Uncategorized – Short Story Book Club: Recent Episodes
Uncategorized – Short Story Book Club
Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Mother Teresa
Short Story Fest 2023 will be held this year in Baltimore, Maryland, with some events streamed live for online viewers. If you are an author or vendor who would like to participate, please complete and submit an application to join us.
What To ReadHollowedby Lucy Zhang
Hollowed is an interesting collection of short stories that reminds me of a number of pregnancy-related zines. But in this set, the protagonist does not give birth. It’s just one of myriad reasons she always feels empty. Good thing she loves to eat; food seems to be one thing that fulfills her.
Mozart and Leadbellyby Ernest J. Gaines
What inspires an author to do his best work? Gaines shares his own inspirations in this collection of personal essays and engaging short stories. Several of the author’s published works are the source of film adaptations, including A Lesson Before Dying, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, A Gathering of Old Men, and The Sky Is Gray.
What To WatchAlice in BorderlandBased on the graphic novel series by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland follows Arisu and his friends through a strange, gamified wonderland where every turn takes leads them to a new adventure. Think Jumanji meets Squid Game where the highest stake of every real life game is life itself. (Netflix)
MasterBilled as a suspenseful horror flick, Master gets less scary at the end once someone says the quiet part out loud. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter is the symbolic backdrop of this film about race, microaggression, and subtext set at an ivy league university. Fans of Jordan Peele’s Get Out will find similarities in this film. (Amazon)
Where To GoChewbacca ParadeHead to New Orleans for Mardi Gras this year, but remember to include the Krewe of Chewbacchus parade in your carnival activities. Inspired by Chewbacca from Star Wars, this parade is for everyone who loves everything sci-fi and beyond. (January 28)
National Cowboy Poetry GatheringIf you love a good Western or stories about people raising cattle (Western romance, anyone?), then mosey on out to Elko, Nevada, for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. This event has music, film screenings, art shows, gold mine tours, and more, including writers’ workshops, talks, and story time at the library for young children. (January 30-February 4)
Reproductive WritesHighlighting book bans targeting issues of importance to women, intersex people, and the LGBT community, this event gives voice to conversations about reproductive rights and body independence through the art of literary expression. It will host authors Meredith Blevins and Michelle Beaver and feature discussions with local thought leaders about the present political climate. (January 21)
Bob Huggins Fish FryStill not a role model, bestselling author and former NBA player turned sports analyst Charles Barkley headlines this year’s fundraiser for the 2023 Bob Huggins Fish Fry. Proceeds benefit the Norma Mae Huggins Endowment at the WVU Cancer Institute and the Remember the Miners Flagship Scholars Program. (January 27)
With each new year, it’s fun to set up new reading goals and challenges. This year, consider challenging yourself with this list of bookish prompts. You can choose to follow them all throughout the year or just pick the ones you like.Either way: Happy reading!
The Lives of WritersWriters tend to write what they know. If you’ve ever read a story that’s touched you, there’s a good chance the author is writing from personal experience. Get to know the author behind the stories you love by reading one of these:
- A collection of personal essays from an author
- An author’s biography
- An author’s autobiography
- A book about writing that was written by an author of nonfiction
- An anthology of essays about writing with essays written by different authors
Books In FictionIf you enjoy reading about authors and their work in real life, then you might also enjoy reading about authors in fiction. There’s likely some truth to the writing life in these stories, too. Try one of these:
- A story about a successful author
- A story about a struggling writer
- A story about a Southern writer
- A story about a female writer
- A story about a Native American writer
Library StoriesWhere do you get your books? If you borrow them from the library, consider some of the wonderful stories about those superheroes, aka librarians, who work in them undercover. For example:
- A librarian who falls in love
- A librarian who solves a crime
- A librarian who rides horses
- A librarian who inspires someone to do something great, like reading or saving the world
- A librarian who was inspired by another librarian to become a librarian
- A librarian residing in one of your favorite cities, like New Orleans, New York, or New Haven
Inside the LibraryYou could also read a story that takes place in a library. They are perfect settings for lots of things other than reading, but sometimes only in fiction, of course. For example:
- A vampire sighting in a library
- Romance in a library
- Arson at a library
- Magic in a library
- A dinosaur at a library
Behind the ScenesThere are also plenty of people who work behind the scenes to help books get published and sold. Sometimes they are authors themselves. Toni Morrison is one such famous book editor who also had an impressive career as a writer. Consider reading stories written by professionals in some of these other occupations:
- Proofreader
- Book maker
- Printer
- Graphic designer
- Publicist
- Marketing assistant
- Bookstore owner
People Who ReadOf course, there are stories about the people for whom writers write and for whom the publishing team works to bring the stories to your nearest shelf. They are books about you and other readers! You’re sure to find a good one in this list:
- A book club that solves a mystery
- A book club threatened by vampires or other otherworldly things
- A book club whose members are all male
- A book club that crosses the seas
- A book club that brings people of different backgrounds together
The Things We ReadThere are stories about the things we read. Whether we realize it or not, we read a lot. Of course, everything we read may not be a story or a book. Here are a few examples of the things we read besides books that you can also read stories about:
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Advertisements
- Blogs
- Product labels
Those Who PublishThe financiers of our favorite stories are publishers. Although, they are perhaps best known by their imprints. See if you can find a story to read from each one of the publishers below:
- Penguin/Random House
- Hachette Book Group
- Harper Collins
- Simon and Schuster
- Macmillan
Those Who Publish IndependentlyBeyond the “big 5” publishers, there are indie authors and small presses publishing some of the best stories in literature today. Check these out:
- Catapult Press
- Two-Dollar Radio
- Mason Jar Press
- Tin House
- Milkweed Editions
PotpourriNow, anything goes. Read a story that is about or that features one of these themes:
- A football player who falls in love with a fan
- An animal who takes an unexpected trip
- A witch who is good
- A social media influencer
My old grandmother always used to say, Summer friends will melt away like summer snows, but winter friends are friends forever.
A Song of Ice and Fire
by George R. R. Martin
What To ReadThe Christmas Chroniclesby Tim Slover
In The Christmas Chronicles, an 8-part audiobook podcast series, author Tim Slover imaginatively reveals the “true and complete history” of Santa as an otherwise routine shopping trip for pine boughs turns into the start of an unforgettable adventure.
Black EnoughEdited by Ibi Zoboi
Many of these stories read like the memories of Generation X grown ups reminiscing about being black and young. Some stories are so familiar, you might think that not much has changed. Regardless, Black Enough is an engrossing collection that leaves you with plenty to think about.
What To WatchBlack Panther: Wakanda ForeverYou don’t need a reason to see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever other than the awesome story line, but if you need more convincing, try watching for the superb acting from these two powerhouse divas: Angela Bassett and Danai Gurira. You’ll be wishing you were from Wakanda, too, by the end of this film.
By Design: The Joe Caroff StoryIf you enjoy looking at movie posters or judging classic books by their cover, then you’ve probably seen his work. This time, graphic designer Joe Caroff is the star of the film and the story in By Design: The Joe Caroff Story (HBO+). The designer discusses the thought processes behind some of his most memorable works, including the logo for James Bond, first seen in Dr. No (1962) and advertising for Cabaret (1972) and West Side Story (1961).
Where To GoAnnual Holiday Book FestivalJoin the White House Historical Association December 2nd for their Annual Holiday Book Festival in Washington, DC, featuring President Thomas Jefferson (played by Bill Barker), illustrator Dr. John Hutton, and more. For those who love art, join Hutton at the festival for a lesson on how to draw US presidents. Every book purchase enters you for a chance to win an original Hutton drawing.
Proust WeekendA niche bookstore located in the French Embassy in New York City, Villa Albertine celebrates the life, art, and literature of novelist, critic, and essayist Marcel Proust with a full Proust Weekend of free art, live readings, and children’s workshops. (December 3-4)
Fran LebowitzAuthor and social commentator Fran Lebowitz visits New Jersey’s Performing Arts Center for a night of “wit and wisecracks.” She is the best selling author of Metropolitan Life and Social Studies. Hear both in the Fran Lebowitz Reader before you go or catch her in the comfort of your own living room in Public Speaking, an HBO documentary with director Martin Scorsese. (December 11)
Holiday Cheer with Ice Cream and Beer Adult Book FairThey had us at ice cream sandwiches, but this fundraising holiday book bash also supports the Noble Neighbor, a nonprofit whose goal is to bring books and author visits to underserved St. Louis-area schools. You can’t beat sugar and a good cause! Both ticket tiers for this event support the organization and offer you access to discounts. (December 14-15)
Listen to ThisJoyful NoiseOn a cold winter’s day, when what you really need is a heart warming reminder that spring will return, listen to these creative poems from Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman. For a moment, you might forget there was even such a thing as snow.
Elf ControlWith most episodes not longer than 5 minutes each, Elf Control is a humorous elfin series chronicling the untold adventures of the North Pole. It’s a satisfying romp in the sleigh.
After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.
– Oscar Wilde
What to ReadCall a Body Homeby Michael Alessi
Can love for home be joyous and sad simultaneously? The stories in Call a Body Home read like memories, the secrets your mother might share with you at the end of the day after a funeral or a holiday meal, when everybody’s finally gone home and it no longer matters whether anyone knows what happened.
The Secret Lives of Church Ladiesby Deesha Philyaw
The title of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies suggests stories of women shouting for the gospel, maybe gossiping about deacon so-and-so with you-would-not-believe-who’s wife (or husband). It’s that and so much more, unveiling through beautiful narrative the social and cultural limitations of the Bible that stifle the romantic lives of God-loving people (if they let it).
What To WatchCS Lewis: The Most Reluctant ConvertFollow writer CS Lewis as he tells the transformational story of his own conversion from atheism to Christianity in this inspiring biopic drama CS Lewis: The Most Reluctant Convert.
Photo: Baltimore Museum of ArtA Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great MigrationPart of a new exhibit about the migration of African American families leaving the South is a film by artist Allison Janae Hamilton based on the short story “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortez. (Now through January 29, 2023)
Where To GoPhilly Zine Fest 2022Returning live and in person at Mitten Hall at Temple University is one of the oldest indie zine festivals that has been around since 2002: Philly Zine Fest. (November 5)
National Association of Black Storytellers FestivalOpen to everyone, the 40th annual NABS festival features artists of the oral storytelling tradition who specialize in sharing tales, both ancient and contemporary, both real and fictionalized, from places throughout the African diaspora. (November 9-13)
Texas Book FestivalMeet with the likes of Janet Evanovich, Jacques Pepin, local Texan authors, and more at this year’s Texas Book Festival in downtown Austin. (November 4-6)
What To Listen ForStar Trek: The Short Story CollectionThis time William Shatner, the man best known for his skills negotiating travel deals online and playing the iconic role of Captain Kirk in Star Trek, sets off for space. For real. He tells it all in this interview with National Public Radio. Oh, and check out this collection of Star Trek short stories from Star Trek Magazine.
It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be. – J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire What To Read Sin Eaters by CalebContinue reading "Short Listed: October 2022"
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien Goodbye, Summer. Thanks for the memories.Continue reading "Short Listed: September 2022"
With the autumn coming to soon say farewell to summer, a novel with a premise about a Sapphic romance between a witch and a struggling musician was enough to sellContinue reading "Doughnuts and Doom"
With every book they publish, many authors likely have a goal to have their stories immortalized forever. Some stories fade into obscurity, while others have staying power that outlasts inContinue reading "Carmilla"
With 2022, comes a return for Short Story Book Club (SSBC). Kicking off in May comes Short Story Fest 2022. Short stories are a great way to get reading intoContinue reading "A Short Story Fest 2022 Feature: Interview with Donna Ledbetter"
By Donna Ledbetter It seems the police have always been at odds with oppressed people. At a time when misgivings about the police run rampant through the minds of poor,Continue reading "The Man Who Lived Underground"
By Olive Dausinas As August skims away into September, so does the summer inevitably fade. With vacations ending and people heading back to school, perhaps it would make sense toContinue reading "Cheer Up! Love and Pompoms"
How many stories will you read in 2022? Short Story Book Club member Kate Wood read over 100 books in 2021, and she doesn’t have plans to stop any timeContinue reading "Short Story Reading Challenge 2022"
Weather, by Jenny Offill, is written from the perspective of Lizzie, a librarian who stumbled upon her career. Rather than focusing on one particular conflict, the novel is written in a free form, stream of consciousness style. Several conflicts are discussed periodically: her relationships with her husband and son, her addict brother who becomes a father, and most prominently, her own fear of the apocalyptic future. All of these conflicts are made worse by Lizzie’s new side hustle—answering letters in a Q&A style for a doomsday podcast.
On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a semi-autobiographical novel, narrated by a Vietnamese American man. It is framed as a letter to his mother, who cannot read and will likely never read the letter. The narrator covers his family history, from his mother’s PTSD that results in his occasional abuse, to his grandmother’s relationship with an American soldier, to his own teenage relationship with someone addicted to drugs. Through the stories the narrator shares, readers are enveloped in issues of race, language, war, drugs, and so much more.