Binge or cringe

I have a new story called “The Great American Novel Writing Contest” over at Modern Jungle.

Both metafictional and a pastiche, this was fun to write and the feedback on the zaniness has been positive so far. I have pleasant memories of coming up with the back catalog of novels for the writers Thomas and Joachim in a resort cafe in central Oregon. I used the “brazzle” algorithm, supposedly used by Nabokov for his fake body of work, systematized as a procedure by the Oulipo group. You break the given title down to its syllables and create a new product through associations. E.g., SALEM’S LOT by Stephen King became SAY, LIMN THE OAK MOTTES by Joachim Stansbury.

2019 was an excellent writing year. Somehow I drafted, submitted and published this piece to blow steam while I struggled with a different project that needs yet another revision. You never really know how the work will turn out…