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Hello friends!
I hope you are enjoying this festive holiday season the way God intended, by drinking too much and watching terrible television:
The goyim had “Peter Pan Live!”; now the Jews get their turn at a televised hot mess with the two-part Lifetime Original miniseries “The Red Tent,” based on the Anita Diamant’s book of the same title, and starring Brody’s wife from “Homeland” as Rachel and Jorah Mormont from “Game of Thrones” as patriarch Jacob. Chaverim, it does not disappoint. Every element of this production is best taken with a grain—or even a pillar—of salt.
Besides writing snarky reviews of Lifetime movies, here is a glimpse at what I’ve been up to lately:
Your new favorite savagely funny and insightful author is Ester Bloom (@shorterstory). Read an excerpt here. http://t.co/2ALcAsPubR
— Joyland Magazine (@joylandfiction) December 9, 2014
- Joyland Magazine has published the beginning of my novel THE SEX LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE on its website. The excerpt is titled “You Said ‘Always'” and can be read in its entirety here. Meanwhile I have collapsed from in excitement in this other corner over here.
- Don’t you think supermarkets should set up “Serial” aisles so that we can have a place to gather and exchange theories about the podcast phenomenon? Until that happens, there’s always my weekly recaps for New York Magazine’s Vulture blog.
- Speaking of “Serial” — and “Transparent,” “Broad City,” “Obvious Child” and many other high quality pop cultural properties — I declared 2014 the year of Jewish women at Flavorwire.
- The most recent episode of NPR’s game show “Ask Me Another” featured a game that I wrote for them. Someday perhaps I will ascend to the level of Puzzle Guru and be able to break boards with my hands.
- If life is giving you indigestion, seek comfort from Aunt Acid, my advice column at The Toast. A-U-N-T A-C-I-D spells “relief.”
- Present hunting? Explore my many reviews and 2014 Fiction Gift Guide for Barnes and Noble.
Encompassing late-career epics and ambitious debuts, they consider the after-effects of everything from apocalypse to adultery, and reckon with religion and war using dreams, magic, science fiction, and occasionally nothing but the power of prose. Sometimes, in the grand tradition of The Wizard of Oz, they take us no further than the Midwest, America’s own backyard, to teach us about ourselves: our desires, our secrets, and our fascination with what makes an enduring story.
I’m still an editor at the Billfold, where you can find me on a daily basis asking the tough questions like “How Much Do You Spend on Tattoos” and thinking deep thoughts about boots. We’re having our live event at Housing Works in NYC at the end of January! More specific info TK.
Other delightful things:
- Happy Release Day, Tara Leigh!
- My It’s The Real cousins hanging out with Annie
- Last night Lara bit me on the leg and then spent five minutes crying while I hugged her and told her it would be okay. #parenthood
- You all! You’re running marathons and selling books and getting pregnant on purpose. Please keep sharing your good news. The regular news is so appalling we need all the local cheer we can get.
For more, follow me on Twitter @shorterstory. Many thanks for paying attention! Wherever you are, may it only rain when you’re sleeping and may your rent never go up.