Sun, Feb 24 2013 12:17
Dear Everybody: eBook
Comments
Sun, Feb 24 2013 12:14
The Way the Family Got Away: eBook
Mon, Nov 26 2012 09:54
BIG RAY in The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Reader's Digest, Time Out Chicago
The Wall Street Journal: “astonishingly moving … to mesmerizing effect. … Big Ray is an appalling tale told with anger, dark humor and surprising tenderness.”
The Boston Globe: “Distilled, intense … Fear and revulsion mingle with a kind of helpless love.”
Reader's Digest: “This plainspoken novel about a man coming to terms with his abusive father’s death sneaks up on you--and is unlike anything else you’ve read.”
Time Out Chicago: “Together, the fragments form a surprisingly enthralling portrait of an abusive father … a spellbinding and unflinching meditation on forgiveness, a novel that secures Kimball’s reputation as a literary innovator.”
Thu, Sep 27 2012 08:32
BIG RAY in The New York Times
Thu, Sep 27 2012 08:02
Big Ray (the man and the book)
Wed, Sep 26 2012 11:03
Huffington Post: The Underrepresentation of Overweight Characters
Mon, Sep 10 2012 01:04
BIG RAY is Book of the Week at Oprah.com
Thanks to Andrew Keating for the nice interview over at Cobalt Review.
And Big Ray is Book of the Week at Oprah.com. Oprah calls the novel "gorgeous." That's all I ever wanted.
Thu, Aug 30 2012 11:15
The Next Best Book Club
The good Lori Hettler says all kinds of nice things about Big Ray and gives the novel five stars over at The Next Best Book Club.
Thu, Aug 23 2012 05:27
Publishers Weekly
Thu, Aug 23 2012 05:16
Death Becomes Him
Mon, Jun 18 2012 11:17
Vice
There's an excerpt from Big Ray in the June issue of Vice that also just went live. Plus, Vice named the cover of Big Ray "Best Cover of the Month."
And there's a sweet mini-review of Big Ray from the wonderful Megan Boyle, which says, in part: "prepare to be utterly punished."
Comments (1)
Thu, May 17 2012 11:56
The Wig Leaf Top 50
Thu, May 17 2012 11:40
There Isn't Anybody Expecting Me Anywhere Tomorrow
Comments (1)
Fri, Dec 16 2011 09:52
Us for City Paper's The Year In Books
I'm excited that City Paper named Us to its Top Ten list for The Year in Books, along with books by some of my favorite writers—Joan Didion, David Foster Wallace, Errol Morris, Lawrence Weschler, etc. City Paper says, in part: "We’re all familiar with the classic boy-meets-girl scenario, but what would happen if the tale kept going? Kimball takes the reader to the end of the love story—the real end—and shows just how crushing it can be. "
Fri, Nov 18 2011 08:01
Us Named a Top Ten Indie by Book Page
Thu, Nov 3 2011 01:47
BIG RAY
There will probably be some tweaks -- a bigger font size for the title and maybe white for my name and the placement of "a novel" might move -- but I love this cover too much to not show it to everybody already. Bloomsbury will publish BIG RAY Fall 2012.
Comments (3)
Wed, Aug 24 2011 07:07
Me and Us on WYPR
I recorded this segment for WYPR's Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast a couple of months ago and missed it when it aired, but the podcast is available now. Before me, there are segments about crime in Baltimore and a study about news sources, then I'm around the 24-minute mark. Tom Hall is an incredibly generous question-asker.
Fri, Aug 12 2011 11:31
Five Lit Things + The Paris Review
New York Magazine picked the Franklin Park reading I'm doing with Joshua Cohen, Kio Stark, Robert Tumas, and Amy Benfer as one of five literary events to check out next week.
Plus, Sadie Stein at The Paris Review wrote a nice tidbit that calls Us "heartbreakingly lovely" and the writing "a pleasure."
Comments (1)
Wed, Aug 10 2011 11:44
The Kindle Us
The Kindle version of Us is now available. Many thanks, as always, to the Tyrant and to Tyrant Books.
Mon, Aug 1 2011 12:00
Welcome to the Golden Age
There's a wonderful group review -- books by Blake Butler, Scott McClanahan, Joshua Cohen, and me -- in the Charlotte Viewpoint. Jeff Jackson makes an interesting argument -- that "we’re living through a golden age for American literature" -- and then goes on to say nice things about each of our books. Of Us, he says, "this examination of love, grief and family makes these universal themes seem achingly fresh. ... Us delivers a powerful emotional experience."
Mon, Jul 18 2011 09:42
Michael Kimball Will Not Back Down
Tue, Jul 12 2011 11:42
Anything Could Be a Story
I have an interview with Rachel B. Glaster up at the Charlotte Viewpoint. We talk about Pee on Water, how her ideas become stories, and how anything can be a story.
Tue, Jul 5 2011 09:22
BIG RAY to Bloomsbury
I'm having a pretty great year so far and I feel really grateful for it. I don't even know how to explain how grateful I feel. I'm so happy to announce that I just sold the world rights to a new novel, BIG RAY. It's the story of a son coming to terms with the sudden death of his obese father. It's told through 500 brief entries, moving back and forth between past and present, the father's death and his life, between an abusive childhood and adult understanding. BIG RAY went to Kathy Belden at Bloomsbury USA, which will publish in Fall 2012, and Michael Fishwick at Bloomsbury UK, which will publish in Winter 2013.
Comments (2)
Fri, Jul 1 2011 10:27
Oprah Says Really Nice Things About Us
Sat, Jun 11 2011 11:09
Two Stories @ Bomb
I'm excited about my two stories at Bomb, which are accompanied by this beautiful Conor Lamb photo and some kind words: "As entertaining as it is intelligent as it is irreverent, Kimball’s prose is that rare creature that devours while being devoured."
Sun, May 22 2011 09:26
Big Other
Over at Big Other, the poet John Poch writes an attentive review of Us. John says, in part: "Michael Kimball faces mortality directly, confronting the passionate life in the most poetic sentences I’ve read from a fiction writer in a long time. And by poetic, I don’t mean that the prose is prettified with a lot of adjectives and fancy syntactical flourishes. It is poetic in the sense that the sentences seem made, hewn, created by a mind and hand that love the way we think and talk in sentences. ... After having finished one of the saddest books I’ll probably ever read, I was filled with a strange exuberance. ... If death is a sentence, Michael Kimball has found its words."
Mon, May 9 2011 11:46
Psychology Today: One True Thing
At Psychology Today, the wonderful Jennifer Haupt asks me some thoughtful questions and I do my best to answer them. Besides that, she says this about Us: "Be forewarned: when you pick up Us, Michael Kimball's haunting story of love and letting go, you will not be able to put it down."
Fri, May 6 2011 10:43
Nice Review of Us at Corduroy Books
There's a really nice review of Us at Corduroy Books (along with a review of Andrew Krivak's The Sojourn). The good Weston Cutter says things like this: "Us is such strange magic ... Us brings up something strange and terrifying to consider: that the real beauty and magic of being alive—a long marraige made of compromise and attempting to do right by the person one’s sworn before god to do right by—may not even be able to be communicated by anything more fancy than the simplest, most basic statements (what, after all, is sadder to read than “My wife stopped breathing”? If you can actually connect with those words, can empathize with whatever speaker’s uttered them, can many statements be more devastating?). ... (but there’s plenty more reason to read it, not least is the searching, fumbling, totally humble way Kimball writes himself into the story of his grandparents and tries to understand what it is that’s in between people who’ve spent a lifetime beside each other). It’s a gorgeous book."
Wed, May 4 2011 11:03
Us: Release Party
The release party for Us is going to be at KGB on May 14, 7:30pm. My friend Sam Lipsyte will read a little something and I will read a little something and then there's going to be an open bar, because that's how my publisher does it. Here's more information on the release party, as well as the rest of the book tour.Pre-orders are now available at Tyrant Books and at Amazon.
Comments (1)
Thu, Apr 21 2011 09:15
Dear Everybody in Korean
I was surprised when I received the Korean translation of Dear Everybody and it was a hardback. Most translations are paperback. Then I opened it up and saw that it had a two-color interior that picks up the blue from the cover. American publishers don't do that kind of thing with novels. It's a really beautiful book. I wish that I could read it. Which reminds me, if anybody is good with Korean Google, I'd be grateful for a good jpg of the cover or any reviews that may be out there.
Comments (3)
Fri, Apr 15 2011 11:41
The Animation of Us
Us from Michael Kimball on Vimeo.
Luca Dipierro's beautiful and heartbreaking animation -- based on a single sentence from Us. Preorders are open at Tyrant Books.
Tue, Apr 12 2011 11:34
Us @ The Next Best Book Club
There's a really nice early review of Us at The Next Best Book Club. The good Lori Hettler says, "Michael Kimball has blown me away with his upcoming release Us -- a beautiful, heart-wrenching novel." Plus, she pulled one of my favorite bits as an excerpt.
Preorders are open at Tyrant Books.
Thu, Mar 31 2011 09:35
A Devastatingly Beautiful Portrait
There's a wonderful early review of Us by the good Michael Goroff at the Barn Owl Review in which he calls the novel a "devastatingly beautiful portrait of a human being losing the person who matters to him most." Many thanks to Michael and to Mary Biddinger.
There's also an except from Us called Home Things up in the first anniversary issue of Corium. Many thanks to Lauren Becker.
Preorders are open at Tyrant Books.
Tue, Feb 22 2011 10:57
Αγαπητέ όλοι
I'm very excited about this one, Αγαπητέ όλοι, the Greek translation of Dear Everybody.
Comments (1)
Fri, Sep 24 2010 11:23
The Baltimore Book Festival
The Baltimore Book Festival starts in a few hours and, for the first time in years, it isn't going to rain. The 5ive:Ten Readings will be doing a special date in the CityLit tent on Saturday, 5pm. The lineup is Paula Bomer, Aryn Kyle, Jen Michalski, Justin Kramon, Jon Cotner and Andy Fitch (whose reading will be a kind of duet or dialogue), and I'll be reading something brand new. I hope to see you there.
Comments (2)
Sat, Sep 11 2010 02:50
The 5ive:Ten Readings
Sure, we took the summer off from The 5ive:Ten Readings, but we want you to know that we missed you and that nothing has changed between us. The first episode of the Fall 510 is going to feature readers from Unsaid Magazine, one of the greatest literary magazines ever published. The September line-up features Michael Kimball, Kim Calder, Kate Wyer, and Andy Devine. That's Saturday, September 18th, 5pm at the Minas Gallery. There are some good looking photos and bios at the link.
The Saturday after that, the 25th, The 5ive:Ten Readings will be at the Baltimore Book Festival in the CityLit Tent at 5pm with Paula Bomer, Aryn Kyle, Jen Michalski, Michael Kimball, Justin Kramon, and the writing duo of Jon Cotner and Andy Fitch.
I'm going to be reading brand new work. I hope to see you there or there.
Thu, Aug 12 2010 10:59
Lo Que Queda de Nosotros
The Spanish translation of How Much of Us There Was, Lo Que Queda de Nosotros, officially pubs next month. It's always a special thrill each time one of my books gets translated, in part because I can't read any of them (not in any full sense). I can mostly only look at them. I think that's why I developed the habit of setting a bunch of copies out on the kitchen table, all face up, so that I can look at them every time I walk through the kitchen, which is quite a few times a day, some of which are to get a piece of my book cake. 
Anyway, the publishing house, Tusquets, which also published the Spanish translation of The Way the Family Got Away, Y la Familia Se Fue, has been wonderful through every step of this. They work with great translators and make really beautiful books.
Tue, Jul 20 2010 10:44
City Sages @ Creative Alliance
Sat, Jun 12 2010 09:58
Dear Everybody @ The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog ... Period
The good Cortnee Howard asked me some smart questions and I did my best to answer them @ The Best Damn Creative Writing Blog ... Period. We talk about Dear Everybody, soundtracks, and e-readers.
Comments (1)
Wed, Jun 9 2010 02:22
Interview @ The Next Best Book
The good Lori Hettler at The Next Best Book Blog asked me some questions and I did my best to answer them. We talk about Dear Everybody, the 510 Readings, Michael Kimball Writes Your Life Story (on a postcard), 60 Writers/60 Places, I Will Smash You, and dog-earring books.
Mon, Jun 7 2010 11:50
How Much of Us There Was
I finished writing How Much of Us There Was in late 2003. It was first published in 2005 by Fourth Estate in the UK, then in paperback by HarperPerennial the next year, but it was never published in the US and I ended up firing my agent at the time. Now I'm happy to say that How Much of Us There Was will finally get its US release with Tyrant Books this fall. To honor the occasion, I re-read the novel and ending up making over 500 mostly little changes. Plus, I changed the ending.
Comments (5)
Tue, Jun 1 2010 09:30
Redivider 7.2 (Spring 2010)
I have a flash called "I Was Supposed to Be an Actor" in the new Redivider. There's also fine work from Keith Alexander, Emily Bobo, Traci Brimhall, Alison Doernberg, Alison Doernberg, Bill Edmondson, Timothy Fitzmaurice, David Huddle, Richard Jackson, Isaac’s Janet Jennings, Michael McFee, Michael McFee, Wayne Miller, Wayne Miller, Cecily Parks, Isaac Pressnell, James Richardson, James Richardson, Milan Rufus, Ali Shapiro, Gary Soto, Patrick Swaney, Matt Bell, Christopher Boucher, J. Bowers, Ron Carlson, Joe Celizic, Dan Moreau, Kelcey Parker, Molly Reid, Davy Rothbart, Jake Wolff, Ellen O’Connell, Chantel L. Tattoli, K.C. Wolfe, Kathleen Rooney, Elizabeth Crane. Thanks to Matthew Salesses, Cat Ennis, and Brooks Sterritt.
Tue, May 25 2010 02:44
Reading Local
There's a super nice write-up at Reading Local. Celeste Sollod titles the piece "Michael Kimball Is Perfect." She concludes the article with this: "the next great new literary discovery." Plus, there are a few excerpts from Dear Everybody posted here.
Mon, May 24 2010 11:38
Dear Everybody @ The Next Best Book Club
There's a super nice review of Dear Everybody over at The Next Best Book Club. The good Lori Hettler calls Dear Everybody "a beautifully crafted collage of life"--along with all kinds of others nice things.
Comments (1)
Tue, May 18 2010 08:39
Free Movie Night in LA
Los Angeles: On Thursday, May 20, at 10pm at Sunset 5 Theater, there will be a free double feature, both I Will Smash You and 60 Writers/60 Places. Many thanks to the great Ken Baumann for making this happen. There is more information about both documentaries, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.
Mon, May 17 2010 10:08
Meeting Words: A Live Editing Performance
This week at Meeting Words, Matt Bell is writing LIVE. The whole schedule is explained at Everyday Genius. I'll be doing a LIVE editing performance on Tuesday night, 9pm. Then Lily Hoang will edit LIVE on Wednesday. Then Matt will rewrite.
Thu, May 13 2010 09:38
Giant Lecture #6: Acoustics
Lecture #1 is about openings. Lecture #2 is about ways to keep the fiction moving forward. Lecture #3 is about some ways to get yourself to sit in the chair and write. Lecture #4 is about story and plot. Lecture #5 is about language and sentences. Lecture #6 is about acoustics.
Tue, May 4 2010 02:16
Screenings in ATL and LA
Atlanta: On Friday, May 14, at 8pm, at eyedrum, there will be a screening of 60 Writers/60 Places. There will also be readings by Zachary Schomburg and Ann Stephenson. Many thanks to the great Blake Butler for setting this up.
Los Angeles: On Thursday, May 20, at 10pm at Sunset 5 Theater, there will be a free double feature, both I Will Smash You and 60 Writers/60 Places. Many thanks to the great Ken Baumann for making this happen.
There is more information about both documentaries, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.
Fri, Apr 30 2010 10:33
This Furniture
The great Luca Dipierro made a wonderful one-minute animation based on a single sentence from Dear Everybody.
Comments (3)
Thu, Apr 29 2010 01:14
Live Giants
Wed, Apr 28 2010 01:13
Each Moment of It Is Magical
The good Brian Allen Carr wrote a a great review of Dear Everybody that's up at Dark Sky Magazine. He says a ton of nice things. Here are three of them:(1) "Each moment of it is magical."
(2) "Using smooth rhythms, polished tones and humorous observations, Kimball gives us a monster of a family that somehow the reader needs to know."
(3) "The explicit humanity rendered throughout, make Dear Everybody a truly great read. That Kimball is able to polish each element–each entry–in the collection to a high sheen evidences a talent not often seen."
Mon, Apr 26 2010 11:45
Live HTMLGIANT Reading
I'm doing a live reading at HTMLGIANT on Thursday, April 29th, at 9pm. Andy Devine will be opening for me.
Mon, Apr 26 2010 11:06
The PRISM Index Is Coming to Town
The PRISM Index is coming to town and the show will be on Sunday, May 2, at 9pm, at Rocket to Venus. I'll be reading from the paperback of Dear Everybody and showing a couple of shorts from Little Burn Films. There will also be musical performances by David Heumann (Arbouretum) and Robinson Lee Earle, plus live painting troupe Root 222.If you can't make the show, Issue #1 is now available. It's 80 pages/88 min DVD/72 min CD and has a huge list of contributors, including me: Belly Boat, Jeffrey Bowers, Jeffrey Brown, Jeff Brush, Castanets (Ray Raposa), Diane Cluck, William Fowler Collins, Josh Cotter, Jay Duplass, Jeremy Bradley Earl, Robert Earle, Theo Ellsworth, Steve Emmons, Fantastic Magic, Grant Falardeau, Chema Garcia, Golden Ghost (Laura Goetz), Lisa Hanawalt, Chadd Harbold, Trent Harris, David Heumann, Brent Hoff, Michael Hurley, Azazel Jacobs, Hermann Karlsson, Michael Kimball, Mike Kuchar, Michael Langan, Robbie Lee, Julia Marino, Daniel Martinico, Charlie McArthur, Colin McDonald, Gavin McInnes, Brian McMullen, Carson Mell, Mi and L’au, Adam “Meadows” Mitchell, Mr. Leg, Louis Munroe, Annelies Monsere, Ormo, Parker Paul, Bill Plympton, Bhob Rainey, Brett Eugene Ralph, Luke Ramsey, Dan Reeder, Jay Rosenblatt, Mick Rossi, Chris Schlarb, Chriss Sutherland, Justin Taylor, Thee More Shallows (Dee Kesler), Dustin Thompson, James Jackson Toth, Schon Wanner, Sarah Warda, Virgil Widrich, Women & Children (Kevin Lasting), David Zellner, Nathan Zellner.
Sat, Apr 10 2010 08:41
DEAR EVERYBODY @ American Chronicle
William Hughes wrote a wonderful and personal review of DEAR EVERYBODY at American Chronicle. The review begins with this sentence: "Michael Kimball's third book, DEAR EVERYBODY, will kick you hard in the ass!" And then William thoughtfully breaks down the many perspectives in the novel--while also weaving in bits from Eckhart Tolle, Albert Camus, and about his own brother.
Fri, Apr 9 2010 09:21
The Way the Family Got Away
There's a great descriptive review of The Way the Family Got Away at The Collagist. The good and smart John Madera says all kinds of thoughtful things here.
The Way the Family Got Away was published 10 years ago this month.
Sat, Mar 6 2010 04:41
Now in Paperback
DEAR EVERYBODY is now in paperback. I've been told that it is on display tables at McNally Jackson and other great bookstores, and its now available online at Powell's and Amazon and all that. Everything is the same, even the cover, except it's $5 cheaper and it has that great pull-quote from The Believer review about the book being a "curatorial masterpiece" for which I will forever be thankful.
Comments (1)
Sat, Mar 6 2010 04:39
An Outtake from 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES
The DVDs of the two documentaries that I made with Luca Dipierro -- 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES and I WILL SMASH YOU -- are now available here.
Wed, Mar 3 2010 10:38
Giant Lecture #5: Language and Sentences
Lecture #1 is about openings. Lecture #2 is about ways to keep the fiction moving forward. Lecture #3 is about some ways to get yourself to sit in the chair and write. Lecture #4 is about story and plot. Lecture #5 is about language and sentences.
Fri, Feb 26 2010 11:39
DEAR EVERYBODY, in Paperback
DEAR EVERYBODY gets its paperback release next week. The official pub is March 1, but I'm already hearing reports of it being displayed on tables at McNally Jackson and other bookstores, and its already available at Powell's and Amazon and all that. Everything is the same, even the cover, except it's $5 cheaper and it has that great pull-quote from The Believer review about the book being a "curatorial masterpiece" for which I will forever be thankful.To celebrate, a little, I have two events coming up. On March 4th at 7pm, I'm reading at Atomic Books with Zachary German. On March 6th from 11:30-12:45, I'm giving a talk, The 1-Hour MFA, at a free writing conference at CCBC-Catonsville, in the Barn Theater.
Wed, Feb 24 2010 02:54
60 WRITERS @ LA Times' Jacket Copy
There's a nice write-up of 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES at the Los Angeles Times' Jacket Copy. Caroyln Kellogg says, among other things, that "the idea is so beautiful." If you're not in a city where we are planning an upcoming screening (Atlanta, Los Angeles, Austin, and Saginaw are in the works) and you want to see it, there are now copies available here.
Fri, Feb 19 2010 11:45
Giant Lecture #4: Story and Plot
Lecture #1 is about openings. Lecture #2 is about ways to keep the fiction moving forward. Lecture #3 is about some ways to get yourself to sit in the chair and write. Lecture #4 is about story and plot.
Thu, Feb 18 2010 10:30
Double Feature @ Creative Alliance: February 21st
Bret McCabe says, "60 Writers is a wonderful example of literary thinking becoming a visual language." He calls both "Smash" and "60" "disarmingly engaging" and that both films "subtly acc[rue] an emotive force." Time Out New York calls 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES "innovative ... striking ... poignant ... humorous." 
Plus, the good Aaron Henkin (aka The Voice) and I talk about both I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in the last segment of WYPR's The Signal.The double feature at the Creative Alliance is Sunday, February 21st (doors at 6:30, screening at 7:30). I hope to see you there.
Sat, Feb 13 2010 12:13
Double Feature @ Creative Alliance: February 21st
Bret McCabe says, "60 Writers is a wonderful example of literary thinking becoming a visual language." He calls both "Smash" and "60" "disarmingly engaging" and that both films "subtly acc[rue] an emotive force." Time Out New York calls 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES "innovative ... striking ... poignant ... humorous." Plus, the good Aaron Henkin (aka The Voice) and I talk about both I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in the last segment of WYPR's The Signal.The double feature at the Creative Alliance is Sunday, February 21st (doors at 6:30, screening at 7:30). I hope to see you there.
Tue, Feb 9 2010 02:27
Robert Thinks Bill Murray
I have an interview with Zachary German up at The Faster Times. We talk about his new book, Eat When You Feel Sad, autographs, the use of "about," and what the main character does, thinks, and says. More interviews @ The Faster Times: Gary Lutz, Blake Butler, Rachel Sherman, Laura van den Berg, Ben Tanzer, Brian Evenson, Robert Lopez, Samuel Ligon, Dylan Landis, Joseph Young, Andrew Porter, Padgett Powell.
Tue, Feb 9 2010 09:50
The PRISM Index
The PRISM index, Issue #1, is now available for pre-order. It's 80 pages/88 min DVD/72 min CD and has a huge list of contributors, including me: Belly Boat, Jeffrey Bowers, Jeffrey Brown, Jeff Brush, Castanets (Ray Raposa), Diane Cluck, William Fowler Collins, Josh Cotter, Jay Duplass, Jeremy Bradley Earl, Robert Earle, Theo Ellsworth, Steve Emmons, Fantastic Magic, Grant Falardeau, Chema Garcia, Golden Ghost (Laura Goetz), Lisa Hanawalt, Chadd Harbold, Trent Harris, David Heumann, Brent Hoff, Michael Hurley, Azazel Jacobs, Hermann Karlsson, Michael Kimball, Mike Kuchar, Michael Langan, Robbie Lee, Julia Marino, Daniel Martinico, Charlie McArthur, Colin McDonald, Gavin McInnes, Brian McMullen, Carson Mell, Mi and L’au, Adam “Meadows” Mitchell, Mr. Leg, Louis Munroe, Annelies Monsere, Ormo, Parker Paul, Bill Plympton, Bhob Rainey, Brett Eugene Ralph, Luke Ramsey, Dan Reeder, Jay Rosenblatt, Mick Rossi, Chris Schlarb, Chriss Sutherland, Justin Taylor, Thee More Shallows (Dee Kesler), Dustin Thompson, James Jackson Toth, Schon Wanner, Sarah Warda, Virgil Widrich, Women & Children (Kevin Lasting), David Zellner, Nathan Zellner.
Mon, Feb 8 2010 09:09
Double Feature Snow Date: February 21st
There's a really nice write-up on 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in City Paper. Bret McCabe says, "60 Writers is a wonderful example of literary thinking becoming a visual language." He calls both "Smash" and "60" "disarmingly engaging" and that both films "subtly acc[rue] an emotive force." Plus, he describes me as "a tall man of almost instant affability."Plus, the good Aaron Henkin (aka The Voice) and I talk about both I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in the last segment of WYPR's The Signal.
The snow date for the double feature at the Creative Alliance is Sunday, February 21st (doors at 6:30, screening at 7:30). I hope to see you there.
Wed, Feb 3 2010 12:01
60 WRITERS / 60 PLACES
There's a really nice write-up on 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in today's City Paper. Bret McCabe says, "60 Writers is a wonderful example of literary thinking becoming a visual language." He calls both "Smash" and "60" "disarmingly engaging" and that both films "subtly acc[rue] an emotive force." Plus, he describes me as "a tall man of almost instant affability."Plus, the double feature at the Creative Alliance (this Friday, the 5th, doors at 6pm, screening at 7pm) is a Critic's Pick.
Mon, Feb 1 2010 03:26
60 Writers/60 Places w/ I Will Smash You @ Creative Alliance
The good Aaron Henkin (aka The Voice) and I talk about both I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in the last segment of WYPR's THE SIGNAL. The screenings are Friday, 7pm @ Creative Alliance.
[Click on the flyer to make it full-size.]
Mon, Feb 1 2010 10:47
Double Feature @ Creative Alliance
The two films that I made with Luca Dipierro -- I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES -- they are going to be a double feature at the Creative Alliance on February 5th, doors at 6, screening at 7pm. There's more information, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.[Click on the flyer to make it full-size.]
The good Aaron Henkin (aka The Voice) and I talk about both I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES in the last segment of WYPR's THE SIGNAL.
Wed, Jan 27 2010 12:22
I Kept Writing Them: Interview of Padgett Powell
I have an interview with Padgett Powell up at The Faster Times. We talk about his new book, The Interrogative Mood, question marks, fan mail, who the narrator is, and the adjectival nature of questions. More interviews @ The Faster Times: Gary Lutz, Blake Butler, Rachel Sherman, Laura van den Berg, Ben Tanzer, Brian Evenson, Robert Lopez, Samuel Ligon, Dylan Landis, Joseph Young, Andrew Porter.
Mon, Jan 25 2010 11:50
Double Feature @ Creative Alliance
The two films that I made with Luca Dipierro -- I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES -- they are going to be a double feature at the Creative Alliance on February 5th, doors at 6, screening at 7pm. There's more information, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.[Click on the flyer to make it full-size.]
Tue, Jan 19 2010 10:53
Psychotically Obsessed with Death
I have an interview with Samuel Ligon up at The Faster Times. We talk about his new book, Drift and Swerve, the development of a personal syntax and language, and violence in fiction. More interviews @ The Faster Times: Gary Lutz, Blake Butler, Rachel Sherman, Laura van den Berg, Ben Tanzer, Brian Evenson, Robert Lopez, Joanna Howard, Dylan Landis, Joseph Young, Andrew Porter.
Fri, Jan 15 2010 11:23
Suicide Letters @ Vice
There are a bunch of suicide letters from Dear Everybody up at Vice today, courtesy of the benevolent Tyrant.
Mon, Jan 11 2010 10:11
Double Feature @ Creative Alliance
The two films that I made with Luca Dipierro -- I WILL SMASH YOU and 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES -- they are going to be a double feature at the Creative Alliance on February 5th, doors at 6, screening at 7pm. There's more information, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.[Click on the flyer to make it full-size.]
Wed, Jan 6 2010 10:14
The Way We Reconstruct Memory
I have an interview with Andrew Porter up at The Faster Times. We talk about his new book, The Theory of Light and Matter, the reconstruction of memory, and what really happened. More interviews @ The Faster Times: Gary Lutz, Blake Butler, Rachel Sherman, Laura van den Berg, Ben Tanzer, Brian Evenson, Robert Lopez, Joanna Howard, Dylan Landis, Joseph Young.
Tue, Jan 5 2010 10:32
The Ultimate Hipster Reading List
DEAR EVERYBODY is on Flavorwire's Ultimate Hipster Reading List (and they mean hipster in a good way). Plus, they list a bunch of other great titles, if you're looking for something to read.
Fri, Dec 18 2009 11:54
Dear Michael Kimball
The good John Madera has an incredibly thoughtful review of DEAR EVERYBODY, disguised as a letter to Michael Kimball, up at the always wonderful Word Riot. The review asks many smart questions, among them: "How do I get rid of your voice in my head?"
Thu, Dec 17 2009 09:31
A Kind of Planned Awkwardness
I have an interview with Joseph Young up at The Faster Times. We talk about his new book, Easter Rabbit, by way of his microfiction, "Eleven"--of which I ask questions that address each of the 30 words in the piece. More interviews @ The Faster Times:
I Am Not a Camera: Gary Lutz
A Ribbon of Language: Blake Butler
What People Do When No One is Watching: Rachel Sherman
Justify Every Sentence: Laura van den Berg
Most Violence Is Intimate: Ben Tanzer
I'm Not Trying to Trick the Reader: Brian Evenson
Where Commas Ordinarily Go: Robert Lopez
My Narrative Mind: Joanna Howard
Details Are My Weakness: Dylan Landis
Wed, Dec 16 2009 10:26
Matt Bell's Best Of What I Learned About Writing from Interviews Written by Michael Kimball
I really like this: Matt Bell has posted the Best Of What I Learned About Writing from Interviews Written by Michael Kimball at Big Other, which is "arranged into a short collage essay on sound and language in fiction."
Comments (1)
Tue, Dec 15 2009 12:44
60 Writers/60 Places, Some Thank Yous
That photo is Luca and me introducing 60 Writers/60 Places at the PPOW Gallery. Thank you to Nelly Reifler for setting up Pratt. Thank you to Jamie Sterns for setting up the PPOW Gallery. Thank you to the nice people who said nice things about the film."innovative ... striking ... poignant ... humorous"
--Chris Schonberger, Time Out New York
"brilliant premise"
--Lincoln Michel, The Faster Times
The films of Michael Kimball and Luca Dipierro have at the forefront a concern with the way space is altered and engaged with when people enter the picture. When people enter the picture and sometimes say and do startling things.
--Rozalia Jovanovic, The Rumpus
Thu, Dec 10 2009 08:35
60 Writers/60 Places in NYC
There is a nice little write-up of 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES, a film I made with Luca Dipierro, in the Notable New York section of The Rumpus. Among other things, the good Rozalia Jovanovic writes: "The films of Michael Kimball and Luca Dipierro have at the forefront a concern with the way space is altered and engaged with when people enter the picture. When people enter the picture and sometimes say and do startling things."60 WRITERS/60 PLACES will premiere this week in New York City. There are two screenings: Friday, December 11 at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and Saturday, December 12 at PPOW Gallery in Chelsea. There is more info, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.
Wed, Dec 9 2009 08:44
Details Are My Weakness
I have an interview with Dylan Landis up at my interview column for The Faster Times, Writers on Writing. We talk about her new book, Normal People Don't Live Like This, first lines, and some really great stuff on details. More interviews @ Writers on Writing:
I Am Not a Camera: Gary Lutz
A Ribbon of Language: Blake Butler
What People Do When No One is Watching: Rachel Sherman
Justify Every Sentence: Laura van den Berg
Most Violence Is Intimate: Ben Tanzer
I'm Not Trying to Trick the Reader: Brian Evenson
Where Commas Ordinarily Go: Robert Lopez
My Narrative Mind: Joanna Howard
Comments (2)
Tue, Dec 8 2009 10:55
60 Writers/60 Places in NYC
There is a nice little write-up of 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES, a film I made with Luca Dipierro, in the Notable New York section of The Rumpus. Among other things, the good Rozalia Jovanovic writes: "The films of Michael Kimball and Luca Dipierro have at the forefront a concern with the way space is altered and engaged with when people enter the picture. When people enter the picture and sometimes say and do startling things."60 WRITERS/60 PLACES will premiere later this week in New York City. There are two screenings: Friday, December 11 at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and Saturday, December 12 at PPOW Gallery in Chelsea. There is more info, plus stills and trailers, at Little Burn Films.
Mon, Dec 7 2009 11:48
60 Writers/60 Places in NYC
There are two screenings of 60 Writers/60 Places in NYC later this week--December 11 at Pratt and December 12 at PPOW Gallery. There's more information, plus stills and more trailers, here.
Tue, Dec 1 2009 10:39
60 Writers/60 Places in NYC
There are two screenings of 60 Writers/60 Places in NYC next week--December 11 at Pratt and December 12 at PPOW Gallery. There's more information, plus stills and more trailers, here.
Mon, Nov 30 2009 02:08
My Narrative Mind
I have an interview with Joanna Howard up at my interview column for The Faster Times, Writers on Writing. We talk about her new collection, On the Winding Stair, story openings, and how to get from one sentence to the next. More interviews @ Writers on Writing:
I Am Not a Camera: Gary Lutz
A Ribbon of Language: Blake Butler
What People Do When No One is Watching: Rachel Sherman
Justify Every Sentence: Laura van den Berg
Most Violence Is Intimate: Ben Tanzer
I'm Not Trying to Trick the Reader: Brian Evenson
Where Commas Ordinarily Go: Robert Lopez
Fri, Nov 20 2009 10:01
Tonight: I WILL SMASH YOU @ 14 Karat Cabaret
There's a rave review of I WILL SMASH YOU in the City Paper. Bret McCabe says some really nice things, including this: "What's disarming about the entire process is not the clever, collateral entertainment damage that comes from staged violence; what emerges from these brief snippets are miniature personality portraits of human beings." There's a screening tonight in Baltimore (click on the flyer for details). If you're interested in setting up a screening of I WILL SMASH YOU in your city, leave a comment or email me and I'll send you a DVD.
Wed, Nov 18 2009 10:07
Where Commas Ordinarily Go
I have an interview with Robert Lopez up at my interview column for The Faster Times, Writers on Writing. We talk about his new novel, Kamby Bolongo Mean River, writing with constraints, the revision process, and commas. More interviews @ Writers on Writing:
I Am Not a Camera: Gary Lutz
A Ribbon of Language: Blake Butler
What People Do When No One is Watching: Rachel Sherman
Justify Every Sentence: Laura van den Berg
Most Violence Is Intimate: Ben Tanzer
I'm Not Trying to Trick the Reader: Brian Evenson
Wed, Nov 18 2009 11:17
Rave Review of I WILL SMASH YOU
There's a rave review of I WILL SMASH YOU in the City Paper. Bret McCabe says some really nice things, including this: "What's disarming about the entire process is not the clever, collateral entertainment damage that comes from staged violence; what emerges from these brief snippets are miniature personality portraits of human beings." And this: "Kimball and Dipierro have put together a collection of money shots that make you care about who's coming and why." And this: "It's the reasons why that stay with you when all that's left is rubble."There's a screening of I WILL SMASH YOU in Baltimore on Friday, November 20th @ 14 Karat Cabaret. It's part of a Shattered Wig night and a Critic's pick.
Tue, Nov 10 2009 09:39
I'm Not Trying to Trick the Reader
I have an interview with Brian Evenson up at my interview column for The Faster Times, Writers on Writing. We talk about Fugue State, irresolvable narrative, the ending of The Open Curtain, and form as it relates to the novel, the novella, and the story collection. More interviews @ Writers on Writing:
I Am Not a Camera: Gary Lutz
A Ribbon of Language: Blake Butler
What People Do When No One is Watching: Rachel Sherman
Justify Every Sentence: Laura van den Berg
Most Violence Is Intimate: Ben Tanzer
Mon, Nov 9 2009 11:12
DEAR EVERYBODY: The Innermost Feelings of Real Feeling
There is a really nice Chinese review of DEAR EVERYBODY at Bardon (scroll down), which says, in part, that "Dear Everybody ... touches the heart of hearts ... snowflake-like letters ... exquisite ... the innermost feelings of real feeling."
Fri, Nov 6 2009 10:45
The Baltimore Grill
Baltimore Magazine made me their last page--The Baltimore Grill. We talk about rejection, an obvious motto for Baltimore, smashing things, the value of reducing somebody's life to a postcard, and the most generous and attentive reading audience I have ever been around.
[It's not online, but click the scan. It's kind of big enough to read.]
[It's not online, but click the scan. It's kind of big enough to read.]
Wed, Nov 4 2009 11:45
Shape of a Box: A Video Review of Dear Everybody
At Shape of a Box, Jessie Carty gives a thoughtful video review to DEAR EVERYBODY in which she says that DEAR EVERYBODY is "a beautiful book, inside and out," among other nice things. Thank you, Jessie.
Comments (2)
Mon, Nov 2 2009 10:09
Most Violence Is Intimate
I have an interview with Ben Tanzer up at my interview column for The Faster Times, Writers on Writing. We talk about Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine, dialogue, narrative speed, pop culture references, and what characters want from fiction.
More interviews @ Writers on Writing:
Gary Lutz
Blake Butler
Rachel Sherman
Laura van den Berg
More interviews @ Writers on Writing:
Gary Lutz
Blake Butler
Rachel Sherman
Laura van den Berg
Tue, Oct 20 2009 09:37
What People Do When No One Is Watching
I have an interview with Rachel Sherman up at my interview column for The Faster Times, Writers on Writing. We talk about LIVING ROOM, the third person, a beautiful sentence, loneliness, and touching.
There's also an amazing interview with Gary Lutz there. And there's a thing where Blake Butler and I talk about acoustics. In the next few weeks, there will be interviews with Brian Evenson, Laura van den Berg, Ben Tanzer, Joanna Howard, and Robert Lopez.
Wed, Oct 7 2009 11:30
Dear Everybody (Or: When a Poet Writes a Novel)
There's a really thoughtful review of DEAR EVERYBODY up at The Lesser of Two Equals. It says, in part: "Kimball’s background as a poet is apparent in his ability to isolate and frame small moments of a particular character’s experience. Fine attention to detail is exercised both as an art and as a special effect ... It has a surprisingly strong dark humor for being about such a serious topic, his observations are keen and quirky, and he knows how to let imagery make a scene swell." And I liked this bit about Jonathon's suicide letters: "This writing spree has all the highs and lows of a drug binge."
Mon, Oct 5 2009 11:15
This Blog Will Change Your Life
Ben Tanzer has a super nice write-up, at This Blog Will Çhange Your Life, in which he calls me "the dark overlord of all things writing, film and interview" and in which he calls DEAR EVERYBODY "moving, even paralyzing"--and notes that "pain can be captured on the page both sparsely and lyrically, an achievement that is magical." Thank you, Ben Tanzer.
Sat, Oct 3 2009 09:10
Directors Notes
As Luca Dipierro says, Directors Notes is the best podcast for independent filmmaking, which is nice because they posted an interview with Luca and me, where we talk at length about I WILL SMASH YOU and about our next project 60 WRITERS/60 PLACES. You can listen to it directly on the website or save it on your computer and listen to it whenever you want.
Mon, Sep 28 2009 10:32
A Ribbon of Language: Blake Butler and Michael Kimball Talk About Acoustics
Blake Butler and I talk about acoustics--how we think about acoustics, how we use acoustics, and where we feel acoustics. We called the talk A Ribbon of Language. It originally appeared in Unsaid #4. Now it's posted in my interview column at The Faster Times, along with a Gary Lutz interview.
Mon, Sep 28 2009 09:44
Full of Crow Interview Series
The good Peter Schwartz interviewed me for the Full of Crow Interview Series. We talk about other people, their stories, things to do with sledgehammers, and being honest. Thanks, Peter.
Comments (1)
Fri, Sep 18 2009 09:50
I WILL SMASH YOU @ PPOW GALLERY in NYC September 24--Doors @ 630--Screening @ 730
The first screening of I WILL SMASH YOU is September 24th at the PPOW Gallery in New York City. If you're interested in setting up a screening of I WILL SMASH YOU in your city, leave a comment or email me and I'll send you a DVD. We have screenings set up in NYC, Baltimore, Toronto, and are working out dates for Detroit and Los Angeles. There's more info, as well as stills and trailers, at the new website for Little Burn Films.
Wed, Sep 16 2009 09:39
City Paper's Best Literary Agent of Change
Every year, City Paper hands out the Best of Baltimore (BoB) awards. And sometimes they make up a category like Best Literary Agent of Change just so they can give somebody like me a BoB. City Paper can be so sweet sometimes.
Comments (2)
Thu, Sep 10 2009 10:21
All Kinds of Nice Things About Everyday Genius
So I was guest-editing Everyday Genius for the month of August and I ended up with so much genius that the genius himself, Adam Robinson, has let me stay on through a good part of September. And then Matt Bell went and said all kinds of nice things about said editing, including this: "Together, these stories, poems, and Venn diagrams comprise what is certainly one of the best stretches of publication by any magazine, online or off."
Of course, the real genius is constituted by the writers: Stephen Graham Jones, David McLendon, Sean Lovelace, Peter Markus, Gregory Luce, Sherrie Flick, Giancarlo DiTrapano, Stacy Muszynski, Randall Brown, Ken Baumann, Robert Lopez, Gena Mohwish, Elizabeth Ellen, Blake Butler, Ingrid Burrington, Adam Robison, Barry Graham, Jane Hammons, Luca Dipierro, Sasha Fletcher, Matt Bell, Kim Chinquee, Catherine Moran, Andy Devine, J.A. Pak, Tria Andrews, Aaron Burch, Amelia Gray, and Sam Pink.
Of course, the real genius is constituted by the writers: Stephen Graham Jones, David McLendon, Sean Lovelace, Peter Markus, Gregory Luce, Sherrie Flick, Giancarlo DiTrapano, Stacy Muszynski, Randall Brown, Ken Baumann, Robert Lopez, Gena Mohwish, Elizabeth Ellen, Blake Butler, Ingrid Burrington, Adam Robison, Barry Graham, Jane Hammons, Luca Dipierro, Sasha Fletcher, Matt Bell, Kim Chinquee, Catherine Moran, Andy Devine, J.A. Pak, Tria Andrews, Aaron Burch, Amelia Gray, and Sam Pink.
Wed, Sep 9 2009 01:25
I Feel Very Urgent About This Film
I Feel Very Urgent About This Film is an outtake from I WILL SMASH YOU, where I talk a little bit about the genesis of the film. Sure, something is going on with my hair that makes me look a little crazy, but the filmmaker never tells the person in front of the camera that.
In other film news, I WILL SMASH YOU is finally ready to show. We have a screening set up for September 24th at the PPOW Gallery in New York City. If you're interested in setting up a screening of I WILL SMASH YOU in your city, email me leave a comment or email me and I'll send you a DVD.
Also, please check out the new website of Little Burn Films (courtesy of the incomparable Tita Chico) with stills and trailers and other stuff.
In other film news, I WILL SMASH YOU is finally ready to show. We have a screening set up for September 24th at the PPOW Gallery in New York City. If you're interested in setting up a screening of I WILL SMASH YOU in your city, email me leave a comment or email me and I'll send you a DVD.
Also, please check out the new website of Little Burn Films (courtesy of the incomparable Tita Chico) with stills and trailers and other stuff.
Comments (2)
Wed, Sep 9 2009 08:37
Dear Everybody, One of the Incredibles
Nik Perring has a category for books that he loves beyond other books, The Incredibles. I love that he has that category and I love that he added Dear Everybody to that list with books like Slaughterhouse 5 and Frankenstein. Nik says Dear Everybody "is right up there with the best I've read. Ever. It's clever, sensitive, heartbreaking, moving, funny and many, many other wonderful things." And then we did an interview where we talk about what is essential to great fiction and sympathy for those suffering from mental illness.
Tue, Aug 18 2009 08:14
60 Writers / 60 Places
Luca Dipierro and I shot a bunch of 60 Writers / 60 Places in NYC over the weekend and I love this still from Leigh Newman/Living Room. We had set up the shot and then we were giving a bit of direction.
Comments (1)
Thu, Jul 23 2009 12:18
The Future of the Novel
There is a really great profile of my three novels and other projects in the fine Mexican journal Letras Libres. Mauricio Montiel Figueiras calls me "one of the authentic innovators in contemporary fiction," compares me to Raymond Carver and Italo Calvino, and says my writing "sings the most intimate tragedies of the Great American Family." He ends the profile with this: Michael Kimball "is already delivering the future of the novel."
Comments (2)
Wed, Jul 15 2009 11:03
Triple Love
Dennis Cooper loves Dear Everybody and gives it a super nice profile here--along with super nice profiles of Shane Jones' Light Boxes and Scott McClanahan's Stories.
Wed, Jul 8 2009 11:14
The Dollar Store Tour and I Will Smash You
I have two events coming up that I've been looking forward to for a while:
(1) The Dollar Store Reading on July 11th @ 730pm @ The Lof/t.
(2) Smashing for Success on July 18th @ 2pm @ the Contemporary Museum.
I hope to see you there or there.
(1) The Dollar Store Reading on July 11th @ 730pm @ The Lof/t.
(2) Smashing for Success on July 18th @ 2pm @ the Contemporary Museum.
I hope to see you there or there.
Comments (2)
Wed, Jun 17 2009 11:24
I Made Fiona Robyn Cry (Again)
Back in April, I made Fiona Robyn cry when she read Dear Everybody. I made her cry again when she read How Much of Us There Was, which she calls "a distillation of what it is to be human."
Mon, Jun 1 2009 09:59
A Helluva Short Story
Dan Wickett said nice things about short stories for the whole month of May at Emerging Writers Network and one of the last entries for short story month was this thing I put together called, "Some of the Letters That Were Cut, but That Tell Even More of the Story of Jonathon Bender, Weatherman (b. 1967 - d. 1999)," which Dan calls a "helluva short story." The chapbook short story sold out at ML Press before it was officially published and then Powell's had a few copies, but those are gone now too. Luckily, the great Adam Robinson will be republishing it this September as part of Publishing Genius series, This PDF Chapbook.
Fri, May 29 2009 10:12
Books=Cake
The only reason I write books, really, is so that I get a cake each time I publish one -- or each time time one comes out in a new edition or translation.Here's the cake for the UK edition of the paperback, which we ate in one day.
And here's the cake for How Much of Us There Was.
Thu, May 28 2009 11:12
How Do You Say Dear Everybody in Greek?
I love my foreign rights agent. We just sold Greek rights for Dear Everybody.
Comments (1)
Fri, May 22 2009 11:54
A Quiet Tour de Force
There's a great review of Dear Everybody up at The View From Here. Charlie Wykes calls Dear Everybody "a quiet tour de force" and also says this: "Writing a novel with a moral centre without being ‘preachy’ is not easy. Michael Kimball deserves great praise." And Charlie also says some other nice things that nobody else has said yet. Thanks, Charlie.
Sat, May 16 2009 08:32
Taking the Epistolary Form to a Special Place
M. T. Fallon put a super thoughtful review of Dear Everybody up at Trestle. He says: "In Kimball's careful hands the epistolary form really gets to a special place. The assemblage of textual evidence of Jonathan's dissolution feels like a personal discovery. You don't feel as if there is a story being told, it's as if you are uncovering the story and telling it to yourself. I think that's where Kimball really succeeds, he pieces this novel together in just the right way so you don't really know that he pieced together this novel in just the right way." Plus, he has a bunch of other really smart observations about "transparent prose."
Wed, May 13 2009 09:36
A Kind of World
I have a short poem up at Everyday Genius. It's at least 15 years old and a little bit about my early days in NYC.
Comments (1)
Wed, May 6 2009 08:15
A Huge Chunk of His Heart on the Page
Katrina Denza has a very nice write-up of my Dear Everybody and Paul Lisicky's Lawnboy at Illuminate; Ruminate; Create. She calls Dear Everybody a "brilliantly designed novel ... It left me feeling as if the author left a huge chunk of his heart on the page and it is this generosity and depth that left me stunned."
Tue, May 5 2009 09:07
DEAR EVERYBODY: UK Blog Tour Wrap Up
I had a great time on my UK blog tour for the paperback of DEAR EVERYBODY that Alma Books just put out (US paperback coming in September). Here’s the wrap up with links to everything: Me & My Big Mouth: DEAR EVERYBODY is “a wonderful, clever, imaginative and moving book. It really is quite something ... a fucking marvelous book." There’s also a nice interview.
Dogmatika: A fantastic interview that is assembled in the spirit of DEAR EVERYBODY, many different pieces.
The View From Here: An article about the writing of DEAR EVERYBODY that’s called "349 Pieces" because that's how many pieces make up the novel.
3:AM Magazine: Top 5 (novels that you may not have heard of).
Lizzy’s Literary Life: DEAR EVERYBODY is "unputdownable ... the most searingly honest and authentic sentiments I have ever read ... I had to pick myself up off the floor at the end ... easily the best read of 2009 thus far." Plus, there's a smart interview.
Digital Fiction Show: DEAR EVERYBODY "lives in the head of the reader after we have read it ... The letters combine to create a wonderful resonance that feels immensely vivid and real ... a lot of writers will read DEAR EVERYBODY wishing they had thought of something like this themselves." Plus, there's an excerpt and the trailer.
Planting Words: Michael Kimball "made me cry by creating a character called Jonathon, and making me care about him as if he were a member of my own family." Plus, there is a nice conversation.
Elizabeth Baines: DEAR EVERYBODY is "striking, witty, and above all moving … And here’s the most impressive thing to me – what Michael Kimball has done is to portray formally the fragmentation of a life (yet in a holistic and wholly satisfying way) – something which the form of a traditional novel would belie." Plus, Elizabeth calls out the publishing industry for its culturally disgraceful ways.
Writing Neuroses: A smart interview about the antithesis of the great American novel and ghastly characters.
Just William's Luck: DEAR EVERYBODY is "... the perfect way to tell the story of a man who has fallen through the net ... remembering that he has taken his own life gives a forensic importance to the documents. As you go through the evidence you may find yourself caring more with each page not only about his sad, short life but the continuing narrative of those other voices around him." Plus, there’s a thoughtful interview about unreliable narrators.
In Spring It Is Dawn: DEAR EVERYBODY is "a touching story of human relationships and how they can go wrong, and a story which made me stop to ponder the long-lasting effects our actions can have on others."
Thank you, Daniel, Scott, Susan, Mike, Marcia, Adrian, Fiona, Elizabeth, Kay, William, and Tanabata.
Comments (1)
Thu, Apr 30 2009 12:45
Human Relationships
In Spring It Is Dawn wasn't on the UK blog tour, but Tanabata gives DEAR EVERYBODY a very nice review, saying that DEAR EVERYBODY is "a touching story of human relationships and how they can go wrong, and a story which made me stop to ponder the long-lasting effects our actions can have on others" -- among other nice things.
Mon, Apr 27 2009 08:32
Unreliable Narrators
There is a really nice interview of DEAR EVERYBODY up at Just William's Luck. William Rycroft asked smart questions about how the book took shape, unreliable narrators, and writing about mental illness -- and I did my best to answer them. Plus, the interview includes a six-word story and a couple of other publishing exclusives.
Comments (1)
Sun, Apr 26 2009 09:11
Writing Neuroses
There's a nice interview at Writing Neuroses about DEAR EVERYBODY. Kay Sexton asks some really smart questions about structure, the great American novel (and its antithesis), and ghastly characters.
This is stop #9 on my UK blog tour. Thank you, Kay.
This is stop #9 on my UK blog tour. Thank you, Kay.
Thu, Apr 23 2009 07:19
Some Letters Concerning Michael Kimball and Dear Everybody
Elizabeth Baines has written a beautiful and thoughtful review of DEAR EVERYBODY called Some letters concerning Michael Kimball and Dear Everybody in which she calls the novel "striking, witty, and above all moving." And she says, "And here’s the most impressive thing to me – what Michael Kimball has done is to portray formally the fragmentation of a life (yet in a holistic and wholly satisfying way) – something which the form of a traditional novel would belie." She also thanks Alma Books (thank you, Alma Books) and then calls out the publishing industry in general. Plus, she says that I have "kind eyes." Thank you, Elizabeth Baines.
Wed, Apr 22 2009 09:28
Pratt Friday Forum, NYC
I'm going to be reading from DEAR EVERYBODY and doing Q&A about anything at the Pratt Friday Forum. It's been months since I've been to NYC and I miss it.
Tue, Apr 21 2009 09:00
How I Made Fiona Robyn Cry
On her blog, Planting Words, Fiona Robyn posts a photo of me and then writes: "This is Michael Kimball. ... He made me cry by creating a character called Jonathon, and making me care about him as if he were a member of my own family."
After that, there is an email conversation about DEAR EVERYBODY how novels begin, how to present difficult material, and what it's like to be an author.
This is stop #7 on my UK blog tour.
After that, there is an email conversation about DEAR EVERYBODY how novels begin, how to present difficult material, and what it's like to be an author.
This is stop #7 on my UK blog tour.
Comments (2)
Mon, Apr 20 2009 09:23
Digital Fiction Show
Adrian Graham from Digital Fiction Show has posted a nice and thoughtful review of DEAR EVERYBODY "lives in the head of the reader after we have read it ... The letters combine to create a wonderful resonance that feels immensely vivid and real ... a lot of writers will read DEAR EVERYBODY wishing they had thought of something like this themselves."
Plus, there's an excerpt, the introduction from Robert Bender, who has never really liked his brother, the main character, Jonathon Bender.
Plus, there's the trailer for DEAR EVERYBODY.
This is stop #6 on my UK blog tour.
Plus, there's an excerpt, the introduction from Robert Bender, who has never really liked his brother, the main character, Jonathon Bender.
Plus, there's the trailer for DEAR EVERYBODY.
This is stop #6 on my UK blog tour.
Sun, Apr 19 2009 11:49
Cream Tea with Lizzy Siddal
Lizzy Siddal gave DEAR EVERYBODY an amazing review at Lizzy's Literary Life in which she says: "unputdownable ... the most searingly honest and authentic sentiments I have ever read ... I had to pick myself up off the floor at the end ... easily the best read of 2009 thus far."
Plus, there's a nice interview in which we have cream tea and discuss the unspoken.
Plus, there's a nice interview in which we have cream tea and discuss the unspoken.
Comments (1)
Fri, Apr 17 2009 10:28
Dear Everybody @ CityLit Festival
I'm reading from DEAR EVERYBODY at the CityLit Festival on Saturday, 1pm-2pm in the Poe Room (at the Enoch Pratt Library). There will be a ton of other readers and writers throughout the day--Christian Bauman, Jessica Anya Blau, Leslie Miller, Warren Brown, Mark Doty, Junot Diaz. There will be a panel on Michelle Obama.
Fri, Apr 17 2009 09:41
349 Pieces
I wrote a short article about the writing of DEAR EVERYBODY for The View from Here, where I talk about how "I try to let a novel tell me what it is going to be." It's called "349 Pieces" because that's how many pieces make up the novel.
This is stop #3 on my UK blog tour.
This is stop #3 on my UK blog tour.
Wed, Apr 15 2009 09:20
Dear Michael Kimball
I did an interview with the wonderful Susan Tomaselli -- she asked really smart questions -- for the wonderful Dogmatika. And then Susan Tomaselli did something amazing with the questions and answers. In the spirit of DEAR EVERYBODY, she spliced that interview with photos and reviews and postcards and trailers and her own notes. Plus, she mentions a connection to Oulipo, the first person to make that true obversation. Plus, the piece mentions that HTMLGIANT named me the International King of Postcards. Thank you, Susan Tomaselli.
Mon, Apr 13 2009 08:28
A Hug or a Slap?
There's a nice interview at Me and My Big Mouth about DEAR EVERYBODY where Scott Packs asks me, among other things, whether I would hug or slap Jonathon Bender if he took corporeal form.
Scott also gave DEAR EVERYBODY a really great review last week where he says that DEAR EVERYBODY is "a wonderful, clever, imaginative and moving book. It really is quite something ... a fucking marvelous book." This is all part of my UK blog tour.
Scott also gave DEAR EVERYBODY a really great review last week where he says that DEAR EVERYBODY is "a wonderful, clever, imaginative and moving book. It really is quite something ... a fucking marvelous book." This is all part of my UK blog tour.
Sun, Apr 12 2009 10:47
The Only Thing Holding Me Together: A UK Review of DEAR EVERYBODY
There is a really nice review of DEAR EVERYBODY and it's up at Just William's Luck. William Rycroft wraps up the review with this: "... the perfect way to tell the story of a man who has fallen through the net ... remembering that he has taken his own life gives a forensic importance to the documents. As you go through the evidence you may find yourself caring more with each page not only about his sad, short life but the continuing narrative of those other voices around him."
William and I also did an interview about DEAR EVERYBODY and that will be up at Just William's Luck on April 26th as part of my UK blog tour.
William and I also did an interview about DEAR EVERYBODY and that will be up at Just William's Luck on April 26th as part of my UK blog tour.
Fri, Apr 10 2009 09:46
Me and My Big Mouth
There is a really great review of DEAR EVERYBODY and it's up at Me and My Big Mouth. Scott Pack says: "A wonderful, clever, imaginative and moving book. It really is quite something ... a fucking marvelous book."
Scott and I also did an interview about DEAR EVERYBODY and that will be up at Me and My Big Mouth on April 13th as part of my UK blog tour.
Scott and I also did an interview about DEAR EVERYBODY and that will be up at Me and My Big Mouth on April 13th as part of my UK blog tour.
Wed, Apr 8 2009 11:40
The UK Paperback of DEAR EVERYBODY
I have loved my UK publishers ever since 4th Estate took on my first novel, The Way the Family Got Away, after 119 other publishers had rejected it. Now Alma Books has just put out the UK paperback of Dear Everybody (US paperback coming in September) and I’m excited to be doing a two-week tour of the vibrant UK blogosphere starting next week.
April 13th *Me & My Big Mouth*
April 15th *Dogmatika*
April 17th *The View From Here*
April 18th *3am Magazine*
April 19th *Lizzy’s Literary Life*
April 20th *Digital Fiction Show*
April 21st *Planting Words*
April 23rd *Elizabeth Baines*
April 25th *Writing Neuroses*
April 26th *Just William's Luck*
If any other UK bloggers or reviewers would like a review copy, please leave a comment here and I’ll ask the good Daniel Seton of Alma Books to post one to you.
April 13th *Me & My Big Mouth*
April 15th *Dogmatika*
April 17th *The View From Here*
April 18th *3am Magazine*
April 19th *Lizzy’s Literary Life*
April 20th *Digital Fiction Show*
April 21st *Planting Words*
April 23rd *Elizabeth Baines*
April 25th *Writing Neuroses*
April 26th *Just William's Luck*
If any other UK bloggers or reviewers would like a review copy, please leave a comment here and I’ll ask the good Daniel Seton of Alma Books to post one to you.
Comments (3)
Thu, Apr 2 2009 09:37
Blake Butler Asked Me to Guest Edit Lamination Colony and I Said Yes
I guest edited Blake Butler’s Lamination Colony and the issue looks amazing. Blake asked me what I wanted it to look like and then he made it look like that. It’s all different-colored boxes that you have to scroll over until a name pops up and then you click on that some-colored box and there is something for you to love there. There are 100 boxes and 38 writers and over 60 pieces.
Tue, Mar 31 2009 12:59
Blake Butler Asked Me to Guest Edit Lamination Colony and I Said Yes
I guest edited Blake Butler’s Lamination Colony and the issue looks amazing. Blake asked me what I wanted it to look like and then he made it look like that. It’s all different-colored boxes that you have to scroll over until a name pops up and then you click on that some-colored box and there is something for you to love there.
There are 100 boxes and 38 writers and over 60 pieces. There is Kim Chinquee, Adam Robinson, Ben Mirov, DS White, Matthew Salesses, Blaster Al Ackerman, M.T. Fallon, Adam Good, Stephanie Barber, J.A. Tyler, Catherine Moran, Cooper Renner, Luca Dipierro, Amanda Raczkowski, Rupert Wondolowski, Whitney Woolf, Lauren Becker, Michael Bible, Robert Swartwood, Darcelle Bleau, Robert Bradley, Jamie Gaughran-Perez, Aimee Lynn-Hirschowitz, Shane Jones, Conor Madigan, Krammer Abrahams, Shatera Davenport, Jordan Sanderson, Stacie Leatherman, Josh Maday, Joseph Young, Jason Jones, Gena Mohwish, Jen Michalski, Aby Kaupang, Jac Jemc, Karen Lillis, and Justin Sirois.
There are 100 boxes and 38 writers and over 60 pieces. There is Kim Chinquee, Adam Robinson, Ben Mirov, DS White, Matthew Salesses, Blaster Al Ackerman, M.T. Fallon, Adam Good, Stephanie Barber, J.A. Tyler, Catherine Moran, Cooper Renner, Luca Dipierro, Amanda Raczkowski, Rupert Wondolowski, Whitney Woolf, Lauren Becker, Michael Bible, Robert Swartwood, Darcelle Bleau, Robert Bradley, Jamie Gaughran-Perez, Aimee Lynn-Hirschowitz, Shane Jones, Conor Madigan, Krammer Abrahams, Shatera Davenport, Jordan Sanderson, Stacie Leatherman, Josh Maday, Joseph Young, Jason Jones, Gena Mohwish, Jen Michalski, Aby Kaupang, Jac Jemc, Karen Lillis, and Justin Sirois.
Comments (1)
Mon, Mar 30 2009 10:33
60 WRITERS/60 PLACES, Trailer #2
60 Writers/60 Places is a film by Luca Dipierro and Michael Kimball that is about writers and writing occupying untraditional spaces, everyday life, everywhere. Here is Giancarlo Di Trapano reading some of his writing in front of a church.
Comments (1)
Thu, Mar 26 2009 01:20
I WILL SMASH YOU: Trailer #3
This is my segment from I WILL SMASH YOU. I was smashing an office, and I had no idea what I would look like on camera with a sledgehammer, but I love this. It feels like a relief all over again just watching it.
Comments (2)
Mon, Mar 23 2009 07:48
Questioning William Walsh About Questionstruck
I interviewed William Walsh about his new book Questionstruck, which is made up entirely of questions, which is why I asked Bill to answer my interview questions with more questions, the result of which is this interview at Word Riot.
Fri, Mar 13 2009 09:29
The Trailer for DEAR EVERYBODY
Fri, Mar 13 2009 08:40
A Man Who Needs No Introduction
A nice, short article by A. Jarrell Hayes @ examiner.com.
Wed, Mar 11 2009 09:27
Towering and Tragic, An Unconventional Masterpiece
There is a really nice review of DEAR EVERYBODY @ Citizen Dick, which mostly reviews music but will soon be reviewing everything. They call the book "stunning," "towering and tragic," and "an unconventional masterpiece." You can read the whole thing here. Thank you, CD.
Mon, Mar 9 2009 01:59
60 WRITERS/60 PLACES
60 WRITERS/60 PLACES is the title of a new film I'm making with Luca Dipierro. There is a concept. There are rules. There is a list of places to choose from. And, for now, there is the trailer, with the amazing Blake Butler reading on the subway.
Comments (4)
Thu, Mar 5 2009 09:34
A Video Conversation about DEAR EVERYBODY @ WETA's Author Author
There is a really nice video of a conversation I had with WETA's great Bethanne Patrick @ Author Author! about DEAR EVERYBODY. Bethanne asks thoughtful questions and I try to give thoughtful answers. Plus, the whole time, there is a panorama of DC behind my head.
Sat, Feb 28 2009 10:51
SCHOOL: SHOW AND TELL
I'm going to be the first up in Ric Royer's new brainchild, SCHOOL: A Show and Tell Series.
It's Tuesday, March 3, 7:00pm @ The LOF/t (Load of Fun's new theater space). There's lots more information here, plus links and directions, etc.
I will be showing and telling. Things will be passed around class.
It's Tuesday, March 3, 7:00pm @ The LOF/t (Load of Fun's new theater space). There's lots more information here, plus links and directions, etc.
I will be showing and telling. Things will be passed around class.
Wed, Feb 25 2009 09:14
I Will Smash You @ Baltimore's Literary Cabaret
I will be previewing 10 minutes of I Will Smash You, the documentary film I'm making with Luca Dipierro, at Baltimore's Literary Cabaret. My time slot is some time between 7:30 and 8:00. Here's the trailer:
Comments (1)
Fri, Feb 20 2009 08:15
Elegantly and Eloquently Written
There is a really nice and thoughtful review in The Star-Democrat that calls DEAR EVERYBODY "elegantly and eloquently written" and says, "It's an unforgettable book ... I highly recommend it." Thank you, Anne Stinson.
There's lots more good press here.
There's lots more good press here.
Comments (1)
Sat, Feb 14 2009 09:19
Michael Kimball Asks Blake Butler Some Questions and Then Blake Butler Answers Them
I interviewed Blake Butler @ elimae about his first book, Ever, which is just out. I ask him about the brackets, about nesting bits of story, and about whether it might have been a different book if he hadn’t put his underwear on. The interview is @ elimae: Michael Kimball Asks Blake Butler Some Questions and Then Blake Butler Answers Them.
Comments (2)
Thu, Jan 22 2009 11:40
Some Recently Discovered Letters from Jonathon Bender
The chapbook known as SOME OF THE LETTERS THAT WERE CUT, BUT THAT TELL EVEN MORE OF THE STORY OF JONATHON BENDER, WEATHERMAN (b. 1967-d.1999) sold out before it was ever released, but is now available again, 5 copies @ Powell's (for $2). Thank you, Mud Luscious.
Wed, Jan 14 2009 11:14
Rave Review in The Believer
There is an absolute rave review of DEAR EVERYBODY in The Believer. Just a little bit of it is available online, including those funny little nuggets of information they do, but there are some great lines in it: "Kimball creates a sort of curatorial masterpiece, finding the perfect spot for everything that a life comprises. ... As Dear Everybody draws to a close, the letters and accompanying texts become progressively more intense and unexpected. ... The final power of Dear Everybody is that the reader shares in the inevitably conflicted feelings of those closest to Jonathon." Thank you, Drew Nellins.
Comments (3)
Thu, Jan 8 2009 11:58
Dear Everybody Goes to CarolineLeavittville
There's a really nice interview about DEAR EVERYBODY and other things where Caroline Leavitt asks me interesting questions and I do my best to answer them in interesting ways at CarolineLeavittville. Just be careful if you go there. The interview begins with a command.
Comments (2)
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