Tim Jones-Yelvington


Location Chicago
Occupation Non-profit
Website http://timjonesyelvington.com

About Me

I live and write in Chicago. My work has appeared or is forthcoming in Another Chicago Magazine, Sleepingfish, Annalemma, Pank, Keyhole, Monkeybicycle and others.

My short fiction chapbook "Evan's House and the Other Boys who Live There" is forthcoming in Spring 2011 in "They Could No Longer Contain Themselves," a multi-author volume from Rose Metal Press.

I am guest editing the October 2010 online issue of Pank to feature Queer prose & poetry.

I contribute to the group blog "Big Other" and maintain my personal blog "Ejaculations of a Perverse Adult."

With Megan Milks, I co-host "Uncalled-for Readings," Chicago's "mostly Queer, mostly prose" reading series.

I wear costumes for live readings, and have been dubbed "the Lady Gaga of the Chicago lit scene."

I work for a community foundation that funds progressive community organizers and social justice activists.

Why do you write?

This Dodie Bellamy quote inspires me:

"What I long for in writing is the authentic, whether it's collage, porn, or Alice Munro. By authentic I'm not necessarily talking about verisimilitude or naturalism. Authentic doesn't need to mimic 'real' life. In Bush-hostaged America, 'real' life needs to be questioned at every turn. Something can be highly contrived and still be authentic, if it's upfront in its contrivance. I'm drawn to writing that touches core human issues, how we categorize the world, how we survive the chaos that engulfs us. Gossip as a labor of disenfranchized subjectivity feels rich, as do the cagey subversions of Kevin [Killian's] Amazon reviews. When the ground shifts beneath the reader's feet, even the teeniest bit, this is good. The ground is already shifting. We need to start feeling it. I'm particularly intrigued by writing that addresses the body—illness, ingestion, desire, display, sexual passion, subtle eroticism. The writers I most admire celebrate vulgarity and emotion, and, yes, even sarcasm. By engaging the body in their work, they explore desire, loss, human experience that's often hidden from view."

I've got some "blurbs":

"Like a magnifying glass over ants, Jones-Yelvington hones in on our everyday negotiations of damage and desire, of secrets lost and found and often destroyed by the sharing. Like those ants, his characters almost always get burned, but how brightly they blaze when it happens, and how much more of the world we can see in their glow." --Steve Himmer

"Tim Jones-Yelvington doesn't push the envelope. He kicks the shit out of it." --Roxane Gay

Any favorite authors? Books?

Dennis Cooper, Nicholas Montemarano, Rebecca Brown, Sam D'Allesandro, Kevin Killian, James St. James, Daniel Allen Cox, Derek McCormack, Kyle Minor, Mary Miller, Italo Calvino, Arundhati Roy, Rikki Ducornet, Jeanette Winterson, Toni Morrison, Thomas Pynchon, Amy Hempel, Samuel Delaney, Matthew Stadler, Kuzhali Manickavel, Marcel Proust & many and eclectic others.

Tim Jones-Yelvington's Wall

Khaliah Williams – Feb 23, 2010

Hey there, You probably didn't notice me because I'm not really here. At least I haven't been. I'm giving it a shot though! How are you?

Nora Nadjarian – Dec 07, 2009

Hi Tim! Thanks for commenting on my story "Gardening". I truly appreciate it... and nice to "meet" you. I'll read some of yours.

Doug Paul Case – Dec 07, 2009

Thanks Tim. Just put a quick (unpublished?) story up. How does published/unpublished work around here? I notice yours have all been published before, right?

Rachel Swirsky – Dec 06, 2009

Working my way through your story archive. BTW, do you not hyphenate anymore?

David Erlewine – Oct 28, 2009

Hi, Tim, thanks for the fave. How are you? I've been tweakin on the novel, not checking blogs, etc. Gotta check yours out soon. Hope the writing is going well (I'm sure it is). D

David Erlewine – Oct 08, 2009

YES! Man, I couldn't be happier for you. Can't wait to read "The Lawn Guard." Keep knocking stuff out, brother.

Angi Becker Stevens – Aug 29, 2009

Hi Tim! I'm trying to learn my way around this place...

David Erlewine – Aug 26, 2009

Outstanding...Tim, glad to hear it.

Tim Jones-Yelvington – Aug 26, 2009

Hey Erlewine,

I did! It was great. I found his stories about mental/emotional illness/disability especially strong.

David Erlewine – Aug 26, 2009

Have you gotten your hands on the Adam Haslett collection yet? I know you'r probably reading 90 other things...but thought I'd ask.

David Erlewine – Apr 15, 2009

Hi, Tim, thanks for your note. I just posted Marionettes. Thrilled you like that piece, man.

Sarah Black – Feb 18, 2009

Hi, Handsome

Thanks for the invite

Molly Gaudry – Feb 06, 2009

Thanks for reading "Down at the Dinghy." I really like that one a lot, actually. I wanted to use the names Lionel and Tannenbaum (remember, Boo Boo Glass's married name is Tannenbaum), and I wanted to retell somehow what the original was about -- namely, in my mind, anyway -- missing a parent.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for letting me know!

Lauren Becker – Jan 31, 2009

hey tim: thanks for the nice comment on "the hamburger story." i liked all of yours a lot, too. you're very good with the subject of adolescent angst!

Curtis Smith – Jan 31, 2009

Hey Tim--thanks for the read and comments on my piece. I'll look forward to checking out your work--

Gail Siegel – Jan 29, 2009

Tim! I live in Chicago, too. I work right next door to where the "20 Ways to Stop Corruption..." event is scheduled. I'm the Communications Director for David Orr, the County Clerk. Congrats on landing the job at Crossroads. What a cool job. And thanks for the thoughtful comments. I will definitely make time to read your work.

Molly Gaudry – Jan 27, 2009

I am excited about the reading! Thanks for stopping by GCN, too; I hope it's useful for you in some way. Good luck with the family stuff.

M.

Timothy Gager – Jan 27, 2009

Hey Tim

Nice to see you here.

Molly Gaudry – Jan 26, 2009

Hi, I saw on Duotrope you've had some acceptances recently. Congrats!

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