Author: Heavy Feather

What Could Be Saved, bookmatched novellas and stories excerpt, by Gregory Spatz

Going where most readers have never been—past the workshop door, behind the curtain to the hidden rehearsal space, and into the back room of a pawn shop or dealer’s office, Gregory Spatz’s new book delves deeply into the world of those who build, play, and sell (or steal) violins. This is a realm of obsession,…
An Excerpt from the Novel The Color Inside a Melon by John Domini

A disastrous earthquake has Naples reeling. While the government scrambles to maintain appearances, poverty and anarchy rack the people on Italy’s margins—the illegal immigrants out of Africa, known as the clandestini. One of whom has just been horrifically murdered. Enter Risto, a rare success story: a refugee from Mogadishu, orphaned in his teens, he’s now married…
“On Writing and Self-Publishing”: A Conversation Between Laraine Herring & Jennifer Spiegel

Well, this discussion stemmed from my mixed emotions surrounding my new novel, And So We Die, Having First Slept. It’s been both glorious and, frankly, really hard. As I got to tell Dave Abrams in November, This is the book I wanted to write. How many people get to say that? But, along with this joy,…
Hybrid Work for Haunted Passages: “Steppes of Null” by Mike Corrao

*Ed.’s Note: click on image to view larger size. Mike Corrao is the author of Man, Oh Man (Orson’s Publishing) and Gut Text (11:11 Press). His work has been featured in publications such as The Collagist, 3:AM, Always Crashing, and The Portland Review. He lives in Minneapolis. Learn more at mikecorrao.com.
Poetry by Josiah Morgan: “The Bee Gees Sing Me to Sleep”

Funny the things you make time for. vodka reruns a million hours sleep the city on a good nightironic an intermission grindr babe in the back of the car chic new looks on city twinxthe city on a bad night vodka reruns quickly, misread me sleepa million hours alexander mcqueen two pizzas restocking things you’ve…
“The Importance of Learning How to Match Your Foundation”: Fiction by Em Mingus

I. When I was in third grade I got my first job. I helped my neighbor roll all the coins in his ten-gallon jugs into the paper wrappers he got from the bank. He had about eight containers filled to the brim with dull metal hidden the back of his basement. We could only work…
New Fiction for Bad Survivalist: “Jeanie Loves Chaos” by Christopher S. Bell

We’d run out of things to blame. Our country, its leader, the economy, cults and crusaders, past lives corrupting an otherwise squeaky-clean soul, or it could’ve just been the Texas sun melting us into the interior of that tan sedan. We’d passed redneck stand-offs, skeletons in cowboy hats waiting for the sand to cover parts…
Haunted Passages Fiction: “Blood Fugue” by Shannon Barber

The music is quieted and leaves him in an inelegant sprawl. He is my minuet, so stately and the dance while it lasted was nice if, clumsy. When I stand over him, his still face is pretty again. He relaxed at the last and released himself to whatever is after. I wish I’d thought to…
“There Will Probably Be Condos”: An Interview with Janalyn Guo by Jason Teal

Kathy Acker once wrote, “YOUR MIND IS A NIGHTMARE THAT HAS BEEN EATING YOU: NOW EAT YOUR MIND.” Lately, I have taken this adage to heart, reading authors for the magazine whose work has embattled my sense of self. Janalyn Guo, author of Our Colony Beyond the City of Ruins, is one such voice who…