Happy Birthday To… Us!
by Renee
It’s exciting to see that a publication has staying power, and finding milestones, like birthdays, makes it even more fun. As a year-old publication, The Beat has gotten a great make-over with a new look and format. It’s a lot to celebrate!
We’re also excited about our contributors. So many talented people send us their work. In these updates, we’d like to let our readers get to know a little more about the people whose work has found a home at The Beat.
As a kid, I liked to play the game 20 questions… but for our contributors, I’ve limited myself to 5 questions. Our first contributor to answer my 5 questions is Joe Decker, whose story, “I’ll Love Until L.A.” appears on our site.
5 questions for Joe Decker:
1 & 2. Tell us more about the piece published at The Beat. – and- What are you currently working on?
“I’ll Love You Until L.A.” began almost ten years ago as an assignment in college. It’s the most personal thing I’ve ever written, but benefited greatly from being a story “in the drawer.” I workshopped it endlessly with other friends and writers. Mike Czyzniejewski (Fiction editor of Mid –American Review) was more generous than I should’ve expected. Currently I’m working on a novel set in Germany with all the hallmarks: beer, love, fighting, and a man in a birdsuit.
3. Who/What are you influences?
I grew up reading a lot of mysteries, so I’m a sucker for anti-heroes. Hammett and Chandler, obviously – I was thrilled and repulsed to see Sin City – Frank Miller’s love letter to noir. Jonathan Valin is a writer undeservedly out of print. His books are filled with bastards and losers with good intentions. Carl Hiassen is great and getting better. I love pop culture, music, comics and movies – guys like Kevin Smith or Paul Westerberg who wear their hearts out.
Beyond that, I grew up on John Irving in high school. I have a big soft spot for him. My sister got me hooked on Christopher Moore, one of the hardest working lunatics in the world. And of course Steve Almond is the Monkey King.
4. What’s the last book you read and would you recommend it? (Why or why not?)
I finally got around to Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie. He worked two handfuls of plot threads masterfully, although it went further into Magic Realism than I care. Definitely worth all the acclaim.
5. What’s your favorite food or drink?
Beer, but not the stuff that taste like run-off from Mosanto’s pesticide trucks. Living in Germany spoiled me. I found some Schneider’s Weisse at a little shop. Three ways – spaghetti with Cincinnati chili and shredded cheddar – can’t be beat. Cincinnati chili is like curry soup with a pinch of chocolate. Find some.
Now, can’t you see why we love our contributors?