Stop the World: Snapshots from a Pandemic

I have a piece in the upcoming collection Stop the World: Snapshots from a Pandemic with Thalia Press. It will be out August 4, 2020 and features 40 essays, short stories, and poems about, what else? The pandemic.

I’m excited about this one and it’s a first for me as my contribution is an essay rather than a short story. Actually, it’s not really an essay but telephone transcriptions, hence the title “The Five Stages of Coronanxiety in Telephone Transcriptions.” These are conversations between my dad and I during the early stages of the pandemic. The U.S. had not issued “safer at home” orders yet. I have to say it was very cathartic writing this!

I’m grateful to the editors Gary Phillips, Lise McClendon, and Taffy Cannon for putting this together. And all proceeds go to charity!

Here’s the book description:

HOW WILL YOU REMEMBER THE PANDEMIC?

Not fondly, of course. But your life, and the lives of millions of others, are forever changed by these times. These 40 writers set out to record their experiences, emotions, fears, and gratitude for living through 2020. Stuck at home, watching the news in horror, helping others: these writers’ imaginations never stopped (although their productivity sometimes took a hit.)

Crime stories, creative fiction, elegant and angry poetry, wrenching personal essays– these record the pandemic year in ways we are likely to want to forget. For the record, here are 40 inspiring, heartfelt, creative takes on this odd and terrifying time in the world, from writers in the US, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Romania. All 2020 profits will be donated to charity.

Preorder here!

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An Interview with Mysti Berry on LDDV, Volume II

With everything going on in our country and local communities – and around the world really – I’ve been hesitant to add to the noise unless it’s to boost those voices who need boosting.

But Mysti Berry is publishing an anthology of short stories next month – July 4, actually – that I’m hopeful will make a difference in the upcoming election as well as ensuring our right to vote. It’s called Low Down Dirty Vote, Volume II and it’s about voter suppression. It includes one of my stories “Unit 805” and I’m honored to be a part of it. All proceeds will go to the Southern Poverty Law Center. You can pre-order the book here: Low Down Dirty Vote, Volume II

I interviewed her about the anthology and how it came to be. It’s up today at The Thrill Begins.

I also want to add that this will be my last Thrill Begins post. Ed Aymar, our tireless editor, is leaving his post so all of us have decided to leave along with him. I’m sad but so grateful I got a chance to be a part of The Thrill Begins and Murderer’s Row. Hopefully we will all work together on a different project or blog so stay tuned!