Justin Carroll-Allan
@jcarrollallan.bsky.social
Father to all. Writing in Cutbank, Gulf Coast, Still Alive!, Oregonian, and more.
Reposted by Justin Carroll-Allan
"My agent in particular was like, There must be sex in this novel. Please put sex in this novel!'"
I talked to @somers.bsky.social about comic novels, writing "like a worm," and her new novel THE TEN YEAR AFFAIR (out today!) countercraft.substack.com/p/processing...
I talked to @somers.bsky.social about comic novels, writing "like a worm," and her new novel THE TEN YEAR AFFAIR (out today!) countercraft.substack.com/p/processing...
Processing: How Erin Somers Wrote The Ten Year Affair
The author on comic writing, reading drafts aloud, and being "lower than a worm" while writing
countercraft.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:47 PM
"My agent in particular was like, There must be sex in this novel. Please put sex in this novel!'"
I talked to @somers.bsky.social about comic novels, writing "like a worm," and her new novel THE TEN YEAR AFFAIR (out today!) countercraft.substack.com/p/processing...
I talked to @somers.bsky.social about comic novels, writing "like a worm," and her new novel THE TEN YEAR AFFAIR (out today!) countercraft.substack.com/p/processing...
Every time I hear "burrata" I'll think of this.
Incredible story.
Incredible story.
New story by me in Granta today about inept swingers on the Hudson Valley granta.com/pleasantries...
Pleasantries
‘Her body looked good in that sumptuous way. He was not always attracted to her anymore, but he was attracted to her in this moment, and there was something noble about this, generous – he was about t...
granta.com
October 7, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Every time I hear "burrata" I'll think of this.
Incredible story.
Incredible story.
Reposted by Justin Carroll-Allan
For Brad’s very cool and fun PTA series I wrote a little appreciation of—what else—INHERENT VICE
so excited to share this essay by @somers.bsky.social on PTA's inherent vice and how he adapts pynchon:
The Wave Rolling Back: Erin Somers on Inherent Vice
The seventh entry in The Ranks of the Freaks, a this is a newsletter series
thisisanewsletter.substack.com
September 18, 2025 at 6:04 PM
For Brad’s very cool and fun PTA series I wrote a little appreciation of—what else—INHERENT VICE
Reposted by Justin Carroll-Allan
we should all build these and sell our 'smartphones' for scrap
September 5, 2025 at 6:06 PM
we should all build these and sell our 'smartphones' for scrap
I'm getting increasingly tickled by a colleague who insists on saying "what occurred" instead of "what happened" on a zoom call. Great choice, pal.
July 31, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I'm getting increasingly tickled by a colleague who insists on saying "what occurred" instead of "what happened" on a zoom call. Great choice, pal.
I want to read the Mary Robison Giants novel so badly
July 23, 2025 at 10:53 PM
I want to read the Mary Robison Giants novel so badly
On this day, I find myself pondering an important question: which American writer will be the first to do the Griddy on the way to podium after winning a major award?
July 14, 2025 at 5:33 PM
On this day, I find myself pondering an important question: which American writer will be the first to do the Griddy on the way to podium after winning a major award?
Wait a minute, is baseball...back?
July 9, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Wait a minute, is baseball...back?
Still open to getting matching tats of that weird saxophone plane from Barry Hannah's Airships with literally anyone.
RT if you ever bought Vintage Contemporary paperbacks just because they looked so cool
June 18, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Still open to getting matching tats of that weird saxophone plane from Barry Hannah's Airships with literally anyone.
Cracking myself up by texting, "How about that Sabrina Carpenter?" to everyone in my contacts.
June 16, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Cracking myself up by texting, "How about that Sabrina Carpenter?" to everyone in my contacts.
Reposted by Justin Carroll-Allan
Awful time to be alive but truly an amazing time to be a hater
June 16, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Awful time to be alive but truly an amazing time to be a hater
The Pulitzer Prize, presented by FanDuel
May 19, 2025 at 7:02 PM
The Pulitzer Prize, presented by FanDuel
The "trend" of podcasters adding video on Spotify? Don't like it. Fellas, we do NOT need to see you in the unforgiving gaze of cinematic lighting.
April 15, 2025 at 7:27 PM
The "trend" of podcasters adding video on Spotify? Don't like it. Fellas, we do NOT need to see you in the unforgiving gaze of cinematic lighting.
Reposted by Justin Carroll-Allan
I've spent the past few months reporting a feature on the rise and fall of casual dining chains. These 20th century juggernauts are struggling as the middle class's fortunes falter and Americans are turning away from dining rooms. How did this happen? 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/d...
Pizza Hut, Chili’s, Olive Garden: The Death of the Middle-Class Restaurant (Gift Article)
The boom in American sit-down chains has come and gone. What replaced them isn’t so great for human connection.
www.nytimes.com
April 4, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I've spent the past few months reporting a feature on the rise and fall of casual dining chains. These 20th century juggernauts are struggling as the middle class's fortunes falter and Americans are turning away from dining rooms. How did this happen? 1/ www.nytimes.com/2025/04/04/d...
I'm being forced to attend a neighborhood picnic today. I plan to alienate myself from everyone I meet by claiming I'm an alpinist any time I'm asked "So what do you do?"
April 4, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I'm being forced to attend a neighborhood picnic today. I plan to alienate myself from everyone I meet by claiming I'm an alpinist any time I'm asked "So what do you do?"
I endured a neighbor explaining to me (for the second time) the cleverness of his new dog's name: Garrison Heeler. This is love and tolerance in action.
April 2, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I endured a neighbor explaining to me (for the second time) the cleverness of his new dog's name: Garrison Heeler. This is love and tolerance in action.
Shushing others in public? I love it.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/m...
The Case for Telling Total Strangers to Shut Up
Reminding others how to behave in public is a civic duty.
www.nytimes.com
April 1, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Shushing others in public? I love it.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/m...
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/m...
We gotta bring this back. Much more fun to be online.
I feel like there used be a culture of a great piece of writing causing a stir online. Everyone used to get excited over a certain article. Not mad but excited. That has died I think
March 24, 2025 at 6:11 PM
We gotta bring this back. Much more fun to be online.
Reposted by Justin Carroll-Allan
I wrote about the latest wave of tired adults (us) discovering their freezer. Move over tinned fish, it's time for frozen scallion pancakes and ice cube trays full of pesto www.theatlantic.com/culture/arch...
Frozen Food’s New Wave
The freezer can now be an arsenal of taste.
www.theatlantic.com
February 18, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I wrote about the latest wave of tired adults (us) discovering their freezer. Move over tinned fish, it's time for frozen scallion pancakes and ice cube trays full of pesto www.theatlantic.com/culture/arch...
Preorder this or I'll egg your house.
My new novel ‘The Ten Year Affair’ (S&S 10/21) has a cover and is available for preorder. It’s a funny book about Hudson Valley types attempting infidelity. You will enjoy yourself! Please preorder!!! bookshop.org/p/books/the-...
February 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Preorder this or I'll egg your house.
This is a BANGER of a lineup. Keret and Tar Heels legend Adam O'Fallon Price in the same TOC? Incredible.
TOC for 72.1, headed to the printer next week. Featuring @adamoprice.bsky.social @mikemeginnis.bsky.social @tmcallister.bsky.social @shimmer.bsky.social @keemoart.bsky.social and many others
January 14, 2025 at 5:59 PM
This is a BANGER of a lineup. Keret and Tar Heels legend Adam O'Fallon Price in the same TOC? Incredible.
Just remembered a classic prank from 2007: when my friends left their computers unlocked, I'd delete their Pandora stations and create a new one based on the music of Puddle of Mudd, Drowning Pool, and Static-X.
January 5, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Just remembered a classic prank from 2007: when my friends left their computers unlocked, I'd delete their Pandora stations and create a new one based on the music of Puddle of Mudd, Drowning Pool, and Static-X.
Chilling report: an unprecedented amount of men were gifted podcasting equipment this past week.
December 27, 2024 at 7:11 PM
Chilling report: an unprecedented amount of men were gifted podcasting equipment this past week.
The older I get, the more I enjoy novels characterized as "sprawling."
December 13, 2024 at 6:33 PM
The older I get, the more I enjoy novels characterized as "sprawling."
I have a huge deadline today, so of course I spent the first two hours of my morning ranking short stories that feature dogs:
1. Dog Heaven, Stephanie Vaughn
2. The Lady with the Little Dog, Chekhov
3. The Chain, Toby Dubs
4. Gurov in Manhattan, Ehud Havazelet
5. Mastiff, JCO
1. Dog Heaven, Stephanie Vaughn
2. The Lady with the Little Dog, Chekhov
3. The Chain, Toby Dubs
4. Gurov in Manhattan, Ehud Havazelet
5. Mastiff, JCO
December 12, 2024 at 6:47 PM
I have a huge deadline today, so of course I spent the first two hours of my morning ranking short stories that feature dogs:
1. Dog Heaven, Stephanie Vaughn
2. The Lady with the Little Dog, Chekhov
3. The Chain, Toby Dubs
4. Gurov in Manhattan, Ehud Havazelet
5. Mastiff, JCO
1. Dog Heaven, Stephanie Vaughn
2. The Lady with the Little Dog, Chekhov
3. The Chain, Toby Dubs
4. Gurov in Manhattan, Ehud Havazelet
5. Mastiff, JCO