The Fixx Reading Series

Last night, Ben and our good friends Tim Hall (pictured) and Robert Duffer had the privileage of being a part of the Fixx Reading Series hosted by Amy Guth. The event was mainly a release party for Tim's new book Full of It. Good times were had by all!

Drawing on Sunlight

Part of the concept for the new book (Sunlight at Midnight, Darkness at Noon) is to have an illustration leading into each section of the book. The book itself is divided into eleven sections, one for each month, starting in Feb. 2002 and ending in Dec. 2002.

Here is a rough sketch for February and its inspiration.

...took a bit of a break there, now five thirty something a.m., I am just cruising along, no time now, a number only. it is good when you hit that stride, that level, that note, that centering essential tonality, something, understand? like the words are writing you, that is how you know the good poem is tumbling forth, spilling, spent. "CLAW AT STARS..." "THROWING HATCHETS OFF SKYSCRAPERS..." glad to know the truths I see drive you further towards your own. ~ February 12th, 2002 - from Cunningham

All illustrations, including the cover, for Sunlight will be done by the incredible hand of Chris Szostek.

The Orange Alert Reading Series!

I am extremly pleased to have four amazing writers agree to launch The Orange Alert Reading Series. Held at The Whistler, the aim is to be on par with the other sucessful reading series in town. Like The Fixx (where Ben will be reading on Oct. 30th!) and Reading Under The Influence (where Ben will be reading on 11/5!).

Thanks to Spencer Dew, Ben Tanzer, Stephanie Kuehnert, and Robert Duffer.

Ben Gets a Fixx

To launch the move of the Fixx Reading Series to The Book Cellar, Thursday October 30th... Check out this line-up!

Robert Duffer
Tim Hall
Ben Tanzer

Fixx Reading Series @ The Book Cellar 4736-38 N. Lincoln Ave.Chicago, IL

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.