Baltimore arts continue to expand and mutate in beautiful challenging ways and one of the finest additions in the last few years has been Publishing Genius Press, led by charming, wise and slightly daft Adam Robinson. Hot off their presses this week is a brand new book by Justin Sirois, MLKNG SCKLS. In it Sirois pictures two friends escaping Fallujah in 2004. It’s written in sparse, painterly fashion and the images will stay with you and haunt you. These are pieces that were originally meant for Sirois’ novel Falcons on the Floor, but were excised. I don’t know why they were taken out, but it definitely wasn’t taken out for quality of writing, because this is a powerful collection.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Austin Report
Man oh man, Austin is hot, The HOW looks budget this year, Geico creative director is a hoot, chili cheese fries at Jackalope at 2am, the designers from Sheets are super nice, Lindy flies in, You’ve really never seen a DJ spin vinyl? Trying to find a use for Twitter, Sky Kittens, Fist Yourself! San Jose Hotel, Double Dagger, Nolen draws circles around our feet, your hair and glasses and everything are making me weak in the knees, glowing turquoise house, quick change into swim suits in the car, Barton Springs, cat spread eagle on the top of a car, flaming Doctor Peppers, eat this fajita! did I say how hot it was? inappropriately amazing assets you have going on there, introducing Abita, Cajon shrimp for Lacy and Kat, trying not to buy more boots, tuna tartar, more cigars, The Peacock looks straight out of a Mathew Barney film, delayed flight and lots of Lone Star.
Monday, June 22, 2009
DOD says protests = "low-level terrorism"
via BoingBoing:
A US Department of Defense training manual describes protest as "low-level terrorism." This is part of a broader trend of state agencies characterizing protest as a form of terrorism.
The first question of the Terrorism Threat Factors, "Knowledge Check 1" section reads as follows:
The first question of the Terrorism Threat Factors, "Knowledge Check 1" section reads as follows:
Which of the following is an example of low-level terrorism activity?
Select the correct answer and then click Check Your Answer.
- Attacking the Pentagon
- IEDs
- Hate crimes against racial groups
- Protests
.
Man, I'm rarely a "what kind of country are we living in" kinda guy, but really. Here's a short list of the progress our society has made through protesting/organizing/unionizing:
- Civil Rights
- Womens' Rights to vote
- Workers' Rights (child labor, 40 hr work week, and overtime)
- Gay Rights
Weekend Report
Hold’em at Michael Kimball’s, Doritos, late night tacos at midnight?, invited to contribute to the Signal, Joe Cashiola living up to his name, sweten the pot! You CANNOT take off your boots, encouraging words on MLKNG SCKLS from Kimball, Henkin reins again, 5 times!, Fallout 3 extension pack (The Pit = impressive), Good Bye Solo, things are getting complicated, nothing but wet smoke, The Backstretch, Adam Robinson tells a story, Woodberry’s (Greg’s) mojito, and then back for brunch, Deadwood, Jay's dry socket, it's nice to have you over, seeing TONS of new links pointing to this blog this morning – thank you all!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
done & done
Four identical and anonymous submissions in the mail. This makes me recollect the time I was awarded a MSAC grant in 2007 and a friend of mine actually had the gall to say, "oh, the judges probably gave it to you because they knew you'd use the money for Narrow House."
Wow.
Man.
Really?
Hearing that was more revealing to one's character than when I asked the poker table in a way too anxious tone, "Is it my turn yet?"
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Haneen Alshujairy on Twitter
You can follow my Iraqi editor, Haneen Alshujairy, on Twitter.
http://twitter.com/nenah89
.
Haneen Alshujairy fled Iraq in 2003 with her family, leaving behind extended family in both Fallujah and Baghdad. After seeking asylum in Jordan for three years, she relocated to Egypt where she is finishing a degree in Dentistry at the Modern Sciences and Arts University in Cairo. Haneen has collaborated with Justin Sirois for the past year on the novel Falcons on the Floor and MLKNG SCKLS.
Kane & Lynch 2
Oh internets, the rumors are true.
For all it's clunky faults and terrible cover system, Kane & Lynch is still one of my favorite games. Compelling characters, believable story, combined with amazing environments and sound make the game one of the most cinematic experiences I've ever had with xBox. And it's just brutal. Brutal enough to make some insane movie studio adapt it to film (currently in pre-production). The announcement of Kane and Lynch 2 makes the end of summer sound not to bleak at all.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Matt Bell's blog post
I had the pleasure of meeting Matt Bell over the weekend at the Publishing Genius (Genius Party), and I remembered this generous post he wrote on his blog. His extended blurb for MLKNG SCKLS couldn't be more thoughtful. Many thanks, man.
.
Labels:
MLKNG SCKLS,
reviews
Monday, June 15, 2009
DOGZPLOT READING
This is going to be great.
DOGZPLOT READING
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ
JULY 31 - AUGUST 2
MICHAEL BIBLE
RANDALL BROWN
LYDIA COPELAND
ELIZABETH ELLEN
LANE FALCON
TIMOTHY GAGER
ANDREA KNEELAND
ROBERT LOPEZ
SCOTT McCLANAHAN
KEVIN MICHAELS
JEN MICHALSKI
MARY MILLER
AMANDA NAZARIO
ERIN PRINGLE
ADAM ROBINSON
JOE SALVATORE
JUSTIN SIROIS
CURTIS SMITH
TIMMY WALDRON
KATE WYER
Labels:
events
Weekend Report
Adam’s portrait for his Narrow House book is SO hard not to share with you right now, scaring the Kimballs outside their fence, Matt and Josh could kick your ass, we are too old for that, Adam smashes a bottle and cuts Steph Barber’s foot, no more dance parties, the great Baltimore literary sit down at the MSAC, a Combat Paper gift (thank you, Phu), drawing portraits at the Genius Party was a lot more fun than I imagined, sold a bunch of books, Shane Jones’ lecture was charming, I’m going to program one hour of the New Years Day poetry event, you are stunning, Sasha Fletcher takes the couch, Captain Crunch French toast for brunch, Matt Bell’s kind words, The Hangover and the Hamilton Tavern, dizzy and dizzy.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Six Days in Fallujah
As a part time video game reviewer for an unsaid blog and a writer who has dedicated the past two years to writing about the travesty of the Coalition siege of Fallujah, I have to post this.
.
.
GOD, what a unethical misstep on the part of Atomic Games.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Cyclopes, JWMM 3 release
Jen Michalski, Joe Young, Justin Sirois, Savannah Guz, Eric Goodman, Jessican Ann Blau, and William Duell.
Labels:
events
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Brian Evenson - blurb - MLKNG SCKLS
“Sirois’ MLKNG SCKLS reads like what might happen if you crossed Gus Van Sant’s ‘Gerry’ with the parts of an Iraq war documentary that the Bush administration had censored. A tight, spare and quietly tense gem of a book.”
.
Author of Last Days and The Open Curtain
.
You can order MLKNG SCKLS via the Pay Pal button to the right (down a bit).
Labels:
MLKNG SCKLS
Monday, June 8, 2009
Weekend Report
Joe Young, Joseph Cashiola, Adam Robinson, Justin Sirois.
MLKNG SCKLS looks nearly perfect, Jason Dove – Ottobar – don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry, my breaks sound like an avalanche, JWMM release reading, I think I read for four and a half minutes, CHOW BANG!, The Book of Frank will make you laugh tears, Sweat Pants gets kicked out of The Black Hole and plays a mini show in their practice space, I made a killer video of that event, thank you for the shelter, MAINEcoon, sorry for the comment about your drawing skills, a day of amazing food, The Hamilton Tavern’s pulled duck BBQ sandwich is unbelievable, can this get any more awkward?, Adam Robinson has a crab claw on his shoulder, "she's a cheft", Toby the waiter wants to throw us off the pier, Joe Young nails that bull's eye, Bud’s stomach wins the title belt, hey ladies! we're in the Bermuda Triangle of intersections!
Friday, June 5, 2009
good Friday
- Ross Cashiola handed Falcons on the Floor to Dahr Jamail -
(RC: "I think he's going to read it") - Brian Evenson is blurbling MLKNG SCKLS
(for web and possible 2nd print) - UPS should deliver MLKNG SCKLS today
(joyous)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
ie Reader now avaialble for pre order
LOOK at THAT!
Pre order HERE AT THE NARROW HOUSE SITE.
(and the actual book will be thicker than this mock up)
154 pages
with
Elena Alexander, Bruce Andrews, Michael Ball, Sandra Beassley, Lauren Bender, Bill Berkson, Charles Bernstein, Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, Miles Champion, Norma Cole, CA Conrad, Bruce Covey, Tina Darragh, Ben Doller, Sandra Doller, Buck Downs, Rachel Blau DuPlessis, kari edwards, Cathy Eisenhower, Graham Foust, Heather Fuller, Peter Gizzi, Adam Good, Jamie Gaughran-Perez, K. Lorraine Graham, Jessica Grim, P. Inman, Lisa Jarnot, Bonnie Jones, Beth Joselow, Michael Kelleher, Amy King, Doug Lang, Katy Lederer, Reb Livingston, M. Magnus, Tina Mandel, Chris Mason, Kristi Mexwell, Megan McShea, Anna Moschovakis, Gina Myers , Chris Nealon, Mel Nichols, Aldon Nielsen, Tom Orange, Bob Perelman, Simon Pettet, Tom Raworth, Adam Robinson, Phyllis Rosenzweig, Ric Royer, Ken Rumble, Justin Sirois, Rod Smith, Cole Swensen, Maureen Thorson, Chris Toll, Edwin Torres, Les Wade, Rosemarie Waldrop, Ryan Walker, Mark Wallace, Terence Winch, Rupert Wondolowski, John Yau, Geoffrey Young
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Apparently Narrow House is cool enough to be included into Metro Mix's survey of Baltimore record labels. Well, we do put out some recordings once and a while. This is kinda awesome:
Labels:
reviews
extended hours
As big box stores chain their doors and malls across the country are scaling back their hours of operation, the Dollar stores are extending their hours into the night. I have to say though, the Dollar Tree by my house is kinda amazing. Now I can go splurge on $1 picture frames and mini pickles at 9pm if I feel the urge. There's upsides to every Depression.
Genius Party - Publishing Genius - Genius
Saturday, June 13th.
Shane Jones (reads something)
Michael Kimball (deals blackjack)
Justin Sirois (reads something)
DJs (make ppl dance)
You (will create decorations)
at The lof/t (at Load of Fun)
8pm
Go here.
Labels:
events
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)