Author: Cliff

I am the author of three novels--THE LAST BIRD OF PARADISE, OLIVER'S TRAVELS, and THE SHAMAN OF TURTLE VALLEY--and three story collections--IN AN UNCHARTED COUNTRY, HOUSE OF THE ANCIENTS AND OTHER STORIES, and WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW, winner of the Library of Virginia Literary Award for Fiction. I am also the co-founder and former editor of Prime Number Magazine and the editor of the award-winning anthology series EVERYWHERE STORIES: SHORT FICTION FROM A SMALL PLANET.
January 22, 2011

>Submissions, Acceptances, and the other things

> For much of 2010 I wasn’t doing a lot of submitting to magazines. I was working on a novel so not producing any…
January 19, 2011

>New Issue of Prime Number Magazine

> I’m excited to release today the new issue (No. 5) of Prime Number Magazine. This issue is packed! We’ve got 6 short stories,…
January 18, 2011

>The New Yorker: "The King of Norway" by Amos Oz

> On a kibbutz in Israel, Zvi Provizor is known as the Angel of Death because he is always delivering news of some disaster…
January 15, 2011

>American Shakespeare Center: The Comedy of Errors

> I saw The Comedy of Errors at the American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse last night and was reminded of what I love about…
January 14, 2011

>The New Yorker: "The Years of My Birth" by Louise Erdrich

> The ending here feels rushed to me. In fact, there is an interesting but slightly tedious long first act, where Linda is born,…
January 8, 2011

>Guest Post: David Philip Mullins

> As a member of a global community preoccupied with screens and buttons–with brisk communication and facile modes of entertainment–I was happy to see…
January 7, 2011

>The New Yorker: "Getting Closer" by Steven Millhauser

> I like Millhauser’s work, and this is well done as far as it goes, but it doesn’t make for much of a story….
January 6, 2011

>SWAG WriterDay for January

> SWAG Writers (that’s Staunton, Waynesboro, Augusta Group of Writers) is once again holding a happy hour for area writers. We get together on…
January 1, 2011

>Happy New Year and Happy Blogiversary

> That’s Happy New Year in Chinese (which I get to say again on February 4 when we celebrate the Chinese New Year). 2010…
January 1, 2011

>2010 New Yorker Story of the Year: "Foster" by Claire Keegan

> Congratulations to Claire Keegan, whose brilliant short story “Foster” has been chosen as the 2010 New Yorker Story of the Year! Thank you…