theNewerYork Press published my third piece of fiction, "How to Make This Without Using That," yesterday as part of theNewerYork's 24-Hour Lit Binge. In addition to my story, they published 23 other great pieces that are worth checking out; I particularly liked "Dear Amadeus" by Bryce Bullins, "Coffee Break" by Miguel Martinez, "Theatre" by Emily McCrary, "Porn is Much Less Stressful" by Steven Rineer and "Endnotes for Life" by Chris Campanioni. But don't overlook any of the ones I didn't mention, as there is something to admire in every single published piece! Best of all, if you read a piece that you like and are feeling particularly generous, you can donate to the authors (plus theNewerYork gets 8% of the fee, which they totally deserve). Check out theNewerYork here if you dig experimental literature . . . you're bound to find more to love, pinky promise! :)

May we continue to do our part and respect the planet upon which we so freely exist.

The month of June is inevitable. So too is Bob Schofield’s new book.

“The Inevitable June," forthcoming from theNewerYork Press June 1 (mark your calendars, people!), is a quirky, unpredictable adventure that is likely to leave you feeling well-traveled and maybe even a little seasick.  

Much like the old woman who kisses the narrator on the cheek one day in early June, each page of the book provides an unexpected surprise. Whether it’s seeing a man falling from the sky or reading the words “boxcar mustache," this book is a page-turner through and through. If you don’t read it in one sitting, shame on you (but really, I won’t judge; I suppose it’s O.K. if you get interrupted by your hungry dog or your whistling teapot on the stove or something).

The kind folks at theNewerYork Press describe “The Inevitable June" as "a surreal, poetic adventure." This is a fact. Here are three other important facts you need to know about this book:

1. To not like this book would be comparable to not liking, say, ice cream or pizza. You would be a freak.

2. You know how writers often say to themselves, “Damn. I wish I had written that"? Yeah. That may happen to you a lot while you're appreciating this book's lovely black and white insides. You may also find yourself repeating the word “nice" (or any similar word that you tend to use when you come across something delicious).

3. If theNewerYork Press keeps publishing books like Schofield’s, they truly are going to accomplish exactly what they intend to do: "end the triumvirate of novels, short stories, and poetry." *CUE LOUD ROUND OF APPLAUSE*

Compact enough to fit inside your fancy lunch box or your travelin’, jammin’ bag of importante documents, “The Inevitable June" is most certainly worthy of being shared. I mean, I have a ton of friends who I know would adore this book. I also have friends who would say, “What is this?” And, well, I think that’s exactly the kind of compliment that Schofield ultimately desires.  

To pre-order “The Inevitable June,” click here.  

Jake Bugg, a talented musician from England, has been on my radar since the release of his self-titled debut album in 2012. Like a proud mother, I am here to say that his latest LP, "Shangri La," is just as impressive. Check out this awesome video of Jake performing the undeniable single "Me and You":

HOOT Review--a litmag that comes in the form of a postcard--is celebrating National Poetry Month by sending out postcards to addresses that the editors randomly select from a phone book!

HOOT Review is great, through and through. And--to be quite honest--people need more poetry in their lives. This is a great way to make that happen. Plus, they're not expecting it. Even better.

If you're interested in joining the cause, click here. (I also recommend subscribing to HOOT Review. You get a postcard mailed to you every month. The writing and art = consistently commendable!)

If you've visited my website recently, you've probably seen a few posts that allude to my love for Vampire Weekend. I feel that a brief explanation regarding this slight obsession is somewhat necessary.

Let me start by saying that I've always liked Vampire Weekend. I listened to this song a lot. I remember that it came out while I was still in high school:

While I liked Vampire Weekend, I didn't LOVE and APPRECIATE Vampire Weekend until my husband purchased this gem of an album for me for Christmas:

Then it began. I spun the record, spun it some more, and fell in love with every single song. The more I got to know it, the more I loved it. It's really that simple.

I've been obsessing over this album for months. I just can't get enough of it . . . EVERY.SINGLE.SONG. is a masterpiece. Despite how much I've listened to it, I have yet to tire of it and best of all, every listen feels like the first. I guess you can say that I haven't fallen head-over-heels with an album like this in quite awhile. It's nice.

What Ezra Koenig and his bandmates have created is a solid album through and through. This is the kind of album that reminds me that as I'm getting ready to publish a collection of my writings, the entire collection better be solid, bold, endlessly surprising. Just like "Modern Vampires of the City."

I'm not alone in admiring this album--Rolling Stone rated it 2013's "Album of the Year," and the boys received a Grammy for it. If you haven't given it a listen yet, I'm not going to say, "Shame on you." Instead, I'm going to direct you to the "Links" section of my website, where you will find a link to purchase the album on Amazon. It's worth every penny. 

And for your listening/viewing pleasure, the official videos from the album are posted below. Enjoy (hopefully as much as I do)!

"Step":

"Diane Young":

"Ya Hey":

Last night, Chels gave our dog Sadie a little trimmity-trim. And it was hilarious. Watch:

We considered making a pillow out of her hair (can you blame us?):

Oh my. Too funny. Toooooo freaking funny.

We love Sadie so much. She's such a funny dog with a big personality. And she's smart, too. She also has a really bad habit of falling asleep without actually putting her head down. Exhibit A (which is really the only exhibit you need):

She's a beaut, isn't she? I also need to mention how much she enjoys riding in the car. For instance, she thought for sure that she was coming to the coffee shop with us this morning.

Sadie will be 5-years-old in a few days. Look how FREAKING CUTE she was when she was little (puppy photo credit: yours truly)! She's still cute nowadays,of course . . . not to mention just as hyper and loving and fun.

How wonderful it is to have a dog like Sadie in our lives! ❤ Happy early birthday, lil' sis!