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 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…
December 30, 2010

>Reading Liberally

> Earlier this year I founded a local chapter of Reading Liberally, a national “book club” that is part of a larger organization called…
December 30, 2010

>Happy New Year from Prime Number Magazine!

> Prime Decimals 3.7–the final update for Issue 3–is now live! Check out work by Darrin Doyle, Tim Raymond, Ray Scanlon, Joanna Robinson, Mike…
December 30, 2010

>Andrew’s Book Club

>Andrew’s Book Club is back. I don’t know that I’ll have time to read any books that I wasn’t going to read anyway, but…