May 23 2013
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performance calendar, poetry, publication news

There’s A Science To Walking Through Windows

I wasn’t so sure about The National’s Trouble Will Find Me once the album became available for streaming in full from iTunes. The first five songs worked perfectly, and then the album’s pace and velocity became erratic. Then I listened to it again. And again. And again. I’m happy to say the album is excellent (and strangely, when you listen to High Violet after it, it resonates even more).

Part of my reluctance towards the new album came from my emotional connection to High Violet. I was loving all the songs that were released (and I could identify with “Demons” a bit, and “Don’t Swallow The Cap”). It’s a gorgeous album that I can only appreciate because I’ve lived a bit and I’m older. The 16-year-old version of myself would have been all “whatever” and then cranked up Smashing Pumpkins to about 12. And turned off the lights. And cry. Or something like that.

***

I went to Epcot with my girlfriend and her family for dinner this past Saturday and I learned that I really don’t do well with large crowds in theme parks until I’ve had a couple of drinks. It was the first time since 2006 or 2007 that I stepped foot in Epcot, or any theme park (the most subversive thing I’ve ever done related to theme parks was in 2002, when I read Lolita on the bus going to Magic Kingdom - Reading Lolita While In The Magic Kingdom might be my autobiography title in 2029).

A long time ago, Epcot had an attraction called The Living Seas. You stepped into an elevator and were transported to a cool undersea base. The last time I was there, I went to the attraction. When I looked down at the elevator, I noticed that we weren’t going down, but the floor was just shaken. From then on, Epcot was ruined for me.

***

I’m doing my talk (“Celebrating Our Failures”) at the Orlando Fringe Festival for the Sunday night session of Pecha Kucha. I had a blast doing this talk in February and I get to do it again. Buy tickets here if it hasn’t already sold out.

I was not part of the Fringe Poetry Smackdown in a performance capacity or judging capacity for the first time, after doing it since its inception in 2007. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I feel disconnected a bit from the poetry scene here. On the other hand, the disconnection is necessary for my sanity (and you’ll understand why after reading this recap of last year’s show).

***

I have a poem over at the For Every Year project, which you can read here.

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May 15 2013
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performances

Don’t You Know Love Is A Virtue?

The National’s High Violet came out a week after my feature in Delray Beach (and subsequent emotional break down). I wasn’t sure what to expect. Alligator was rich, dense, somewhat esoteric lyrically. Boxer had more weight, but something lacked behind the words. After being let down with the opening song, “Terrible Love”, every song on High Violet punched, slapped, kicked me in places already tender. The song though that hit hardest, that I identified with the most was “Conversation 16″, especially:

I’m a confident liar
Had my head in the oven so you’d know where I’ll be
I’ll try to be more romantic
I want to believe in everything you believe
But I was less than amazing
Do not know what all the troubles are for

This (and “Slipping Husband” from The National’s second album) became my sad bastard anthem for this time period, being a failed husband and all.

Three years later, there’s a new album by The National and I’m in a different place emotionally and geographically. Trouble Will Find Me indulges a good deal of my inner sad bastard, but not the way High Violet turned me into a heavy bag. This is good. This is progress.

***

It’s that time of year where Write Bloody has its annual manuscript contest, where the finalists compete to make the final cut and get a book published. It’s also that time of year where poets within the slam community bitch publicly about the method in which Write Bloody chooses to run its manuscript contest. This was response to one Facebook status of such bitchery regarding the video aspect of the contest.

Publishing is a business and typically, presses that predominantly publish poetry don’t stay open for long. Write Bloody seems to have created a business model that allows them to continue to publish mostly poetry. They want to ensure their authors will return on the enormous investment the press is putting down on them. This aspect of the contest allows them to do that.

I have no qualms with the way they run their contest. I was humbled to be a finalist in 2011, and the editing it made me do got my MS in the shape it needed to eventually find a good home. Yes, it’s good to create art, but if art is going to be a means of which to obtain currency, then it needs to be viable, the author needs to be able to promote, to perform if they are going to tour. The only way to really influence the brand is to not buy it, not say anything about it; bitching about the brand is just another means of promotion.

***

My prose reading series, There Will Be Words, turned two yesterday. Running it has been a blast. I get to select the authors. I get to prevent bad writing from being heard. It’s a win all around. You should come to one some time.

***

I read my prose poem “#careertipsforgirls – Farrah Abraham” over at Voicemail Poems. You can listen here.

I have a poem about flowers over at Escape Into Life, which you can read here.

Also, I’ll be here in a few weeks.

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May 06 2013
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performances, poetry, publication news, self assessment

Interviews Are Like Confessions

I haven’t had a good reason to stay in Orlando for my birthday since 2009. My divorce started right before my birthday in 2010, where I went out of town to do a feature for a book I didn’t want to promote any more as it was mostly love poems (and some misanthropy) about my ex-wife. In 2011, I was supposed to go to Chicago with a then girlfriend who became an ex. I ended meeting up with my then new girlfriend on my birthday while out there. I booked a Portland trip for my birthday in 2012 before meeting my previous girlfriend in late 2011, and I was still in a miserable situation, partially because of the person who she was, partially because I was still living in the apartment that my ex-wife and I shared before she moved out. This birthday was one of the best I’ve had in a long time, and part of that is due to my amazing girlfriend, Laura.

I’ve lived and worked in the Casselberry/Winter Springs/Longwood/Lake Mary area for the past three months of being out of the ruins has allowed me to finally let go of that last little bit of misery. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy and content from an emotional stand point.

I’m not content about where I am though as a writer. I also have a focus problem, where I want to work on a bunch of projects at the same time and I know that is hurting me in terms of finishing projects (such as the Jesus Christ, Boy Detective novel). I need to focus on just one project, selling just one thing, and stick with it until it is done.

***

Here are some birthday highlights

  • This is one of the signature cocktails at The Ravenous Pig, an old fashioned using bacon infused bourbon (and yes, that is bacon in the highball glass). The cocktail was amazing. The food was amazing. It was worth going into a food coma for the rest of the night.

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  • The article covering six Central Florida poets you should know came out through Orlando Arts Magazine, which we found on Saturday while attending the Broomstick Pony Derby. Laura interviewed the poets, including myself. The poem comes from Issue 7 of ILK

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  • My mom surprised me yesterday when I went to her house when I walked in and saw balloons and a bottle of really good scotch as my birthday present. For the record, you may get me medium to high grade whiskey and all of its forms for any occasion. I will gladly accept it. Currently, my whiskey collection consists of whiskeys from Ireland, Scotland, Kentucky, and Florida. What will be the color of the rainbow on my liver?
  • Laura and I are going to New York in June. This was one of the birthday presents she gave to me. It’s been 20 years since I’ve seen a night game (and it has a taste of Ohio for her as that’s where here family is from). She also brought amazing cupcakes that went well with some ginger beer and scotch.

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  • The weather today (May 6) was incredible. Last year, Portland experienced similar weather, and it was a good sign to start my 33rd year. This weather is a good sign to start my 34th year. 

***

I have two poems over at Camroc Press Review, which you can check out here.

I have a poem over in the first issue of the East Jasmine Review, which you can purchase here.

Iron Man 3 is good. Go see it in the theater, just not in 3D.

Here’s where you can hear my interview on The Unknown Show. I’m the first author on.

I’ll be announcing my New York reading dates really soon. Keep an eye out for more details.

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Apr 29 2013
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performance calendar, performances, publication news

I’m A Sell Out!

Holy shit guys, Bodies Made of Smoke is currently sold out through Amazon. I’m floored by this, and humbled. Thank you to everyone who bought a copy through it. Now, it just needs some reviews to keep getting the word about my novella. If you bought a copy through Amazon, click here to review it. (Also, feel free to give it some Goodreads love.)

Powell’s still has copies. Feel free to sell them out there, too.

Banango Lit gave Bodies Made of Smoke its first mostly negative review. It is at least a thoughtfully, negative review. You can read that here.

Tomorrow, I will be on The Unknown Show. You might be able to call in and ask really inappropriate questions.

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Apr 18 2013
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Uncategorized

What Are We Showing in the Show Me State?

I featured last night at the St. Louis Poetry Slam.

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I decided to do mostly new/unheard work, with a couple of standards thrown in

  1. #safetytipsforladies – Rick Ross
  2. #safetytipsforboys – Taylor Swift
  3. Trojan
  4. A Love Poem As Directed By Wes Anderson
  5. Just Do It
  6. Duncan MacLeod Drinks Alone (from Bodies Made of Smoke)
  7. Primer
  8. Quadriplegic

I had a lot of fun doing this set. It was really nice to get back out in front of an audience with this kind of variety.

I did record the entire show, and I’m posting a piece here and there. This is #safetytipsforladies – Rick Ross (banter with the audience included).

***

Bodies Made of Smoke got a review over at Sabotage, which you can check out here.

I’ll be reading at Mellow Pages Library in June and they got the copy of Bodies Made of Smoke that I sent to them. It’s really cool to be part of an amazing project.

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Apr 08 2013
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flash fiction, poetry, publication news

It’s Showtime

Editor’s Note: This is not going to be the most organized entry. 

I’m featuring at a poetry slam for the first time in almost a year next week (April 17) while I’m in St. Louis and I’m thrilled about it. I’m still pondering the set list (I have at least one new poem memorized so far). Here’s the details:

Since 1997 and before…
Every 3rd Wednesday of the Month
One lucky Poet wins a $50 Cash prize,
Audience Judged. Open to all.
$5 Door at 7pm. Show starts at 7:30pm.

The top 3 poets will feature @ 2720 Cherokee’s Free First Friday Art Show.

Sponsored by RAC, Left Bank Books, Dunaway Books, Mokabe’s Coffee, Maya Cafe, and YOU.

776-7370

Focal Point Concerts
2720 Sutton Blvd, Maplewood, Missouri 63143

***

I saw another sample for my upcoming YesYes Books collection. I’m not saying much right now except I am excited about the direction it’s going and y’all will see previews soon.

***

Haven’t done a lot of reading lately, partially because what I have on my Kindle isn’t exactly calling out to me. I know I need to get back to what I have, but eh.

***

I am thrilled with the music coming out in 2013. 2012 was dry and uninspiring. I only saw one concert last year, and The Afghan Whigs didn’t have a new album. I saw Jeff Mangum in January with Laura and we’re seeing The National in June in Brooklyn.

This morning, The National released their first single from their new album. It was too early for me to comprehend it (I have an iTunes season pass for Mad Men and I woke up at five in the morning to watch the season premiere). Tonight, I listened to it a few times and read the lyrics.

High Violet came out in the beginning of my separation/divorce and it became the soundtrack of that, salt in a wound when I needed the emotional velocity to write. I’m in a much better place now. This song is heartbreaking and gorgeous. It’ll be the first time I’ve listened to The National when happy.

***

I got my first customer review at Powell’s for Bodies Made of Smoke.

It’s really cool to see that kind of feedback, humbling and flattering.

***

I have two poems over at The Subterranean Quarterly, which you can read here and here.

I have a piece of flash fiction over at Litbomb here.

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Apr 01 2013
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poetry, publication news

April Is My Safe Word

It’s National Poetry Month, and as usual for National Poetry Month, I write more fiction, because there’s enough people writing poetry only during this month. I built the first draft of Bodies Made of Smoke around that time in 2011. I was writing flash fiction in 2010, and chasing after Jesus Christ, Boy Detective in 2012.

I get writers need a challenge to get them going, but this challenge could be done at any time, not just a month. I only hope that when people decided to submit these poems written during this time that they are revised and that, if I see them when I’m reading for a magazine, I enjoy them.

***

Literary fiction is fucking boring. I agree, wholeheartedly. I read Karen Russell’s latest short story collection and it left nothing behind after I finished it. I did finally finish Scott McClanahan’s Crapalachia: A Biography of a Place, which I strongly recommend buying and reading. I enjoyed his down-to-earth storytelling style in Stories V and he makes it work incredibly well in this book. I’m working my way through Sam Pink’s Rontel at the moment.

***

Capitalism is what will get me to write more poems during National Poetry Month. Buy a copy of Bodies Made of Smoke through Powell’s, Amazon, or through me, send me proof of purchase, and I will personally write you a poem and mail it to you as a thank you.

***

I’m back in Safety Pin Review. Check it out below.

The Fiddleback published an excerpt of my novel-in-progress (tentatively titled Jesus Christ, Boy Detective and The Royal Flush of Fate), which you can check out here.

 

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Mar 24 2013
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poetry, publication news, self assessment

You Are The Product

As a creative person, you have to think of yourself as a product, from the way you brand yourself to the way you sell your work in public. One of the things I’ve always struggled with is selling my work to people and I’m not sure why.

I know I can be a bit unlikable at times. I struggled with likability when I used to run a poetry slam a long time ago, partially because of my own immature behavior. I am critical, almost to the point where I am unafraid to heckle what I hear at an open mic if it’s really bad (hence why I don’t go to them any more).

I’m immensely proud of Bodies Made of Smoke and the reviews for it have been excellent so far, like this latest one. I’m doing ok with selling the book in person or through one-on-one interactions online. The neat trick is getting strangers to buy copies of it and I’m not entirely sure how to do that; this is the most frustrating part of writing, getting it in peoples hands after all is done and revised. I’m working on it and I think that’s something any writer has to work on.

***

I have a poem in the latest issue of Prick of the Spindle, which you can read here.

I have a new piece in the Winter issue of Short, Fast and Deadly, which you can read here.

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Mar 16 2013
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Writing

This Is How You Lose Me

I’ve read submissions for literary magazines for the past year and I’ve noticed some cover letter trends (except for NAP, which wisely doesn’t allow for cover letters).

1. “This story/This poem is about…” – If you have to tell me what your story or poem is about, then your poem or story fails to do its essential job of making me figure out what it’s about.

Exception: If your set of poem is part of a cycle, you can tell me about the cycle. Let the poems do their job though.

2. “I am the xxxx winner of xxxx award/I’m a xxxx runner up.” – Congratulations on the award or almost winning it. I’m sure it is well deserved. However, this raises my expectations of your submission, especially if said prize is prestigious, like a Pushcart of a Pulitzer.

3. “I’ve been published in (name drops 10 to 15 magazines).” – Again, totally awesome that so many magazines enjoy your work. However, like 2., knowing where you’ve been published previously could raise my expectations of your submission, especially if your publishing credits include magazines I enjoy, know are a big deal, or I previously worked for.

I’m not sure if other editors think like this, but this at least is what’s working in my head when I’m reading through submissions. This is why my I keep my cover letters concise:

  • J. Bradley is the author of Bodies Made of Smoke (HOUSEFIRE, 2012). He is the Web Editor of Monkeybicycle and lives at iheartfailure.net.

If I don’t have a book currently out, I alter the bio a little

  • J. Bradley is the Web Editor of Monkeybicycle and the Fiction Editor of NAP. He lives at iheartfailure.net.

If the magazine has specific cover letter guidelines, follow them. We love it when you follow guidelines. If you really enjoy the magazine, tell us and cite examples of pieces you really enjoyed. That tells me you read the publication, and I appreciate you all that much more.

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Mar 10 2013
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publication news

Give Them Ice For Their Fevers

This staycation has been an abject failure from a productivity perspective. I wanted to do more than what I expected but food poisoning/influenza has a way of taking that a way from you. Here’s what I managed though

2013-03-06 16.43.08This is almost ready to be revealed. I’ve been working on this for months and months, perfecting it. Some folks have been kind enough to beta test it and it is at its final incarnation. I can’t wait to have it revealed to everyone.

I carved out a bit of the Jesus Christ, Boy Detective novel and I realized I did some restructuring late last year. However (until earlier), I haven’t had motive to get the draft into fighting shape. I’m going to try again and hopefully have something ready in the summer. I’m at the stage of the project where I am having a hard time caring about it and I think I need this phase in order to get recharged.

One way of recharging is not writing JCBD stories, and here is one of them. Enjoy.

 

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