I’ll be participating in a panel called “The Big Short (Story): Big Imaginations In Small Spaces“ at the Montana Book Festival. The date for the panel is October 23, which is the day after I’m posting this news item, so you probably missed it, ya chump!
1-Week Critique Interview
My friend Matthew Schmidt and I recently talked for the 1-Week Critique interview series. We compared excerpts from the story “Road Songs”—an early draft and the final version—and we discussed the processes of writing, revising, and publishing. Our interview is up on YouTube, and I’m wearing a denim shirt.
Interview / Two Short Essays
Now that Golden Heart Parade is a physical object in the world, I have a few spinoff articles to share:
Interview with Deborah Kalb. Six questions about the book and my creative process.
”Research Notes” via Necessary Fiction. The story-behind-the-story of “Make It Yours,” describing how I worked a couple summers on a state bridge crew.
”If My Book” via Monkeybicycle. An extended metaphor about how the book is your bachelor uncle, with a photo of my own bachelor uncle, Wally Arnold.
South Dakota Festival of Books
I’ll be a presenting author at the South Dakota Festival of Books in Deadwood on Oct. 1–3. Wowie, what an honor! A lot of my SD literary friends will be there—Christine Stewart-Nuñez, Steve Wingate, Jim Reese, and many others whose books I’ve read and admired. On Friday, October 1, I’ll be hosting Workshop: Flash Forms, and on Saturday, October 2, I’ll be giving a presentation called The Unity in Community: Reading Groups & Writing Groups. In person, baby, masked, vaxxed, and relaxed.
Edit: Two days after I posted this item, the 2021 SD Festival of Books switched to a virtual format. That’s even better! Now we can be safer, and more people can attend. I’ll be presenting on the same topics, just via streaming video online. The link above will provide the most up-to-date information.
Stickers, Magnets & Bookplates!
I ordered a bunch of Golden Heart Parade promotional items. Most of them feature an image of an eagle with an alligator head, custom-drawn by Vanya Gillette. They’re cool. I’ll have them at the South Dakota Festival of Books (October 2021) and the AWP Conference in Pihiladelphia (March 2022). Until then, if you ordered your book online and want a signed bookplate, submit the form linked on the Golden Heart Parade page. I’ll be very happy to share this awesome stuff.
Review at Publishers Weekly
First review for Golden Heart Parade! It’s a nice one from Publishers Weekly. “Strangely moving,” it says. “Holt’s gaze falls on grit and grime, but he writes with plenty of heart.”
I feel really lucky that my publisher, Santa Fe Writers Project, is putting the book out there. We’re two months away from publication, and I’ll be so proud to share the work with everyone.
"Mystery & Manners" Keynote Speech
I’m the keynote speaker for Short Story Fest, an online celebration of the short story. My speech is titled: “Mystery & Manners: Life Lessons from Reading.” It will discuss how good stories can teach us about human behavior and make us feel more at home in the world. The festival date is Saturday, May 15, and it might be available for viewing afterward, who knows. Short Story Fest is being put on Short Story Book Club, an online community for readers. Here’s my slideshow for that presentation.
Phish Essay
The 2021 issue of Opossum, a literary journal focused on music culture, will feature my essay “Hot Tahoe Night.” The essay is literary journalism about Phish’s Tahoe “Tweezer,” a 36-minute improvisation considered by some fans to be Phish’s best concert performance in 30+ years of touring. I’ll post the link here when it’s published. Meanwhile, you can listen to the Tahoe “Tweezer” on loop and not get bored.
New Website Design
Check me out, I’m “online” on the “information superhighway” of the “World Wide Web.” If you see any typos, dead links, or usability issues on my “Web site,” please tell me so I don’t look like a dope.