Posts Tagged ‘Meat’

Among Animals 2 is coming!

The next volume of the anthology Among Animals is coming in September!  Like the first volume, this book collects short stories that explore how humans interact with other species in complex, heartbreaking, hilarious, and humbling ways.  I’m so honored that my short story “Phoenix Cross” will be appearing alongside contributions from applauded writers like JoeAnn Hart.  Check out Ashland Creek Press for updates–and to get a copy of the first anthology, which features “Meat” by yours truly.

And if you’re around the DC-area this fall, I’ll be reading from the book and taking part in a discussion at The Potter’s House!  Date TBD.

Another review!

Muchos gracias to Bethany W. Pope, over at Sabotage Reviews, who just covered Among Animals and “Meat” in particular.  Check it out!

It’s interesting that so many readers take the character Meat to be a pig, when the story never identifies Meat’s species.  Thoughts?  Leave me a message.

Among Animals reviewed!

Ashley E. Reis gave Among Animals and my contribution “Meat” a sweet review in The Goose Vol. 13 Issue 2.  Click the link to check it out.  Thanks, Ashley!

Publication – Among Animals

It’s launched!  Among Animals, the collection from Ashland Creek Press, is now available.  My short story “Meat” appears among fourteen others exploring the ways humans and other animals interact.  A big thanks to author and editor Midge Raymond for her hard work on this, and all the folks at Ashland, especially Jennifer Hartsock for her thoughtful questions.

New story collection, coming February 2014

“Meat” will be appearing in a new short story collection from Ashland Press, Among Animals: The Lives of Animals and Humans in Contemporary Short Fiction.  I thought the title was going to be Animals Among Us, so the change got me thinking.  Animals Among Us could imply that (non-human) animals are interlopers, creatures who don’t rightly belong — they are among “us,” but not part of “us.”  Among Animals carries just the reverse implication: we are the outsiders here, struggling to relate and live on a planet where, as one of my old tee shirts reads, “They were here first.”  Of course humans are animals, too, and a collection with this title could just as well feature human-centric stories.

I’m very excited to read the work from the other contributors, and to hear feedback on “Meat.”  Since the story was published in The Again, it’s brought out some good discussion with friends and family about the practicality and challenges of veganism.  I’m hoping, with the publication of the book from Ashland, this discussion can continue in more public forums — readings and author events — as well as informally.  In particular, how can (or should) a concern with animal rights jive with other progressive agendas, like protecting the natural world, organic, small farms, or indigenous rights?

Comments welcome if you’ve got ’em.

Publication – The Again No. 11

My short story, “Meat,” appears in the long-awaited May issue of The Again.  Mild reader warning: some disturbing images and ideas here, and  I find the illustrations, by editor Mike Bonsall, creepy as hell.