Calls for Submission

Words For Things: How We Learn About Sex
Seeking creative submissions for Words for Things: How We Learn About Sex, a collection addressing the dawning of sexual awareness and sexuality. What formal and informal messages guide our sexual formation and identity? How does this initiation—literal or metaphorical—affect us in later life? How do we look back on this induction into adulthood, if that's what it is? From whom do we learn, and what are the consequences? Are there generational and social differences, or is such discovery a constant? We welcome the true, the gross, the mythic, and the humorous, in essays, memoir, creative nonfiction, or poetry. Please no fiction or porn/erotica. Please email submissions to editors Ed Madden, Ray McManus, and Carl Jenkinson at words4things@gmail.com as a Word document (preferred), or mail to Ray McManus, Division of Arts and Letters, University of South Carolina Sumter, 200 Miller Road, Sumter, South Carolina 29150-2498. Deadline for submission: September 1, 2010.

Poetry In Context: The PIC Project
From project director C. Cleo Creech: One of my goals when founding my little press/design studio Ghost Rabbit, was to explore some of the ways poetry is presented. As a graphic designer and visual artist, I kept finding that poetry so often just dies on the page, that we're still presenting poetry as very dry, very static words on a page. I understand the need for the content to stand on it's own, and to be good work; however, we live in a visual, wired world. The visual language of how words work on a page/screen are hard wired into our brains as we use different technologies. In short, small black letters crawling neatly across an off white page like so many trained ants just doesn't work anymore. So, the first volume of PIC for Ghost Rabbit is actually fairly simple. I only came up with one definite rule -- no typesetting. This volume will have nothing typed, no fonts, kerning, nada. You may well ask then how do you publish a volume of poetry with no typing - well get creative.The title has a bit of a double meaning, PIC as in the common media term for picture, and Poetry in Context. This is in effect a photography/poetry collaboration. We're looking for conceptual visual uses of words and poetry. For example: Have a piece on transience? why not write it in the condensation of your shower door? A comment on commercial beauty? - maybe lipstick on a nightclub mirror. A satire on traditional values? needlepoint? That's the challenge, present the work in a way that enhances and communicates the piece effectively. For full details on submissions and other ideas, visit the PIC: Poetry In Context blog.

Atlanta Queer Literary Festival Broadside Contest
Award-winning poet C. Dale Young will be the final judge of this contest, which will feature a winning entry on a beautifully designed, limited edition broadside. Entrants must identify as queer and all work in any genre is accepted as long as its 250 words or less. Winners will receive $200, 100 copies and an invitation to read at the 2010 AQLF in October. Entry fee is $5. For full details on how to enter, visit www.atlqueerlitfest.com. The deadline has been extended to July 15.

Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey

A very sexy looking Matt Smith teams with Orbital to close out the Glastonbury festival with a rave up of the Doctor Who theme. This comes on the heels of the brilliant season finale of Who, which aired in the UK on Saturday night and will be on BBC America in a couple of weeks.

Raves and Reviews

I'm loving the new single from Faithless, "Not Going Home." Such a London club rave up. Can't believe I leave for Europe in just a week! Eeek! So much packing and last minute work to finish up.

Check out this fantastic and hilarious review of Conquering Venus at The Naughty Book Kitties blog, which is maintained by Brent, a 15-year-old student who has made waves by calling for more young adult books with gay characters to be available at high school libraries. He's been written up in the New York Times, Huffington Post, Queerty and many others in the last few weeks. Brent asked for a copy of Venus and his review posted last night. Thanks, Brent!

Finally reading Tinkers by Paul Harding. Review soon.

You meme, I meme, we all meme...

It's been years since I've answered a meme, but January O'Neil and Karen Weyant answered this one, and I thought it had some interesting questions. Feel free to take part, gentle readers.

1. What’s the last thing you wrote? A new chapter in the sequel to Conquering Venus.

2. Is it any good? Not sure yet. It's a strange chapter where the same event is told from two different points of view. It's probably got continuity errors galore, but my goal with this second book is to keep writing forward and revise once there's a complete first draft.

3. What’s the first thing you ever wrote that you still have? Probably some poems, but the thing that sticks out in my mind is my first attempt at a novel. It's called Cottonwood and it's about interracial romance and murder in a small southern town. When Whitney Houston puts down the pipe and Kevin Costner finishes cleaning up the Gulf Oil spill, this could be their comeback vehicle.

4. Favorite genre of writing? Poetry and fiction.

5. How often do you get writer’s block? I don't get writer's block. I get House Hunters marathons, American Idol recaps, Facebook updating, boys.

6. How do you fix it? Turn them off.

7. Do you save everything you write? No. I am a firm believer in destruction. A few years ago, I took a notebook full of old poems and burned them in the sink. I almost set the apartment on fire. It's too bad they don't have boiler rooms anymore.

8. How do you feel about revision? Religious. I'm one of those writers, especially with poems, where the work is never finished. It can always be honed, worked and edited more.

9. What’s your favorite thing that you’ve written? Conquering Venus

10. What’s everyone else’s favorite thing that you’ve written? "Why I Want to Be Pam Grier" or "Sex in my Parents' House" – they've become my signature poems and the ones requested at readings.

11. What writing projects are you working on right now? The second book in the Venus trilogy and I have a poetry manuscript almost ready to send somewhere. No contests, though. It's still a contest free zone over here.

12. What’s one genre you have never written, and probably never will? I've done poetry, fiction, playwriting, journalism of all kinds, essays. What else is there? Maybe technical writing or textbooks? No thanks.

13. Do you write for a living? I'm lucky enough to be the editor for an arts and culture magazine in Atlanta, so I write every day, and get to interview folks like Margaret Atwood and Pam Grier.

14. Quote something you’ve written, the first thing to pop into your mind. This ephemeral day, even  the afterglow. – the last line from my poem "What Remains" in the chapbook Slow to Burn.

Foxy Ladies

Me and Pam Grier at the reading/signing for her memoir, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts, at Outwrite Books in Atlanta last Wednesday. Thanks to Lisa for the photo! 

Georgia Author of the Year...not

Last night, I drove up to Kennesaw State University with fellow nominee Jessica Handler (who wrote the brilliant memoir Invisible Sisters) and her husband, Mickey Dubrow, for the 2010 Georgia Author of the Year Awards ceremony. Jessica and I were fairly certain we weren't going to win and that was the case.

In my category, Amanda Gable won for The Confederate General Rides North, and in Jessica's it was a bit of a surprise – Winton Porter for Just Passin' Thru. I have no idea who he is, but since he beat Jessica and Sen. Max Cleland (the favorites to win), it must be one helluva a story.

I saw Tania Rochelle, Lynn Pederson and Travis Denton (all nominees for poetry), but that award went to Gregory Fraser for Answering the Ruins. My pals Karen Head and Megan Volpert were also nominated. There was so much good poetry to choose from, I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice for judge Meg Kearney. 

You can see the full list of winners at this link.

We wrapped up the evening drinking margaritas and eating delish food at Pure Taqueria in my 'hood. While we were talking about old boyfriends, Jessica's first BF from when she was 12 spotted her from across the room and came over to say hello. How weird is that?

Happy Father's Day to my dad and all the daddies out there.

Thirst quenchers

Call me pervy, but DAMN! Look at Taylor Lautner in the new issue of GQ. Yes, that's Jacob Black from the Twilight movies. He's 18, so that makes him legal, lustful eye-candy for the masses. That's one lucky bottle of water. Team Jacob all the way.

On Wednesday night, BFF Tina and I met Pam Grier again at Outwrite Books. She talked about her life – chronicled in her memoir, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts – then signed books, took pictures and was just lovely. There are pictures of us together, but it's on BFF Lisa's camera and she had an unfortunate lightening strike to her computer. So, as soon as she can download them, I'll post. I forgot my camera (natch), but I managed to get the shitty photo below of her talking to the crowd, which was huge and appreciative. She even did a Q&A. Sassy and funny as hell – that's my Pam!

After seeing Ms. Grier, Tina and I headed over to Variety Playhouse for Concrete Blonde. It was one of the best concerts I've ever attended. Johnette Napolitano looked amazing and her voice raised the hairs on the back of my neck. I don't know how, but her voice is better now than it was 20 years ago. The band played its seminal Bloodletting album, plus hits from their whole catalogue. It was an amazing night.

Tomorrow night is the Georgia Author of the Year Awards, and I'll be in attendance since Conquering Venus is nominated for First Novel. I have a snowball's chance in hell since I'm up against the likes of Amanda Gable, whose debut was named one of 25 books every Georgian must read. Always the bridesmaid...

Dig it!

My interview with the legendary Pam Grier is up at both Project Q Atlanta and at Atlanta INtown (in slightly different versions – the Q one is "gayer"), so check 'em out. I'm headed over to see her this afternoon at Outwrite Books and get my copy of her memoir, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts, autographed. Photos soon!

After that, I'm taking BFF Tina to see one of our favorite bands, Concrete Blonde, at Variety Playhouse. Tina's turning the big (whisper it) 40 this weekend, so it's my gift to her. I've been a fan of Concrete Blonde and Johnette Napolitano's amazing voice since the 80s, so I'm excited to see them again. They are touring to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Bloodletting album, which is brilliant. Twenty years?! Damn, I am getting old.

Bafana Bafana

We're having a heat wave in Atlanta with temperatures in the mid-90s and the heat index above 100. I'm a delicate flower, so it's been the perfect weekend to stay indoors and watch the opening matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup from South Africa. Football (that's soccer to you Yanks) and tennis are the only sports I watch with any interest, and I'm always excited when the World Cup comes around.

Yesterday, I  watched the England vs. America match with BFF Karen and her new English hubby, Colin. When I pulled up in front of their house, two St. George Crosses were flying from the flower pots on the porch. Call me a traitor, but I was pulling for England. The match turned out to be an unsatisfying 1-1 draw, and English goalkeeper Robert Green let the equalizer roll out of his arms across the line. The British press have excoriated him and whether he'll play again in the World Cup is undecided.

Today, I watched Ghana beat Serbia 1-0 and then Germany hand the Australian team its ass in an embarrassing 4-0 final that surely signals the end of Oz's run.

The stadiums in South Africa are stunning and the fans are so pumped and excited, but those damn plastic horns (called vuvuzelas) they blow endlessly through every game are working my damn nerves. Players have complained about the noise and it really is like listening to a hive of bees watching the matches on television.

The Lady Gaga Backlash

Lady Gaga released the video for her latest single "Alejandro" on Tuesday. The song is a pastiche of ABBA by way of Ace of Base and the video pays homage to Madonna and Bob Fosse, with images of gay boys in Nazi-esque uniforms marching, humping and writhing all over Gaga, who is alternately wearing a leather nun's habit or a bra made from machine gun barrels. Yes, it's a whole lotta look.

The next day, Gaga showed up at her younger sister's high school graduation ceremony wearing a revolutionary ensemble (pictured below) that might have given Grey Gardens' Little Edie pause. She was immediately accused of hogging the spotlight from her little sis and that the outfit was completely inappropriate for graduation from a Catholic high school, which just so happened to be the same school Gaga attended. The imagery from the video, her sister's graduation from a Catholic school and the outfit were, surely, all designed for the most media impact possible. But something about the one-two-punch of the video and photos seems to have caused a quickening in the inevitable Gaga backlash.

The "Alejandro" video has been watched nearly 10 million times since Tuesday on YouTube, with more than 76,000 comments offering either high praise or outright contempt. Most of the comments are about how she's "ripped off" Madonna or has blasphemed the Catholic church. Even poptart Katy Perry took to her Twitter account and called the video "cheap" and "blasphemy as entertainment." It's hard to take Perry seriously after her lesbian tourist anthem "I Kissed A Girl" and new single, "California Gurls," where she talks about getting drunk, being a cheap beach slut and melting all the boys "popsicles." Sounds like Katy was hoping to hog a little spotlight for herself.

It's been nearly 30 years (gulp!) since Madonna channeled Marilyn Monroe for "Material Girl," not to mention borrowing looks from 50s pin-up queen Bettie Page and the dance moves from the gay underground drag balls for "Vogue." Except Madonna wasn't accused of ripping off these artists; she was paying homage. Gaga, who is only 24, grew up watching Madonna and is now honoring her inspiration in "Alejandro," which also pays a debt to Madge's "La Isla Bonita." Is Madonna upset about any of this? No. She  likes Gaga, and the two have already done a send-up of their tabloid created rivalry on Saturday Night Live. Expect a collaboration in the near future.

Gaga is unabashed pop. The music she makes is ear candy. Many people hate it. I get it. However, unlike Britney, Katy, Ke$ha and Miley, Gaga can actually sing, write her own songs and play multiple instruments. I've yet to hear her lip sync, which means her high-energy live performances usually leave her vocals strained or breathy. Gaga can also give a coherent, intelligent interview on a variety of subjects. She's a vocal supporter of civil rights for the GLBT community and says her gay fans are the ones who elevated her fame.

This makes Gaga a threat on many fronts. She's a smart woman with an opinion; she pushes cultural and societal buttons; she wields an amazing amount of influence; she flaunts her fame and (bi)sexuality. Mousy-haired coffee house singer Stefani Germanotta's rise to global superstardom in less than five years is one of the most calculated artistic reinventions in music history. I say, good for her.

The Internet is full of singers, songwriters and performers playing guitar and keyboards in poorly-lit bedrooms hoping they'll be the next Gaga or Justin Bieber. Cutting through the web's non-stop noise is a miracle in itself. Luckily, Gaga has real musical talent  to back it up. Anyone who's heard her sing a cappella or accompany herself on piano cannot deny the woman can sing.  But it's the image and the media frenzy that seems to be causing the backlash.

Remember when Madonna delivered her own one-two-punch in 1992 with the Erotica album and the next day the release of the Sex coffee table book? The album was poorly received and the book, which was heavily influenced by Andy Warhol, was a step too far even for the masses who embraced her. She was overexposed, self-indulgent and musical tastes were changing. Soon, grunge and rap would overtake the airwaves. The media obsession reached fever pitch then imploded, and Madge's music career (along with a string of shitty movies) went fallow, the consensus her career was in decline. It would take five years and embracing the burgeoning electronica scene on the Ray of Light album to put her back on top.

I first took notice of Gaga in the summer of 2008 when she performed "Just Dance" on So You Think You Can Dance. I was hooked immediately. It seemed after that performance that Gaga was everywhere. You couldn't surf to a website, pick up a magazine or turn on the television without seeing or hearing Gaga. She sucked the oxygen out of the room. Not quite a year after the release of her debut album The Fame, came an EP called Fame Monster, followed by the shock and awe of the "Bad Romance" video. How would she top herself? She hasn't...yet.

The "Telephone" video was fun, but overblown. The decision to release "Alejandro," Fame Monster's weakest track, and pair it with a beautifully filmed, but overly-serious set of images that seem to have no correlation to the song, despite Gaga's message that the video was a tribute to her gay fans, was also a miscalculation. And, yet, for all the accusations of "Alejandro" being a Madonna rip-off it's still one of the most compelling, talked about music videos to come along in years.

The most bizarre backlash is from gay men. Today on Facebook, I read a number of comments from gay men who have referred to her as a "tranny," "Lady Caca" and one who said she only appealed to "shallow fags who like shiny things." This isn't the first time I've heard derision from the gay community about Gaga. I have a friend who DJs at a local gay club here in Atlanta, isn't a fan and hates having to play her music in his sets. He's never been able to articulate exactly why he hates her, because his music collection is filled with more disposable pop than you can shake a disco stick at.

Of course, I'm not saying that every gay man should like Lady Gaga, but I think many have shunned her because they are expected to like her, just like every 'mo is supposed to worship Judy Garland, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford and Madonna. The need to break out of the stereotype and not have gay culture assimilated and consumed is a strong motivator. I totally get it. What I don't get is the vitriol and just plain nastiness that comes from the gay community as they slag her off. It's poor form, gentlemen, especially as the GLBT community continues to fight for civil rights and promote tolerance.

Whether you like Gaga or not, she is an invaluable voice and, I believe, a sincere friend of the GLBT community. She supports gay marriage, raises money for HIV/AIDS organizations and is outspoken in interviews about the need for tolerance in America and around the world. Elton John cashed a check for $1 million this week for playing virulent homophobe Rush Limbaugh's wedding reception, but that story was lost in the white noise once "Alejandro" hit YouTube.

Without a doubt,  Lady Gaga is overexposed. Maybe she hasn't realized it yet, but she will. She's too talented, intelligent and driven to be one of Warhol's "15 minute" types. She'll take a break soon, but like Bowie and Madonna, she'll reinvent herself with a new sound and image. And the hullabaloo will start afresh all over again.

Laurie Anderson's Homeland

You can get a "first listen" of Laurie Anderson's long-awaited new album, Homeland, at NPR. You can hear individual tracks or the entire album, which is melodic, dark, edgy and political. There's also some lovely guest vocals by Antony Hegarty. In my opinion, Homeland is one of Laurie's best albums ever.

My BFF Donna and I went to see Laurie perform the concept show Homeland in 2008 at the Ferst Center here in Atlanta. It was right before the presidential election and emotions were running high. A few people got up and walked out of the show because Laurie made some brilliant shots at Dubya, McCain and Palin. I had the pleasure of interviewing and meeting Laurie and she was one of the most gracious people I've ever met. We were so awed by her (and the fact that Lou Reed was there, too!) that we couldn't even muster the courage to ask for a photo or autograph. After standing in the presence of one of my idols and inspirations, nothing else was required.

Who knows where the time goes...

I spent most of the weekend clearing small projects off my desk: critiquing novel chapters for my friend Will Kenyon, getting bios and photos over to the Decatur Book Festival for the social media panel I'm moderating, reading Pam Grier's memoir Foxy: My Life in Three Acts ahead of my interview with her this week (I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!), attending at Poetry Atlanta meeting (we're gearing up for two days of readings at the Decatur Book Festival and preparing for a new anthology in 2011) and clearing out my email inbox. Whew! I'm ready for a martini and 60 Minutes.

My friend Jennifer Perry – singer, writer, artist – has jumped into the blogging world big time with two sites: Madame Perry's Salon and the hilarious Memoirs of a Misanthrope about her adventures in job hunting. Check her out!

This week marks the 15th anniversary of my first trip to London and Paris, which sparked the idea for Conquering Venus. I'll be back there soon.

Weekend Music: Cosmic Love - Florence + The Machine

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out. You left me in the dark...

Ladies, put your hands up

Tayari Jones, author of the brilliant novel Leaving Atlanta, has a new book coming out soon from Algonquin called The Silver Girl. Follow her insightful blog, friend her on Twitter and Goodreads. She's one of my favorites.

Dancing Girl Press has opened submissions for its 2011 chapbook series. It's a wonderful press and they publish beautiful books.

My friend Krystyna Fitzgerald-Morris has opened her photography studio in England and is now taking commissions. If you love portraiture, just have a look at her dazzling portfolio. I'm so proud of you, Krys!

Diane Lockward's new poetry collection, Temptation by Water, has arrived!

Hurry up, September! Barbara Jane Reyes' Diwata is coming from BOA. You can also check out BJR reading at the ALA Conference on May 29 at this YouTube link.

Live now

This is an amazing audio recording of Anne Sexton reading an early version of "The Truth the Dead Know." The final two stanzas are completely different from the version that appears in All My Pretty Ones and various anthologies. Unfortunately, no date or source is given, but obviously it's prior to the publication of the collection in 1962. I've transcribed it and hope I've done justice to the punctuation. While the published version is one of my favorite Sexton poems, I almost prefer this one, especially the admonition to "live now, live now." Even her early drafts were brilliant. You can read the published version at this link for comparison. If anyone has information about the recording or this version of the poem, please share.

The Truth the Dead Know

Gone, I say and walk from church,
refusing the stiff procession to the grave,
letting the dead ride alone in the hearse.
It is June. I am tired of being brave.

We drive to the Cape. I cultivate
myself a blushing hermit in the sun
where the sea swings in like an iron gate
and I turn to you and am bright and young.

My love, the wind falls in like stones
from a white mountain and where we touch
we are twice marked and twice alone.
Men kill for this, or for as much.

And what would the dead say? What defiles
their calm eyes and their loose brows?
Not this. For through their tiny smiles
they mutter: live now, live now.