TRACKS

Sun Also Rises on Lit & Art’s 2012 Season

2012-01-25T12:18:00.000-08:00

The sun has risen on the new year. This weekend, the sun also rises on the 2012 Lit & Art Reading Series. The next Lit & Art takes place on Sunday, January 29 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Watermark Gallery.

Featured readers include Toby Devens, Charles Rammelkamp, and Nik Korpon. Returning readers include Lauren Beth Eisenberg and Meg Adams.

The original works of resident artist Manzar will be on display and available for purchase. Books by the authors will be available. Complimentary wine and refreshments will be served, and audience members will have a chance to share their own work during the open mic session.

The event takes place from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 29 at The Watermark Gallery, located in the Bank of America Center Skywalk Level, right across from the Inner Harbor, at 100 S. Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland. The phone number is (410) 547-0452.

Started in October 2007, the Lit and Art series provides a unique opportunity to sample a wide variety of artistic sensibilities in one sitting. Hosted by authors Eric D. Goodman and Nitin Jagdish and the Watermark Gallery’s resident artist, Manzar, the events are free and open to the public.

Come experience “the best excuse to get lit in Baltimore on a Sunday afternoon.” Learn more about the Lit and Art reading series and other literary events at http://www.writeful.blogspot.com/.

Washington Review of Books: “Gripping”

2012-01-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

Every review Tracks has garnered has been a positive one. The one exception is a mixed review that came from Washington Independent Review of Books.

The reviewer compares Tracks to Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio, Elizabeth Strout’s Pulitzer-prize winning Olive Kitteridge, and Jennifer Eagen’s A Visit from the Goon Squad, which won every literary prize from the Pulitzer to the National Book Critics Circle Award. Some tough comparables.

Although she has a bone to pick with what she considers to be one story’s “happy ending” (most readers and reviewers considered it sad and bittersweet), she had a number of good things to say about the book.

“Goodman writes with an appealing directness and attention to detail. The strongest vignettes drew me into the characters’ experiences even when they happened long in the past. In one, an elderly woman is overwhelmed by memories of an earlier train ride when, as a child, she was taken in a packed boxcar, fouled by human waste, to a Nazi prison camp. Goodman brings the boxcar scene to vivid and horrifying life …”

“The best vignette … is that of a young soldier on leave from fighting in Afghanistan. He has just lost his girlfriend because he refused her pleas to leave the Army and repudiate the war. Now he is filled with sadness and confusion about the country and the cause for which he is fighting. Goodman’s war scenes, including the deaths of the soldier’s two closest friends, are gripping …”

Read more at Washington Independent Review of Books:

http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/bookreview/tracks-a-novel-in-stories/

Five Stars from Booked Up

2012-01-20T08:57:00.000-08:00

Tracks has sailed across the Atlantic, picking up a five star review from the popular British book blog, Booked Up!

Tracks received the highest rating offered by the blog: “5* - I loved it - a brilliant book that for me has it all.”

Here’s some of what Booked Up had to say about Tracks:

“The passengers represent a real cross-section of society, from the soldier who is questioning the morality of the war he has fought and the widowed Holocaust survivor to the computer nerd turned criminal and the hit man with a job to carry out on board. There are couples looking for lifelong happiness and wondering how to achieve it, and others cheating on their partners.”

“I was so drawn to some of the characters and could entirely identify with the situations they were dealing with. Others who fall way outside anything I know were well depicted ... I felt I could picture them all. It was interesting to see how different travelers were dealing with similar situations in very different ways, and to see how brief encounters could impact on their lives.”

“I loved this book, the subject matter and the style, unfussy yet beautiful. Well worth a read!”

Read the whole review at Booked Up:

http://tc-bookedup.blogspot.com/2011/11/book-review-tracks-novel-in-stories-by.html

New eReader? Get Tracks!

2012-01-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

The Kindle Fire — not eReaders in general but the Kindle Fire on its own — was the #1 best-selling, most gifted, and most wished for product across the millions of items available on Amazon since its introduction more than 15 weeks ago. More than a million Kindles were purchased per week in December. Add to that all of the other eReaders out there, from the Nook to the iPad, and we’re talking a lot of devices!

With so many eReaders sold over the holidays, just imagine how many eBooks are selling now. Everyone’s looking for content for their new devices!

Look no further! If you’re looking for a good book to load to your new eReader, get Tracks! Tracks was designed to be easy to read both in print and electronically. What’s more, if you buy Tracks as an ebook, you can get it for about half the retail price of the printed version!

It’s only $7.69 at Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Tracks-ebook/dp/B005AZV8RO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326814483&sr=1-1).

And only $7.99 directly from the publisher at the Atticus Online Bookstore (http://atticusbooksonline.com/online-bookstore/ebooks/tracks-a-novel-in-stories-epub).

While you’re at the Atticus bookstore, you’ll want to stock up on some other great titles too.

So add Tracks to your eReader, and enjoy the ride!

Ready to Reset?

2012-01-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

For many, the new year is a time for renewal. But for Gene Silverman, resetting his life is something he sometimes needs to do out of necessity — whether to avoid the mob or dodge a hit man.

Get a taste of Gene Silverman, one of the characters from Tracks: A Novel in Stories, by tuning into The Signal tonight at 7 or Saturday at 1 p.m.

The program airs on Baltimore’s NPR station, WYPR on 88.1 FM. For those further afield or with conflicting schedules, it’s also available online at www.wypr.org/stationprogram/signal.

I’m closing out this week’s program with a reading of an abridged version of “Reset” from Tracks.

As WYPR puts it: “Novelist Eric D Goodman brings us the story of a computer-geek-turned-criminal who finds himself on the run from the mafia.”

Check it out at www.wypr.org/stationprogram/signal.

Get Your First Fiction Fix on NPR

2012-01-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

In the mood for a little audio fiction? Tune into Baltimore’s NPR station, WYPR on 88.1 FM or online at www.wypr.org to listen to my first fiction reading of 2012.

I’ll be reading an abridged version of “Reset,” a story from Tracks, on The Signal.

The Signal is a weekly radio magazine that explores Maryland’s thriving artistic and cultural scene. It airs on Friday at 7 p.m. and again Saturday at 1 p.m. It’s also available online at www.wypr.org, where you can listen live or to a podcast.

Check it out at www.wypr.org.

Broken Pencil Brakes for Tracks

2012-01-09T05:22:00.000-08:00

Another positive review for Tracks, this one from Broken Pencil.

The reviewer describes Tracks as “a collection of stories set on an overnight train heading west from Baltimore to Chicago, filled with a mix of young and old passengers who feel optimistic for the expedition ahead and hardened by the past left behind.”

Here’s a bit more of what the reviewer had to say:

Once everyone's introduced, the real fun begins. Two characters drunkenly end up in a cabin together, while on the other end of the train a cat-and-mouse game breaks out between a runaway mob member and his pursuing hit man. At times, Tracks feels like an episode of The Sopranos on VIA Rail, particularly since the mafia story arc - the one Goodman spends most of the novel crafting - is by far the highlight.

The review concludes: “…the writing makes for a great ride.”

Enjoy the ride at www.TracksNovel.com

Baltimore Looms Large in Debut Novel

2012-01-06T09:52:00.000-08:00

Sometimes if you blink, you miss some good ink! Did you happen to see the press release at Online PR Media about Tracks? It was released late last year and is all about the Baltimore presence in Tracks: A Novel in Stories.

From the release:

John Waters might be Baltimore’s most famous resident and “The Wire” may serve well as a seedy introduction to outsiders, but Baltimore was noteworthy long before “Hairspray” and David Simon. Creative types have used Baltimore’s rich literary history and colorful characters in their work for years. Now local writer Eric D. Goodman gives the city’s homes and haunts a moment in the spotlight.

Read the press release and see the portrait of an anguished author on the tracks at Online PR Media.

http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/168995-1316111129-baltimore-looms-large-in-debut-novel.html

Writing Resolutions in Writers Weekly

2012-01-04T08:36:00.000-08:00

For my first post of 2012, a rerun! But an appropriate one, given the time of year.

Writers Weekly is the highest-circulation freelance writing ezine in the world. This time last year, they started the year by featuring my story, “Resolutions Worth Writing About.” The article focuses on writing-related new years resolutions and how to increase your chances of accomplishing them.

In the story, I gave my own writing resolutions for 2011. How did I do?

1. To actively promote my novel, TRACKS, which is being published by Atticus Books this summer. CHECK PLUS!

2. To actively promote my children's book, Flightless Goose, which is in stores now. CHECK

3. To allow myself a couple writing retreats during which my main focus is writing fiction. CHECK

4. To send out at least one short fiction submission each month. Well ... I'll work on that in 2012.

Read the story in the most recent issue of Writers Weekly, at the link below.

www.writersweekly.com/this_weeks_article/006484_01052011.html

Radio Reading Between Christmas Tunes?

2011-12-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

Whether you’re planning your road trip to Grandmother’s house or you’re spending hours next to the tree wrapping gifts, chances are you’re spending a little time listening to the radio sound system.

Are the holiday songs beginning to drive you nuts? But you don’t have time to sink into an audio book during your family drive or gift-wrapping session?

Here’s a solution for you! How about a short, refreshing burst of fiction from NPR? I have seven lucky Tracks readings that aired on WYPR’s The Signal. Each one is between 10 and 15 minutes or so, set to music and sometimes even sound effects. You can listen to any or all of them at www.tracksnovel.com/radio.html.

In a nutshell, here’s the audio assortment. And note that you don’t have to download them—just click the link and hit the “play” button.

Mountain of Sand
A poet tries to find his muse on the train in a story NPR describes as "a tale about the limits of luck and the curse of easy fame."
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/98472/Mountain_of_Sand

Prewitt's Plans
Despite his diligent planning, Prewitt finds that his best-laid plan may be to put aside his daily planner.
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/76670/Prewitts_Plans_from_TRACKS

A Good Beer Needs a Good Stein
A couple relearns a valuable lesson as they focus on a collectible beer stein and all it represents.
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/76668/The_Silences_from_TRACKS

The Silences
A love story, of sorts, about a young couple and the silences slithering between them.
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/76673/The_Silences

Reunion
Returning to Baltimore to take care of the death of her parents, Joan doesn't want to become the head of the family. She wants to lose herself in love.
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/84379/Reunion

One Last Hit
An aging mobster contemplates his initiation into a life of crime as he works his way out of it.
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/76676/One_Last_Hit

Futures
Christi must make a decision on the train: leave her boyfriend and Baltimore or turn down a future career in Chicago.
http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/89787/Futures%20from%20Tracks

More fulfilling than an eighth rendition of “Jingle Bells.” Less time commitment than the audio version of War and Peace. Escape that fifth play of “Christmas Shoes” before you turn to a Scrooge! Tune into www.tracksnovel.com/radio.html

This Holiday Season, Buy Local

2011-12-16T09:21:00.000-08:00

Holiday shopping can be stressful. Let me make it easy for you. Buy Tracks for the readers and train enthusiasts on your gift list!

People often ask me, where should I go to get a copy of Tracks? I usually tell them the easy and obvious places where most people go these days: my publisher’s online bookstore (http://atticusbooksonline.com/books/tracks) and Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Tracks-Stories-Eric-D-Goodman/dp/0984510575).

But then I encourage them to help support local business and to buy Tracks locally. If you live in the Baltimore are, here are some of the shops that have Tracks in stock now:

The Ivy Bookshop

Cyclops Books

Barnes & Noble – Towson

Greetings & Readings

The Watermark Gallery

Minas

Atomic Books

Ukazoo Books

York Emporium

Politics & Prose

That’s just a few. In fact, any bookstore can sell you a copy of Tracks; if they don’t have it on the shelves now, ask them to order a copy for you and a few to stock.

If you prefer online shopping, Atticus and Amazon (links above) are good places to check out. You can find some of them at http://www.tracksnovel.com/buy-now.html

And don’t forget—if you do decide to order Tracks online in time for the holidays, there’s just a few more days left to get free shipping in time for Christmas at some online retailers!

Learn more about Tracks at www.TracksNovel.com

Baltimore Jewish Times on Tracks: "Structural Genius”

2011-12-14T16:14:00.002-08:00

Last week, the Baltimore Jewish Times gave a stellar review to Tracks: A Novel in Stories in their “Must Read” section, in print and online. Here’s a little of what reviewer Gila Heller wrote about Tracks …

… Goodman expertly weaves the characters in and out of each story. In addition to its structural genius, “Tracks” boasts a creative cast of characters …

…. Goodman manages to work plenty of action into the slow-moving train …

Throughout, Goodman’s voice is observant and authoritative. He draws the reader’s attention to rich details, providing a glimpse into the lives of each character.

Baltimore natives will especially love Goodman’s descriptions of local scenery and architecture, but the story can captivate any interested reader.

Read the full review in last week’s Baltimore Jewish Times at the link below.

http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/book_reviews/tracks_a_novel_in_stories/

Baltimore Jewish Time on Tracks: "Structural Genius” and “Creative Cast”

2011-12-14T16:14:00.001-08:00

… Goodman expertly weaves the characters in and out of each story. In addition to its structural genius, “Tracks” boasts a creative cast of characters …

…. Goodman manages to work plenty of action into the slow-moving train …

Throughout, Goodman’s voice is observant and authoritative. He draws the reader’s attention to rich details, providing a glimpse into the lives of each character.

Baltimore natives will especially love Goodman’s descriptions of local scenery and architecture, but the story can captivate any interested reader.

Read the full review in last week’s Baltimore Jewish Times at the link below.

http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/book_reviews/tracks_a_novel_in_stories/

I’ve Never Read Anything Quite Like Tracks

2011-12-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

Erin Reads is a popular literary blog with the goal of bringing good books to live by bringing them to readers. Recently, Erin Reads read Tracks and offered some thoughts on the book. Having read her write-up about Tracks, I have to say: she really got it!

Here’s a little of what she had to say about Tracks:

The way Goodman subtly shifts back a few hours or jumps ahead a little in time has the neat effect of creating that sort of discombobulated feeling you get while traveling on long-distance public transportation, that sense that you’re somehow apart from the outside world, in transition, as you make your way from one place to another. Very effective.

Goodman also lets his characters observe one another. With each new story the reader experiences, another piece of the puzzle falls into place. The next time a character visits the lounge car or passes someone in the aisle, there is an ever greater chance of it being someone we’ve already met, one of the stories we’ve already read. This casual layering of perspectives is extremely well done and rather delightful to experience.

I think my favorite part of Tracks was how it makes you realize everyone has a story. Each story would have worked on its own, but together, linked by the thin thread of the train, they amount to something bigger than the sum of the parts. Goodman accomplished this masterfully in Tracks.

Erin obviously put a lot of time and thought into her musings about Tracks. Read more of them (and more of her thoughts on other books) at Erin Reads.

http://erinreads.com/2011/10/thoughts-on-tracks-by-eric-d-goodman/

The PA Leg of the Tracks Tour

2011-12-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

It’s a sunny Pennsylvania weekend for Tracks with two events lined up in the Keystone State.

Lancaster

Catch Tracks at Books-A-Million in City Park Mall, Lancaster, PA, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. I’ll be signing copies of Tracks and talking to customers about trains. Joining me for the event is Loree Lough, author of more than 80 books with more than 3 million copies in print!

Philadelphia

This Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., Tracks will make it’s debut in The City of Brotherly Love. I’ll be the featured reader at the “Hidden River Arts Live” Gallery and Salon. The event takes place at The Foremost Building, 525 South 4th Street, Suite 255, in Philadelphia. This event is the opening reception for the work of artists Warren Keyser and Robert Panzullo. Live, improvisational musical theatre will be provided by the folks of Suggestical: The Musical.

Event organizer Debra Leigh Scott has a suggestion: “consider buying Eric's book as a gift, or buying a painting, and providing the gift of art to yourself or a loved one!”

Both events are FREE and all are welcome.

Make Tracks For Lancaster This Saturday

2011-12-07T14:54:00.000-08:00

This Sunday I’ll be reading from Tracks in Philadelphia. But on the way to Philly, Tracks will be making a stop in Lancaster.

Catch Tracks at Books-A-Million in City Park Mall, Lancaster, PA, from 1 to 4 p.m. I’ll be signing copies of Tracks and talking to customers about trains.

Joining me for the event is author Loree Lough, the author of more than 80 books.

More than 3 million copies of her books are in circulation! That’s a lot of books.

But don’t worry—there are still plenty available to buy at Saturday’s event. And just in time for the holidays.

Learn more about Loree at her website.
www.loreelough.com

Learn more about Tracks at my website.
www.TracksNovel.com

Tracks Stops in Philly

2011-12-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

This Sunday at 1 p.m., Tracks will make it’s debut in The City of Brotherly Love.

I’ll be the featured reader at the “Hidden River Arts Live” Gallery and Salon. The event takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. at The Foremost Building, 525 South 4th Street, Suite 255, in Philadelphia.

This event is the opening reception for the work of artists Warren Keyser and Robert Panzullo. Live, improvisational musical theatre will be provided by the folks of Suggestical: The Musical.

And, as event organizer Debra Leigh Scott describes, “Writer Eric Goodman will be reading from his highly acclaimed collection of related stories TRACKS.”

And Debra has a suggestion: “consider buying Eric's book as a gift, or buying a painting, and providing the gift of art to yourself or a loved one! This event is FREE and all are welcome.”

Don’t miss Tracks in Philly, along with some great art and music!

www.meetup.com/Hidden-River-Arts-Live/events/43353592/

What You Can Do with a NaNoWriMo Novel

2011-12-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

Tens of thousands of writers attempted to write a novel during National Novel Writing Month in November. Thousands crossed the finish line to complete a manuscript of 50,000 words or more. Now, what can you do with it?

In a nutshell? Rewrite it. Revise it. Edit it. Make sure it’s the best book it can be. Then start looking for an agent and editor.

That’s what I did. It took me a month to write that first draft of Tracks, then a few years to take the spillage and sculpt it into a novel I could pitch to agents. The result? Representation by one of New York City’s top ten agents! (See Daily Top Ten at www.dailytop10.net/top-10-literary-agents-in-new-york-part-1.)

And a book deal with Atticus Books! (http://atticusbooksonline.com)

But it all started with a month of intense writing, as you can read in Ally E. Peltier’s story about the beginnings of Tracks as a NaNoWriMo novel.

Here’s a snippet from her article:

Eric began writing Tracks five years ago, during NaNoWriMo. He wrote about 60,000 words that year, then went on to add and subtract stories, rewrite and revise, until he had a final draft ready to take to publishers. “The nice thing about NaNoWriMo,” Eric says, “is that you’re forced to write even when you’re not sure you have it all figured out. And for a first draft, that’s good. Tracks is a different, and better, book than that original draft. But the original draft helped make it possible.”

She also uses Tracks to teach some writing lessons, such as the importance of staring small, reading other writers, avoiding traps like procrastination and perfection-seeking.

Read Ally’s article about Tracks and NaNoWriMo, published in her monthly newsletter, at the following link.

http://www.allypeltier.com/blog/2011/11/success-story-eric-d-goodman/

Steinbeck Calls Tracks “Terrific”

2011-11-30T09:09:00.000-08:00

Thomas Steinbeck may be writing in the shadow of a great cypress (Nobel Laureate John Steinbeck), but he also wrote In the Shadow of the Cypress. And Down to a Soundless Sea.

Just this month, his third book of fiction, The Silver Lotus, was published by Counterpoint. With advance praise from Publisher’s Weekly and T.C. Boyle, the publisher sold out of the first print run within two days!

I’m honored to say that Steinbeck read Tracks — and liked it! In fact, he called Tracks “a terrific collection of stories.”

Steinbeck also wrote, “Short stories are often an under-appreciated art form. In Tracks, Eric D. Goodman takes the craft to the level of art. An exciting talent.”

Thomas Steinbeck knows a thing or two about writing good stories. His first book of fiction, Down to a Soundless Sea, was a collection of short stories.

Learn about Thomas Steinbeck and his books at his website.

http://www.thomassteinbeck.com/

Flightless Goose Lives

2011-11-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

At Thanksgiving, families everywhere have turkey on the mind. Gilbert, the flightless goose, thanks you for that.

Although my focus this year has been on Tracks: A Novel in Stories, goose fans everywhere will be happy to know that Gilbert is alive and well.

In fact, earlier this year, our publisher sent me (the author) and Nataliya (the illustrator) on a book tour to Chicago where we presented Flightless Goose to three different schools in Chicago, and to a childrens’ hospital. We even did an interview for a local television station and appeared on the television show “Storytime with Dot!”

On the heels of the Chicago tour, we did a month-long blog tour for Flightless Goose. I appeared on a number of “mommy blogs” in support of Flightless Goose. You can find some of the reviews and interviews from the month-long blog tour at the links below.

http://www.untrainedhousewife.com/help-your-child-cope-with-bullying-with-flightless-goose-a-review

http://livingatthewhiteheadszoo.blogspot.com/2011/06/flightless-goose-virtual-book-tour-june.html

http://flipflopreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/flightless-goose-virtual-book-tour-stop.html

http://www.confessionsofapsychotichousewife.com/2011/06/blog-tour-review-flightless-goose-by.html

http://www.spanish4kiddos.com/2011/06/flightless-goose-virtual-book-tour-and.html

http://www.intentionalconsciousparenting.com/2010/10/childrens-book-review-flightless-goose.html

http://kathrynmcgowan.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-flightless-goose.html

http://www.stowedstuff.com/2011/07/flightless-goose-author-is-here.html

http://www.lifeas5.com/2011/07/interview-with-flightless-goose-author.html

http://www.lifeas5.com/2011/06/flightless-goose_23.html

http://www.mommyblogexpert.com/2011/07/flightless-goose-virtual-book-tour-kids.html

http://www.prettyopinionated.com/2011/07/book-tour-and-giveaway-the-flightless-goose/

http://www.ourfamilyworld.com/article/flightless-goose-book-review-gilbert-the-goose-has-a-zest-for-life/

http://www.ourfamilyworld.com/blog/2011/07/11/flightless-goose-book-tour-interview-with-eric-d-goodman-and-giveaway/

http://www.ourfamilyworld.com/blog/2011/08/09/gilbert-the-goose-giveaway-win-a-100-back-to-school-prize-pack/

http://www.frugalityisfree.com/2011/11/flightless-goose-by-eric-d-goodman.html

http://raisinglittlesaints.blogspot.com/2011/07/flightless-goose-virtual-book-tour-for.html

http://adventuresinallthingsfood.blogspot.com/2011/06/flightless-goose-book-review.html

http://www.graceandme.com/2011/07/friendship-friday-flightless-goose.html

http://en.paperblog.com/flightless-goose-book-review-and-giveaway-48874/

http://www.simplystacie.net/2011/07/book-review-giveaway-flightless-goose-ww/

http://stinkylittlefeet.com/2011/07/27/its-a-giveaway-its-a-book-review-its-a-chat-with-an-author-its-gilbert-the-flightless-goose/

http://www.joysautismblog.com/?p=2597

As a result of the blog tour and Chicago tour, Gilbert has garnered quite a few new friends. More than 5,000 fans “like” Gilbert on the Flightless Goose Facebook page. You can too!

http://www.facebook.com/flightlessgoose

You’ve visited the blog posts; you’ve friended Flightless Goose on Facebook. Now, enjoy some recreation at the Flightless Goose website.

www.FlightlessGoose.com

And top it off with a visit to the original website: www.RunGoose.com.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Goodmans and the Goose!

B&O Railroad Museum Presents Tracks

2011-11-18T07:49:00.000-08:00

Tracks: A Novel in Stories takes place on Amtrak’s Cardinal Line — a train traveling from Penn Station in Baltimore to Union Station in Chicago. It travels along the old B&O line of tracks. And the book even features the old B&O headquarters (now a train-themed Hotel Monaco) as well as the B&O Railroad Museum.

So the next event was a match meant to be: Tracks @ the B&O Railroad Museum!

I’ll be talking about trains and Tracks, and signing copies of my book at the museum this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can find me docked at Bay 14/15.

The B&O Railroad Museum calls Tracks “A great gift for the fiction reader or train lover!”

Enjoy a day at the B&O Railroad Museum. While you’re there, stop by Bay 14/15 to talk trains and get your own autographed copy of Tracks!

Learn more about this and other train events at the B&O’s website calendar of events.

http://www.borail.org/Calendar-bo.aspx

Find out more about the B&O at the museum’s main page.

http://www.borail.org/

Find out about other Tracks events at the novel’s website, where you can also read excerpts, reviews, endorsements, listen to NPR readings, and more.

www.TracksNovel.com

All Aboard for the B&O Railroad Museum!

Train Songs and Stories Tonight

2011-11-16T09:07:00.000-08:00

Tonight’s the night! If you like trains, music, books, drinks, or parties, you’ll want to be at Cyclops Books and Music tonight! We’ll be enjoying “A Night of Train Stories and Songs @ Cyclops” from 7 to 10 p.m.

The lineup includes readings from my novel in stories, Tracks, set on a train traveling from Baltimore to Chicago. I’ll be joined by other authors and poets with train-themed readings: Lauren Beth Eisenberg, Holly Morse-Ellington, Virginia Crawford, Danuta Hinc, Eric Campos, Jessica Gregg, and Shirley Brewer.

Live train songs will be performed by local band Red Tractor Factory.

Rail drinks (or at least beer and wine) will be served, as well as tea and coffee.

Oh, and everything is free—the readings, the music, the drinks, and the entire party. Everything but the books; those will be for sale. (It is a bookstore, after all.)

Join us tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. for A Night of Train Stories and Songs @ Cyclops Books & Records.

Learn more (and chime in) at the Facebook event page.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=227546907304518

Or visit the evite page.

http://new.evite.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fb_share_widget&utm_content=fb_link&utm_campaign=invite#view_invite:eid=0064AAPMTMDWJMM5WEPBB4ISFUU43Y&gid=fb

A Night of Train Stories and Songs at Cyclops

2011-11-14T09:48:00.000-08:00

If you like trains and you happen to be in the Baltimore area, you’re in luck—this Wednesday was made for you.

Join us at Cyclops Books & Music this Wednesday at 7 p.m. for “A Night of Train Stories and Songs.”

I’ll be sharing excerpts from Tracks: A Novel in Stories. Local band Red Tractor Factory is performing live train songs, both original and covers. And some of my friends and fellow writers from the area will share their own train stories and poetry, including readings from Lauren Beth Eisenberg, Holly Morse-Ellington, Virginia Crawford, Danuta Hinc, Eric Campos, Jessica Gregg, and Shirley Brewer.

We’ll also enjoy a playlist of train songs in the background as we mingle on the train theme, and rail drinks (or at least some beer and wine) will be served on the house.

The event is free and open to the public.

It’s a bookstore, so copies of Tracks and (thousands of other books) will be available.

Join us Wednesday at 7 p.m. for A Night of Train Stories and Songs @ Cyclops Books & Records!

Learn more (and chime in) at the Facebook event page.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=227546907304518

Giles House Reading Dedicated to Medal of Honor Recipient

2011-11-11T07:39:00.000-08:00

This autumn, I was honored to be a featured reader at the historic Janice Holt-Giles House in Adair County, Kentucky as part of the “Kentuckians Reading Kentuckians” festival. The event took place on September 17. No, I’m not from Kentucky, but I was invited to participate due to my ties to the area.

That same week, local Adair County resident Dakota Meyer became the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in nearly 40 years. President Obama presented him with his Medal of Honor on September 15.

To honor that historic event, changed my original reading selection from Tracks and decided to read an excerpt from the story “Freedom.”

“Freedom” is a story from Tracks about a soldier who returns home after a tour in Afghanistan for some R&R before his tour in Iraq. He has not escaped the war—it wages in his mind and in his interactions with those he loves most.

Here’s an excerpt:

Even with all the people around him on the train, Joe was alone. Memories of Wu, McMurphey, Manning, and Bi’nh echoed in his mind the way the train echoed when it passed through a dark tunnel. There had been the good parts to the visit: holding her, loving her, her face nestled against his chest, his lips on the warm part in her silky black hair. Still, something had died between them during this visit as surely as his friends had died at his side in Afghanistan.

Learn more about the Janice Holt-Giles House and the Kentuckians Reading Kentuckians festival, visit the Giles Society website.

http://www.gilessociety.org/

Read about Dakota Meyers in Kentucky Magazine.

http://www.kentucky.com/2011/09/13/1879627/green-county-native-to-receive.html

Learn more about Meyers and the Medal of Honor at CBS.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/18/60minutes/main20107640.shtml

An early, alternate version of the story “Freedom” was serialized in the monthly newsletter Coloquio, and then republished in serial form at Gather. Begin installment one at the link below.

http://books.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977061477

Or read the final version of “Freedom” in Tracks, available in print and online!

www.TracksNovel.com

Greetings & Readings Book Fest Benefits Habitat for Humanity

2011-11-09T08:53:00.000-08:00

This weekend, Greetings & Readings in Hunt Valley celebrates its annual Book Fest! More than 20 local authors will be on hand and ready to talk with you, and sign their books.

The event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. at Greetings & Readings, Hunt Valley Towne Centere, 118-AA Shawan Rd., Hunt Valley, Maryland.

I’ll be there with copies of Tracks, as well as train-themed free gifts! Other featured authors include D.L. Wilson, Elizabeth Letts, and Al Betz.

A portion of the day's book sales will go to the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Learn more about the G & R Book Fest 2011 at their website.
http://www.greetingsandreadings.com/events/book-fest

Pre-order Tracks at their website and an inscribed, signed copy will be waiting for you when you arrive!
http://www.greetingsandreadings.com/show?product.tracks

Next Week is Train Week

2011-11-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Interesting, how some things seem to come in threes. Next week, there’s an engine, boxcar, and caboose of train-related events. It’s already got some people calling it the unofficial Train Week in Baltimore.

The Engine: Train Week gets started with Blood on the Tracks at Cyclops Books & Music on Sunday, November 13 at 8 p.m. Activist Brian Willson brings his extraordinary story to Cyclops for an unforgettable night of history, horror and hope—and he also brings copies of his new book, Blood on the Tracks.
www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=185466228202347

The Boxcar: A Night of Train Stories and Songs @ Cyclops takes place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 16. I’ll be reading excerpts from Tracks: A Novel in Stories. Friends and fellow writers will share their own train-themed stories and poems, including Holly Morse-Ellington, Shirley J. Brewer, Lauren Beth Eisenberg, Eric Campos, and Danuta Hinc. And live train songs will be performed by Red Tractor Factory. Free rail drinks will be served, and the party includes social time with a playlist of train songs and conversation.
www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=227546907304518

The Caboose: Tracks at the B&O Railroad Museum. Come visit the B&O Railroad museum on Saturday, November 19 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and stop by bay 14/15. I’ll be stationed there with a display for Tracks. We’ll enjoy some train talk, and I’ll sign copies of the book the B&O Railroad Museum calls “a great gift for the fiction reader or train lover!”
www.borail.org/Calendar-bo.aspx

Next week is full of train events. Woo-hoo!

Midwest Book Review—Fascinating and Recommended Read

2011-11-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

Midwest Book Review has offered a glowing book review of Tracks: A Novel in Stories.

Established in 1976, Midwest Book Review has been reviewing books for 35 years. Here’s what they had to say about Tracks.

"The overarching story of life is forged by many stories.”Tracks" is a series of short stories crafted by Eric D. Goodman as he brings together a novel forged from these smaller tales. With a unique concept and entertaining writing about a passenger train going to Chicago from Baltimore, "Tracks" is quite a fascinating and recommended read."

Learn more at the following link.

http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/oct_11.htm#Fiction

Get your copy of Tracks here!

www.TracksNovel.com

Last Rites on Halloween Eve

2011-10-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

The Last Rites reading series takes place on the evening before Halloween—the last Sunday of October. As the event coordinator says: “The only thing scarier than Halloween is missing these great readers.”

The readers include Mike Young, Sid Gold, Wayne Hoffman, and yours truly. I’ll be reading an abridged story from Tracks: A Novel in Stories.

The event takes place this Sunday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Baltimore Hostel in Mt. Vernon, 17 W. Mulberry St.

Learn more about the event and the readers at the following link.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=114155625360560

York Book and Paper Fair

2011-10-26T10:36:00.000-07:00

The York Book and Paper Fair takes place this Saturday, October 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Conference Center, 2000 Loucks Rd., York, Pennsylvania.

For more than 25 years dealers and connoisseurs of rare & antiquarian books, postcards, maps, posters, comics, records and related collectibles have come together for a day of appreciation and, perhaps, a bit of haggling. This will be the 56th York Book and Paper Fair.

While you’re there, look for me and I’ll give you some free Tracks swag—a magnet, postcard, or other paper product.

Learn more about the event, see a cool picture of a train, and even get a click and print coupon for discounted admission to the fair all at the link below.

http://www.yorkbookandpaper.com/web-content/index.html

Harvest Some Atticus Author Activity

2011-10-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

This harvest season, the authors of Atticus Books are getting around. The month October has been (and is still) full of readings, signings, festivals, reviews, discussions, publications, and other exciting literary activities.

Find out what John Minichillo, Steve Himmer, Alex Kudera, Matt Mullins, JM Tohline, Tommy Zurhellen, and yours truly are up to by browsing the latest blog post from Atticus publicity gury Libby O’Neill at the Atticus Books website.

http://atticusbooksonline.com/atticus-authors-on-the-move-october-2011

Enjoy a Quick Snippet from the Rails

2011-10-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a reader just needs a good snippet from a book to whet the whistle. That’s the idea behind Indie Snippets, a blog devoted to offering snippets of new novels from independent presses.

If you’re in the mood for a quick snippet from Tracks: A Novel in Stories, here’s the one they published — a passage which examines how not all wordsmiths like to write.

Enjoy this snippet — shorter than a commercial, but more fulfilling.

http://indiesnippets.blogspot.com/2011/07/from-tracks-novel-in-stories-by-eric-d.html

Interview Published in Potomac Review

2011-10-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

The Potomac Review, the literary journal published by Montgomery College, recently interviewed me about Tracks and writing in general. You can read the entire interview, “Following Tracks,” at their website.

http://potomacreview.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/following-tracks-an-interview-with-author-eric-d-goodman/

Here’s a sampling …

Potomac Reiew: Tracks: A Novel in Stories brings together characters with disparate backgrounds and interests. Why did you decide to write a novel in short stories?

Eric D. Goodman: When I wrote the first few stories from Tracks, I didn’t realize I was writing a novel in stories. They just happened to all take place on trains. It was around that time that I read Joan Silber’s collection of linked stories, Ideas of Heaven: A Ring of Stories and then Now You See It … Stories from Cokesville, PA. I fell in love with the concept and decided to try to do the same with these train stories. Since I started about five years ago, the format seems to have taken off with such books as Olive Kitterige and A Visit from the Goon Squad and Here Comes Another Lesson. It’s a format I’d really like to revisit.

Read the full interview; visit the Potomac Review online.

http://potomacreview.wordpress.com/2011/09/13/following-tracks-an-interview-with-author-eric-d-goodman/

Tea with Tracks this Saturday Afternoon

2011-10-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

If Words & Wine aren’t your thing (see previous post), stop by Constellation Books on Saturday afternoon for Tea with Tracks.

Constellation Books is located at 303 Main Street in historic downtown Reistertown. As part of their regular tea with authors reading series, I’ll be cozying up with bookstore customers from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

Enjoy a cup of tea and some refreshments as I read excerpts from Tracks, followed by a literary discussion and high tea.

Find out more about Tea with Tracks at the Constellation Books blog.

http://constellationbooks.blogspot.com/2011/10/tracks-author-tea-this-weekend.html

Tracks Supports Library at Words and Wine Event

2011-10-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

Mingle with fellow book-lovers in the library stacks; engage in conversation with local authors; sip on wine varietals provided by The Wine Bin in historic Ellicott City; savor gourmet cheeses and desserts; listen to jazz guitarist Bob Margolis. It’s all happening at the 6th annual author reception to benefit the Catonsville Library.

The Friends of the Catonsville Library will host “Words & Wine” on Friday, October 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. More than a dozen authors from the area will share their work and have books available for sale and signing. Featured authors include Michael Collier, Louis Diggs, Tom Flynn, James MagGruder, Madeleine Mysko, and Eric and Nataliya Goodman.

These authors will be happy to chat with you, and to sell and sign copies of their books. Tracks: A Novel in Stories and Flightless Goose will both be available.

Tickets to this popular event are $25 and will be available at the Catonsville Library (1100 Frederick Road, Catonsville) or at the door. This year’s proceeds will be used to conserve historic documents in the Catonsville Room.

Take a look at the poster to learn more about the event. Hope to see you there!
http://www.bcpl.info/sites/default/files/pdf/friends_ca_special_wordsandwine_2011.pdf

Savvy Mailbox

2011-10-11T04:49:00.000-07:00

Savvy Verse and Wit is a popular literary blog “dedicated to all literary and poetic works.” One thing the Wit delivers is book reviews.

Each Monday Savvy Verse and Wit opens its mailbag to share some loot. Guess what made the Monday mailbox recently? Tracks: A Novel in Stories.

Check out the Monday mailbox at Savvy Verse and Wit, and stay tuned for a review coming soon …

http://savvyverseandwit.com/2011/09/mailbox-monday-145-and-library-loot-7.html

Have You Seen the Press Kit?

2011-10-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

In February, Atticus Books put together a press kit for Tracks: A Novel in Stories. The kit, available in glossy print and online, features a press release announcing the publication of Tracks, some of the advance praise received at that point, and links to more information—such as radio podcasts, published excerpts, sample lines from each story in Tracks, video interviews and book trailers, and a list of upcoming readings, signings and events.

All of those links are updated regularly, so they’re as valid to you today as they were to the press in February. If you haven’t seen it, check it out at the link below!

Next event: a reading, signing, and televised interview about Tracks, with musical talent by the cigar-box guitar king Sane Speal, at the York Emporium from 5 to 7 tonight!

What better way to prepare for tonight than by looking over the Tracks press kit?

http://atticusbooksonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Goodman-Press-Release-032311.pdf

Five Train Stories Worth Riding

2011-10-05T05:28:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was a guest blogger on C.M. Mayo’s popular writing blog, Madam Mayo. I was invited to write about five train stories—a list including both movies and books.

As I wrote for the post: “The train is a wonderful setting for a story. Trains are mysterious, exciting, and always in motion, the setting virtually unset. Strangers on a train are placed side by side to share a journey into the unknown, and in many cases, by the end of the line they are no longer strangers. Movies, novels, stories; adventures, comedies, mysteries—genres and themes as diverse as the passengers on a train. There are hundreds, but here are five train stories worth riding.”

What are the five train stories included in the post? You may know some; others may surprise you. Check them out at http://madammayo.blogspot.com/2011/07/guest-blogger-eric-d-goodman-5-train.html.

Make Tracks for York's First Friday

2011-10-03T09:24:00.000-07:00

Every first Friday of the month in York, Pennsylvania the city features festivities throughout the nation’s first capitol—and some of the best acts are booked at York’s independent bookstore, The York Emporium.

For October’s first Friday, I’ll be reading from Tracks: A Novel in Stories. The York Emporium event takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. and will feature live music, a reading from Tracks, and refreshments. I’ll be doing a live television interview during the event.

Read more about October First Friday at York Weekend.
http://ydtalk.com/weekend/2011/10/02/october-first-friday-fall-harvest-jazz-wine-and-cheese/

Check in at the York Emporium’s Facebook page.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-York-Emporium/56235580344?ref=s

Learn more about this and other upcoming Tracks appearances on the Tracks site.
http://www.tracksnovel.com/appearances.html

Tracks is Haute

2011-09-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

Talent in Motion magazine ran a review of Tracks in their summer issue.

The review describes Tracks as “a novel of stories about people whose lives are connected when they take a train from Baltimore to Chicago. The tales are as diverse as the characters on the train. Each of their chance encounters shed a closer understanding to … why we are stronger by the stories we share. Who we are and what we do with life’s uncertain circumstances make us better human beings... or not...”

Talent in Motion magazine is a glossy print magazine that reports on fashion, beauty, theater, movies, television, travel, nightlife, and books.

Tracks did not make the cover, usually reserved for a hot model. But here’s what Talent in Motion had to say about the cover of Tracks: “The Tracks cover was designed by Jamie Keenan, who has worked on covers for such authors as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King, H.G. Wells and George Orwell, amongst many others.”

Check out Talent in Motion magazine (and some of their recent covers).
http://timmag.com/tim.html

Read their review of Tracks!
http://www.timmag.com/Summer11/pdfs/Page_54.pdf

Tracks @ Max's

2011-09-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Tracks @ Max’s, the official release party for Tracks: A Novel in Stories, is happening on Tuesday, September 27 in Max’s new Notre Passion side bar. The party runs from 5 to 8 p.m., after which it may spill over into one of the main bar areas. Light fare will be served.

Your first drink is on us; RSVP by midnight tonight for a free drink ticket! The event coincides with happy hour, which means $1 off most draughts.

Max's Taphouse is located at 737 S. Broadway, in the center of historic Fells Point. With 140 beers on tap, 5 cask ales, and 1,200 bottled beers in stock, Max’s has Baltimore’s best beer selection.

Max’s is featured in Tracks: A Novel in Stories, making it an ideal setting for the release party. And a book with a story called “A Good Beer Needs a Good Stein” belongs at an establishment known for its good beer.

Tracks: A Novel in Stories was released by Atticus Books on June 30. It takes place on a train traveling from Baltimore to Chicago. Copies will be available at the release party.

How often can you get your books and beer in the same location? Hope to see you there; it’s sure to be a fun ride!

Tracks @ Max’s evite:

http://new.evite.com/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=fb_share_widget&utm_content=fb_link&utm_campaign=invite#view_invite:eid=0064AARBSZ35RYIKCEPA3AAUIDKQOA&gid=fb

Tracks @ Max’s Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=172256029518172&view=wall&mid=4d4a0b1G289a11b9Gff75f93G23&bcode=2cTqkpWN&n_m=edgewriter%40gmail.com

Baltimore Book Fest Underway Now

2011-09-23T08:15:00.000-07:00

Rain or shine, lit-lovers are in for a festive weekend. What many people in the local literary community refer to as our “literary new year” is here: The Baltimore Book Festival.

The book fest began today and is already underway. It runs through Sunday and offers a little bit of lit for everyone. The event is free and fun!

As a part of the festival, the “Lit & Art at the Watermark” series will bring fiction, poetry, non-fiction, live music and original artwork to the Baltimore Free School Lit and Language Tent on Saturday, September 24 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Featured readers include
Katherine Cottle, Barbara Morrison, Liz Mozer, Holly Myers, Rick O’Connor, Fernando Quijano III, Nitin Jagdish, and Sally Whitney. The Lit and Art house band Red Tractor Factory and Manzar will provide music. There’s even an open mic session, so bring five minutes of your own work to share, and be prepared for a short sample from Tracks.

http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/event-detail/158/Lit-&%20Art%20&%20You

Chime in on the event’s Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=259032807452195

Then, on Sunday at 3 p.m. join me, Susi Wyss (The Civilized World) and Dave Rosenthal (The Baltimore Sun) as we discuss the novel in stories as a format, and read from our own debut novels in stories. As the festival’s website puts it, “Books by two Baltimore writers have recently been published that are described as "a novel in stories": Eric D. Goodman's Tracks and Susi Wyss's The Civilized World. Join Eric and Susi for a reading and discussion about the form, which seems to be back in vogue.”
http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/event-detail/21/Novels-in%20Stories

Chime in at the event’s Facebook page here:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109402892495986

These events, and the Baltimore Book Fest as a whole, have gotten lots of ink in The Baltimore Sun, City Paper, and in the media. Here are a couple of recent shout outs.

CBS Baltimore:
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2011/09/19/connecting-readers-and-authors-16th-annual-baltimore-book-festival/

CityLit Project:
http://www.citylitproject.org/index.cfm?page=news&newsid=98

Note that Tracks, my novel in stories, will be on sale throughout the weekend at Cyclops Books, next to the CityLit Stage. Catch me at one of my events and I’ll be happy to sign your copy. And look—my very own Baltimore Book Fest author’s page!
http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/participants/author/178/Eric%20D.-Goodman

Learn more about the Baltimore Book Festival and all it has to offer at the festival’s official website at www.baltimorebookfestival.com.

Or, just stop by!

Lit & Art at the Baltimore Book Festival

2011-09-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

What many people in the local literary community refer to as our “literary new year” will be here before you know it: The Baltimore Book Festival takes place on the weekend of September 23-25 and offers a little bit of lit for everyone. The event is free and fun!

As a part of the festival, the “Lit & Art at the Watermark” series will bring fiction, poetry, non-fiction, live music and original artwork to the Baltimore Free School Lit and Language tent on Saturday, September 24 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Started in October 2007, the Lit and Art series provides a unique opportunity to sample a wide variety of artistic sensibilities in one sitting. The program will feature series regulars Katherine Cottle, Barbara Morrison, Liz Mozer, Holly Myers, Rick Connor, Fernando Quijano III, Nitin Jagdish, and Sally Whitney. The Lit and Art house band Red Tractor Factory and Manzar will provide music.

Come experience what has been called “the best excuse to get lit in Baltimore on a Sunday afternoon.”

Learn more about the Baltimore Book Festival and all it has to offer at the festival’s official website at www.baltimorebookfestival.com.

You can also learn more about the Lit & Art event at www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/all-events.

Learn more about this and other literary events at www.Writeful.blogspot.com

Visit the Watermark’s online gallery at www.manzar.net.

Historic Giles House Features Tracks

2011-09-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

Ending a week-long writing retreat in the hills of Kentucky, I’ll be reading from Tracks tomorrow at the historic Giles House.

The festivities begin at 9 a.m. Central (10 a.m. Eastern) and run through 3 p.m. Central. Authors and poets from Kentucky or with a Kentucky tie will read from their works.

Stop in tomorrow and see me and other authors share our work. After my reading, stop by my booth to chat. I’d be happy to sign a copy of Tracks for you. Here’s more information:

http://columbiamagazine.com/index.php?sid=46687

If you’re not in the area, here’s a taste of the Bluegrass State: my appearance on the From the Inkwell radio talk show from Louisville, KY.

http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/101904/Tracks_on_From_the_Inkwell

Podcast of the Inkwell Interview

2011-09-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

This week, I’m on a writing retreat in the countryside of Kentucky. What better time than now, in the midst of the Bluegrass State, to share the podcast of my interview on From the Inkwell, the literary radio program in Louisville, Kentucky?

From the Inkwell is a literary talk show hosted by author and poet Sheri Wright. Each week Sheri sits down and talks writing with a guest author. For the broadcast that aired on September 3, that author was me. Now, that broadcast is available as a podcast.

Tune in at the link below for a literary conversation. Sheri and I talk about writing, where stories come from, how they evolve, and why we write. She also asks me to share a few excerpts from Tracks: A Novel in Stories. The program lasts about an hour, so grab a cup of coffee or a rail drink before tuning in.

http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/101904/Tracks_on_From_the_Inkwell

Falling in Love with Reading

2011-09-12T07:35:00.000-07:00

Most people who love to write first fell in love with reading. I’m included in that group, and was invited to write an essay on the topic for Three Guys One Book.

3G1B runs an ongoing feature of “When We Fell in Love” essays written by authors who write about how they fell in love with reading.

Read my own essay and learn how I fell in love with reading. Whether you favor Steinbeck or Seuss, it may remind you of your own budding love affair with the written word.

http://threeguysonebook.com/when-we-fell-in-love-eric-goodman

Word Trains Put Words in Motion

2011-09-09T08:37:00.000-07:00

Here’s a new sort of train. Check out the “word trains” crossing the screen in this book trailer produced by Gary Wood for Tracks: A Novel in Stories.

Like a train, like the book, it starts slow and steady and builds until you can’t even read everything that crosses the screen. And that’s sort of the point. You almost have to watch it more than once to take it all in.

That’s easy to do since it clocks in at only a minute. So take a minute now and catch the word train!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y24JMa4F5kE

Novels in Stories at Baltimore Book Fest

2011-09-07T10:18:00.000-07:00

The novel in stories has been around for a long time in one form or another. But in recent years, with novels in stories winning Pulitzers and National Book Awards, it seems that the form is making a big comeback.

Perhaps that is why the CityLit Stage decided to host “Novels in Stories” hour at the Baltimore Book Festival. As the festival’s website puts it, “Books by two Baltimore writers have recently been published that are described as "a novel in stories": Eric D. Goodman's Tracks and Susi Wyss's The Civilized World. Join Eric and Susi for a reading and discussion about the form, which seems to be back in vogue.”

http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/event-detail/21/Novels-in%20Stories

“Novels in Stories” at the Baltimore Book Festival’s CityLit Stage, takes place on Sunday, September 25 at 3 p.m.

Learn more about Susi Wyss, whose book was picked as a book to watch by Oprah, at her website.

http://www.susiwyss.com/

And here’s my page on the Baltimore Book Fest website.

http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/participants/author/178/Eric%20D.-Goodman

JMWW—Fascinating Cast of Characters

2011-09-05T06:46:00.000-07:00

The popular literary journal JMWW recently published a review of Tracks: A Novel in Stories. Here’s what they had to say …

“… a fascinating cast of characters … Goodman’s voice is gentle as he explores motivations and interactions. The scenes in these stories expand to include all kinds of human fears and sorrows, regrets and grateful joys.

“Managing a large cast of characters is not an easy task, but one that Goodman accomplishes with ease. The characters interact throughout, creating a seamless narrative out of their different tales.

“Tensions mount as inner and outer conflicts come into play. Incidents from each story increasingly affect the outcome of the others, as the connections between the characters, however transitory, become stronger."

Read the entire review at the following link. In fact, while you’re there, take a look at some of the original fiction, poetry, and art in the latest issue.

http://jmww.150m.com/Goodmanrev.html

Friday Night Fiction Podcast

2011-09-02T14:54:00.000-07:00

It’s Friday—how about some Friday night fiction? No reading necessary—just sit back and listen to an abridged story from Tracks this podcast from Baltimore’s NPR station, WYPR. It’s called “Mountain of Sand,” and it’s about 15 minutes, set to music.

“Mountain of Sand” was originally broadcast on WYPR’s The Signal the day after Tracks was released by Atticus books. The podcast is available now at the following link.

http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/98472/Mountain_of_Sand

Get your fix of Friday night fiction! Should you listen in the front seat, listen in the back seat, listen on your living room couch—which seat should you take?

http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/98472/Mountain_of_Sand

From the Inkwell

2011-08-31T09:16:00.000-07:00

From the Inkwell is a literary talk show hosted by author and poet Sheri Wright. Each week Sheri sits down and talks writing with a guest author. This coming Saturday, September 3, that author is me.

Tune in on Saturday, September 3 at 1:00 p.m. for a literary conversation. Sheri and I talk about writing, where stories come from, how they evolve, and why we write. She also asks me to share a few excerpts from Tracks: A Novel in Stories. If you’re in Louisville, KY, you can listen live at 1 on Crescent Hill Radio, 1650 AM. If you’re not, you can tune into From the Inkwell online at http://www.crescenthillradio.com.

Words and Trains on Video

2011-08-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

It may be a little late to share a “teaser trailer” for a book that has been out almost two months. So consider this a trailer for one of the upcoming events, like the Baltimore Book Festival.

If you like words and trains, check out how producer Gary Wood put them together in this short teaser trailer for Tracks: A Novel in Stories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvvgXaMjnOY

Maryland Life's Summer Reading List

2011-08-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

School starts next week here in Baltimore. That signals the coming end to summer. Quick, get in on some fun summer reading before the season ends!

A great place to start is the Summer Reading List published by Maryland Life Magazine. I was happy to see that Tracks: A Novel in Stories was on the short list!

Climb aboard this compilation of stories set on a train from Baltimore to Chicago. Each story is told from the perspective of one of the passengers. The cast of characters includes a soldier, a salesman, a former mobster, a Holocaust survivor, a couple in love, a woman grieving her parents, a poet, and a hit man. The stories stand alone but link together to form a cohesive, exciting novel.

Coincidentally, I also happen to be featured in the anthology that made their must-read list.

See Maryland Life’s Summer Reading List here:

http://www.marylandlife.com/blogs/around-maryland/summer-reading-list

Making Tracks on NPR

2011-08-24T09:31:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, Tom Hall interviewed me about writing, literature, and Tracks: A Novel in Stories. Our 10 minute discussion aired on Maryland Morning, the popular radio program from Baltimore’s NPR station, WYPR.

Here’s how Maryland Morning described the segment:

Eric Goodman is a Baltimore writer who recently published his first novel. It’s called Tracks, and it examines the personal stories of passengers on a train traveling from Baltimore to Chicago. Tom talks with Goodman about the book and how it came to be.

If you missed the broadcast on 88.1 FM or at www.wypr.org, here’s your chance to listen to it on your schedule. The podcast is below.

http://mdmorn.wordpress.com/2011/08/16/81620113/

Check Out the Baltimore Book Fest

2011-08-22T13:55:00.000-07:00

Looks like the Baltimore Book Festival—the Mid-Atlantic’s largest celebration of the literary arts—already has a library full of events on the schedule. It takes place September 23, 24, and 25 from noon to 8 p.m. at Mt. Vernon Place. Take a look at www.baltimorebookfestival.com.

There are more than 100 authors and participants on this year’s lineup, including Sherman Alexie, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Terry McMillian, Laura Lippman, Susi Wyss, and many others. You can see the complete lineup here:

http://www.baltimorebookfestival.com/participants/participants-category/2/presenting-authors

I’ll be busy with two gigs at this year’s book fest.

On Saturday evening, stop by as the Lit & Art reading series presents an expanded program, Lit & Art & You, featuring fiction, poetry, nonfiction, memoir, live music, original art, open mic, and refreshments. It takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Baltimore Free School Lit + Language Tent. See all of Saturday’s events at the following link.

www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/saturday

On Sunday I’ll join Susi Wyss at the CityLit Stage to talk about Novel in Stories as a form. Susi will read from The Civilized World and I’ll read from Tracks. The reading and discussion takes place from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn more about it and all of Sunday’s events at this link.

www.baltimorebookfestival.com/schedule/saturday

Whether you can make one of my gigs, be sure to enjoy part of the Baltimore Book Festival where you’ll find books, readings, discussions, plays, food, drinks, music, and lots of literary fun. See you there!

www.baltimorebookfestival.com/participants/author/178/Eric%20D.-Goodman

ForeWord Magazine—A Compelling Novel

2011-08-19T07:55:00.000-07:00

Another positive review, this one published in ForeWord Magazine, which reaches 26,000 librarians and book buyers. Here’s what ForeWord had to say about Tracks: A Novel in Stories in the July/August issue.

“Like a collection of one-act plays, each scene is a tightly scripted vignette highlighting the life of a single character. And while each chapter of the novel is a standalone story, characters have roles to play in several. “The author has a knack for easily and quickly evoking a sense of place, here deftly describing the seasonal life in Baltimore's Inner Harbor: "In the humid days of summer, descending from the hill into the harbor was like sinking into a familiar hot tub."

“The literary device of having the principal characters launched on a journey is well established, calling to mind examples as divergent as Chaucer and Zane Gray. If not done well it can be a cliché. Goodman handles the device deftly and the result is a compelling novel.”

Read the full review of Tracks in the online version of ForeWord Magazine below.

http://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/tracks/

Tune Into NPR's Maryland Morning Today

2011-08-16T03:39:00.000-07:00

Tune into NPR’s Maryland Morning on Tuesday, August 16 for a segment about Tracks: A Novel in Stories. It airs around 9:30 on Baltimore’s NPR station, WYPR, 88.1 FM. For those out of range, you can tune in at www.WYPR.org.

Tom Hall interviews me about writing, the Baltimore literary scene, research, trains, and Tracks: A Novel in Stories. The interview lasts about 10 minutes and should broadcast between 9:30 and 10 a.m.

Tune in Tuesday at 88.1 FM or www.WYPR.org.

Pen In Hand Features The Conductor

2011-08-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

It’s not too late for a little summer reading. So sit back and enjoy some short bits of fiction in the summer issue of Pen In Hand.

“The Conductor,” a short excerpt from Tracks: A Novel in Stories, was published in the summer issue of Pen In Hand. You can find “The Conductor” on page six, along with a story by Sonia Linebaugh.

Pen In Hand is the official newsletter of the Maryland Writers’ Association and is published quarterly.

See the summer issue at the link below—and skip to page six for the fiction.

http://marylandwriters.org/PenInHand/2011-Summer.pdf

If you’d like to read more about the Conductor and his passengers, read Tracks: A Novel in Stories. It’s available in print and as an eBook for you Kindle, Nook, or other electronic reader. Find out more at www.TracksNovel.com

Nathan Leslie—Tracks is a Tour-de-Force

2011-08-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

Author Nathan Leslie knows a thing or two about short fiction collections—he’s written six of them, including Believers, Madre, and Drivers. He’s also the fiction editor for The Pedestal Magazine, has been editor for two anthologies, and teaches creative fiction at Northern Virginia Community College. Here’s what the prolific fiction expert had to say about Tracks.

“Eric D. Goodman's scintillating first novel-in-stories travels along several parallel plot-lines, introducing the reader in mesmerizing fashion to men and women and the train tracks which serve as the object of their reflections and obsessions. Tracks is a tour-de-force, mirroring in its original structure perhaps train tracks themselves. The Westward expansion of our country, the grind of the daily commute, urbanization, the Holocaust—Goodman encapsulates all of this, so much of history and contemporary living. In the process, Goodman captures something almost ineffable—trains are us and vice versa. If one of the goals of great fiction is to set forth into new fictional territory, Tracks is that. And then some.”

Learn more about Nathan Leslie and his own fiction at his website.
http://www.nathanleslie.com/