my novels, stories, reviews, and essays…

my novels:

In the 2010 Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition in the novel category, The Painting Story placed on the Short List for Finalists and Between Here and Gone placed as a Semi-Finalist. Here are the opening paragraphs of the novels:

The Art of Her Life
(formerly titled The Painting Story)

The picture seems complete, and yet I’m not in it. Framed by the white door molding, Mark, whom I heard arrive a little while ago, sits on the floor in front of the TV in jeans and a dark green shirt. Caroline, a yellow bow in her long hair, reclines in his lap. Fat little Elizabeth, in red overalls, stands behind him, the same height as his head, running her hands through his thick red hair. I’m the observer, the spectator, the viewer. And all pictures, and paintings, need viewers—to appreciate and search for what lies beneath them.  

Between Here and Gone

The buildings of downtown Atlanta reach into the evening sky. Their metallic surfaces shimmer above me. It’s Saturday, and most are probably empty. Nevertheless there they stand. Impressive monuments. Vacant shells. The road curves to the left. Overpasses take the place of the sky. Now the buildings are on my right. The sun, on its way down behind them, illuminates their silver color. Silver like my new Yukon. A ’97. With cup holders and a CD player. The kids were so excited about the CD player.

my stories:

“Mackenzie” in  Gargoyle #57

“The Empty Armchair” in Contrary Magazine

“The Splitting Sound” in Clapboard House

“Watching” in Six Sentences

“Frosting” in Contrary Magazine

“Into the Woods” in Storyglossia

my reviews:

Rebecca Rasmussen’s The Bird Sisters in Contrary Magazine

Heather Newton’s Under the Mercy Trees in Contrary Magazine and
republished by the National Book Critics Circle on Powell’s Books Review-a-Day

Susan Froderberg’s Old Border Road in Contrary Magazine

Susanna Daniel’s Stiltsville in Contrary Magazine

Kim Wright’s Love in Mid Air in Contrary Magazine

Francesca Kay’s An Equal Stillness in Contrary Magazine

Mari Strachan’s The Earth Hums in B Flat in Contrary Magazine

Rachel Cusk: The Slow Construction of a Writing Life in Blogcritics

Elizabeth Diamond’s An Accidental Light in Contrary Magazine

my essays:

“Not Every Sentence Can Be Great But Every Sentence Must Be Good” in Brevity

“Childhood” in Numéro Cinq

“What it’s like living here” in Numéro Cinq

“A Practice” in The View from Here Magazine

thanks for reading!