. Most writers have had the experience of looking forward to a reading, only to find themselves sitting quietly, smiling politely, and subtly glancing at the clock as if they were caught in the middle of a long sermon. Here are five pointers for doing readings that can save yourself and your audience in no particular order.

1. Have work you can read

This might seem basic, but I’ve been to too many readings where the author can’t actually read the work they’ve brought. If you’re doing a reading you should plan on bad lighting since many are held at coffee houses, bars, or the back corner of a  bookstore. If you’re work is printed on the page don’t use the same 12 point font you always do, use 14 or 20 point so that the words are easy to read no matter what dim hole you’re put in.  It’s also helpful to read off a tablet since they’re illuminated. This has the added benefit of keeping your hands from shaking if you’re the nervous type since the weight of a tablet keeps them more steady.

2. Choose your slot wisely

If you’re given the chance to choose your slot when reading, always close. That way the audience walks away with your work fresh in their mind. It also helps if books are being sold immediately after the reading.

If your slot is chosen for you, consider what you need to do. If you read first don’t go over twenty minutes. It wears out the audience, and makes the other readers hate you. If you’re in the middle you need to read something loud or strange enough to be memorable.

3. Sad work is a trap

If you have a fifteen page story about the terribly lonely life of a person in a nursing home, a somber retelling of a loved one’s battle with terminal illness, or a series of poems that deal with the loss of a pet they might have great personal meaning to you and be exceptionally well done, but don’t expect the audience gathered at a reading to be eager to share in your grief or failure. In most cases they came to be entertained and escape the sad facts of life.  I’ve never been to a reading were an incredibly poignant and depressing work energized the crowd.

4. Short is better

Readings are often held at venues where there is constant background noise. If you’re reading at a coffee house get ready for the grinder to blurt out during your reading, and the table of soccer moms who stopped in for mochas to try to talk over you. If you’re reading at a bar glasses can break, the jukebox might not be turned off, and frequent yelling will break the quiet parts you so intentionally crafted in your work. With this in mind it’s best to read short works (four pages or less). Most often authors don’t read in quiet auditoriums with a hushed crowd, but out in the world. This causes a problem for longer works since it’s easy for an audience, briefly distracted by the noise around them, lose their train of thought, and become confused. I’ve been to several readings were despite my best efforts after ten minutes of listening to a reader I had no idea what was going on in the story.  Approach a reading like a stand up comic. Focus on short works that hit, and move on. A story that can read in less than five minutes will have more resonance than one that takes fifteen minutes or more to relate.

5. Make it an event

A reading is not about you, it’s about the audience. They’re not there to carefully consider your work the way they would reading on their couch, but to be entertained. It’s important to realize that. With that in mind make sure that you choose work that is funny, weird, or will get a reaction. Don’t just read your work, but perform it. If you stand with your head bowed, eyes focused on your paper the entire time, you separate yourself from the people who came to see you. Look them in the eyes, talk to them, move around and get loud. The best readings are ones were the audience gets something they never expected. Sing if you can sing, or read old love letters to the crowd in between stories. Make it an event, and not simply a time when they saw someone read words off a page.

This past month I spent most of my time game planning, and getting things together for the future. The fall is almost here. Soon the air will be cool, and the world will be quiet. That’s when I most want to write. Nothing makes me want to sit down to write more than dying leaves, a cold breeze, and a coffee.

On Tuesday of this week I had a great two hour strategy session with the guys at Foxhead Books to plan old school Sub-Pop world domination. We covered a lot of bases, and I feel like we’re on the right track. Big changes are coming soon for the press, and I’m eager to see what the future holds.

As for my short story collection with Foxhead Books, the release date is still to be determined. It might be released this winter as originally planned, or it might come out during the early part of next year if that makes more sense. At this time I’m waiting to meet with my new editor, as the last one left the press, and waiting to see what the cover might look like. All good things in the end.

My novel writing has picked back up as I’ve been busy re-editing the novel I pulled from publication earlier this year, and have been outlining my next book. I’ve never outlined before, but with the new book it’s necessary.

I’ve also been working on a few new book reviews. I have a new one out August 5th in Necessary Fiction, and have completed a new one for them which will appear later this year. I’ve also accepted a book reviewer position with Fjords Review which will start soon.

Other than that my writing has been focused on completing a few new flash fiction pieces for upcoming contest, and working on this research-heavy collage essay which seems to grow more each time I go back to it. Not sure what final form it will take.

This month I was a featured reader as part of the Ink Tank reading series, and it was great to see old friends again and share the words with a crowd. I’ll be reading in September at my college, and again in October as part of the Louisville Unbound series.

Lastly, the project I can’t talk about is moving along as far as I know. This month I had a good phone conversation, and am waiting to hear back from the West coast. When more is set in stone I’ll cover it here.

August is here, and I’ve got time to get back to the words before classes start again. I’m happy for the time I have.

SMALL PRESS IS PUNK ROCK

Write the book you dig. Make it loud.

Send it off to publishers who run books out of their studio apartments.

Make them bleed over it.

Get print-on-demand or 500 copies.

Do what you have to, and believe.

Go online, trade reviews, get readings, rep your tribe.

No money. There never was.

Take a day job for your nights.

You can drive 500 miles in a day.

Share your couch, and buy a book.

Do the work. Do the press. Do it yourself.

No future. Just words. When they come make them loud.

You’re free.

This month was maybe the strangest and most exciting so far in terms of my writing. There’s not a lot I can say at the moment, but my novella might have a second life. Everything is up in the air now, but I’ll be sure to post once I know more. Sometimes things you never considered present themselves, and at the moment I’m trying to balance both hope and indifference to stay sane. We’ll see what comes of this.

The edits for my short story collection have started up again, and I’m eager to get the project completed. I truly appreciate all the hard work my editor at Foxhead Books has put in..

At the moment I’m working on the second novella in the Roller Girls series (Jesus Wagon), and hope to complete it within the month. I’m also re-editing the novel which I had accepted for publication previously before I withdrew it in hopes that it can one day find a home.

This month  Necessary Fiction published my review of Last Call in the City of Bridges. At this time I have another review out in September, and am working on a third. I never planned on becoming a reviewer, but it’s important to support small press literature anyway I can. I only hope that my review allows readers to find the authors I cover.

Lastly, my flash fiction piece “Kids With Real Estate” was taught at the Governor’s School for the Arts creative writing class. The story appeared in my micro-novel in stories Bad Kids from Good Schools, and I was humbled to have it presented as text for a class of aspiring writers.

Who knows what the future holds, but I hope for the best. Regardless, I’ll update when and if something magical happens.

Anyone who will be within driving distance of Illinois at the end of September should try to make it out to the Pygmalion Literary Festival. They have an awesome line-up of authors, a book fair, and music festival all taking place at once. You can learn more by following this link. I hope to be there.

I reviewed Salvatore Pane’s first novel Last Call in the City of Bridges for Necessary Fiction. You can read it by following this link.

Back BOSS FIGHT BOOKS on Kickstarter. Here’s the link. Back ’em like a boss.