Publication and 3/15 Reading

In an early post on this site, I promised you all that one day I would write a blog post that was describing a story that wasn't about basketball. My first two published stories centered hoops and, for a while, it seemed like that was all people would know me for. I'm here to say that something else bearing my name and the names of some dear collaborators is now out in the world. This one is about a city of immortal people called Desperate, NC. Naturally, the title of the book, which is distributed by UNC Press, is Desperate, NC The Interactive Museum Exhibition Official Field Guide. It's a mosaic novella that we came up with while we were in workshop, taught by Cadwell Turnbull, during my time in the NCSU MFA program. This was just after the pandemic had started. We collaborated via e-mail and Zoom to put this together–each of us looking at what the previous person had written and adding to it in our own way, except for Jesse who wrote the first chapter after hearing creative input from our group. My chapter centers a fictional character named Axel Herzog, the made up grandson of one of my filmic idols Werner Herzog. I used this assignment as an opportunity to explore my previously separate interests in filmmaking, photography, and creative writing. That's all I'll say about it for now. If you'd like to know more, you can buy a copy at the link above.

Also, I will be performing another reading at Larema in Wilson, NC on March 15th at 7 p.m. I've gotten to know the organizer, Robert Creekmore, through the initial reading that we did last year, and through events a Yonder: Southern Cocktails and Brews, which is where I read at my first Noir at the Bar and where we've happen to run into each other on a couple of occasions. I genuinely appreciate the support and enthusiasm that Rob has extended toward me in his reception to my readings and invitation to read again. I'm still writing. Not quite as breakneck on the new novels, although I have a few ideas brewing and drafts ready to be edited. Instead I've been focusing on short stories lately. I wrote a couple over winter break, one of which deals with politics in a way that I believe is relevant to our current moment, but also unique in the way it centers a familiar conflict, but an unfamiliar character. I think I'm going to read this piece at this event. I know Wilson is far from the triangle, but the cafe has good food and drinks. The readers also read some very interesting stuff last time I was there in addition to having books for sale. If you can make it, I'd love to see you. 

On a third, unrelated note, Elisha and I got engaged at the end of December. I went to write "Happy New Year!" at the end of the last paragraph and realized this post would be incomplete without some mention of this development which I'm extremely excited about. I know I usually stick to writing stuff here, but I write about life. And Elisha has made my life better and new in so many different ways. Everyone has been asking for a date. We have a season picked out and a few venues. We both have some saving to do before our vision is really realistic. I'm thankful to Elisha for always believing in me and being a sounding board and refuge when I've needed her most. I'm thankful to those of you who have stuck by me and supported me as I became someone with the focus and stability to be a good partner. I'm thankful to any of you who have not yet joined our journey, but will soon whether it be through letters or some other happenstance. Even though I haven't published my own manuscript yet, and even though I'm still waiting on a few other career and personal developments, it feels like the future is opening up to us and revealing things we hadn't thought were possible. I'm thankful for that too!