Citrus County

reviewed by Miriam Roth

Originally published on December 3, 2010

Described by one critic as “Southern Gothic goes to middle school,” Citrus County, like its Gulf Coast namesake, feels both alien and alarmingly familiar. Brandon, who grew up just

Original Mind

by Glenn J Freeman

Originally published on December 1, 2010

The Buddhists & Beats alike pray at the altar of first thoughts in the temple of spontaneity and its deep- seated mistrust of revision: what you see is what you see. Don’t blink. On stage, a poet reads crafted, lush poems, her words echoing in the nearly- empty church until each syllable begins to disconnect, [...]

Interstate Nocturne

by Gregory J. Wolos

Originally published on December 1, 2010

I’m smashing my own hole through the star-freckled night, nothing around to be sucked into my trail except a few small animals that trickle out of the humps of forest the highway splits.

Celebrity time with Dad

by Derek Alger

Originally published on December 1, 2010

The celebrity culture has always been alien and incomprehensible to me. I have never been in awe of anyone, except perhaps Mickey Mantle when I was four, and I have never wished I was someone else. Not that I think I’m even close to perfect, or great; in fact, the opposite is probably more accurate, [...]

Diane Lockward

interviewed by Derek Alger

Originally published on December 1, 2010

Diane Lockward is the author of four collections of poetry, including her most recent work, Temptation by Water (Wind Publications, 2010). Her previous works are What Feeds Us (Wind Publications, 2006), winner of the Quentin R. Howard Poetry Prize; Eve’s Red Dress (Wind Publications, 2003); and a chapbook, Against Perfection (Poet’s Forum Press, 1998).

Benjamin Percy

interviewed by Derek Alger

Originally published on December 1, 2010

Benjamin Percy is the author of the recently published novel, The Wilding (Graywolf, 2010), and two collections of short stories, Refresh, Refresh (Graywolf, 2007) and The Language of Elk (Carnegie Mellon, 2006).

A Full Boil

by Carol J. Arnold

Originally published on December 1, 2010

But this night, turnips were her concern, not Allison. “Carrots would be easy,” she grumbled to Warren, “but what could be more hateful than a turnip?”

Sticking Point

by Sophia Kraemer-Dahlin

Originally published on December 1, 2010

Honey dripping, caramel. There is no maximum volume of a meal. How the comb became so noisy When the two sat on angry sides of the table, eating, teeth sticking, jaws exhausting. But one arm reached across the table, lit with grapes, o marvel, each pegged somehow, unrolling, there for the reconciliatory tongue, the penitent [...]

Treacherous

by Ethel Rohan

Originally published on December 1, 2010

My doctor’s hands felt large, cold. The genius confirmed my blindness, and postulated on shock, senility, psychosis. He and my daughter went on to talk about the big freeze forecast.

A Cloud

by Christian Aguiar

Originally published on December 1, 2010

I plant my feet on the wet-clam ribbing of the shower floor and point my nose towards the nozzle, enjoying the peroxide sting of the water as it collects in my sinuses and chokes me gently.