"The Replacement Wife" in Blackbird

One of my favorite literary magazines is Blackbird, and so I am especially thrilled to have a story in the Fall 2011 issue. Read "The Replacement Wife" here. The story is the latest from my forthcoming novel in stories to appear. The book, What the Zhang Boys Know, will be published by Press 53 in September 2012.

My story is in great company in this issue: fiction by Belle Boggs, Bryn Chancellor, and others; lots of poetry, including work by Erica Dawson and Nick Lantz; plus reviews, essays, readings, and more. There's even a suggested reading order, which I find amusing because it puts my story last, right before the reviews. But it's a great idea, because there's so much wonderful material here that the list will help you manage it without missing anything!

Thanks for reading!

"The Face in the Window" in Valparaiso Fiction Review

There's a new magazine on the scene, Valparaiso Fiction Review, and the first issue includes a story of mine: The Face in the Window. The story is part of my novel in stories, What the Zhang Boys Know, which will be published in September 2012 by Press 53. (I'm pleased to say that VFR has nominated the story for a Pushcart Prize.)

The issue also includes stories by Meg Tuite, Bill Lantry, Andrea Dupree, Dallas Woodburn, and Norman Waksler.

Killer Titles

I've been thinking about book titles lately, because of the very good news that I've got a new book coming out next year from Press 53, a great small press that also published my first book, In an Uncharted Country. And while I've had a working title for that book for a long time, I suddenly came to doubt it, and came up with an alternative. And then another. And another.

So I was intrigued this morning when I saw GalleyCat piece, Three Elements of a Killer Title, which links to a blogger's discussion of the subject, Three Criteria for a Killer Title. (Apparently GalleyCat didn't think Katie Ganshert's title was sufficiently "killer".)

Her three criteria/elements are:
1. It has to represent the story
2. It has to be intriguing
3. It has to sound good

Okay, I can't really quarrel with these, but I'd add a fourth element. A really killer title has to be memorable. That's what I'm looking for. So that's my 4-part test: appropriate, intriguing, euphonious, and memorable.

So, where does that lead me in my own decision making? I think I'm sticking with my working title, which has been WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW. It's a novel in stories about the Zhang family of Washington, DC. The title is striking and memorable, I think, and it certainly represents the story. It also suggests intrigue (what do they know?), and I like the rhythm of it, so to me it sounds good.

Of the 12 stories in the book, 6 have been published, and I'm now making a push to get as many of the remaining stories published as I can before the book comes out next fall. And then, be on the lookout for this book!