How big is an alligator heart, Slushies? Have seen the wingspan of a Sand Hill Crane (a bird once mistaken for the Jersey Devil)? And what happens when you put Mentos in your soda? Life and its peculiarities, its soaring losses and aching beauty, and its utter, utter absurdity come barreling at us in “a […]
Kathleen Volk Miller
Episode 82: “1-4-3”
Be warned. We love the writers who submit to PBQ, slushies. We love doing this podcast. And we love you; we love that you listen to us discuss and deliberate. In short, slushies, as Mister Rogers would say: “1-4-3.” One. Four. Three. (I. L-o-v-e. Y-o-u). (Get it?!). We do. It’s hopeless. We’re hooked. We discuss […]
Episode 77: Belly-up!
If you are like us, Slushies, then you love a good duality. We’re hooked on the way “belly-up” can mean to be a flop and to roll in closer. So, belly-up to this episode where we discuss two poems by Judith Roney– “Belly-up” and “Relictual Taxon.” After some laughs about how it’s easy to mistake […]
Kathleen Volk Miller on Pamela Erens “Virgins,” by Tin House Books
As an editor, I can say this is one of the most finely crafted books I’ve read. The fresh approach of a narrator who is imagining our scenes adds a compelling filter who still feels trustworthy. The mix of longer and shorter chapters truly worked for these characters and this story—we live our lives in […]
Kathleen Volk Miller on Matthew Specktor’s “American Dream Machine,” from Tin House Books
I just finished Matthew Spector’s “American Dream Machine,” from Tin House Books. I have to admit that even as I admired Specktor’s ability to flip POV’s between Beau Rosenwald and the narrator, Nate, I had a hard time getting engaged in the book. I felt flipped out of one narrative and into another before I […]