Since I've already failed the nanowrimo test of refraining from over-thinking my soon to be hulking beast of a messy novel, I will now indulge in my favorite distraction. Other links to other things I've been reading while I should be writing:
- Condalmo has a piece on Brian Evenson's The Open Curtain up at TEV today. Do check it out. Also, Evenson will be reading tonight at Beyond Baroque (sadly, in Venice, far too far away to even attempt to go) with Maggie Nelson. She is a gifted writer whose work has inspired me in many ways and I cannot wait for her new books (yes, books! she has three forthcoming!) to come out. Someone out there should go to this. It will be delicious, I am sure.
- I am finishing up Banville's The Sea. I love it and yet am worried this quiet, contemplative world he's created is seeping into my own and that's why my characters are revolting with this Sunset Strip nonsense. Hmmm. I do love Banville, but find myself becoming possessive of him. I read his early work, early. Before the Booker. Before any of that. And it sort of pisses me off that now, many years later, he isn't my secret source of inspiration. He is everyone's. I am happy to report, however, that his acclaim has not diminished his talent. Of course, I'm not yet finished with The Sea, but who cares? His words and sentences are so lovely that I don't care where this novel is going or where it will finally end up. Not a critical reader, I. Wonder if it's because of the looming pressure to write and my critical eye has taken a vacation. Does not bode well for my own work. He gives yet another fascinating interview and makes me worry that if he thinks he's obvious, what the hell am I?
- Please vote next week. Or earlier by "totally safe and secure" electronic voting machines ahead of time. Please, please vote. The future as we know it hangs in the balance.
- One UCLA writing instructor interviews another. Daniel Jaffe (divine writing instructor, the only one who actually moved me forward along the continuum instead of holding me in place to tread water) interviews Tod Goldberg (a writing instructor who is meant to be very good but I've not had a class with him and frankly, I'm a little scared he would tell me my work is crap) for Bibliobuffet.
- I was supposed to go on our neighborhood watch walk as we are hoping to better downtown LA through our presence. I was supposed to take back my streets. (Gentrification, anyone?) I should have gone, I meant to go, I even said I would go. But I stayed at home and tinkered with my vapor novel instead. I am scum. But I also don't know that taking back the streets from those who were here first is the right approach. Especially with police and security in tow. Isn't that the wrong message to send? I don't know. Good discussion at blogdowntown.
- Cris Mazza has a wonderful piece on the pitfalls of writing in the first person at Gina Frangello's Other Voices blog. Did I mention my vapor novel is written in first person? I'm doomed, aren't I?
Note that this second post of the day and it's not even noon. I've never posted twice in one day. An update, maybe. But never two posts. I smell distraction. These last two posts (minus this sentence at those that come after) are over 1,100 words. Roughly the same amount of words that I need to delete and re-write in my already flailing novel. Shame on me.
