Archive for December, 2008

Look, it’s not as if I want to be neglectful. I really don’t. The thesis has been turned in and now I find out my fate on Friday. Well, actually I meet with my committee on Friday and then they get to ask me questions. I had decided not to share this, but fuck, I’m so exhausted I don’t care. The requirements of the thesis were that it include a “Statement of Purpose” not to exceed three pages. Here is my “Statement of Purpose”:

I believe that there are many writers who pursue a career creating prose works of long fiction with the direct aim of fashioning their work into what would generally be considered art, or at the very least, works with some artistic sensibilities. I appreciate this type of work on an intellectual (and often) emotional level.

I am not, however, one of these writers.

My aim as a writer is to, as best I can, craft compelling stories of a fantastical nature. If a reader comes away from my work having been entertained, then, in my estimation, I am successful as a writer.

Any other reaction, on the reader’s part, can be solely attributed to the reader.

I am not a creator of art.

I do not claim to have any insights into the human condition, nor am I interested in plumbing the mysteries of existence.

I want to sale my work for money.

If my work is enjoyed enough by those who read it then, hopefully, I can sell some more at a future time.

I believe that every novel could be improved by the inclusion of at least one werewolf.

I do not believe that there is any shame in writing “genre fiction.”

To that end, I present this excerpt from my second novel, Descent: Broken as my MFA thesis.

I really believe that shit about the werewolves. When I was taking a workshop with Tim Powers I actually said that in class so it’s not as if I’m pulling it out of my ass now.

Anyway, even though the thesis is done I’ve still been MIA because I have somewhere around 35 pages yet to write. Half of that is a research paper on Don DeLillo’s The Names, and the other half is a research paper/story about Calvino’s If on a winter’s night a traveler and Robbe-Grillet’s For a New Novel. If I weren’t in the final week of 7 semesters of grad school, I’d be really excited about both of these (I know, I know, why the hell should I be excited about this shit?…I’m a fucking lit nerd, what can I say *shrug*).

So, long story…well, still kinda long, I’ll still be out for most of next week.

The Blaylock signing took place at my store and was the second largest signing I’ve personally seen at a Borders (Clive Barker at my store in SF in 2001 brought in like 250 people) with somewhere around 70 (rough guess). Blaylock read the first two chapters of Knights of the Cornerstone and generally rocked it.

I felt bad (well, just a little) about making him sign eight books just for me.

If you didn’t make it down, do yourself a favor and go buy the book because, even though I should be spending all my time writing or grading, I am in the fifth chapter and it’s (at this point) as good as The Last Coin.

See you guys soon.

Babyshambles — In Love With a Feeling