Mary Hamilton. We Know What We Are. Rose Metal Press. Nice.

The quite sublime Mary Hamilton, who is known for among other thing as co-host of the QUICKIES! Chicago, contributor to This Zine Will Change Your Life, This Podcast Will Change Your Life podcastee and star of the award winning and viral sensation Fire Sale video, has a new joint, We know what we are, coming soon from the quite stellar Rose Metal Press. We will most definitely riff on We know what we are here at the This Blog Will Change Your Life shortly. There will also be an interview between Mary and TBWCYL, Inc. spokesperson Ben Tanzer at the Orange Alert. But, in the interim, please do pay a visit to Rose Metal Press because it is sure to change your life.

This Podcast Will Change Your Life, Episode Twenty-Eight - Poetry in Your Toes.

It was so overdue. And what is it that was so overdue you ask? A podcast with long-time TBWCYL, Inc. favorite Jacob Knabb of course. We are calling this episode Poetry in Your Toes, though we were tempted to call it Flaccid, and Jacob not only brought along some friends, including the Barry Graham, Robyn Pennacchia and Kari Freitag, the first two of which starred with Jacob in the now award winning Fire Sale video, but he even takes some time to call out fellow West Virginian and TBWCYL, Inc. favorite Scott McClanahan on their respective positions on the West Virginianess of now long deceased short story writer Breece D'J Pancake. That said, we are all in agreement on the awesomeness of former West Virginia basketball star Kevin Pittsnogle, and to say this is quite good stuff overall, or that it is sure to change your life, well that would be quite the understatement indeed.

Tim Jones-Yelvington. Orange Alert. Enjoy.

There are many exciting writers both young and old busting out in Chicago these days and we were geeked to read an interview at the Orange Alert with one of the former, Tim Jones-Yelvington, who is up to many cool things, including as you may recall, what we can only assume was the highlight of his year thus far, appearing in our award-winning Fire Sale video. Narcissistic hype aside, we do hope you will take a look at the interview which we have quite generously excerpted below.



OA: What are your thoughts on the Chicago literary scene right now?

TJ: My experience at AWP in Denver really reinforced for me how awesome our community is -- how many great writers and small press publishers and literary magazines and reading series we've got -- but also how much we support one another and how much fun we have (ask around about Featherproof's lactilicious presentation at Another Chicago Magazine and Make Magazine's "Make me Another After Party.") Folks who have been around Chicago's "scene" longer than me tell me it's really flourished in the last year or two. I'm excited about Another Chicago Magazine's forthcoming all-Chicago issue, which I think has the potential to really document this amazing cultural moment in our city. I think one thing we need to remain conscious of moving forward, in addition to promoting Chicago's total domination over everything ever, is making sure Chicago's lit community remains broad-based and accessible. I think this is something Orange Alert has always prioritized -- it seems to me you use a wide range of writers for your readings, which I really respect. I feel like the particular small press/indie lit community I'm a part of in Chicago is fairly collegial and inviting, but also very young and very white and not at all representative of our city's demographics. We absolutely cannot say strong writers of color do not live and write in Chicago, and there are great projects, organizations and reading series like Proyecto Latina and Guild Complex that regularly highlight literature by writers of color. I think we can begin to think about how we interface with some of these folks.

There are two days left in The Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine Fire Sale. And then? Sadness.

Fire Sale.

A Fire Sale moment courtesy of Fire Sale Templates.

A Fire Sale moment courtesy of Super Mario World.

Metrics. Shout-outs. Mass love. Or if you prefer, a Fire Sale Week One Wrap-up. Well, that and the Rules of Fire Sale.

There has been one week of Fire Sale. We have changed lives and we have sold books, ten alone to the awesomely attractive crew at Dispatch Litareview. The video has been watched almost 300 times on YouTube, the Fire Sale post at Orange Alert has been visited almost 400 times and there have been endlessly heartwarming shout-outs from our newest and bestest friends at HTML Giant, Dogzplot, Hambone's Heartache, Modern Confessional, Moondoggy's Pad, No More Hot Lunches for Eddie Socko and ML Press. We are much appreciative for all of the support, but before we go we just want to be sure we are clear about the rules of Fire Sale. The first rule of Fire Sale is ,you do talk about Fire Sale. And the second rule of Fire Sale is, you DO talk about Fire Sale. Any questions? Cool. And as you were.

Coolness. Fields of Fame & Glory by David Cleutz.

Coolness. Friend and former soccer coach David Cleutz has a new book out called Field of Fame & Glory - Col. David Ireland &137th New York Volunteers which we think you should probably take a look at. You know what else you should probably take a look at? The Fire Sale.

Fictionaut Five. Gina Frangello. Fire Sale.

We were most thrilled to run into a Fictionaut Five with the quite awesome Gina Frangello and we think you might be too. Do you know what else we're thrilled about? The Fire Sale.

Big Other.

We are digging the BIG OTHER. You know what we are digging? The Fire Sale.

26% voter turnout in Chicago yesterday. Sigh. On the other hand, there is Fire Sale.

Blago jogging is by local artist Ray Noland. And the Fire Sale video is compliments of Orange Alert Press and The Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine players.

Greg Santos. Rocks. As does the Fire Sale, had we mentioned that?

We were most happy to read this most excellent interview with TBWCYL, Inc. favorite and This Zine Will Change Your Life contributor Greg Santos at the Orange Alert. We think after you read it you will be happy as well. We also think it just might change your life. Meanwhile, speaking of changing lives, we also wanted to be sure that you were aware of the Fire Sale, because its on, like totally on, and sort of beautiful really.

Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale. Fire Sale.

There is Fire Sale. And for more information please do hit the Orange Alert.

The Fire Sale is coming. Monday. Please prepare accordingly.

A Fire Sale moment courtesy of Arrested Development.