1. I've always been a reader first and a writer second. If I had to pick one over the other, I would always choose being a reader. Cynthia Ozick's remarks in The Paris Review reminded me of that. "I read in order to write," she said. "I read out of an obsession with writing."
2. Everand (formally known as Scribd). I ain't bought a book in a long time because this place has available a little over half the books I have on my wish list at Amazon or favorited on Ebay. I don't have to own a book. I cut my reading teeth at the Vesta Roberts Memorial Library, and also I never read a book twice. Well, to be impeccable with my word, there actually was one book I used to read about once a year, but I've finally read it for the last time.
3. This lady's book looks like it might be interesting: Churn by Chloe Chun Seim.
4. This short story by Brett Milam, the guy who reviewed Brown Bottle earlier this year.
5. That time Frank Reardon got to write in Larry Brown's cabin for two weeks. Holy shit. Every time I say it or write it I get awestruck. Never fails. Here's a picture of the hallowed cabin:
6. The below photo of writing machine William T. Vollmann holding his painting Dolores as a Golden Monkey.
7. This Twitter thread about favorite interactions with famous writers. I contributed one about Harry Crews and proclamations of love.
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SHELDON LEE COMPTON is an author @CowboyJamboree and edits the unexpected blogging collective @PovertyHouse. He has ten published books of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction and can still often be found at his oldest online home of 14 years and counting, Bent Country.
I loved how you included Churn. One of those books coming out of nowhere in Kansas but has and means everything.