Alastor's Reflection

Unbinding UNBOUND, Part Two; or, Jeez, Why Is It Taking So Long?

Ξ July 26th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ UNBOUND, BOUND, and my other creations |

The good news: Unbound has long been finished, polished to perfection, and ready to feel itself lovingly caressed by a caring Reader’s hands, hopefully Yours, as a Book. The bad news is that getting published these days is a goddamn nightmare. That’s the best light in which I can describe it. Utterly loathsome process. (That’s another.)

Recently I came across an excellent article by Jonathan Karp in which he describes the perils of modern publishing and the needs for this bleak picture to drastically improve. I was gratified to read that he comes to the same conclusions and comparisons that I have, in that the publishing industry is in danger of going the same sad way as the music industry.  And quite frankly, if Companies are concerned only with the avaricious counting of pennies and publishing “Product” over substantive and genuine Art-Works, then they deserve such a fate. They are far too cynical (as is Society in general) to be in such a position of such great responsibility. Art ought to be worth something of a value not attributed to profit, and not common, disposable or inconsequential either.

Therefore, the money-changers ought to be cleared out, and responsible facilitators should take their place. Ideally, there should be NO HINDRANCE between the Creator/Artist and their Art, and the Recipient. That may be idealistic, but tough shit. That’s the deal. In the earliest days of cavemen, Celts, Greeks, and every civilization, there were no barriers between us. Now there is, and all in the name of Mammon. Just because “times have changed” is no excuse to lamely accept everything as is; of course they’re going to justify matters solely out of self-preservation. Yes, times have changed, and just as significantly, THINGS have got to change, again; back. While the Artist deserves fair recompense for his or her labors, a Company does not aside from manufacturing and service. If we can make a direct connection between artist and consumer, there will be no need for them anymore. They ought to bear this in mind.

The Contract between myself and Lily-the-Muse (who first began whispering this story to me over twenty-five years ago) agreed that it needed to be something of great importance, inspiration, and hoped-for-transcendence to be brought to as many readers as possible, of as many varied beliefs, reading skills, and intellects; that it would be a book of significance, permanence, and a reflecting back on the most classical of literature. In order to do this I gave up my family, my friends, my home, an income, anything familiar in surroundings, and pleasurable distractions of all kinds. I won’t go into the awful details about how empty life has become because Lily filled it up with such wonder, and the novel has turned out so well that I am extremely gratified. But I am spent; everything is, and my life is in danger of crashing down around my head, probably soon. I have faith in the miraculous but even that can only go so far in the harsh light of Reality. The emptiness is loud nowadays, and fearsome; as if I’m standing on the steel rails of some rushing, invisible, and portentous train. Too much time spent in Paradise; now it’s back to Hell… though I keep an ear out and an eye open for my angels

It might be said that I take the act of Creation too seriously; I don’t see how you can do that. If making something frivolous, then fine. If you don’t care, why should we? Then an agreement between both parties can be made that it is inconsequential. I don’t want to waste my time creating (or regarding) something so shallow, thin and transient. If you think about it, creating Something from Nothing is truly a reflection of a God-like act and should result in a Thing of equal effort and distinction. When I set out to write Unbound, I wanted to create something that not only would be timeless, significant-to-the-Reader, and world-changing, but also something that would reflect the essence of Creativity at every level. To explain this would probably read as tedious, so I’ll spare you. But yeah, I do take it seriously. I wanted to give You something precious, something of value, as much as it has been to Me. However, those persons responsible for enabling this will regard my work as being of no value or interest until I can prove its “worthiness” to them by how well I can jump through their asinine Marketing Hoops.

And therein lies the problem: In order to get one’s work published, especially a first-timer such as myself, there are innumerable petty and arbitrary “rules” that must be followed to “prove” that the work will be profitable and that you can write a proper query letter. For instance, some examples/implications: when describing it, don’t get all “artsy-fartsy” (i.e. dumb it down);  don’t let on that it’s your first book or that you’re unpublished (i.e. practice your deception); don’t start out your query with a question despite reading to the contrary that this IS a good way to begin one (i.e. remain off-balance and at their mercy because the rules can and will change at any whim or trend and you must prove you can adjust to the market on-the-fly), and on and on etc etc etc ad infinitum ad nauseum.  THESE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STORY!

It’s been said time and again that agents and editors only read query letters JUST as far as the very first formatting error, word, or sentence they come across with which they can justify trashing it and go on to the next. Callous and calculating, all for the sake of an easier workload, pimping possibilities for their Product for which they’ll reap a reward whether in profit or prestige, and further bolstering the doors against those damned newcomers in order to keep their little Big Club exclusive. Bear in mind that around 80%-90% of Big Publishers only accept submissions if tendered by agents. Don’t even bother trying without one; they’ll toss unsolicited manuscripts in a New York minute. Which is ironic since they’re mostly all in New York City. And Agents are tougher to get than publishing deals these days. And so it goes…

Oh sure, I can understand it; I don’t have to like or support it however. And it’s not as if there’s a hand that’s feeding me which I’ve got to avoid biting

And so, since publishers and agents are so egotistically hell-bent on erecting these arbitrary barriers against access, I’m looking into other ways and means such as a possible graphic novel or even a western-styled anime, along with which the novel could be published as well. I so want to get my story into your hands that I would do it for free, as long as I got a living out of it. Seems a fair trade. Turns out I need an income to survive. Who knew?

Bitter much? Nah, but the truth hurts though, doesn’t it? But who gets hurt in the end? The Reader, just as the Listener gets screwed nowadays by the music industry. Like Frank Zappa once remarked on Larry King’s show, when King tried to get him to put down current artists (and this in the ’80s!). Frank just shrugged and said, “They’re putting out Product.” Right. Scan the music-and-bookshelves and behold the cookie-cutter pap put out in persistent attempts to hew to the bottom line of conformity. It’s all Product, and little of it of much worth or of lasting value. True Art ought to be something of substance, and worthy of the Recipient’s investment of their attention, money, and time spent in delighting in the Artist’s Work, whatever field that might be in: painting, sculpture, composition, performance, poetry, or storytelling, or anything created from out of an individual’s intellect, heart, or soul.

So yeah, my idealistic approach to my own act of creation may be derided as “artsy-fartsy” but it is sincere, and was sustained consistently over the years through great risk, sacrifice, and suffering. Frankly, I couldn’t give a shit if my idealistic attitude is regarded in such a shallow and derogatory manner because cynics such as those are most likely unable to appreciate the beauty of my particular and peculiar completed Art-Work. My concerns lie with Readers, not Critics; I wanted the recipient of my Gift to be personally rewarded as significantly, as thrillingly, and as transcendentally as possible, and that is the brush of Intent that I used when I painted my masterpiece, Unbound.

This song is in my mind; I kind of like the way Bob Dylan puts it in his “When I Paint My Masterpiece”:

Oh, the streets of Rome are filled with rubble,
Ancient footprints are everywhere.
You can almost think that you’re seein’ double
On a cold, dark night on the Spanish Stairs.
Got to hurry on back to my hotel room,
Where I’ve got me a date with Botticelli’s niece.
She promised that she’d be right there with me
When I paint my masterpiece.Oh, the hours I’ve spent inside the Coliseum,
Dodging lions and wastin’ time.
Oh, those mighty kings of the jungle, I could hardly stand to see ‘em,
Yes, it sure has been a long, hard climb.
Train wheels runnin’ through the back of my memory,
When I ran on the hilltop following a pack of wild geese.
Someday, everything is gonna be smooth like a rhapsody
When I paint my masterpiece.Sailin’ ’round the world in a dirty gondola.
Oh, to be back in the land of Coca-Cola!I left Rome and landed in Brussels,
On a plane ride so bumpy that I almost cried.
Clergymen in uniform and young girls pullin’ muscles,
Everyone was there to greet me when I stepped inside.
Newspapermen eating candy
Had to be held down by big police.
Someday, everything is gonna be diff’rent
When I paint my masterpiece.*** 

My most recent First Reader loved it as well, and said that Unbound was “a work of genius, a masterpiece.” She was a classical literature major in school, and she “got” my more literary references and themes, which I’ve explained elsewhere. Also, this year an ex-girlfriend asked to read it as it’d been eight years since she last read any of it. As with the others, she was totally addicted to reading each chapter nearly as fast as I’d send them. She was reading it not as a critiquer but for the enjoyment, as a real Reader, like You

But, according to the latest Arbitrary Rules About Submitting Query Letters, these are also things you mustn’t mention. Querying has to be done a certain way, put just so delicately, and according to whatever the demands-du-jour are. I have all kinds of “how-to” books and very little is consistent. Of course, you only get one chance to make an impression on any one agent or publisher… 

God, I am SO tired of this bullshit. To agents and editors, Look: I have a Story. Readers addicted to page-turning have loved it. Give it a try. It’s a real “Oprah Book”. ’nuff said. As for me, no, I’m not “professional”; I’m willing to learn.  I’m unpolished; polish me. I’m not savvy; illuminate me. I’m a quick study; I’m not stupid. I’m also not a poser, a phony, a fake, or a fraud. I’m a non-conformist, not on purpose. That’s just how it is. I don’t seek glory, fame, and fortune. All I want to do is tell stories, and make a reasonable living at it. The Novel will attract its own just reward; I want to honor my Deal with my Creative Muse and sell as many copies of Unbound as I can manage. That should make you happy, and You, and you. Oh, and me, and Lily as well :D

What’s the Story about? Well, you know… it’s about Everything. Read about the first chapter here, or, for the lazy, read the actual excerpt here, or even check out the novel’s Overviews section here. Wow, I have to do everything for you!

I always knew I’d suck at Marketing *sigh*

Anyway, that’s why it’s taken so long, aside from my survival issues and possible lack of a stable place of existence, which I’m working on. But publishing Unbound is my literal Reason For Being, and top priority. Aside from breathing and stuff. I’ll be working on that too

Alastor’s Reflection on Tranquility

Ξ July 9th, 2008 | → 0 Comments | ∇ The Anime Annals |

Hello,

I’m in the process of selling my house, so other than that I’m not doing any other serious thinking, writing, blogging, or much of anything else, really. I feel guilty when relaxing and entertaining myself when I need to be focusing on survival matters. Priorities and etc. Speaking of those, I came across an excellent article which deals with the difficulties in and reasons why getting published in this day and age is so difficult; I’ve saved it for blogging purposes to be dealt with in the near future. Too serious for Right Now though, and I must put aside the pursuit of bringing Lily to life until I have a stable address, and life.

But all stress and no play makes Jack a fucked-up boy, so I am taking in some anime as a stress-reliever, especially since I had to break from it due to the above matters. A good anime is like enjoying a 6-12 hour movie with involving characters and story-lines that are thought-provoking, wondrous, and that touch on emotions and mental states that a CD, a movie, or a TV program (especially) can’t, don’t, or won’t provide.

Sometimes a song alone will do all of these; such is the case with “Binkan na Fuukei”, the very first music one hears from the anime Sola. It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard, and I’ll be sharing it with you shortly. Sola tells the story of Yorito, a student who loves to take pictures of the sky. He oftentimes ditches class to go alone onto the rooftop where he lies on his back, looking up at the sky, snapping picture after picture. All that we know (in the beginning) is that he loves it… I can’t link to the Wiki because some IDIOT included critical spoilers that would completely ruin the story for you. Some people… hmph.

In the anime’s opening moments, and while the song plays, gently, gently, one very early morning he arrives at a scenic viewpoint from which he can catch the sunrise and capture its light in his camera. He is setting up his tripod when he hears a sudden commotion behind him. He turns around to witness a vending machine being attacked by a beret-wearing girl intending on forcing it to give her a can of tomato juice it refuses to cough up. Her name is Matsuri. And so, the two meet; two solitary souls who have more in common than at first is apparent.

Matsuri cannot abide the sunlight, for reasons best left to the plot to reveal; but no, she is not a vampire. She, too, loves the sky, but has never seen the blue cloud-studded firmament. She often carries with her an umbrella, the underside of which is painted like the sky she can never behold, so that when opened she can always look up, and imagine…

This song from the first episode’s first moments drew me in and hooked me enough to watch the rest of the series; it enchanted me. Aside from the fact that Matsuri is a “Lily-like” (see unbound.org’s Lily section  for more), the story really spoke to me. Sola is a sort of play on words: the Japanese word for “sky” is “sora”, and in Spanish “sola” means “alone”. The tale is focused on these two solitary, solo, beings. Many of the supporting cast are solitary in nature as well: Aono, Yorito’s sister, confined to a hospital bed, folding origami animals; her erstwhile companion, the little Koyori, always so formal and inquisitive; and her older sister Mana, who happens to be Yorito’s classmate and friend. Even the darker characters, Takeshi and little Goth-loli Mayuko, are loners. But none of them ever lovers; rarely companions; which goes for all of them, for a time. You’ll meet them in a bit…

The namesake for this Blog is Alastor; in Shelley’s poem of the same name, the subtitle is “The Spirit of Solitude”. I’ve already mentioned that I’ve spent the last seven years in solitude while writing Lily’s novel, Unbound, and so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I’m drawn to this theme, and this anime. In solitude one can tend to one’s Self, and can feel thought, emotion, and matter unfettered, and can live as freely as possible, given time to ruminate, philosophize, and reflect. And so, Alastor’s Reflection(s).

In solitude, one can find tranquility, that rarest of things. We have become such clamorous, crass, and cynical conflict-junkies that we’ve lost the ability to appreciate the virtues of quietude. Or virtues of any kind, for that matter, but that’s another topic. In large part, we’ve lost the ability to reflect upon ourselves and our world, or see the positive and beautiful things in it. We seem to only know what we’re exposed to in the media and the Internet, which necessarily are filled with material that is sensational, distracting, and noisome. Anything to get in your face and your attention, shortened as that may be, to sell their Product, whatever that may be. Tranquil, peaceful, and quiet things are frowned upon, for they bring us face to face with the enemy: our Self. There is no other. Anything to prevent us from thinking, reflecting, and feeling… because once we do, we would reject them.

And so, in this crazy-fast-paced time of tumult, trauma and distress, let’s allow for ourselves a moment of tranquility, hopefully conveyed to you through the song “Binkan na Fuukei”, played over a scenery of just-clouds-in-the-sky, just as the very first sight and scene of sola, just as the underside of Matsuri’s sky-painted umbrella… probably some things that we all need.

I’ll leave you with a clip taken from the last episode, number 15, which served as a sort of coda to the whole series, and depicts events leading up to Yorito and Matsuri meeting on that dark yet early morning. The song, also called “Sensitive Scenery”, starts at around 3:22, and includes the translated lyrics as subtitles. Please do enjoy, and take some time out for your Self… not self-ishly, but self-lessly