I’m happy to share the first review of my new book of poems and drawings, Plumstuff.
Writing for The Poetry Question, reviewer Steve Henn invites readers to “Sit with these poems. Give them a 2nd or third go-round. Let them marinate the brain a bit so you can fully savor the flavor.”
A poet-robot … a chain-smoking seductress … a dying connoisseur. All of these characters and more make appearances in my new collection of poems and drawings, Plumstuff, out today.
Plumstuff is a reinvention of my out-of-print debut Plum Stuff. It contains 20 revised poems from that collection plus 40 new ones — and all-new drawings.
Poems and drawings from Plumstuff have appeared in The Walrus, Rattle, The Saturday Evening Post, The Wall Street Journal, Transition, The Feathertale Review, The New Quarterly, Quarterly West, The Antigonish Review and other outlets.
Here’s what the critics are saying…
“This is a book for those who truly love words.” – Cloud Lake Literary
“Bursting full in its depths.” – Cinnabar Moth
“Sit with these poems … give them a 2nd or third go-round. Let them marinate the brain a bit so you can fully savor the flavor.” – The Poetry Conversation
“A wonderful collection of poetry and drawings.” – Grist
There are many ways to get your hands on Plumstuff…
In Canada, order autographed copies from The Penny University (my favorite indie bookstore/coffeeshop).
My own online store, The Rolli Shop, ships to every country on earth.
I was close to throwing up when I noticed an enormous glowing sign that said BOOKSTORE.
I sat up.
I stood up.
I brushed the leaves off my back.
*
There were a few people inside the store. I felt a little better. As long as several members of the species read, there’s still hope for us.
The rows and rows of tables at the front of the store were strewn with candles. A beautiful girl was sniffing a blue candle. She sniffed it for about a minute. Then moved on to a yellow one.
In the middle of the store was a ring of six tall bookcases. There were no books on them. I noticed bathrobes … telescopes … letter-openers… An elderly woman grabbed one of each, and dropped them in her basket.
The bookshelves on the back wall were cluttered with stuffed animals. And bubble bath.
In the corner of my eye I spotted a bearded man on a stepladder constructing a pyramid of green tea cans.
“Excuse me,” I said.
He dropped another can in place.
“You’re going to laugh,” I said. “But I can’t seem to find the books.”
The man didn’t laugh.
He blinked.
“Books?” he said.
“Books,” I said.
He blinked again.
He squinted.
He smoothed his beard.
“I don’t think…”
He smoothed his beard.
“No…”
“I don’t think we have those.”
I looked at him for about a minute.
“Are you sure?” I said.
He looked at the ceiling.
He smoothed his beard.
“I can take a look,” he said.
He climbed down the ladder and vanished.
I wandered around…
Pen sets … headphones … coconut oil…
My heart almost stopped when I saw a book but it was made of chocolate.
The elderly woman walked by. She was standing on a slant. Her basket was heaped with bubble bath bottles.
The bearded man reappeared.
“No,” he said.
He stared at me for at least a minute.
“No … books?” I said.
He shook his head.
His beard was unbelievably smooth.
“Thank-you,” I said, eventually.
The man blinked.
He blinked again.
“No problem,” he said.
He climbed back up the ladder. And added a capstone to the pyramid.
I backed away. I felt dizzy. I leaned on a bookshelf.
A herd of stuffed elephants fell to the floor.
On my way to the door, I bumped into someone.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
It was the beautiful girl. She didn’t say anything. She resumed smelling a red candle.
I staggered outside.
I collapsed in the grass.
I threw up.
This story was first published in SYLVIA Magazine.
My short story “The Ashtray” is being made into a film
Hello, Friends —
An announcement…
Vancouver-based media company Digital and Live Entertainment has optioned my short story “The Ashtray” and will be developing it into a feature-length film, with Jennesia Pedri attached to direct. Digital and Live Entertainment is best known for their work on Watchmen, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocal and dozens of other films and tv series.
“The Ashtray” is the story of the improbable friendship that springs up between an ancient, chain-smoking woman and an awkward teen misfit. The story was first published in Geist and also appeared in my second, out-of-print story collection I Am Currently Working on a Novel.
I can’t wait to see the film come to fruition. In the meantime, you can read “The Ashtray” online. And don’t forget to check out Jennesia Pedri’s delightfully dark short film The Alderson Murder on YouTube.
rollistuff.com 