Dennis Danvers' Web Site

I’m proud to be part of an innovative show at artspace, zero east 4th street, richmond, va 23224 / 804.232.6464:

Love Gone Wrong in the Smallspace gallery Heartbreak Illustrations
Ten artists illustrate ten authors, an art/text collaboration
curated by Santa Sergio De Haven
poems and stories by Dennis Danvers, Katy Resch, Amira Pierce,
Marie Potoczny, Susann Cokal, Alan Cheuse, Joel Kabot, Angela Apte,
April Sopkin and Katelyn Kiley illustrated by Eric Knight, Josh George,
William Waggoner, Eric S. Pfeiffer, Bob Scott, Rob Ullman, Julia Scott,
Kelly Alder, Robert Meganck and Eliza Childress

Love Gone Wrong – Heartbreak Stories Reading
Friday, February 10th, 7 to 9 pm
Free and Open to the Public

The triple goddess came up in something I’m working on, and mousing around led me once again to my friend Blake:

Just in time for Christmas. Join me and Richmond Noir editors Andrew Blossom, Brian Castleberry, and Tom De Haven at Barnes & Noble Libbie Place this Saturday 1-3 pm. We’re celebrating going into a second printing. Each story in the collection is a noir piece by a local writer set in a Richmond neighborhood. What better way to get to know our beloved city? There’s a handy map of corpses in the front. There must be someone a bit noir on your list? It makes the ideal solstice gift. What’s darker than the shortest day of the year?

Have you read “The Art Disease” yet?  You never know when it might strike someone you love.  Several other victims are publishing their fine work in EV.  Stay tuned:

Electric Velocipede Issue #23
Table of Contents & Publication Dates

October 31 “The Art Disease” by Dennis Danvers
November 7 “Dancing in the Winter Rooms” by David Tallerman
November 14 “Fastening” by Patricia Russo
“The Last Patrol” by Tara Barnett (poem)

November 21 “Fish Out of Water” by Deborah Fitchett
Blindfold Taste Test with Alex Irvine
November 28 Nonfiction: Spec Fic Poetry by John Ottinger
December 5 “A Reason to Fear Life, a Reason to Crave Death” by Andrew Kaye
“Her Mother’s Bees”
“The Girl and Her Cloud” by Alexandra Seidel (poems)
December 12 “The Empire Never Ended” by Brian Trent
December 19 “Through the Uprights” by Richard Butner

I’m delighted to report that after some delays, my story “The Art Disease” appears in the award-winning publication, Electric Velocipede today. EV is making the transition to online from print, and I’m most pleased to be a part of this exciting move.  Here’s the first paragraph, just to get you started…

  Derek and Emily had the art disease, the both of them.  Everyone they knew had it too.  That’s one of the symptoms:  Colonies, clusters, movements, splinter groups, manifestos.  Clumping, the experts call it.  She had a master’s in design and decorated cakes at Food One, not the one on 17^th but the one near the park, open till midnight.  He refused to sell out.  He was determined to support himself with his art….

I loved this movie. Science fiction purists will hate it. If you're the sort of person who wants to see tidal destruction and intricately plausible explanations of the impossible (with explosions), this movie's not for you. It is a given that there is a mirror Earth. You see it over and over in the sky. But the main character, Rhoda, isn't a scientist; she only wanted to be one, was destined for MIT until she fucked up, went to prison, and is cleaning bathrooms. It's her story, her attempt to redeem herself that makes this such a beautiful film. I can't remember the last time I've rooted so hard for a character. Though the science is mostly ignored, the film still captures, it seems to me, the importance another world, another other would be to us, much more profoundly than the usual "harder" sci-fi fare.  Mike Cahill and Brit Marling's script is remarkable, and I won't spoil its surprises.   Marling's Rhoda, however, is the film's treasure.  See it while you can, its run seems to be limited.

_

The schedule for the launch of EV 23 follows. You’ll notice me bringing up the rear. Hope you’ll join me:
August 15
“Through the Uprights” by Richard Butner / Blindfold Taste Test w/Alex Irvine

August 22
“Fastening” by Patricia Russo / “Fish out of Water” by Deborah Fitchett

August 29
“Gray-faced Wench” by Andrew Kaye / “The Last Patrol” by Tara Barnett (poem)

September 5
“Dancing in the Winter Room” by David Tallerman / “Her Mother’s Bees” and “The Girl and Her Cloud” by Alexandra Seidel (poems)

September 12
“The Empire Never Ended” by Brian Trent / “Content TKTK: Speculative Poetry” by John Ottinger III

September 19
“The Art Disease” by Dennis Danvers / “Sampling the Aspic” by Penelope O’Shea

I haven’t had a listen myself yet, so I don’t know if the reader is up to the task of all the accents and dialects there are to be found in this rich collection, but it’s definitely worth a shot. Take it to the gym, listen to a few murders on the subway, give yourself a chill on the elliptical. Visit my fair city in all its noir glory.  Buy it here.

Everyone interested in online fiction, raise your hand, now put it on the mouse or trackpad or device of your choice and go to Electric Velocipede.  The award-winning publication is back in a big way, giving away some truly remarkable fiction.  I’ll have more on EV’s return soon.

My class this summer was plagued with more than the usual difficulties in attendance and getting the work completed on time. They were stretched thin, often carrying too many hours, working too many jobs, worried about money, sleep, illness, debt, etc. If you have some notion of the carefree college student who’s only looking for the next bong hit or keg of beer, you need to update. They’re carrying serious debt to prepare themselves for the crappiest job market in decades. When I went to college, I could put myself through at a public tax-supported university, earning four degrees with very little debt. We boomers had it great, but things have gotten awful stingy for the young now. Personally, I don’t want my taxes cut, so we can raise tuition. Give these kids the same break we had. The kids are alright, but I have my doubts about the stingy older generation.  When we’re old and drooling, we might regret our short-sightedness when there aren’t enough educated professionals to look after our sorry asses.