“A Book About Endings”: John Dermot Woods on the Making of “Mortals”

Mortals

When we’ve spoken with John Dermot Woods in the past, it’s been about his work in prose. This spring, another aspect of his work as a writer is coming to the forefront: a graphic novel called Mortals, created in collaboration with artist Matt L. Mortals follows the story of an aging stage actor named Francis, who’s found respect in his field but a general lack of commercial success. A supporting role in a film and the end of his marriage both force him to consider his legacy and his mortality, and the result is thoroughly moving. I spoke with Woods about the genesis of the project, his interest in comics, and what appealed to him about the form for this project.

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Currents, an Interview Series with Brian Alan Ellis (Episode 71: Robert Vaughan)

Robert Vaughan

ROBERT VAUGHAN is the author of six poetry, fiction and cross-genre writing books, including Addicts & Basements (Civil Coping Mechanisms, 2014), a collaboration of stories with Kathy Fish entitled RIFT (Unknown Press, 2015), FUNHOUSE (Unknown Press, 2016), and Askew (Cowboy Jamboree Press, 2022). He teaches writing retreats at Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, NM, and Synergia Ranch outside of Santa Fe, NM, and is Editor-In-Chief of the literary journal Bending Genres.

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Currents, an Interview Series with Brian Alan Ellis (Episode 69: Elle Nash)

Elle Nash

ELLE NASH is the author of Animals Eat Each Other (Dzanc Books, 2018), a novel hailed by Publishers Weekly as a “complex, impressive exploration of obsession and desire,” and Nudes (Short Flight/Long Drive, 2021), a story collection. She is a founding editor of Witch Craft Magazine and a fiction editor at both Hobart and Expat Literary Journal. Her latest book, Gag Reflex, is forthcoming from CLASH Books. 

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Jeff Tobias on “Recurring Dream,” Saxophones, and Technological Control

Jeff Tobias

Jeff Tobias has been a part of two of the most consistently great outfits making music these days, Sunwatchers and Modern Nature. But Tobias’s own skills as a songwriter are also considerable, and his new solo album Recurring Dream makes that very clear. It abounds with eminently catchy pop that grapples with sophisticated and complex themes, and it further reinforces Tobias as one of the most interesting musicians working today. I talked with Tobias about the album’s genesis, technology, and what’s next for him.

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Currents, an Interview Series with Brian Alan Ellis (Episode 68: Jim Ruland)

Jim Ruland

Jim Ruland is the author of the award-winning novel Forest of Fortune and the short story collection Big Lonesome. He is the co-author of Do What You Want (with Bad Religion), My Damage (with Keith Morris, founding member of Black Flag, Circle Jerks and OFF!), and Giving the Finger (with Scott Campbell, Jr. of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch.) His latest book, Corporate Rock Sucks: The Rise & Fall of SST Records, will be published in April. He lives and works in San Diego, California.

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Currents, an Interview Series with Brian Alan Ellis (Episode 66: Sara Lippmann)

Sara Lippmann

SARA LIPPMANN is the author of Jerks (forthcoming from Mason Jar Press) and Lech (forthcoming from Tortoise Books). Her story collection, Doll Palace (originally published by Dock Street Press, and long-listed for the 2015 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award) has just been reissued by 7.13 Books. She currently teaches with Jericho Writers, and lives with her husband and children in Brooklyn, NY. 

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