Traveling in Italy until end of August, but wanted to post some lovely photos of my recent trip to Siena. Also: I just got word that I’ll be presenting at the 2014 AWP Conference, in Seattle, on a panel called “The Art of the Book Review.” Thanks to Tony Leuzzi for all his hard work and patience in organizing the whole thing; I’m grateful to be on board. Finally, a fond thank you to John Domini for his faith and vision in organizing another wonderful panel proposal that, alas, did not get accepted. Thank you, John, for inviting me to be a part.

My delight in editing the book review section for The Brooklyn Rail is finding smart, emerging writers like Ben Pfeiffer, who, in the March issue, has this to say about Warren Ellis’s powerful new novel GUN MACHINE: “(The novel) takes the reader into several ghost maps laid out over New York City like superimposed squares of vellum…(T)he book (is) chiaroscuro—a collection of bold contrasts made with alternating pools of light and darkness—as opposed to classic noir. Or, to put it another way, Gun Machine is noir at light speed.”  Read it here.

Delighted to be reading with writer Andrew Cotto (Outerborough Blues).

Thursday, December 6th, 2012.  6:00 PM

Marymount Manhattan College

Commons West

221 East 71st Street, NY, NY 10021     

1-212-517-0400

My debut collection To Assume a Pleasing Shape was nominated for The Story Prize for 2012.  Here’s my nominated-author page with a short essay on my favorite fiction.

“Bark” — a blog from Eastern Washington University’s MFA program (home of Willow Springs literary journal) in Creative Writing — included me in their 2012 Year in Review.  Click here and scroll.

To Assume a Pleasing Shape reviewed and recommended by Hey Small Press! — a non-profit that works to get small-press books included in public libraries.  They selected my book as part of their November book list! Click and scroll down:

“Big Book, Small Package” . . . wherein Scott Cheshire reviews To Assume a Pleasing Shape for the Tottenville Review.

To Assume a Pleasing Shape reviewed by Liz Axelrod in The Brooklyn Rail

“The Salvatore Moods,” wherein I am interviewed by writer Jill Dearman on Barnes and Noble.com.

Profile on me and my writing of the story “Reduction” published in Willow Springs.