The esteemed Alan Kaufman closes out our winter issue with A Reason to Smile. This story is an excerpt from Kaufman’s new book, Drunken Angel
A Reason to Smile is wonderfully pointed criticism of American values, especially care for the poor, mentally ill and homeless. It’s exactly the sort of political, self-aware writing we love.
We visited San Francisco and heard Alan read from Drunken Angel
Later this month we’ll sit down with Alan to discuss writing and recovery.
Aimee Millwood lights the house on fire with her story, When You Wake Up.
I’m so blow away by this piece. I love how she stays in the aftermath of the event throughout the story. Absolutely the best way to tell a story like this, so unrelenting and frightening for the reader (smart, smart choice to tell it in second person).
The fine detail and excellent imagery stand as testaments to her recovery, the return of her skill with language. And the ending… Just sublime. I can totally relate, I’m sure most people will.
Allison McCabe closes the door on the Fall 2011 issue with her haunting look at the San Fernando Valley in A String of Lights.
I love how unabashedly nostalgic this piece feels, but without pulling any of its punches, the way talk of the past often does.
Junk is proud to present, Allison McCabe, my friends.
Higher Ground, the new work for October, is an amazing piece.
Most people consider addiction a disease. But if it is a disease, the stories we read about addiction are unlike any ever told about, say, cancer or autism. With addiction, there is usually some element of contrition. Not that there shouldn’t be. After all, if it is a disease, it’s a disease like no other.
But when you come across a story that does something different, as Higher Ground does, it’s really quite amazing. Not an ounce of contrition. But it’s not a romantic story about the old days, either. And there is something spiritual here. Some sort of natural commune with nature.
Check it out. See if you agree.
Brock Kingsley’s story, All Filler, kicks off a new Fall season on Junk!
All Filler captures the capricious nature of addiction, the mystery of how some people fall, while others narrowly miss disaster. It’s a mesmerizing story.
In the comments section, Gary Presley, author of Seven Wheelchairs: A Life beyond Polio, notes how subtly Kingsley ratchets up the tension, even as the story’s opening line reveals the ending. Until Gary mentioned it, I hadn’t noticed that aspect of the story. Part of the joy of sharing these stories is when someone points out something I might have otherwise never noticed. I love these conversations!
Upcoming Fall issue contributors include Joe Whalen and Allison McCabe. We couldn’t be more pleased with the wonderful stories we’ve been so fortunate to receive at Junk.
Junk is proud to present Stalemate at Turk and Taylor by Tom Pitts
During the run up to publishing his fine work, every piece of mail I got from Tom made me grin. He’s quite a guy: a fabulous writer, able to tell a great story, and he performed this piece live last year at Lip Service West in San Francisco.
Enjoy!
When I heard Jeffrey Brown speak on an autobio comics panel at Stumptown Comic Fest in Portland, I knew I’d struck gold: cartoonists creating strips that were explicitly memoir.
Bonanza!
I sent Jeff an email, telling him a little about Junk, inviting him to check out our site and submit if he wanted. He told me he didn’t really have anything related to addiction except perhaps one strip about nail biting.
Ka-ching!
So, here we go, folks. We’re launching our first Comics Edition at Junk, presenting Jeffrey Brown’s piece, “Yaaaay! Bite Your Nails!”
Help us get the word out. This is going to be fun.
This months’ story came to us through the grapevine. Someone from my writing group saw the story where it first appeared on Laurie Woodum’s blog, I see paradise, and let me know. And I’m so pleased she did. Grace is an amazing story. It’s beautiful and haunting, one of those startling revelations we sometimes get, when we least expect it. Enjoy.
Recently published @ Junk, a literary fix
Tim Elhajj
Editors
The Editors
Holly Huckeba
