Clifford Garstang's Blog, page 179

A Writer's Guide to Microsoft Office

Here's something I learned at Winter Wheat this weekend: Poet Joannie Stangeland, who works at Microsoft, hosts a series of online videos to help writers take advantage of Microsoft Office. Although I'm fairly comfortable with Office (still learning 2007!), I know that I'm using only a fraction of the tools it offers writers. I'm looking forward to learning from Joannie! A Writer's Guide to Microsoft Office

And here's the premiere episode:

Winter Wheat

I've just returned from a weekend in Bowling Green Ohio where I attended this year's Winter Wheat--The Mid-American Review Festival of Writing. I gave a presentation on the subject of Strategies for the Story Cycle in which we discussed linked short story collections. It seemed to be a good discussion and, in any event, I was glad to have spent the time organizing my thoughts on the subject. I attended many interesting presentations, including a few on methods for stimulating ideas.

The Festiv...

Library Talk

This afternoon at 5:30 pm I will be giving a talk at the Middlebrook Branch of the Augusta Country Library about my book, In an Uncharted Country. I hear that refreshments will be served!

Review of In an Uncharted Country

There's a very nice review of In an Uncharted Country at the blog Coarse Cracked Corn. The kind words are much appreciated!

The New Yorker: "Premium Harmony" by Stephen King

Ray and Mary argue. She's fat and he smokes, and they argue about that. They argue about the lawn, they argue about Biznezz, their Jack Russell terrier. But as Ray knows, "It's really all the same argument. It has circularity." In addition to arguing, they lie. He lies about how much he smokes and she lies about the Little Debbie cakes she eats. As the story opens, they're on their way to Wal-Mart, but Mary wants to stop at the Quik-Pik to get a purple ball for her niece, a 99 cent birthday p...

North Carolina Book Tour

I just got back from a quick trip to North Carolina, where I did three readings (from my book In an Uncharted Country) with my friend Mary Akers. For the first two events, at McIntyre's Fine Books in Fearrington (near Chapel Hill) and at Shakespeare & Co. in Kernersville, we were joined with Kevin Watson from Press 53, our publisher. For the third event, at Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, we were on our own, although the audience was filled with friendly faces.

All three readings were ...

2010 Pushcart Prize Rankings

I am pleased to share with you the 2010 Pushcart Prize Rankings. As I have noted in years past, the following list looks only at the Pushcart Prizes awarded and Special Mentions in Fiction since 2000. Awards before that date are less relevant, it seems to me, in determining the relative quality of magazines publishing today. In fact, beginning with next year's list I will start dropping older years out of the formula, in order to keep the list truly current. Note, also, that I am not consider...

Stay Tuned: Pushcart 2010 Rankings

My copy of the 2010 Pushcart Prize Anthology (XXXIV) arrived today! So I'm going to take it with me on my book tour this weekend and will post an update of the Pushcart Prize Rankings as soon as I can. Stay tuned!

North Carolina Readings Reminder!

I'm looking forward to this weekend's swing through North Carolina for a series of readings with my good friend Mary Akers (Women up on Blocks).

First up is our appearance at McIntyre's Fine Books in Pittsboro/Fearrington on Friday, November 6, at 2:00pm. (That's near Chapel Hill, I'm told.)

On Saturday afternoon, November 7, at 1:00pm, we'll be at Shakespeare & Co. in Kernersville (which is between Greensboro and Winston-Salem).

And on Sunday afternoon, November 8, at 3:00pm, we'll be doing our...

New Issue: The Short Review - November

The November issue of The Short Review is up, and it's got a fresh new look and logo. Very nice!

Included this month are reviews by Shellie Zacharia, Deborah Kay Davies, Richard Lange, Patricia Highsmith, and others! Don't forget the interviews--always fascinating.