For me, Steve Dixon, as a man and writer, defines sincerity. If you question the literary value of sincerity, read a Dixon story. Edward Mullany just published one, “Wife in Reverse” (the shortest one that Steve has ever written, apparently), up at the excellent Matchbook (I just found this site – strong set of short pieces, all with authors’ critical comments). It’ll wake you up better then two shots of Windex right up each nostril. Easily one of my favorite of the many, many things I’ve read from Dixon.

Then, a month or so ago, Fantagraphics, that beast of comics, announced that they’d be publishing a 900+ page volume of Steve’s stories. Fantagraphics is one of my favorite presses, but I had no idea they’d started publishing prose fiction. Seems like a great match.

And Steve is, of course, working on new book. It’s called His Wife Leaves Him. It just feels good to know that his work is as vibrant as it ever was.

(If you’ve never read his one piece of “critical writing,” be sure to check his “essay” on Thomas Bernhard from Rain Taxi, published about 12 years ago. I think this is what turned me on to Bernhard in the first place.)