News

As part of the Pacific University MFA in Writing Program I'll be reading new work tonight with my friends and colleagues Steve Amick and Eduardo Corral. The reading, which starts at 7:30, is open to the public, if you're in or around Forest Grove, Oregon. Come to Pacific University's campus: McCready Hall in the Taylor-Meade Performing Arts Center.

Day one of this season's Pacific University MFA in Writing residency is in the books. The day featured talks by Ellen Bass, Chris Abani, and Debra Gwartney. Many, many more to come, including guest lectures by Dan Raeburn, Garth Greenwell, Tyehimba Jess, Willy Vlautin, and others. I'm incredibly happy to be back in Forest Grove, Oregon, with this group. The residency goes through Sunday, June 26. Congratulations to all the graduates!

Last month, I participated in an evening of music and readings to celebrate the release of two wonderful books, Ann Neumann's The Good Death and Peter Manseau's Melancholy Accidents. Footage from this event is airing today—and is available here—on C-SPAN2's Book TV. I emceed the event and read from my lastest essay in Virginia Quarterly Review, "Good for You."

Thursday evening, March 10, I will be participating in an evening-long celebration of the publication of Ann Neumann's new book The Good Death. There will be music. There will be reading. There will be Advanced Directives. The event is hosted by Killing the Buddha, and also features Peter Manseau and Gordon Haber. Music by Ilan Moss and Alex Kramer.Thursday, March 10, 2016, 7 p.m.The Morbid Anatomy Museum424-A 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn

Since Friday, I've been spending long and exhilerating days teaching at the January residency of Pacific University's MFA in Writing Program. We're on the beach in Seaside, Oregon. Each evening, the program hosts a faculty reading, and so far we've heard work from Sanjiv Bhattacharya, Claire Davis, Joseph MIllar, Kwame Dawes, Debra Gwartney, and Cate Kennedy. Tonight, I'll be reading with Marvin Bell and Craig Lesley. The readings are free and open to the public. 7:30 p.m.Best Western Ocean View Resort414 North Prom, Seaside, Oregon

The Winter 2016 issue of Virginia Quarterly Review contains a new essay from me, "Good for You: What Makes a Happy Family?" Here is a little sampling:I've read reasonable and compelling arguments against having any children at all, though these arguments are often diminished by editors who provide headlines like this: "Having kids is terrible for the environment, so I'm not having any." I've seen eight- and nine- and ten-point lists in recent years that explain why not having any children is the best life choice a certain person has ever made. This seems like an exaggeration designed for the internet, but who am I to say? I don't know these people. Many of the reasons people often give for not wanting to have children—and I'm not making the opposing argument here—have to do with the way that they shut out certain other options in life, which children do. And just as I don't doubt sibling science, I don't doubt, on its face, either the soundness of the thinking or the soul-searching involved in coming to these conclusions. I don't tend to care whether other people have children or not.

Today The Literary Hub is running an essay originally titled "Near the Continental Divide," as a tribute to poet Joseph Millar. The headline now, "On Chest Hair and the Mystery of Fathers," captures a key image and theme. I hope readers will enjoy the piece.

Guernica Daily has posted my June 27, 2015, Pacific University MFA commencement address under the title "Friends to this Ground."

This week saw the release of the paperback of Light without Fire.

For Eid, Lucky Peach is featuring my story, "Fast Food," from last year's holiday issue. Read it here, and feel free to buy the magazine itself here.

Last Saturday, June 27, 2015, I had the great honor of presenting the commencement address at the Pacific University MFA in Writing Program's graduation ceremony. Congratulations again to all the graduates. I followed a beautiful, inspiring student address on fame and work by poet Peter Boisvert.