American Short Fiction blog

Amelia Gray and Stacy Muszynski are the cohosts of Austin’s Five Things. The Austin Chronicle describes the series as “a scrappy, freewheeling multimedia show.” Amelia and Stacy put it this way: “Five Things inspires five brave (or is that brazen?) and talented artist-people to concoct a new and intriguing five-minute piece (from prose to poem to performance, or a tantalizing mixture to each’s taste) using humor and a central theme.”

Today, Five Things will host the winners of its first writing contest in a show that includes music by Cartographers, Morris Orchids, and the Baker Family Band. The show begins at 7:30 pm at the U.S. Art Authority (510 West 29th Street). With music before the show by Bethany Bauman. Admission is $1.

ASF asked five questions of Five Things.

1. How (and when) did you get started? What inspired Five Things?

AG: Zach Dodson and Jonathan Messenger, my publishers at Featherproof Books, each have great shows in Chicago–The Show ‘n Tell Show and The Dollar Store, respectively. The Dollar Store show in particular grabbed my attention. The idea of getting writers to create something new and interesting to fit a theme made sense to me as a writer. The most interesting readings happen when the work is fresh. Also I had only been in Austin a year and I wanted to know more local writers.

SM: I got involved as soon as [Amelia's] initial query for writers came through the email for that first show. I emailed back so fast.That first show happened in September 2008. Beyond the nerves and excitement it was true love for me. I was honored to be the inaugural performer. As soon as I got off “stage” (it was a slab of concrete parking lot in front of do512 offices, I told Amelia I was in it for the long haul if she was up for it. It’s been magic ever since.

2. Tell us about the concept of Five Things. How do you choose each show’s theme?

SM: Each show’s theme is a magical thing. There are potions and elixirs and thoughtful back-and-forth emails or middle-of-the night text messages when an idea strikes. Or, just discussion over dinner. There’s that, too. Good ol’ fashioned carb-fueled talk.

AG: We go back and forth, ask friends, send each other huge lists. The goal is to think up the most interesting or provocative or rich or funny concept that can be split into five different ideas. The contest was Stacy’s idea.

3. Five Things was listed in the Austin Chronicle‘s Best of Austin 2009 issue. They described you as “Literary Salon 2.0.” In addition to Five Things being a critics’ pick, it’s also enormously popular. Why do you think your series has struck such a chord? What do you think draws people in and keeps them coming back?

AG: I’m still figuring this stuff out, but the key to running a good show is in responding to the audience mood. Reading hosts in other cities are sometimes surprised that I book so many bands, but music is too good to ignore in Austin. Another part comes from my personal taste, which leans towards flash fiction, funny stuff, weird stuff. People tend to go along with that here in Austin, and I’m lucky for that.

SM: Austin is surprising, talented, eclectic, literary, musical, fun-loving and serious when it’s time to be, and just enough “weird” to help us feel comfortable in our own skin. So’s Five Things. We’re a little microcosm of Austin. Plus, a fabulous night out on a Friday night for as little as a buck! Dang!

Seriously, though: That’s how Five Things takes its responsibility to showcase emerging Austin artists. Amelia and I know how it is to emerge. We write. It can very lonely out there. So we make Five Things a great, safe place where it’s not lonely. It’s all kinds of things, but it’s not lonely. We’re passionate about that.

4. Y’all just ran your first writing contest on the theme of “A New Year.” The winners will be reading tonight. What’s in store for the audience?

SM: For our New Year celebration we’ll witness life! On an illegal dumping ground, in a garden with gnomes, under Congress Avenue Bridge, when your father wants you to believe he’s dead, and via the teachings of “I of the Tiger” about Chinese New Year!

AG: I think Stacy summed it up pretty well! I can’t wait to meet the people that wrote these stories.

5. What’s next for Five Things?

SM: You’ll definitely find out on March 5!

After that, we hope to keep the magic alive and even bring in some folk who know all about “emerging artists”–as they were there once.

AG: I’d love to get a little grant so I don’t need to worry about incidental costs and paying my sound guy and website and whatnot. Maybe we could get an intern on that? Maybe we could get an intern. Regardless, we’re going to drive this truck into the sun. Our next show is January 29 and the one after that is March 5.

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If you’re interested in an internship with Five Things, get in touch with Amelia and Stacy at fivethingsaustin[at]gmail.com.

Hey, y’all. We know you’ve all been sitting around, wondering what ASF is up to and why you’re not hearing about it constantly, so we thought we’d let you in. Sit down. Stay awhile.

Well, talk about a busy January. We’ve been all over the place (in the best way) with issues, readings, web exclusives, contests, podcast planning (yes!), and so many other projects.

Our Winter Reading was really amazing. Space 12 was a great host and listening to Farid, Maggie, and Michael reminded us again why we do all of this. Another big round of thanks to the readers; to Aaron Sinclair, who graced us with 45 minutes of awesome tunes; to Sinan from Xen Kitchen for providing delicious Turkish food; and to everyone who came or pitched in or told someone about it. Our readers and fans and friends make the reading events something to see. Check out the photos and, if you were there, let us know what you thought.

We’re also finishing up our contest judging and we’re about ready to pass the 10 contest finalists on to Rick Moody. We got a record number of submissions this year and so many of them were wonderful. Thanks so much for letting us read your work. And on that same note, we’re still working hard on our pile of regular submissions. Our staff and editorial assistants are prepping for a big reading push in February and we hope to make lots of headway on what we’ve received over the past few months. Be patient with us if you can. We’re always reading and considering pieces–we have a small (but extremely dedicated) staff over here.

Our AWP plans are coming along; we’re so excited for the panels and events and hope you’ll all come by the table to chat with us. We’ll have our Spring 2010 issue with us there—it’ll be in our hands, to subscribers, and on shelves in late March. Look for brilliant fiction from the outstanding Laura van den Berg, Susan Steinberg, Marie-Helene Bertino, and Matt Bell, just to name a few. There are seven stories in the issue and we love them all to pieces. You will, too.

And we’re preparing to celebrate Small Press Month in March with another massive, celebratory reading-shindig. They’ll be lots of other small presses working with us and we’ll be showcasing the independent lit and music scenes here in Austin. Look for more news in the coming weeks.

Oh, and while you’re here, check out Jean Kane, our Ms. January; her piece, “XCE” will be up for a little while longer.

One last thing on this rather dreary Thursday:

RIP, Mr. J. D. Salinger. Your short fiction has inspired us and continues to make us fiercely proud to do what we do.

Love to all.

JD Salinger, 91, has died. Here’s the first bit of New York Times coverage: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/jd-salinger-91-is-dead/

Eugene Cross, whose story “Rosaleen, If You Know What I Mean,” is featured in the current issue of ASF, is the winner of the third annual $5,000 Dzanc Prize.

Dzanc Books created the Dzanc Prize in 2007. The prize goes to a writer of literary fiction. All writers applying for the prize submit work in progress in addition to a proposed community service program.

As part of his project, Eugene will be teaching creative workshops for refugees from Nepal, Sudan, and Bhutan, in Erie, Pennsylvania. These workshops will be taught in parallel with an ESL class.

Dzanc quotes Eugene: “I’m excited and extremely honored to have been selected for the 2009 Dzanc Prize. The award will give me the opportunity to work closely with Nepalese, Bhutanese, and Sudanese refugees as they write and share their amazing stories even as they continue to unfold. I’m also deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue working on my manuscript while engaging in literary outreach with a civic- minded organization such as Dzanc.”

Congrats, Eugene!

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We just learned that Amber Dermont‘s story “Damage Control,” which appeared in Spring/Summer 2008, received the honor of “Notable Western Story of the Year” from Best of the West 2009: New Stories from the Wide Side of the Missouri. The new volume, out from UT Press, features great work from Lee K. Abbott, Daniel Chacón,  Louise Erdrich, and Antonya Nelson. Hooray, Amber!

ASF‘s Winter Reading Redux was last Saturday. We noshed on great Turkish food from Xen Kitchen, shared some beers, and listened to terrific music from Aaron Sinclair, front man of Frank Smith. Then it was time to sit back and be read to.

The event was held at the colorful new community space, Space 12.

Aaron Sinclair opened the evening. Damn, he can sing.

Dallas poet Farid Matuk read selections from a long poem.

Performer Maggie Wilhite offered her interpretation of the American Short Fiction story “The Execution Trick.”

ASF contributor Michael Noll closed with his expansive, surprising “Bullheads.”

After the reading portion, we rejoined the world of color. Here are Farid and ASF publisher Melanie Moore after the show.

ASF editor Jill Meyers with attendees.

Thanks to all who came! If you missed it, you can still get in on the magic of the Winter issue by picking one up here.

We’re already hard at work on our next event, planned for the end of March. Stay tuned for details. (This one’s going to be big!)

At least that’s what photographer Mark Menjivar’s latest series, You Are What You Eat, would have us do.

In his artist statement, Menjivar writes:

A refrigerator is both a private and a shared space. One person likened the question, “May I photograph the interior of your fridge?” to asking someone to pose nude for the camera. Each fridge is photographed “as is.” Nothing added, nothing taken away.

These are [20] portraits of the rich and the poor. Vegetarians, Republicans, members of the NRA, those left out, the underappreciated, former soldiers in Hitler’s SS, dreamers, and so much more. We never know the full story of one’s life.

My hope is that we will think deeply about how we care. How we care for our bodies. How we care for others. And how we care for the land.

Initially, these photos startled me. I laughed.

Like at someone walking out of a public bathroom with toilet paper stuck to her  shoe.

(more…)

Join us tomorrow night at 7 pm at Space 12 on the East Side for our Winter Reading Redux. We’ll have music by Aaron Sinclair, frontman of local band Frank Smith, plus readings by poet Farid Matuk, actress Maggie Wilhite, and fiction master Michael Noll. We’ll have free appetizers, provided by personal chef service Xen Kitchen. You can BYOB. You can enter a raffle to win some cool ASF swag. Most of all, you can support the magazine, hear some brilliant lit, and hang out with all of us for free! (Space 12 is located at 3121 E 12th St, near Airport.)

Oh, and here’ a sneak preview. Michael Noll read a 10-minute excerpt of his story “Bullheads” last Sunday on KOOP 91.7 FM. You can listen in here.

The 50-year-old Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world, with theater, comedy, music, dance, exhibitions, and more.

But it’s half a world away. And more half a year away—in August.

Austin’s FronteraFest, called “the fringe theater event of the Southwest” is happening right now. And it’s practically in your own backyard.

Come and get it: five weeks of Austin theater, including but not limited to, the Short Fringe, the Long Fringe, and Mi Casa.

The Breakdown

The Short Fringe  |  January 12—February 13  |  Hyde Park Theatre
Every night a new bill of four or five plays less than 25 minutes each. Think monologues, plays in progress, comedy improv, cabaret singers, avant-garde dance, short films or multimedia. You might find it here.

The Long Fringe  |  January 18—31  |  Salvage Vanguard Theater and  Blue Theatre
Longer productions (longer than 90 minutes) at Salvage Vanguard Theater and Blue Theatre: everything from new works by emerging playwrights to cutting-edge choreography.

Mi Casa Es Su Teatro  |  Saturday, February 6  |  various locations around Austin
A perennial audience favorite featuring site-specific productions around town.

I’m definitely going to January 22 at Hyde Park Theatre for Roger Reeve’s “Here, Nigger.” Where will you be?

*See FronteraFest calendar, read descriptions, buy tickets, finds maps, and more. Produced in collaboration with Austin Script Works.

It’s been more than a week since a devastating earthquake shook Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, leaving tens of thousands of survivors to struggle onward. As of today, international aid workers are continuing to arrive, some would say “too late.”

One of the reasons ASF exists, and also one of the reasons I was drawn to it, is its belief that writing and reading can change and even save lives. Though the fact remains: as a group of dedicated writers and readers, we tend not to be doctors or emergency medical workers. As the news and images of the devastation in Haiti escalates, we are reminded of this.

We are reminded, too, that our credos are not so different from those aid workers’ first do no harm. As a rule we care. On our best days we probe, understand, and translate suffering. We believe in easing pain.

And as members of a powerful international community of people who write, read, think, and care, please consider a donation to an organization working to help those struggling in Haiti:

American Red Cross |  Doctors Without Borders |  Oxfam America | unicef |  World Vision

In the same spirit of aid, of changing and saving lives, consider nominating someone or applying for Brown University’s IWP Fellowship.

The International Writers Project Fellowship lasts one-year, with residency.  The Fellowship, supported by a grant from the William H. Donner Foundation, is designed to provide sanctuary and support for established creative writers — fiction writers, playwrights, and poets — who are persecuted in their home countries or are actively prevented from pursuing free expression in their literary art.

The app/nomination deadline is February 15, 2010. More.

As you may recall from previous posts, the ASF blog is a friend to those writers and artists in search of a room (and board) of their own in the form of fellowships and residencies.

Shya Scanlon at Big Other is a fan, too: he’s doing investigative reporting from the trenches—those being the dark spots he’s likely wearing into his desk chair and runnelling into the floor beneath said chair’s squeaky wheels as he searches for opportunities and blogs about the process (formulating lists, composing artist statements, figuring application costs, etc.).

He opens his blog posts: “I’ll be applying to some artist residencies this year, and posting about the process. So far, I’ve created a list of programs that meet my two simple criteria: allow male writers and provide substantial, if not total, financial aid. (This is not meant to be a complete list.)”

He’s already listed more than a dozen hot spots, with updates along the way on what two applications have cost.

Bonus: You may find his readers’ feedback helpful.

Double bonus: I’ve been so inspired by his hard work that I too have found a sweet spot far from the maddening crowd: La Muse, in Southern France, bien sûr. Let the application processes commence!