circular newbie

[everetteseven.livejournal.com]

i am knitting for the first time with circular needles.  it is not going well.  i keep getting this gap between the joined stitches.  i have checked my books and the faq here and the only thing i could think of was that i wasn't pulling my stitches snug enough after joining.  so i started yet again.  but no, i've got that dratted gap again.  what oh what am i doing wrong?