Ben Tanzer's Blog, page 252

"A pocket sized chapbook that carries a big punch." I Am Richard Simmons gets Eddie Socko'd. And likes it. A lot.

Many thanks to Mel Bosworth and his crew at No More Hot Lunches for Eddie Socko for their kind words about I Am Richard Simmons. We think that Mel just might have a little bit of Richard Simmons in him as well. Huh, that didn't sound right, we better run that by legal before we post this. In the meantime though please feel free to enjoy the below excerpt.

"B-Tanz (I hope he doesn't mind me calling him that) delivers with speed, deftness, humor, and heart."

The Torn Pages show gets some love from The Gapers Block. Yes, that Gapers Block.

How cool is this? As mentioned here previously TBWCYL, Inc. spokesperson Ben Tanzer is thrilled to be participating in the Torn Pages art show here in Chicago. The show is bringing together 11 Chicago writers and artists to write and illustrate "pages torn from our most favorite imaginary books." If all that wasn't cool enough though, Torn Pages just got a big shout-out from the Gapers Block. Yes, that Gapers Block. As we said, quite cool, yes? Yes, as is the above illustration by the quite...

Guess what's coming? The Fox Force Five chapbook collective from Paper Hero Press that's what.

That's right. And for more information go here. Really. Good. Enjoy.

This Self-Portrait Will Change Your Life, Week Forty-Three - "When I Write About Running."

It is week forty-three of This Self-Portrait Will Change Your Life, our wholly self-absorbed effort to post one self-portrait per week for one year. This week we are reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Mirakumi and soon we are going to write a piece about the relationship between running and writing, or at least our compulsions in both areas and how they must somehow intersect. No, for real, we're going to. In the interim though if you would like to follow this...

Pettus. Bosworth. New stuff. Life changing stuff.

Hold the presses. Is that the right cliche? Let's say it is. And let's say that Jason Pettus and the crew at CCLaP have a new joint out - The CCLaP 100 - as does the always handsome and bearded Mel Bosworth - When the Cats Razzed the Chickens & other stories - and we are thinking that you may just want to order both. Like right now. Will doing so change your life? Maybe. So why not hit it? There you go.

The new edition of This Zine Will Change Your Life is live and full of sunshine. Well that, and Holly Day.

The new edition of This Zine Will Change Your Life is live and full of sunshine. Or something like that. We have a new poem Hot Sunshine Song by Holly Day, which we are way excited about, and, as always, photo action from Adam Lawrence, a music selection from Jason Behrends and Republican leaning independent prose love from Pete Anderson. We hope you enjoy this edition and we appreciate all shout-outs and links. Finally, please note, that we think you are the bomb, all of you. Big time...

"Swooned all over again." I am Richard Simmons gets Pete Lit'd. And likes it a lot.

We cannot say that we don't expect, even hope, that the fine crew at Pete Lit, will be somewhat biased when it comes to our work, but we still very much appreciate the kind words they recently had say about our new ml press chapbook I Am Richard Simmons. Many thanks, and drinks for us, for sure, when next we meet. For the rest of you an excerpt:

"The story's eponymous narrator projects the energy and mania and exuberance and positivity and, yes, also the veiled desperation and sadness and...

More interview. More Michael Kimball. More Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine love. And Lenny Bruce. Sweet.

We are most excited, and a little embarrassed, to share a new interview with you done by none other than the most excellent writer Michael Kimball, author of TBWCYL, Inc. favorite Dear Everybody. The interview appears at The Faster Times and we hope you will take a look. Many thanks to Michael and drinks on us for sure when next we meet. We have also posted a brief excerpt below for your reading pleasure, so please do feel free to pleasure yourselves while you read it.

Kimball: Okay, now I...

There they go again. Who you ask? Those crazy kids at the featherproof. And what have they done now? It's called TripleQuick fiction. Check it out.

Weren't you just saying how much you wished you could download and read 333 word stories on your iPhone or iPod touch? Well, now you can via featherproof's latest venture, TripleQuick fiction. Pretty cool, yes, way, no go check it out, it will be fun. For real.

PRATE interview love. Parker Stevenson. And the Peter Schwartz. Goodness.

As previously mentioned we love you a lot. Well that, and there has been an odd, but much appreciated surge in interest in Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine and TBWCYL, Inc. spokesperson Ben Tanzer. Last week we were happy to share with you the very awesome Mel Bosworth Most Likely video and today we are quite excited to let you know that Ben has been interviewed by the quite cool Peter Schwartz as part of the really stellar Full of Crow PRATE interview series. Previous interviews...