2008 Chapbook Competition Ends October 1
Posted September 1, 2008

The 2008 Caketrain Chapbook Competition ends one month from this writing, so check out the guidelines, and bring your best by October 1. Remember, the genre this year is Fiction and the Final Judge is no less than Brian Evenson.

Coming in the next month or so: Issue 06, the long-awaited rerelease of a Caketrain classic, and some new digital goodies. Keep your eyes peeled!

Gary Widger, 1972–2008
Posted July 2, 2008

It is with great sadness that we note the recent passing of Gary Widger, Issue 01 contributor and generous friend of Caketrain. In 2003, at a time when few had heard of our humble literary operation, Gary kindly graced our pages with “Psychic Flux and Wishbone,” a poem which, in its entwined engagement of harsh surreality and fragile humanity, pointed to the shape our young journal would one day take. Our first issue is now long out of print, but Gary’s poem, along with the rest of the book, is preserved in digital form for your reference.

We recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Gary once again on a new Caketrain project which has not yet been revealed on these pages. He spoke hopefully at that time about the great value of reader interpretation and the way that it informs the creative process; when the project is launched later this year, we will present his contribution in the hope that others will find in it a turn of phrase, a tone, or an emotion that they can grasp onto and feel right along with him. With heavy hearts, we of Caketrain wish our sincerest condolences to Gary’s family, friends, and all those who were touched by his work.

afterpastures Now Available
Posted May 1, 2008

It’s here. Pre-orders are shipping immediately. It looks fantastic. Check out the samples and see why Mary Jo Bang calls this a “strange, moving, passionate, and crystalline” collection. You should pick one up today. What more can we say? “What doesn’t fear my hands?”

Five Arrives
Posted November 16, 2007

At long last, the fifth issue is here, in our offices and in our hands. Pre-orders and contributor copies will go out in tomorrow’s mail.

Boasting new work from Alan DeNiro, James Wagner, Amelia Gray, Lisa Jarnot, and Peter Markus, among an army of others, this book is gorgeous, hefty, stark, daring, everything we hoped for and then some. So get yours now—and you too will be made a believer.

Dolls Now Available
Posted April 16, 2007

Tom Whalen’s Dolls arrived in our offices today, and preorders will ship this week.

If you haven’t taken a look yet, please do—Whalen turns out some daringly freaky poetry, Matt Feyld’s cover artwork is fantastic, and we’re really proud of the way the book came together. Plus, it’s only $8, including s&h, so you won’t break the piggy bank.

Issue 01 Lives, Still and Again
Posted March 13, 2007

It is with great excitement that we announce today the release of the first-ever Caketrain ebook, Caketrain Issue 01. The 130-page PDF marks the return of our out-of-print first issue, featuring work from Jim Daniels, Corie Feiner, Susan Brennan and others, and is now a free, Creative-Commons-licensed download away. So get it, send it, print it, blog it — above all, enjoy it! It’s an honor to be able to make this offering to you (we’ve even provided a short essay on the rationale behind the decision, if you’re interested), and we couldn’t have done it without the generous help of our first issue contributors. So cheers to them, and happy reading to you.