Robert Jackson Bennett's Blog, page 18

Darren Guest interview

I have my reading at Book People tonight at 7 PM. If you're in the Austin area, swing by! And make sure to tell me the internet version of me sent you.

I did a fun interview with Darren Guest last week, which is now up here. We discussed many things, including the "genre ghetto":

In Mr Shivers you use some powerful symbology in your examination of the ethos of death himself, and describe the novel as literary-ish.  In The Troupe there's a certain Latin phrase that hints at a similar metaphysical exploration that could warrant another 'ish' – where do you stand in the old 'Literary Vs Genre' debate? 

RJB:  I don't pay attention to the conflict – I presume it isn't there, because it isn't, not really. It's a bunch of preconceived notions that we're starting to shed the more porous our mediums get – TV bleeds into internet bleeds into writing, etc. I was once told, for example, that genre readers are some of the most aesthetically conservative readers out there – this is a statement I intend to disprove if it kills me. Or the genre readers.

Sometimes we do seem dreadfully intent on keeping these preconceived notions, though – and genre, though it likes to play the victim in railing against the mainstream and literary establishment, has as many self-inflicted strictures as the mainstream inflicts on it in turn.

A few people said that Mr. Shivers could not be a horror novel because it did not have enough violence in it, for example. Similarly, at one convention someone asked the panel what sort of symbolism they used – and they laughed and said they didn't bother with that, they were genre writers, for God's sakes.

That's a terribly myopic way to go about looking at fiction, I think. Perhaps we must be dragged kicking and screaming into thoughtfulness.

John Scalzi's Big Idea

I wrote a piece for John Scalzi's Big Idea for The Troupe about a month or two ago, and it's gone live today!

I keep reading accounts I've written for how I got the idea for The Troupe. All of them are different, and all of them are true. Books aren't linear. They calcify, like crystals in an oven, perhaps baked by cancer-riddled chemistry teachers who use their personal afflictions to feed the rage and vanity that's been metastasizing inside of them for years on en-

Okay, wait. That's something else entirely.

Yeah, read The Big Idea.

The first of many steps

It's just me and the little man for now, with the darling wife out of town on work, so yesterday we went for a walk in the gorgeous 70-something degrees, and when we came home we played with his walker.

His walker is a rather unwieldy plastic car with a big plastic handle on it – it's shaped a bit like a lawnmower. It's intended to train babies in walking, and last night he finally got the hang of it – though he likes to push it sideways, rather than from behind. It's a lot like pushing a lawnmower from the side, with the wheels not engaging or rolling at all, and it looks like a LOT more work, but on our tile floor it's fairly easy.

I cut up some orange slices and was feeding them to him, and he responded so positively I started working what I could get him to do for one.

For example – would he walk?

So far, the little man has been skating on the brink of walking for about a month or two. He can stand and walk with support very, very easily – and he's displayed a frightening aptitude for climbing – but he doesn't particularly like walking away from support. Though he does achieve a bit of a drunken stumble while bridging the gap in between two chairs or tables or whatever.

And last night, after some coercion from me, the cruelest daddy, he took 3-5 steps away from his walker, and stood, unsupported, while I fed him a piece of orange.

It was quite fun, and exhilarating in that ridiculous way all childhood achievements are – you think, I am yelling and clapping because this person took a single step and remained upright. But still! It's something he's never done before. The first of many.

We practiced for a bit, because daddy, being The Cruelest Daddy, wanted to get to 7-10 steps. But he began to protest, and we had to eat some green beans.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE for my son to continue walking – and to walk straight on into college – might I suggest possibly purchasing THE TROUPE?

The day after

I do not feel any different, even though the book is now out. The daily life beckons, and I have to answer it. I presume things are working away, out in the publishing world…

There's a good interview with me here at the Civilian Reader blog, in which I talk about the story that, after about 5 or 6 years of sitting on a shelf, eventually became The Troupe:

I once had an idea for a story about a man who broke into abandoned homes, turned on a curious machine connected to a butterfly net, and used it to capture pieces of conversations the previous tenants had had out of thin air, and trap the pieces in glass jars. The conversations had still been echoing, you see, echoing on and on in these empty, abandoned places: you just needed a special machine to catch them. The man then pooled all these little fragments into one big pot, which made one huge story, a conversation about everything and everyone…

It's funny – I thought up that story when my first attempt at a novel miserably, miserably failed. (As it should have.) Stories get compared to kids a lot, but they're also like tumors – first they're just a rogue lump, but then they grow and grow until they metastasize and take you over…

Stefan has also been kind enough to host a giveaway for The Troupe as well. Please see the bottom of the interview for more.

There's also a review by Darren Guest up at Dark Central Station (and the man's own blog here):

The Troupe is something of a departure from Bennett's usual laconic style, and is pacier and more energetic for it.  And although there is still a good amount of darkness to fear, there's a warmth to the story that we haven't seen in his previous work.  That could be down to the teenaged George, or the sense of family within the troupe, but whatever it is, it shows that expectation is a fruitless exercise where Bennett is concerned.

This makes me happy to hear. I definitely don't want to write the same book over and over again – though the very-different-books might be concerned with similar things.

And finally, though I've made a lot of acquaintances with interviewers and reviewers and other publishing aficionados in the past few weeks, some of my favorite reviews are from people who just happen to like my stuff, and want to tell people about it. Jess Schwartz has been following me on twitter since time out of mind, putting up with all the ridiculous shit I say over there, and she had this to say about The Troupe:

I finished reading Robert Jackson Bennett's new book The Troupe on Sunday and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I read it in three or four days, which is pretty crazy for me because few things are able to hold my attention for any amount of time. This book was so good that on Sunday I sat in front of my computer for several hours and read the book the entire time. The blurb on the cover there is for his first book, Mr. Shivers, and I wouldn't say that applies to The Troupe; I'm not sure how to describe the style other than "it is a Robert Jackson Bennett book." And I'm not going to try to describe the book because I'm very bad at that, so here is the website for it: http://www.silenustroupe.com/

The book is beautiful, certain parts are actually terrifying, and other parts are devastating. I haven't felt this way about a book in a long time. In his other books (and one short story that I adore) there is always a moment that really hits me or has some sort of…profound effect on me. I would say that in this case, the entire book is that moment.

A good start to the morning, most certainly.

Opening day, and Fat Tuesday

Well, it's happened – THE TROUPE is now on shelves on both sides of the Atlantic, available for purchase.

I never quite know what to do in these situations. You just have to hope that the small snowballs you've kicked down the mountain have gathered and gathered and are now the size of elephants. (A rather destructive metaphor for what is, I hope, a creative effort.)

If you've been following this blog, you probably know that so far The Troupe is still getting a very positive reaction. (You can see some here.) I'm extremely grateful to all who supported it and continue to support it, and I'm thankful it's getting the response that it is.

In six days I'll be doing my first reading at BookPeople, one of the landmark independent bookstores in Texas, and on March 17th I'll be doing the same at another – Murder by the Book. This is the first time I've ever done so many readings at such highly reputable places for what have so far been such large crowds. It's a shock – it is as if some invisible center of balance somewhere has tipped and things are happening that certainly weren't happening previously in my writing career.

Continuing the upbeat reactions is the extremely thoughtful review over at Violin in a Void, in which Lauren Smith says:

The resulting novel is not just a tale about saving the world, but a well-rounded story vividly written characters, emotional depth and existential musings. In fact, I'd say the large-scale, world-in-peril aspect of the plot is in couched in a character-based drama. The main characters each have a strong, memorable presence, albeit one that's weighted down by tragedy. It's very easy for you to be invested in their emotional tangles and there quite a few heartfelt moments.

Which makes me happy. This was one of the Big Things I Wanted To Do with the novel.

*             *             *

Today is Fat Tuesday. I am not Catholic, but my family is from Louisiana, and my parents both spent a lot of their lives in New Orleans. I have a crock pot of red beans and rice cooking at home, and for lunch I believe I'll be having a crawfish or oyster poboy.

Last year I took everyone out for drinks to celebrate the publication of The Company Man. Don't know if I'll do that this year. It feels a bit extraneous. The book is out, though it feels like it's been out for some time. Things are happening, and I am happy.

The penultimate day…

…callooh, callay.

An interview with me is up here at My Bookish Ways. It is a leeeetle bit old – the little boy is now quickly approaching the one year mark, and I finished Pym a while ago.

So, did you happy dance when you found out about the Philip K. Dick nom? Because I would have totally happy danced. And there may have been some squeeeing.

I believe I immediately asked my publicist if it would be okay if I said "holy shit" to her in an email. I think this to be a perfectly valid response.

For reference, Kristin's review of The Troupe can be found here. She, too, has mysteriously found herself several copies of The Troupe, and is giving them away with these details:

**GIVEAWAY DETAILS**

1. You MUST fill out the form below (lots of chances for extra entries!)

2. Giveaway is for 5 copies of The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett to 5 winners

4. Must include a valid email address

5. You must enter on or before 2/27/12

6. Please see my Giveaway Policy.

7. Book kindly provided by the author and Orbit Books.

The book comes out tomorrow in the US. It's weird, because it's already been out in the UK. It feels, to me, like it's been out for months. Books are not like movies – there is not one big curtain that can be raised at the exact right moment. A book release is disparate, disembodied – it happens in stages at vague times, executed by parties and organizations you're totally unfamiliar with.

So far it's gotten very positive reviews – people react to it every personally, which makes every reaction unique. Mostly, though, everyone has something to say about the end. This pleases me more than I can describe. The ending of this book is something that occupied me for months. I always knew how I wanted to do it, and I suspect – very faintly – that I have done it that way.

I hope you read it. It was fun to write, and things that are fun to write are – usually, but not always – fun to read.

Quote and reading

Looks like I've completely abandoned the whole "only update everyone on Mondays." Wheeeeee!

Anyways, Mat Johnson, author of many a graphic novel and the great book Pym, has generously provided the following quote for THE TROUPE!

The Troupe is true magic: a gripping tale that reminds the audience why we fell in love with reading. This book enchants, leaving the audience on their feet, yelling for an encore.

Many thanks to him for that.

In addition, I will be doing a reading on St. Patrick's day, March 17th, at 1 PM at Houston's own Murder by the Book. Be there or be a four-sided… Uh… a regular quadra… An, uh… Rhombus…

Oh, the hell with it. Be there or GO FUCK YOURSELF

Stuff! Hurrah for stuff!

I would hate to be close to a writer during a book release. It'd be like knowing someone with a severe bipolar disorder – one second up, one second down, and the next they're incredibly anxious but they don't know why. That shit I talked up about feeling all Zen? Yeah, that's evaporated. THANKS, internet.

Anyways, it's not like my life's rough, because The Troupe got a glowing review from The Book Bag:

If books were music this would be a symphony performed at the proms; it's round, and full, and big, and packed with ideas. The characters are alive, the horror deep and dark and moody and mean, the story tight and the twists appear out of the blackness like sudden bolts of lightning. The whole thing is an utter delight and highly recommended.

I think I use "glowing" too much. Maybe I should just say, "This review's good, real good, mmmm hmmmm," and pet a dog real hard on my porch.

There's also an interview of mine with Justin Landon up at Staffer's Musings, where he quite shrewdly asks the questions about whether or not The Troupe is an effort to jump on the circus bandwagon:

It's quite funny – my editor later professed  –  after I finished The Troupe, of course – that he'd been a bit hesitant when I first described the book I planned to write. So I can honestly say that Orbit did not jump on the circus bandwagon, but had to be persuaded.

So that means this stupid shit is all my fault!

He is also doing a giveaway of 5 copies of The Troupe, so if you don't want to have to buy a copy, which means you don't like the idea of me or my child and wife eating and living full healthy lives (I forgive you), follow these simple instructions!

To enter the giveaway, e-mail me at staffersmusings@gmail.com, with the subject TROUPE PLZ, including a valid mailing address.
One entry per person, or face disqualification.
Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on February 23, 2012.
Winners will be chosen by random sorting entries, and then using a random number generator.
There will be five (5) winners who will received one (1) book each.

I wroted this

Here's a little piece I wrote on the Orbit blog about Laurel and Hardy, the joy of the strange, and vaudeville (naturally):

Vaudeville has never really died. It set the mold for nearly every touring band today: every band or act has a booking agent, whose career wouldn't exist today if vaudeville hadn't necessitated its creation. But it goes beyond structure: look at W00tstock, which describes itself quite aptly as "nerd vaudeville." Look at Human Giant, at Funny or Die, or Stella. Look at the Upright Citizens Brigade. These are all productions that want to relay to you not only humor, but the sheer delight of seeing such humor in real life.

Fog and Letters

Happy Valentine's Day, all. I've been pretty cranky the past few days because the little boy has decided 5:00 AM to 6:00 AM is a perfectly legitimate time to start writhing around on the bed, moaning. I think I'll start just going to the gym at 6 AM instead of trying to sleep.

Everything outside of downtown is clear and sunny today, but downtown itself is covered in fog. When approaching it from afar, it looks like metal candles sitting in a big, indistinct gray birthday cake. Here's what it looks like at the river right now:

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And since it's Valentine's Day, I thought it'd be good to circulate what I think is one of the best love letters ever, written by Sullivan Ballou:

July 14, 1861

Camp Clark, Washington

My very dear Sarah:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days—perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write again, I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more . . .

I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans on the triumph of the Government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and sufferings of the Revolution. And I am willing—perfectly willing—to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt . . .

Sarah my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me unresistibly on with all these chains to the battle field.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them for so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and seen our sons grown up to honorable manhood, around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me—perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar, that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often times been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness . . .

But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the gladdest days and in the darkest nights . . . always, always, and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath, as the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. Sarah do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again . . .

Sullivan Ballou was killed a week later at the first Battle of Bull Run, July 21, 1861.