Twitter-ization has shortened everything: blog posts, book reviews, and friendly communication. Now it’s shortened the already-shortened art of flash fiction.

Author Robert Swartwood coined the literary term “Hint Fiction” this week, describing any story that falls under 25-words, not counting the title. Until April 30th, he’s sponsoring a hint fiction contest—Stewart O’Nan (pictured), the author of “A Prayer For The Dying” and “Songs For The Missing,” will judge the final entries.

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[hint fiction contest]

Real insights into the workings of Red Lobster are found in a novel, “Last Night at the Lobster,” by Stewart O’Nan. I borrowed the book on interlibrary loan from the Grand Forks Public Library. But librarians said the book will be available here. It tells of the equipment in the kitchens, the specific duties of cooks and kitchen helpers. It describes the job of greeters, seaters and servers in all Red Lobsters.

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Hier findet ihr eine neue Fanpage über den amerikanischen Autoren Stewart O’Nan.  Für seinen Erstlingsroman Engel im Schnee, der im Spätherbst 1974 in Butler, einer Kleinstadt im Westen Pennsylvanias spielt, erhielt er 1993 übrigens den William-Faulkner-Preis.

www.stewart-onan.de, a German fansite.

from The New York Times:

What are you working on?

A sequel to my 2002 novel “Wish You Were Here.” After how sad “Songs for the Missing” was, I wanted to write a lighter book. It’s all about Emily, the matriarch of the Maxwell clan, at home in Pittsburgh with her old dog Rufus. She’s 78, so she’s naturally looking back, taking stock, trying to figure out what her life has amounted to (what any life amounts to).

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