Thank you to everyone who sent work in for the Repetition call @havehashad.com. That was fun. I'm going to have a beer and some pizza now. Several heartbreak rejections, and almost everything was interesting.

19 spots left.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Read a draft of this for XRAY and it's a fun one. Excited to drive the polished version.

US-421, near Medaryville, IN.

Next call coming soon, from our fave and yours, Joshua Hebburn! Theme: Repetitions March 3rd, 6 a.m. PST, capped at 222 submissions This could be repetition of sounds, phrases, images, a piece of the subject matter—or whatever. Any kind of prose is fine including prose poems.

Nancy 2/22/26… 🪱WOIMS🪱

Just finished a "weakest sentences" pass through my new novel, as described in Refuse to Be Done. Cut 16,000 words form the manuscript in the process.

Realized while enjoying eating cucumber in the sun I was essentially engaged in the same activity my lizard ancestors probably enjoyed millions of years ago.

When I drink a lot of beer I get hiccups like a cartoon character.

ICYMI, Cletus Crow's parable of boyhood.

we have a story by Lizzie Challen Hubbard ! it's about a woman who becomes obsessed with how fear causes couples to cling to each other. she starts scaring her dates to prompt a love connection v entertaining story ! it's got a stampede of rats xraylitmag.com/fear-theory-...

Cheers. My first Pliny the Younger.

First page test.

Really great linked collection of short stories so far. Creating a rich layered biography of "Ray." Holman's a student of Frederick Barthelme and Raymond Carver but with his own touch and fresh material. Dryly humorous, full of adult perspective and realized human personalities.

we got a 100 word story by Cletus Crow ! about boy scouts who find a boot with a foot still inside read it xraylitmag.com/scouts-by-cl...

Nancy 1/24/26

#1983 rb.gy/n4wao1

Cheers.

Drawings by me of drinks from movies In a Lonely Place (1950) Big Trouble in Little China (1986) Double Indemnity (1944) Collateral (2004) marcusjmerritt.com/objects-from...

Finished the first Updike collection collected in the Collected. My favorites so far are "The Alligators" and "The Happiest I've Been."

really loved getting to have this chat with @keersteemack.bsky.social for @xraylitmag.bsky.social. and she's incredibly kind in the intro! "Tacoma has all the hallmarks of a Burch book—nostalgia, magic, fun, optimism, friendship, and more heart than almost any other writer doing it today."

More Objects from Films (In a Lonely Place [1950]) marcusjmerritt.com/objects-from...

John Updike seems to more frequently describe clouds than other writers.

Received the good news that the shit hole bar of my youth rose from the dead recently and still includes enormous indoor horse sculpture the owner found in the desert.

Reading a short story every day (in February.)

X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y-X-R-A-Y

Oak Park, Michigan, July 2025

It was good but they continued going past the ending. Incredible job from Sean Penn. That thing Lockjaw did with his mouth?

Going to see One Battle After Another now that it's seven dollars to do so.

Dave Grimm #1985 rb.gy/ld8omf

husky gas sign, butte, montana, 1980

Kept seeing everyone sharing this one yesterday and so had it open in a tab to get to, and finally got to this morning. And, indeed, it's really wonderful! The whole thing, and then culminating in such a perfect, fun, beautiful final paragraph.

Cheers.

I have a new “how to” story up at @xraylitmag.bsky.social that was inspired by two things: 1. Bono jumping off the stage at Live Aid to save a struggling young girl in the crowd 2. My wife saving our youngest child from choking to death on three separate occasions xraylitmag.com/how-to-survi...

Fortuneteller, turning over the Death card: Don't worry. It isn't literal. It simply refers to some form of change. Me: Phew Fortuneteller; turning over the Gets Eaten by the Fortuneteller While Trying to Leave card: This can also mean many things

“Maybe finding yourself alone while surrounded by strangers and losing control felt like the closest thing to dying.” Every day I’m mad I can’t write like @johnwaddy.bsky.social

“You have melted, little snowflake, and now you are but one drop of water in the turgid, curdled human ocean.” Sheesh, what a banger of a story. So damn good.

Very proud and excited to share a new story in X-R-A-Y today This piece started out as a riff about Bono going into the crowd at Live Aid and ended up as a meditation on the asymmetrical love between parents and children thanks to @joshuahebburn.bsky.social for the keen and perceptive edits!

Cheers.

Nancy By Ernie Bushmiller January 22,1959

Sigur Ros Crystal Castles Gorillaz Ratatat That 1 Guy

Cheers.

Asher is coming to MOCA, icydk 🎉 It'll be great so make sure to stop by.

The anger of gods - 1960 https://botfrens.com/collections/61/contents/20287

Follow the signs

Listened to some short stories. Ate three slices of pizza. Walked over some piles of dry leaves. Good life.

Look for the helpers