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.
May 21, 2006

>The Best American Fiction of the Last 25 Years

>Today’s New York Times offers a list of the best American works of fiction of the last quarter century. Check out the list here,…
May 20, 2006

>Indiana University Writers’ Conference

>I learned yesterday that I have been awarded a scholarship to the Indiana University Writers’ Conference, which takes place in Bloomington on the IU…
May 19, 2006

>The Brief History of the Dead

>by Kevin Brockmeier Imagine a world in which everyone but you has read a particular book. Each reader has crossed over into an alternate…
May 18, 2006

>French, Spanish, What’s the Diff?

>A friend of mine, Don, teaches high school Spanish. I see him at the gym from time to time and today he told me…
May 17, 2006

>How A Book Saved Me

>Roy Kesey Week continues over at The Elegant Variation. Be sure and check out the Nothing in the World Contest. Here’s my entry: You’re…
May 17, 2006

>Blackbird

>Ron Smith: Red Guitar No. 2, “Larkin’s Eggs”
May 16, 2006

>A diversion: George* *be sure to use your mouse to drag and drop Thanks for the link, Kathy!
May 15, 2006

>Lalami Shortlisted for Caine Prize

>Laila Lalami (she of MoorishGirl.com) has been shortlisted for the 2006 Caine Prize for her story “The Fanatic,” a chapter in her novel/collection Hope…
May 15, 2006

>Roy Kesey Week at TEV

>It’s Roy Kesey week over at the excellent litblog, The Elegant Variation. Roy is wandering around the U.S. this week promoting his book (which…
May 15, 2006

>Getting Traction

>My first reaction to Sven Birkerts’s introduction to Agni 63 was—what a pompous piece of . . . How dare he reject anyone’s story…