163 December, 2010

book Book Lovers

Citrus County

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

Described by one critic as “Southern Gothic goes to middle school,” Citrus County, like its Gulf Coast namesake, feels both alien and alarmingly familiar. Brandon, who grew up just

map Macro-Fiction

Interstate Nocturne

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

I’m smashing my own hole through the star-freckled night, nothing around to be sucked into my trail except a few small animals that trickle out of the humps of forest the highway splits.

One Dentist, Many Frogs

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

The frogs, the unemployed men sitting at tables in cafes and restaurants were sometimes compelled by night or rain or no money in the pocket to disappear.

pages Micro-Fiction

A Full Boil

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

But this night, turnips were her concern, not Allison. “Carrots would be easy,” she grumbled to Warren, “but what could be more hateful than a turnip?”

Treacherous

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

My doctor’s hands felt large, cold. The genius confirmed my blindness, and postulated on shock, senility, psychosis. He and my daughter went on to talk about the big freeze forecast.

A Cloud

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

I plant my feet on the wet-clam ribbing of the shower floor and point my nose towards the nozzle, enjoying the peroxide sting of the water as it collects in my sinuses and chokes me gently.

local_library Poetry

perm_identity From the Editor

Celebrity time with Dad

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

The celebrity culture has always been alien and incomprehensible to me. I have never been in awe of anyone, except perhaps Mickey Mantle when I was four, and I have never wished I was someone else. Not that I think I’m even close to perfect, …

portrait One on One

Diane Lockward

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

Diane Lockward is the author of four collections of poetry, including her most recent work, Temptation by Water (Wind Publications, 2010). Her previous works are What Feeds Us (Wind Publications, 2006), winner of the Quentin R. Howard Poetry Prize; Eve's Red Dress (Wind Publications, 2003); and a chapbook, Against Perfection (Poet's Forum Press, 1998).

Benjamin Percy

Issue No. 163 ~ December, 2010

Benjamin Percy is the author of the recently published novel, The Wilding (Graywolf, 2010), and two collections of short stories, Refresh, Refresh (Graywolf, 2007) and The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon, 2006).