piano players are more interesting songwriters than rhythm guitar players

This is something I reached while walking home today with my first iced coffee of 2011. It is based on watching American Idol do Carole King night, which taught me surprises like: Carole King wrote "I'm Into Something Good." Further research has now taught me that "I'm Into Something Good" was in one of the brave little toaster movies.

In other news, a story from L!L!F is up at The Fanzine: "Same Heart They Put You In." The story is about Napa Valley 90s weird kids and features krill, nintendo, Rottweilers, cannibalism, and writing 80085 on your calculator. Thanks Casey McKinney and Benjamin Bush for publishing it, and Danny Jock for the badass dog art. This story was one I almost cut from L!L!F, but I'm glad I didn't because several people have told me it's their favorite story. I guess I'm reminded again that people are weird, which is always a huge relief.

Very stoked to announce that Ofelia Hunt's Today & Tomorrow is available for pre-order from Magic Helicopter. Read more about it with a clickity on the title. Blake Butler said on FB: "it really rules hard. it gives no fuck about how fully it gives a fuck. big." Also some other magic people said things about it, like Stacey Levine, Amelia Gray, and Matthew Simmons. I approved the final high-res zamboni line art today. Very eager to get this hunk into the world and see it do a little melting of brains and such.

Finally, I'm going to be at the Massachusetts Poetry Festival on May 14th in Salem, MA, doing a panel about MFAs at 3PM. This will be in competition with Steve Almond's Bad Poetry presentation, so you know [insert any joke ever]. If you're around Salem, let's hang out! I've never been to Salem. I will wear a pointy hat.