He Wrote Sixteen Pencils Empty by Daphne Buter The book of my husband is growing into something grotesque. He has eight large suitcases full of notes now. He filled all of our suitcases with thoughts. He filled more than 15,000 pages with his thoughts, he wrote 16 pencils empty, and all this material was only used for the beginning of chapter one, of a book that will change the world. This morning he sat at the table, surrounded by all those suitcases. He opened one, sighing, and put a heap of papers at the table. "The suitcases are full," he said. "I agree," I answered, "your manuscript is too big. Maybe you should organize it." "Shut up!" he reacted annoyed, "you always see things different from me. Is the world organized? No! So why in the world should a manuscript about the world be organized? I'll just buy some more suitcases today to deal with this minor problem." All content in SmokeLong Quarterly copyright 2003-2008 by its authors.
	Daphne Buter lives in the Netherlands and was born and raised in Amsterdam. Publishing house ‘De Bezige Bij & Thomas Rap’ published two of her books. A novel: De Blauwe Prins. In 1990. Collection of short stories: Alle Vogels Van de Wereld. In 2000. A translated from Dutch short appeared in Snow Money print [US]. A translated from Dutch short appeared in Cadenza print [UK] in April 2004. A few moths ago Daphne started writing short stories in English. Five of these short stories appeared in E-zine FRiGG in April 2004. One short appeared in Edifice Wrecked. Forthcoming: Mindfire accepted two translated from Dutch poems. Print magazine Night Train (US) accepted a short story for publication. Print magazine Dicey Brown (US) accepted a short story for publication. Read the interview.
	Issue Eight (March 15, 2005): He Pulled Me From The Sea by Frank Haberle «» Running Water by Tiff Holland «» Getting the Message by Roderick Leyland «» Phase Changes by Cami Park «» Something To Chew On by Henry Presente «» Frost Fish by John McCaffrey «» Northwest Mourning by Peter Vaudry-Brown «» Sashimi by Christian Bell «» Days of Bargaining by Donna Gagnon «» The Strength of Glass by Terry DeHart «» Jelly Babies by Elspeth Graty «» Nothing I Say by Peggy M. Price «» Pastoral by Grant Bailie «» Deer Season by Tomi Shaw «» He Wrote Sixteen Pencils Empty by Daphne Buter «» The Lenten Diaries by Ira Socol «» Interviews: Frank Haberle «» Tiff Holland «» Roderick Leyland «» Cami Park «» Henry Presente «» John McCaffrey «» Peter Vaudry-Brown «» Christian Bell «» Donna Gagnon «» Terry DeHart «» Elspeth Graty «» Peggy M. Price «» Grant Bailie «» Tomi Shaw «» Daphne Buter «» Ira Socol «» Cover Art "Self-Portrait" by Marty D. Ison «» Letter From the Editor