In our afternoon reading: a review of JD Scott’s new book, an interview with Amber Sparks, and more.
The Surreal Modernity of Amber Sparks: A Review of “And I Do Not Forgive You”
Say you’re a fiction writer and you’d like to allude to the communications technologies of the present moment. There are plenty of ways you can do this, from coming up with your own lightly-altered versions of real-world services to embracing an accurate picture of your smartphone’s suite of apps circa the moment you’re putting words on paper. The difficulty with the latter, though, is that the ups and downs of the tech world don’t always match up with the time it takes to get a book published; the way that Vine went from buzzed-about to deprecated in a relatively short period of time illustrates just how difficult of a juggling act this can be.
Literary Events Go Virtual in the Time of COVID-19
To be a part of the literary community over the last few weeks has involved seeing months’ worth of events rescheduled, canceled, or shifted online. In some cases, this has been due to precautions taken to prevent coronavirus infection; in others, it’s due to writers canceling book tours. The Loft’s Wordplay Festival is shifting from an in-person event to one that will take place in a host of online spaces, for instance. As writers, publishers, and event planners look out at this shifting landscape, a host of questions come to mind. If events aren’t feasible right now, are there alternatives? Are live-streamed readings and discussions the new normal when it comes to literary events? Is there a way to capture that same sense of community that the best literary events held in a physical space can accomplish?
Afternoon Bites: Andrew Krivak’s Playlist, Amber Sparks, Adrienne Miller’s Memoir, Kim Gordon, and More
In our afternoon reading: a playlist from Andrew Krivak, an interview with Kim Gordon, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Amber Sparks, Janice Lee Poetry, Victor LaValle, Ray Bradbury and Superheroes, and More
In our afternoon reading: thoughts on Amber Sparks’s new collection, new writing by Victor LaValle and Janice Lee, and more.
Afternoon Bites: Jami Attenberg on Bookshelves, Amber Sparks, David Berman Remembered, Corporate Dystopias, and More
In our afternoon reading: new nonfiction by Jami Attenberg, a review of Amber Sparks’s new collection, and more.
Vol.1 Brooklyn’s February 2020 Book Preview
With the arrival of February, it feels like 2020 is getting into high gear, for better or for worse. A cursory glance at the month’s most anticipated new books could best be described as eclectic: there are experimental and transgressive works here, along with career-spanning tomes and thematically ambitious works of fiction. If this is a harbinger of what the rest of the (literary) year looks like, it’s a good omen.
Afternoon Bites: Amber Sparks Fiction, Rodrigo Marquez Tizano, Monoculture Thoughts, Laura Jane Grace, and More
In our afternoon reading: fiction by Amber Sparks, musings on the monoculture, and more.