Dear Henry, I recently read Mary Karr’s latest memoir, Lit. She opens the book up with a letter to her son. Of course the letter isn’t really to her son. It’s to her audience. We call this sort of thing a literary device. Literary devices are what writers use to spice up their writing, engage their readers, and, in the case of including personal letters, let folks feel like they are getting an up close and personal view of the relationship between the writer and whomever she is writing to. Think of this particular literary device as a precursor to reality TV, which, of course, isn’t real at all. I actually know a lot about this particular letter-writing literary device, seeing as my first book, All the Wrong Men and One Perfect Boy (← that would be you) is sandwiched between and middles with three letters I wrote to you. Well, okay, I wrote to my audience. You get the idea. Today, I am sitting here, facing the prospect of writing my column for the Austinist. I love, love, love writing columns. But lately, the well of inspiration has been a little dry, which is why I’m resorting to a literary device in the form of a letter to you. Usually I have plenty to say, but frankly, I’m totally fucking burnt out after spending the better part of this year researching a massive history of quilts from around the world and throughout all of time and history. Talk about biting off more than you can chew. (Plus—here’s a lesson in another literary device: irony—isn’t it hilarious that I, shitty quilter that I am, am earning a reputation as a quasi-expert on textile arts?) more ›

The producers of Supernanny have a new show on the way: World's Strictest Parents. Casting will be in Austin this week looking for parents willing to school young punks take a rebellious teenager into their home and deal with them firmly. The showrunners are eager to find "parents with unique interests; parents with strong family values; conservatives; farmers; parents with devout religious beliefs; academics; eco-friendly parents; and parents who have ordinary or extraordinary circumstances." Casting is also looking for rebellious teens who want a break from their parents, specifically "teens with unique interests; technically savvy teens; hippies; urbanites; slobs; surfers; affluent teens; liberals; defiant teens; and teens who have ordinary or extraordinary circumstances." Interested? Call 1-888-418-3367. [World's Strictest Parents site] more ›