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Read 5/29/09

2009-05-30T16:21:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: I try really hard to like every book I read and I would never “unread” a book.

Bowling Across America: 50 States In Rented Shoes by Mike Walsh

Waiting in the queue at library I saw this on “New” display and on a whim added it to the stack of 19 others that hub was so patiently hoisting.

In my relative youth I was enamored with the idea of extensive travel on a shoelace so to speak, for this three month crush I blame Kerouac, Pirsig and Hemingway, I should have stuck to reading Superfudge as my classmates did. The end result is I still remain incredibly impressed by persons willing to leave home into degrees of the world unknown and interact with strangers. This is the foot I start out on as reader and this same standing is what has me disconnected with the author midway through the book. The author also does suspiciously bowl less than drink and a few states are seemingly slighted. I didn’t find “boyish antics” all that amusing but the well-phrased reflections on his recently dead father are poignant and endearing. Just as when I watch certain movies and later wish I had just turned off the sound and enjoyed the film in visual format only, I wish I could paw through his collection of receipts, photos, post cards and legal pad of notes a more genuine substantiation of his travels. I still haven’t read Superfudge and never plan to since third grade has been over for the better part of two decades.

Loot

2009-05-13T00:11:00.005-06:00

Author David J. Williams was kind enough to send me a copy of his novel "The Mirrored Heavens". I won it by kissing ass. I will be reading this selection in Spanish which should prove to be painfully slow, will blog (read: bitch) regarding progress. Go visit his website: http://www.autumnrain2110.com/

Doubleday Marketing was kind enough to send me stickers upon the release of Chuck Palahniuk's latest book: Pygmy. I will be engaging in a placement "terrorist" campaign in the next few weeks and will post pics. I am informed by the leaflet enclosed that one may view other placements here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/chuck-palahniuk-pygmy-tour/

Books read in the past 10 days...

2009-05-11T21:04:00.008-06:00

What Is Dungeons & Dragons- Butterfield, Parker & Honigmann
Circa 1980 this book has humorous game dialogue that doesn't come off scripted.

Deep Economy- Bill McKibben
I have read the author's Atlantic Monthly peices, I enjoyed the plain language and
contextual examples.

The Invisible Enemy- Crawford
Excluding the doomsday scenario conclusion this book was informative but out of date to reader in 2009, I liked the cover.

Spook- Mary Roach
Dig the author, but enjoyed Stiff her previous title much more.

Burnt Shadows- Kamila Shamsie
I wept and must reaffirm vow boycotting literary fiction, I just can't handle emotional entanglement!

The Love Pirate and the Bandit's Son- Laura James
Oddly what I enjoyed most was the excerpts from newspaper articles,the overall tone was appropriate.

Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice To All Creation- Olivia Judson
With 67 pages devoted soley to notes and bibliography I would feel somewhat cheated if not for the continuous string of humor laced throughout.

Star Trek On The Brain- Freeman
Sadly, I need a dumbed down version, the graphs didn't aide but the episodes I was familiar with would benefit from a re-view with this tutorial.

The Economic Naturalist- Robert H. Frank
This was wild, I could relate to most situations outlined and have started to apply models to my life.

On Royalty- Jeremy Paxman
This was rife with trash- loved it, I am excited to research more on certain events!

Martha Stewart's Cooking School- Potter
I haven't read this cover to cover but from past MS library experience I certainly will in years to come, also the food pr0n was beautiful.

I choo- choo- CHOOSE to work!

2009-04-21T18:04:00.004-06:00

Actually I didn't, I was railroaded by foul weather, curse you Thor! MLB games postponed last night, save the Nationals game which I did catch snippets of on MLBtv while JEC watched. But mostly I read, I read all of the above and then collapsed into bed my head brimming with new knowledge.

Discoveries made in the past few days: 1. Local library actually allows 50 items to be check out simutaenously! Those fools! I will be exploiting this policy.; 2. 3G AT&T service on my iPhone does not extend to the west end of my home- rats!; 3. I am loving twitter but find it difficult to write more than a paragraph on this blog.; 4. My dog thinks of me as "kitchen god".

Hrummff

2009-04-15T21:01:00.003-06:00

Now reading: "My Booky Wook"- Russell Brand.

Now watching: Home Movies season 3

Currently masticating: steak

Drinking: tap water

Yeah my life is grand. I'll be editing into the wee hours. Also, CWS shutout today- meh.

What I dig when I dig it...

2009-04-14T14:50:00.002-06:00

Currently reading: "The Writer's Guide to Character Traits" - Linda N. Edelstein and "Going Dutch in Beijing"- Mark McCrum. I picked these up on a lark and am enjoying both immensely.

Criteria for choosing books when I have nothing particular in mind (yes, even I cringe while reading this): 1. Repeat offender- an author I have read before; 2. Minimalist cover; 3. Technical/art illustrations; 4. quality of binding and heft.

Thoughts on book reviews: I dislike and distrust them. My skepticism goes so far as reading the book for the sole purpose of building an argument against reviewer and grumbling about it to myself. Note: This really only applies to topics I am interested in and also illustrates that I dig being contrary.

Carbs, "correctically speaking", dialogue

2009-04-13T19:30:00.006-06:00

Leftover chartreuse colored popcorn balls for dinner tonight so that we can power through edits.

Overheard today: "correctically speaking books are just longer magazines". Wow.

Since I read mostly non-fiction editing dialogue is difficult for me. Maybe a compromise can be reached I'll ante up fish sticks as a main course if JEC reads the dialogue bits out loud.

Labeling one's work, a label on one's self?

2009-04-10T19:47:00.005-06:00

Alright, so we had this discussion: Separating yourself, the artist, from the person that people you know, especially family, have come to identify as you.

q: So if we develop memes within our groups be it intimate circle of friends, family units or community as a whole are we also developing icons of each other?

a: Yeah. We are a society of assumption and association. We can broadcast whatever image we want of ourselves but what someone else perceives and interprets is totally up to them.

q. More to the point, it's not like our friends and family read/view our work what kind of reaction are we going to be dealing with once we are exposed on a public stage?

a: Bottom line I'm not ashamed of what I do. I write because I can, it's just there. It can be graphically violent or sexual and I can't say I was thinking "What will my Mom say when she reads this?". The same goes for writing situations beyond my personal experience I would be a shitty writer if I limited myself. How many writer's only write their own gender, viewpoint, or personality? It's called fiction.

Mixed Bag

2009-04-07T20:32:00.005-06:00

Pro: White Sox won their season opener. Con: root canal.

Still staying positive. Currently reworking query letter and format of manuscript 1, will be hitting up agents outside of AAR directory this week.

I will also be reading manuscript 2, a work of transgressional fiction, within the next few days to be followed by days of tandem editing. Good times.

I got new glasses. My prescription hadn't changed but when offered a "stronger" Rx I could not resist the prospect of cyborg eyes. Vintage frame: $$ Odd flashes in peripheral vision and headaches: priceless.

Automat Rejector

2009-04-03T22:52:00.002-06:00

The Automat, a "fast food" eatery centered around the concept of vending anything from French onion soup to pie from behind glass. Self-serve but served on plates and in glasses instead of greasy wrappers. Eliminating the server/waitress aspect and in my opinion the stain of human interaction from my meal. Since the trend is defunct I won't be experiencing such bliss anytime soon but I remain enamored with the idea.

In my Utopian fantasies I have expanded to include an express medical service where Rosy the robot, circa The Jetsons, scans you with a mildly warm probe for your annual pap all without removing your clothing and while queuing in line on a busy street corner. Very efficient and painless.

While the above is sadly out of reach, the email rejections (still hovering well under 10), are not. From form rejection to one line "No." I can't say I am horribly affected- yet. It's easy to blow off an e-mail rejection especially one based on solely the query letter. I will need to research another 25 agents and submit again, try and get the manuscript or at least a partial across someones desk.

Busy ass bee

2009-03-31T19:32:00.004-06:00

Monstrous task list: 1. 9-5 job as lab rat, 2. "Feed me!"- the cry I answer multiple times a day from the various denizens of my burrow, 3. Edit this, 4. Edit that, 5. Launder bed linens, 6. Call the rents, 7. twitter...

Still had time to smell the flowers, chase the dog, download a new app and enjoy a coffee break with JEC.