Art Edwards's Blog, page 6
December 15, 2015
My Review of Big in Japan by M. Thomas Gammarino
Somehow, someway, I managed to miss this little gem of a rock novel back in 2009, but luckily for all of us, it's still out there. The Rumpus today did me the honor of publishing my review of Big in Japan by M. Thomas Gammarino, brought lovingly to print by Chin Music Press. You might remember I chose this title as #17 on my Undisputed Top 20 Rock Novels of All Time list back in October.
Give it a read!
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
Give it a read!
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
November 22, 2015
Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie Distributed!!!
It's been five years since I called Nico Holthaus to ask if he'd direct the movie version of Stuck Outside of Phoenix.
I'm proud to say that movie is now available everywhere fine movies are sold. Here's a run-down of places where you can find it this holiday season--or any season:
Indieflix
https://indieflix.com/indie-films/stuck-outside-of-phoenix-43881/
Vimeo
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/32687
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Outside-Phoenix-Brandon-Hannifin/dp/B016OZVIBY/ref=sr_1_1/ref=sr_1_1?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=stuck%20outside%20of%20phoenix&qid=1447872135&sr=8-1
There are plenty of other places too.
Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time waiting on Netflix, which I found out recently only comes to fruition when the movie sells well at Amazon first. No guarantees though. I misled some of you on that. My apologies.
Please enjoy the movie at one of the outlets above. There are many pirated versions out there that might lead you straight to viral hell, so watch out.
Thanks to all who had a hand in making the movie. Very cool, surreal, dream-come-true on my end, and now it's out there forever.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
I'm proud to say that movie is now available everywhere fine movies are sold. Here's a run-down of places where you can find it this holiday season--or any season:
Indieflix
https://indieflix.com/indie-films/stuck-outside-of-phoenix-43881/
Vimeo
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/32687
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Outside-Phoenix-Brandon-Hannifin/dp/B016OZVIBY/ref=sr_1_1/ref=sr_1_1?_encoding=UTF8&keywords=stuck%20outside%20of%20phoenix&qid=1447872135&sr=8-1
There are plenty of other places too.
Unfortunately, I spent a lot of time waiting on Netflix, which I found out recently only comes to fruition when the movie sells well at Amazon first. No guarantees though. I misled some of you on that. My apologies.
Please enjoy the movie at one of the outlets above. There are many pirated versions out there that might lead you straight to viral hell, so watch out.
Thanks to all who had a hand in making the movie. Very cool, surreal, dream-come-true on my end, and now it's out there forever.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
November 8, 2015
My Review of The Suicide of Claire Bishop at Colorado Review
One of the few downsides of Wordstock yesterday was I did not get a chance to meet Carmiel Banasky, whose fab The Suicide of Claire Bishop I reviewed for Colorado Review a while back. Do yourself a favor and introduce yourself to this one.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
October 24, 2015
My Short Story "Tree Limb Chair" on Now Hear This
Hey, check out what happened to me.
Atim Udoffia Childers chose my short story "Tree Limb Chair" of all the stories in the world to perform at her show Now Hear This in Sacramento earlier this month. Here it is on YouTube. It's about the bonds that get formed in bands, and life, and how messy things get. What a surreal pleasure to get to hear one of your stories performed in this way, and musical accompaniment too boot! Think I'll watch it again. Thank you, Atim.
Here's the link.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
Atim Udoffia Childers chose my short story "Tree Limb Chair" of all the stories in the world to perform at her show Now Hear This in Sacramento earlier this month. Here it is on YouTube. It's about the bonds that get formed in bands, and life, and how messy things get. What a surreal pleasure to get to hear one of your stories performed in this way, and musical accompaniment too boot! Think I'll watch it again. Thank you, Atim.
Here's the link.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
October 17, 2015
Undisputed Top 20 Rock Novels of All Time - 2015
Two new entries made my list this year, including one in the top ten. The new entries are by Brian Costello (#8) and M. Thomas Gammarino (#17). You can read my review of Losing in Gainesville here, and my review of Big in Japan is forthcoming.
Enjoy the ride.
20 The Sound of Songs Across the Water by Rob Yardumian
19 The Cost of Living by Rob Roberge
18 The Last Rock Star Book, Or: Liz Phair, a Rant by Camden Joy
17 Big in Japan by M. Thomas Gammarino
16 You Don’t Love Me Yet by Jonathan Lethem
15 A and R by Bill Flanagan
14 Saguaro: The Life and Adventures of Bobby Allen Bird by Carson Mell
13 Wise Young Fool by Sean Beaudoin
12 A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
11 Wonderland by Stacey D'Erasmo
10 Great Jones Street by Don DeLillo
9 How the Mistakes Were Made by Tyler McMahon
8 Losing in Gainesville by Brian Costello
7 The Blue Bourbon Orchestra by Carson Mell
6 The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta
5 Never Mind the Pollacks by Neal Pollack
4 Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta
3 High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
2 The Commitments by Roddy Doyle
1 Banned for Life by D. R. Haney
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
Enjoy the ride.
20 The Sound of Songs Across the Water by Rob Yardumian
19 The Cost of Living by Rob Roberge
18 The Last Rock Star Book, Or: Liz Phair, a Rant by Camden Joy
17 Big in Japan by M. Thomas Gammarino
16 You Don’t Love Me Yet by Jonathan Lethem
15 A and R by Bill Flanagan
14 Saguaro: The Life and Adventures of Bobby Allen Bird by Carson Mell
13 Wise Young Fool by Sean Beaudoin
12 A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
11 Wonderland by Stacey D'Erasmo
10 Great Jones Street by Don DeLillo
9 How the Mistakes Were Made by Tyler McMahon
8 Losing in Gainesville by Brian Costello
7 The Blue Bourbon Orchestra by Carson Mell
6 The Wishbones by Tom Perrotta
5 Never Mind the Pollacks by Neal Pollack
4 Stone Arabia by Dana Spiotta
3 High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
2 The Commitments by Roddy Doyle
1 Banned for Life by D. R. Haney
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
August 29, 2015
The Bastard Who Last Cut My Hair
After 37 editors rejected this piece, Ian MacAllen was gracious enough to say yes, and now one of my favorite nonfiction pieces THE BASTARD WHO LAST CUT MY HAIR has a home forever at English Kills Review.
Read.
Enjoy.
Have a sandwich.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
Read.
Enjoy.
Have a sandwich.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
August 8, 2015
Two Reviews, Six Novels You Need to Know About
I've been very busy lately reviewing books. This is because people send me books to review, so I read and review them. Anything else seems impolite.
Still, I have one rule about reviewing: If I don't like a book, I don't review it. This is partly because of the aforementioned polite thing, but there is also some logic to it. There have been about a thousand books published during the time it took me to write this sentence. If I don't like a book, I don't want you to know about it. I'd rather your bandwidth were taken up by books I'd like you to read, or at least by books that I would not not like you to read. Why would I bring a book I don't like to your attention? The current state of publishing takes care of bad reviews for us.
With that in mind, I've had a couple of reviews published online in the past week or three. First, my 2014 rock novel omnibus review was published at The Rumpus. I worked on this piece for the better part of a year. Names like D'Erasmo and Doyle are bandied about. Check it out.
Also, my review of Patrick O'Neil's Gun, Needle, Spoon came out a little while ago at Entropy. Good stuffs.
To be clear, I do not, in these reviews, avoid stating what I don't like about these books. Any perusal of the links above will show that much. But if I'm reviewing it, there is something about it worth your attention to my mind.
That being said, feel free to judge my judging for yourself.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
Still, I have one rule about reviewing: If I don't like a book, I don't review it. This is partly because of the aforementioned polite thing, but there is also some logic to it. There have been about a thousand books published during the time it took me to write this sentence. If I don't like a book, I don't want you to know about it. I'd rather your bandwidth were taken up by books I'd like you to read, or at least by books that I would not not like you to read. Why would I bring a book I don't like to your attention? The current state of publishing takes care of bad reviews for us.
With that in mind, I've had a couple of reviews published online in the past week or three. First, my 2014 rock novel omnibus review was published at The Rumpus. I worked on this piece for the better part of a year. Names like D'Erasmo and Doyle are bandied about. Check it out.
Also, my review of Patrick O'Neil's Gun, Needle, Spoon came out a little while ago at Entropy. Good stuffs.
To be clear, I do not, in these reviews, avoid stating what I don't like about these books. Any perusal of the links above will show that much. But if I'm reviewing it, there is something about it worth your attention to my mind.
That being said, feel free to judge my judging for yourself.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
July 23, 2015
Like Coachella, but Pleasant
Do you want to have fun this Tuesday night in Portland?
Then come to The Whom's reading at The Corner Bar at 7:30 PM on 7/28.
The Whom features some of the most entertaining and well-published writers in town, and it seems like every one of them has a new offering out right now. Rebecca Kelley's debut novel Broken Homes and Gardens just came out in May, and Heather Arndt Anderson's second foodie offering, Portland: A Food Biography, was released to accolades earlier this year. Finally, writer/humorist/all-around PDX baller Mark Russell saw his first of a series of DC-released comics come out last month. Pretty ridiculous, yo.
The readings themselves will be short, engaging, and the perfect accompaniment to your $2 BEER!
In fact, should you come, you will be the first audience in the History of Man to hear the prologue for my Novel IV, which is called 21 Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band: My Life in the Convincing Fakes.
Think I'm kiddin'?
I assure you I am not.
Come! Bring a friend!
Art
P.S. $2 beers!
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
Then come to The Whom's reading at The Corner Bar at 7:30 PM on 7/28.
The Whom features some of the most entertaining and well-published writers in town, and it seems like every one of them has a new offering out right now. Rebecca Kelley's debut novel Broken Homes and Gardens just came out in May, and Heather Arndt Anderson's second foodie offering, Portland: A Food Biography, was released to accolades earlier this year. Finally, writer/humorist/all-around PDX baller Mark Russell saw his first of a series of DC-released comics come out last month. Pretty ridiculous, yo.
The readings themselves will be short, engaging, and the perfect accompaniment to your $2 BEER!
In fact, should you come, you will be the first audience in the History of Man to hear the prologue for my Novel IV, which is called 21 Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band: My Life in the Convincing Fakes.
Think I'm kiddin'?
I assure you I am not.
Come! Bring a friend!
Art
P.S. $2 beers!
Watch Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie.
Stuck Outside of Phoenix from All Channel Films on Vimeo.
May 15, 2015
The Ten Reasons Why I'm Turning my Refreshments Memoir into a Novel
I have decided to turn my memoir-in-progress Nineteen Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band: My Life in the Refreshments into a novel. There are exactly ten reasons for this change.
Reason #1:
Despite a few hundred folks within my circle, there is not much demand for a Refreshments memoir. I know this because I have tried to sell it. Many in the industry love the idea for my memoir outside the Refreshments aspect, which they don't care for because we weren't the Beatles. Solution? Take the Refreshments out.
Reason #2:
The finished, polished memoir is all of 48k. This is too small. The process of fictionalizing it has freed me up to explore ideas I would avoid if it were a memoir, which means I can get this thing to 60k, which is where it needs to be. No more novellas ever.
Reason #3:
I'm very intrigued by the recent-ish trend in fiction to write more or less straight memoir a la Knausgaard, Tao Lin, David Shields, etc. as novel. I call this Barely Fiction. It used to be you'd write fiction to embellish an idea. Now, many write fiction when they want to tell the truth. This is complicated, but it excites me as a writer.
Reason #4
This means I can have a novel finished by next year!
Reason #5:
It also means I can give One Star--what would become my fifth novel--the time necessary to make it wham-o.
Reason #6:
I've always had a problem with being a little ahead of the curve when it comes to, ahem, market readiness. I released Stuck Outside of Phoenix, set in 1990, in 2003. My second, Ghost Notes, set in 1995, was released in 2008. My third, Badge, set in 2000, came out in 2014. That's really too soon on all three accounts for enough people to feel nostalgia for these eras. This change would put my Barely Fiction effort, set 1993-1998, out in 2017-18, and would have One Star, set in 2005, out in the 2020s. This all makes more sense to me.
Reason #7:
Everyone reads my novels like they're memoirs anyway!
Reason #8:
It allows me to skip the baggage of having to write about real people, giving me just enough cover to make the book more interesting.
Reason #9:
Did I already mention that no one wants to publish the memoir?
Reason #10:
I'll take truth over fact any day.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
Reason #1:
Despite a few hundred folks within my circle, there is not much demand for a Refreshments memoir. I know this because I have tried to sell it. Many in the industry love the idea for my memoir outside the Refreshments aspect, which they don't care for because we weren't the Beatles. Solution? Take the Refreshments out.
Reason #2:
The finished, polished memoir is all of 48k. This is too small. The process of fictionalizing it has freed me up to explore ideas I would avoid if it were a memoir, which means I can get this thing to 60k, which is where it needs to be. No more novellas ever.
Reason #3:
I'm very intrigued by the recent-ish trend in fiction to write more or less straight memoir a la Knausgaard, Tao Lin, David Shields, etc. as novel. I call this Barely Fiction. It used to be you'd write fiction to embellish an idea. Now, many write fiction when they want to tell the truth. This is complicated, but it excites me as a writer.
Reason #4
This means I can have a novel finished by next year!
Reason #5:
It also means I can give One Star--what would become my fifth novel--the time necessary to make it wham-o.
Reason #6:
I've always had a problem with being a little ahead of the curve when it comes to, ahem, market readiness. I released Stuck Outside of Phoenix, set in 1990, in 2003. My second, Ghost Notes, set in 1995, was released in 2008. My third, Badge, set in 2000, came out in 2014. That's really too soon on all three accounts for enough people to feel nostalgia for these eras. This change would put my Barely Fiction effort, set 1993-1998, out in 2017-18, and would have One Star, set in 2005, out in the 2020s. This all makes more sense to me.
Reason #7:
Everyone reads my novels like they're memoirs anyway!
Reason #8:
It allows me to skip the baggage of having to write about real people, giving me just enough cover to make the book more interesting.
Reason #9:
Did I already mention that no one wants to publish the memoir?
Reason #10:
I'll take truth over fact any day.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
May 9, 2015
What I'm Up To: Part I
As we patiently wait for Netflix and Satan (Amazon) to add Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie, I thought I'd string together a blog or three about what I'm writing these days.
First, I'm very close to finishing the screenplay version of Ghost Notes, which is now called Flake. I've been working on this off and on for years, and I finally feel like it's ready. I'll be putting the finishing touches on it in the next week, and sending it out to the folks who might be able to do something with it. If you're curious, the way forward is to read Ghost Notes, my second novel in the great chain of novels that will become ten.
Also, I'm taking a chapter a week of my novel-in-progress One Star into my writers' group The Whom. (We changed our name to The Whom on a whim, and no one bothered to protest. Incidentally, The Whom members Rebecca Kelley and Heather Arndt-Anderson both have had books come out in the last few weeks. This group gets it done, and it's all good.) One Star brings back Hote from Stuck Outside of Phoenix as he navigates the world of tribute bands in 2005. Don't expect this anytime soon, but know it's coming.
I have a five-book omnibus review on 2014 rock novels coming out soon at The Rumpus, and I also wrote a 6,000 word essay on my youth and R.E.M. that has got to find a home somewhere. I'll keep you posted.
Finally, I haven't mentioned my memoir Nineteen Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band: My Life in the Refreshments. Its plight is a bit of a longer story, so I'm going to write up that blog next week for you.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
First, I'm very close to finishing the screenplay version of Ghost Notes, which is now called Flake. I've been working on this off and on for years, and I finally feel like it's ready. I'll be putting the finishing touches on it in the next week, and sending it out to the folks who might be able to do something with it. If you're curious, the way forward is to read Ghost Notes, my second novel in the great chain of novels that will become ten.
Also, I'm taking a chapter a week of my novel-in-progress One Star into my writers' group The Whom. (We changed our name to The Whom on a whim, and no one bothered to protest. Incidentally, The Whom members Rebecca Kelley and Heather Arndt-Anderson both have had books come out in the last few weeks. This group gets it done, and it's all good.) One Star brings back Hote from Stuck Outside of Phoenix as he navigates the world of tribute bands in 2005. Don't expect this anytime soon, but know it's coming.
I have a five-book omnibus review on 2014 rock novels coming out soon at The Rumpus, and I also wrote a 6,000 word essay on my youth and R.E.M. that has got to find a home somewhere. I'll keep you posted.
Finally, I haven't mentioned my memoir Nineteen Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band: My Life in the Refreshments. Its plight is a bit of a longer story, so I'm going to write up that blog next week for you.
Yours in laying down the law,
Art
Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.
Buy Badge .
