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 1, 2013

Short Story Month 2013

I didn’t do such a great job with National Poetry Month. I started out strong, highlighting several poetry collections I had on the shelf…
April 28, 2013

Bookfair Reflections

Yesterday (Saturday, April 27, 2013) was the inaugural SWAG Writers Bookfair (Downtown is for Book Lovers Day). To me, it seemed like a success….
April 24, 2013

Downtown [Staunton] is for Book Lovers! — Saturday, April 27

Our local writers’ organization, SWAG Writers, is holding a Bookfair this Saturday, April 27, from 10am to 5pm, at 16 W. Beverley St., right…
April 24, 2013

The New Yorker: “The Fragments” by Joshua Ferris

April 29, 2013: “The Fragments” by Joshua Ferris Maybe it’s only because I re-read it this week for a class I’m teaching, but this…
April 22, 2013

Atlanta Trip: Visit to Atlanta Writers’ Club

The primary reason for my visit to Atlanta this weekend was to speak to The Atlanta Writers Club. I was very honored to have…
April 21, 2013

Atlanta trip: A Cappella Books

I flew down to Atlanta on Friday morning for a couple of days of book events and seeing old friends. I hadn’t been there…
April 15, 2013

Book Giveaway: Wash by Margaret Wrinkle

Wash by Margaret Wrinkle is a special book. It’s about a subject you probably haven’t seen in novels before–slave breeding–but it’s also about very complex…
April 15, 2013

The New Yorker: “Mexican Manifesto” by Roberto Bolaño

April 22, 2013: “Mexican Manifesto” by Roberto Bolaño I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this story, which is available to…
April 15, 2013

2013 Reading: Heading out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick

I was at a library fundraiser Friday night when Robert Goolrick spoke and read Chapter 2 of Heading Out to Wonderful–I had read most…
April 12, 2013

2013 Reading: Guardian Angel by Sara Paretsky

Guardian Angel by Sara Paretsky is, at least, entertaining, and that’s all it pretends to be. Oh, Paretsky’s protagonist, private investigator V.I. Warshawski is a…