Excerpt from the Big Book of Forgotten Lunatics, Volume 1

I'm happy to report that I have a story in the first issue of The Collagist, an online journal created by Dzanc Books. Matt Bell, the editor, did an incredible job of putting together this issue. There's fiction by Chris Bachelder, Kim Chinquee, Gordon Lish, Matthew Salesses, and a novel excerpt from the new book by Laird Hunt.

I met Laird Hunt back in 2004 when I was at the MacDowell Colony. It was through this residency that I came into possession of one of my most prized pieces of author memorabilia, a box of snack crackers that Laird had partially eaten (the crackers, not the box). I wrote a letter to Laird after he'd left in order to get verification of his having eaten some of the crackers, a letter of authenticity if you will, and he responding by sending the most incredible, hand-written essay/story, which filled up an entire notebook. It was amazing. If you want to read something awesome, check out his novel The Impossibly, which is about "an anonymous secret operative embroiled in the dark underworld of transnational organized crime." It is so damn bizarre and very hilarious.