We were immediately enchanted by our October web exclusive, Ihab Hassan's “Three.” Sadly, Dr. Hassan passed away shortly after we accepted his work for publication. We would have loved the opportunity to speak with him about the pieces, but his colleague and friend, the author Liam Callanan, was kind enough to share some memories and insight. Suffice it to say, we would have loved to be the man's dinner companions. Erin McReynolds: We were so sorry to hear of Dr. Hassan's passing. How far ... [READ MORE]
NOTEBOOK
Editorial Outtakes: Benjamin Markovits
Today, we launch Editorial Outtakes, a new series here at ASF Online where we'll feature excerpts from recently published novels and story collections that you won't find in the finished books because, prior to publication, they were cut. The reasons for the cuts will vary, of course, but in the case of Benjamin Markovits, who is the brother of our co-editor Rebecca Markovits and the author of our debut installment of Editorial Outtakes, they were the result of finding that the heart of his most ... [READ MORE]
Online Fiction Interview: Cam Terwilliger
Our September web exclusive, Cam Terwilliger's “Five-Star Bangkok Hotel” laser-focuses on that critical moment when we take a gamble on a burgeoning notion of self and freedom, and aren't so certain of the win. We emailed Cam to investigate how he comes to his stories, what jobs best fit a writing habit, and to go into that heart of darkness that is self vs. selflessness. Erin McReynolds: “Five-Star Bangkok Hotel” struck me as a close-up on the struggle to determine what it means to be true ... [READ MORE]
Excerpt: Honey from the Lion, by Matthew Neill Null
Tomorrow, to our delight, Lookout Books will publish Honey from the Lion, the debut novel of Matthew Neill Null. The novel travels the same West Virginian logging terrain as "The Slow Lean of Time," the stunner of a story we published in our Spring 2014 issue (if you would like to read that story, you can pick up a copy in our store; choose Issue 57 from among the back issues). Like "The Slow Lean of Time," Honey from the Lion employs a sweeping omniscient narration almost Victorian in its ... [READ MORE]
Online Fiction Interview: Sofi Stambo
Sofi Stambo's "Ships" presents a vivid summer break on the Black Sea during which a young, unnamed protagonist pines for the son of the Tomov family, which is headed by a sea captain who lives across the street from her grandparents. It's a story so precise in its sensory details that it feels deeply familiar—and even nostalgic—in spite of its Bulgarian setting. We emailed Stambo recently to ask about those details, about Bulgaria during the communist years, and about what she's working on ... [READ MORE]
Bourbon and Milk: Here Is the Essay, Now Where Is the Child?
Bourbon and Milk is an ongoing series that dives into the perplexing spaces parenting sometimes pushes us and explores the unexpected ways writers may grow in them. If you’re interested in joining the conversation or contributing a Bourbon and Milk post, query Giuseppe Taurino at giuseppe@americanshortfiction.org. “Where do you get so much energy?” I asked my daughter recently, the age-old parenting question. She was running around like on any other day while I sprawled supine on the ... [READ MORE]