The Gorko Gazette

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11.5.2025 7:05 AM

Gorko Serial Offender: Karol Nielsen

THE CRIME

Karol writes: More of the story is party of a poetry manuscript about my mother, beginning with her cowgirl days driving cattle on my grandfather’s ranch in Nebraska. I showed my mother an early draft and she said, ‘There are so many mistakes!’ She passed away before she told me what to fix. After she was gone, I revisited the collection, cleaned it up, added more, and fact checked it with my father and aunt. Now it’s all true.

‘First Sight’ by Karol Nielsen

Karol recommends: THE INFLUENCE OF FIFTEEN ANXIETIES by J.R. Solonche drew me in from the start with hilarious anecdotes about overwhelming, incapacitating anxiety. Its wild and gritty realism morphs into the surreal as the anxieties become more and more comic and extreme. He can’t drink bourbon without fear of yellowjackets who also like bourbon. He’s also terrified of running into bears, getting hit by a car on his fancy bike, even singing solos, you name it—he’s freaked out and needs another bourbon to cope.

THE CRIMINAL

Karol Nielsen is the author of the memoirs Raising the Price of the House, Walking A&P, and Black Elephants and three poetry chapbooks. Her first memoir was shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing. Her full-length poetry collection was a finalist for the Colorado Prize for Poetry. Her poem “This New Manhattan” was a finalist for the Ruth Stone Poetry Prize.

BLOODY MURDER

What is Gorko Serial Offenders? We invited more than thirty writers and artists who over the years and centuries have had their work featured in The Gorko at least a few times (a few times is 3) to submit a micro exposé on their own favorite piece. What is it, where did it come from, why did it appear in The Gorko, who cares? Here is a big thank you to all our contributors. The next Gorko Serial Offenders will likely be in 2026, when you too could receive an encrypted email from Raddy that begins, Dear Humanoid, We are delighted to inform you. If you were overlooked for this callout please bring it to the attention of Scrapes Henderson, the Gorko scapegoat, by writing to thegorkogazette@gmail.com with the words CHAW ME SCRAPES in the subject line, and we will review your case.