When I was in grade school, I read nearly every book in the library’s children section and had to move to the bigger books that were kept upstairs. These days, I just reread A Moveable Feast over and over.

Tina May Hall’s The Physics of Imaginary Objects is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Arise, all loosely connected acquaintances, and purchase this incipient thing!

Another school year ends. Another wave of hopeful graduates. Here’s David Foster Wallace’s excellent commencement address.

I’m in Denver for AWP 2010 and was able to meet the nice people at Thin Air Magazine. Their latest issue is out and includes my story, “Next to My Heart I Keep a Digitally Altered Photo of You.” Thanks to the editors for all the kind words about it. It was also nice to hang out with friends old and new. I hope to see everyone again next year in DC!

A story that has been my record holder for most rejections has at last been accepted for publication. The glorious literary magazine involved will go to press later this month. Perhaps, also later this month, I will go into the West and be nearer this luminous journal.

Tina May Hall’s The Physics of Imaginary Objects has won the 2010 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Here’s the press release to tell you all about it!

The latest issue of Stone Canoe is now available and includes my story “Tell Us About Your Best Kiss.” The launch party was at the XL Projects Gallery in Syracuse—these people know how to roll out a new issue! I was able to chat with the wonderful editors and snag my contributor’s copies. It’s a beautiful journal inside and out—326 pages of talented writers and artists. I am honored to be included among them.

See if you can tell which lines are from all-campus announcements and which are from the apocalyptic novels we read this semester:

Our students are getting sick now in large numbers.

Late yesterday afternoon, a Hamilton student went to the Health Center with flu-like symptoms consistent with the virus.

The student has been isolated in a private room on campus.

Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world.

Arrangements have been made to have meals delivered to his room.

His professors have been contacted.

If the situation worsens faculty may have to make other decisions.

One test has come back positive for the virus.

The students are all being treated as though they have the virus.

If from infancy you treat children as gods they are liable in adulthood to act as devils.

The virus is now widespread throughout the county.

A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever.

We encourage students and advisors to meet when they are recovered to discuss the student’s plans.

Of a thing which could not be put back. Not to be made right again.

Please take care of yourself and stay healthy.

My friend Kamila Shamsie recently returned to Hamilton College and read from her latest novel, Burnt Shadows. The book is getting great reviews everywhere and was short-listed for the Orange Prize. A friend and I endured the international shipping charges in order to get the red sun cover from the UK because, uh, some bookworms are picky.