We are requesting pitches for articles to appear in The High Hat #7 (www.thehighhat.com). We hope to have articles on all the usual subjects (music, comix, literature, politics...) but this issue will feature a special section celebrating the career of director Robert Altman. We welcome pitches on all aspects of his career, from individual movies to career retrospectives. Pieces questioning his reputation as one of the great American filmmakers are also very much welcome.

As always, we will consider all manuscripts, but we would like to encourage greater concision with this issue. Extremely lengthy pieces will be accepted only if they are of astonishing quality.

We'd like to thank Dana Knowles and Tom Block, who originated the idea of a section devoted to Altman, and we'd also like to welcome Paul Hernandez to the editorial board this issue

Email for pitches: highhatsubmissions at gmail dot com. The editorial board is still debating the deadline, but we'll post that sometime reasonably soon (please note: this editorial board defines "reasonably soon" in terms usually reserved for geological events).

After nine long months, You'll All Pay #41

"Roll 'bama!"

[link]

The latest issue of the magazine I work on is at [link] Yes, I did write an interview in it, but I'm equally proud of spotting Jill Khoury's poetic talent in the slush I read and I think the editorial on "disability culture" is also well-written. If anyone here could donate and make me look like a fundraising hero, I'd appreciate it, too.

Wanna help welcome Shrift to Chicago? We will be gathering at Sizzle on Broadway [link] [link] this Saturday at 7pm. A few more details can be found here. If you haven't been in the loop but you'd like to attend let me know (profile addy) so I can get the reservation number correct.

Ecoutez, Boston and environistas!

I'm going to break with tradition this year by premiering the latest book in the Haunted Ballads series on the east coast, instead of the west coast.

Cruel Sister is scheduled to kick off with a reading, signing, and very probably a costume party, at Kate's Mystery Bookstore in Cambridge, Friday, 27 October 2006, time to be officially determined but probably 7:30 PM.

Discuss? F2F thread? Email? Something?

So, because I SO needed to have another non-paying thankless hobby, I requested a column/blog for the Girl Wonder project.

My introductory entry is now up: [link]

The other half of the duplex I live in is going to be available for rent soon. If anyone is interested in a 3 BR/1ba in Benicia, drop me a line. Pets are allowed, it's the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, private backyard (there's a gate between their yard and ours). Benicia is pretty far out from everything, but it is a nice place.

Any Kansas City peeps, I have one free ticket to the Folly Theatre performance of NPR's Wait, wait, don't tell me! On Thursday, June 12. Profile address is good.

Also, the Serenity day festivities are being celebrated at the Screenland theatre on June 23 and 24th if anyone would like to go!

Anyone out there like working with beads?

I have an amazing collection of beads (four compartmented plastic cases full of them), ranging from tiny standard to one-of-a-kind larger pieces. I used to make jewelry, but I can't anymore; the multiple sclerosis and the hands don't like each other much.

Free to first person to e me at profile addy; recipient covers the shipping.

eta: and claimed, splitting between two people.

About a month ago, I shipped out the last of the cookbooks. It looks like at least two people have not received them. If you ordered a cookbook, at any time, and did not receive it, could you please e-mail me at thevwbug at gmail dot com?

Thanks!