As usual, my favorite reads were published predominantly by small presses, written by writers unafraid of taking chances with their work:<\/p>\n
I bookended the year with collections by the innovative Robert Vaughan: Diptychs + Triptychs + Lipsticks + Dipshits<\/b> (blurbed, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>) and Addicts & Basements<\/b>, also reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every Kiss a War<\/b> by Leesa Cross-Smith, just a beautiful collection, I blurbed and reviewed on Goodreads<\/a> and interviewed Leesa here on this blog<\/a>!<\/p>\n I also read and blurbed<\/a> Nancy Stohlman’s book Vixen Scream and Other Bible Stories<\/b>. Nancy is another original who performs her stories live as well as she writes them.<\/p>\n I read Avital Gad-Cykman’s chapbook recently released from Matter Press: Life In, Life Out<\/b>, and reviewed it on Goodreads<\/a> and interviewed Avital right here on this blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n If I Would Leave Myself Behind: Stories<\/b> by Lauren Becker, which I also talked about here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Understories<\/b> by Tim Horvath, which is terrific and I gave five stars to on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n I read two Gay Degani books in 2014, her collection, Pomegranate Stories<\/b> and her novel What Came Before<\/b>, which I blurbed and reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>. I also interviewed Gay right here<\/a> and she has lots of smart things to say about writing in general.<\/p>\n Bald New World<\/b> by Peter Tieryas, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>. This book was recently nominated for the Folio Prize in the UK.<\/p>\n Bones of an Inland Sea<\/b> by Mary Akers, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Last Days of California<\/b> by Mary Miller, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n An Untamed State<\/b> by Roxane Gay, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n My Mother Was An Upright Piano<\/b> by the talented and versatile writer of flash as well as longer works, Tania Hershman, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n Girl with Ears & Demon with Limp<\/b> by Edward J. Rathke, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n Doll Palace<\/b> by Sara Lippmann, this book was one of my favorite short story collections of 2014 and one of my favorites, ever…reviewed at The Lit Pub<\/a>.<\/p>\n Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life<\/b> by Dani Shapiro, a great inspiration in 2014 and mentioned in various posts on this blog.<\/p>\n I reread The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro<\/b> (who incidentally drafted the novel in four weeks according to this article in The Guardian<\/a>).<\/p>\n Understudies<\/b> by Ravi Mangla, reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n House of Mirth<\/b> by Edith Wharton<\/p>\n Where’d You Go, Bernadette?<\/b> by Maria Semple<\/p>\n Don’t Tease the Elephants<\/b> by Jen Knox. blurbed and reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n Quarry Light<\/b> by Claudia Smith Chen, reviewed at The Lit Pub<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the American Dust Bowl<\/b> by Timothy Egan. A fascinating, harrowing read.<\/p>\n The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life<\/b> by Twyla Tharp, another inspiring read, also mentioned a time or two on this very blog.<\/p>\n Smokelong Quarterly: The Best of the First Ten Years 2003-2013<\/b>, a book I contributed to and reviewed on Goodreads<\/a>.<\/p>\n