I’m pleased to report that I took part in the Midwestern Gothic reading at Magers & Quinn bookstore last night! Here is a photo of me proving to the world I can indeed read out loud.

Preparing to yell obscenities cribbed from The Exorcist at my unsuspecting audience, which included my poor mother and sister. They assure me they have heard those words before. I thought some sort of post-partum brain wipe occurred, but they say not. Photo courtesy of Mr. Jeffrey Mitchell, who was also kind enough to listen to me practicing and alert me to the weird thing I do with my arms when I’m nervous, so I could do that slightly less in front of everyone. I tried, I really did. I think I did okay.

I got to share the lectern with my fellow Midwestern Gothic contributors, Meg Johnson, Casey Patrick, Yahya Frederickson, and Sarah Howard.

Speaking of Midwestern Gothic, which is a fine fine literary magazine that does cool things for its contributors, they posted this interview with me in which I wax slightly poetic about the influence of climate on my art. Check it out if you feel so inclined.

I had an excellent trip up north before the inevitable axe fell upon the neck of summer, but now the semester has started and those verbs don’t conjugate themselves. Next in the news: “Empty Cars” in Blurring the Line.