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.
December 26, 2009

>The Humbling by Philip Roth

>The HumblingPhilip RothHMH 2009 What to make of this very dark little book? I confess that I haven’t been keeping up with my reading…
December 26, 2009

>LitMag Wave: Short Story, No. 6

>It’s a shame about Short Story. In its short life—issue Number 6, Spring 2009, was its last—it published some very good stories and interviews…
December 24, 2009

>The New Yorker: "Diary of an Interesting Year" by Helen Simpson

>I suppose it’s possible to write an original, successful dystopian story, but this one doesn’t work. Or maybe it does exactly what it seems…
December 24, 2009

>LitMag Wave: Mid-American Review, Vol. XXIX, No. 1

>I subscribe to a lot of literary magazines and I’m hopelessly behind in my reading. A 2010 resolution that I intend to put into…
December 22, 2009

>Vote for the 2009 New Yorker Story of the Year

>It’s time to select the 2009 New Yorker Story of the Year. The process is a little different this year. In previous years I…
December 22, 2009

>New Acquisitions: Where I Must Go by Angela Jackson

>I’m digging my way back into my life, literally and figuratively. The drive across the mountain yesterday–once I got off the VCCA campus, which…
December 20, 2009

>VCCA Report, Day 10

>It’s the last full day of my residency at VCCA. It’s been an odd couple of days because of the snow event that began…
December 19, 2009

>VCCA Report, Day 8

>I took this picture in the early afternoon on Friday while taking a walk–I figured it might be my last chance on this residency…
December 18, 2009

>VCCA Report, Day 7

>Today is, um, Thursday. It’s hard to tell sometimes, but I know because I had to run home today to give my “final exam”…