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A Book of Uncommon Prayer, No. 3

Great reviews for A BOOK OF UNCOMMON PRAYER, an anthology of everyday invocations by 64 authors, out now from Outpost19, San Francisco.

I’ve got two pieces in the collection, “For Aging Rock Stars” and “For a Teenage Girl Embarking Upon a Weeklong Carnival Cruise with Her Parents.”

“Editor Matthew Vollmer strips away the bylines of this truly exceptional gathering of authors (credits are given at the back of the book) and allows the power of the pieces to do all the heavy lifting, clear of accreditation. Throughout, the writing is frequently poetic and beautiful, circling back often to stories of parents seeking kindness and protection for their children as they mature and move through life. Perhaps the greatest success of this anthology is its ability to remind us that, despite our subjective dogmas or lack thereof, there is an ever-present mystery sewn into life, whether we call it god or science, and we are all part of a grand design worthy of contemplation and reverence.” – Mel Bosworth at Small Press Review

“This book is AMAZING–moving and witty and sweet and sometimes even shocking–a little bit of everything we pray for in our private moments.” – Susan Larson, The Reading Life WWNO, New Orleans

And here’s the cool book video again:

A Book of Uncommon Prayer from Outpost19 Books on Vimeo.

Independent Bookstore Day in New Orleans

IndiBookstoreDay

New Orleans is fortunate to have several terrific independent bookstores: Faulkner House Books, Octavia Books, Garden District Book Shop, Maple Street Book Shop, and Tubby & Coo’s Mid-City Book Shop. They’re all great folks and great supporters of readers and writers.

Tomorrow, Saturday, May 9, we’re celebrating Independent Bookstore Day in N.O. with events at most of those places. (Yes, it’s one week later than the rest of the country, but we had a little thing called Jazz Fest last weekend.)

You can find me at Tubby & Coo’s after lunch. Get out and buy some books.

A Book of Uncommon Prayer, No. 2

Official release date for A BOOK OF UNCOMMON PRAYER is May 1, but you can get it now-Now!-online or from your favorite bookseller.

ABookofUncommonPrayer-MVollmer-cover

Here’s a sample selection, and then below are some direct links to the book, to make it way easy for you.

POST-GAME-DAY BLESSING

Bless the black g-string,
abandoned on the sidewalk
beside a green Gingko
sapling on Lee Street.
Bless the girl who
shimmied out of it
before dawn, drunk
on Curaçao or Triple
Sec or Mike’s Hard
Lemonade. Drunk
on lust and early autumn
and our team’s unexpected
win over Georgia Tech.
Bless our team, all defense,
no offense. Bless everyone
who must have been
downtown last night
with their car flags and
war whoops, mesh jerseys
and micro-minis. Bless
our star quarterback, on fire
with a 14-3 halftime lead.
We are on the first grade
class walking trip to the
library so everyone can
get their own cards. I am
chaperone, which means
herding kids out of traffic,
back over the curb. Bless
the curb, and the kids who
use it as a balance beam.
Bless the magical book drop.
Bless the girl with knotted
hair who tries to stuff orange
leaves into the slot. And
bless the librarian, too, who
reads a book, loudly, clearly,
to everyone about someone
reading a spooky book. Bless
the meta-story, and the mass
of first graders, descending
on the stacks like locusts.
Bless the red solo cups
on the return trip
congregating like plastic
flames, like oversized
maraschino cherries on
the early-morning lawns
of Phi Delt, Sig Ep,
any dilapidated white
house with a porch
couch on East Roanoke
Street. Bless the empty
bottles of PBR knocked
on their sides, mouths
open in wondrous O’s.
O rushing yards. O Bud
Light Lime in your crushed
cardboard case resting
on the elementary school
lawn. Bless my son and
his friend Major, who look
past the blue Trojan wrapper
on Jackson Street, the flattened
Miller Lite can on Bennett,
to the blue butterfly,
to the giant mushroom
blooming in the corner
of someone’s yard. It looks
like a piece of meat, says
my son. Or a tree stump,
says Major, matter-of-factly.
It is a mushroom worth
blessing. And Bless our team
for escaping Bobby Dodd Stadium
with a 17-10 win. Bless us for
being able to hold on despite
the onslaught.

– Erika Meitner

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT

outpost19.com

indiebound.org

powells.com

barnesandnoble.com

amazon.com

Letter from a Reader

I don’t get fan mail often, but when I do it’s always a treat. Thanks, Matthew, wherever you are.

“I have never felt compelled to contact an author of any of the many books I’ve read. Night of the Comet was one of the greatest books I’ve ever read in my life and I felt that I had to email you and let you know. The moment when Alan and his father were spending time at Alan’s friend’s house, about to have a meal of hamburger meat and onion soup spice…it really hit me. I felt their doom and desperation while looking at what their lives might become… The entire story was so amazing and hit home on so many levels.. I am looking forward to your next book, whatever that may be.

“Take care,

“-Matt”

The Undead Never Die

Received an email this week from a writer in Italy who wants to interview me for a book on B-movies and cult films of the 80s. She’s including TEEN VAMP in her book because it used to run on Italian television in the 90s, on their national RAI channel. It was called “College per Vampari.”

The lesson here is to beware what low-budget horror films you appear in in your youth, because those little bastards are immortal.

Here’s the poster for the Spanish version of the film:

Spanish Teen Vamp

Special Halloween Post: I Was a Teenage Vampire

Every year at Halloween he rises from the dead. From I WAS A TEENAGE VAMPIRE, in 2001 Oxford American:

teen vamp

PROSTITUTE VAMPIRE: Well, Murphy, what did you have in mind tonight?

MURPHY: Oh, I don’t know. Something a little different maybe. . . . Ow, that hurts! Ow, stop it, you’re biting me!

More here. If you dare.

Comet Cocktails in New Orleans Nos. 1 and 2

What better way to celebrate the holidays, thought I, than a Night O’ the Comet cocktail? On the recommendation of Ms. Nicola Wolf, I made my way to Sylvain restaurant and bar, in the French Quarter, where the talented and agreeable Darrin Ylisto, bartender extraordinaire, with the help of Lucy Weed, also extraordinaire, whipped up a couple of speciality cocktails.

“See this book cover here,” said I, presenting a reproduction of the cover of my new novel, THE NIGHT OF THE COMET. “Can you do a cocktail like that?”

The Night of the Comet Cover Final

Darrin frowned. He scratched his chin. Inspired, he recollected a quote attributed to Dom Perignon upon first tasting champagne. “Come quickly!” said Dom. “I am drinking stars!”

Darrin’s Comet Cocktail No. 1 began with Prosecco sparkling wine. To this was added a sugar cube liberally doused with creme de violet, then a lemon twist, and perhaps some other things that I missed.

Comet Cocktail No 1 a

Comet Cocktail No 1 b

Comet Cocktail No 1 c

The cocktail was delish. “But wait!” said Darrin. “I can do better!”

Darrin’s Comet Cocktail No. 2 began with egg whites, which is always a good way to begin a cocktail.

Comet Cocktail No 2 a

Next came Aviation Gin, then, I think, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, then lemon juice, and then plenty of creme de violet. He shook the hell out of it.

Comet Cocktail No 2 b

Comet Cocktail No 2 c

Shake-a shake-a shake-a shake . . .

Comet Cocktail No 2 d

Comet Cocktail No 2 e

Lucky carved up a lemon peel, and voila!

Comet Cocktail No 2 f

Here are Darrin and Lucy, a little blurry after a few drinks. Merci beaucoup, Darrin and Lucy! Joyeaux Noel!

Comet Cocktail No 2 g