Tags
Andy Murray, Black Static, Chess, Horror, Interzone, John Shirley, Liz Jensen, Novellas, procrastination, speculative fiction, The Rapture, TTA Press, Wimbledon, World Cup 2010, Writing
Distractions have proved manifold on the way into July. Yep, another monthly update, as I mark the time out of some need to calibrate my existence.
Still watching the World Cup. Still. Only two games left. Wimbledon also been a major distraction, with the travails of Andy Murray occupying my hours. Sport providing excitement, a vicarious thrill, but ultimately gorging on my time like the slavering beast of procrastination it is.
This is not to say that I haven’t been writing – up to 19,160 words on ‘The Lempkin Variation’ – and I’m still unsure about its merit as a piece of writing. Sure, some of it I’m happy with, but it’s not really a profound piece of literature. Despite devouring Saul Bellow, Joseph Heller, Philip Roth, Bernard Malamud etc… as a youth, I seem to get more of a kick out of writing about demonic possession, chess playing ghosts and murder. There’s plenty of time for profundity.
Current reading includes Black Static 17, with John Shirley’s ‘Faces in Walls’ being a standout story. Also just finished Interzone 228. Novel in progress at the moment is ‘The Rapture’ by Liz Jensen – which I am thoroughly enjoying.
DREAMWEAVING 
I’m sure it’s a lot better than what you think, Ilan. Good how you can hook this up to Facebook.
Hey, story comes first. I think a story’s only any good if it’s entertaining. Profundity and meaning are great, but they’re no good if you’re bored to tears reading it.
I’m just in a quandary about what direction I want my writing to go in. I always agree that story comes first, but, define ‘entertaining’. One of the books I’ve enjoyed the most this past year has been ‘A Fraction of the Whole’ by Steve Toltz, (a non-genre novel about a hilariously screwed up Australian father and son)which certainly has a story that intrigues, but is rambling and philosophical at the same time. I found the voice of the narrator as entertaining for itself as any other part of it. I’m not disagreeing, but voice is as important as story in a lot of cases. A compelling and unique voice can carry some stories that otherwise would be quite mediocre.
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