Checking In With PANK

A: Roxane Gay (PANK): Hi Nicolle. The Fictionaut PANK group is like that scene in a movie where you’re outside and the sky is full of stars, and the air is still. It is a beautiful tranquil scene but then you start to hear crickets and soon the sound of them is deafening. There have been a few duels (one with pistols, the others with swords) and thus far, only one has ended in death. Thankfully, the fallen miraculously rose again, not in three days but five.  Other than that, everyone is playing nicely and sending their stories to the group. We are still thinking through what we want to do with the group. Matchbook has really interesting discussions going on in their group. We have group envy where they are concerned.

Q: Let’s say I had amnesia, how would you explain to me what PANK was all about?

A: If you had amnesia I would try to convince you that I was a mermaid with legs that magically become fins in water. Then I’d tell you an awesome bedtime story about PANK, a little independent magazine run by a couple of people who love words and working with writers and are always looking for writing that kicks a little ass. We also enjoy music. That doesn’t have much to do with PANK but its worth mentioning even though there are few people who don’t enjoy music. I would actually love to meet someone who said, “I hate music. Music sucks.” I expect that immediately after meeting them, I would find a unicorn.

Q: How would PANK like to see Fictionaut running differently if at all? Anything we can do for you? Speak up, we have skin like pineapples.

A: I would love Fictionaut to institute some kind of e-mail notification system so I can know when people are participating in the groups to which I belong. It would make life that much easier. Also, the ability to include images in stories! These are little things really. Fictionaut is great just the way it is. My affection is unconditional.

Q: I heard you had a chapbook contest and that Hobart‘s Aaron Burch won. I hit on him in a cab once. Nice guy. What’s next for PANK?

A: Aaron Burch did win our chapbook contest with his manuscript How To Take Yourself Apart, How to Make Yourself Anew. Next we have our fourth print issue out in January alongside Aaron’s chapbook. We’ll be running our 1,001 Words contest and another chapbook competition next year. We’re doing a joint reading with Dogzplot at AWP 2010 in Denver that will feature many Fictionauts. And of course, we are intent on world domination. How did the cab seduction thing work out?

Q: Anything else you want to tell me here? I can’t take illegal information, sorry.

A: Pink is my favorite color.

Nicolle Elizabeth checks in with Fictionaut Groups every Friday.