Bothered, Bewildered

October 27, 2007

So, continuing with the “Bewitched” theme (it is almost Halloween, after all), I gave a reading last night at the San Diego Writer’s Ink/Ink Spot with several of my fellow Creative Writing Instructors from one of the colleges where I teach.

The story I read is called “Bothered, Bewildered” and was published last year in a beautiful Journal called Versal, out of the Netherlands. It’s available here in select bookstores in NYC and San Francisco, among others. This was the US premiere of the story, which was exciting for me; it had never been read aloud, and not in the US!

The reading went well and it was basically a full house. We had two readers who read their poetry and then three of us read fiction. My piece is somewhat funny, though I’d like to think it’s a bit darker than my usual nostalgic pieces– and it has a bit of a twist at the end that I don’t think the reader/audience expects. You can order the journal online(HERE–Though my issue, Vol. 4, is sold out! But it may be available in some of the bookstores listed, which you could order it from)–again, they put together a really lovely lit mag (AND, if you’re a writer, they are always looking for submissions).

Here’s an excerpt from my story:

I was eleven when I told my ten-year-old neighbor that I was a witch. Or a warlock I should say, since guys can’t be witches. Chalk it up to too many reruns of Bewitched on television. I told Jimmy I was friends with Samantha, Endora and Doctor Bombay.

Jimmy had the whitest-blond hair of any kid I’d ever seen. In summer it turned green from all the chlorine in his family’s pool, where we would swim unsupervised for hours, sometimes even days. Taking occasional breaks for Kool-Aid and bologna sandwiches. I told him that green hair meant he had the potential to be a warlock too. I would be like his Jedi Master, teaching him his craft.

**

If you can’t find a copy of my story out there let me know and i’ll send one to you.

**

The fires are getting under control now. And the skies are clearing up, back to blue with white clouds. Such a strange week. I wasn’t nearly as productive as I should have been. Still, I organized (and got rid of) files, cleared out books to take to the used bookstore, blogged, and began chapter 4 of my novel. CHAPTER 4!

This new writing class i’m taking, similar to the previous class, is really keeping me regimented about working on the book. The class is about structure–of scenes, chapters… laying out timelines. I’m such a planner so I love this kind of stuff.

I also made two more postcards for post.due (the postcard swap). These two are part of a new series of cards/collages that i’m doing. I call it the MEAT SERIES, because I use images of MEAT with images of domesticity and other products that are seemingly unrelated to meat. This is the 2nd series i’ve done (the first is my PATTERNS series).

I call the first one “Lipstick Meat” and the second one “Teacher Meat.” Most of the images are from Life Magazine from 1954.

Not sure who (or if) i’ll send these out to, but I had fun making them.

If you haven’t joined the postcard swap do so now! You might end up getting some MEAT from me (har har).

**

Finally, couldn’t resist it– had to buy THIS shirt from Threadless.

It had been too long since i’ve found/bought a fun t-shirt. I was going through withdrawal. You can buy it (HERE) too! They also have this fun Halloween shirt.

Speaking of Halloween, Ted and I need to go out and get our costumes for a Halloween party tonight. We’ll reveal them tomorrow (don’t want to ruin the surprise).