All the Updating that’s fit to Update

New/excellent/killer/wonderful cover and isbn for the story collection, now called The Ones That Got Away.

Was lucky enough to be in the fifty stories Brian Evenson selected for Wigleaf.

Clutch of new stories over at Shadowbox, here.

New story “Sunsets Unlimited” at Hobart.

Review of Splice at the San Antonio Current.

I think I’ve got an entry coming up here, soon, about the book I’d like to be buried with. Though everybody else is doing such strong write-ups, maybe I should ask to go back, do better myself.

Also, went 50.8mph on my roadbike. Hoping to hit 55 someday. Play some Hagar to celebrate. Or just because.

Current bike I need the most: Salsa La Cruz. Current album I need the most: Meatloaf’s new one. Favorite app lately, because it lets me have an all-Waylon station, with pretty deep cuts: Pandora (not sure how I’m only just now tuning in to that one, though my OED is maybe still my favorite app. and Shazam).

Too, the current Rolling Stone has that big article about those hackers, and didn’t Wired have something about this high-level thief guy an issue or so ago? That what’s hot now, capers? Should I be trying to write some Italian Job/Ocean’s 11 knock-off? Or, really, why the fascination with these guys, I wonder? Some kind of vicarious living-through-them, maybe? Or is that what the glossies are gambling on?

Recent/other good viewing: Triangle, All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (for the who-knows-how-manyeth time), original Karate Kid, The Hole (2001). The Dialogue series (interviews with screenwriters). About halfway through, loving them all.

Too, isn’t Burn Notice starting back up this week? Something else to watch aside from the finals, which, don’t get me wrong, love the Lakers being there again, but Game 1 was kind of unexciting, anyway.

Teaching soon: Naropa SWP, Juniper Writing Institute. And then a zombie course in the fall. Just done with a wonderful excellent slasher course.

Wish I could go to soon: my 20th high school reunion (for a school I never graduated from, but, I mean, well, I don’t know what I mean).

Wish I could forget: McGruber’s celery escapades.

Wish I could ever learn: how to sharpen a knife, or any blade, for that matter. I can’t even ever get hoes sharp with a file or a grinder. There’s some essential something I’m never understanding, I suspect.

And, how can this not be cool? Writers writing about movies?

Reading now: Laird Barron’s Occultations, which is scary good. Not at all unexpected. Probably John Dies at the End soon. Though I’ve still yet to hit The Savage Detectives or 2666. I need to be getting on to that Big Machine, too, whoever did that. Completely dug CJ Box’s new one, though, I don’t know; for the first time, the Joe Pickett series kind of came off with a political slant/agenda. Not completely comfortable, though, too late too, as I’m hooked. Also have Denis Johnson’s Tree of Smoke around, to maybe get to. I’m not as Jesus’s Son-crazy as everybody else, quite, but this did win the awards, probably needs reading. Though I also nabbed Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, I think it’s called. Friend of mine was on the committee that selected it for the big award whatever-year, and he said it was all that plus anything I else I might want from a book. However, first, I may be slamming through Stweart O’Nan’s Last Night at the Lobster. Have so dug everything I’ve read by him, so can’t imagine this won’t be just as good. And, I mean, it’s set at one of my very favorite places to eat (coconut shrimp with pina colado dip. I can usually eat two orders).

Playing lately: too much Galaga on the Wii. I have endless quarters now. Life is good.