[W.F. Lantry]

Hey, folks,

So there's this journal in the South, The Dead Mule, named after the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. I suppose one needs to be standing at least middlin' deep in southern lit to find the joke as amusing as I do, but when Kate told me about it, I laughed and laughed, thinking of soviet tractor novels, or french tales of maquisards and young women and hidden springs. Or chinese poems of a certain era: "We are marching, resolute, into the scarlet dawn!"

Anyway, they require all contributors to write a Southern Legitimacy Statement. They are nothing if not authentic! You can find mine here: http://www.deadmule.com/fiction/ . Right next to mine, you'll find John Riley's. His statement is rather better than mine, as is his story, Jimmy Crack). If you're interested, you can find my Desire here.

Yes, I know, it's fiction, but it's only 750 words, which ain't much more than a long poem, after all!

Thanks,

Bill

[Adam Elgar]

Very cool, very sharp, very poised work from both of you. Congratulations John and Bill on breathing such life into the ol' mule!

[Cyn Neely]

enjoyed
Thanks

[John Riley]

Bill,

Thanks again for mentioning me in your announcement. Nice to see you in Mule Land.

[Lance Levens]

My bona fides are still in their data bank, I think. Plus a couple of stories and poems. Great folks.

[Janice D. Soderling]

Congrats to Bill and John. Love that Mule.

[Steve Mangan]

Bill, John
Congratulations to you both : enjoyed your bona fides as well as your stories!

[Gail White]

Congratulations, both of you! Loved the "statements".