Random. Chance. Fate. Fatum as the latin word goes. Which, enunciated, sounds like fat tombs. You tell me the words ‘fat tombs’ and I think of the frog plague from the old testament and I wonder if the children (the children of the children) of Egypt, as a past time, made pyramid tombs for fat frogs...
Did I mention the word random?
Well, fate dishes it out to us in both the good and bad varieties. And I was happy when Matthew McBride let me know I’d won a copy of Needle magazine with his story, Everybody Loves Cocaine. The envelope arrived endowed with his wonderful art, and his story page has a “best wishes, you rock!” and signature. It simply made my day. Good 'fat tombs' for Jodi!
So Matt, I hope you like the collage I made above and the review I wrote for you below. And that Bowie? It’s been places, man. But I ain’t sayin’ where. *wink*
***
McBride’s story, Everybody Loves Cocaine, is a razor edged read you don’t want to shave or snort with. Although, the razor comes in handy if you happen to find yourself, like his protagonist, with two other dudes, and only half a gram of cocaine. Sometimes, “Sorry, dude” just doesn’t cut it. You want some more? Get some while its still legal… by purchasing Needle magazine here.
Recently, I’ve been disappointed in small press releases. Because of the availability and ease of self-publishing, there is a rush to throw paper, words and names together and fart it unto mankind. All that to say, I was very pleased with the quality of Needle Magazine. It is on par with other high quality magazines I’ve subscribed to over the years such as Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and Shimmer.
Thanks to fatum and some good people, I won’t be building any frog tombs, but I got
a good smile, a signed kick ass story, and a pleasant discovery of a quality ezine.
Thank you, Matt.
12 comments:
I hate it when people fart stuff on humanity!
I've been looking into getting a grant to start a three-dimensional, non-virtual pulp fiction magazine. So far I can't find anything. I promise, however, that if I do publish something you can hold in your hands, it will be more substantial than a fart!
I will hold you to that promise, Alec!
Needle is definitively not flatulence upon papyrus. Matthew flat out puts it down and leaves ya spinnin'. 'S all good, Dangerous Lady. Cool beans.
I want to hear more about the knife, Jodi.
NEEDLE is a very good place to hang one's hat and I'm fortunate to have been in the last issue
Glad to hear it's good. You're right, with the ease of publishing these days there is some crap out there. But there's a lot of good too and sometimes it's hard to find.
Aj ~ Haha! You are a punny man. And yes, Matthew has no hesitancy in his storytelling. He is all the way or no way. Cool beans, indeed!
David~ I could tell you about the knife but then I'd have to uh... Anyway, I ALMOST bought that last issue. I was going back and forth. I didn't know if it was a I-am-a-man-hear-my-caveman-war-cry! or if it was the real deal. I hate to say that, but its the truth. So, winning the zine was the best thing that could have happened. I am genuinely and pleasantly surprised and very happy to support quality (as you well know because that's what you & BtaP put out).
Charles ~ You are right. There are definitely good small press pubs out there. It's hard to sift the good from the bad. I think word by mouth (praising the good pubs) is really an effective tool.
First of all, congrats on the magazine. It sounds like a real treat.
Secondly, your opening paragraph was a killer. I love writers/bloggers who play with language. As a linguist myself (although I worked mostly as a language teacher and translator/interpreter in Cuba) I am fascinated by authors who are not afraid of using language, and I mean that in the broadest sense of the phrase. Rushdie comes to mind.
Cracking post.
Greetings from London.
Hi there ACIL,
Thank you! I think I've read somewhere on your blog that you were a language teacher in Cuba for a good while. Very neat. Playing with words and taking risks is something I enjoy. Sometimes it works, other times I end up flat on my face. ;-)
ps. I love Rushdie
Pretty cool review, Jodi ... ;)
I want one. I also want that knife.
"...a rush to throw paper, words and names together and fart it unto mankind."
Oh, you!
Thanks, Ant.
Lynn, come and get it. ;-)
John, I learn from the best.
Thanks everyone.
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