The Reading... The Meeting!

This past Sunday Ben was in NYC on business, but while in town stopped Freebird Books to read with Ken Wohlrob (Author of The Love Book).

While at the reading Ben signed a few copies of the book, and finally got to meet the artist behind the amazing cover, Michael Paige Glover!

Book Notes

The Largehearted Boy Book Notes feature has been posted... Check it out!

Here is an excerpt:

In his own words, here is Ben Tanzer's Book Notes essay for his novel, Most Likely You Go Your Way and I'll Go Mine:

Bob Dylan, Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine

Growing-up in my house you had three options if you wanted to listen to music, Bob Dylan, The Beatles or some random Klezmer band from Budapest. Anyway, I always listen to music when I’m writing and while working on one of the drafts of the book this song came on and it just seemed to have the right vibe. Thematically it works of course because it’s clearly a song about breaking-up and this is a story about a couple who comes together quickly, implodes just as quickly and then maybe somehow comes back together. But it wasn’t just the theme that worked for me, there are a million break-up songs that I could have referenced during the book, it was the fact that it is both kind of humorous and kind of dark, something I ‘m always trying to aim for when I write. And it was Dylan, someone who I purposely name-drop in the book as a figure who is all-knowing in only ways that Yoda, John Hughes and maybe Bruce Springsteen would understand. The catch there of course, is that once you invoke Dylan you have all the genius-God-should be a Nobel Prize winner stuff that comes with it. Still, when I was growing-up he was just a singer story-teller that my dad claimed my mom had discovered in the early sixties and our family owned in some way. Sort of like the Gore family and the internet.

Read the rest over at Largehearted Boy!

Major Love...

No that's not my stage name, but it is what Ben's book is receiving.

Today, Jeremy Gershfeld had some very kind and thoughtful words to say about Ben and the book.

"Most likely explores some of the same subjects as Lucky Man, but has shed some of self imposed permission to write. Instead of using uncomfortable subjects as the emblem, and permission to write as the underlying theme, Most Likely uses uncomfortable subjects as the device to express deeper feelings about unresolved relationships and infidelity. Tanzer's writing style reflected the deeper layers of meaning in Most Likely, with longer expressions of intellectual and emotional intimacy."

I also received an e-mail today from David Gutowski of the famed blog Largehearted Boy saying he had read the book and " enjoyed it immensely". As a result, Ben will be working on an essay for the LHB Book Notes section.

For the two of you who listened to Scene 5, here is Scene 6. If you listen closely you may hear my lovely speaking voice.

First Review...

The first review is up and it is great! Thanks to Kelly Moran and BookPleasure.com.

Here is the quote of the day:

"Most Likely You Go Your Way and I’ll Go Mine is a brilliant, clever, humorous, edgy, and raw portrayal of urban single life. Deftly written, it will capture your attention from the first page and leave you shaking your head in awe until the end. " ~ Kelly Moran Author & Reviewer

The books are now available at Quimby's and The Book Cellar here in Chicago, and Wordsmiths Books in Atlanta.

Recently, Ben had the opportunity to guest blog at J. Kaye Book Blog and here are the results.

And for those of you who are listening, here is Section 5 on the our little recording:

Special Announcement

I am proud to announce the next project for Orange Alert Press, and I could not think of a better day to do it. SUNLIGHT AT MIDNIGHT, DARKNESS AT NOON: The Cunningham/McCreesh Letters Vol. 1 Feb. - Dec. 2002 is now in the editing stage, and scheduled for release on January 20th, 2009. Yes, Inauguration Day.

In the era of twitter and texting, facebook poems, and gchat, the power of the written word can get lost. The necessity to hold the printed text in your hand and sit down in a comfortable chair or under tree or in your car after a long hard day at work and read the words before you has been replaced by the iphone. Yet, there are a few people out there that still prefer the typewriter to the laptop, and the letter to the e-mail. Two of them are named Hosho McCreesh and Christopher Cunningham. Established underground writers, McCreesh and Cunningham write with power and conviction, and through typed letters they have formed a bond and created a running dialog on how they view the world.

Here is how Hosho described the book to me, but I think this can sum it up for everyone:

What unfolds here in these pages is the story of two lives as they struggle and search for meaning, for understanding, for some small measure of sense in a cold and often brutal, senseless world. Sometimes scathing and brash, sometime vulnerable, sometimes self-assured, the conversational threads are woven into a constant, furious tapestry covering the landscape of the American South, the desert Southwest and all the way to the cold mountains of Switzerland. Here are two writers clinging desperately to typewriters as war in the Middle East breaks out, as fear and terror motivate and penetrate the culture at large, gouge into its electronic eye, as the artistic mind is flattened, anesthetized. These letters represent a refusal to submit and a wild shout to the heavens that art can still matter. Reading these things over has been a revelation I think both Chris & I agree, that, while we've changed as writers & as people, this is still very much who we are & how we approach our work. Not bad for two guys who've never met.

Over the next few months I will share excerpts, cover concepts, limited edition ideas (and realities), thoughts, input, songs, and so on as we work together to build this book. For now I will leave you with this.

More from "The Event"

Event Recap

This Event Will Change Your Life - Sept 6th @ DvA Gallery, Chicago

A big thank you to every one who came out, performed, or helped plan and assemble the event. The event was a success, and the turn-out was great. Here are some photos from the night.

Jill Summers lead things off with an hillarious commentary pieces on the PBS nightmare Rick Bayless.

Brendan Losch was kind enough to stop by a sing a few of the 35 songs he has written and recorded this year. All of his songs can be downloaded from his website for free. You should also check out his music blog Count Me Out.



Poet Jason Fisk followed with three tremendous pieces. After he read, I found out that this was his first public reading. I am honored that he chose this event to be his public debut.

While the next band set up a couple people made their way over to a beautifully decorated book table. Each book purchased was signed by Ben, and many folks also walked away with the brand new Orange Alert Press button.

Venna traveled a long way to perform for us, and the audience was completly blown away. I received many comments about their performance, and I am so glad people enjoyed it. They released their debut ep back in April.

The night would not be the same with out a reading from the bearded one, Nick Ostdick. Nick is the editor of RAGAD, and fiction editor of decomP.

Yes, the rumors are true.

The final musical performance of the night was by Other World who dedicated the song "Lucky Man" by The Verve to the nights guest of honor.


Finally we brought Ben to the stage to read to a now packed house. He read several selections from his marked up copy of the book. There was laughter and tears and thunderous applause. Everyone left feeling that this event had truly changed their lives.

The Interview