A Common Pornography Part 13
My life becomes a shambles after I split with my son's mom. On a somewhat related note, I become unspoken enemies with writer Jim Goad when my homewrecker girlfriend starts dating him.
I begin working at Powell's as "Christmas help" and become events coordinator less than a year later.
I get married to writer and performer Ritah Parrish at a pajama party reading at a tiki bar. Many people don't believe it's real, but we stay married for five years.
(Note to reader: Someday, when I write another memoir, it will probably start in 1997.) "I get married to writer and performer Ritah Parrish at a pajama party reading at a tiki bar. Many people don't believe it's real, but we stay married for five years.
1998: The first Future Tense website is launched. It's a big, garish yellow thing with a grenade on its front page. It eventually gets made over, with a sleek black and white design. The first Future Tense website is launched. It's a big, garish yellow thing with a grenade on its front page. It eventually gets made over, with a sleek black and white design.
We win our first Oregon Literary Arts fellowship.
1999: A chapbook A chapbook (Holes) (Holes) by legendary rock writer Richard Meltzer is released. It consists of a funny essay on golf and a section of poems. by legendary rock writer Richard Meltzer is released. It consists of a funny essay on golf and a section of poems.
2000: Our first novel, Our first novel, Meat Won't Pay My Light Bill Meat Won't Pay My Light Bill by artist and bartender Kurt Eisenlohr, is released. Because of its size (240 pages), I can only afford to print 300 copies. The book goes out of print quickly until being republished in 2008 by another press. (Kurt's connection to Future Tense remains: his art adorns our website.) by artist and bartender Kurt Eisenlohr, is released. Because of its size (240 pages), I can only afford to print 300 copies. The book goes out of print quickly until being republished in 2008 by another press. (Kurt's connection to Future Tense remains: his art adorns our website.) Jemiah Jefferson's chapbook of stories, St*rf*ck*ng, St*rf*ck*ng, is released. She goes on to write several acclaimed vampire novels. is released. She goes on to write several acclaimed vampire novels.
Business-wise, I finally decide to make some kind of letterhead.
2001: We publish We publish Please Don't Kill the Freshman Please Don't Kill the Freshman by Zoe Trope, a girl I discover in an eighth-grade after-school writing cla.s.s I taught in 1999. The 44-page book, a diary of her first year in high school, becomes a local sensation and is bought by Harper Tempest. An expanded version of her book comes out in 2003. The chapbook is the bestselling t.i.tle I've ever published. by Zoe Trope, a girl I discover in an eighth-grade after-school writing cla.s.s I taught in 1999. The 44-page book, a diary of her first year in high school, becomes a local sensation and is bought by Harper Tempest. An expanded version of her book comes out in 2003. The chapbook is the bestselling t.i.tle I've ever published.
"We publish Please Don't Kill the Freshman Please Don't Kill the Freshman by Zoe Trope, a girl I discover in an eighth-grade after-school writing cla.s.s I taught in 1999.... The chapbook is the bestselling t.i.tle I've ever published. by Zoe Trope, a girl I discover in an eighth-grade after-school writing cla.s.s I taught in 1999.... The chapbook is the bestselling t.i.tle I've ever published.
2002: Another Future Tense release, Another Future Tense release, Grosse Pointe Girl Grosse Pointe Girl by Sarah Grace McCandless, a book edited by Ritah (who also has two books released on Future Tense), is bought by Simon & Schuster. by Sarah Grace McCandless, a book edited by Ritah (who also has two books released on Future Tense), is bought by Simon & Schuster.
Ritah and I get divorced.
The first version of A Common p.o.r.nography A Common p.o.r.nography comes out. I start corresponding with a girl named Barb, who reads parts of the book on the comes out. I start corresponding with a girl named Barb, who reads parts of the book on the McSweeney's McSweeney's website. website.
2003: Barb moves from Los Angeles to Portland, and romance blooms. She moves into "Future Tense Headquarters." Barb moves from Los Angeles to Portland, and romance blooms. She moves into "Future Tense Headquarters."
Haiku Inferno-a "performance group" consisting of me, Barb (a.k.a. Frayn Masters), Elizabeth Miller, and Frank D'Andrea-debuts and performs at various events for the next several years. A book (copublished by Future Tense and Portland's Crack Press) comes out five years later.
Controversial s.e.x writer Susannah Breslin's book, You're a Bad Man, Aren't You? You're a Bad Man, Aren't You?, comes out in a limited paperback release and quickly sells out.
Happy Ending by Mike Topp, our first New York writer, is released. by Mike Topp, our first New York writer, is released.
We also win our second Literary Arts fellowship this year.
2004: I bravely try my hand at a special fold-out chapbook, a collection of dirty poems by Shane Allison called I bravely try my hand at a special fold-out chapbook, a collection of dirty poems by Shane Allison called Black f.a.g. Black f.a.g. It's a tricky production (and maybe not entirely successful due to my folding), but it becomes a hit among queer poetry fans. It's a tricky production (and maybe not entirely successful due to my folding), but it becomes a hit among queer poetry fans.
2005: I team up with legendary San Francisco publisher Manic D Press to start a paperback imprint through them, simply called the Future Tense series. An anthology, I team up with legendary San Francisco publisher Manic D Press to start a paperback imprint through them, simply called the Future Tense series. An anthology, The Insomniac Reader, The Insomniac Reader, is the first release. is the first release.
2006: Fast Forward: Confessions of a p.o.r.n Screenwriter Fast Forward: Confessions of a p.o.r.n Screenwriter by by Playboy Playboy writer and writer and Believer Believer editor Eric Spitznagel is the second book copublished with Manic D Press. editor Eric Spitznagel is the second book copublished with Manic D Press.
A chapbook by Tao Lin is scheduled for summer before I pull the plug on the project due to editing concerns. The resulting ballyhoo is discussed heatedly on lit blogs for the rest of the year before Tao moves on to Melville House (we've since become friendly again).
2007: Dahlia Season Dahlia Season by Myriam Gurba, the third book through Manic D Press, wins the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction. by Myriam Gurba, the third book through Manic D Press, wins the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction.
Elizabeth Ellen's debut, Before You She Was a Pit Bull, Before You She Was a Pit Bull, comes out to the delight of short story fans. comes out to the delight of short story fans.
After many years of e-mailing about it, Partial List of People to Bleach, Partial List of People to Bleach, a chapbook by Gary Lutz (who is probably my favorite writer ever), is released. a chapbook by Gary Lutz (who is probably my favorite writer ever), is released.
Also after many years, we finally unveil a logo: a long stapler image.
"After many years, we finally unveil a logo: a long stapler image.
2008: After many years of criticizing the shoddy print-on-demand industry, I realize that it has vastly improved and become more accessible-no more 300-copy print runs! Bob Gaulke's humorous book on teaching English in j.a.pan, After many years of criticizing the shoddy print-on-demand industry, I realize that it has vastly improved and become more accessible-no more 300-copy print runs! Bob Gaulke's humorous book on teaching English in j.a.pan, Embrace Your Insignificance, Embrace Your Insignificance, is released. is released.
I meet a young man named Riley Michael Parker at Powell's and give him some book recommendations. A couple of months later, he gives me a short ma.n.u.script that blindsides me. I quickly halt everything else to turn it into a chapbook (Our Beloved 26th) (Our Beloved 26th) . .
2009: Oakland writer and artist Chelsea Martin releases Oakland writer and artist Chelsea Martin releases Everything Was Fine Until Whatever, Everything Was Fine Until Whatever, our second paperback in a year. It becomes the fastest-selling paperback we've ever done. our second paperback in a year. It becomes the fastest-selling paperback we've ever done.
To learn more about Kevin's micropress, go to www.futuretensebooks.com.
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About the Author
Kevin Sampsell has been the publisher of Future Tense Books since 1990. His own books include the short story collections has been the publisher of Future Tense Books since 1990. His own books include the short story collections Beautiful Blemish Beautiful Blemish and and Creamy Bullets Creamy Bullets. In 2009, he edited the anthology Portland Noir Portland Noir. He works for Powell's Books and lives in Portland, Oregon.
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Early Praise Praise for for A Common p.o.r.nography A Common p.o.r.nography by Kevin Sampsell by Kevin Sampsell
"This is a heartbreaking and magnificent book. I love its mosaic structure-a portrait of a family and a young man created out of jewel-like fragments of memory. In its depiction of small-town American life-the ennui and despair and beauty-I am reminded of Denis Johnson's Jesus' Son Jesus' Son. This is the kind of book where you want to thank the author for helping you feel less alone with being alive."
-Jonathan Ames, author of Wake Up, Sir! Wake Up, Sir! and and The Double Life Is Twice as Good The Double Life Is Twice as Good "For beauty, honesty, sheer weirdness, and a haunting evocation of place, Kevin Sampsell is my favorite Oregon writer. Ken Kesey, Chuck Palahniuk-make some room on the shelf."
-Sean Wilsey, author of Oh the Glory of It All Oh the Glory of It All "Embarra.s.sing and honest, heartbreaking and hilarious. A Common p.o.r.nography A Common p.o.r.nography is a great memoir from one of the Northwest's best writers." is a great memoir from one of the Northwest's best writers."
-w.i.l.l.y Vlautin, author of Northline Northline and and The Motel Life The Motel Life "Memory and truth are jagged things, and Kevin Sampsell's memoir-in-vignettes expresses this forcefully. With grit and candor, he marches us through the heartbreak, horniness, and confusion of a West coast boy becoming a man."
-Robin Romm, author of The Mercy Papers The Mercy Papers "Kevin Sampsell's stories are brief incantations, uppercuts to the gut, prose poems given over to the bloodiest realms of the self. It's all here: the emotional squalor, the sweet bite of loneliness. Make no mistake: Sampsell can write like h.e.l.l."
-Steve Almond, author of Candyfreak Candyfreak and and My Life in Heavy Metal My Life in Heavy Metal