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 3, 2020

2020 Reading–November

My November reading report is a little late because of some technical issues with the website, but we appear to be back up and…
November 25, 2020

Website Upgrade Coming

Strictly speaking, my website problems have nothing to do with gremlins, viruses (not even COVID-19), or malware. The problem is inertia. I’ve known for…
November 1, 2020

2020 Reading–October

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is an exploration of antiracism. It’s not good enough to be not-racist anymore, Kendi, argues,…
October 1, 2020

2020 Reading–September

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood is a historical novel about a woman involved in a double murder. She is spared hanging because of her…
August 31, 2020

2020 Reading–August

How the South Won the Civil War by Heather Cox Richardson isn’t quite what I thought it would be. Instead, it’s a history of…
August 16, 2020

Making Assumptions

A long time ago, I read the fiction in The New Yorker as soon as my copy arrived. Then, I posted my reaction to…
August 14, 2020

Everywhere Stories: On the Air!

Okay, not on the air, exactly, but on Zoom and Facebook Live. From 2014-2018, I edited and Press 53 published a three-volume series of…
July 31, 2020

2020 Reading — July

The Magpie’s Return by Curtis Smith is coming out in August, but I got an advance copy and I did a review that I…
July 9, 2020

You’re Invited!

Please join me on Wednesday, July 22, at Noon Eastern Time for a one-hour Zoom session with three other writers, Julie Zuckerman, Jodi Paloni,…
July 1, 2020

2nd Annual 1455 Summer Literary Festival

2019 was the first year for the 1455 Summer Literary Festival. I learned about it a little late, so I was only able to…