ASF Celebrates Its Fall Issue With a Free and Cozy-Sounding Event

The cover of the new American Short Fiction is swathed in a budded tree and autumnal colors – a tease of the season to come. Sure, it's still too soon for sweater weather, but we'd like to think of the ASF's outdoor reading tomorrow night, in celebration of their Fall issue, as unofficial kickoff to the season.

Tomorrow night's event held in the backyard of Kelty Christman, a setting that ASF editor Jill Meyers promises should make the evening "a little more intimate and friendly." (She also assures us that there will be plenty of space for all: Christman, a founding member of Paella Lovers United, frequently holds paella cookoffs in her backyard.)

The evening's program includes music from misc. diskette, followed by readings from actor Gabriel Luna and writers Nina McConigley and Josh Weil, who both have stories in the latest ASF. (Weil has also received great notices for his new novella collection The New Valley.)

The free event takes place tomorrow (9/18) night from 7-9:30pm at 2811 Vernon Ave. Light refreshments will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring food and drink to share, as well as their own blanket or camp chair for the reading. And you should think about bringing a light sweater, too. Just in case. For more info, go here. And be sure to RSVP here.

Oh, and while we're on the subject, ASF has started taking submissions for their annual short story contest, judged this year by Rick Moody. Check out the guidelines here.