.

what a cool job!

Michael Chabon is back with a brand-new collection that reinvigorates the stay-up-all-night, edge-of-the seat, fingernail-biting, page-turning tradition of literary short stories, featuring Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, Peter Straub, David Mitchell, Jonathan Lethem, Heidi Julavits, Roddy Doyle, and more!

McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories



Margaret Atwood- Lusus Naturae
David Mitchell- What You Do Not Know You Want
Jonathan Lethem- Vivian Relf
Ayelet Waldman - Minnow
Steve Erickson- Zeroville
Stephen King- Lisey and the Madman
Jason Roberts - 7C
Heidi Julavits- The Miniaturist
Roddy Doyle - The Child
Daniel Handler - Delmonico
Charles D’Ambrosio - The Scheme of Things
Poppy Z. Brite - The Devil of Delery Street
China Mieville- Reports of Certain Events in London
Joyce Carol Oates - The Fabled Light-house at Vi–a del Mar
Peter Straub - Mr. Aickman’s Air Rifle

.

XXXII

32 is supposedly a magical number.

3 + 2 is a 5.

Compounds of 5 (14 and 23) are “usually associated with combinations of Nations and People. If the person representing it holds his own judgment and point of view, it is a very fortunate number. It is favorable when it appears in connection with future events, dates and name numbers.” This is what Astrospeak said about the number 32.


Today is Day One of my 32nd year.

Will this be a “magical” year for me?

Today is Neil Gaiman’s birthday.

Neil Gaiman has a cat.

T.S. Elliot had a cat.

J.R.R. Tolkien had a cat.

Maybe if I get a cat for my birthday I will become a great writer.

Maybe.


I texted July last night.

I asked him, “It was a good year, right?”

J: Your asking me?

ME: Yeah. Well, I think aside from the fact that I didn’t get to do a comic book or an award-winning ad, I think it was a pretty good year.

J: Hahaha! Then you can start writing your comic book and award-winning ad tomorrow!


Need to start writing now.

But maybe I should still get cat.

p.s. many thanks to every one who texted, called, and emailed. it was a happy, simple day :-)

.

Look who's back...
minus his fractal cow



Dino Ignacio is back online with a site that's optimized for viewing on a really small screen.
Click and bring your magnifying glass, please.

.

Found at THE BEAT

*** press release***

ST. MARTIN’S PRESS AND BYRON PRIESS VISUAL PUBLICATIONS COME TOGETHER TO CREATE A NEW ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY


THE YEAR'S BEST COMICS AND MANGA

In the tradition of St. Martin’s venerated anthologies such as the Locus Award-
winning The Year¹s Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois and the World Fantasy Award-winning anthology The Year¹s Best Fantasy and Horror edited by Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link & Gavin Grant, comes The Year¹s Best Graphic Novels, Comics and Manga.

Since 2000, graphic novels, comics and manga have been one of the largest growing areas in the book industry. It maintains one of the most diverse readerships -- from fortysomething male superhero fans to girls 14-25 and has been growing annually since its emergence as a mainstream bookstore commodity. More significantly, graphic novels and manga have garnered critical acclaim from every major national publication for such works as Maus, Persepolis and Akira.

This summer the New York Times Magazine featured graphic novel auteurs on its front cover and in its analysis of the genre said that the most interesting fiction in America today may be graphic novels. Multiple award ceremonies now honor excellence in the field of graphics storytelling, including the Society of Illustrator's Sequential Art category; the Museum of Comics and Cartoon Arts' hosted HARVEY AWARDS, named for Mad founder Harvey Kurtzman, and the San Diego Comicon's EISNER AWARDS, named for the still-productive comics genius, Will Eisner, considered to be the father of the modern graphic novel.
With full selections and excerpts from leading works from many major publishers of graphic novels, comics and manga and an illuminating introduction by award-winning novelist and comics writer, Neil Gaiman, THE YEAR'S BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS , COMICS AND MANGA will provide insight to the casual and passionate comics reader.

Edited by Byron Preiss, who has been involved with the graphic novel field for over twenty-five years and Howard Zimmerman, former editor-in-chief of Starlog, one of the first national magazines to seriously cover the medium, The Year¹s Best Graphic Novels, Comics and Manga will be published in Autumn, 2005, and will present a collection of the best comics and manga published between June, 2003-December, 2004. The material will range from work published by small, independent presses to mainstream players.

For further information on submitting content for consideration, professionals can go to www.komikwerks.com.