Two New Flash Fictions out in Alien Buddha #57 (BONUS: Entire Trigger Warning Data Base)

 It's paperback

Has a Color version, 12.99

or Black and White 19.99

Two brand new flash fictions of mine are in it (see below)

The stories:

a) Fairytale of Dysfunction

b) Wedding Guest

The story behind the stories:

a) Fairytale of Dysfunction

The fairytale is Goldilocks and the Three Bears and the metaphor is dysfunctional families, especially dysfunctional mothers who are critical. This isn't based on MY life, but I've seen a whole lot of damage in people's life stories. Those folks will know a thing or two about this.  

b) Wedding Guest

This story is based on _________. Fill in the blank, it's a trigger warning. Let your imagination run by looking at the ENTIRE TRIGGER WARNING DATA BASE. So how does trauma effect people in the future? Read this one and you can find out, but you probably know a thing or two yourself.

Talking about Near Death Experiences

 On In Other Words, (my last post) I briefly spoke to Eric Lee Freedman, and James Bryant about my NDE.

            After that one, I had the pleasure of speaking about it fully, and also explain why I usually don't speak on it,on Tricia Barker Barton's Near Death Experience podcast. Tricia wrote the book, errrrr, a book on it, and appeared on my Virtual Dire Literary Series.  She is quite an extraordinary human being even in human form. My experience of over 40 years ago changed my life in so many was, and only now am I ready to talk about it. 

WATCH HER INTERVIEW OF ME below on video

ALSO YOU CAN WATCH MY INTERVIEW OF HER from my Dire Series from June 2023

Guest Appearances In Other Words video podcast

In Other Words, a show hosted by James Bryant and Lee Eric Freedman, is a podcast where writers talk about their lives outside of writing.  

I appeared with them in October and spoke about 

00:00 Opening 02:56 Feeding feral cats, 09:07 Nearly failing out of college 13:11 Fun Size Candy vs. Minis 17:12 Having a Near Death Experience 25:00 Being the "go to" guy for useless information in conversation 27:50 Auditioning for Jeopardy and "Stump the Blob" Games Shows on the same day 31:20 Being a Strat-0-Matic Geek 36:00 Electric Football Game was the most disappointing game of my childhood 38:56 Segment: Would You Rather have the olfactory senses of a dog or see more colors in the electromagnetic spectrum like a mantis shrimp?

Three Days Past My Birthday is 13 years….

    So today, November 3, is my birthday, and as an alcoholic, I’m expecting a parade. Won’t happen, but for the past 10-13 or so years, I’ve found that my sober anniversary is a much bigger, more important and brings me much more joy. It marks the anniversary of a change of the better of me, something I am proud of, and something I feel good about when I help others. In three days, November 6, if I can get to three more midnights, I’ll celebrate 13 years of being sober. There will be others celebrating that with me, those who made the same decision I did, and found that their life really began at that point, rather than ended. Oh, and I will get a present---not the one I get every day by being sober, but the one below. I'm very excited to receive it! (Plus read the features of this thing! High Quality 3D Graphics, for example)

So in three days: November 6.

    If you follow me or read me, November 6 marked a decided milestone in my life. On that day in 2010 I stopped drinking, stopped using, became clean and sober, without ever having the need to go back to it. (Note: Need is different than want, and I may have thought that I wanted to, but when push came to shove I didn’t).

    I’ve thought about this and a lot of other things today, (because I tend to overthink), and concluding that stopping was not because of something associated with that particular birthday. Perhaps I was reflecting upon my life on that day (I tend to do that too) and it had some influence, but mostly, I stopped, was because my life wasn’t what I wanted it to be. I was settling for less, my emotions were all over the road, and my personal relationships were pretty non-existent. I was in rough shape physically and mentally. 

    I’ve written about this subject here in the past nearly every year and if you want more details go to the right side of this news/blog thing and open up entries from early November, 2010 and on. (Let me help you)

    Also, there in the search bar (look hard, it's small) if you plug in words, for example, sober, sobriety, alcohol etc., various entries will also come up. (Go ahead, stick your name in there too, to see if I wrote about you).

 

Mostly, three things stick out about how my life has changed. 

1) I am more even tempered, level-headed, and when there are issues I am able to walk through them. 

2) When my son was married in July, I was asked to speak. This never would have been asked because there was no way anyone could predict what would come out of my mouth. Also, at the wedding my new daughter in law stated, "When it comes to father-in-laws, I hit the jackpot." Yes, again, drunk Tim would have been described by other jackpots. 

3) And most important. Four years ago, almost to the day, my mother would jump straight from a cancer treatment appointment to hospice care. Because of my sobriety I was in a) good standing in my job. b) had enough sick, and vacation days accrued and c) was able to be with her almost every day until she passed. What a gift!

 

 

A 2023 Pushcart Nomination!

      Always such an honor to be nominated. Thank you Robin Stratton and Big Table Publishing for the nomination, and for publishing many of my books. Although I Never Called You Beautiful does not appear on-line. It is within the pages Best of Timothy Gager: Poems, Essays, and Stories, 2002-2022. It also appears in another secret book, whish is sort of like a secret menu  item---and only one of those exists in the world. So, there's that. So very grateful to be nominated for the 18th time.

                                           Maybe #18 will be the charm?

This poem is not published on-line

A 2-fer and I'm happy to have flash fiction "Labor Day at the Border Café" published in 10 X 10

      Labor Day at the Border Café a flash fiction went live today on 10 X 10 Flash, Issue 12. 

The journal is Zvi Sesling's marvelous creation and is in the link below.

click here for 10 X 10 Issue 12

The Story Behind the Story:

    One of the first Tex-Mex Restaurants in my area  was The Border Café in Harvard Square (The El  Phoenix Room was the other. I could never get past the redundant "The El"). Boy, years back, would I go there and pre-game before any Cambridge event. 

That one closed in 2020, but I would drive to the other Burlington to enjoy their food, but no longer the Margaritas. Interesting thing happened there the last time I went, and I've not been back since. You can read about it in this issue of  10 X 10 Flash Fiction, Issue 12. The piece is personal and partially true.. 

Actually, I sat in the booth right here---inside. After all, it was raining. 

Thrilled to have a new poem in Live Nude Poems

 I don't submit work all that often anymore, but I always want to submit to Heather Sullivan and Rusty Barnes who put out Live Nude Poems. 

The Story Behind the Story (in this case the poem, HERE Into The Silent Sea)

If you are sunk in a sea so silent who are you left hanging with? There are all kinds of deep sea critters, perhaps too ugly to cuddle up to. When the narrator says to them, looking up from the ocean, "nobody likes you," he could be referring to himself---hence, some "double-meaning love" within the words. You are just like them, and just like an abandoned sunken ship.  The other double-meaning  found within is that the moon features fields of basaltic lava referred to as seas, because early astronomers mistakenly thought they contained water. 

Also "metaphor love" about the end of a friendship, 

and very often the silence accompanying that. 

Imagine habitating with the likes of...

photo by Lisa Haley

 

    =================================================================

LIVE NUDE POEMS

Like the title says. 

lNP is a simple blog journal no frills (see masthead above) except the editors who know a thing are two about a thing or two. Funny thing about the sub-title you know it came from people asking, "What's Live NudePoems?" Well, it's like the title say, so, take a hike, son.  

If you dive into their submissions statement, you'll find this (so yahoo!):

In trying to sum up what our aesthetic at Live Nude Poems will be, we are drawn to the idea and function of poetry.  In our opinion, we’ve always believed that poetry must serve a purpose – to enlighten, to explain and by doing so, bring a greater understanding of self.  We have a job to do as poets, even if only to better know our own humanity.  We're certainly not here to argue what art is or why we write.  We write because we have to, and the work is unique to each of us.  Knowing that, we would like to showcase poetry that breathes and presents moments in time, work that helps us understand you, tells a story, changes the reader--if only for a second.

     

My Appearance on Eternally Amy podcast....My LIFE....plus links to 2023 podcasts.

                                                                                                                                                                                                 Host Amy Liz Harrison is the mother of eight, a Gen Xer, Recovery Champ, and Best Selling Author hosted me his spring -- I talk about....well, read about it below on Amy's Instagram teaser. As an interviewer, she is GREAT!

Please, listen to the entire podcast on where

I invent the phrase "When you're a piece of dogshit, you're already on the ground" and "If my Higher Power is Meatloaf, I don't want to force that on a vegan."

SPOTIFY

APPLE

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A post shared by Author, Sobriety Advocate with Adult ADHD and Mom of 8 (@amylizhar

LINKS TO ALL 2023 PODCASTS

1) Second Appearance on The Art of Being Dar  (click to watch/listen)

2) Billy Dees Podcast: Perfect Media Productions (click to watch/ listen)

3) This Podcast will change your Life with Ben Tanzer (click to listen)

4) W.W.A.A. podcast with Kristy Mickelsen (click to listen)

5) Anna David's Podcast, On Good Authority (click to listen) 

As of Labor Day, Total Number of Dire Series Events IS 340!

  Here is the series full count to date. We have a great schedule in the fall, opening 

with Marianne Leone who was the first feature on Virtual Dire on Zoom. 

Here is the NEXT 14! 

.
  LIVE                                                                                                                               TOTAL

February-March 2001 - First Tuesday reading at Cantab Underground                            2


June 2001-Aug 2002- First Friday, Out of the Blue Art Gallery                                       15
                                    168 Brookline St., Cambridge

Sept 2002-Oct 2011-First Friday, Out of the Blue Art Gallery                                         110
                                    106 Prospect St., Cambridge

Nov 4, 2011-                -First Friday, Yarrow                                                                        1
                                    106 Prospect St., Cambridge



Dec 2011-Sept 2014-First Friday, Out of the Blue Art Gallery                                          34
                                    106 Prospect St., Cambridge



Oct 2014-Nov 2017-First Friday, Out of the Blue Too                                                       38
                              541 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge 

Dec 2017-June 2018 First Saturday Afternoon, The Middle East Cafe
                               480 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge                                                    7

July 2018                   First Saturday Afternoon, Zuzu
                               480 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge                                                    1

Aug 2018-                Oct 2018 First Saturday Night, First Friday too
                                 Center for Arts at the Armory
                               191 Highland Ave., Somerville                                                             3

VIRTUAL DIRE

March 2020                Virtual Fridays Dire Literary Series  on Zoom                              119

 

January 5, 2023          Virtual Thursdays Dire Literary Series on Zoom                            11                     

through Sept, 1, 2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        __________

                                                                                                                                          340

FALL SCHEDULE, 2023 VIRTUAL THURSDAYS DIRE LITERARY SERIES (is it September already?)

As always, you can get the weekly ZOOM link posteds in the facebook group or contact me at ctgager37 @ yahoo

September 

7:   Marianne Leone

14: Matthew Olzmann

21: Tiffany Davenport

29: Special Friday Dire:  Jennifer Friedman Lang

October

5: Susan Zalkind

12 Gary Grossman

19 Eliz McKim

26 Carla Panciera

November

2: Dr. Dannagal G. Young

9: Ellis Elliott

16: Enzo Silon Surin

23: OFF

30: Josh Barkan

December

7: Laura Zigman

14: Tom Laughlin

20: OFF

27: OFF

REPLAY CENTRAL, Spring, Summer 2023 (and the rest)....Virtual Thursdays Dire Literary Series

Due to Facebook and other technical difficulties not of my own, the readings by JD Debris and Frances Donovan were not recorded. Huge apologies to them.  

Another way to keep up with all of the recordings after the fact, subscribe to my YOUTUBE

5.4.23 Jane Roper 

6.1.23 Jon Wesick

6.8.23 Jennifer Martelli

6.22.23 John Fulton

6.29.23 Tricia Barker Barton

7.13.23 Cynthia Atkins

7.27.23 Katie Moulton

8.10.23 Yael Goldstein Love

8.24.23 Julia Lisella

The Rest of the Replay Centrals

Winter 2023 (link to website)

Suzanne Frischkorn, Kim Addonizio, Thomas McNeely, Jenna Le, Sarah Bridgins, Lee Matthew Goldberg, Lise Hanes, Dr. Paula Perez, Michael Mark, Maya Williams, Hannah Sward, Caitlin Avery, Carla Swartz, Stacy TenHouton, Donna Spruijt-Metz, Morgan Baker

Autumn 2022 (link to website) 

Jonathan Papernick, A.K. Small, Aaron Tillman, David Rockland, Kimberly Ann Priest, Sain Griffiths, Harris Gardner, Lisa Taylor, Michael Keith, Jim Shepard, Zach VandeZande, Rusty Barnes, Daniel Nester. Kurk Lovelace (reading from Annemarie O'Connell's book), and Nina Shope

Spring/Summer 2022 (link to website) 

Sara Lippmann, Robin McLean, Gregory Orr, Rich Murphy, Diane Suess, Ron Tanner, Aleathea Drehmer, Christina Adams, Sharon Applegate Greenwald, Lucas Scheelk, 

Joseph Milosch, Barbara Legere, Ellene Glenn Moore, Vincent Cellucci and Chris Shipman

Winter 2022

Renuka Raghaven, Jessica Cuello, Jen Knox, Daniel Biegelson, Alison Stine, 

John Rosenthal, Peter Crowley, Maggie Doherty, Erin Khar, Elan Barnehama, 

Marguerite Guzman Bouvard

Autumn 2021

DeMisty Bellinger, Cheryl Pappas, Matt Bell, Michael Keith, Gloria Mindock, 

Molly Gaudry, CD Collins, Kevin Prufer, Beth Robinson/Chris Joseph, Alina Stefanuscu, Meg Smith, Gregory Wolos, Damian Dressic, Jason Wright, Blake Butler 

Summer 2021

Natalie Brobin Bonfig, John Domini, Anna VQ Ross, Rachel Yoder

Spring 2021

Sandra Simonds, George Wallace, Caroline Levitt, Charles Coe, Susan Henderson, 

Major Jackson, Kara Vernor, Meredith Goldstein, Kimberly Ann Priest, Joanna Rakoff

Winter 2021

Rick Moody , Laurette Folk, Mark Saba, Sarah Anne Johnson, 

Josh Barkan/ Jennifer Haigh, Keetje Kuipers, January O'Neil,  Elle Nash, 

Danielle Zaccagnino, Marty Beckerman, Nathan Graziano , Steven Cramer

Autumn 2020

Carly Israel, Daphne Kalotay, Ryan Ridge, Marge Piercy, Kerry Beth Neville, 

Yuyutsu Sharma, Chris Joseph, Elizabeth Gordon McKim, Diana Spechler, 

Jonathan Escoffrey, Dewitt Henry, Brian Sonia-Wallace, Rebecca Fishow,

 Marguerite Bouvard, Pamela Painter, Kim Chinquee, Jessica Keener, Amy King

 

Happy to be included in Ibbetson Street #53

 

I've lost count of the incredible amount of times I've been blessed to have appeared in Ibbetson Street. Somewhere in the blog I've listed it, but today I'm just going to express gratitude to Doug Holder and Harris Gardner who fill up journal twice annually. 

In this issue Michael Ansara, Richard Hoffman, Kathleen Aguero, Denise Provost, Ted Kooser, Jennifer Barber, Marge Piercy, Laura Cherry, Chad Parenteau, David Miller, Lawrence Kessenich, Danielle Legros George,Carla Schwartz, Zvi Sesling, Dennis Daley and more ...

                  * * *

The published poem is titled, "Recipe Stupid Men Use to Capture Women." I've made it no secret that I disapprove up the tricks men use in regards to other men and in regards to women in order to court them.  I believe I've used the word "hate" often.  So to the person I observed doing everything I wrote in this poem...fuck that guy.  

Please support the jouranl by considering a purchase. It is beautiful, and the Media Mail costs alone can put any journal in the red.

Fuck that guy too.  

Why are my books so cheap on Amazon? Go buy some, most less than $6 NEW

Mixed answer. 

1) They have a lot in stock in warehouse. 

2) They can do whatever the F they want. Prices will be changed at some point because Amazon can do whatever the F they want.

                        a) Mixed information on "is the reduced price eaten on publisher/writer royalties, or does Amazon take that hit?"

Either way.....here are some deals. 

$4.77

$5.95

$5.15

$10.47

$5.12