3.31.2009

Exhibit 17.18

While we're at it, you should also pick up the new Alaska Quarterly Review which is so gigantic and beautiful I don't quite know what to do with it. For the moment I'm mostly just playing a game of hide and seek with it around my apartment. I'll set it on the coffee table and find it in the kitchen. I'll move it to a bookshelf but wake up with it underneath my pillow.

It's an issue. An issue I'll read carefully.

My story is mostly notable because Dave Madden once criticized the opening scene as "Big Chill-esque" which would have been an insult if I'd seen The Big Chill (and if I didn't like Tom Berenger so much, making it a sort of compliment). Also, it's probably sort of true. As long as The Big Chill is about a guy who finds a heart in front of his house. Is that what it's about? I've always assumed as much.

Slightly less notable: the family in the story's original last name was Peterson because I couldn't think of anything else to call them. This was awkward. I changed it.

Nobody wants to read about Petersons who aren't murdering people. Or are they murdering people?

No, they're not. At least I don't think so.

So who wants to come over and watch The Big Chill? I'll keep the lights on so we don't get too scared.

4 comments:

Dusty said...

If I remember correctly, the story's strength (well..."strength") was that while it opened like a scene from The Big Chill it refused to continue along those lines.

The story's weakness was that its soundtrack sucked.

A. Peterson said...

Frankly, I found my decision to have all of the characters dance to Motown hits while obnoxiously discussing their generation quite daring. You see, they're actually white and uninteresting. The music is there to remind us to hate them.

Hmm, maybe I have seen that movie.

Speaking of hating things, I hate doing these posts about publications as much as you hate me for doing them. As ever, I should be better.

A. Peterson said...

But I feel, you know, obligated to do them. We'll see.

I might stop.

I might find a better balance between self-deprecation, self-promotion, and supporting magazines who've supported me.

And so we've come to the end of another segment of 'Adam Peterson rambles in the comments of his own blog because he suspects no one reads the comments and because every minute he spends doing this is a minute he's not spending editing.'

mz said...

You mentioned that you were disappointed that you don't have more comments on your blog so here's mine: I find it sad that despite the fact that we work together 40 hours a week and that we're friends I have to read about your publication in AQR on your blog! Next thing you know I'll be reading about how we've grown apart on a tweet.

Seriously, congrats, that's fantastic! Even more seriously, you're rude for not sharing this with me in person!

- mz