Just found out I have a story up at Clapboard House!  Here’s the link: The Real War.  Waiting on some other pieces to come out, a couple of micro-flashes and an interview at The Sonora Review (in-line), “200 Nights ” at Corium and “The Nickel” in Crimespree in March as well as “Abbreviated Glossary” at Melusine in the spring.

I also have an interview up at SmokeLong Quarterly with Michael FitzGerald of Submishmash fame.

They’ve published the list of stories chosen for The Best of Every Day Fiction Three.  Here are those you’ll find in the table of contents sometime later this year when the book is released.

HIDDEN SHALLOWS • by Jonathan Pinnock
BURIAL OF THE BELLS • by Sarah Hilary
A FRIGGIN’ STAR • by Joel Willans
THE WALL • by Ben Loory
UNDER MY SKIN • by Melody Beacham
IN THE CARDS • by Lori Simeunovic
HOW TO BURN A HOUSE • by Aaron Polson
SO LUCKY • by Cathryn Grant
CANTICLES • by K.C. Ball
GROWN FROM MAN TO DRAGON • by Megan Arkenberg
TRAJECTORY • by Mickey Mills
INVISIBLE MEND • by Sarah Hilary
BEAUTY SLEEPING • by C.L. Holland
WHEN MOM’S SICK • by Kendra C. Highley
THE HAIRCUT • by Sharon E. Trotter
DUMPING THE DEAD • by Barbara A. Barnett
WITH THE BAND • by Alexander Burns
FAITH • by Aaron Polson
YOUR OWN PERSONAL GENIE • by Grá Linnaea
EL MYSTERA DEL TEMPO • by Brian Dolton
TEARS OF THE ANDROID • by JR Hume
INVASION • by Laura McHale Holland
THE MAPLE LEAF MANEUVER • by K.C. Ball
HOW THE HUMAN GOT HIS FREE WILL • by Deven D Atkinson
DEADACHE • by Deborah Winter-Blood
MUTILATION • by Michelle Klein
WATER’S EDGE • by Sarah Hilary
FLASH FLOOD • by Gay Degani
EF 5 • by J.C. Towler
WHEELCHAIR MEMORIES • by Laura T Praderio Lynn
SAFE IN SPARROW • by Sylvia Hiven
FIRE ON FALCON ROAD • by Mickey Mills
FOREVER IS A LOCKED DOOR • by Tanya Byrne
TRUCE • by A P Charman
THE DEATH METER • by Debbie Cowens
FIREWORD • by Deborah Winter-Blood
FODDER • by Paul Graham
HALF • by Fred Warren
DIFFERENCES • by JR Hume
AN INCIDENT AT GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE • by Townsend Walker
BAD SMILE • by J.C. Towler
DANCING SNOWFLAKES • by Stef Hall
DEAD WEIGHT • by Matt Cowens
THE SMALL PRINT • by Krystyna Smallman
BLOSSOMS WEEP, SPIDERS FALL • by A.R. Williams
LOVE AT THE MALL • by Evonne Gayle
THE DESTINY OF ARCHER DEFT • by Douglas Campbell
SHE’S A BITER • by Stephanie Kincaid
THE MIRACLE OF ST. JOHN • by Deborah Winter-Blood
ONLY AT THE END OF THE ROAD • by Jacky Taylor
STAGES OF GRIEF • by Tara Gilboy
SOGGY SANDY • by Gay Degani
PATRICK’S DAY • by J.C. Towler
CHANGEOVER DAY • by Dan Purdue
WHAT NAME DO I GIVE HER? • by Kevin Shamel
BILLY BOY • by Aaron Polson
RIPPLES • by Jennifer Campbell-Hicks
THE ORANGERY • by Christopher Allen
THE NEWLY DEAD OF WINTER • by Mickey Mills
COMPUTER EDUCATION • by John Wiswell
SPEED TRAP • by Patrick Perkins
DOUR CUTLER • by J.C. Towler
COVERED DISH SUPPER • by Jan Melara
TRYST • by Stacey Py Flynn
CHOCOLATE MILK • by Ladonna A. Watkins
SECRETS • by Fadzlishah Johanabas
STAMPEDE • by Deborah Winter-Blood
A MESSAGE FOR ME • by Zena Greene
MULTIPLICITY • by Robert Swartwood
HOLLOW JAKE • by Douglas Campbell
COG-WORK CAT • by Joyce Chng
WHAT IS LEFT • by Ariane Synovitz
FRESH IDEAS • by John P. McCann
MARY, MARY, QUITE CONTRARY • by T E Byrne
SNOWMAN • by Shaun Simon
CYCLES • by Stephen V. Ramey
THE FESTERING WOUND • by Cathryn Grant
THE BOY AND THE BROKEN BIRD • by Gavin Broom
DAVID YOUNG SAT ON THE ARMREST • by steven woods
TEHUELCHE • by Gustavo Bondoni
THE NOSE ON MY FACE • by Mary J. Daley
BRUSH STROKES • by Ruth Schiffmann
RENEWAL • by Wayne Scheer
THE VOTE • by Erin M. Kinch
TURN ABOUT • by Oonah V Joslin
WHY NOT ME? • by Kathee Jantzi
THE DANCE FLOOR • by Kyle Hemmings
DISAPPEARING GIRL • by Peter Tupper
FALLEN • by Amber Foster
THE COLOUR OF CRITICISM • by Jonathan Pinnock
PRECIPITATION • by Steven Saus
SEEDS • by Kit Lamont
CAPTAIN QUASAR AND THE “IF ONLY” ELIXIR OF OPSANUS TAU PRIME • by Milo James Fowler
FORGET, TO LIVE • by Ben Langdon
DOLL PARTS • by Shane Oshetski
PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW • by Bernard S. Jansen
THE SHOCK OF COLD WATER • by Douglas Campbell
THE INVISIBLE SWORD OF PATTERSON MITCHELL • by Robert J. Santa
THE OLD MAN DOWN THE ROAD • by Nicholas Ozment
GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS • by Erin Ryan

Not sure I’m ready for a retrospective on 2010 yet, but thought I might get started.

One thing is certain, this year rattled by like a runaway train on an unrepaired part of the track.  Nothing smooth, just a lot of jumping, leaping, clanging going on at high velocity. It’s a messy blur, but here I go.

I’ll start with movies, maybe?  Didn’t see very many.  Finding less and less out there that I am willing to go see, but there were a couple I  liked.  I just looked for a list of movies released in 2010 to refresh my memory but can’t find one that isn’t a top 10.  I haven’t seen anything in the top 10.  Yikes.  That’s pretty sad.  What movies can I remember seeing?


Sherlock Holmes (hated it).  Why?  I didn’t have that much of a problem with Robert Downey, Jr.’s take on the character of Sherlock Holmes.  Well, I did, but could have tolerated it since it was aimed at showing us a young Mr. Holmes.  BUT I did hate it because there was no story, or at least no story that worked for a Sherlock Holmes story (or any other in my book).  Sherlock Holmes working against someone taking over the world just seems stupid to me.  SH is about brains, finesse, clarity of thinking, observation, small details, and stories that are real enough that I feel transported to a different time and place.  This movie lost me in the first 15 minutes and although I admit there was some humor throughout that I enjoyed, overall it was a borefest.  Noise and action are just noise and action without a story that matters. Give me Basil Rathbone anytime.

Iron Man 2 (hated it).  Like the first one well-enough though I’m tired and bored with superheroes in general. This one, however, sucked the big one. Boring from the very beginning with the preening show put on by Iron Man.  I think it was on purpose–the preening–because eventually I caught on that IM really wanted the world to think he’d lost it (I think).  But the boring part is unforgivable.  There’s some old saying I’ve heard that one minute of screen time feels like 10 minutes to the audience one the point is made, but the makers of this movie either didn’t know about this or didn’t give a shit.

Oh crap.  The review below?  That movie was in 2009.  THAT’s shows you how many good movies came out before December this year.  I’m leaving this though, because I haven’t yet found a 2010 movie I like as well

500 Days of Summer (kind of loved it considering what else was out there this year). This had charm. I enjoyed both the characters and the fact that, as I recall, they don’t end up together.  This felt real and fun and authentic to me.  Not one of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen but a real oasis for someone who wants more story and character, less ka-boom.

Date Night (meh). Wanted to love it, but it was boooooriiiing.  Love Steve Carell, like Tina Fey, and hoped that there would be a terrific story for these two, but this wasn’t it.  Again the problem is/was the screenplay itself wasn’t really developed.  I think people writing comedy these days need to go back to the 80’s and learn about structuring a movie so that the comedy builds, that there is conflict for the characters through out, with each other, with the enemies, with the world. For example, it might have helped if Steve and Tina (can’t remember their names) had some real problems between the two of them, any meaningful conflict at all.  As any eighties comedy would suggest, people cannot get along, there must be misunderstandings that the main characters must work through themselves in addition to fighting outward forces.  The whole thing with the drawers being left open–what a great gag I thought– but it was never brought up again.  Comedy requires setup and pay-off and escalating pay-off at that.   I don’t remember much about this except disappointment and I don’t really want to see it again enough to analyze everything I found disappointing.  Hopefully they might make another, better movie together in the future.

Alice in Wonderland (meh) Forget the 3-D.  I would have enjoyed this movie much more had I seen it in 2-D.  I didn’t mind the combining of varies Lewis Carroll stories for this particular movie and thought Helena Bonham Carter was pretty amazingly good and Anne Hathaway was pretty dreadful.  I wouldn’t bother to see this again…or recommend it.

How to Train Your Dragon (like it). Not one to adore kids’ movies, but liked this one.  It was surprisingly entertaining.

That’s for today and maybe more tomorrow.  I finally found a list of 2010 movies here: http://www.leesmovieinfo.net/WBOYearly.php

Terrific news came this morning. And I should have figured it out for myself!  EDF’s Camille and Jordan sent congrats on Flash Fiction Chronicles  being listed in the Nov/Dec Writers Digest   as one of the 25 Best Online Consumer Magazine Markets!!! Who knew?! Not me! I knew EDF and 10 Flash were listed and SmokeLong Quarterly mentioned too, but it never occurred to me that FFC made one of the lists!!! Yippee!!

Dawn’s Early Light


The morning he was to leave, I slipped into his room. Pale light through  curtains lined-up like soldiers, tall, straight, at attention.  I had to admit it looked a little glorious, but then I turned back to my boy. The quilt my own mama made was pulled right up to his chin, his mouth was open, his breathing soft like feathery wind. 

Sweat glistened on his forehead and as I stroked the dampness away, he opened his eyes, confused for a moment but comfortable too. Warm. Safe under his  own mama’s gaze. 

They say the worst thing in the world is to bury a child. I testify to that. Toby went to war because he was told it was the right thing to do. Not by me. Never me.


by Gay Degani

Wednesday night was the signing at Vroman’s for the W.W. Norton Hint Fiction Anthology edited by Robert Swartwood.  I enjoyed meeting fellow contributors Jenn Alandy, Jeremy D. Brooks, Daniel A. Olivas, Robin Rozanski and A. J. Slye.  The bookstore personnel were wonderful and the audience much appreciated. Signed copies are now available at Vroman’s.  Think Christmas! Think independent bookstores!


New Reviews and Mentions of the Hint Fiction Anthology
Los Angeles Times
The Washington Post


Here’s a list of current stories by me online:
Something about LA at Litsnack
Body-Snatching at LITnIMAGE
Isla Vista, 1970 at Foundling Review
Closed Down at 50 to 1

Thriller! A Young Adult Anthology is out with my story, “Gravity Island,” included.  Available at  a discounted price at the Pill Hill/Static Movement Online Store.


There’s a new review up at Sonar4 Landing Dock Reviews of Pomegranate Stories.  Check it out here.

I’m always writing about goals and then ignoring them, but I’m going to be perverse and keep posting them until I get it right.  Goal #1 is the novel. You’ve heard it before and most of you probably don’t believe it will happen, but it will!  It will!

My other main goal is to get some help at Flash Fiction Chronicles.  Denny Lee Vanvick has agreed to help out but I think I need a couple more editors.  So if you are interested in applying to be an assistant editor, send me a note and tell me what part you’d like to play.  Or if you are interested in having a once a month feature column at FFC, I would like to consider that as a possibility too.  If interviewing, writing craft posts, finding articles, proof-reading, gathering news bits, or posting a weekly photo prompt appeals to you let me know.

What else for November?  My son and his wife are coming for early Thanksgiving so I’m looking forward to that.  My goal is to be in a good work place (meaning a few posts ahead at FFC and significant novel progress) by the time they get here so I can reeeellllllaaaaaxxxxx and enjoy their visit.

I think that’s it.  I also want to enjoy the signing Wednesday night at Vromans for the Hint Fiction anthology.  Editor Robert Swartwood will be out for that and I hope lots of people come.  It’s at 7:00 November 3 upstairs at Vromans in Old Town.