By Erin Murphy '90
Eric Lorberer ’86 is editor and publisher of Rain Taxi, a Minneapolis-based review of books celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. Winner of Utne Independent Press and Alternative Press awards, Rain Taxi focuses on works “that push the boundaries of language, narrative and genre.” Interviewed by Erin Murphy ’90, Lorberer describes the publication whose circulation has grown from 1,000 to 18,000, with readers stretching from Kansas to Korea.
Tell us about the birth of Rain Taxi.
Rain Taxi was imagined in 1995 by two friends of mine in their attic apartment in Minneapolis. I contributed work to the first issue and was then recruited to help grow the project into something larger and self-sustaining. When my original co-Taxistas left to pursue other dreams, I roped in my partner Kelly Everding [as art director] to help, and we’ve kept the enterprise afloat as a duo since—though with the immeasurable contributions of a dedicated board of directors, some kind-hearted volunteers, and hundreds of reviewers from around the world.
Why Minneapolis?
I guess part of it was luck—we were all there—but Minneapolis turns out to be one of the few places we can actually do this quixotic magazine. There’s a dedicated literary community here, nurtured by a handful of first-rate small presses, and there are foundations here that support the arts; combine that with a relatively low cost of living and the fact that the Internet made it possible to do such a project from anywhere, and you’ve got a good place to risk your life savings on a crazy idea.
I know you once offered a unique benefit to large-gift donors: For $5,000 or more, they would receive a personal visit from a man in a tuxedo who would reveal the origin of the name Rain Taxi. Any takers?
Sadly, no.
So, if we promise not to tell anyone, will you clue us in?
Oh, you can tell; the cat’s pretty much out of the bag at this point, and really, it was never meant to be a secret. There’s a strange and wonderful piece of installation art by Salvador Dali called Rainy Taxi. We shortened it to Rain Taxi in homage to another animating spirit, Tom Waits, whose “Rain Dogs” album is never far from the CD player.
What big-name writers have contributed articles to Rain Taxi?
I suppose our biggest coup was getting David Foster Wallace to write a lengthy review in his inimitable style. Samuel R. Delany, Rikki Ducornet, Rick Moody and many other much-published authors have also contributed work to our pages. I just ask them.
Have any WC alumni/ae written for Rain Taxi?
As a matter of fact, yes: Catherine Beck Shoup and Jack Gilden, both class of ’87. More are welcome!
Could you describe the other programs Rain Taxi sponsors?
We put on readings and events in the Twin Cities, a sort of live version of our aesthetics—while it’s easy to find readings by big-name novelists or the flavor du jour in nonfiction, it’s harder to find the sort of innovative writers we present in the magazine. So Rain Taxi’s a vehicle for that also. The biggest gig we do each year is the Twin Cities Book Festival, which has not only readings but exhibits, panels, children’s activities and the like. Lastly, we publish chapbooks of original work by established innovative authors, which allows us to flex our fine arts muscles. Among the writers we’ve published in the series are James Tate, Stephen Dixon, Anne Waldman, Paul Auster and Russell Edson.
What were some of the challenges you faced in the beginning?
I think our biggest challenge at first was being taken seriously. We had to earn our place at the literary table, and we did that with hard work: lots of hours spent editing pieces, designing attractive pages, assembling distribution, stuffing envelopes…. The working model was “if you build it, they will come,” which is pretty much what happened—we’re never going to get rich doing this, but enough people saw we had a quality product and began to support it.
Did anything in your WC experience help you prepare for your work as a published writer and editor?
Oh, absolutely. There’s obviously all the practical knowledge gained from working on the College’s various publications, down to visiting the printer to figure out printing costs when a small group of us created a one-off literary magazine. (Does anybody remember The Blue Chesapeake?) Working on the broadsides sharpened my sense of design, as did peeking over Mike Kaylor’s shoulder occasionally at the Literary House Press. At The Elm I learned a lot about working with a staff and writing for an audience. But just as important was simply being immersed in a culture that so greatly valued words. I had that also in graduate school, and missing it in the “real world” became one of the driving forces behind Rain Taxi.
What advice would you give current students interested in starting their own publications?
Plan—a lot. Make things so that you know you have the resources (time, money, personnel) to keep publishing your project for at least two years. I can’t tell you how many magazines I’ve seen publish one or two issues and then fold. Also, develop a distinctive vision—there are thousands of literary publications out there, so have a reason to throw another one on the pile. Lastly, put some roots in your local community, even if you’re aiming for a national audience; host a reading, have a party, anything. We used to think it was something extra, but now believe it’s vitally important to get out from behind the computer occasionally.
What are some of the best compliments you’ve ever received about Rain Taxi?
Probably the one that recurs the most is the best: when people say “I always find something in Rain Taxi that I didn’t know about,” I feel we’re doing a good job. Some compliments have come from the right place at the right time. In the early days especially, when we’d be frustrated and ready to give up, a little note from someone like Robert Creeley saying “Keep up the good work!” would cure those blues instantly.
Where would you like your magazine to be ten years from now?
In the hands of some reader, who’s just spilled coffee on it, because she’s reaching for a pen to write down the name of this book she’s never heard of but just has to check out.
Erin Murphy ’90 is a published poet and a lecturer in creative writing at Washington College. For more information on Rain Taxi, visit www.raintaxi.com.
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