Two New Chances to See Me Read

I've got two readings coming up this month - the first one is at Apostrophe Books (4712 E. 2nd St., Long Beach, CA, 90803) on Oct. 20 from 4:30-6:30pm, and the second is at Gatsby Books (5535 E. Spring St., Long Beach, CA, 90808) on Oct. 30 starting at 7pm.

I encourage you all to come see me on both these occasions. The reading lineup for the Gatsby reading is fantastic and promises to be a great reason to step outdoors and have many, many drinks. Hope to see you there!

No Forgiveness

     I'm not a scene-setter - or maybe I just don't think I am. Scene is interesting only in movies, where the simple reflection of reality seems unpretentious and profound, but we get no such luxury of expression in literature; instead we have to build piecemeal, and that's not fair. So as an alternative, let's focus on single details and hope that it somehow reflects the whole. For starters: the sharp futuristic bulletpoints of light reflected off a series of chrome beer taps.
     One more detail, this time a quick ribbon of dialogue.
     "Wouldya call my lawyer?"
     "Scuse me?"
     "Yeah, wouldya call my lawyer? Binder and Binder. His names Brandt. We're supposed to go out tonight."
     Elise the Bartender refuses him use of the establishment phone for anything so prurient, but a kind-hearted barfly offers up her cellphone.
     "Brandt - it's me... I just started my screwdriver at Clancy's... call me here... hey, hey? what's the number here?... anyway, I'm having a few more drinks and then I'm out, so call me..."
     It is not even noontime yet here in America, and already Elise is giving me free High Life out of pity for my obscene unemployment. Welcome to the world of No Forgiveness.

True Lies, v. 8

Vol. 8

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James is very sensitive with his money. He doesn't share it with significant others or spouses.

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James is going to either Shoreline Village or the Santa Monica pier with Sharon tonight. Should be a good one.

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It's back to the ordinary life for James.

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Unfortunately this is the end of the True Lies series, but don't be afraid to go back and relive all the moments!    

True Lies, v. 7

Vol. 7

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Certain people keep coming to James's place of business uninvited.

-----

It's back to the ordinary life for James.

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James told his brother that Chris Peters wouldn't cut it out with the gay talk. James's brother is 6'6", 330 lbs. He says to knock it off.

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True Lies, v. 6

Vol. 6

-----

James is seriously wired right now. Somebody oughtta put him in a birdcage and lock it.

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James had the new neighbor girl over the other night. He instructed her in the way of Karma.

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James has got to check on the coffee that's been fermenting for the last few days in his apartment. Hopefully it has reached its maximum potential: the only way James likes it.

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Reprint of Long Beach Post Review of GCO

BOOK REVIEW: 'GRID CITY OVERLOAD' AND THE DEVOLUTION OF HUMANITY
BY: Shannon Couey 

Humanity, for centuries, has imagined that they are living in “the End times,” as philosopher and cultural theorist Slavoj Žižek so eloquently declares. Humans want to have a sense of individuality; that among all ages and all progressions of humanity, we—we—are the ones that will see the end. In the current social, cultural, political, and natural landscape that we currently live in, it is oftentimes not difficult to imagine that this is the end.

S P O N S O R

Alas, we are probably not that special, just like every other generation of humanity was not that special, but in Steven Bramble’s sophomore novel, Grid City Overload, the “End Times” come not in the form of absolute apocalyptic destruction, but of the devolution of the very nature of humanity that is accompanied by the so-called progression of a technological immersion.

What happens in a world where cell phones, tablets, television, social networks, bio-medical technology, and alternate reality technology reaches its pinnacle? When the virtual relationships you have are more “real” and substantial than the ones you have with actual humans? When the dependence on the technology has superseded our dependence on natural resources and the social and cultural norms begin to shift and alter because of that dependence? These are questions that Mr. Bramble presents a myriad of answers to.
In the not so distant future (2025), Grid, Colorado is a place where water is being rationed—the importance of technological advancement and dependence has superseded the significance of natural resources, which in turn has initiated a futuristic version of class warfare. For those who can afford water, this is not an issue until they are confronted with the consequences of not being able to afford water. Grid is a city completely consumed by technology and the driving force behind the “progress” is a corporate driven political machine.

Under the political technocracy, we follow a myriad of characters, but our focus is directed towards three: Kevin Crepitus (a.k.a. Gerney), a middle class, car salesman who is addicted to gonine (a cocaine-like substance), and is reaching for, if not achieving a steady level of mediocrity, and constantly chasing after other men’s women (knowing full well that he will never have them); Amy Arsenault, a sociopathic, sexual manipulator who is an instrumental driving force in the plot; and lastly, Fish, the symbolic representation of the extreme devolution of humanity when you are so consumed in a technocratic society, to the point that you mentally lose your humanity and devolve into a subhuman state.

The reader is presented with these intersecting narratives and versions of the their truth in a world that is speeding increasingly towards an information apocalypse—in a world that lacks the necessary resources to comfortably sustain human life, and information is in a constant state of accessibility (moving increasingly towards overload) the nature of humanity shifts, and the characters reach a sort of sub-human state, turning to drugs to create an alternate reality that is more “real” than actual reality, becoming manipulative sociopaths (because the only way to exist in a society where you have no control over your own reality and the information stream you receive, is to control others reality), or become a fish—losing all reality, and devolving entirely.

It’s not often easy to read a book that forces you to think, but that is exactly what Mr. Bramble’s novel does. It forces you to examine the amount of information you receive on a daily basis, and how you are receiving it. We are steadily moving towards the kind of society that Mr. Bramble describes, and it is becoming easier and easier to witness the backwards progression of humanity as we receive a constant stream of information from a multitude of sources.

I must admit that I have a penchant for cynicism, so novels and plots that present a less than desirable state of humanity’s future, I tend to enjoy, but even if the potential relapse of humanity is not your usual choice for fictional reading, Mr. Bramble’s book is definitely worth the read. It has moments of insight about the human condition that most, if not all, 26-year-olds have no concept of; the plot is elaborate and captivating; and the twists and surprises that reveal themselves continuously leave you not wanting to put the book down.

Admittedly, I had my reservations initially about the spectrum and depth of Mr. Bramble’s female characters—I made a quick and initial judgment while only half way through the book, not giving his writing and ability for character development the due praise it deserves. My initial thoughts were that his female characters had no autonomy—that they were intimately linked to the men in their lives, and that without that masculine counterpart, they would be dull, flat, and lacking the depth that is necessary to connect with a fictitious character.

But, as I continued reading, I found myself falling in love with the deviancy of the females in the novel, and I consistently found myself cheering for them, especially Amy, even though their place in the plot is…less than honorable. What I discovered, is that in a city, in a world that is void of natural resources, or any sort of connection to nature in general, women become the symbolic representation of the depravity of human dependence or worship of technological advancement over nature, placing them in the powerful position of the destructive force, revealing the backwards progression of humanity. When women are sources of destruction, abdicating their usual role of creator, the importance that technology has taken over nature is the source of the apocalyptic overload.  Not only is Mr. Bramble a talented writer, but he is also a Long Beach local. Take part in the talent and creativity that Long Beach natives have to offer, and give Grid City Overload a read. The plot, character development, and various surprises will not leave you disappointed.

Grid City Overload is currently available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in paperback; it can also be found locally at Fingerprints, Portfolio Coffeehouse, and Apostrophe Books.

True Lies, v. 5

Vol. 5

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James has been on a seven-year caffeine high. He's finally coming down off it.

-----

James has two kids with another woman.

-----

James used to have a cooking website. He also makes his own Thanksgiving dinners.

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True Lies, v. 4

Vol. 4

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It's not James's fault that he's such a ladies man - it's simply in his nature. Also: he doesn't start the problem, he is the problem.

-----

James knows that there is a man spreading lies about James's mental health. James knows that it is this man, not he, who is mentally ill.

-----

James uses nasal spray.

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True Lies, v. 3

Vol. 3

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James is very sensitive with his money. He doesn't share it with significant others or spouses.

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There used to be only four women chasing James. Now there's five.

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James doesn't like homosexual men.

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True Lies, v. 2

Vol. 2

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James knows the Mayan calendar apocalypse is a hoax. There's probably gonna be some fireballs, but that's about it.

-----

James almost died today due to a well-cooked french fry. Things are going to get worse by this afternoon.

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James's dog is from the nicer side of town. She doesn't like it when people talk to her.

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True Lies: The Inner Juicebox of James Slaughter, v. 1

This is the city of Long Beach.


 In this city are some interesting people. Among them is James Slaughter, who is a really nice guy, but who also has a difficult time telling the truth. He's frequented both my jobs for a number of years (as well as all of Long Beach, on foot) and has claimed many things about himself. Over a period of time I've noted the things he's said to me, as well as to my coworkers, which I'm now going to document here in full. I'll be posting a new comment every day, so be on the lookout for a healthy amount of James factoids, as well as general errata.

Vol. 1

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Somebody in town is telling jokes that James's uncle used to tell. If you're that person, James is gonna have you whacked.

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James is an experienced poet, but he doesn't show anyone.

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James just took pictures of his brother's Hummer.

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"Honorable Mention" 2nd Edition Cover of GCO Now Available for Purchase

The new cover for Grid City Overload is now up and available for purchase. Here's a couple of grainy photos (also reversed just to make sure they're the most terrible of quality) of me holding the genuine article.

 

I think that, all in all, this edition turned out great. Now you can read this book and look extremely fancy if you so choose. Enjoy!

New Cover Preview for 2nd Edition of Grid City Overload

Grid City Overload Reviewed in the Long Beach Post

GCO was reviewed in The Long Beach Post very recently by Shannon Couey. This is a fantastic review, and also features some great criticism. Thanks to everyone who worked hard to make this possible. I'm happy to have received some mainstream attention.

Read 'Grid City Overload' and the Devolution of Humanity by Shannon Couey.

To celebrate the book's Honorable Mention in ForeWord's Book of the Year Award and this review, I will be giving the book a new cover. Look for a preview soon!

GRID CITY OVERLOAD Awarded Honorable Mention for 2012 Book of the Year Awards

So if anyone remembers, way back three months ago GCO was announced as a finalist in the LITERARY category for the ForeWord Reviews 2012 Book of the Year Award, and yesterday at the American Library Association Annual Conference, which took place in Chicago, the winners were announced on the Popular Topics Stage.

Here is how the contest is judged according to the press release: ...a panel of sixty judges, librarians and booksellers only, will determine the winners. Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, as well as Editor’s Choice Prizes for Fiction and Nonfiction... The winners of the two Editor’s Choice Prizes will be awarded $1,500 each. ForeWord’s Independent Publisher of the Year will also be announced.

Although I didn't receive any of these four awards, I was awarded Honorable Mention. I was up against novelists with some impressive pedigrees, including many university professors and previous award-winners of different fiction contests. Most everyone on the list had an MFA, it seemed, and the novel that won Silver was reviewed in the NY Times and had a blurb on the front from David Foster Wallace, so considering my own humble resume I'm honored to be among this list.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LINE-UP OF WINNERS.

GOLD - Frottage and Even As We Speak by Mona Houghton. What Books Press.

SILVER - That's Not a Feeling by Dan Josefson. Soho Press.

BRONZE - Total Secession by Adam Connell. Published by Adam Connell. (The Bronze winner, I noticed, was the only other book on the list that wasn't published and distributed by a small press other than myself. Congratulations on your accomplishment.)

HONORABLE MENTION - Grid City Overload by Steven T. Bramble. CreateSpace.

Whole Beast Rag Issue 5: CHTHONIC

Issue Five of Whole Beast Rag, CHTHONIC, was published yesterday. In it you can find my short story Bottle Cap Theory.

Read BOTTLE CAP THEORY,
 or, read my previous short story in the AMERI/A issue, LENTES OSCUROS.

This issue looks to be a great one. See?



The art in this issue is from featured artist Tyler Spangler.




Also, listen to the mixtape made for the CHTHONIC issue.

CHTHONIC from wholebeastrag on 8tracks Radio.

1. BRING DA RUCKUS - El Michel's Affair
2. KIRUNA - Gina X Performance
3. DIALOGUE OF WIND AND LOVER - Paul Parrish
4. COLORADO TRAIL - Javelin
5. NO LLORES MÁS - Morena y Clara
6. EARTH SONG - Truck
7. A GIFT OF TEARS - Jeunesse d'Ivoire
8. A QUALSIASI PRESSO (TITOLI) - Luis Bacalov
9. DAYDREAM - Gunter Kallmann Choir
10. ALLORA IL TRENO - Bruno Nicolai
11. VALENTINE - Justice
12. ILLUMINATION - Broadcast
13. OH ALLAH - Alice Coltrane
14. WHEN THE LILIES DIE - IO Echo
15. FLYING - The Beatles
16. WITCHI TAI TO - Harpers Bizarre
17. SEVENLER AĞLARMIŞ - 3 Hürel
18. BELIEVER - John Maus
19. DIES IRAE PSICHEDELICO - Ennio Morricone

Enjoy!

On the Verge of Madness

On the Verge of Madness
by Octopus Brothel



New music video from everyone's favorite band outta Hollywood!

the fox and the grapes

the fox and the grapes
by corrine noel

HOW TO OPERATE WITH A BLOWN MIND

HOW TO OPERATE WITH A BLOWN MIND
by Lo Fidelity Allstars

Forthcoming Short Story to be Published in Issue 5 of WHOLE BEAST RAG

I'm proud to say that I will have another piece of short fiction published in CHTHONIC, the fifth issue of Whole Beast Rag. I have to admit it's refreshing to have found a pair of talented editors and publishers (which is a shout-out to Grace Littlefield and Katherine Hargreaves) who feel my work has a place in their magazine.

Have I mentioned that you should take a look at Whole Beast Rag? Or maybe if you don't believe me, you'll believe the hype.

In any case, here's a preview of CHTHONIC, as well as a preview of "Bottle Cap Theory", which will be published therein:

 

CHTHONIC - JUNE 1

[This issue] will serve as the documenting of depths and vices both individual and collective. Derived from the Greek chthonios, "in, under, or beneath the earth," the chthonic expresses the desire to expose the underbelly of our beings and ideas. It is about examining the raw impulse, its presumed repression, and its rebirth. 

BOTTLE CAP THEORY

by Steven T. Bramble

Then the hydrogen bomb exploded! And I don’t have to tell you that the capitalist bastards were caught with their pants quite down around their pale little ankles, having not really come to terms with their souls and shit like that on account of all their monies. And plus there was Irene H. Ronstadt, who was getting fed nearly science-fiction-like commercial messages about vehicular homicide and Jolly Khadafy Goat Samwiches while sitting in a well-earned blue nylon recliner, and she didn’t have a clue what the TV was blathering about because she was two days away from turning a hundred years old when fusion occurred and the thermonuclear sprinklerheads went shik-shik-shik-shik-shik-shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiik! Oh God—the 1940s horror—and it was always a mystery of the universe why Colonel O’Mannon found it necessary to bend over to look for the bottle cap he’d just dislodged from the top of his beer bottle, the same bottle cap from a Coke that was recycled from seventy-seven years ago which caused a horrible smoke to belch from Anne de Witt’s Electrolux Model 30 vacuum cleaner in 1952 when it got jammed in the drive train. The colonel’s large trapezoidal posterior made accidental contact with the arcane lever which sent the electron current to the mechanism that lit up and shrieked, “Launch, launch, launch!” and subsequently sent him through fifteen years of psychological therapy just to come to terms with it. Oh yeah, great stuff. You can actually see the mushroom cloud from two states over because most of the land in Middle America got shaved flat for the Go-Kart track...

Read the rest on June 1st in WHOLE BEAST RAG. 

GCO has been announced as a finalist for 2012 Book of the Year

Grid City Overload has been announced as a finalist for Foreword Review's 2012 Book of the Year in the LITERARY category. The winners in each category will be announced in the next couple of months. This is a huge honor for me, and I'm excited for the results to come in.

To help me out in this competition, I'm asking that everyone who has read Grid City Overload please leave a review on the book's Amazon page. Leaving a review will help me out immensely by attracting the attention of potential publishers and judges. Whether you liked it, hated it, or were so-so about it, please share your opinions in a review. If you do so, I'll probably be honor-bound to buy you a beer at some point, so please also feel free to consider it an investment.

Until then, here's the full list of finalists for the LITERARY category:


    

GRID CITY OVERLOAD by Steven T. Bramble

MOTHERLESS CHILD by Marianne Langner Zeitlin

THAT'S NOT A FEELING by Dan Josefson

TOTAL SECESSION by Adam Connell

THE SIX GRANDDAUGHTERS OF CECIL SLAUGHTER by Susan Hahn

CODE OF THE FOREST by Jon Buchan

FROTTAGE AND EVEN AS WE SPEAK by Mona Houghton

DESTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE by Martin Skogsbeck

INTO THIS WORLD by Sybil Baker

HATTIE by Anna Bozena Bowen

RENATO THE PAINTER by Eugene Mirabelli

SO L.A. by Bridget Hoida

THE EMANCIPATING DEATH OF A BORING ENGINEER by Michel Bruneau

VANDAL LOVE by Deni Bechard


                   


                      GLORYBOUND by Jessie van Eerden

Please review!

New Short Story Published in WHOLE BEAST RAG

[Looks like I managed to worm my way into a really great lit journal, WHOLE BEAST RAG. My new short story, LENTES OSCUROS, which means "dark glasses" in Spanish, can be found in their fourth issue, AMERI/A, that they just posted last night. This is a very well-run online zine, and I'm excited to be a part of it.]

READ LENTES OSCUROS

[I can also be found on their homepage, by clicking on the box that looks like this:]

OCTOPUS BROTHEL DEBUT ALBUM REVIEW

 

OCTOPUS BROTHEL
CAVE PAINTINGS
http://octopusbrothel.bandcamp.com/album/cave-paintings

Being independently published myself, it's unfortunate that I'm not more often compelled to be proud of the company that puts me in. Admittedly, self-published work is not always the zenith of quality or thought-provoking production, but when an individual or a group manages to succeed in publishing something in not just a classy manner, but also in a way that lets you truly focus on the material rather than just the overlooked hiccups of the production, then it deserves your attention.

Especially CAVE PAINTINGS, Octopus Brothel's sharp-sounding debut release, which features a short list of tracks but displays a large range of ability. Despite a laundry list of setbacks in the last year, Octopus Brothel, a four-piece psychedelic rock band based out of Hollywood, has managed to put together a surprisingly solid album. The strength of Cave is its diversity of sound and its maturity of vision. While many debut albums tend to be a smattering of songs with no definitive foundation to rest upon, Cave maintains a consistent mood and standard throughout its six tracks without becoming stale. Although it might be a comparison the band itself would gaff at, I'm reminded of Incubus's debut album S.C.I.E.N.C.E. and its effortless range of musical styles. The difference here is that Cave is not so schizophrenic as S.C.I.E.N.C.E., which allows the album to be eminently listenable.

Most of the songs are hypnotic, but brutally so, providing a compelling energy that most psychedelic rock lacks. Standout tracks are "Felipe", a dark sideshow-ambient tune with a burning guitar clawing at its edges, "Eternity", a druggy/angry/arena-like meditative track that transitions the album into more serious waters, and "Butterfly Funeral", the most addictive track of the album, which is a cryptic and infectious blend of brooding sounds. The final track, "On the Verge of Madness", is a rewarding finish that proves, by album's end, that Octopus Brothel is not done growing.

One critique of the album is the overuse of distortion on the vocals, which in some cases might have been more gripping and immediate if allowed to be less echo-laden. In spite of that setback, the vocals do add a great deal to this album, and this is possibly why the use of distortion across consecutive tracks can be more frustrating than harmonious.

CAVE PAINTINGS is a definite success on the whole, and its pacing, thoughtfulness and ability will keep you coming back for multiple listens.

STB

Short Story in WHOLE BEAST RAG

It's been a while since I posted, but if anybody's still out there I hope you have some free time to check out this here online lit mag:

 

QUARTERLY PUBLICATION + CREATIVE PLATFORM

On March 1 Whole Beast Rag's new issue will be released online. It's called AMERI/A. Here's the cover.

   

[MARCH ISSUE] || AMERI/A is a multi-faceted re-imagining of our cultural heritage, an open letter about identity politics, and a way of analyzing a flawed system that pits power versus people. 

I have the privilege of being published in this issue. The title of the story is LENTES OSCUROS, which means DARK GLASSES in English. Whole Beast Rag is accepting submissions for their next two issues, so if any of you are looking for a great place to have your work appear, this might be it. Here's a preview for LENTES OSCUROS: 

A techno-political revolution born in the Third World - Humanity Separatism - gains traction worldwide while a simple couple living in Crenshaw, Los Angeles becomes caught up in the financial troubles and political connotations of owning a pair of Augmented Reality glasses. Sammy Williams travels into the heart of the armed Humanity Separatist movement in Mexico City to prove to his wife Kiara that technology and politics don't control their lives, but is faced for the first time with the realities of violent conflict and mass movements.