Archive for the 'fiction' Category

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George R.R. Washington Presents A Game of Groans 3/27

Published on February 29, 2012 0 Comments
Mar ’12
27
7:00 pm

A GAME OF GROANS
A Sonnet of Slush and Soot By George R.R. Washington

It’s the story fans of George R.R. Martin’s series A Song of Fire and Ice know and love—well, sort of. In the wayward world of GEORGE R.R. WASHINGTON’s A GAME OF GROANS:  A Sonnet of Slush and Soot (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Griffin; 1-250-01126-4; March 27, 2012; Trade Paperback Original; $9.99) seasons can last decades. And trouble is brewing. The warmth is returning, and in the thawing tundra of the North of Summerseve, something wicked is coming. A GAME OF GROANS  is the story of the Barkers of Summerseve, headed by Lord Headcase Barker and Lady Gateway Bully Barker, and their children including Allbran, Bobb, Malia, Sasha, and of course, bastard Juan Nieve (all followed by their pet direpandas, natch).

The Barkers are a family unit as hard and unforgiving as the pronunciation of “Daenerys Targaryen” and nothing will be the same after a visit from King Bobbert Baronme and the royal family. Swooping from this land of sweater weather to a balmy kingdom of equestrian delights and outdoor fornication, here is an epic of novella proportions. Amid plots and counterplots, wizards and warriors, poor reception and no wireless, the future of the Barkers, their BFFs, and their enemies dangles in the balance, as each strives to star in that funniest of concepts: a parody of George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones

GEORGE R.R. WASHINGTON is the author of many novels. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Outer Limits, Teen Wolf, and many other films and pilots that are currently stored in the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository. He lives with the lovely Natalie in Chicago, Illinois.

Tues, March 27th, 7pm

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Joyland Magazine and Dzanc Books present The Fiction Feed: AWP Edition 3/1

Published on December 15, 2011 0 Comments
Mar ’12
1
7:00 pm

Joyland Magazine and Dzanc Books present
The Fiction Feed: AWP Edition

Joyland Magazine and Dzanc Books are two innovative publishers pushing fiction with great writing and new means of print and digital distribution. Join us for an evening with four writers, hailing from Chicago, New York and Vancouver. Hosted by Joyland co-founder Brian Joseph Davis and Dzanc co-publisher Dan Wickett.

READERS

Eugene Cross has published work in Narrative Magazine, American Short Fiction, Story Quarterly and Callaloo, among other journals. He is the recipient of scholarships from the Chautauqua Writers’ Festival and the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. He currently lives in Chicago. Fires of Our Choosing (Dzanc) is his first book.

Kevin Chong is the author of four books, including his acclaimed debut Baroque-a-Nova (Penguin) and the travelogue Neil Young Nation (Douglas & McIntyre). His new novel from Arsenal Pulp is titled Beauty Plus Pity. He lives in Vancouver and is a section editor for Joyland.

Jeff Parker is the author of the novel Ovenman (Tin House) and the story collection The Taste of Penny (Dzanc). He co-edited the anthologies Amerika: Russian Writers View the United States and Rasskazy: New Fiction from a New Russia. His nonfiction book Igor in Crisis: A Russian Journal is forthcoming from HarperCollins.

Megan Stielstra is a writer, storyteller and the literary director for 2nd Story, Chicago’s urban storytelling series. She has performed for the Goodman Theatre, the Chicago Poetry Center and National Public Radio. She teaches in the Fiction Writing Department at Columbia College. Her debut collection of stories, Everyone Remain Calm, is now available from Joyland/ECW Press.

For more info: joylandmagazine.com and dzancbooks.org

Thursday, March 1, 7PM

Advance pre-print event: Graham Rae Reads Soundproof Future Scotland 2/17

Published on December 15, 2011 0 Comments
Feb ’12
17
7:00 pm

SOUNDPROOF FUTURE SCOTLAND is a linguistically deranged trip into a dead-end, techno-punk future that lies firmly within our sight.

Scotsman Graham Rae’s new book Soundproof Future Scotland (Creation Books) is a sort-of futuristic meditation on his old home country. Welcome to the end of the known world. Set in the 22nd century in an independent Scotland, it details the lives and loves and hates of Johnny Certex and Ratsoup. These young cyberdrunk boyz spend their weekend boozing, band practice, drinking, digigames, hacktivism, skarboarding, chopping maul madness. The the book follows them as they drink and play digigames and ponder their small-town world (the center of Satellite Town, the rubbish dump where they live) before they start their crappy jobs as holographic refuse collectors. They plan to go to see their all-time fave band live, Empty Vessels, as the inescapable gravitational pull of Wavesound drags them closer to The Best Gig Ever.

Soundproof Future Scotland is more Charles Bukowski than William Gibson; a raw, lyrical, hilarious, thought-provoking trawl through the underbelly of a Scotland that may yet come to be.

This book is not in print yet, so Quimby’s will have vouchers valid for digital download  that will be on sale at the event.

SOUNDPROOF FUTURE SCOTLAND has already drawn significant praise:

“New writers, like yourself, will always keep appearing, thank God, + shock + delight a new generation of readers.” -JG Ballard

“If Henry Miller decided to rip off both William Gibson and William Burroughs, it might read like this gritty sexplosive novel set in the 22nd century.” -Richard Kern

“Aside from creative heckling, the highest praise one could pay Scottish ex-pat Graham Rae on the occasion of his rip-roaring novel Soundproof Future Scotland is to say that the writing crackles with the wit, (unintentional) wisdom, and sheer, unadulterated energy of great rock ‘n’ roll. Irvine Welsh, move over, and Lester Bangs, I think you’d be proud.” -Jim DeRogatis

“Graham Rae makes heterosex sound quite appealing. Which is of course the test of any great fiction writer.” -Mark Simpson

Graham Rae’s work has been featured in Realitystudio.org, Filmthreat.com, American Cinematographer, Cinefantastique, and 3ammagazine.com. His work has also appeared in the Deep Red Horror Handbook, and the anthology Please: Fiction Inspired by The Smiths. He has also appeared on BBC Radio Scotland as a film critic.

Fri, Feb 17th, 7pm

For more info: www.creationbooks.com

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The CWG Presents: Prompts/Prompted Here at Quimby’s 9/23

Published on August 27, 2011 0 Comments
Sep ’11
23
7:00 pm

The Creative Writing Guild presents it’s latest publication, Prompts/Prompted. The dual issue is a compilation of instructions for experimental writing, and the CWG’s own written results. Five CWG contributors will read selections from the books, explain instructions, and share recent summer writing. Bring a pen and paper.

The Creative Writing Guild aims to share experimental and traditional writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago writing community.

cwgsaic.blogspot.com

Fri, Sep 23rd, 7pm

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Rebekah Mercuri Reads From Weeding the Seeds of Deceit 9/15

Published on August 16, 2011 0 Comments
Sep ’11
15
7:00 pm

Many of the events experienced by the main character of Rebekah Mercuri’s debut novel echo the true-life experiences of the author, who herself, was involved in a Christian Cult.

Weeding the Seeds of Deceit is a story of Hope Locker, a young woman seeking closure to the haunting and vivid memories of an impoverished life, beginning with the manipulations and contradictions from a Christian Cult her parents joined in her youth.  When the prophet of the cult threatens their lives, the family escapes to Texas to live with Hope’s paternal grandfather. The deep affliction her parents feel from dragging the family into such annihilation leads them down an even more despairing and destructive path. Despite the cult experience, Hope maintains her faith through prayer, and music later becomes her sole outlet from life’s chaos, and provides her with the inspiration to follow her dreams.

 

REBEKAH MERCURI is a writer and mother of two. She had a unique and nomadic childhood as a member of a Christian cult. Her experiences inspired her to pen her debut fiction novel, Weeding the Seeds of Deceit. Mercuri was born in Anaheim, California and was educated at Columbia College Chicago, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Fiction Writing. She also holds an Associate’s degree in Marketing and Business Management from Cincinnati State Community College. She resides in Chicago, Illinois and is currently working on a her next novel.

 

Thurs, Sep 15th, 7pm

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