Category Archives: Fiction

A Bookstore is Gone, Long Live the Books! Part 7-Wide Sargasso Sea

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A local used bookstore recently closed after 25 years. They had a fantastic going-out-of-business sale. While part of me feels “guilty” for taking advantage of their sad circumstances, the rest (and logical) part of me knows that they needed to sell as many books as possible. Through these books, a bit of their entrepreneurial and intellectual spirit will live on. With that idea in mind, I’m doing a limited-run series where I’ll spotlight each of the volumes I “adopted” from this sweet little shop. Shine on, you bookish gems!

Today’s selection? Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

Wide Sargasso Sea

DETAILS:

  • TITLE: WIDE SARGASSO SEA
  • AUTHOR: JEAN RHYS
  • INTRODUCTION: FRANCIS WYNDHAM
  • YEAR PUBLISHED:1966/FIRST PUBLISHED AS A NORTON PAPERBACK IN 1982
  • W.W. NORTON & COMPANY

Markings

WHY I BOUGHT IT:

I didn’t have a copy of this short novel in my collection, and the price was, of course, right. Nothing deeper than that.

Thanks for reading! I hope you like the new series. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Epic of World Saga: The Rescue

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Epic of World Saga is my buddy Kevin’s newest project. Think of it as a modern-day radio serial that blurs genre distinctions, and you’ll get the gist. As a long-time fangirl of 1930s-1950s radio shows, I am super thrilled to be onboard EoWS going forward after the pilot episode.

I’ll be helping out in two capacities, in front of and behind the microphone: co-scriptwriting and voice acting one of the main characters (and an odd villain or two). Working with Kev is always a wonderful, enriching experience; EoWS is sure to be the most fun we’ve ever had. And that is saying a lot, as we’ve been doing this collaboration-thing for 13+ years.

I promise to keep everyone updated on our creative shenanigans. Until next time, please enjoy the pilot episode. Although only a peek into what is coming up, it’s a solo tour-de-force on Kevin’s part.

Here Are the Next Two Reel Infatuation Blogathon Banners!

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More banners for June’s Reel Infatuation Blogathon!

Reel Infatuation

As promised, here are banners three and four for the 2017 Reel Infatuation Blogathon! Keep your eyes out for the final two banners.

Reel Infatuation 2017-Ty Power

Reel Infatuation 2017-Elizabeth Taylor

Have you signed up for the blogathon yet? It’s not too late! Go here for more information.

See you in June.

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Hey, Book Fans! Do You Character Crush?

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That’s a rhetorical question.

Of course you do.

Or, at least you have at some point in your life…

and will likely do so again.

You can’t help yourself. Neither can I. Neither can anyone.

Why not have fun with it, then?

***

As most of you know, I created Reel Infatuation and co-host the blogathon with Ruth of Silver Screenings.

Here’s a little refresher/introduction excerpt:

Reel Infatuation is a reader participation virtual cyclopedia of character crushes. It’s a symbiotic, interactive platform built on the old-fashioned notion of give-and-take. We want to hear all about your film, television, and literary loves! Are your stories sweet, silly, embarrassing, or seemingly inexplicable? Share ’em! First crushes, old crushes, new crushes? Bring ’em on. You show us yours, and we’ll show you ours!

And this:

Remember: the character is the thing. We want to hear about specific character crushes.

Sounds entertaining, eh? (It is. Trust us!)

Although it is pretty straightforward, I’ve noticed that one detail seems to get lost in the process. I’m not surprised. Between the name (Reel Infatuation) and the fact that most blogathons focus on film and television, it’s pretty easy to overlook the bookish element inherent in RI. In other words…

this one is for you, too, book lovers!

Literary characters are just as crush-worthy as their movie and television counterparts. Maybe more so. And we want to hear all about yours! This is one time that bringing a book to a party is expected, accepted, and celebrated.

I may or may not totally own this shirt (and wear it to places where I cannot read a book, but want to. I’m passive-aggressive, but compliant.)

If I Can’t Take My Book T-Shirt from Look Human

So…

the moral to this post is

that we

MOST DEFINITELY

WANT YOU TO

BRING YOUR BOOK CHARACTER CRUSHES

TO OUR SUPER-FUN PARTY!

It wouldn’t be the same without you.

Since A Small Press Life is nothing if not a book blog, this is where I’ll be talking about my slightly unhealthy love for Archie Goodwin. (My discussion of television’s Hamilton Burger and Carl Kolchak will take place at our sister-site, Font & Frock.)

We hope to see you in June!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP.

January Round-Up: Seven Cool Posts

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“To Let: One Cheap, Roomy, Salubrious Flat”

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I posted this piece of flash fiction over on Font and Frock last Saturday. I thought it would be fun to share here. Enjoy!

**

“As I was saying, Miss, a small bed fits in that nook, and the case over there holds at least fifty books.”

“I’m not sure I want to live here! The windows are grubby…”

“They’ve been cleaned twice!”

“There are so many pinholes in the walls.”

“You won’t notice them without  your glasses on.”

“But I need my glasses to see.”

“Then don’t stand so close. Isn’t that better already?”

“This flat is awfully large.”

“It’s big enough for three!”

“I’m single.”

“You’ll have room to grow!”

“The price is nice.”

“It’s the best! There’s nothing cheaper, roomier, or more salubrious in this neighborhood.”

“The floor is covered with dust. Great mounds of dust!”

“Keep the windows closed.”

“I need sufficient light and air.”

“Buy a broom.”

“I’m just not sure if this is the place for me.”

“It won’t be on the market long, not with its literary connections.”

“Literary connections?”

“Don’t you know? This cheap, this roomy, this salubrious flat is where Tom Chambers wrote Good Night Bassington!”

“You don’t say?”

“Indeed, I do! As I recall, his typewriter sat on a desk right over…”

“Perhaps this is the place for me after all? Yes, I’m sure I’ll like it here!”

Me, Myself and I: The Writer(s) of Font and Frock

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Want to learn more about our new sister site? Go here!

Font and Frock

Font and Frock Welcome Banner

On its placid surface, Font and Frock seems like a pretty straightforward project. It is dedicated to four dazzling F-words: film, fashion, [flash] fiction, and feminism. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find, reverberating from its core, a bit of experimental weirdness.

What does this mean?

To find out, let’s head behind the scenes with a partial transcript from our most recent staff meeting.

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I’m Anthology-Bound, with Fossil Lake II: The Refossiling!

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My short horror story Beyond the Boneyard Gate, which initially came to life a year ago in a lovely on-line magazine called The Paperbook Collective, is being published in an anthology due out in February.

I am happy and honored to be part of Fossil Lake II: The Refossiling.

Table of Contents for Fossil Lake

Partial Table of Contents for Fossil Lake II: The Refossiling.

The book is full of stories from wonderful writers.

Brian Keene is penning the foreword.

The cover art will be spectacular.

Big thanks to Christine Morgan, the editor/publisher/ringleader.

I’ll  keep you updated. In the meantime, feel free to head over to Fossil Lake to view the full Table of Contents or just poke around.

Fossil Lake is also on Facebook!