Lit in the District

This is a serious town. It is a town of valedictorians and overachievers, of dreamers and idealists, and, on the other side of that coin, it is a town of marginalized and underrepresented people who just want to get by (and maybe, just maybe, vote once in a while). It’s where laws are created and peace treaties are reached. It’s a place where ambassadors and dignitaries from around the globe are wined and dined, and where the future of nations rests on the yes's and no's of heavily-kissed asses. There are museums here, and monuments celebrating everything from civil rights victories to victories in great wars. The President lives here, in a house as recognizable as the Coca Cola script.

This is a non-fiction town, a town that writes about election strategies and budget crises. This is a town fluent in legalese that compiles years’ worth of evidence on political transgressions and displays them in thousand-page reports. Books about scandals and stained dresses live here. Presidential biographies live here. If you wanted to write a poem that captures DC, it would be long and bland, and rigidly structured with every last line rhyming with power or money. One could even go so far as to say that the biggest contributor to the DC fiction scene is the lies the politicians tell to get themselves elected (A serious case could be made that the ideas for how to fix a broken economy that originate from some members of our Congress is the basis for a Fantasy or Magical Realism novel.)

It’s a town deserving of so much more, literature-wise. DC is a town made up of distinct neighborhoods full of colorful characters that are overflowing with stories waiting to be told. Funny stories, magical stories, heartbreaking stories, none of which necessarily involve exit poll numbers or spies. And yes, there have been troubles and hard times: race riots and sky-high homicide rates, crack epidemics and terrorist attacks. But Southern writers from Twain to Faulkner to Barry Hannah have proved that quality literature can be born from the dark and difficult-to-talk-about. Baltimore turned its troubles into an award winning TV series. New York has spawned many novels about the 9/11 terror attacks. There's literature from the Pacific Northwest, and the Rocky Mountains, and the Southwest. What about DC? A town of this many people, where this many things happen, there should be a thriving literature "scene". Where is it?

The short answer is, it’s there. It’s small, but it's growing. It’s not quite here yet, but the future looks pretty bright. Literary magazines and publishers like are sprouting and organizing. 826DC, the latest chapter of Dave Eggers’ brainchild, is here, aiming to build a new generation of poets and writers. The longer, probably more accurate answer is that only time will tell. DC has potential to be a literature scene, has passionate, proud people with a unique voice, but it remains to be seen whether these budding poets and writers can ever compete with the wet blanket of seriousness that Congress and the White House hucks around. History has shown that it's an uphill battle.

Photo Contest Entry (May be unsuitable for children, and devout Christians)

Hey, how about that? Someone submitted a photo for our contest! Keep them coming, everybody.

Themes?

So, I'm not saying we're going to do a theme issue. But if we were to do one, what kind of theme would you guys like to see? Yes, that means you, The Three People That Read This Blog.

Here are some ideas. Let us know which one you like best...or feel free to come up with more

DC issue (Doesn't have to be spy/gov't stuff -- but we wouldn't necessarily want constant rehasing of the "2 DCs" theme)
City/Urban issue
World/Global issue (stories not necessarily from abroad, but set in/about locales other than the US)
Sports Issue
Literature Issue (about books and poems)
Kids issue

???

We'd love your input. And your friends' inputs.

Update

Here's a list of authors who have not written us anything, even though we kind of want them to

Joyce Carol Oates (It's no lie, we can't quit JCO. We're not giving up on you, baby!)
Jhumpa Lahiri (but only for the Pulitzer, and the publicity that comes with it)
Thomas Pynchon (if he can will himself to write something less than 1200 pages)
Ngugi wa Thiong'o


...more to follow



Update: We sent a formal request to the family of Hemingway to have Ol Papa's body exhumed and forced to write again, but it has been met with disdain, disappointment, and heartache. I mean really, its only 250 words, come on.

Birth Announcement

At 1.8 ounces, the first issue of Kindling was brought into the world. Sure, it's paper and ink and envelope glue, but we love it like it was an actual child.

Kindling Issue #1 & Contest announcement

You'll be getting your first issues soon, and there are a few things that we'd like to mention about it.

1) Yes, there are some cosmetic flaws. Not many, but a few. We say, so what? Don't let them distract you. We are not The New Yorker. We have low-tech equipment and a low-tech budget. So, there may be some smudges, or what have you. That's part of what makes Kindling what it is. The important thing is the work, yes, the work, and we've done our best to make sure the work is showcased in the best way possible.

2) We had an amazing group of contributors and fans that have made this possible. Thanks. But the job isn't done. It's up to you to make Kindling a success. Tell your friends about it, tell your parents, tell everyone. The more people that like Kindling, submit work to Kindling, and subscribe to Kindling, the longer Kindling can stick around.

3) Submit your pictures of your copies of Kindling. Email them to gatherkindling@gmail.com. We want to see Kindling in unique places, doing unique poses, and with unique people. We will give free copies of the next issue and post the pictures here on the blog for the most creative pics.

News Update

Printing

Hey, It's October

Many of you are probably wondering where your first issue is. Well, it's just about on its way. There was a very minor dispute with Joyce Carol Oates.

We wanted her to submit a piece; she didn't. We said Joyce, it's 250 words, which is essentially 1/100th of what you write in a day. She said no. Actually, she didn't say anything. She didn't return our calls. Or our letters. Or our text messages. Or our calls to her family friends. What followed was a minor thing, totally innocuous. There was no reason for her to involve the authorities.

We stood outside of her window and threw pebbles. When that didn't work we took the Cusack Approach and held a boombox over our head. When that didn't work we hired a skywriter, which, in hindsight would have never worked because it was 1:28 in the morning (that was the worst 3 grand we ever spent).  Finally she came out. She acted pissy and annoyed and sleepy. Demanding 10 grand.

That was when the cops showed up, and were very aggressive with their billy clubs and Tasers. These are scars that will never heal, by the way, though they were not as painful as JCO's rejection.

So the point to all of this? The point is that you should blame Joyce Carol Oates for you not receiving your issue of Kindling on October 1st. Boycott all her books until she agrees to submit to us for free. And a secondary point is this: the first issue Kindling will be mailed soon to subscribers and contributors.

(Oh, and before you get all self-righteous and defensive. Saying: Joyce Carol Oates is the face of American fiction. She's a saint. Don't ever make fun of that magnificent woman. Know this: she sprayed us in the eyes with mace, and then, while we were writhing on the ground, she bit us about the ankles and knees until the cops showed up. She's a madwoman and completely undeserving of your sympathy.)

PS -- If you're reading this, Joyce, we love you. I know we were saying otherwise when you were attacking us for being normal, if slightly ambitious souls, but The Falls changed our lives.