Tantra Bensko

Location Berkeley
Occupation I teach Fiction Writing
Website http://lucidmembrane.weebly.com/

Books by Tantra Bensko
  • by Laura Benedict, Pinckney Benedict
    Press 53, 2009.

  • by M., editor Ryals, D., editor Decker
    Anhinga Press, 1989-09.

  • by Tantra Bensko
    CreateSpace, 2011.

  • by Tantra Bensko
    Night Publishing, 2011.

  • by Tantra Bensko
    CreateSpace, 2011.

  • by Tantra Bensko
    LucidPlay, 2011.

  • by Deb (Editor), Nancy (Author)
    Central, 2012.

  • by Tantra Bensko
    CreateSpace, 2012.
    • About Me

    I teach through UCLA Extension Writing Program and my own academy online. MA from FSU and MFA from U. of Iowa, taught in brick and mortar Universities for years.

    Books out, the next one from ELJ in Dec. 2014. Couple hundred narratives in magazines and anthologies, such as Women Writing the Weird I and II, Triangulation:Parch, Surreal South 09, and forthcoming, Strange Little Girls.

    Awards from Iowa Journal of Literary Studies, Medulla Magazine, PunkPen, Cezanne's Carrot, and the Academy of American Poets for a poem in Carolina Quarterly, and nominations for Pushcart from Rose and Thorn, A-Minor, Blue Fifth, Redacted, and Metazen.

    I have promoted Experimental Literature through a resource site, magazine, and press, reviewing. I write non-fiction and genre as well. I have also had extensive art and photography publications, and was Art Director of Mad Hatters Review.

    I live in Berkeley.

    Why do you write?

    I have always wanted to add my voice to further the dialogue of innovative fiction.

    I get inspired by submission calls.

    Want to bring attention to real-world subjects.

    Add some sort of beauty and entertainment.

    Want to explore certain characters, locations, situations, speculations.

    Make money.

    Any favorite authors? Books?

    Kyle Muntz's Sunshine in the Valley, Jonathan Coe's House of Sleep, Calvino's If on a Winter's Night a Traveler, Edmund Caldwell, and Stephen-Paul Martin, Tom Robbins, Paul Barnett, Alissa Nutting, Patricia Catto, Virginia Woolf, Robert Holdstock, John Crowley, John Barth, Jorge Luise Borges, Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Don't Kill the Messenger, Philip K. Dick.

    Tantra Bensko's Wall

    Penny Goring – Jul 02, 2013

    <3

    Amanda Harris – Jun 12, 2013

    Tantra, thanks for reading "Carver". Wasn't sure how that piece would go over so I'm glad you liked it.

    Amanda Harris – May 31, 2013

    Thanks for your comments on "Fat" Tantra. I was in a fitness class at the time I wrote it-and got really annoyed with the constant...well...fat shaming.

    Sara Fitzpatrick Comito – Apr 15, 2013

    Hi Tantra, thanks for the generous comment on Not for Long! I appreciate you reading.

    Deborah Oster Pannell – Apr 02, 2013

    Tantra,
    Thanks for your juicy comment on Mouth Manifesto... :)
    It means a lot!
    Deborah

    Loyola Landry – Mar 27, 2013

    hi, tantra. east bay represent!

    Shawn Misener – Mar 15, 2013

    Thank you for the "oh my!", it really made my day, and seems to be the typical reaction to this story. I appreciate the visit.

    Susan Gibb – Mar 15, 2013

    Tantra, I absolutely love magical realism and such oddities and this story was just so well done, and the mother/daughter relationship is just so powerful and believable. Super nice.

    Gary Percesepe – Mar 15, 2013

    tantra, yo--

    thanks for reading my stuff

    we know berkeley--we love berkeley--we miss berkeley

    carry on

    g

    J.A. Pak – Mar 12, 2013

    Thanks so much for commenting on "miranda"!

    Sara Fitzpatrick Comito – Mar 08, 2013

    Hi Tantra, I'm happy you enjoyed the energy in "7 years for us." Thanks for the comment!

    Gary Hardaway – Mar 05, 2013

    Thank you for reading and commenting on "On Enterprise Eve", Tantra.

    Gone – Feb 28, 2013

    Thanks for your comment on "Language". Much appreciated :)

    Kenny Mooney – Jul 30, 2012

    Thanks so much for the very kind feedback on 'The Drowning Man', I really appreciate you taking the time to read and comment.

    Jerry Ratch – Jul 26, 2012

    Thanks, Tantra!
    (I live in the Rockridge!)

    Gloria Garfunkel – Jul 26, 2012

    Thank you so much for your kind comment on Pig Girl. I enjoyed your wonderful, quirky story Sounds.

    Gloria Garfunkel – Jul 26, 2012

    Thank you so much for your kind comment on Pig Girl. I enjoyed your wonderful, quirky story Sounds.

    Michael Gillan Maxwell – Jun 25, 2012

    Hi Tantra! Thanks for taking the time to read "Passing the Last Buoy" and for your comment. much appreciated! I'm looking forward to reading your work.

    Bill Yarrow – Jun 22, 2012

    Thanks for reading and commenting on "Under Commiseration," Tantra. I appreciate it very much!

    Alex M. Pruteanu – Feb 20, 2012

    Thank you so much for your kind words on my story.

    See ya – Feb 16, 2012

    Such a fine thing, you reading my recent story and saying something about it. Thank you very much.

    Marcus Speh – Dec 27, 2011

    tantra, thank you for your comment on "For Carol". i really appreciate it. i also enjoyed your interview in htmlgiant. cheers from berlin, marcus

    Ann Bogle – Dec 18, 2011

    Thanks, Tantra, for your long comment, very helpful for me in understanding the story's effect, on "Animals in Reverse."

    Meg Pokrass – Dec 18, 2011

    thank you for your observation! big help to me, woman. thank you thank you. xo

    Christopher Allen – Nov 15, 2011

    Hey, Tantra! Thank you for your comment on "The Shoes..." Appreciated. Hope you're doing well. Chris :)

    Joe Sullivan – Oct 20, 2011

    Thanks for the great comment on my poem this morning. I'm interested to check out your writing, your site and Exclusive Magazine.

    Meg Pokrass – Sep 23, 2011

    thank you again and again for your nice support here!

    Jerry Ratch – Sep 23, 2011

    Thanks again, Tantra!

    Meg Pokrass – Sep 20, 2011

    Tantra thank you for nice comment on "Throwing Back" and when you say "made me smile" it is a very good feeling! xo

    Myra King – Sep 20, 2011

    Thanks Tantra, I really appreciate your comments.

    Christopher Allen – Sep 13, 2011

    Tantra, thank you for commenting on two of my stories in the last few hours. Sweet. And. Sweet. :)

    Jen Knox – Sep 13, 2011

    Thank you so much for the comment on my story! I just checked out your site, and Lucid Membrane looks awesome. I plan to read it soon. I love the interactive nature of it... So, so cool.

    Jerry Ratch – Sep 13, 2011

    Thank you, Tantra! Appreciated!

    Tom Allman – Sep 13, 2011

    Thank You for your kind comments on my poem "entwined". I had envisioned two shapeless lovers one white and one black fading into gray. When I put it on paper it didn't quite like I wanted it to. Actually it's the fourth poem I've ever written, and I'm enjoying it very much. Thank You.

    M – Mar 28, 2011

    I'm so glad you're on Fictionaut, Tantra. Thank you for reading and commenting on loon. I look forward to enjoying more of your work. Best - Meg

    Bill Yarrow – Mar 28, 2011

    Thanks, Tantra, for your comment on the Translator poem.

    Stephen Carter – Mar 27, 2011

    Hi Tantra, thanks for reading my story and for the thoughtful comment. I'm not on Fictionaut much these days so im glad i caught it. Your magazine sounds interesting by the way...i'll check it out. Cheers.

    Cherise Wolas – Mar 27, 2011

    And thanks for the fave on Ping Pong!

    Cherise Wolas – Mar 27, 2011

    Tantra, thank you kindly for reading a number of my stories here on fictionaut - much appreciated. I so liked your comments.

    Have you read the rest of Coe's books? Really terrific. Right now reading Herta Muller - won Nobel Lit Prize in 2009 - reading The Appointment - and am entthralled.

    Susan Tepper – Mar 26, 2011

    Tantra, welcome to here! Thanks very much for reading my pieces
    Chocolates and Identical. Look forward to seeing your work!

    Tantra Bensko – Mar 26, 2011

    thanks, Cherise. I have other stories up here on my page invisibly hovering until time to let them take out to run wild and free.

    i used House of Sleep as an example when teaching a writing class. incredible book.

    congratulations on the new revised publication.

    Cherise Wolas – Mar 26, 2011

    Tantra, Thanks for finding and commenting on Unpacking Sentences! A different version of it is to be published shortly in Thunderclap! Press. Also, House of Sleep is a favorite of mine as well! I look forward to reading your work.

    Tantra Bensko – Mar 26, 2011

    Jennifer Bowles decided to dedicate an issue of Medulla Review to Prosetry, and Lucid Fiction, the genre I came up with, and asked me to co-edit. So, please send us your submissions, according to guidelines. It's exciting seeing people finding their niche in Lucid Fiction. More prosetry, though, please. Think poetic language, word-driven prose, musical, beautiful, not line break poetry, but something delicious please.

    Tantra Bensko – Oct 02, 2010

    I'm looking for some New Wave Fabulism for the next issue of Exclusive Magazine, at http://experimentalwriting.weebly.com/exclusive.html

    it needs to be something not published elsewhere, such as here, once it is accepted.

    i'm looking for stories that do something different that simple fabulism, become self reflexive, address the reader, tackle complex concepts, explore consciousness, play with non linearity, consider the whole self of characters including past and parallel lives, auras, subconscious and higher self, etc.

    Marc Lowe – Aug 01, 2010

    Hey, Tantra. Congrats on the "Gone Lawn" publication. Nice to see you here as well.

    ~m

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