Thursday, June 19, 2008

NINTH LETTER 5.1

Got my contributor copies of the new issue of NINTH LETTER today. I felt lightheaded a little looking at it. It is too nice. It is an object.



I want to paint my apartment those colors with those symbols or something.

As always the issue includes some incredible work, this time by Ron Carlson, Mark Yakich, Arthur Saltzman, Dave King, Tom Whalen, Steve Tomasula, Adam Clay, Mary Biddinger, as well as a bunch of others. Each page of this thing is a work of art. If you've never seen Ninth Letter, it is a production: fully glossy page with weird layouts and beautiful art. Props to 9L especially on this issue bringing in a lot of new names, at least to me.

My story THE GOWN FROM MOTHER'S STOMACH, currently the second story in SCORCH ATLAS, is also in the issue, set on an absolutely perfect image spread by artist Ho-Mui Wong. As Keith Montesano put it to me: "The artwork's sick and distorted and Lynchian and weird and melty and fits perfectly."

I can't stop staring at this magazine, even if I weren't in it. Made me feel good today, a needed blurp among a couple weeks of no sleep. Thanks to Andrew Ervin and Jodee Stanley and the rest of 9L for inclusion in something gorgeous.

They haven't put it up on the web yet but you can subscribe here. I've been a subscriber for the last few years and every issue is a sick sick puppy.

11 comments:

Matt Bell said...

Can't wait to get my copy, Blake. Congrats!

BLAKE BUTLER said...

thanks matt :)

Josh Maday said...

nice work, blake. 9L is indeed the most impressively beautiful lit mag being produced today. that cover is my favorite ever. this deserves a BOOM. maybe even a couple. maybe it's beyond BOOM. good work.

Maurice Burford said...

that is an amazing looking book.

congrats!

BLAKE BUTLER said...

josh and alex thank you

alex i looked at your blogs again i thought it said white emmanuel lewis instead of whale that scared me in a good way

Keith Montesano said...

I mean, seriously, that shit looks so good. We should consider ourselves very lucky. Not the same issue, but back to back ain't bad.

I wish I had $1000 to donate so I could get a lifetime subscription. I hope they're around until the world blows up...

p said...

that looks nice. i like that mark yakich.

ryan call said...

very nice blake

my friend mike scalise likes your story

my sis got me sub for late bday present
i am waiting to touch it

jereme said...

Try to remember me when you are famous motherfucker.

Brandon Hobson said...

Congrats, Blake. Ninth Letter is a great fucking journal.

BLAKE BUTLER said...

thank you brandon, i feel happy