Wow, that blog post title has not one, but two extraneous periods. Last night I sat with Robb Olson and Livius Nedin of the Booked. Podcast to chat a bit about the new book S., masterminded by J.J Abrams and written by Doug Dorst. The novel is incredible unique, so rather than rehash the entire discussion I''ll rehash my final thoughts and encourage you to listen to the entire podcast episode. An extremely unique book, both in form and execution, which forces the reader to re-imagine the very act of reading not just once, but on every page. This brilliance carries with it the potential for mental exhaustion which might deter many readers looking for something more accessible and casual. It’s not an easy book, especially if you’re a completionist who would feel obligated to follow every narrative thread, to investigate every reference, to explore the book the way an…
Category Archives Author Podcast
Here I chew, swallow, and every-so-often successfully digest various aspects of the writer’s life, from rejection to success, sober to drunk. The World’s First Author Podcast is for writers looking for a bit of navigation through the increasingly fractured path to publishing success…maybe.
The fine fellows at Booked Podcast, Robb Olson and Livius Nedin invited me over to discuss the reissue of Chuck Palahniuk's Invisible Monsters. Here's a bit from the episode description: Booked reviews Invisible Monsters REMIX by Chuck Palahniuk, with special guest host Caleb J. Ross. It’s more of a book discussion than a review this episode, since this is not technically a new-new book, and there’s a good chance that lots of people listening will have already read it. So we talked a bit about the book, Palahniuk, and (of course) felching. As you do when you talk about Invisible Monsters. Click here to listen to the latest Booked Podcast episode, featuring Caleb J. Ross.
A while ago I got together with Ben Tanzer via Skype to try out a new concept in author book discussions, one that rather than avoid tension and conflict actually confronts it head on. I call this a "Defend Your Work" episode, and I hope you like it enough for me to continue. Though this episode is actually part of Tanzer's (and CCLaP's) New York Stories virtual blog tour, I recorded it originally as part of the 99 Problems book relase tour a year or so ago. Unfortunately, my participation in that tour never materialized. I don't remember why, but it was probably my fault. Also, please pardon the technical issues with this episode. My recording software malfunctioned at the last minute, forcing a less than optimal work-around. Also, the buffering audio may give the impression that I am either interrupting Mr. Ben Tanzer or reacting inappropriately to his comments. Simply put,…
I've been wanting to read "Click-Clack" to a live audience for a while. It's perhaps one of my more unsettling stories. So, I thought, where better to read it out loud than in a sweaty, un-air conditioned room above Prospero's Bookstore. The crowd seemed to dig the story, as much as one can considering the heat. The version linked here contains a few sound effects as well. A lot of my fiction deals with what I call domestic grotesque situations. None are perhaps more fitting to this term than "Click-Clack." If you like it, pick up more of my fiction, specifically my two story collections Charactered Pieces and Mumurs: Gathered Stories Vol. One.
The fellows over at Booked Podcast are gents in the truest sense of the word. By that I mean they are whimsical placcards on the bathroom doors of bar restrooms. Also, they happen to be amazingly active participants in the podcast and reading communities, so much so that they are dedicating many future episodes of their podcast to live readings as recorded during the 2012 AWP Conference in Chicago, IL. Though my reading, done at The Meshuggah Cafe in St. Louis on February 28th, wasn't officially part of the AWP Conference (which started February 29th in Chicago), the entire week blends for me into a single mess of drink, friends, and drunk friends. This recording captures the first time I had read "The Lipidopterist" out loud in front of an audience. All-in-all, I think it worked. Have a listen, then check out Booked Podcast for more. Be sure to subscribe…
[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/calebjross/status/138063727013527552"] NaNoWriMo is a month-long event in which writers of all experience levels attempt to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. Sounds good, right? There is a sense of accomplishment for accomplishment's sake with vomiting so many words, with setting and meeting a goal. However, I'm not so couch-therapy optimistic about it. Send any comments on this episode, or any writing and publishing related questions to caleb [at] calebjross.com. I will answer them in a future episode. Show Notes and Mentions National Novel Writing Month official website Follow comedian Doug Wilson at @idigthedoug
[blackbirdpie url="http://twitter.com/calebjross/status/137032988696387584"] I'll start by saying that the recording for this episode cut off prematurely due to dying batteries. I was going to re-record, but the considering the content of the episode, dying off seems especially relevant. Though short, I think this episode addresses some important ideas. What happens to our work when we die? And, more importantly, should we even care? How much should we try to control our future reputation? These questions, and more, will be asked in this episode (but will not be answered; see paragraph one above).