Tag Archives: Atlanta

Awful Interview: Jessie Donaghy

7 Feb

Jessie Donaghy is more than your average good samaritan. Though she is very very much a good samaritan. Atlantans may have heard of her via her good work with Wink, and also recently the Wren’s Nest. Jessie writes, and she writes beautifully. Lucky you! You get to hear her read next Monday, February 13th at the Goat Farm!

So Jessie, how is your day so far? What have you been up to?

Hi Laura! This morning has been interesting…I went to yoga, but just as I was walking up to the door to the studio, they locked me out! I admit I was seven minutes late, but really? I decided to stop by Sam Flax to return some markers on the way home, and I got lost in their Paperie for a good 30 minutes, as usual. Have I told you that paper is one of my biggest weaknesses? I don’t know what to do with myself when I encounter cute stationary or journals. I have also recently become obsessed with sealing my letters with a wax stamp. But I digress. Now I am home, chatting with you and eating cinnamon raisin toast.

Stamp as in wax stamp/seal or sticker stamp? What do you think the root of this recent obsession? I have a large collection of journals and stationery as well!

Good old-fashioned wax stamp/seal. I think that personal letter correspondence is becoming a lost art, and with it, all the fun trappings of sending and receiving letters. For example, who still writes with an inkwell and quill pen? And yet, it’s so legit. There is something very satisfying about crafting a letter to a friend. Apart from the words you write, you also get to create an aesthetic and tactile experience, which an email cannot do. Wax seals are just another way to make letters more individual. Just last week, I sealed all of my wedding invitations. I burned myself a couple of times and it took forever, but the end result was completely worth it! It was fun to use the letter “M” of my future last name :)

Has being a future Mrs. effected your writing in any way?

I will admit it has been harder to remain disciplined in my writing. A wisp of a poem will start to come, and then I remember I have to confirm something with the caterer. Before I realize it, the poem flits out of my mind and probably alights into someone else’s imagination. The bane of a poet’s existence. Also, with book project deadlines coming up with Wink and Wren’s Nest, I have been focusing more on getting kids to write rather than writing my own stuff. Is that hypocritical of me? Be honest.

Hmm. You put me between a rock in a hard place on that one. I’m going to say no, for the sake of self-preservation. If it makes you feel better, I’ve been working on the same few short stories for eternity.
How do we get ourselves out of our writing ruts? Let’s come up with a plan!

Let’s! I’ve noticed that when I actually take the time to go for a walk in my neighborhood (Grant Park), I come home emptied of a lot of my busy thoughts and I am more ready to hit the pages, or rather, laptop. Also, I went through a season where I made myself write 3 pages as soon as I woke up every morning. Most mornings it was just plain garbage, but I found that getting those initial words out of me cleared the way for better words to come forth later on that day. What works for you? We should combine our forces to combat writer’s block (or perhaps it’s more like writer’s procrastination).

Walking/running has always helped me conquer the day and clear my head as well. I actually just re-read a short story by Andre Dubus about a weightlifter, and he argues that he gets too wound up and can’t think straight if he doesn’t go to the gym. I think there’s a good argument for that. In any case, for a really long time I also used to write for about an hour first thing every morning, but since my husband and I got a puppy in late October it became very difficult for me to focus with her romping about the room and being 100% adorable. Needless to say, my morning discipline has fallen to the wayside.
Do you have any advice? Also, have you ever read Andre Dubus?

I must meet this puppy! I have that same issue when my cat, Josie, comes to visit me in the morning. She has a glorious fluffy, white belly that begs to be pet. But I digress. I have read Andre Dubus, and I would have to say that one of my all time favorite short stories is “A Father’s Story”. It gets me every time. While we are on the topic of shorts, I must admit that I really admire Flannery O’Conner and how she wrote almost every day for 3 hours even though she was terminally ill. I may or may not have visited Andalusia and Flannery’s grave at some point in my life. Authors like her and Dubus make me want to be a better writer.

Me too! Any other literary heroes you would like to mention? How do they influence the way you write?

In regards to non-fiction, definitely Annie Dillard and Thomas Merton. They both had a way of conveying great depth and meaning in such a beautiful and simple manner. I have learned to be more patient in observing nature from Dillard, and have become more introspective through reading Merton.

When it comes to fiction, I have a knack for the French epics. I cannot decide if I love Hugo’s Les Miserables or Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo more. I am enamored with stories that can be peeled back layer after layer. The thought of scheming up and executing a book like Les Mis is beyond me. I feel pushed to write more and write longer when I read books like these.

For poetry, Mary Oliver is my default read. A great deal of my writing is inspired by the natural world, so her imagery resonates with me. I have also recently discovered Natasha Tretheway, who teaches over at Emory. She writes a lot about her relationship with her mother, and about growing up in the South. Her approach to these topics caught me off guard in the best way possible.

Who do you think would win in an arm wrestling contest: Victor Hugo or Alexander Dumas?

I can’t help but project Hugo and Dumas’ protagonists on them: I see Hugo as a lumbering gentle giant of a man who used to be on the chain gang but now tries to make recompense by raising orphans, and Dumas as mysterious millionaire with a glorious moustache who is out to get all his ex-friends who double crossed him. From being on the chain gang, Hugo would have sheer brawn on his side, but he would feel bad about being able to win so easily so he’d hold back. Dumas, with a prison history of his own, would start out determined to win, but seeing the compassionate nature of his foe, call for a truce and order them both a round of bière de garde, because, of course, this arm wrestling match would take place in a French beer cafe.

What if you joined them at the table? What would you tell them about our reading on February 13th to encourage them to attend? What kind of beer would you order?

I’d be so starstruck I wouldn’t trust myself to say anything of substance. I’d probably grab a piece of parchment, scribble something to the effect of: “Napoleon Bonaparte still lives. Come see him read poetry at the Goat Farm on February 13th at 8pm. Also, can I have your autographs please?”. Then I would order a St. Bernardus Abt 12, take a deep breath, and mosey on over to their table.

Awful Interview: James Nichols

3 Feb

James Nichols’ Mom is awesome. James Nichols is pretty cool too. He goes on long walks, which he refers to as EpicWalks. He doesn’t really get Valentine’s Day Presents. One time we both read on a rooftop to some people, thanks to the lovely Loose Change Magazine. That was when I decided that James Nichols was a swell guy, and that he should probably read at a future Vouched Presents. Well, the future is next Monday, February 13th.  Here are some things James Nichols and I discussed.

So the next Vouched reading is the day before Valentine’s day. Is Valentine’s day an important holiday for you? What’s the best Valentine you’ve ever received?

Valentine’s Day has never been a big day for me.  When I was younger, I didn’t care for Valentine’s Day because I couldn’t get any girls and was resentful.  When I was in my early and mid twenties, I didn’t care for Valentine’s Day because I never had any money to take a girl out on a nice date.  Nowadays, I’m married, so the sentiment behind the holiday is a bit moot for me.  By that, I mean that I don’t find a need to have one day set aside to remind my lover of my love; shouldn’t I be doing that every day?  Still, I think I’ll cook my wife a nice meal and consent to a cozy evening of romantic comedies…

The best Valentine’s Day gift I ever got was when I was about eight.  My mom gave me a Nintendo game called Gradius.  It was rad.

Your Mom sounds awesome.

Oh, she is.  She’s kind of like a hippie who was never really a hippie.  Y’know, she never led the life, wore tie dye or protested Vietnam or anything like that, but she’s a very cool, open-minded lady, so sweet and thoughtful. She’s big on English literature and the BBC and things like that.  A big Anglophile.  She’s tried to pass that on to me, but I have trouble getting into the whole Jane Austen/Bronte sisters tip.  I’m more of a Francophile myself.  Still, I’m a big fan of hers.  How could I not be her biggest fan, with her giving me awesome Nintendo games for Valentine’s Day?

Precisely my point! High five for your Mom. Here’s a question: as a Francophile, do you find you have more in common with Thomas Jefferson or Bill Maher (both noted Francophiles themselves)?

I’m gonna go with Thomas Jefferson.  Not that I think I’m presidential material or anything, but I like his style:  getting appointed as Colonial Ambassador to France (that job must have really sucked), maintaining a lavish wine cellar, telling the British what for, hangin’ at Monticello…it seems like a good way to be.  Bill Maher I like as well, but he’s a little snarky.

Don’t forget Thomas Jefferson also edited his own version the Bible. Even Bill Maher isn’t that bold. So, why do you write?

I’d like to say there’s a grand plan behind why I write, or some vital agenda that I’m trying to put forth, but it’s simpler than that.  Writing is my zen time.  It’s a way for me to process things without going insane. I’m not putting out page after page of gorgeous literature on a daily basis, but as long as I get a few lines down, or an observation, or my impression of the day, I feel good.  Writing is equilibrium.

That sounds very therapeutic. Have you ever practiced yoga or Fun Shway? Do you think Thomas Jefferson would have?

I’ve never done anything like that, mainly because I have the flexibility of a brick wall.  But I’m not against it.  Thomas Jefferson may or may not have have been into yoga (he seems like he’d be a bit too pragmatic), but I know Ben Franklin would have been all about it.

Vouched: How would you back up that claim?

Read any of his correspondence or parts of his Poor Richard’s Almanac;  the man was into self-improvement and living well.  Were he alive today, I know you’d see him in a spin class or something, sweating it out in lycra pants.

How often do you work out?

I don’t work out in the conventional sense.  You’ll never catch me in the weight room or anything like that, or entering marathons.  But I am a big walker.  At least a couple times a week, I’ll go out on what I call EpicWalks, which is basically me walking around with no real destination in mind for five to ten miles, depending on how much time I have.  I like to take Marta to some stop I’ve never been to, get off the train and just walk around in the neighborhood that station serves.  It’s amazing some of the things you see like that, on the ground, that you’d never see from your car or even from a bike.  Atlanta is such a car-fixated culture.  It’s nice to be out on the street with no car or iPod, just letting the city soak into you.  It’s good for the soul, and for the writing.

Have you ever encountered something bizarre whilst on an EpicWalk?

Boy, have I.  Almost every time I step out on these walks, I see something that blows my mind in some way or another.  Usually, it involves bums.  Like this one time, I turned a corner in Taco Town and found myself in the midst of a straight-up hobo brawl.  I’m not sure what had happened to provoke it, but there were two guys beating the tar out of two other guys, like a hobo Battle Royale.  I had to run to the other side of the street to avoid being wrapped up. Another time, I was putzing around near Castleberry Hill and a homeless guy wearing sweatpants walked up to me and asked for the time.  There’s nothing particularly strange about that, but–full disclosure–the guy had a massive tent pitched in those fudgies, if you know what I mean.

So many funny encounters…I watched a guy propose to his girlfriend outside of Hooters on Peachtree Street.  It was romantic.  I’ve had pit bulls sicked on me in Peoplestown…I was attacked by a squirrel in Grant Park…I shot craps with a guy with no legs outside Underground…I walked past the cast and crew of The Walking Dead while they were filming here.  I thought it was a Tyler Perry movie until I saw walking corpses.  That kinda killed me.  I could go on, but then you’d have to title this interview “Crazy shit James Nichols stumbles across while walking around in Atlanta.”

Hypothetically, say you came across a few of the interesting people you mentioned between now and our reading on February 13th. What would you say to entice them to attend the reading? Also, these three people are all very different. One for instance, could be the aggressive squirrel in Grant Park. The second person may be the legless craps-shooting gentleman you mention. The third person may be Jon Bernthal.

To the squirrel, I say, “Look man, I’m not all that bad.  Maybe you were having a tough day and decided to lash out.  I get it.  We all do it.  But do yourself a favor and come to the Vouched reading.  Soothing words, good people, ambiance, beer.  And plenty of furry friends.  If you still hate me after that, then perhaps I deserve to be attacked.”

To my legless buddy:  “Hey brah, I know you’ve been dealt a bad hand in the game of legs, but if you come to the Vouched reading, I guarantee you that–at least for a couple hours–you will feel as if you are soaring on gilt-gold wings.  I’ll drive.”

To Jon Bernthal, or rather, his character, Shane:  “Shane!  I found a place safe from the walkers.  It’s on the outskirts of town; it’s secure.  It has a good perimeter , excellent lines of sight, and there are goats for milk and meat.  Everyone can stay there comfortably, even Dale, even Laurie…wait, sorry to bring her up.  Anyway, come on man.  It’s our only chance…DAMN!  WALKERS!”

Awful Interview: Joshua Ware

20 Jan

Josh Ware is mysterious. This is the last known likeness of him, it was created on June 3, 1983. He has a line of black hair, yellow skin, blue eyes, and one red lip which smiles. His feet start near his knees and he has abnormally large hands. He will be reading at the next Solar Anus reading series in Atlanta at the Beep Beep Gallery this Saturday, January 21st at 7:30 in the evening. He has a book Homage to Homage to Homage to Creeley from Furniture Press Books. If you abbreviate the title of his book it looks like this: H2H2H2C.

Tell me a bit about your sunglasses. Do you wear them often?

First, my apologies for the delayed start on this interview; I woke up late and then had to walk Olive. Anyway, as far as my sunglasses are concerned: well, I purchased my first-string pair at a sunglass kiosk in the Cherry Creek mall in Denver for $16 (Several times, in fact, as this particular brand cracks easily in the heat). That’s important to me because I break or lose sunglasses with great frequency, so I avoid pricey models. I also like my first-string pair because they have large lens and wide frames. My cranium is abnormally large, almost caricature-like, so a smaller pair would make my head look even larger (Gabe Bacon used to call me “Waretermelon” in high school because he thought my head was the size of a watermelon). Finally, the lens are polarized so everything looks more vibrant; it’s kind of like, when working with an image in a photo-editor, over-saturating the colors so it appears to be in technicolor. A technicolor world is much more enjoyable than a non-technicolored world; I find nothing redeeming about absolute realism. O, the other thing is that overhead, fluorescent lighting affects my eyes in a very negative way, so I need to wear them if a room is illuminated in that manner. My second-string pair of sunglasses are gold-rimmed, rectangular-shaped aviators. I purchased them at a Family Dollar in Lincoln, NE for $6 on a walk during the Spring of 2010. While they’re not good enough to be first-string pair (the lens are a bit too small) they come in handy when my first-string sunglasses are lost or broken. The thing is, the stems are so thin, I thought they would bend or break easily; instead, they’ve been surprising resilient. To answer the second part of this question, yes, I wear them often. Of course, I realize that people usually consider sunglass-wearers (especially when inside or at night) to be assholes; so, I’d just like to take this moment to say that I’m not an asshole.

 I feel as if I stumbled upon the perfect first question for you. You’re quite the sunglasses connoisseur. Have you ever considered freelancing as a sunglasses consultant? Sometimes I see people with sunglasses on and think they could have made a better eye-wear decision. You could really help with that.

Recently, I rescinded the final semester of my funding at University of Nebraska and moved back, at least temporarily, to Denver, which means that I have officially joined the ranks of the unemployed. Given my recent joblessness, I’d considered just about any form of employment. Freelance Sunglasses Consultant (FSC) sounds much better than Male Prostitute At A Truck Stop (MPTS); I mean, the chance of contracting a sexually transmitted disease is much lower in the former of these professions than it is with the latter. Also, I could probably work from home as a FSC, whereas I’d be hanging out in a lot of dirty, interstate bathrooms as a MPTS. Sure there’s a certain charm associated with a truck stop bathroom (given all the zany graffiti on the backside of the stall door’s and whatnot), but there’s more downside to that profession than upside.

What other professions have you considered entering? Do you have any secret talents? For instance, can you juggle?

In a perfect world, I would be a two-guard or a small forward in the National Basketball Association with a skill-set modeled after former Cleveland Cavaliers swingman Ron Harper. Genetics, sadly, put a quick end to this career aspiration. I find this to be one of the great tragedies of my existence. While in Nebraska, I’d try to keep my skills sharp by playing hoops with some other poets, such as Trey Moody, in case an NBA franchise came calling. I’ve always been a strong defender, rebounder, and do well scoring in the post, but over the past few years I’ve also honed my mid-range jumper. If I could add a more accurate 3-point shot to my repertoire, I’m quite certain that I’d be unstoppable at any level of play, regardless of my height.

I think, perhaps, I also would have made a fantastic astronaut; I know this because I love space ice cream. As a child growing up in the Cleveland area, my grade school would often take us on field trips to the NASA Glenn Research Center. In the souvenir shop, small, air-tight bags filled with dehydrated, Neapolitan ice cream were sold; I’d purchase loads of those things and gobble them up, almost instantly. I think, for the most part, people hated it, claiming it tasted like cardboard; but the fact that I enjoyed them so thoroughly seemed to indicate to me that I was destined to be propelled into outer space on the top of a giant missile filled with rocket-fuel. This, of course, never happened either. Maybe writing poetry has been a way for me to deal with my failures as an astronaut and a professional basketball player.

As far as secret talents, I feel as though I excel at small talk; this isn’t so much a “secret” talent, but it’s a talent nonetheless. Far too many people discount the ability to talk to strangers, acquaintances, business contacts, etc. about mundane or inane subjects with no goal other than to fill awkward silences. Small talk, I believe, is the foundation of Western Civilization and should be honored as such. Why this has not yet happened is beyond me. Eventually, when small talk does take its rightful place in the pantheon of talents and skills praised in our society, people will finally understand that I can contribute something to our culture and the general well-being of humanity. Until then, I will slave away in obscurity.

With your skill set though, if you were to make enough small talk with people about small talk’s importance, don’t you think over time other people would make small talk about you and your small talks on small talk, and then eventually you would become 1. notoriously talented at small talk 2.small talk would gain importance and therefore maybe even 3. You could be a spokesperson for small talk. Like Jared Fogle for Subway?

Sorry for the time lapse; I had to swing by King Soopers to pick up some Airborne, Ricola, Hals Mentho-Lyptus, and firewood. I came down with a scratchy throat and nasal congestion the other day. Coupled with the always eventually fatal entitilitus I contracted from Ronnie Fucking Dobbs, the past 48 hours have been trying.

As for actively championing small talk for the sake of advancing both its stature and relevance, well, we’ll see what happens. As for Jared Fogle, I’ve never been a fan; although, I salute Subway for retaining Michael Phelps as a spokesperson after the whole bong-photograph scandal. It’s important that multinational corporations not shy away from hiring recreational drug users to appear in their advertisements and marketing campaigns. I mean, that’s an entire, mostly untapped demographic that ad agencies and marketing departments have neglected for decades. I have to believe that there have been innumerable late-night food runs to Subway by stoners of all-ages simply because Phelps appears in those commercials.

I agree, the Phelps endorsement + the $5 foot-long campaign have a really strong appeal to stoners, especially college kids. How big of a fan of Mr. Show are you, on a scale from 1-10? Have you watched The Increasingly Bad Decisions of Todd Margaret?

The first two seasons of Mr. Show are genius, and I don’t even believe in the concept of genius, which makes my assessment of those seasons all the more amazing. To that extent, on a scale of 1-10, I’d say I’m a 9.23 for the first half of that series’s run. Seasons three and four are solid, but not as spectacular as the first two; thus, for the second half of the series’s run, I’m a 7.18.

I’ve never seen The Increasingly Bad Decisions of Todd Margaret, but I do love Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, which Bob Odenkirk (I think) produced. Heidecker and Wareheim are so disturbingly funny, not to mention hyper-intelligent. Although, my favorite sketch from Tim and Eric is the Pussy Doodles sketch featuring David Cross. And, yes, Will Arnett (who, from a quick Internet search, appears to be the other lead in The Increasingly Bad Decisions) and Cross are brilliant in Arrested Development, particularly the second season.

What makes you not believe in ‘the concept of genius’?

“Genius” seems to be a self-aggrandizing concept that is a hold over from the Romantic period and employed today by those wholly insecure with the fact that any artistic creation is a confluence of influences and sources in perpetual relation with one another, manifesting themselves within an artwork. If anything, I like what Gertrude Stein said about “genius,” which is: “It takes a lot of time to be a genius, you have to sit around so much doing nothing, really doing nothing.” Maybe she meant that sincerely, but I’m hoping she was being ironic; no doubt, she thought herself a “genius,” though. A direct correlation, to my mind, exists between “nothing” and “genius,” in that the former is the definition of the latter. Of course, I don’t believe in science or Netflix either, so I could be wrong.

I met a girl in college who didn’t ‘believe’ in napkins. She had ranch dressing on her face. She wasn’t being ironic and it was a little disturbing.
Your disbelief in ‘genius’ is not disturbing.
Name five reasons people should come and hear you read on the 22nd.

Although I feel much shame that, it appears, I was just compared to a ranch-dressing-faced hippie you once knew, I will still answer your final question:

1. For starters, I’ll be reading with Jeff Alessandrelli. In addition to being a fantastic poet, Jeff has the rugged but casual good looks of a Hollywood star (similar to Tom Jane) that women and men alike swoon over. He may also wear a Biggie Smalls tee-shirt, which would be an added bonus.

2. Door prizes, such as macramé braclets and a ½ pound bag of cocoa nibs.

3. I’ll read all my work in an effected voice, much like that old recording of T.S. Eliot’s recital of Four Quartets.

4. There’s a good chance that either Jeff or I may “freak out”; you can interpret “freak out” in manner you’d like.

5. Glad handing, back slapping, and much ballyhoo will be had by all who attend.

Awful Interview: Jeff Alessandrelli

19 Jan

Jeff Alessandrelli is not blurry. He is a poet with a book. The book is a book that he wrote and it is good. The book is called Erik Satie Watusies His Way Into Sound. It is published by Ravenna press. Jeff Alessandrelli travels. He also reads out loud. He will be reading out loud at the Beep Beep Gallery in Atlanta this Saturday the 21st at 7:30 pm. 

You live in Nebraska, are you a fan of Bruce Springsteen’s album Nebraska? Also, what are the first three things a person should know about you?

Actually, funnily enough the only Bruce Springsteen album I own and have really ever listened to is Nebraska—I used to live in Portland, OR, and when I made plans to move here a friend gave it to me as a gift. I’m not a huge fan of The Boss, but I like that album well enough. Three things: I have a dog named Beckett Long Snout, I’m originally from Reno, Nevada and have a healthy amount of NV pride (I am decidedly against the TV show Reno 911!) and my favorite musicians include Pavement, the Rolling Stones, Erik Satie and the Notorious B.I.G. Bonus: I collect records. I grew up skateboarding.

What does having Nevada pride entail? Does your love of your home state influence your poetry much?

Having Nevada pride basically consists of pronouncing the state’s name properly—it’s neh-VA-duh, not neh-VAH-duh (so many people, especially non-Western politicians, pronounce it neh-VAH-duh) and sticking up for it when it’s referred to as California’s bastard step-child or something. It’s a great state and where I lived in Northern Nevada you could ski or snowboard in the winter (up at Lake Tahoe, which is a half-hour away from Reno) and go swimming in the Truckee River in the summer—it’s definitely not a big desert wasteland of a place; there’s a lot going on.

Since I’ve moved around quite a bit since I lived there—I left permanently in 2005, although I still go back 3-4 times a year—I don’t think being born/ living a substantial portion of my life in Nevada influences my poetry much. Although last year I did write a longer poem called “A Lover’s History of Nevada” that not so indirectly references my fondness for the state. I learned some cool facts while writing it, among them that in the Death Valley region of Nevada there is a creature known as the kangaroo rat that can live its entire life without drinking any type of liquid and that Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other place on earth (the last one probably isn’t too surprising, actually).

 If you were a kangaroo rat and someone offered to buy you a drink, how would you respond? Secondly, if the Notorious B.I.G were a kangaroo rat and someone offered to buy him a drink, how would he respond?

Biggie as a kangaroo rat would probs accept the drink, but have all sorts of highfalutin demands (i.e. ice but not too much ice, shaken not stirred, etc.). I would accept it also, but be worried that I was letting down my non-drinking kangaroo rat brethren, and after finishing it I’d keep it to myself. Loose lips sink ships in the desert, especially with regards to the lifestyle of a kangaroo rat.

I can see life being a bit cut-throat in the desert. So when you come to Atlanta to read, do you intend to visit any tourist attractions?

Hmmm…Joshua is driving (we’re reading in Athens on Thursday the 19th and then heading back to Atlanta), so it’s kind of up to him. I personally would like to visit the old palaces of famed Atlanta Hawks Dominique Wilkins, Moses Malone and Stacey “The Plastic Man” Augmon. Maybe check out some Civil War sites too? I realize the profound difference between those two attractions/destinations.

That is quite the profound difference.

Yeah. I’ve never actually been to the South–except for Charlotte (does that count?). My friend Mike is a banker and I went down there a couple of years back–I didn’t realize Charlotte is the banking capital that it is, 2nd most popular behind New York (at least according to Mike). So I’m really looking forward to it.

Also, what’s your biggest pet peeve regarding stereotypes people have of Atlanta/ the South? Do you hear a lot of stupid/ annoying/nonsensical ones?

 Hmm… I think Charlotte counts. I spent a good portion of my childhood in Charlotte, but Charlotte then is a lot different than Charlotte now. They don’t have the Hornets anymore, which is a bummer.
As far as stereo-types go, I can’t really think of anything off of the top of my head. That being said, when I first moved to Atlanta and was waiting tables,  I found it very aggravating when someone would try to order a Pepsi. Honestly, this is Coca-Cola town, only Taco Bell carries Pepsi on tap.
Do you have any stereotypes of the South you’ll be confronting in coming here?

I don’t think so, in all honesty. I’ve always been a history buff—I minored in it as an undergrad—so the South has always fascinated me specifically because so much of America’s history resides there. But having grown up in the West that history didn’t get talked about a whole lot; from what I remember we were on more of a Manifest Destiny tip in elementary and junior high. Also, RIP the Hornets. Grandmama Johnson was the bee’s knees.

Oh man, I loved Grandmama Johnson! I used to have a watch with her on it from the Burger King Kids club I think. Or maybe it was something else, Grandmama made it big because of Converses, right? Do you own any Converses?

Yeah, Grandmama Johnson was a Converse advocate. I do own a pair of Converse’s—they’re dirty and crusty and about 3 years old and are my designated “river shoes.” I wear them only when I’m floating or wading through a river of some sort. I actually haven’t used them at all since I moved to Nebraska, but I used them fairly regularly in Nevada and Oregon. Are you yourself the proud owner of a pair of Converses?

Formerly yes, my favorite pair were light blue, but they passed away after an unfortunate incident with a puddle back in 2007. Recently I’ve been wearing a lot of boots.
What would you say to Notorious B.I.G to get him to attend your reading here in Atlanta on the 22nd?
Maybe more importantly, what would you say to Grandmama Johnson to get her to attend your reading here in Atlanta on the 22nd?

To B.I.G. I’d emphasize the fact that music, poetry and rapping to music are interchangeable elements, and, as cliché as it might sound, the best rappers are also poets and vice-versa. Just like he had (has?) some of his raps memorized I have some of my poems memorized, and I try and play this memorization element up for audience effect. As for Grandmama I would simply make clear that if she doesn’t come to the reading my new river shoes are going to be a pair of old Adidas’—I assume LJ still has Converse stock.

Awful Interview: Amy Herschleb

25 Oct

Would you like to fall in love with Amy Herschleb a bit? She wrote in her poem Bathtime: “Things which burn and do not float include whisky and my heart.” It’s her statements like this that made me know she had to read at the next Vouched Presents. That, and the fact that she shares things. She shares her Canadian Club Whisky. She offered to share her hand-me-downs once (we were both a little drunk and warm-faced) and I was twitterpated. Most importantly, she shares her words. You should come hear them. She also shared her time with me, so we could conduct this awful interview:

Vouched: As a red-head, do you feel especially empowered by Autumn?

Amy: I saw a maple tree at the 57th Fighter Group the other day, green underneath and red from above & at the edges. I wanted to point at it and yell, “that’s me!” There was a good breeze coming off the airfield. I didn’t yell. I didn’t think the person I was with would’ve understood. And I was full of mimosas.

Vouched:  Were you drinking and flying?

Amy: No, that’s overrated. Unless we’re talking balanced on someone’s feet pretending to be the entire airplane with your arms out and getting your ribs bruised. But it’s hard to get a good flight like that, these days.

Vouched:  Those are hard to find these days, I used to fly around like that all the time! What  are some other things that are hard to find?

Amy: The exact right words when they really matter, the buttons that fell off my favorite jacket, the super-sneakiest back way to anywhere, and tigers.

Vouched:  Where is your favorite place to write? Also, what are your thoughts on hip-hop?

Amy:  I think porches might be the ideal places to write. The Platonic Porch. And Joe’s, which used to be my favorite top-secret writing destination until I started meeting people. Atlanta is the largest small town. You can’t hide. And as for hip-hop, I’d say we’re equally relevant to each other. I like to be fair.

Vouched:  I read somewhere that you intend to become ‘obnoxiously famous’. Is that still true? If so, what’s your five-year plan?

Amy: Hahaha… What about ‘notorious’? I think that would be a lot more fun. And I may be allergic to plans. Or just supremely incapable of making them

Vouched: ‘Notorious’ is much more suiting of you. Like the B.I.G.! In a recent interview you did with [the lovely] Melysa Martinez over at Kill Your Darlings you mentioned that you said that your poems can also function as a kind of blueprint. So, would you be comfortable in saying that writing is your plan?

Amy: I kind of intended a reverse blueprint, but not a map, either. More like a detailed diagram of what exists. An x-ray–can you x-ray buildings? With speculative areas. I really don’t anticipate myself. My approach to writing these days is a series of impromptu scribblings. And the only way to make a complete picture of it is through the accretion of these tiny fragments that just float around my life. Like when you get a bunch of duckweed together and all of a sudden it’s a green blanket on the water, keeping it warm, instead of confetti.

Vouched: That sounds incredibly magical. You’re somewhat new to Atlanta, yes? Has your transplant here influenced your writing at all? What are some things you’ve discovered about the Southeast that you love? Some things you’ve discovered that you don’t love?

Amy: Coming back to the South terrified me a little. There were things I took for granted about San Francisco and things I had romanticized about the South–chivalry, rocking chairs, seasons. When I first came back I wrote a long series of poems that were about submerging myself in this romance & rurality, of being the southern spinster, pine mulch, ‘possums killed by bobcats. And in Atlanta it was this layer of decay trapped between nostalgia and new growth, an urgency attached to rebuilding my life & work. Strata, or as AS Byatt puts it so beautifully, laminations. All of Atlanta constantly demolished & rebuilt and layers of paint & ruin & condos and that being at the same time the lens through which I work and live. Waves throwing themselves on the rocks are how I feel about Atlanta & writing.

Vouched: If Atlanta is waves throwing themselves at rocks, what is San Francisco to you?

Amy: A kingdom by the sea. My origin myth. A lover I took for granted and may now never return to… I like the melodrama of that one. San Francisco has moved on, but I’m always going to be wondering what would’ve been different had I been worthy of her.

Vouched: In a bar brawl, which Disney Princess would come out on top:  Cinderella, Jasmine, Pocahontas, or Sleeping Beauty? Why?

Amy: That’s a tough one… Pocahontas was kinda into non-violent protest and jumping off of things, Sleeping Beauty would probably be passed out under a table somewhere, and Cinderella would be preoccupied with curfew… I guess Jasmine. She at least seemed to have a sense of adventure. And has her hair tied up so it can’t just get ripped out, you know?

Vouched:  I bet Jasmine could really throw a punch. Is there anything you would like to say to entice Atlantans to come to our reading on the ninth?

Amy: Danger. Excitement. Tigers. Rain on the roof. Trompe l’oeil. Magicians. Chess. Cedar trees. And most importantly, nothing else is going to cure the ache.

Thanks Creative Loafing!

20 Oct

So many thank you’s to Atlanta’s Creative Loafing (and  Wyatt Williams) for writing this feature on VouchedATL for their Arts Issue, released today! It’s a honor to be coupled with so many phenomenal arts efforts in Atlanta.

Here’s an excerpt where we discuss Matt Bell’s How They Were Found, among other things:

The small-press books that Straub sells don’t have big marketing departments running promotions in newspapers or buying prominent placement in retailers like Barnes & Noble. In fact, you might be hard-pressed to find a copy of them anywhere else in town. Prior to starting Vouched, Straub read Matt Bell’s How They Were Found, a collection of short stories published on an imprint of Midwest nonprofit publisher Dzanc Books. “I love that book, and it was frustrating going to bookstores and not being able to find it really anywhere in the city,” she says.

As the cost of publishing a small run of books has declined, independent publishers have taken a cue from the DIY ethos that emerged from punk and indie rock record labels a few decades ago. They’re publishing work by adventurous young authors writing unabashedly contemporary work often deemed too risky or unusual by big publishing houses.

Read the rest of the article at Creative Loafing’s site, along with articles about what’s going on with the arts in Atlanta (so many awesome things!).

Vouched ATL September wrap-up

13 Oct

Whoa September flew by! It feels like maybe October is following suit. Before time gets away from me I’d like to do a round up of VouchedATL’s September happenings. But since it’s October, I’ll sneak a trick in the treat: this whole post is backwards.

We had a reading on September 19th! It was full of wonder and glory! Our readers were stupendous! The venue was amazing! The audience was beautiful!

Here’s a picture of Molly Brodak and Matt DeBenedictus reading to us. They charmed everyone’s pants off. Molly made caramels and they were absolutely delicious. That tells you a lot about Molly, doesn’t it? I can only imagine that it takes great patience and precision to make chocolate dipped caramels. She’s just as careful with her words, and it shows.

Matt gave everyone choices. He would hold up his hands and summarize option 1 and option 2. It was kind of a Choose Your Own Adventure situation. Who doesn’t love choosing their own adventure? At the end of one of his stories, about different popes, he stood up on his chair like a boss. It was great.

Before them Cristina Martin read. Her poems are sweet and carbonated like champagne, brimming with description that bursts off the page. They’re beautiful to hear. Cristina read after Daniel Beauregard, whose poetry is full of undercurrents and introspection. This is what they looked like reading.

First of the evening was Sarah Beard, who was spritely and potent. Before her there was set-up times. Check out the amazing lighting that the goat-farm had for us!

The VouchedATL Chalkboard actually made its debut a week before at the Decatur Book Festival! Two days of book-loving bliss with the great people of Wink!   The pictures say quite a bit for me.

I’d like to take a second and thank all of the local writers who came by to visit throughout the two days: Gina Myers, Cristina Martin, Molly Brodak, Matt DeBenedictis, Tom Cheshire, Jamie Iredell (+ family!), Blake Butler, Ben Spivey, Melysa Martinez, Johnny Carroll, and John Steen. All of you really made my weekend. It was also wonderful to meet so many new writers and readers. I hope that everyone at the festival had as much fun as we did. (Trust me, we had a lot of fun.)

Also a thousand thank you’s to the good people of the Goat Farm who were so incredibly helpful . More thank you’s to our stupendous readers! Thank you to Wink for being the best bunch of booth buddies! Thank you to my awesome husband for being such a champion with a camera!

Our next Vouched Presents reading will be Wednesday, November 9th at the Goatfarm, with awesome readings by Robert Pfeiffer, Gina Myers, Tom Cheshire, and Amy Herschleb! More details, Awful Interviews, and an awesome poster to come!

VouchedATL at the Decatur Book Festival

2 Sep

Hey  y’all! In case you haven’t heard, I’m going to be setting up shop at the Decatur Book festival with Wink this weekend. We’ll be in our booth, A126 from 9am to 6pm tomorrow and from 12pm to 6pm on Sunday! We have all sorts of fun and tom-foolery planned including visiting Atlanta-based writers, poetry for $1, and a literary quiz show, among other shenanigans! Please come stop by. We will have so much fun!

While you’re there, you should check out the tons of wonderful readings going on (including readings by Blake Butler and Bruce Covey) check them all out on the schedule page!

SSR #6 of 15: Prose. Poems. A Novel.

13 Jul

This is bold of me, right?  Jamie Iredell’s Prose.Poems. A Novel was the very first single sentence review here on Vouched. Also, Tyler Gobble shared some love for Jamie’s more recent work The Book of Freaks earlier this week. I’m not afraid of overloading you with his good words, because there’s no such thing as a good word overload. The fact of the matter is you need to read Jamie Iredell’s work if you haven’t already.  Prose. Poems. A Novel will be for sale on my Atlanta Vouched table and I couldn’t be happier about it.

So here we go:

Prose. Poems. A Novel is a bear trap embedded in the grimy, corrosive, American earth waiting to catch you in its rusted spring-loaded hinges; it may not be a polite, but it is an experience.

SSR #4 of 15: (W)ink Atlanta’s Hey, New Kid!

11 Jul

(W)ink Atlanta is a phenomenal organization. They go to Atlanta-area schools and tutor children in creative writing, and at the end of the semester/quarter/what-have-you they publish the children’s work and host a reading for them. Like I said, phenomenal. I’m honored to help spread the word of them to you now and also by selling their first collection, Hey, New Kid, at my table. Here’s a single sentence review about how much it rocks:

Every school should have a field guide like this so children could expertly maneuver through the hallways with their oversized hall passes, their stomachs unburdened by the challenge of hairy cafeteria pizzas and grilled cheeses, their permanent records void of in-school suspensions… all of the students  could climb through the ascending grade-levels in a cloud of cackles and success.

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