Brevity Changes: More Content, More Often

Loyal Brevity Readers: We’ve decided on a small change.  Rather than launching a full issue of essays, craft essays, and book review essays all at once three-times-per-year, which has been our modus operandi for the past decade or so, we are going to experiment with releasing book review essays and craft essays here on the blog, when they come in, roughly once per month (though we aren’t worried about a strict schedule.) The book reviews and craft essays will show up on the Brevity site as well, but will be premiered right here.  More content, more often.

And yes, we are always looking for guest bloggers.  Read a good book or essay in a magazine, attended a panel on nonfiction, ran across a stupid attack on the genre by someone who should know better? You can contact us at brevitymag(at)gmail.com  to pitch your blog essay. Yes, authors can also use this forum to introduce their own books: guest blog for us on the challenges of writing your book or some other aspect of the craft or business. Pure advertising copy, however, will be returned to sender.

And what else?  You tell us. We like to think of this blog as The (Somewhat) Daily News of Literary Nonfiction, so if you see ways to enhance our front page, tell us.

Moby Dick is the most BORING book I have ever read!

The indefatigable Robin Hemley (pictured on the right), a Brevity contributor and friend, and author of the charming memoir, Do Over!, has opened two new contests on his blog(s), so here’s your chance to win money, or free books, or just have fun.

1. Robin is looking for silly reviews and dumb book blog postings at bookbelches.blogspot.com. Cash prizes!!  The first entry is in, and here’s a preview:

Moby Dick is the most BORING book I have ever read!…. We were given a list of books in English class, and I chose to read this. After a week, I was just in page 103. It was needed the next day, so I panicked and switched books, and bought War and Peace. And I finished that book in 8 hours of straight reading.

2. Also, at Robinhemley.blogspot.com, Robin (aka Mr. Red Bull) is sponsoring a contest to win free copies of Do Over. Simply email him at Robinhemley@gmail.com what you might like to do over in your life. On the same website, well-known authors (and a certain Brevity editor) share Book Tour Disaster stories.

Whew!

Now everyone, back to work.

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Brevity 28: Soon to Fall from the Tree

Next week, BREVITY 28 will fall to earth like an acorn from a truth-telling oak tree.  Where else can you find intergalactic dust, two peach-colored poodles, one upturned car, notes on the art of fencing, cake erotica, failed Caesarian sections, missing toddlers, cameos by Tiresias and Oedipus, and the brightest red dress you’ve ever seen?  All of it nonfiction, and brought to you by the incomparable likes of Terese Svoboda, J.T. Bushnell, John Calderazzo, K.L. Cook, Brian Doyle, Kate Flaherty, John Griswold, Pat Madden, Leslie F. Miller, Brian Oliu, Rita Rubin, Phil Terman, and Kathrine Leone Wright. Plus new Book Reviews from Debbie Hagan, Joey Franklin, and Liz Stephens and stellar Craft Essays from Barrie Jean Borich and Sherry Simpson.

Stay tuned!