2017
All in all, a pretty good year.
I didn't publish QUITE as much as I did in 2016, but still made a decent splash regardless. Early in the year I released my debut poetry collection, I Wrote a Poem About You, as well as an anthology of my chapbooks from 2016, The Sugar House Papers. Later, I managed to place a poem in EZ.P.ZINE Vol. 1: Beast of Burden, from Pyre Publishing. I edited the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter issues of HST Quarterly, the poetry journal I founded last year, and I spent the greater part of the summer compiling seven years worth of material into Horror Sleaze Trash: Prose in Poor Taste, a fiction anthology from the same outfit. And, just for good measure, I capped off the year with my second collection of poetry, Piss On It: New And Selected Poems. Keeping busy!
I didn't attend any conventions this year, but I did appear on two podcasts (Losing the Plot and Bizzong!), and I had a chat with Lady Catfood over at Indie Revolution. In addition to this, I interviewed Leo X. Robertson, Vanessa de Largie, and the notorious TOP TROLL of Goodreads himself, Edward Drobinski.
As usual, I read a lot.
Just for shits, I decided to jump on the whole Patreon bandwagon, and I actually managed to snag some support for my very real writing/drinking habit! Feel free to chip in yourself, if you'd like.
I moved into a new apartment... Took a solo trip through Europe... Began writing for stand-up... Let's see, what else... Oh! There was this semi-scandalous photo of yours truly in the buff!
And finally, I was selected by the legendary Ben John Smith to replace him as sitting Editor in Chief of Horror Sleaze Trash, the underground art/lit zine. To call this a great honor would be an understatement, to say the least! Digests from November and December of this year should be enough to catch you up on my tenure thus far.
Anyway, as the year gallops rapidly to its close, so too does my patience with this blog post. I'll add more if anything stupendous happens to occur within the next few weeks, otherwise I'll just see y'all in 2018!
xoxoxox,
AG
I didn't publish QUITE as much as I did in 2016, but still made a decent splash regardless. Early in the year I released my debut poetry collection, I Wrote a Poem About You, as well as an anthology of my chapbooks from 2016, The Sugar House Papers. Later, I managed to place a poem in EZ.P.ZINE Vol. 1: Beast of Burden, from Pyre Publishing. I edited the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter issues of HST Quarterly, the poetry journal I founded last year, and I spent the greater part of the summer compiling seven years worth of material into Horror Sleaze Trash: Prose in Poor Taste, a fiction anthology from the same outfit. And, just for good measure, I capped off the year with my second collection of poetry, Piss On It: New And Selected Poems. Keeping busy!
I didn't attend any conventions this year, but I did appear on two podcasts (Losing the Plot and Bizzong!), and I had a chat with Lady Catfood over at Indie Revolution. In addition to this, I interviewed Leo X. Robertson, Vanessa de Largie, and the notorious TOP TROLL of Goodreads himself, Edward Drobinski.
As usual, I read a lot.
Just for shits, I decided to jump on the whole Patreon bandwagon, and I actually managed to snag some support for my very real writing/drinking habit! Feel free to chip in yourself, if you'd like.
I moved into a new apartment... Took a solo trip through Europe... Began writing for stand-up... Let's see, what else... Oh! There was this semi-scandalous photo of yours truly in the buff!
And finally, I was selected by the legendary Ben John Smith to replace him as sitting Editor in Chief of Horror Sleaze Trash, the underground art/lit zine. To call this a great honor would be an understatement, to say the least! Digests from November and December of this year should be enough to catch you up on my tenure thus far.
Anyway, as the year gallops rapidly to its close, so too does my patience with this blog post. I'll add more if anything stupendous happens to occur within the next few weeks, otherwise I'll just see y'all in 2018!
xoxoxox,
AG
NameHere wrote: "Whatever, the folks at GR News have a confession."The only thing I'll confess to is being a kindly gentleman, taking young poets beneath my protective wing. After all, as an experienced man of the world, there is much I have to offer by way of tutelage! It simply wouldn't do to leave the poor girl out there all alone, with predators/publishers ready to pounce around every corner...
NameHere wrote: "India wrote; "Come on, what kind of girl do you think I am? ;)"Was searching for the appropriate word. Accommodating?"
Ha. I guess you’re not wrong.
Arthur wrote: "NameHere wrote: "Whatever, the folks at GR News have a confession."The only thing I'll confess to is being a kindly gentleman, taking young poets beneath my protective wing. After all, as an experienced man of the world, there is much I have to offer by way of tutelage! It simply wouldn't do to leave the poor girl out there all alone, with predators/publishers ready to pounce around every corner..."
It's true. What a regular hero you are, AG, taking care of a poor, innocent young thing like myself. (;
NameHere wrote: "Ever get the feeling that they're patting you on the head because they think you're a retard?"Most folks learn pretty quick not to try touching my head at all. In case you hadn't noticed, I've kinda got a bit of a hair thing.
Arthur wrote: "NameHere wrote: "Ever get the feeling that they're patting you on the head because they think you're a retard?"Most folks learn pretty quick not to try touching my head at all. In case you hadn't noticed, I've kinda got a bit of a hair thing."
"A bit" of a hair thing he says lol.
NameHere wrote: "I never associated sex monsters with people who have a hair thing."LOL
NameHere wrote: "Other Great Books by Edward Drobinski"
NameHere wrote: "the GR Enquirer has an update of the Mr. Graham - Ms. LaPlace affair."Nothing like a good scandal to boost sales!
Arthur wrote: "NameHere wrote: "the GR Enquirer has an update of the Mr. Graham - Ms. LaPlace affair."Nothing like a good scandal to boost sales!"
Always happy to do my part! (;
HFK wrote: "Where is all the naughty stuff, fucking and all, or are you saying there was not swinging the teabags around."I am a gentleman, my dear ;-)
Happy Holidays to you as well!
*"semi-scandalous photo of yours truly in the semi-buff."Please correct ASAP or I'll sue you for false hope-ifying.
*Alternate correction: Add photo of above in total buff, and all this will quietly go away...
This is much too adult for me.
Can't wait to grow up and find out about all this really cool stuff.
AlfredB wrote: "Can't wait to grow up and find out about all this really cool stuff."I told you I'd explain when you're older.
Big deal GR news. Not got trolled worse than I've ever done on a review. Manny harshly retorted. From what he wrote he probably thinks or chooses to think that it was me. Crabs like their bucket.
So, since it's time for my year in GR 2017, I'll put on this which was written in 2013. Shit's still the same.
Chapter 3- Goofreads
Definitions are always useful. I’ll open this chapter with a paraphrase of my favorite definition of Goofreads. “It is a social book cataloguing and reviewing site which enables the reader to become addicted to it; thereby decreasing the amount of time the reader has to spend doing their favorite thing; reading books.”
The Goofreads internet module is commonly advertised as one which provides a “social” venue for the exchange of reader ideas. Friends. Enjoyment. Someone to speak with about that book no one else within 1,000 miles has read. Jokes. Ha, ha, ha. Someone finally understands and I can reach them with just a few clicks.
This can easily be viewed as a sarcastic statement. I assure you that it is not. It’s one which brings tears. I’ll volunteer. It doesn’t matter anymore. Haven’t there been times when we’ve felt so alone and that there was no one near who could possibly relate. The ideas and characters in the billions of books are a shorthand way of expressing feelings and saying things which can never be conveyed to a non-reader. Now, with GFR, one no longer requires a kindred spirit next door. The geography was no longer bound by physical realities; it reached to cyber-space. Finally.
So, what’s so wrong about it? No doubt that sometime in megabyte antiquity this may have had some naïve, faith engendered, temporary “validity.” From GFR’s outset its founder has demonstrated an un-deniable aptitude to capitalize on the general public’s show of weakness. Its subsequent acquisition by AOS multiplied that. Their corporate motto, openly displayed within boardrooms says; “Like me. Like me. I’m so nice. I give you precisely what you want. ............ Gotcha, sucker.”
Having said that, it is fair to point out that GFR still has more participants, more discussion threads, a larger data base of books and authors, more book reviews, more categorized lists, a superior search engine, which through 20 or fewer stated preferences, is capable of matching readers with other books they would probably like, more free giveaways, more and better indie reviewers (term to be subsequently discussed), and it all rests upon the easiest to use platform in the industry. It is at least two hundred times larger than its closest competitor and infinitely superior in providing book and traditional author related information.
So, what’s the problem dickhead? Sounds pretty fucking good to me.
Fair enough. Sounds pretty fucking good to me too, depending upon which hat I’ve chosen to wear today. To begin, today I am wearing my trustworthiness hat. I note that if one discounts the information also available on Wikipedia and the pages established by the indie writers, the rest of the information which is there is either inaccurate, useless or both. Within a caveat to be discussed later regarding various notions of censorship, this is the best single stop shop a reader has available, by far. ............ In this case, that’s something like being the best of five students in the Special Education Division. I mean no disparagement to those kids, but concerning GFR let’s get a little bit real. If this thing was any damn good, AOS, its profit deficient owner, would try to charge monthly fees for access. The only thing stopping them is that they know that any such action would result in their loss of 90% of their supposed number of subscribers.
If you might recall, this book is titled; “FOR UNDULY CURBED KINDLE ELECTRONIC MONOGRAPHERS; A LITERARY LITURGY;” which may be loosely translated as “for unknown indie e-book writers.” Perhaps I should have added “only,” but that might have connoted some sort of exclusivity. The site is less useful to writers and in fact, there is substantial testimony, including mine, that GFR is detrimental to them. If I were only a reader I might make some use of that which GFR freely offered. That is until I became more familiar with it and noticed that whenever I sought book recommendations, that
So, since it's time for my year in GR 2017, I'll put on this which was written in 2013. Shit's still the same.
Chapter 3- Goofreads
Definitions are always useful. I’ll open this chapter with a paraphrase of my favorite definition of Goofreads. “It is a social book cataloguing and reviewing site which enables the reader to become addicted to it; thereby decreasing the amount of time the reader has to spend doing their favorite thing; reading books.”
The Goofreads internet module is commonly advertised as one which provides a “social” venue for the exchange of reader ideas. Friends. Enjoyment. Someone to speak with about that book no one else within 1,000 miles has read. Jokes. Ha, ha, ha. Someone finally understands and I can reach them with just a few clicks.
This can easily be viewed as a sarcastic statement. I assure you that it is not. It’s one which brings tears. I’ll volunteer. It doesn’t matter anymore. Haven’t there been times when we’ve felt so alone and that there was no one near who could possibly relate. The ideas and characters in the billions of books are a shorthand way of expressing feelings and saying things which can never be conveyed to a non-reader. Now, with GFR, one no longer requires a kindred spirit next door. The geography was no longer bound by physical realities; it reached to cyber-space. Finally.
So, what’s so wrong about it? No doubt that sometime in megabyte antiquity this may have had some naïve, faith engendered, temporary “validity.” From GFR’s outset its founder has demonstrated an un-deniable aptitude to capitalize on the general public’s show of weakness. Its subsequent acquisition by AOS multiplied that. Their corporate motto, openly displayed within boardrooms says; “Like me. Like me. I’m so nice. I give you precisely what you want. ............ Gotcha, sucker.”
Having said that, it is fair to point out that GFR still has more participants, more discussion threads, a larger data base of books and authors, more book reviews, more categorized lists, a superior search engine, which through 20 or fewer stated preferences, is capable of matching readers with other books they would probably like, more free giveaways, more and better indie reviewers (term to be subsequently discussed), and it all rests upon the easiest to use platform in the industry. It is at least two hundred times larger than its closest competitor and infinitely superior in providing book and traditional author related information.
So, what’s the problem dickhead? Sounds pretty fucking good to me.
Fair enough. Sounds pretty fucking good to me too, depending upon which hat I’ve chosen to wear today. To begin, today I am wearing my trustworthiness hat. I note that if one discounts the information also available on Wikipedia and the pages established by the indie writers, the rest of the information which is there is either inaccurate, useless or both. Within a caveat to be discussed later regarding various notions of censorship, this is the best single stop shop a reader has available, by far. ............ In this case, that’s something like being the best of five students in the Special Education Division. I mean no disparagement to those kids, but concerning GFR let’s get a little bit real. If this thing was any damn good, AOS, its profit deficient owner, would try to charge monthly fees for access. The only thing stopping them is that they know that any such action would result in their loss of 90% of their supposed number of subscribers.
If you might recall, this book is titled; “FOR UNDULY CURBED KINDLE ELECTRONIC MONOGRAPHERS; A LITERARY LITURGY;” which may be loosely translated as “for unknown indie e-book writers.” Perhaps I should have added “only,” but that might have connoted some sort of exclusivity. The site is less useful to writers and in fact, there is substantial testimony, including mine, that GFR is detrimental to them. If I were only a reader I might make some use of that which GFR freely offered. That is until I became more familiar with it and noticed that whenever I sought book recommendations, that
P.S. The part about the penny ante scam artists comes later in the chapter. Bye.
FUCK THE ASSHOLES ON THIS THIRD RATE JOKE.
With special and respectful acknowledgements to;
1) Hackle; who, presumably adult, fascinates some other bald-head nerds by talking to yo-yo's, frying pans, and fast food atrocities.
2) India; who never met a sex joke she didn't like.
3) Manny; who never ceases to dazzle the un-tenured faculty with "jokes" everyone else winces at when polite.
4) Paul; who has yet to have met a book that he liked well enough to forego his "witty" commentary purposely suggestive of him having read one or two others. It's tough balancing his under assistant UK writing job at "The Enquirer."
5) Emily May; who is yet to try a book not classified as "tediously mainstream for a 12 year old chimpanzee" while using every possible opportunity to score all those "politically correct likes."
6) AG who at the age of forty has finally learned that it is counter-productive with even discarded and desperate women to mention his dick in every sentence. They know. Jeez.
7) God bless Karen. This lady has a range from coloring books to DFW, and adds frequent dick jokes to that. Why no man has begged for her hand has to be a testimony to one of those words GR does not allow you to say. Luv ya, Karen.
Everybody's getting so goddam sensitive and I'm the one getting all the abuse. If I was Leo, I'd be uncontrollably bawling to a Camus interview.
With special and respectful acknowledgements to;
1) Hackle; who, presumably adult, fascinates some other bald-head nerds by talking to yo-yo's, frying pans, and fast food atrocities.
2) India; who never met a sex joke she didn't like.
3) Manny; who never ceases to dazzle the un-tenured faculty with "jokes" everyone else winces at when polite.
4) Paul; who has yet to have met a book that he liked well enough to forego his "witty" commentary purposely suggestive of him having read one or two others. It's tough balancing his under assistant UK writing job at "The Enquirer."
5) Emily May; who is yet to try a book not classified as "tediously mainstream for a 12 year old chimpanzee" while using every possible opportunity to score all those "politically correct likes."
6) AG who at the age of forty has finally learned that it is counter-productive with even discarded and desperate women to mention his dick in every sentence. They know. Jeez.
7) God bless Karen. This lady has a range from coloring books to DFW, and adds frequent dick jokes to that. Why no man has begged for her hand has to be a testimony to one of those words GR does not allow you to say. Luv ya, Karen.
Everybody's getting so goddam sensitive and I'm the one getting all the abuse. If I was Leo, I'd be uncontrollably bawling to a Camus interview.
FereshM wrote: "FUCK YOU AND FUCK THE REST OF THE ASSHOLES ON THIS THIRD RATE JOKE."Well then, Happy New Year to you, too!
Dylan said; "You shouldn't take it so personal. You just happened to be there; that's all." Sorry I added you to the true venom I find more and more justified the longer I'm with the GR Bucket Crabs.
Looks like this time I've succeeded in angering most all of the big deals resident here; even got the ass kissers. That's pretty good for not even trying. No?
I was surprised to find out that DFW put up with slightly larger assholes, until he could tell them to fuck themselves.
That's the American dream.
Looks like this time I've succeeded in angering most all of the big deals resident here; even got the ass kissers. That's pretty good for not even trying. No?
I was surprised to find out that DFW put up with slightly larger assholes, until he could tell them to fuck themselves.
That's the American dream.
What can you do man? It's like if you put up with shit including extortion and unprovable character assassination they just make it worse for being docile.
So, WTF? If the small time pukes are gonna diss ya for nothing , might as well commit the crime they asked for.
And BTW; which of those seven items on #74 is inaccurate?
You know I almost wrote that you can play Hackle's head like a fine guitar. It's got five strings on it.
Almost did Leo too; but yesterday he was bawling his ass off to some woman. It didn't make any sense; but he sure is fucked up.
So, WTF? If the small time pukes are gonna diss ya for nothing , might as well commit the crime they asked for.
And BTW; which of those seven items on #74 is inaccurate?
You know I almost wrote that you can play Hackle's head like a fine guitar. It's got five strings on it.
Almost did Leo too; but yesterday he was bawling his ass off to some woman. It didn't make any sense; but he sure is fucked up.
Didn't your mother ever tell you that if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all? Humph! >:/
Actually no. See "Interviw withe the Troll" for details. She was just the opposite of my father. She was vocal about hating and not trusting anyone, while he was quiet about it, but if you could get him going.
Good ancestry is always a help.
Good ancestry is always a help.
I am Muslim. Feresh Mohammed. Any make fun me get PCP on yo ass.
Looking forward to contribute to HST in the 2018 year under your vision.
FereshM wrote: "I am Muslim. Feresh Mohammed. Any make fun me get PCP on yo ass."Fake news! you're just a retired latino with prostate issues and no one at home to boss around... your household leaks more than the white house...
Jim wrote; "Fake news! you're just a retired latino with prostate issues and no one at home to boss around... your household leaks more than the white house... "
Got something against Latinos, you pasty face maricon?
Got something against Latinos, you pasty face maricon?
Mike wrote: "Looking forward to contribute to HST in the 2018 year under your vision."
You mean Arthur? ....................... His "vision" ends at the crotch.
You mean Arthur? ....................... His "vision" ends at the crotch.
FereshM wrote: "Got something against Latinos, you pasty face maricon? ..."just the ones posing as muslims!
Happy New Year Johnny! and thanks for the Dylan...
Jim wrote; "Happy New Year Johnny! and thanks for the Dylan... "
To you too. I was sufficiently fortunate to be a teenager when the man was laying it all down.
To you too. I was sufficiently fortunate to be a teenager when the man was laying it all down.
WellyW wrote: "Jim wrote; "Happy New Year Johnny! and thanks for the Dylan... "To you too. I was sufficiently fortunate to be a teenager when the man was laying it all down."
I was just a kid at the time, but plenty to love...
Sincere apologies to anyone I might have offended yesterday. I've been pretty good, but as mentioned in #72 I'm pretty sure I got accused of doing a troll, and this one was so bad I'd never have done it at my worst. So, it set me off; but I see that some people like playing around with trolling, and maybe if we all understand that it's a joke ....................... The NYTimes says French TV lit shows have been doing it for a popular decade, and they're always ahead of us.
Look. I'm going to post some part of "A Supposedly Posthumous Fun Interview with DFW .................... " and I'd like it if you trolled it. I mean, this is basically me speaking for the genius were he alive today. Gotta be absurd.
Look. I'm going to post some part of "A Supposedly Posthumous Fun Interview with DFW .................... " and I'd like it if you trolled it. I mean, this is basically me speaking for the genius were he alive today. Gotta be absurd.
WellyW wrote: "Look. I'm going to post some part of "A Supposedly Posthumous Fun Interview with DFW .................... " and I'd like it if you trolled it. I mean, this is basically me speaking for the genius were he alive today. Gotta be absurd. ..."is it okay if I wear my Mario Incandenza costume to the trolling?
Jim wrote; "is it okay if I wear my Mario Incandenza costume to the trolling?"
Couldn't think of anything bright to say and still can't. Maybe,"I'd prefer it if you didn't; but if that's what it takes to get to the party I won't complain at all."
Damn.
Couldn't think of anything bright to say and still can't. Maybe,"I'd prefer it if you didn't; but if that's what it takes to get to the party I won't complain at all."
Damn.
WellyW wrote: "Jim wrote; "is it okay if I wear my Mario Incandenza costume to the trolling?"Couldn't think of anything bright to say and still can't. Maybe,"I'd prefer it if you didn't; but if that's what it t..."
Okay, I'll come as Pemulis instead... Mario's kind of creepy
For me, Mario is tragic, and my ability to joke breaks down there. Plus he's the one Hal wishes the others were more like. Gets complicated.
But, Pemulis; hey. After suffering some abuse he learns how to consistently win. No qualms in trolling him back.
But, Pemulis; hey. After suffering some abuse he learns how to consistently win. No qualms in trolling him back.
Back to my stuff. Was 80% through with G4 and went very flat. So back to Bayonne and my ridiculous early years.
Do other writers keep a few going at once? Moods swing. At first I didn't, but it's becoming common now.
I'd again say sorry for being a dickhead yesterday, but y'all should know I have a knack for that by now.
FUCK ME. TRY KONRATH"S LATEST. BOY MIGHT BE BACK.
Do other writers keep a few going at once? Moods swing. At first I didn't, but it's becoming common now.
I'd again say sorry for being a dickhead yesterday, but y'all should know I have a knack for that by now.
FUCK ME. TRY KONRATH"S LATEST. BOY MIGHT BE BACK.
Been reading a lot of GR introspective and sad stuff today. Wasn't intentional; it just kept popping up like that. Anyway, it made me reflect on some things I usually don't think about, and i'd like to share this song.
"So lonely, all the other kids will never know."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9wu...
"So lonely, all the other kids will never know."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs9wu...
WellyW wrote: "Been reading a lot of GR introspective and sad stuff today. Wasn't intentional; it just kept popping up like that. Anyway, it made me reflect on some things I usually don't think about, and i'd lik..."Feeeee!!!
deleted user wrote: "2) India; who never met a sex joke she didn't like."Okay, but you've never met a comment section you could resist trolling (;
India wrote: "deleted user wrote: "2) India; who never met a sex joke she didn't like."Okay, but you've never met a comment section you could resist trolling (;"
good one!!
India wrote; "Okay, but you've never met a comment section you could resist trolling (; "
And on top of that two people laughed. .............. Damn. Don't you mean people have any sympathy for us poor, sad-ass addicts. I mean I could cry the blues for pages of bad childhood stuff, but instead I refer you to another of those "comprehensive" Leo reviews. Boy really covers it. ............ Well, not his butt.
And on top of that two people laughed. .............. Damn. Don't you mean people have any sympathy for us poor, sad-ass addicts. I mean I could cry the blues for pages of bad childhood stuff, but instead I refer you to another of those "comprehensive" Leo reviews. Boy really covers it. ............ Well, not his butt.
Okay, I'll give you three guesses as to how I met India, only one of which is true:
1) Totally random OkCupid date.
2) I found her on the streets, taking her in as my new protege.
3) She's actually my Russian mail-order bride.