This is an expanded version of the interview that was on "Main Street".
"The Downstairs Tenant" has three sections -- first, a set of "Prairie Gothic" stories, set mostly in rural North Dakota. They are dark, often tragic. The second section is made up of adaptations of some of Yasunari Kawabata's "Palm of the Hand" stories -- short, short ones that are poetic and occasionally surreal. Finally there is a play -- a straight up North Dakota ghost story.
More on Jamie at jamieparsley.com
Jamie Parsley is an accomplished and award-winning poet and Episcopal priest.
He is the author of twelve books of poems, one book of short fiction (the one covered here) and, since 2004, has been an Associate Poet Laureate of North Dakota.
This discussion is a project of FM Arts, a radio series of profiles, performances, and discussions with artists in the Fargo-Moorhead area funded by The Arts Partnership with support from the Cities of Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo.