We all have a little sad face over here because The Dollar Store Summer tour is over. And going back to real life is hard. It was fun, it was wild. There is video evidence. For example, check this clip out of Blake Butler and his new book, Scorch Atlas.
A bunch of drunk writers, you might say. And you wouldn't be wrong. But here's the rub: we're actually working. That's right, we need to destroy copies of Scorch Atlas because the text itself demands such action, not to mention that we've promised hand-destroyed copies to everyone who pre-orders the book. It's true. SCORCH ATLAS IS ON PRE-SALE NOW! And you can get a copy that looks like it has been through exactly what the book describes. A lot of fucked-up shit.
Blake Butler is so excited he has decided to eat an entire copy, one page a day. This is also not a joke. Again, I refer you to the video evidence (more of which will be accumulating at Blake's blog).
Want your own bit of book wildness? Miss the D-Store crew? Then we've got some funs for you. In Chicago, this Tuesday, check out Aaron Burch, the Dollar Store's own Snack Pack, launching an awesome issue of the awesome Hobart with some great writers. Bookcellar, 6pm. Then, next Friday is the all-powerful Printers' Ball, where Quickies Queens, and D-Store vets Mary Hamilton and Lindsay Hunter will be presiding over the Blood Sport of writing events. We'll be hosting a mini-book folding table. Check that. If you're in Oregon in the next week, you can see The Dollar Store's Yaky Pony, Amelia Gray, in Portland or Eugene. Check her blog for details. She and The Dollar Store's principal Zach Dodson will be hanging out at this. And maybe in some hot springs.
When it comes to these events, you don't need to hesitate or second guess, because we've proved how much fun featherproof
books can be. The Dollar Store Summer
Tour of Awesomeness lived up to its name. Thanks to all who
read with us, and all who came to experience the cheap magic! 5153
miles, 7+ writers in a van, 59 dollar store items, 11 cities,
14 days, and the biggest bottle of whiskey you've got. Photos
of the madness can be found here.
Others are here. Makes us miss the road.
What could make us feel better? We've got a new special project in the works:
TripleQuick Fiction is a new iPhone app from featherproof books.
All new fiction from your favorite featherproof authors, and many more! We'll be announcing a full line up of stories and authors on this page soon.
TripleQuick stories are specifically tailored to the modern mobile attention span. 3 screens, 333 words, 3 minutes to read. Maybe it's the future, or maybe it's just fun, but we know you'll love the bite sized stories in a pretty little shell.
Our foray into cellular story-telling will also include some awesome interactive elements that we're keeping under our hat for now. We expect to hatch this egg early this fall. Keep your eyes peeled.
Don't forget to keep your eyes on our other egg. Paper Egg is getting mighty warm. Christian TeBordo, our debut author killed it at The Dollar Store shows in both Philadelphia and Albany. We can't wait to unleash The Awful Possibilities on to the world, so subscribe now!
Written by featherproof
Hey featherproof friend,
We're literally sweating with excitement over here. Why? Because we're using the summer heat to cook up:
The Dollar Store
Super Summer Tour!
That’s right, we’re taking this renowned reading series on the road: packing 7+ of our beloved writers in a van, buying tons of dollar store junk, and hitting 11 cities in 14 days.
For three years, The Dollar Store has sold out its hometown venue with its blue-collar literature, absurdist humor, and a circus of junk. This summer featherproof presents a month long Dollar Store tour that kicks off June 28th, and will cover a lot of ground. Here's who's getting sweaty in the van:
Amelia Gray (AM/PM ,
Featherproof Books, 5
Things Austin reading series), Aaron
Burch (Hobart), Caroline
Picard (Green
Lantern Press, The
Parlor reading series), Zach
Dodson (boring
boring boring, Featherproof Books, The
Show 'n Tell series), Mary
Hamilton, and Lindsay
Hunter (QUICKIES!
reading series), Jac Jemc
(My
Only Wife, Dzanc Books), Blake
Butler (Scorch
Atlas, Featherproof, EVER,
Calamari,
Lamination Colony), Patrick
Somerville (Trouble,
Vintage, The
Cradle, Little, Brown), and of course Jonathan
Messinger (Hiding
Out, Featherproof Books, The
Dollar Store reading series).
We'll also feature great local writers in each stop on the tour. What are the stops, you ask? For a complete list, check the website: dollarstoreshow.com. But first, we're starting with the:
CHICAGO LAUNCH BBQ PATIO PARTY,
Sunday June 28th1-6pm, $8 The Hideout
1354 W Wabansia Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
Improv by: 1, 2, Fag and Hag! (Seth Dodson, Kellen Alexander and Christina Boucher), and An Oak (Neil Dandade and Adam Schwartz)
It's ALSO a big barbeque, and all you can eat drumsticks, and veggie burgers, and fixin's, and corn-on-the-cob, and picnic sides!
Oh, and one more thing: we’re raffling off a custom-built, featherproof-themed bike, compliments of Working Bikes Cooperative.
This afternoon delight will cost $8 at the door, and for $8 you get 8 things:
1. Admission
2. A featherproof mini book
3. Readings by Chicago’s finest and Improv by Chicago’s funniest
4. Hosted bar by Red Stripe 1-3pm! Yum!
5. All the barbeque you can eat
6. Your very own Dollar Store official souvenir pin
7. A Working Bikes bike raffle ticket
8. A shot at a missed connection, and the time of your life.
Buy tickets HERE! NOW!
Food generously sponsored by Eye Spy Optical. Bring old glasses to be recycled! Check out eyespyoptical.com!
Open bar generously sponsored by Red Stripe. Come from 1 - 3pm for beers! Check out redstripebeer.com!
So check out dollarstoreshow.com, or join the facebook event in your city.
It wouldn't be a tour if we weren't bringing you the newness, so here's what's out now:
Two new exciting minis, one by hometown hero Joe Meno, the very guy who showed us that vans + books can = magic. His most recent novel, The Great Perhaps, is without a doubt awesome. We also have a mini from Aaron Burch, mastermind of Hobart, the lit journal we'd die to be as cool as. Aaron's coming on the whole Dollar Store tour, and will have the latest issue available. These minis are free downloads in the Mini Book section now!
We'll have copies of AM/PM on the road, if you're lucky. They're moving fast, thanks to a slate of recent raves. Listen to the word on the street:
"At moments screwy, prickly and pleasantly surprising, Gray’s short shorts deliver youthful snapshots about being nuts in love... A delectable debut."—Publishers Weekly
"Amelia Gray's AM/PM is a collection of flash fiction, stories that create tangible worlds and interesting characters in their 50 to 150 words. More importantly (and amazingly), read together these stories form a cohesive and often surprising narrative through their recurring themes and characters."—Largehearted Boy
"62. AM/PM is a do-it-yourself kit to protect imagination."—John Madera, Word Riot
There may even be some early, leaking copies of Scorch Atlas, if you're double lucky. We've got mini-excerpts of both of those in the Mini Book section now, to whet your palette.
We've also been feeling the heat from Poets & Writers, (check out the latest issue for a great article by Timothy Schaffert), the lovely Lauren Cerand, and Newcity's Lit 50 list. We're swooning.
Someone turn on the AC. This summer is getting hot.
Written by Alexis Thomas
In Chicago, you know it’s summer when Milwaukee Avenue traffic is congested with more bikes then cars and you can’t decide which BBQ you should go to (if you ask us, go anywhere there is free food and beer). Zip up those hot shorts and grease up your bike chain, because this summer is going to be (dare we say) the best summer ever.
We are kicking off our summer with two awesome events. This Friday, at the Book Cellar in Lincoln Square, Jean Thompson, who the Chicago Tribune says ”is a master of dialogue, character, and plot” will be reading from her soon to be released collection of short stories titled Do Not Deny Me. The reading will also feature Featherproof mini-book author Lindsay Hunter, and J. Adams Oaks, author of Why I Fight. We're so excited to team up with our BFF Lauren Cerand on this one, our heads might pop. The event will begin at 7:30 PM. You don’t want to miss it. Here's a flyer Nick Mecci drew for us:
Also in the tradition of Chicago summers, this weekend’s Printers Row Book Fair, kicks off the endless supply of fairs and festivals. From 10-6 on both days, we will be at tables 327 and 329, along with our friends Green Lantern Press and Make Magazine. Stop by. Hang out. Buy a book. Say hi. Seriously, we’d love you for it.
Last but not least, weheard a rumor that will make you drool with amazement. This summer, awesome interview she gave to Tobias Carroll at the site that always makes us smile, The Scowl. Also, please dirtect your attention to the newest review of her book AM/PM. You can also check out the Word Space she just wrote for HTML Giant.
Let's make a point of seeing each other soon.
Love,
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