Mishka Shubaly to Read at the JMM Reading Series on April 26th
The Jenny McKean Moore Reading Series Presents:
Mishka Shubaly
April 26th in Gelman 702, 7:30 PM
Mishka Shubaly is a musician, memoirist, and marathoner who has written about his experience with “drink, drugs, disasters, desire, deception, and their aftermath,” as well as recovering from addiction and his new life in sobriety. The author of several Kindle Singles bestsellers, his work has drawn comparisons to Charles Bukowski, and his new memoir “not only describes Shubaly’s two decades at the mercy of the bottle, but also his ultimate redemption via extreme long-distance running…[including] 50-60 mile all-terrain races,“ something he compares in terms of level of masochism to the addiction and alcoholism he left behind. Despite the serious nature of the topics he considers, his tone is full of snark and wit, and he speaks of his success with an endearing level of self-deprecation and humility. The bio from his website details his multiplicity of experiences:
“After receiving an expensive MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, Mishka Shubaly promptly realized he was more interested in playing music in dive bars than writing. He lived out of a Toyota minivan for a year, touring nonstop, and has shared the stage with artists like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Decemberists among others […] His work has been praised for its grit, humor, fearlessness and heart. [… he] lives in Brooklyn where he writes music and plays bass for Freshkills. He is at work on a new solo record of his original songs and a full-length memoir. He does not own a dog but he thinks about them often.”
The FAQ section of his website includes some advice for aspiring writers:
Q: How can I get my book published?
A: The first step is to write it. The second step is to make it totally amazing. And I don’t know what the third step is because, as you may have noticed, I haven’t published a for-real book yet…
[…]
[…]
Q: How can I succeed as a writer?
A: Never ever give up.”
Check out his music on Soundcloud! The Only One Drinking Tonight
“New York-based singer-songwriter Mishka Shubaly writes as he lives – hard, by the seat of his pants, and without recourse. He lives as if today is his last, and writes songs that reflect this dirt-underneath-the-nails lifestyle. Fans relate to his drunken, bloody mess of a life – and art truly does imitate life here. Nothing proves Mishka Shubaly’s dark, but somehow upbeat style of gruff, muddy, rockin’ indie-folk with a dark twist – “
