Jagdish, Rammelkamp, Goodman, Solomon, Banksy in Syndic

Syndic Literary Journal is back with a great new issue to begin 2015. In the February issue (No. 12), you’ll find fiction, poetry, audio, and art.

 

Dive into the issue with “A Real Banksy,” photographed by Mel Solomon. Read or listen to fiction by Nitin Jagdish (“My Cab Driver”), Charles Rammelkamp (“The Locker Room”, and myself (an abbreviated version of “Live Cargo” from Tracks).

 

LeRoy Chatfield founded the original Syndic in San Francisco and published it 1958-1960. Fifty years later in 2010, Chatfield revived his Syndic Literary Journal and publishes it online at syndicjournal.us.

 

Enjoy Syndic No. 12 at http://syndicjournal.us/cover-syndic-no-12/.

Lit and Art Hits Baltimore Book Fest’s CityLit Stage

When is Lit & Art at the Watermark not at The Watermark?

 

When it is at the Baltimore Book Festival!

 

Join us at 1:30 on September 29 at the Baltimore Book Festival’s CityLit Stage as we feature original art by world-renowned artist Manzar, live banjo by Pop-Grass star Jacob Panic, and original readings by Jessica Anya Blau, Eric D. Goodman, and Nitin Jagdish, and Bathsheba Monk.

 

NPR’s Aaron Henkin (who hosts the weekly cultural exploration of Baltimore’s cultural landscape on WYPR’s The Signal) emcees the event on Sunday, September 29 from 1:30 to 2:30.

 

Then … You don’t want to miss the next big event at The Watermark Gallery. Join us on Sunday, October 13 from 2 to 5 p.m. for Lit & Art at the Watermark, 100 S. Charles St., across from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Original art by Manzar; original songs by Goodloe Byron; readings by Lauren Eisenberg Davis, D.R. Belz, and Barbara Friedland; an exciting presentation by Tom Glenn on the fall of Saigon (he was there as it happened); and a special musical performance by National Book Award nominee Madison Smartt Bell. Did we mention free wine and refreshments?

 

But first … we’ll see you at 1:30 on September 29 at the Baltimore Book Festival’s CityLit Stage.

 

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/event-detail/535/Lit-&%20Art

 

Art Imitating Death Imitating Art

Sometimes moments or scenes or feelings can stay with you for a long time.

In the summer of 1987, my grandfather (father’s side) died. My family was on vacation in Seoul, Korea. We lived in Sasebo, Japan at the time. I remember the Navy Chaplain visiting us in our tatami-mat hotel and delivering the news. We cut our vacation short and flew from Korea to Wyoming for the funeral.

I don’t remember who said it or how it was said, but my teenage self took to heart when a person mentioned how unfortunate it was that the one time you could count on the entire extended family gathering together was for funerals.

When I wrote a story for Tracks about a woman dealing with the death of her parents, that childhood memory still lingered in the back of my mind. That, and a vivid scene from East of Eden when the Hamilton family gathers to talk about their plans after their father (John Steinbeck’s grandfather) died. Of course, on some subconscious level, I realize that I must have been writing through fears of the inevitable as well.

I named the story “Reunion” and wrote this line of dialogue from an estranged neighbor friend: “Why is it that it takes tragedy to bring old friends together?”

On May 9 of this year, about a month ago, my grandmother (mom’s side) died, leaving behind a husband of 68 years who is 95 years old. 

At the viewing and funeral and house, family, friends, and community gathered. It was nice to see so many people paying their respects. But that same feeling echoed and I even had to voice it. “We should try to get together more often,” I said to cousins and uncles and family and friends.

Here’s to art imitating life imitating art.

I read an abridged version of “Reunion” for WYPR’s The Signal. You can catch a podcast under “Reunion” at www.tracksnovel.com/radio.html.  

You can also find it here: http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/84379/Reunion.

Farley’s Bookshop Spotlights Tracks

In their most recent monthly newsletter, Farely’s Bookshop spotlighted a few notable books. One of them is Tracks: A Novel in Stories.


“Goodman interweaves the stories and lives of a group of passengers on a train headed from Baltimore to Chicago. The book is full of tension, insight and tight, great writing. It is a wonderful look into the human soul and an absolute pleasure to read. Fine work.”

Farley’s Bookshop, located in New Hope, Pennsylvania, has been independent and family owned and operated since 1967.

Novelist James Michener and Fred Rogers (aka Mr. Rogers) helped Jim and Nancy Farley open the shop in 1967.

Farley’s Bookshop has a reputation for discovering and spotlighting indie presses and books.

Visit the bookshop online at http://www.farleysbookshop.com/.

Or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/#!/farleys.bookshop.5

Fiction Featured in The Baltimore Review

The latest issue of The Baltimore Review is available at bookstores, libraries, and online. Inside you’ll find my story, “Out for a Walk.”

The Baltimore Review, like many literary journals, is very selective; the editors receive more than 10,000 submissions a year. It is published twice a year and the editors only select about ten works of short fiction for publication each year.

Interested in getting a copy of the latest issue? There are several ways you can do so.

1) The best way is to subscribe! Go to their website at http://www.baltimorereview.org. A one-year subscription (two issues) is $15. Tell them you’d like to begin with the current issue with my story in it.

2) Order a copy of the current issue from the website. Sample copies are $10.


3) Ask your local bookstore or library whether they carry The Baltimore Review.

4) Get an autographed copy directly from me. I’ll send it to you for the cover price of $8 and cover the postage myself, since I want to share my work. Just email me at edgewriter@gmail.com. You can either send me a check or use PayPal.

5) If you’re nearby, I’d be happy to let you borrow a copy.

I’m thrilled to have made it into the pages of The Baltimore Review and hope you’ll be able to enjoy it — not just my story, but all of the fine work published inside.