Narrative Night 2010

If you haven't read James Salter before, do yourself a favor

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Featured Stories + Contest [by Mar 31]

• Watch James Salter read "Palm Court"

• Listen to Anne Beattie read "Find and Replace"

• Read Anthony Marra's "Chechnya"

• Submit: Winter 2010 Story Contest

So what? Narrative Magazine charges a submission fee. They also pay pretty handsomely. And their name means something. This isn't another fetal literary blog (I mean this is, but).

OK. They started the night out with a video that yes, did have some inspiring clips of cofounder/editor team Carol Edgarian + Tom Jenks, as well as select readers from previous Narrative Nights, but it could have done without the sappy background music.

Indeed, the spacious room in Fort Mason where Narrative Night 2010 was held this evening, Thurs Mar 11, was set up as if to prove Narrative's mission of being "dedicated to advancing the literary arts in the digital age"—along with the projected short film there were two video cameras and a photographer (and I held none of these).

But once this video was over and Senior Editor Lacy Crawford announced Anthony Marra, winner of Narrative's 2009 Spring Story Contest (one that paid $4,000), the night really got going. Maybe the film helped set the mood. It spoke of the steep decline in worldwide readership and the potentially impending doom of literature; it claimed Narrative to be savior and champion of online enthusiasm and, in my opinion, was more than just a bit much.

The fact is these things aren't necessary. Narrative supports and offers—for free—an archive of over 100 masters of the craft. Once the readers took over it was easier to accept the ticket price ($45), which will "go to Narrative's programs to enhance reading and writing in schools and across the globe." Maybe I understood why there were chocolate-covered strawberries and delectable baked goods, wines and more wines (and this is not including the patron's dinner, which I forewent for a bike ride through the Mission. It was a very beautiful day today).

I wish I could offer you videos of the readings, but they asked me not to film; they had that covered; hopefully they'll post the clips soon because all three were memorable. Beattie read a story called "The Four Night Fight" which was both gripping and hilarious for over 25 minutes; in it she drifts off into seemingly spontaneous details that all seem to weave themselves naturally back into the story as though her personality would prevail no matter what she said. Then Mr. Salter read a story called and full of "Charisma" that he underplayed with a humble but veteran delivery; he describes a woman's unexpected approval of being whipped for pleasure:

it was a thing she could not have imagined herself permitting. It was like an unknown room you entered when returning to bed in the dark without turning on the light, making your way past the doorway, the big chair, reaching for the edge of the bed and not finding it, reaching for the wall that is just across but not finding that either, and finally moving tentatively, touching something that should not be there, going along it with a cautious hand until there's a doorjamb. The door to the room is behind somewhere but it is a doorjamb, and going through it you enter a place you have never known. But that is it of course, doing things you would do with no one else, and had done with no one else. He wrote in letters to her about it, and there were some photographs that she later destroyed.

Spellbinding. Magnetic. And while there are elements of phantasmagoria like the one above, the character is so real and so vivid in his zest for life that the contrast is natural. As he says of Paulo, possessor of the title trait, he thought about death daily but never spoke of it; those who live full lives do so as direct result of a perceived vacuity they hope to occupy. This reminds me of a great line in Marra's story, "Chechnya": "knowing she was awake because she could never dream something like this."

I'll confess: I hardly ever read things online. I'm too busy going to events and then writing about them. I read books on BART and between events and sometimes late at night, although usually that's when I work. I try to get away from the computer whenever I'm not filing a post because otherwise I would never leave my desk. Or my chair. Or my other chair. But I do like that Narrative has all of these stories online for us to read whenever we might want. Beattie and Salter are long-standing masters, but this was Harra's first-ever published story (he has since placed 5 more). I admire that. The overall quality of these stories was very impressive.

I criticize the video because I am not of the camp that thinks books or literature are suffering now. I see them thriving. Book sales were up across the board this past holiday season, especially at independent stores and online; journals are popping up every week and nearly everyone I know is either hosting a reading series, editing a magazine (or both), or participating in at least one of these regularly. I don't need the melodramatics; just give me quality literature.

If you're monitoring my online activities I think you're bound to see me heading over to Narrative Magazine for exactly that. Maybe one day I'll be confident enough to pay for a submission. Until then, I think I'll keep my focus on learning. And Narrative has plenty of material.

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K E E P  M A R C H I N G  F W D !

• Of immediate interest: Can eBooks save long-form journalism? Think about it.
• On Thursday, March 25th, Litquake presents a special one-night-only screening of Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story, with Q&A to follow, featuring Eddie Izzard live in conversation with director Sarah Townsend! More details to follow soon.
• Are you ready for The World's Longest Poetry Reading? It's 4/2-6 ... ! ...
• Get hip to publicity and events of all kinds here.
• Check out The Grotto's classes here.
• Open call for submissions: Bang Out
• Want to give a new literary mag some support? Here's another chance to publish your best.
• Speaking of: check out this sweet deal on all things Instant City.
• Check out Tony DuShane's new novel Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk @ City Lights now!
• Have you your own copy of Ransom Stephens' The God Patent yet? For what doth thou wait?!
• Have you read The Ancient Book of Hip?
• Last, I stumbled upon a great writing group that meets every Friday at noon at Cafe La Boheme. There are one sentence prompts and a timer. Someone reads a prompt and the timed writing begins with that sentence. The time—usually 5-6 minute intervals—is a mystery to everyone but s/he who sets it, and each person is supposed to write what they can. When time's up, each person reads what they have. There is no commentary allowed. A good find! Open to the public.
• CALL FOR APPLICANTS | $2,500 Available for 2010 Butterfield Scholarship Grant | Want to further your education or experience in book marketing, publicity or sales? Deadline: 4/2

5 more days to submit to Quiet Lightning!

Send me info: I will happily add any announcement you wish: calls for subs, reading series, zine parties, etc. Also, I will be happy to film your event for a small fee - that is, if I'm not already on it! Also, I like to write and create fresh and special somethings for readings. Am not camera shy. Like talking and people. Feel free to email me about anything. I heart y0u! 

Stay tuned for footage from the March 10 Rumpus!