Here is an excerpt:
Banned for Life, Haney’s ten-years-in-the-making novel about a musician/filmmaker hunting a vanished punk-frontman, comes up often. So regularly does it contextualise anecdotes and feelings, it’s like a character of its own. But you never feel like Haney is overdoing it; he just seems proud. This is offset by an equally rough, though much less rewarding time writing ‘Friday 13th Part VII’. And for someone who has endured life both as an actor and screenwriter, and been smashed up by a car, there’s very little cynicism. His enthusiasm for people, creativity and the whole world, is bottomless.
I thank you for your kind words about the book. They couldn't have come at a better moment, and I'll be sure to drop by later, when I have more time, to read some of your other posts. I'm already curious as to what you have to say 'Richard Yates'.
ReplyDeleteHey Duke, thanks for that. Hope things are OK, not too tough. Loved the book so all words true. You may boost my readership by 50 or perhaps 100% if you come back, so if you don't mind the drafty, waiting-room atmosphere, be my guest! Richard Yates was an interesting one, let me know your thoughts. Good luck with the release.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matt. I understand you well about boosts in readership. It's rough out there. I don't know personally know any writers who have it easy, except for one, who's about to launch a huge book in a couple of months, and that was a long time coming. I often ask myself why I bother, but I recently decided that I don't have much choice. Which is the writer's cliche, of course, and the reason I always resisted it.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, but I guess you've got some real momentum going now, yes? Or at least you deserve to. I'm going to keep giving you shout outs where I can. Don't let the suckers grind you down.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in responding -- Thanksgiving, etc. -- and thanks in advance for the shout-outs. Unfortunately, I wouldn't say I have any momentum going. I can see how it might appear that way, but Subversia is just kind of languishing, as did, and does, my novel. It seems to me that only money -- that is, a huge promotion budget -- can get a book noticed, particularly in an era in which there's so much "creative" output being marketed. There are too many weeds and not enough fruit, and the fruit is hard to spot, being covered by weeds. But this is undoubtedly not the best metaphor.
ReplyDeleteHey, hope you had a happy thanksgiving. That is sad and a worry that you don't feel things moving for either. I would have thought that you were a textbook case of how to strike a good balance in these brave new times, Subversia has a readymade audience via TNB, is loaded with content already drip fed into the blogosphere and tested on readers, and is the perfect sales tool for Banned for Life. I think weeds and fruit is a pretty good metaphor. Because ultimately the nature of distinction between what is fruit and what is weed is pretty grey, and trying to find the distinction is kind of the problem. There are lots of people making new words every day, the value of which is debatable. And is debated, at length, thus creating more words. And this process of analysis is itself critiqued ad infinitum. I suppose you've just got to stick to your guns and convictions and know you did a good a job. Then cross your fingers.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, you're living the dream - stop making it sound like such a worthless goal for the rest of us! Remember: languishing is just another word for chillaxing.
Also, this is probably not the best forum to air our personal grievances with the world...there's an email link at the top of the site.
ReplyDeleteSorry about that. I do tend to speak my mind without a thought of how it might appear, though I didn't mean to complain.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind at all. Complain away. I was kind of hoping to get even juicier reactions from you if it was a private domain. But I don't think anyone will ever read this except us. We could talk about anything here. It's like a loud and indiscreet conversation in a desert. Seriously, don't apologise. Say what you like.
ReplyDeleteYou know this thing has been sliding towards a very long winded interview since the start. Why not go the whole hog?
ReplyDeleteMC: So what's new with the book Duke? Have you been checking out any of the other reviews? Done any public readings?
I did do a reading recently, but it was from Jim Carroll's book (his posthumously published novel), not mine. This occurred at a Jim Carroll memorial.
ReplyDeleteBut you know more about me at this point, Matt, than I know about you, so I feel I should redirect all of your questions back at you.
Yeah, I can see how it might have begun to feel like stalking so I guess I should come out of the shadows. I'm 31 and I write commercial ad copy to pay bills, and short stories for other reasons. I used to write film scripts and even had a few shorts made but I stopped working so much with directors and just found it less fun, so started writing prose. I recently wrote some reviews for PANK and helped Structo magazine with their 5th issue, and now I'm waiting for responses from a few journals on some short fiction. I've got quite a few pieces on hold as my wife just started a new business which has taken up a lot of our time (check the site out - Manchester shall be ours! www.babushkasonline.com). I've never done a reading, though I'm secretly loitering in the wings to assist with the resurgence of a Manchester reading night called There's No Point In Not Being Friends With Someone If You Want To Be Friends With Them. I saw a short interview on the BBC recently where James Elroy described himself as spending 'a lot of time lying in a darkened room, brooding'. I do that, though in lit rooms walking around talking to people. How's that?
ReplyDeleteI also have a side-project with a very talented illustrator named Louis Roskosch. Watch this space - http://twitter.com/#!/barfuswtrowte
ReplyDeleteOh, it never felt like stalking.
ReplyDeleteYou sound a bit like me, with your film history. If only I could afford to start a business like the one your wife started! But, of course, cooking talent would also be required, and I'm deficient in that area. Meantime, if Manchester ever becomes yours, can I move there? You could then conceivably set me up with a reasonable living situation, and I could have my teeth knocked out by some of your citizens for having looked at them funny, as legend says occurs routinely.
The name of your reading night is true indeed. I suppose a few of the friendships I sought have turned out well, but it's typically the ones that fell into my lap that have lasted. And I never read that quote by Ellroy (until, via you, now), but that sounds like me, too. I'm relating all over the place, huh?
Plenty of relating, always good. Though don't always believe everything you read about a city. I've managed over 10 years without losing any teeth and I look at everyone funny. Can't take credit for TNPINBFWSIYWTBFWT name, before my time, and I'm only very, very peripherally involved at present. I'm like the vice secretary in charge of second best paper clips, but I'm hoping to head up best paper clips and then all clip based stationary by the end of next year. (That last bit was a lie. I'm in charge of nothing.) You can of course come to Manchester, though I can promise only unreasonable accommodation. The Elroy interview was amazing, here's a dodgy link. http://www.casttv.com/video/jb88vd2/james-ellroy-on-bbc-late-review-video
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