The Whirligig Issues 3-9: Literary Magazine, 2000-2006

This e-book collects the best of issues 3 through 9 of the widely-respected paper lit-journal, THE WHIRLIGIG. From 2000-2006, Frank Marcopolos edited the magazine, distributed worldwide by Tower Records, which garnered enthusiastic praise from critics, writers, and readers alike. As an editor, Marcopolos had a keen eye for up-and-coming talent. He published Khaled Hosseini (THE KITE RUNNER), Jeff Somers (THE ELECTRIC CHURCH/Avery Cates series for Orbit), Nick Mamatas (SENSATION), Ann Sterzinger (NUSQUAM), and many others before they were more broadly recognized as bright literary stars. This collection contains both short stories and poetry from an "underground culture" so diverse as to boast the likes of the urban hermitt, "Queen of the Small Presses" Lyn Lifshin, Richard Kostelanetz, Mike Cipra, Emerson Dameron, Rydell Bixby, Patrick King, and many, many more. *** These are stories of the 2 a.m. bar stool, of whiskey-scented cubicles, of mystical kangaroo caves, of prairie dog vacuums. They are stories of Socrates, of Asoka, of Pill Dombrowski, and of the amazing Martin Landawer. These are vital voices that echo within you long after out of earshot. Here is the authentic, the wild, the truth. Here is salvation scatter-shot through with shrapnel and firestorms and ferocity and lust and love. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FROM THE PAPER "Packed with good yams...an energizing read!" - Broken Pencil magazine "A goldmine of good fiction." - Xerography Debt magazine "The Whirligig is one of the most important lit journals being produced in this country." - Karl Wenclas "You get this true lion-roaring sense that Editor Frank Marcopolos knows what he likes, and how to read, and how to publish, and he has guts, and eats insects on Wheaties with bleach. He has made a fine thing here. I recall that Bukowski started writing slight, short stories and I think that maybe the folks in here, well – Marcopolos has discovered the next generation and is opening them up and allowing them to fly into our thick, chocolate, blood-hooded, and howling nights." - Michael Basinski, Curator, Rare Books Collection, SUNY Buffalo Libraries “Wow. This e-book is an awesome collection of wildly imaginative fiction and tight, emotional poetry. Editor Frank Marcopolos put it all together in his acclaimed literary ‘zine The Whirligig back in the day. Marcopolos was one of the first to recognize talents such as Khaled Hosseini, and this is a compilation of issues 3-9 of The Whirligig. A fun, surprising read.” - Mike, on Goodreads.com "I realize that many readers steer clear of fiction zines, whether from being burned by drivel in the past, or maybe that’s just not why they turn to zines in the first place. But there is fiction being written on the outskirts that is just as interesting as the confessional voices that draw so many people toward the underground to begin with. In my experience, The Whirligig is a very reliable source for that fiction, and I encourage you all to take a chance on something a little different. I even read the poetry (which I usually skip over) and actually enjoyed some of it despite myself! I think my favorite story this time was Frank Tempone’s “Absolute Gentleman”, which created tension out of thin air and made me care about what was happening (even when nothing was happening). He breaks all the “rules” of storytelling, and he tells a really good story." - Matt Fagan, Meniscus zine "The Whirligig is a landmark….The Whirligig demonstrates the power of the literary underground; the full burst of energy that occurs when there’s a conjunction of zine talents.