Shine On!

There is an explosion of support for Lauren Myracle, and her YA novel Shine after the National Book Foundation blundered its announcement that the book was a nominee in the Young People's Literature category. Having to renounce the recognition that being nominated for a National Book Award brings, Myracle seems to be garnering more attention from the press, and social media, than any books that still remain on the finalist list.

It will be interesting to see how many copies of Shine sell in this momentous surge in support of her novel, which deals with underrepresented themes in award-winning YA literature: gay hate crimes.

It brings to mind something the poet Crystal Williams said at a reading I attended last year, about how National Book Award winners tended to be overrepresented in the category of straight, white, male.

Perhaps they really are a little out of touch? This cannot be helping the general assumption that the NBF is part of the 'old' book publishing industry. Although the 'new' is still being defined (which is why I love being a book publishing student!), it seems the power of the people may outweigh a logo on the book (although the money that comes with the award is pretty sweet...)

I admit, as someone who does not read a lot of YA literature, I have been hearing a lot about the book and am tempted to go and buy a copy. From an independent bookstore of course! ;)

What I think is awesome is that due to this error, the NBF is donating $5000 to the Matthew Shepard Foundation, named in honor of a young boy murdered because he was gay. Raising the awareness of this issue seems to be the legacy of Shine, National Book Award or not.

Right on Lauren Myracle!







Follow @jyoti_ka_d

National Book Award finalists 2011

Think Out Loud, a program on my local  public radio station OPB just announced, live, the 2011 National Book Award finalists.

This was exciting for me, as a publishing student, to see Portland chosen as the site for this, considering the NBA is very much steeped in that tradition of New York City publishing.

After attending Wordstock this past weekend, a zine reading at a local library last night, and looking at our Mayor's declaration that October 12th is National Books Awards Day,  I am just overwhelmed at the book-lovingness of this city. It's like I am living in a perfect alternate reality! ;)

What is so great, to me, about Portland writing and publishing is that we really, really, emphasize the importance of independent presses and publishing. We poked some fun of the New York publishing scene (Think Out Loud host David Miller laughing about expensive lunches to judge the NBA finalists, but with affectionate jest, and possible with a little envy!) and it's traditions. It's not like there is a need to obliterate, disrespect, or bring it down, I just feel that there is an acknowledgement that we need to return to the roots of writing and publishing, putting literary connection first, not corporate disconnection...

One of the judges noted how who published a book doesn't really enter into the equation anymore because independent presses have the access to make a book look as beautiful as one of the bigger houses'.

That being said, Right On to Graywolf Press for their nonfiction nomination, and Lookout Books for their nomination in fiction. Their respective tweets were 'HOLY CRAP' and 'OH DEAR GOD'.

(Sorry if I missed any other independent presses who received nominations for books they published... I haven't even made it out of bed yet!)

UPDATE10/21: Thanks to those who pointed out Bellevue Literary Press are another independent press with a book up for nomination: The Sojourn by Andrew Krivak in the fiction category. BLP are the publishers of Tinkers which had an initial print run of 2000 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 2010, much to the shock of some. :)

Wordstock 2011

Me and a huge stack of books are curled up at home after an exhausting but exhilarating weekend at Wordstock, the largest book festival in the Northwest. :)

Even though I have lived in Portland for three years this is the first time I have been able to attend the festival. I spent most of my time tabling for Bitch, but that was a great way to meet people (and seek refuge from the crowds - it is a privilege to live in such a book-loving city but I am still an anti-social, easily startled writer at heart...).

Anyway, I did manage to get to a few of the readings and panels, and do a quick tour of other booths. I was very excited to renew both my Calyx and Tin House subscriptions, as well as pick up a new one to Gertrude. I also picked up a copy of Granta's feminism issue which I have been eager to read...

Authors I was able to see read were: Jennifer Egan, Barry Lopez (in conversation with John Freeman, editor of Granta), Vanessa Veselka, and Charles Yu.

I also attended the 'Mean Girls' panel consisting of Chelsea Cain, Moira Kelly, and Lisa Wells.

All in all a very inspiring couple of days that reminded why I love living in Portland so much, and how vibrant the writing and publishing community is.

*Right on!*

Bitch’s Bedside Table

(From September B-Mail)

Our publishing intern Jyoti Roy geeks out about good publishers as much as great writing. These are her most favorite recent reads that also showcase independent/ small press publishing.

yeah. no. totally. by Lisa Wells (2011) {Perfect Day Publishing}
At first glance this title seems to be aimed solely at the short-attention span generation. This slim volume of short non-fiction pieces does offer a quick read, yet the writing is dense and poetic and packs meaning into every sentence. Born out of this generation, yeah. no. totally offers a critical lens in which to view the experiences of our times, framing it in a way that is personal yet far reaching and universal.

Little Green by Loretta Stinson (2009) {Hawthorne Books}

The backdrop to this story is 1970's Pacific Northwest drug culture. The protagonist, Janie, is a young runaway who is in a relationship with someone who is abusive and an addict. It handles dark situations with glimmers of light, strength, and hope. With an introduction by Robin Givens, a spokeswoman for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Little Green makes no judgements, and offers us a realistic view of the complexities of love, abuse, addiction, and redemption.

Zazen by Vanessa Veselka (2011) {Red Lemonade}
Imagine the poetic parts of your life happening against the backdrop of war. Or how random explosions and global acts of self- immolation can make the mundane parts of your life become infused with meaning that is slightly out of your level of understanding. This novel is mysterious and unsettling, and eerily familiar. Veselka's dystopic first novel has gained wide recognition (read our review here) and follows one woman's search for connection in a completely disconnected society.

Reviews...

Here is an archive of reviews I wrote for Elevate Difference.

further clarification on lines of flight

“Lines of flight are creative and liberatory escapes from the standardization, oppression, and stratification of society. Lines of flight, big or small, are available to us at any time and can lead in any direction. They are instances of thinking and acting ‘outside of the box’, with a greater understanding of what the box is, how it works, and how we can break it open and perhaps transform it for the better.” – Josh Lerner

“Withdraw allegiance from the old categories of the Negative (law, limit, castration, lack, lacuna), which the Western thought has so long held sacred as a form of power and an access to reality. Prefer what is positive and multiple, difference over uniformity, flows over unities, mobile arrangements over systems. Believe that what is productive is not sedentary but nomadic.” – Michel Foucault

“Find your black holes and white walls, know them, know your faces; it is the only way you will be able to dismantle them and draw your lines of flight.” – Deleuze and Guattari

What does this have to do with loss/ grief/ disaster/ the lowest point? These are instances that rip apart our idea of normalcy and present us with an opportunity for insight and action that we cannot ignore.

When something is lost, it means something can be found.

LINES OF FLIGHT

A journal of transgression.


Issue #1 – Nadir[The lowest point]

(call for submissions)

loss, transition, change,
cataclysm, collapse,
grief, death,



metamorphosis.



If you have reached the lowest point where do you go from there?


flight.zine@gmail.com

(deadline March 1st 2010)

will consider fiction, non-fiction, art & photography (b+w), diagrams, essays, poetry, lyrics. From one word to 2-3 pages. Thanks!

Read more about the concept behind 'Lines of Flight'