READ HIM

Dennis Cooper's new short story collection, UGLY MAN, is available online and in bookstores. Check him out. He's a maverick, an inspiration. Maybe a felon? True art, indeed. Purchase his book at Amazon.COM.

READ ME

Check out my short story, "Seahorse," in the anthology, COOL THING THE BEST NEW GAY FICTION FROM AMERICAN WRITERS. In this collection, I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by many wonderful writers. Order now at AMAZON.

VERSE OF THE WEEK

"On Saturday"

She carries her
lunch
in a
used
bread bag.

She smokes up
in her
'86
walloped car.

But when she smiles,
I feel so much
less
than I
long to be.

I always think
to no one,
"Hey.
What's she like
on Saturdays?"

WORDS OF THE WEEK

WORD...

1. Loot.

2. Medallion.

3. Dusting.

4. Pee-wee.

5. Tarted.

6. Vamp.

7. Elbowed.

8. Televise.

9. Roughneck.

10. Groomsmen.

What Could I Be Thinking?

S For...

S is for two of my favorite words. Saturday. And spooked. Today, Saturday, I certainly feel spooked. Unfun.

POEM

I write a poem about once a year. Here's one...

#1

In a 1 A.M.

June outage,

I am

beautiful.

But you're a

looker,

a sight

every

single

second.

(For Scott)

COOL THING

The lovely Blair Mastbaum and Will Fabro are compilling a collection called Cool Thing. They accepted one of my stories. They're incredibly sweet and nice. Check me (and the other talented witers) out at...

http://coolthingbestgayfiction.blogspot.com/

ABEL RAISES CAIN

My dear friend Ms. Jenny Abel has created a fantastic documentary, Abel Raises Cain. It shines a million spotlights on her dad, Alan Abel. He's a famed hoaxer and a sweetheart too. You MUST see this. It's brilliance. Buy the DVD. Visit http://abelraisescain.com/home.htm now!

LOOK!

LOOK! It's the Easter bunny. And he's coming soon. I hope he brings me a basket filled with books and jewels. I'm going to go dye some eggs now.

IDOL THOUGHTS

"All literature is gossip." - Truman Capote

photo credit: Library of Congress via Pingnews

WRITE SOMETHING

SPRING READS

Spring has almost arrived. Lets say goodbye to snow drifts, iced up walkways and snowflake sweaters. Below, find a list of some terrific books you should read. Enjoy!

1. Willful Creatures - Aimee Bender

2. The Abstinence Teacher - Tom Perrotta

3. We Dissapear - Scott Heim

4. The Brain Dead Megaphone - George Saunders

5. Strange Skies - Matt Marinovich

6. Girl Meets Boy: The Myth of Iphis - Ali Smith

7. Fire Bird: A Memoir - Mark Doty

8. Niagara Falls All Over Again - Elizabeth McCracken

9. Winkie - Clifford Chase

10. Survivor - Chuck Palahniuk

Wordy

When I pore through novels and short stories, I alsways keep my diary, um, I mean my notebook close by. When words strike me, I write them down. I have lists and lists of words that I refer to when crafting a new scene. Here's a sample...

1. Motored
2. Cheeped
3. Unsunned
4. Parade
5. Doofus
6. Putter
7. Taxing
8. Bruiser
9. Glum
10. Splotch
11. Frosted
12. Quieting
13. Swoop
14. Nicked
15. Doody
16. Pitted
17. Upswing
18. Edged
19. Hooligan
20. Goo

Woops

I've neglected to write anything here because...who cares what I have to say, right? But if you do care, I'm sorry. I'll post more.

FRIEND

Poet and wonderful cohort, G. Andrew Collins. With me. I should have stopped drinking champagne.

LITERATI

Writer and bestest best friend in the world, Buki Papillon. Plus me.

SUMMER READS

Here's a few fantastic summer reads. I want book reports, bitches!

1. The Girl in the Flammable Skirt - Aimee Bender (A wacked out collection of great short stories)

2. Twinship - Laurie Foos (A woman gives birth to a clone of herself, brilliant as Ms. Foos always is)

3. The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil - George Saunders (a dazzling writer, a wonderful talent, this novel chronicles a nation so small it can only accomodate one person at a time)

4. Awake - Elizabeth Graver (a great friend, a genious too, this book tells the tale of a family whose children cope with XP, a rare, but toxic sensitivity to sunlight)

5. Goodbye to the Orchard - Steven Cramer (my mentor, my teacher, someone who creates stunning poems)

6. The Soft Machine - William S. Burroughs (a legend, a trailblazer, just read the book)

7. Little Children - Tom Perrotta (affairs, playgrounds, mid-thirties freakouts, Perotta makes suburbia explode)

8. Everyone Poops - Taro Gomi (becasue it's true, everyone does poop)

9. Werewolves of Central Park - Tom Cardome (my writing cohort, a dark glam sexy novel, get it at Barnes and Noble's website)

10. The Children's Hospital - Chris Adrian (a surreal book that revamps the story of Noah and his so-called ark)