ROBUST discussion
Interviews
>
Does anyone want an interview?
I'm always interested in posting to a different blog and not about my books. I'm an opinionated critter.
Mod
...until my wife reminded me that the mass-murderer Joseph Stalin also smoked a pipe.
I can also recommend Christopher's interviews... Although mine left me with less thoughts about mass murderers than Andre.
GEEEZZZEEEE - I wouldn't want to kiss a pipe smoker.Christpher didn't leave an address...sigh...poor me.
If you go to his Goodreads dashboard and find his website, his address is on there, Kat. But be ready for some DEEP questions! My brain's hurting trying to answer mine.
I have great faith in you, Katie. Your essay will be dazzling (or else!).Thank you, James and Andre. You're too kind (that's actually an odd expression--I suppose the inference is that the person being addressed needs to be slightly more cruel). I'm afraid doing those faux live interviews like I did with you was starting to take up way too much time. Hence, my retreat to squeezing the essence out of people (a la Katie). Much easier.
Kat, drop me a note: tunescribbleatmac...
Hello Christopher, I'd like to give this a shot. :)I'm emailing you to let you know.
-Dan
Done - looking forward to hearing from you.
Katie, I hope he publishes what you sent him. I'd love to read it. :)As for me, I just sent mine a few minutes ago. I'm cautiously looking out the window for the van and guys in white. Last time I was this honest with my thoughts, my college professor asked me if I was human, and wanted proof. :)
Mod
Friends like you are dangerous. Hilarious, but dangerous.
Daniel wrote: "Katie, I hope he publishes what you sent him. I'd love to read it. :)As for me, I just sent mine a few minutes ago. I'm cautiously looking out the window for the van and guys in white. Last t..."
Daniel, you're quicker than me. I'm still struggling to get my thoughts to make sense on paper. Maybe I'm trying too hard!
I just posted Daniel's piece on creativity. Very interesting and nicely done.http://christopherbunn.com/an-interro...
Christopher wrote: "I just posted Daniel's piece on creativity. Very interesting and nicely done.http://christopherbunn.com/an-interro..."
Thank you Christopher!
I love an "entropic universe" -- more work for writers and engineers to bring order out of chaos!
Agh! I'm answering the same question. Does that matter? I'm not going to read Daniel's yet.
Hi Christopher,I want to do a blog tour in early August to promote a novel release, and would be pleased to contribute to your blog. schooloftheages at gmail dot com is my email address. send me a topic, or a choice of topics, and I'll be all over it.
Matt
Katie wrote: "Agh! I'm answering the same question. Does that matter? I'm not going to read Daniel's yet."It shouldn't matter Katie. In fact, your views on Creativity will be just as meaningful as mine, and in no way less of a contribution. ^_^
I;m still looking forward to reading it.
I've read yours now and wish I could have made mine half as interesting!
Katie, if anyone knows about creativity, it is you. You will do fine!
Puh-leez, Katie! Your essay is great! I'm going to put it up tomorrow if I get a free moment.Having people write on the same topic, like creativity, is quite fascinating. Different perspectives. It's like we're all peering through our own little keyholes at the same world, but different angles.
Matt, sounds good. Go ahead and email me so I've got you in my inbox. tunescribbleatmacperiodcom
Katie wrote: "I've read yours now and wish I could have made mine half as interesting!"Christopher said it very well, and is all too true. ^_^
Thank you for the compliment, Katie, but don't sell yourself short, my lady. All of us here use creativity as our canvass, the words our paintbrush, metaphors and style our color. What we create are pictures for the mental theater, and everyone of us owns our unique style.
So yes, Katie. I eagerly await to see what you've rendered for us. From Christopher's early reaction, it's worth the wait. :)
Well done, both Christopher and Daniel!
Christopher wrote: "Here's Katie's take on creativity:http://christopherbunn.com/katies-ste..."
Katie's take on Creativity is exactly what I expected: An excellent view that's expressed with high skills of reasoning. Well done, Katie, my applause should be the loudest in the crowd.
For we writers, such a subject is a multi-fauceted diamond. No matter how you turn it and look through a different angle, the quality of impression remains the same.
While I am not surprised at Katie's ability to wordsmith an excellent piece, such things restores a measure of hope within me, especially for the human race. ^_^
Now you all know why I was highly interested in what she had to say on the subject!
I'm flattered, Daniel, but I still think yours was better written. :) I don't think I'll ever go back to study. Writing serious stuff is really hard work!
Mod
I wonder if Margie has seen Katie's remarks about creativity wrt children and education.
Well done, Katie! You managed to be creative in bringing a different perspective on creativity.Christopher must be pleased!
Yes, very much so. I'm not a psychologist by any stretch of the imagination, but I do enjoy peering into people's minds.
Thought you might enjoy reading this, Christopher... from one of the most creative minds in the world -http://www.fastcocreate.com/1680999/4...
Great article. Thanks for posting that, Katie. I've never seen that perspective before. It makes a lot of sense (and coming from John Cleese!).
Thanks for the link, Katie. Funny, I was just wondering today why I have been procrasting on starting the new book I outlined a good year ago. It's because I am in tortoise-brain mode. Whew! What a relief!
Seriously, that is a great article. I agree with what Cleese says... And I know there is a missing piece which has not been revealed yet, or I would be compelled to write, right now!
Mod
Greg Downs, author of the Song of the Aura series, bravely wrote an essay on the moral responsibility of authors:http://christopherbunn.com/greg-downs...
I think it's a very controversial topic for authors. I've tested the waters very gently at the Kindleboards with this one several times. Fairly decided reactions each time. I mean, seriously, what happens when you start talking bout moral responsibility of authorship when you're in a community leavened with plenty of authors who write erotica or stories ultimately driven by nihilism or post-modern despair? Must everyone be so painfully tolerant?
I might be stepping on toes here with that. If I've offended anyone here, hey, I love you and I'd be happy to have you over for dinner, but it doesn't mean I agree with everything you do. Conversely, I wouldn't expect others to automatically agree with everything I do and believe. C'est la vie. Life's too short to leave it unexamined. Plus, with my old malady laying me up in bed for the next 30 days, the question of Worth is plaguing my thoughts like Thompson's ghostly hound.
Sorry. I'm really rambling. Must be going a bit stir-crazy from being clapped up in bed.
Sorry to hear you're not feeling well. Thirty days in bed is a l-o-n-g time.
By the way, your link didn't work.Edit: Never mind. I see what's wrong ... there's an extra word in the link.
Another edit, to add: I just read the link. I couldn't disagree more. Authors have a responsibility to their art. Period. Messages belong in telegrams (remember those?). Sermons belong in church. The author's vision and story, regardless of what they happen to be, belong in a book. It's up to readers to decide if, for them, the author succeeds. No author should write with society's watchdog perched on his (or her) shoulder.
I'm only five days in and it's already a long time. Sigh. Woops. Thanks. I'll fix the link.
Mod
I take the view that a writer, and particularly a novelist, is an intellectual. Therefore he will take a view, and the view can easily make enemies.
That doesn't go down well with writers who will turn themselves inside out pandering for a single sale.
I will be stark, raving mad by the time this is over. On the other hand, I'm reading a lot of books. I'm averaging three a day.
Mod
Ha!Actually, I've retreated mostly to my childhood books. I'm convalescing in a guesthouse on my folks' ranch and have raided their library of stacks of old books. Nothing controversial, just comforting.
Mod
Christopher, I'd sell what's left of my soul to have the ability to read three books a day. It takes me forever to get through a book. I'm happy to hear you have so many stories to see you through the remainder of your recovery.
An art tablet...I'm green with envy. Prudence, however, dictates I not get one. Art is not my forte.Ever since I was a kid, I've read really fast. Whenever we did Read-a-thons at school I would always take first place. Very unfair. The only downside is that good books go whizzing by.
Mod
I edit as I read, move sentences around, mentally rewrite whole sections. No wonder it takes me so long to get through a book.
Mod
Well, Penguin bought Author Solutions - maybe they intend to fleece some more sheep - under the pretext of offering 'editorial' services.
K.A. wrote: "Well, Penguin bought Author Solutions - maybe they intend to fleece some more sheep - under the pretext of offering 'editorial' services."Author Solutions is one of the worst 'Vanity' Presses that ever operated and didn't get burned to the ground by pitch fork waving, torch bearing mob.
Penguin didn't do themselves any favor, there.
However...the topics will tend to be on the weighty side, and not focused on your books, but focused on you, your views, beliefs, etc. I'll also put up a link to your site or Amazon page as well (but with a disclaimer that I can't vouch for your books because, honestly, if I haven't read your book, then I can't vouch for it).
If anyone is ever interested, feel free to get in touch on my site.