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Original Essays | November 5, 2009

John Buntin: IMG Notes from the (Bibliographic) Underground



For more than 60 years, Los Angeles's origins, its underbelly, and (yes) its blondes have fueled the imagination of writers and directors from... Continue »
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The Sky Is a Well

by Claudia Smith

The Sky Is a Well Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Lyric and gritty, glowing and graceful, The Sky Is a Well & Other Shorts is a complex and compact collection from Claudia Smith, funny-sad master of the short short form. Evocative of places and times long gone or going, the ephemera of memory and emotion, youth and age, each story unfolds like a song on a concept album — the pieces can stand alone, but together they blend into a seamless whole you'll want to hear again and again. The two-color letterpress covers of this beautiful chapbook were printed at the Museum of Printing in North Andover, Massachusetts, and each copy was saddle-sewn together by hand.

Review:

"Each of Claudia Smith's short shorts is a tilted memory of love and loss....There is a natural accuracy in these brief narratives; the stories are short; her voice is true." Ron Carlson

Synopsis:

The Sky Is a Well and Other Shorts is the winner of the first annual Rose Metal Press short short chapbook contest, judged by Ron Carlson. The chapbook covers are letter-pressed and the binding for each chapbook was hand sewn.

About the Author

Claudia Smith once lived in snowy Vermont. She now makes her home in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Nathen Hinson and her baby boy, William. She writes whenever she can. Her fiction has appeared in print and in a number of online journals.

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
stefanweisman, September 29, 2007 (view all comments by stefanweisman)
This book was printed after the author won the first annual Rose Metal Press chapbook contest. The book itself is beautifully put together, and the writing inside is masterful. I have savored each of these stories by Claudia Smith...she is a true rising star. If you love the short story form, you must get "The Sky is a Well." Buy one for yourself and also get a second to give as a gift to someone who loves good books. Trust me, you will not regret it.
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(5 of 5 readers found this comment helpful)
tennisjc, September 27, 2007 (view all comments by tennisjc)
I did not read the book but, I want to make a comment on the cover and back of book , I have seen the colors used in the letterpressed cover, the design and simplicity are artisticly done in a very old world art of letterpress done by Rebecca Krzyzaniak. I believe the artist who has done the work should be mentioned by name. thanks, from one artist to another, carolyn
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(4 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)
melibars1, September 24, 2007 (view all comments by melibars1)
Ms. Smith is a writer of extrodinary talent. Her stories are just a few paragraphs, but can carry the depth of a much longer work. With themes such as loss, brutality and isolation, the horrors of life seem somehow beautiful when heard through her childlike voice.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780978984816
Publisher:
ROSE METAL PRESS
Copyright:
Edition Number:
First
Publication Date:
July 2, 2007
Pages:
56

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