One of the nicest things about Torched Verse Ends having come out is that I haven't sent a submission to a literary journal since early December. I'm going to wait until I have a group of at least 30 ready poems from the new project in coherent batches I can send out. I'm over halfway there, but I still won't be submitting again until at least this summer, I would guess. Yeehaw!

I have given up desserts. This includes (but is not limited to) chocolate, cake, cookies, sugared cereals, candy bars, sugar candies, brownies, mousse, pudding, ice cream, sundaes, custard, pie, and (boo) shakes. In case you can't tell, I like dessert.

I said my favorite mixed drink is Bacardi Coco and Coke Zero. That's my favorite quick mixed drink. My favorite mixed drink is the Sweet Margarita.

1. What's your favorite poem written by someone who's still alive?

This could change a half-dozen times by the time I publish the post, but right now I'll say "The Unbosoming" by Olena Kalytiak Davis.

2. If you could go to one restaurant and order one meal right now, what would it be?

The nachos at Senor Manuel's.

3. What movie did you watch most recently, and what did you think?

Appaloosa. I'm a sucker for Westerns, and I enjoyed the laconic byplay between Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen. The plot was somewhat perfunctory, though.

4. What aspect of writing do you struggle with the most?

In poetry, it's making the form go organically with the content rather than being either arbitrary or overdone. In fiction, it's plotting.

5. What game do you most enjoy playing?

Probably Texas Hold 'Em (I won another tournament on Friday). Also quiz bowl, the Civilization series, and basketball.

6. What gadget that you can't afford would you really like to buy?

If you take out "can't afford," a Tivo. If you take out "gadget," a pool table.

7. What's your favorite beer?

Pyramid Apricot Ale. Almost never drink it anymore. My favorite mixed drink is Bacardi Coco and Coke Zero.

8. What non-realist book of fiction do you enjoy the most?

The Lord of the Rings.

9. Whose music do you find most cathartic?

Tool or System of a Down.

10. On what website do you waste the most time during the day?

Probably The Onion AV Club.

11. What's your favorite adjective?

Moot.

12. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A pilot, and then a computer game designer / science fiction author.

13. Are you going to AWP this year?

Yup.

Anti- is back and better than ever with Featured Poet #19, Rebecca Loudon. Read poems from her new book, Cadaver Dogs!

My answers to follow, perhaps tomorrow if I have time. Please feel free to comment yours.

1. What's your favorite poem written by someone who's still alive?
2. If you could go to one restaurant and order one meal right now, what would it be?
3. What movie did you watch most recently, and what did you think?
4. What aspect of writing do you struggle with the most?
5. What game do you most enjoy playing?
6. What gadget that you can't afford would you really like to buy?
7. What's your favorite beer?
8. What non-realist book of fiction do you enjoy the most?
9. Whose music do you find most cathartic?
10. On what website do you waste the most time during the day?
11. What's your favorite adjective?
12. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
13. Are you going to AWP this year?

Has any poet ever gotten a worse time slot to read than Elizabeth Alexander having to follow Obama's inaugural address?

I know this blog has been very book-centric the last few weeks, and likely will continue to be so until AWP. However, in the interest of changing it up a little, I should note that last night I went to the River Styx reading featuring Oliver de la Paz and Virginia Slachman. A lovely time was had by all (or at least all I was aware of).

I've shipped copies to everyone who bought directly from me before today, plus I believe all the free copies I owe. Now I've moved to mailing review copies. To answer a question that has been asked several times, yes, I will be at AWP, and yes, many copies of the book will be there too.

Here's a picture of my box of books. Look, it's a box! And books!



And just for the hell of it, here's a highlight (HO HO HO) from the South City Christmas Light Tour.

The big box o' books has arrived (my first 50 author copies), so I'll be mailing out copies to everyone who's purchased directly so far. Now would also be a good time for you to buy--there are three open slots left on my sheet of mailing labels!

I took a picture of the open box, but it's really not that interesting...

Unexpectedly finished a draft this evening. I previously used this title on a poem that never did work out for me. It's from Doc Holliday in Tombstone.

"With the exception of one or two people whose names are common coin—Shakespeare, perhaps Faulkner—being well-known and being remembered is a mugg's game. There's no way of knowing whether you're going to wind up being Geoffrey Chaucer or Clarence Budington Kelland."

Thank you, Harlan Ellison.

Boy Book for sale! Head on over to the Publications page, and you'll see that Torched Verse Ends is now available for you to buy. You can get it from Amazon (and hopefully from Small Press Distribution soon), but I'd recommend purchasing straight from the source, as it's cheaper and you get a nifty author signature! It, uh, might take a couple days longer to ship, though, since I just ordered my author copies.

I don't really believe in guilty pleasures--outside of the most private stuff, there's little I like that I'm shy about owning up to liking. Here are 13 things that I find gloriously, unapologetically bad, and have enjoyed the hell out of anyway.

1. Con Air
2. The Postman
3. The Belgariad and The Malloreon by David Eddings
4. McDonald's fries and a shake
5. The UFC
6. Ogden Nash
7. Monster Magnet
8. The Amazing Race
9. Ballpark nachos (or the equivalent at Blueberry Hill)
10. GI Joe
11. The Hardy Boys series
12. Jack Daniel's
13. Super Smash Brothers Brawl

"Downdraft" by Mary Biddinger (Memorious)
"Oh Grow Up" by Dora Malech (Columbia Poetry Review)

I've been lax about posting during the holidays, so here are some updates in bullet form.

• I got a nasty bit of malware on my computer Wednesday that was trying to install other programs, popping up undeletable spam icons on my desktop, etc. It took me several hours to fix, and it completely fried my Norton 360 so I had to do a full reinstallation. Fun times.
• The proof copy of the book is in the mail and should arrive very soon. Which reminds me, I need to check on today's mail. I'm excited.
  
• I was hoping to have a "last draft of 2008" draft up on Wednesday, but I was stuck on it, and the virus ensured it didn't happen. I am close to finishing it now, however, as I got past the worst of the stickage.
• I've been playing a ton of Fallout 3. Very fun and possible to spend several straight hours on, but I wish it weren't so damn glitchy.
• Thinking about maybe playing some pool or darts tonight. It's been a long time.

Fuller posts to come in the new year.