Carol Novack

Books by Carol Novack

Giraffes in Hiding: The Mythical Memo...

by Carol Novack

Spuyten Duyvil, 2010.

About Me

I was raised in a beach hood in Queens, NY, went to University of Rochester for BA (Chinese Lit) and not long after moved to Sydney, Australia, where I was a biggish writer fish in a smallish pond - won grant and published a poetry chapbook.

Eventually, after returning to NY, I became a criminal defense and constitutional lawyer (famous 1st Amendment win for visual artists: Bery v City of New York). Went for a third degree (MSW in community organizing)and suddenly returned to my first love, writing.

Published my first full-length book (a collection of oddities) Sept 2010 (see link above; http://www.spuytenduyvil.net/fiction/giraffes.html), which is garnering terrific feedback. I've made headway in what could be a novel called "The Fallen Bassoonist." However, that opus, as well as an unfinished novella "Beautiful Hair," are on the shelf, along with a fictional thang I'm writing with Tom Bradley. Soon to return!

Other stuff about moi: well, it's all at http://booktour/author/31642.

see google

see

Interview: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Joe-Milford-Show/2009/08/22/Joe-Milford-Hosts-Carol-Novack

Interview: http://www.rimbaud.org.uk/interviewsnovak.html

Interview with track from my CD (at cdbaby):
http://belinda_subraman.podOmatic.com/entry/2008-05-31T08_54_48-07_00

http://www.myspace.com/madhattersreview

Interviews & Reviews of CD:
http://www.outsiderwriters.org/content/view/319/1/
http://www.eclectica.org/v11n4/janus.html

Interview 7/10/08: http://www.kellyspitzer.com/

Interview of Moi wearing Tophat:
http://www.webdelsol.com/PortalDelSol/pds-interview-mhr.htm

Interview of Moi as alleged litblogger:
http://emergingwriters.typepad.com/emerging_writers_network/2007/06/e-panel-litblog.html

tracks from CD Inventions II:
http://www.myspace.com/madhattercarollers

readings with & without music at http://www.apostrophecast.com and many other sites.

A few journals that have published or will publish my work: American Letters & Commentary, Action,Yes, Big Bridge, Caketrain, Fiction International, Del Sol Review, Diagram, Drunken Boat, elimae, Exquisite Corpse, Gargoyle, Journal of Experimental Fiction, Jivin' Ladybug, Knock, La Petite Zine, Mississippi Review, Necessary Fiction, Newtopia,Orphan Leaf Review, New Dead Families, Pindeldyboz, Sein und Werden, LIT, Newtopia, Notre Dame Review, Retort, Salt Flats Annual, Salt River Review, Scythe, Segue, Sein und Werden, Word Riot, 5_trope, First Intensity, Opium, Otoliths, Overland, Meanjin, Smokelong Quarterly, Tears in the Fence, Lamination Colony, Wheelhouse, Word Riot, a Romanian journal and a French journal (in translation). Anthologies include The &Now Awards: The Best Innovative Writing; Diagram III, The Penguin Book of Australian Women Poets, Online Writings: The Best of the First Ten Years, and Heide Hatry: Heads and Tales.

Why do you write?

I get an image or concept or a few words that dance and then I let myself ride the waves. The process is magical when I can access it. Writing is what I love to do. But revising is 9/10 of the process much of the time, though not always.

I'm not interested in writing by "story" rules and wringing emotions out of readers via sympathetic characters that make "sense." I'm neither a minimalist nor a "realist." I mainly write rhythm-driven, poetic/musical/lyrical narratives. Some call me experimental. I just write from my gut/s, both heart and mind.

Any favorite authors? Books?

Beckett, D. Barthelme, Rilke, Don DeLillo, early Merwin, Berryman, Roberto Bolano, Joy Williams; also, Austen, Hardy, de Maupassant, Kafka, Camus, Yeats, friends of mine who are excellent writers. Many more . . . I love the experimental, irreal, poetic, rhythmic, musical, metaphorical, dada-esque, absurd, beautifully poignant, playful, surreal and satirical.