tumblrfiction:

— Justin Porter (photo credit: Dan Mandell)

I met Justin Porter out near Tombstone, where he was standing knee-deep in a river of blood, panning for nuggets of story.  He’s since moved on, upgraded his hardware, and now he’s doing the kind of work that requires dynamite, a steam shovel and blast goggles, mining a deep vein one wooden bucketful at a time.

You can hear angel dust and moonshine in his voice, along with a low static warble like transmissions from long-dead Mayan astronauts. Down near the watering hole, plucking forbidden fruit from the tree of life; scratching secret messages into the plaster wall of a bordello with a broken knife; snake dancing with that girl whose eyes you’d be afraid to meet — these are just a few of the places you’ll find him, if you’re lucky and the moon’s right.

Pour out a glass of something strong, straight no chaser, and give his work a read. If you like your fiction with all the juice, rind and pulp intact, you’re in for a good night. 

— Jack Rusher

1.) Tell us a little about your history, your home and upbringing. How, if at all, do you think your childhood and background influenced your writing?

I grew up in Lower Manhattan, left home at 18 and have since lived in a couple places in every borough except for Staten Island. I had a lot of health problems throughout childhood along with learning disabilities and dyslexia. Took me a while longer than most to read and write effectively. Math is still a lost cause. I think that contributed to me having a rather skewed way of looking at the world. Plus, this city is a weird place. 

Read More