We’re hard at work laying out Annalemma Issue Seven: Endurance. To break up the monotony, print designer Jen O’Malley takes an opportunity to lay some tasty shapes on some phat beatz.
http://www.vimeo.com/14651108Archive for the ‘FYI’ Category
Tuesday, August 31st
Dragon Pilot.
A crew of dear old friends put together a pilot for Dragons, an original comedy series about two skate buddies transcending their human forms and attaining enlightenment, starring skate legend Mike Vallely. Treat yourself to a half hour of good vibes.
http://www.vimeo.com/14569502Monday, August 30th
Submissions Are Open.
After a few weeks of taking a breather, we’re opening up submissions again. As we put the finishing touches on the print issue we’ll be considering all submissions for web publication only. If you’re looking to get published on the website (and why wouldn’t you be?) bear in mind that being succinct is important. And if you’re going to going to submit something over 3000 words, it had better grip from the first sentence and never let up. Click here to submit them gems.
Friday, August 27th
Anniversary Sale.
It’s officially been one year since the current site when live and we started publishing fiction and essays on a weekly basis. To celebrate, we’re taking 20% off the price of Annalemma Issue Six: Sacrifice and Annalemma Bundle for today and today only.
Also there will be a small ceremony in the break room during lunch. Cake will be served. Janelle will be collecting $2 from everyone to cover the cost of the cake.
Thursday, August 26th
ZNH.
The ink is dry on the papers that say we got permission to do something very cool for Annalemma Issue Seven: Endurance. Keep an eye out for a more formal announcement next week.
Monday, August 23rd
Eff Yeah, Bookstores!: Quimby’s.
Chicago is a reading town. Reading towns demand good bookstores and it doesn’t get much better than Quimby’s. A landmark in Chicago’s literary scene for almost two decades, Quimby’s is the archetype for what a good bookstore should be: weird, intriguing, fun, surprising and a bit mysterious. Owner Eric Kirsammer answered a few questions about how Quimby’s achieved this level of awesomeness.
What’s the origin story of Quimby’s?
Quimbys was started in 1991 by Steven Svymbersky. He was doing a zine called Quimbys in Boston then he decided to move to Chicago and open a store by the same name. Steven sold the store to me in 1997.
What’s the curatorial process when choosing books to stock?
We look for any type of publication that is about things out of the mainstream. Anything weird and important. There are so many things being published that just do not get the exposure they deserve. For zines we take a very broad range of things on consignment. This allows us to carry a lot of different zines and allows someone just starting out to get their book on the shelf.
What helps a book sell? What are some of the more successful books at Quimby’s?
Quality writing in an interesting package. We do well with things that hit it on multiple fronts. Some of the books that we do well with are anything by Chris Ware, Dan Clowes or Dave Eggers.
Quimby’s has achieved this legendary status among independent bookstores. How did this happen and how do you maintain relevance in the age of Amazon?
We have stuck to our mission of carrying the offbeat and being very open to people just starting to publish. We also hold a lot of events which has built community support. We try to stock the books our customer wants. Quimbys is a niche bookstore are we have never had the desire to become mainstream.
Please describe the cat that lives in your store. If you don’t have a bookstore cat, please explain why.
We do not have a store cat for several reasons,
1. I would always be worried about the cat running out the door.
2. I don’t think the cat would get the attention it deserves.
3. Our store mascot is Chris Ware’s Quimby the mouse and cat and mice just do not mix.
Thursday, August 19th
Hey Chicago!: Go See Max Kauffman.
Issue Five contributor Max Kauffman is throwing his first solo show in a long time in Chicago. Go and check out his freakiness next month. From the press release:
R’fuah- new works by Max Kauffman
presented by Pawn Works
1050 N Damen Ave Chicago, IL
opening reception Friday Sept 10th 6-10 pm
available by appointment 312-841-3986
R’fuah: a renewal of spirit. A way of looking at things you hold dear, without idolizing them: knowing that these inanimate things you keep are important because of the emotions you impart on them. Are they real? Are the emotional ties meaningful because of the item or because of the emotion itself?
These thing we hold dear: they keep us happy, bittersweet, positive, appreciative of the things in our life. Why? Are they simply coping mechanisms or do they actually uplift us? From prophets and idols and relics to symbols and talismans of today, we alternately assign them power and draw power from them. We are actually pulling on the strength within ourselves, our thoughts and spirits when we look to these things. When we fall on dark times, we become even more attached to the inanimate—sure and committed to the power we believe they bring, until the storm passes and we relinquish them until next time.
This renewal, this evolution, this cycle of spirit and material. Does it make us more or less human? By putting our faith in objects, are we overpowering or overpowered by them?
They calm us; they bring us peace. R’fuah.
R’fuah will feature new mixed media paintings on paper and wood, ceramic works and a site specific installation.
Show runs through October 10th
for more information contact marz09@yahoo.com or mhkauffm@gmail.com
Thursday, August 19th
Scene Report: Dzanc Best of the Web.
This is Sasha Fletcher. His writing is like walking towards a door but first putting on a blindfold and spinning in circles and then trying to walk towards a door and eventually ending up at the door but you’re not entirely sure how you got there. Sounds nauseating, but it’s a delightful experience.
Sasha emceed the Dzanc Best of the Web reading that took place last Tuesday at McNally Jackson. Other people read there. And I took videos of them too, but I was too far from the PA and they reading in semi-hushed tones. Sasha speaks loud when he reads in front of an audience. He knows how to perform. That’s what you’re doing when you’re reading at an event by the way. You know that, right? You’re supposed to be entertaining the folks in the audience. If you move some people on an emotional level, that’s fantastic, but priority number one is to be compelling. Sasha’s compelling. Take note, readers.
Leigh Stein read some very good poems. Elissa Bassist read some interesting anxieties on writing about Infinite Jest originally published on The Rumpus. For an extensive take on the evening, head over to Vol. 1.
Monday, August 16th
Roster – Issue Seven: Endurance
Below is the tentative roster for Annalemma Issue Seven: Endurance. Tentative because not all of these people have gotten back to me yet. If you haven’t, please do. I want to print your stuff.
Poetry:
Coming For To Carry Me Home
Poem: Sasha Fletcher
Image: Jake Blanchard
Fiction:
You Will Be The Living Equation
Story: Amber Sparks
Images: Margaret Durow
2001 or This is How the Century is Born
Story: Salvatore Pane
Images: Justin Chen
The End, Temporarily
Story: Matthew Simmons
Images: Patrick Savile
Water-Filled Jugs
Story: Brian Allen Carr
Images: Erin McCarty
Rainbow Dogs
Story: Justyn Harkin
Images: Sam Brewster
Five Pieces of a Broken Heart
Story: Roxane Gay
Image: Bryan Schutmaat
The Worst Thing My Father Did In His Life
Story: Patrick deWitt
Images: Cali deWitt
What is Your Favorite War?
Story: Joe Meno
Images: Kristian Hammerstad
Dieback
Story: Nick Ripatrazone
Images: Rose Wind Jerome
The Difference Between
Story: Andrea Kneeland
Photo: Kristie Muller
Relations
Story: Nicolette Kittinger
Birth in the Memory
Story: Carl Fuerst
Image: Jonas Norway
Nonfiction:
Lions
Essay: Paul Kwiatkowski
At the Window
Essay: Jen Knox
Monday, August 16th
Where to Buy Annalemma *UPDATED*
(image by angela n.)
Do you love indie bookstores so much that you were refraining from buying Annalemma Issue Six: Sacrifice online just so you’d have an excuse to visit your local independent book seller? I hear you. I do that too sometimes. We got you covered, for the most part. Issue Six is now available in the following fine brick-and-mortar stores:
(*** indicates a recently-added retailer)
Long Beach, CA
San Francisco, CA
Denver, CO
Durango, CO
Maria’s Books ***
Miami, FL
Orlando, FL
Atlanta, GA
Iowa City, IA
Chicago, IL
Bloomington, IN
Lawrence, KS
Louisville, KY
Brookline, MA
Portland, ME
St. Louis, MO
Oxford, MS
Baltimore, MD
Minneapolis, MN
Bozeman, MT
Missoula, MT
Raleigh, NC
Buffalo, NY
New York, NY
Ithica, NY
Cleveland, OH
Portland, OR
Ottowa, ON
Doylestown, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Providence, RI
Austin, TX
Richmond, VA
Seattle, WA
“Hey!” you say, “That’s not a hell of a lot of stores there, partner!” You’re right. If your favorite bookstore isn’t on our list then shout it out in the comments. We’ll contact them and say there’s folks in their area clamoring for a piece of the Issue Six action.
