The Colbert Report and Charactered Pieces

Caleb.J.Ross — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:03:30 -0800

If any of you caught The Colbert Report last night, you definitely did not see an interview with me about my chapbook, Charactered Pieces: stories. I had been sweating the non-interview for weeks, well-aware of how Stephen Colbert treats his guests (victims?). Claiming fairness and balance, his questions instead aim to further weave his delusional and increasingly erratic conservative narrative. ...

Charactered Pieces officially on sale, embarassing pictures to be had

Caleb.J.Ross — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:32:30 -0800

Today, Charactered Pieces officially goes on sale after an absolutely amazing pre-sale period. I can't thank enough the many people who have traded their hard-earned cash for these bound words of mine. Due to such generosity, I have decided not to use the money to purchase a new Lay-Z-Boy for the PETA compound. They will get a used chair instead. The remaining money goes toward R&D for ...

The ocean calls my name (not an emo post, I swear)

Caleb.J.Ross — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:35:43 -0800

This afternoon, on vacation, sitting at the beach with a cigar in one hand and a notepad in the other, getting a head-start on inscriptions for Charactered Pieces preorders, I was struck with a sense of a realized dream, a dream I didn’t really know I had until that moment. I write fiction for fun. One day, I’d like to make some money doing so. But until then, taking time at the beach ...

Charactered Pieces refund?!?

Caleb.J.Ross — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:09:30 -0800

To everyone who preordered Charactered Pieces:You likely received a refund notice from PayPal. There was a problem with the ordering system, which is being addressed.Please know that Charactered Pieces is still going as promised. Please, though, if your money was refunded by PayPal, re-purchase using the link below (I have had the buy-it-now button updated). I know this is a hassle. Such is the ...

CHARACTERED PIECES preorder open!

Caleb.J.Ross — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 18:36:51 -0700

A few of you know how unbelievably happy I am to say this. The rest of you will likely get tired of me saying this: my story chapbook is now officially available for preorder! Books will ship around November 16th. All preorders will receive a copy of the book, along with the following: A (very) personal inscription. Note the specific name you would like the inscription made out to in the ...

Writer Help: RSS & Really Sexy Spreadsheet

Caleb.J.Ross — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 08:26:47 -0700

Recently, I mentioned my obsession with RSS to a writer friend, and he was surprised by its capabilities. Maybe I’m too much of a salesman when it comes to nerdy tech things, but nonetheless, I piqued his interest. That got me thinking: what writer tools do I use and unintentionally keep to myself? Selfishly-kept secret #1: RSS. You’ve likely seen this icon: This represents a link to a ...

Fans of Sideshow Fables

Caleb.J.Ross — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 15:37:00 -0700

When Sideshow Fables creator Paul Eckert approached a group of writers (to which Paul and I belong) about creating a magazine of circus themed tales, I said a silent thank you on the behalf of all readers. He’s got it right, I think. Going about fanbase-building and marketing in the way that independent record companies have been doing for years is a wise move when falling publisher ...

The Coming (Staying?) of Metafiction...

Caleb.J.Ross — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:49:00 -0700

Metafiction (see: “intertextual fiction”): self-referential fiction. A simple definition but one open to great possibilities. Think of the infinite mirror effect in that when two similar subjects are forced to reflect each other, self-commentary snowballs. For me, the pull started with Jorge Louis Borges’s story, “The Garden of Forking Paths”: “In all fictional works, each time a ...

Waits and Bukowski Fistfight on eBay

Caleb.J.Ross — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:26:26 -0700

With all the talk of dwindling advances, shrinking sales, and too many scribblers willing to saturate the bookshelves with crap, Writers (with the admittedly douchey capital "W") must become more creative in monetizing their efforts. I anticipate the recent Amazon Kindle decision to open its interface to the blogosphere at large will ultimately impact blog-structured web zines like ...

Ego stroked at the Cat O'Nine Tails: an interview

Caleb.J.Ross — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 15:52:43 -0700

When a person takes interest in my work, I squeal. If you heard a hi-pitched shriek last night, I might be to blame. Craig Wallwork contacted me with a request to ask a few questions about my work and its ethic. Great conversation ensued, supported, I'm certain, not only by Craig's excellent provocative queries, but by the fictional Cat O'Nine Tails ambiance.You can learn: My thoughts on ...

Surviving Tremors: A Time of Too Many Isms?

Caleb.J.Ross — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 08:46:03 -0700

Everybody seems to want something to shake dust and mold from assumed stagnant foundations. Ask any independent literary webzine editor what she wants and the words “original” and “new” will inevitably nestle into the response. This original and new work may come by way of various splintered isms, for better or worse.Literary isms sprout often, and lately it seems that so many of them ...

The Book-hating Penis

Caleb.J.Ross — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:36:50 -0800

Chris Goldberg’s recent article at the Huffington Post states that men, in general, simply do not read. “But is it our fault?” he asks. “Or have publishers just given up trying to publish and market books that we want to read?” A sadly self-fulfilling prophecy? It’s true that we need writers, and publishers with the balls to market them, but in this case I think change must start with ...

Authors are prostitutes

Caleb.J.Ross — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 09:31:10 -0800

The path to book sales shouldn’t be paved with white smiles and checkerboard slacks. When dealing with a product that has neither life-sustaining value nor infomercial superfluence, sales might best be treated as a byproduct of a well-manicured relationship. One between author and audience, as well as among the audience members themselves. Book groups exist. George Foreman Grill groups do not. ...

The Dust and the Brush Meet

Caleb.J.Ross — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:40:50 -0800

The new issue of UK's Gold Dust Magazine is available for sale. Also as a free .PDF download. Acquire by any means necessary. Featuring fiction by Alan Kelly, Jim Meirose, Robert Edward Sullivan, Robert Dando, the always impressive Christopher J. Dwyer, the always disappointing Caleb J Ross, THE Richard Thomas, V Ulea, Sam Szanto, and the ...

Colored Chalk: Issue Five - Sins of the Father

Caleb.J.Ross — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:45:05 -0800

Issue Five of the Colored Chalk zine looms. Kidding. It's here. I don't want to blow too many minds here, but this issue has some fantastic writing by some fantastic writers (and one shitty writer named Caleb Ross). Do we have Peter Schwartz? Yep. Richard Thomas? Certainly. Alex Martin? Definitely. Michael Morey? Let me check...yes. Stephen Graham Jones? Come again? Stephen Graham Jones! ...