Adrift in The Artist's Studio

Adrift in The Artist's Studio
"More Color! More Color!"

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

NYT Reader Response

December 23, 2008 7:31 am

Link

The World Health Organization gives a median estimate of approximately 151,000 deaths for Iraqi civilians since the beginning of the current Iraq campaign. Other estimates range from 47,000 to 1.3 million. Over 4100 members of the U.S. Armed Forces have died in the war.

It is regrettable, to say the least, that Vice President Cheney is still in a position of authority. America is not supposed to be controlled by shadow governments, or cabals within government, nor is it meant to be brainwashed by Pentagon influence of television media news. In short, the profit motive behind war must not, in any way, seduce those in American government and make the waging of war a reality. And by the waging of war I refer not only to the campaign of horror and destruction wrought upon the Muslim world, but the program of psychological terrorism perpetrated against the American people by its own government.

Unfortunately, the United States of America saw all of these tragedies unfold, and quite frankly, we were too scared to do anything about it.

I would be interested in reading an interview with Dick Cheney (and ones featuring George Bush and Karl Rove, as well), but not an exit interview. I'd like to read an interview conducted through a thick glass partition in a maximum security prison, where Mr. Cheney laments his fate as he faces charges at the Hague ranging from genocide, human rights violations and war crimes to manipulation of world markets.

But that's the stuff of fantasy fiction.

Instead, Dick Cheney will ink a fat seven-figure book deal, and will profit handsomely in the private sector. Someone with his connections will make a killing in the war industry... even out of office.

Shame, Mr. Cheney, and may your arrogance be matched with a long lifetime of insomnia, guilt and fear. May history scourge your name with a black mark of ignominy.

Monday, December 22, 2008

opening poem LEGEND OF JIMMY GOLLIHUE

Three miles further down the road
Lie men with sticks
Their hearts black with gold.

Seven steps leftward off the path
A gator, an emerald
A bloodhound of wrath.

Five miles higher up that hill
Are onyx, amethyst
And blacker colors that kill.

Nine steps forward along the road
His lover the Angel
Her eyes green and gold.

One step backwards off the trail:
Black grass red and slick
A green monster from Hell.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Writer: Publish Thyself!

The Legend

of

Jimmy Gollihue


I decided to go ahead and self-publish a limited edition of my novel. First, I'm going to do it the old-fashioned way: a commercial printer. Should I shoot myself in the foot and hobble my first novel with the stigma of self-publishing? Should I give it away for free on the web, bit by bit, like a stack of virtual chapter books? Should I self-market with bookmarks, T-shirts, impromptu book signings & interviews? Coffee mugs and matchbooks?

Yes.

Not only do I plan to put up the cash up front for the whole print run (a short-run of 100), and then put up the cash for all the marketing ideas I have brewing (T-shirts ain't that expensive when bought in bulk), and expose myself to scorn by deliberately earning notoreity (media stunts I won't detail at this time)... not only all of that and much more, but I'm going to give the book away for free, once I have it in my hot little hands!

Here's hoping someone notices this maniac writer, who produces his own book to high standards (despite its sometimes-shocking content), markets it, and then gives it away like Christmas presents.