FLYING HOUSE IS TOMORROW!!

Illustration by J. Paonessa

...And we've been giving teasers all week on our facebook page. Check us out (and "like" us while you're there).

Not a facebooker? Not a problem. Here's our facebook-free invitation just for you.

Celebrate collaborations by:

CD Mitchell & Jennifer Moore
Katherine Zlabek & Vanessa Palacio
Heather Momyer & Cleveland Dean
Tyler Gillespie & Jyl Bonaguro
Luke Geddes & Melanie Larson
Richard Thomas & Christina Loraine

Find more information about these writers and artists here.

Saturday. August 25th. 2012. Maes Studio. Be there!

Get a Deal! Buy a Ticket to Flying House

...and then bring your ticket to Vivo for 1/2 price drinks on the day of the show, or 25% off your meal that night, or any night thereafter. Vivo is right around the corner from Maes Studio -- Enjoy yourself!

Illustration by J. Paonessa

View Flying House invitation here. 

Buy your ticket to the show here. 

Richard Thomas & Endings

Flying Houser, Richard Thomas, has a new column up at the Lit Reactor: "Storyville: Endings, Twisted and Otherwise." 

Check him out!

Jennifer Moore

Check out Flying Houser, Jennifer Moore, this Friday night at the Urban Transmission exhibit -- then come see her even awesomer stuff at Flying House on Saturday!

Cleveland Dean Featured in American Artist Magazine

read more here.

Jennifer Moore's Photography Gettin' Noticed

"Blasphemy Rules the World in White Dresses,"
photo by Jennifer Moore 

BAS-Relief, a blogger in support of the Chicago art community, recently stumbled upon one of Jennifer Moore's photographs at the Zhou B Art Center. He writes:

"I wasn't sure what I was walking into, but I was arrested by this digital print by Jennifer Moore, Blasphemy Rules the World in White Dresses.  The print is luminous, with an ethereal glow exuding from the white clad figure.  A soft focus on the edges brings the work into a beautiful dream-like state.  While many may find the piece haunting, the woman behind the skull, there is something very serene about the work in person."

Read more here.  

Brian Kemerley Installation

metalwork by Brian Kemerley

Congratulations to Brian Kemerley for landing his first sculpture commission for Tris3ct's new office building. If it's anything like the one he made for Flying House in 2011, I expect it to be a HUGE, turning, bubbling, lighting, sparkling piece of handiwork. Congrats, Brian!

Pedro Ponce in Corium Magazine

2011 Flying Houser, Pedro Ponce, is in the latest issue of Corium Magazine. 

(Also check out Brandi Wells, Sam Martone and Amber Sparks -- rtr!)

Tyler Gillespie @ Gapers Block

Congrats to 2012 Flying Houser, Tyler Gillespie, for joining the Gapers Block team. Here's his latest article, "Kitchen Sink Celebrates Trans Pride with Art Show." Read it here. 

Learn to Write Horror

Flying Houser, Richard Thomas, has been asked back to Story Studio for a second installment of scary writing instruction. Check out the class for yourself!

Dark Fiction: Horror Writing

Monday, October 22, 2012

What is the difference between horror and terror? How does an author create tension? And what scares you as an author?

In this one-night class, we’ll investigate what it means to write horror. We’ll also talk about how to take risks on the page and how to craft other elements of great dark fiction: plot, setting (mood and tone), revelations and twists, and caring about your characters. Students will practice some of these techniques through in-class writing exercises and prompts.

Other dark fiction genres and sub-genres will be discussed, along with finding markets for your work.

Jane Wong in The Journal

AB Gorham a Ruth Lilly Finalist!

Congratulations to 2010 Flying Houser, AB Gorham, for making it as a finalist at the Ruth Lilly Poetry Foundation. What a great honor for a great poet! Congrats Ashley!

To see all nominees, go here. 

CD Mitchell is Something Wonderful

Flying Houser, CD Mitchell, hit up Art@311 in Jonesboro, Ar. for a reading of his work last week, and apparently he left the crowd spellbound. 

According to Linda Nance, reading attendee and blogger: 

"When we think of something special I have to say the experience of listening to CD Mitchell would have to go on the list of Something Wonderful.  He would have to sit at the top of the list.  I have listened to many speakers on many topics,but this man has the magic of a story teller, the expertise allowing for in depth and insightful discussion and the creativity that works magic to bring a story to life.  When he read his stories you could see it, feel it and know the characters.  The crowd sat motionless mesmerized with his presentation."

Read more here. 

Now I really can't wait for our show!! Mark your calendars–– August 25th!

Tyler Gillespie & Dirty Socks

FHer, Tyler Gillespie, has a new book out: Dirty Socks and Pine Needles (Sibling Rivalry Press). 

As his review in the Windy City Times states, "Tyler Gillespie's book is a slender collection of reminiscences that sing of gentle and bittersweet memories of a childhood in the South."

How can family not find its reflection in our selves?  

Read the review here. 

Buy the ebook here. 

Congrats Tyler!

July 1st Update

The Flying House participants are hard at work, and yesterday was one of their big BIG deadlines––a work-in-progress update of their collaboration project. 

We have stories about schizophrenia and insane asylums, about lumbermen and tangerines, about the artifice of language and the ability of words to travel through time and space. 

We have sculptures of sinking stories, paintings of re-exposed texts, 3D wood-layered portraits, photography and video and so much to see! 

It's gonna be a good show, y'all. 

If you want to see a sneak peek of Jennifer Moore's photography, she has a few pics up on her blog right now! 

2012 FLYING HOUSE SPONSORS!

Thank you to the 2012 Flying House sponsors for signing on for another year. We love you and thank you for your support!

Poets & Writers has once again pledged to help fund our writing participants in this year's show. 

Plus, Vivo has pledged to supply our appetizers at the show and offer a drink & dinner special at their restaurant (right around the corner from Maes Studio) to anyone who shows up with their Flying House ticket! 

Last by not least, the talented Andrea Rettig (also a Flying House artist from 2011), will be manning the bar with her talented Cocomori crew and supplying her famous cake pop inventions––we're excited to see what flavors she brings!

If you or your company are interested in sponsoring Flying House, please contact us for a sponsor packet. theflyinghouseemail@gmail.com

THANK YOU!

Ponce and the NEA

Flying Houser, Pedro Ponce, received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts this year, and here is what he's up to: 

"For the last couple of years, I've been a short story writer attempting to make the transition to writing novels. It's easy to underestimate the differences between genres; it's not just about adding pages, as I soon learned after starting work on my first full-length novel in the summer of 2010. The more time I spent away from the novel, the hazier the plot and characters, and the less narrative energy to galvanize readers' interests chapter by chapter. The support of the NEA will allow me invaluable time, not only to practice but also learn the craft of novel writing from teachers up to now shelved away for future reference."

Read more here. 

And did we mention Pedro used his piece "The Piazza de Chirico" to win the grant? The same piece he applied to FH with, coincidentally. They must have good taste!!

Congrats, again, Pedro. Hope that novel is shaping up!

Danillo Thomas Reviews

Flying Houser, Danillo Thomas, reviews "Sinners of Sanction County" at Southern Lit Review. Thomas writes:

"White’s world is rendered vividly here, and it is brutal, and so his characters, too, are brutal. This is nothing we have not seen recently in Bonnie Jo Campbell’s or Donald Ray Pollack’s spine jarring fictions, but what savesSinners from redundancy is a “grace of calamity,” as White puts it, that gives these stories a life of their own and that separates the noirish, often excessive violence from the emotions fueling these acts. White allows the reader to recognize the sorrow in the characters even while they wipe the blood off their hands."

Read more. 

2nd Place Winner, Katherine Zlabeck!

Congratulations to Flying Houser, Katherine Zlabeck, for making second place in the Hatfield/Westheimer Short Story Prize Competition. 

Jennifer Moore in "Passages, Pathways & Portals"

photo by Jennifer Moore

Congratulations to Flying Houser, Jennifer Moore, whose work has been accepted into the "Passages, Pathways and Portals" juried exhibition at Flow Art Space in Minneapolis, MN. 

If you're around Minneapolis on August 9th, check out the show! You'll get a small taste of what to expect from this artist later in the month––at the Flying House show! Mark your calendars Chicago friends, Flying House is August 25th!

Ray Bradbury

If you're going to read a tribute to Ray Bradbury, read this one by BJ Hollars. 

Lit 50

The top 50 writers (out of a cool 200!), all living in Chicago, who have published books this year. Check it out for some good summer reading!

Danillo Thomas live at Whitefish Review

Get Inspiration

Ever sat down to work on a novel/poem/short story/etc. and thought to yourself, what's the point? All writers have. Maybe all artists too. Pressgang asked a few notable writers (including our very own BJ Hollars) their thoughts about this problem, and here's what they had to say. 

Richard Thomas live at Thick Jam

Dzanc Books Short Story Collection Award

Congratulations to Flying Houser, Pedro Ponce, for making the short list at the Dzanc Books. 

Also on the list, two sweet women from bama (!) Kellie Wells and Jessica Hollander. 

Three out of ten on the short list? Not too shabby!

Not the Only Ones

So we aren't the only ones who liked the stories two of our 2012 participants applied with this year. CD Mitchell's story, God's Naked Will, has just been picked up by Burnt Bridge, and Luke Geddes' story, Surfer Girl, is part of a story collection Publisher's Weekly wrote up this week: "In one way or another all Geddes’s stories are examinations, sometimes graphic, of adolescent sexuality or the sexualization of youth culture. In a lesser writer’s hands the work would come off as puerile, but Geddes’s sure prose, empathy, pop cultural knowledge, and stoner wit make for a rewarding and unusual collection."

Congrats!

This Bright River Book Trailer

Patrick Somerville's latest novel is due out June 26 -- and here is a book trailer he's made for it. Check it out. 

Jyl Bonaguro at Brick Gallery TONIGHT!

Jyl Bunaguro a Brick Gallery TONIGHT! See her work in the Piece of Cake event. Bike there and get a free whiskey or tequila shot :) 

Danilo Thomas live at Fiction Southeast

Flying Houser, Danilo Thomas, live at Fiction Southeast. 

Marika Paz Interviewed

An interview with Flying House illustrator Marika Paz, live at Inky Squib Magazine. 

Jennifer Moore Featured at JPG

The JPG Photo of the Week is from our very own Jennifer Moore! Check her out here.

Congrats, Jennifer!

Congratulations to Flying Houser, BJ Hollars, whose book, "Thirteen Loops" has won the Society of Midland Author's award for Best Adult Nonfiction.

Past award winners have included the likes of Saul Bellow, Kurt Vonnegut, Gwendolyn Brooks, Jane Smiley and Louise Erdrich. A crowd of people I would be happy to stand up beside!

Congratulations, BJ! Looking forward to seeing you in Chicago for your award reception.

Flying Houser, Richard Thomas, is lightin' it up lit-wise. This month he has new stories up at Curbside Splendor and in the collection "Terror Scribes," by Dog Horn Publishing, as well as a review up at The Nervous Breakdown, AND AND!!! he landed himself an agent for his latest novel.

Congrats, Richard!

April's Bang Bang Fiction & Poetry Reading

Bang Bang Pie Shop, 2051 N California, Chicago, IL

Chicagoans, come check out a new Flying House participant, Heather Momyer, at the Bang Bang Fiction & Poetry Reading at Bang Bang Pie.

This Thursday, 7:30pm, Logan Square.

(there WILL be pie)

BJ Hollars Interviewed

Thirteen Loops getting some props...

@ The Emerging Writers Network

& Los Angeles Review!

Jennifer Moore's New Show!

Masur Museum

Brand new Flying Houser, Jennifer Moore, will be exhibiting her work at the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, Louisiana, this May.  Congratulations, Jennifer!

If you want to follow more of her words, work and updates (including her Flying House blog), you can follow her here and see her work here. 

"Parts of the Whole" recently at Photo Four Gallery

Flying House 2012!

Congratulations to the participants of Flying House 2012! 

We had soooo many great applications, and it was really hard to decide our top ten –– so we took our top twelve instead!

Introducing (drummmmmmm rooooolllll....) Flying House 2012!

Artists:
Jyl Bonaguro
Cleveland Dean
Melanie Larson
Christina Loraine
Vanessa Palacio
Jennifer Moore

Writers:
Tyler Gillespie
Richard Thomas
Luke Geddes
Heather Momyer
Katherine Zlabek
CD Mitchell

Alternates: CJ Hungerman (artist) & Joseph Young (writer)

Bios and works samples will be posted online soon! We're looking forward to a great year, great work, and a great show!

Looking to Publish a Chapbook?

The Review Review has put together a nice list of places interested in publishing your poetry chapbooks. How very nice of them. Check it out here.

Losing Dixie

BJ Hollars continues to teach us something new about Tuscaloosa. "Losing Dixie," live at Story South.

Brian Oliu's Level End - the Gold Edition

@ Origami Zoo Press: Level End  by Brian Oliu

When you arrive, the music changes. In Level End, Brian Oliu treats you as a player rather than a reader, providing a video game walkthrough made of lyric essays, guiding you through the toughest boss battles. In this world, though, the pixelated enemies you face are uncannily familiar: angry family members, lost loves, yourself on a night after too much wine. Oliu’s game-inspired pieces are labyrinthine and beautiful–you’ll want to get lost on the way to the nearest save point–and they serve as a constant reminder that what you find at the end might not be at all what you expected.

Check out previously published pieces included in this chapbook:Save Point: Hot Springs & Boss Battle: The Final Boss at DIAGRAM.Boss Battle: The One With the Long Neck at elimae.Boss Battle: My Brother Who Controls the Weather at RealPoetik.

We are offering a limited Gold Edition of this title!! In addition to the book, you will receive a Collector’s case and a CD filled with fun extras like the ebook file, an audio recording of Brian Oliu reading his work, videos of actual boss battle, extra artwork, and more! Only available while supplies last.

Preorder your copy of the book or Gold Edition today! Due out April 2, 2012!

Ready for StoryWeek?

The six-day, all-free Columbia Chicago Story Week Festival of Writers begins March 18!


via Flavorpill: The six-day all-free Story Week Festival of Writers once again corrals an impressive lineup of international literary heavy hitters and noteworthy Chicago authors. The treasure are too many to capsulize, but consider a few standouts: the Female in Contemporary Fiction panel, which includes Christine Sneed (Portraits of a Few of the People I've Made Cry), Nami Mun (Miles from Nowhere), Bonnie Jo Campbell (Once Upon a River), and Patricia Ann McNair (The Temple of Air); a trio of appearances by independent-film icon and author John Sayles (A Moment in the Sun); and a conversation with Young Jean Lee, one of the most consistently astounding active playwrights. One of the best bets is saved for last, when the Chicago Classics blowout closer reading, at the MCA, welcomes 15 participating publishers, journalists, and authors, including Adam Levin (Hot Pink), Gina Frangello (Slut Lullabies), and Audrey Niffenegger (Her Fearful Symmetry).

AWP!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flying House is SOOOOOO excited for AWP this weekend in downtown Chicago. Will you be there? What panels are you going to? What readings? For a list of events, onsite and off, go here. 

Four for a Quarter, by Michael Martone

Great new interview up on Michael Martone's latest work, "Four for a Quarter." Since he was working on the book while I was at UA, I know just how crazy for fours Martone is -- it should be an interesting read! As Martone says in the interview, "Barth (his old prof at Hopkins) told me when I was a student that I didn’t write stories.  He was right. Technically I did not write stories. I don’t write stories but fictions." Well, this is one kind of fiction...   

Alabama Card Table, Episode 1.3

Greg Houser interviews Flying Housers AB Gorham and Danilo Thomas on living in the late, great Richard Yates' house. Live at Used Furniture Review. 

Alabama Card Table 1.3: The Richard Yates House from greg houser on Vimeo.

New Anthology of Monsters, by BJ Hollars

Fresh off the press! An anthology of "literary" monster stories, featuring work by Benjamin Percy, Bonnie Jo Campbell,Alissa Nutting, Michael Czyzniejewski, Laura van den Berg,Matt Bell, Jedediah Berry, John McNally, Kate Bernheimer, and Kelly Link.