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VIPs On vsf

Laura Ellen Scott has launched a new blog "collecting very short thoughts about very short fiction ... Written mainly for students/newer writers, but not necessarily." It's called VIPs on vsf and hosts a very short piece by me about Hint Fiction. But if you're familiar with me and this blog, you don't want to waste your time, so check out the rest of the site for a slew of great writers, including Scott Garson, Roxane Gay (who loves to be called Roxanne), David Erlewine, Gabriel Orgrease, Erin Fitzgerald, Joseph Young, Ryan Bradley, and Ethel Rohan. More, no doubt, will be added soon.

Augusto Monterroso

This is a long shot, I know, but would anyone have any idea on how to get in contact with Augusto Monterroso's estate? Among other things, he's noted for writing (at the time) the shortest short story ever called "The Dinosaur." Months ago I tried contacting Ediciones ERA, the publisher who most recently released his story collection Obras Completas (y otros cuentos) -- e-mailed them first in English (didn't hear anything) and then in Spanish (a friend helped translate) and still never heard anything. I'd really like to include his story in the anthology, and while anybody can simply find the story pretty much anywhere online, to print it I of course need permission, and I can only get that from his estate. On the off-chance anybody has information, please e-mail me at robert (at) robertswartwood (dot) com. Thanks!

Hello, South Dakota -- Is Anyone There?

If you've been following me on Twitter you'll know I have a beef to settle with the state of South Dakota.

According to Google Analytics (which everyone should use for their blog or website if they aren't already), this here little website has had about 3,500 visits by over fifty countries/territories since I launched it back at the end of May.

But in America, my own home country, it seems nobody in South Dakota has even stumbled across this thing.

So what's up with that, South Dakota?

Someone from Zagreb, Croatia found the time to visit my website. So did someone from Hafnarfjordur, Iceland.

Yeah, you heard me -- I said Hafnarfjordur, Iceland.

So what's the deal, South Dakota? You think you're too good for me? Is that it?

I don't want to start a fight. I have nothing against you, South Dakota. I just want the map of the United States on my Google Analytics to be completely green, even if it is very faint over your state.

So here's what I propose:

Anyone who does follow or visit this blog and know anyone who lives in South Dakota, send them here. That's it. If you do that, I'll send you and the South Dakotan each a free book. I don't know what the books will be exactly, but hey, free is free, right?

If you know someone in South Dakota, e-mail them the address of my website, then e-mail me at robert (at) robertswartwood (dot) com letting me know. Once your friend visits, have them comment in this post just saying what town or city they live in. I'll be able to confirm it from the amazingly scary Google Analytics. Winners will be determined by whoever e-mails me/leaves a comment first.

Now that's not too hard, is it?

Please, I'm begging you, take pity on a simple man and help him find the missing green piece in the map of his Google Analytics America.

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Sanctuary Of The Wolf(s)

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As promised, we took some pictures of our visit to the wolf sanctuary. As wolves live in packs, the different packs were fenced off, so all of the pictures sport a lot of chain-link. There were gray wolves and white wolves and even timber wolves. One wolf was the grandson of a wolf that starred in Dancing With Wolves. Anyway, the pictures can be viewed here. Below is a quick video of them feeding a pack (this to ensure the wolves could be seen by the tour group, which reminded me of the goat from Jurrasic Park). Enjoy.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jTf09ES3cE[/youtube]