Aside from my Marvellous Get-Rich-Quick Scheme in turning to poetry 10 years ago? Grew up on the South Side of Chicago (yearly absences from St. Cajetan grammar skool facilitated by White Sox Opening Day, James Bond premieres, and a mother who discouraged Disney product); grad skool in Los Angeles; radio in Cal, New Mexico & Nevada (home since '94); many desultory semi-acadumic gigs (SKorea, UNLV, US Navy) leading to a doctoral shipwreck; engaged since '06 with Nevada's first online literary magazine (Fabulous Get-Rich-Quick Scheme Redux). Had my Perpetual Novel be Semi-Finalist in Amazon.com's Breakthrough Novel Award, but other than that it pines for either agenting or an imprint testically fortified to take it on. Fifteen countries, thirty-eight states (domiciled in five), four careers, two degrees, two shih-tzus. No other half, issue, nor Blueprint for the 21st Century.
Creativity has been the one rampart whose drawbridge I can raise to keep the huns of life at (relative) bay. I write because I can't do much else.
"It is good to be back in the car again and to be hammering out the miles across the German heartland, bright with spring. Driving a fast car abroad is one of my keenest pleasures - the eight o'clock departure with some distant luncheon stop as target, the intermediate pause for "elevenses" on the shady terrace or under the fruit-trees of a gasthaus, the good moment when the target is reached and luncheon comes with a schnapps and a beer to wash it down. And then the shorter run in the afternoon to the chosen hotel, the walk round the village or town, dinner and a deep sleep after planning the next day." Ian Fleming, Thrilling Cities
Ian Fleming. Graham Greene. Joseph Roth. Woody Allen. Hubert Selby. James Ragan. Larry Heinemann. (The last three were teachers of mine.)
Thrilling Cities * The Radetsky March * Midnight's Children * Travels * From Russia with Love * Paco's Story * Ways of Escape * Embers * Dr. Fischer of Geneva OR The Bomb Party * The Hunger Wall * You Only Live Twice * Crow * Wind in a Box * The Good Soldier Svejk * The Human Factor * Dream Boy * The Godfather * The Emperor's Tomb * Under Western Eyes * At Swim, Two Boys
(What's Francaise for 'dunno, whatever'?)
Ach du liebe! Stalking the Fictionaut perimeter, rebbe?
Ca va bien??
(What's Francaise for 'dunno, whatever'?)
Ach du liebe! Stalking the Fictionaut perimeter, rebbe?
Ca va bien??