Gulls CryGulls Cry
Reality is looking for a job.
The money won’t last.
This idyll won’t last.
The northeast breeze rolls the waves onto the beach.
Where the sun reflects from the water, I cannot look.
Gulls cry.
What fresh heaven is this?
Category: Words
Prose and poetry, for the most part
The Green FlagThe Green Flag
The green flag means the lifeguard is on duty.
The lifeguard sits in a rowboat a few yards off the beach. She wears sunglasses and watches the children splashing in the shallows.
She steadies the rowboat with its oars. It is work. She is young and thin and very tanned.
Children hold hands along the beach. They stand in a line and jump over the crests of small waves coming in.
On a bench in the park just above the beach, a boy writes in a notebook.
I am new here.
I am new here.
Dropping Back to PuntDropping Back to Punt
Another of my stories was published today. I’ll post a link to Facebook tomorrow, maybe, but for my three loyal homies, here’s the link here and now:
http://kneejerkmag.com/2013/07/dropping-back-to-punt-by-tetman-callis/
My latest published storyMy latest published story
alice blue twenty is published today. It includes my story, “The Tellings.” Here’s a link to the main site:
http://www.alicebluereview.org/main.html
“The Lock”“The Lock”
Another story of mine that was published three months ago (in addition to “Extinguisher”) was “The Lock.” It’s posted this morning to the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar.
“The Lock” was published in NOON and was phenomenally edited by Diane Williams, who runs that magazine. The original version, though it was not long, was about five times longer than the version she published. She took that original version, stripped most of it away, rearranged what was left, and said, “Why don’t we try it this way?” I said, “Okay.” It was as though she ran a body shop, I drove a school bus in for a tune-up, and drove out a week later with a Formula 1 racer.
“Extinguisher” and “Unpacking the Object”“Extinguisher” and “Unpacking the Object”
Two new pieces are posted this morning in the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar. Last year the editors at Salt Hill contacted writers who had previously had work published in the magazine–mine was “Tossing Baby to the Tiger,” published in Salt Hill 14–and asked us if we would submit new work to be considered for their anniversary issue, Salt Hill 30. I sent something and they rejected it. They asked me to try again and I sent “Extinguisher” and they accepted it. They also asked me if I could write a little something about the story and how it was written. I did and that is “Unpacking the Object.” The two pieces are understandably published together here.
“Lost Things and Missing Persons”“Lost Things and Missing Persons”
Litro, A Little London Literary Magazine published my story, “Lost Things and Missing Persons,” today in their Story Sunday. You can find it here if you like: http://www.litro.co.uk/
The editors changed a couple spellings to reflect British spelling. They also incited me to tighten up the ending of the story. Endings are probably my weakest spot as a writer. Several of my published stories needed to have their endings fixed after acceptance but before publication.
“Yttat” again“Yttat” again
“Yttat” was published in the Fall 2012 issue of Mayday Magazine. I posted the link to that earlier this week; today I posted the story to the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar on this website.
I knew the story was going to be published by Mayday but lost track of when it was due to come out. It’s possible it was published several months ago. I didn’t know it had been published until this week.
It was published with typos. How did they get there? They were in the original submission Mayday accepted. Of course I thought I had adequately spell-checked and proofed the story before I sent it out. Of course I feel as any writer would feel upon making such mistakes (which I was not aware of until today).
The copy published here has had all its mistakes corrected–unless I missed any.
“Yttat”“Yttat”
Mayday Magazine published my story, “Yttat,” in their Fall 2012 issue. Here’s the link to the contents page:
http://www.maydaymagazine.com/issue6tableofcontents.php
I’ll probably add the story to the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar this coming weekend, but you can read it through the link on the Mayday contents page any time you like. If you like.
Noon 2013 is now availableNoon 2013 is now available
Descartes dreams on, but tonight again his sleep is interrupted for a commercial message. Noon 2013 is out and includes a very short story by me, called “The Lock” (masterfully edited by Diane Williams). Dylan Nice, Noy Holland, Greg Mulcahy, Christine Schutt, Lydia Davis, Clancy Martin, Deb Olin Unferth, Kim Chinquee, and others also have work appearing there. I could hardly be in better company.
For more info, go here: http://www.noonannual.com/
The new issue of Salt Hill is outThe new issue of Salt Hill is out
Tonight’s posting was to have been the twelfth of Descartes’s seemingly interminable dreams. Instead, we shall have this commercial interruption.
Salt Hill 30 is out. It contains both my story, “Extinguisher,” and my essay, “Unpacking the Object.” They’re keeping some pretty good company, too–pieces by Diane Williams, Lydia Davis, Peter Markus, and Matthew Salesses, among others.
Go here and see: http://www.salthilljournal.net/. (You’ll want to order a copy to see the whole thing.)
The Tiny Toy TrainThe Tiny Toy Train
Three months ago, Snow Monkey published my story, “The Tiny Toy Train.” Today, I am adding it to the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar immediately to your right and one level below “The Gordon Lish Notes.”
Road RaveRoad Rave
“Road Rave” was published three months ago by Fox Chase Review. You can read it there at http://www.foxchasereview.org/12AW/TetmanCallis.html, or you can glance slightly to your right on your screen and see that I have added it to the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar here. Discerning readers may note that it is not placed in alphabetical order among the other stories. That is likely to change, but not today.
The Tiny Toy TrainThe Tiny Toy Train
My most recent published story, “The Tiny Toy Train,” is available at Snow Monkey
“Road Rave” published by Fox Chase Review“Road Rave” published by Fox Chase Review
Fox Chase Review has published my story, “Road Rave,” as part of their Autumn/Winter 2012 issue. I could post a link here that would take you straight to the story, but instead I’ll post the link that takes you to the front page. It’s a nice-looking page. From there you can find your way to my story if you like.
http://www.foxchasereview.org/
In about three months, if I remember, and I probably will, and if I’m still alive and healthy, as I hope to be, I’ll add the story to my “Previously Published Stories” widget hereabouts.
GnatsGnats
There is a new story posted in the “Previously Published Stories” sidebar, or menu, or whatsit. It is called “Gnats” and it was first published three months ago in Snow Monkey.
While we’re on the subject, I’ve recently had stories accepted by Fox Chase Review, Noon, and Mayday Magazine. They should all be appearing over the next eight months or so.
High Street is publishedHigh Street is published
Old road closedOld road closed
High Street has been accepted for publication by Outpost19, “Provocative Digital Publishing” (http://outpost19.com/), so I have removed it this morning from this website. Excerpts from it may be re-posted here soon as part of the marketing of the book, which should be available for purchase as an e-book through Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com (and others yet to be determined) in a couple of months or so.
A new story is postedA new story is posted
“Lawn” is the only story I had published in 2011. It appeared in Thema in the autumn. I have posted it today to this site, over to your right, in the “Previously Published Stories” menu, at the top and out of alphabetical order. At some future point I’ll probably nudge it down a few notches to where it might be considered to belong.
“Lawn” contains the lyrics of “Twa Corbies,” an English folk ballad first printed in 1912 in Ballads Weird and Wonderful, published by John Lane The Bodley Head (a name weird and wonderful in its own right).
High Street 8 — Plus ça ChangeHigh Street 8 — Plus ça Change
“In the end, art is small beer. The really serious things in life are earning one’s living so as not to be a parasite, and loving one’s neighbor.” — W. H. Auden
High Street 8 — “Plus ça Change” is posted today.
That is the end of High Street. Thanks for tuning in. Please tune in tomorrow and every day for whatever comes next.
High Street 7.4 — Freedom’s Just Another Word (fin.)High Street 7.4 — Freedom’s Just Another Word (fin.)
“There is a certain part of all of us that lives outside of time. Perhaps we become aware of our age only at exceptional moments and most of the time we are ageless.” — Milan Kundera, Immortality (trans. Kussi)
High Street 7.4 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” (fin.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 8 — “Plus ça Change”)
High Street 7.3 — Freedom’s Just Another Word (cont.)High Street 7.3 — Freedom’s Just Another Word (cont.)
“Every writer is offering a true account of the activities of the mind.” — Donald Barthelme (from Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger)
High Street 7.3 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 7.4 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” (fin.))
High Street 7.2 — Freedom’s Just Another Word (cont.)High Street 7.2 — Freedom’s Just Another Word (cont.)
“There’s nothing so beautiful as having a very difficult problem. It gives purpose to life.” — Donald Barthelme (from Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger)
High Street 7.2 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 7.3 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” (cont.))
High Street 7.1 — Freedom’s Just Another WordHigh Street 7.1 — Freedom’s Just Another Word
“If we want to go on existing we need to summon up all our strength in order to wrench ourselves off the spot where we’re stuck.” — Thomas Bernhard, Concrete
High Street 7.1 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 7.2 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word” (cont.))
High Street 6.8 — Life During Wartime (fin.)High Street 6.8 — Life During Wartime (fin.)
“A writer is someone who can make a riddle out of an answer.” — Karl Kraus, quoted in Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger
High Street 6.8 — “Life During Wartime” (fin.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 7.1 — “Freedom’s Just Another Word”)
High Street 6.7 — Life During Wartime (cont.)High Street 6.7 — Life During Wartime (cont.)
“Mighty is the sin that arises from the destruction of one who has been offered shelter.” — Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kanda, Sarga 12
High Street 6.7 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 6.8 — “Life During Wartime” (fin.))
High Street 6.6 — Life During Wartime (cont.)High Street 6.6 — Life During Wartime (cont.)
“Writing should be playing.” — Donald Barthelme (from Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger)
High Street 6.6 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 6.7 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.))
High Street 6.5 — Life During Wartime (cont.)High Street 6.5 — Life During Wartime (cont.)
“The four social classes under late capitalism are artists, rich people, the middle class, [and] poor people—this being the order of rank and precedence. As the dominant class (morally/intellectually speaking), artists have a clear social responsibility to care for and nurture the three lower classes. This is not by any means their primary responsibility, which is of course to art, but neither is it a negligible one.” — Donald Barthelme, “On the Level of Desire” (from Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger)
High Street 6.5 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 6.6 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.))
High Street 6.4 — Life During Wartime (cont.)High Street 6.4 — Life During Wartime (cont.)
“Art is always aimed (like a rifle, if you wish) at the middle class. The working class has its own culture and will have no truck with fanciness of any kind. The upper class owns the world and thus needs know no more about the world than is necessary for its orderly exploitation. The notion that art cuts across class boundaries to stir the hearts of hoe hand and Morgan alike is, at best, a fiction useful to the artist, his Hail Mary. It is the poor puzzled bourgeoisie that is sufficiently uncertain, sufficiently hopeful, to pay attention to art.” — Donald Barthelme, “On the Level of Desire” (from Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger)
High Street 6.4 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 6.5 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.))
High Street 6.3 — Life During Wartime (cont.)High Street 6.3 — Life During Wartime (cont.)
“Where does desire go? Always a traveling salesperson, desire goes hounding off into the trees, frequently, without direction from its putative master or mistress. This is tragic and comic at the same time. I should, in a well-ordered world, marry the intellectual hero my wicked uncle has selected for me. Instead I run off with William of Ockham or Daffy Duck.” — Donald Barthelme, “On the Level of Desire” (from Not-Knowing, ed. Herzinger)
High Street 6.3 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.) is posted today.
(Tomorrow: High Street 6.4 — “Life During Wartime” (cont.))