writing weekend in yosemite

​Just back from an incomparable writing weekend in Yosemite Valley with writer friends Carla Christensen and Alia Volz. (Thank you, Carla, for arranging the ideal retreat!) A gorgeous view of El Capitan and Half Dome from our deck, a trip to Bridal Veil Falls on our way out, lots of writing, good talk, good food, and on-the-spot workshopping. I made unexpected progress on a new essay and completed the final draft of a flash that was accepted by the wonderful Christopher James at JELLYFISH REVIEW before I even left Yosemite. (Chris is a fantastic writer, a great editor, and he’s fast.) Came home to the contract for my hybrid flash in HOTEL AMERIKA (coming out in 2018). It’s definitely starting to feel like spring.

Check out Chris’s latest fiction in NEW WORLD WRITING here.
 
And keep your eyes open for the “Kill People” series at JELLYFISH REVIEW—starting this week, running for a month or so. (Yes, my lurid flash involves a murder. Happy subjects don't seem to be my thing.)
 
Steve and I published a flash (“Three Conversations”) under our pseudonym Alvarado O’Brien in the “Bad Sex” series at JELLYFISH REVIEW last summer. It’s definitely worth revisiting that series, and browsing their archive, which is filled with amazing work.
 
Managed to get to Peg Alford Pursell’s book launch reading in Sausalito the night before I left for Yosemite. All the readers were great. I especially enjoyed Molly Giles’ bio, where she listed all of the magazines that had recently rejected her in alphabetical order. You probably need to be famous and well published to get away with that. Looking forward to reading Peg’s book, SHOW HER A FLOWER, A BIRD, A SHADOW.