Alex Cox Bonanza

In interviews for the new sequel to Repo Man which will come out in comics form, Cox mentions having almost all his screenplays on line, including the never-filmed Keith Moon story and his Doctor Strange film with Stan Lee. Lots of scripts contain bonus information, like the script for Straight to Hell (one of my all time favorite films, a reminder perhaps that "favorite" is a often bit different from "best"):

Dick Rude and I wrote this at the Kensington Hotel, Santa Monica, CA, in four days. It was based on a Spaghetti Western we both admired, DJANGO KILL (SE SEI VIVO, SPARA), directed by Giulio Questi in 1967. All the characters were written for specific actors or musicians; the film had no casting director.

Also known as THE LEGEND OF PADDY GARCIA.

66pp, followed by long letter from Joe Strummer (written on one continuous piece of paper), detailing his doubts about the film and his proposal for re-shooting and restructuring it; the lyrics for his song "Dogtown," penned by Joe, and six snapshots of the film's protagonists - Joe, Courtney, Jennifer, Elvis, Cait, Sara. Happy days!

Perspective

Andrew Vacchs, not a man known for pulling punches, offers his opinion on the business of writing in an interview with Pulp Pusher:

TONY BLACK: You've described success in writing as a 'crap shoot', would you care to expand?

ANDREW VACHSS: Bottom line: this nonsense of "cream always rises to the top" is crap. Look anywhere you want: there are better musicians busking on the streets than you can find on major labels; actors who have ten times the talent as major stars, but you'll never see them in a movie. And unpublished writers who are better than plenty of those who are published. Everyone knows some boxers who could put the current "champion" to sleep will never get that chance -- that "sport" is all about connections. When it comes to the arts, it's even worse... some of the most talented never even get to step into the ring. Of course "success" in writing is a crap shoot, because you can't succeed if you're not allowed to compete. Remember, just about everyone on earth believes they can write; and all they have to do is walk into any bookstore, nose around a bit, and they'll find absolute proof that they can write better than someone who actually has been published. How else to explain the self-publishing empires that have sprung up? If I hadn't caught lightning in a bottle, I never would have been published in the first place -- equivalent to throwing the hard eight a dozen times in the same night, so what else would you call it?

Publication: Bell

My short play Bell will be appearing in the next issue of Mused, the literary magazine for the site BellaOnline. They advertise themselves as the second largest online site for women, which (perhaps somewhat randomly) makes me think of Casablanca. A table of folks comment on Rick's high-handed attitude, i.e. refusing to drink with them:

Woman: What makes a saloonkeeper so snobbish?

Banker: Perhaps if you told him I ran the second largest banking house in Amsterdam...

Carl: Second largest? That wouldn't impress Rick. The leading banker in Amsterdam is now the pastry chef in our kitchen.

Banker: We have something to look forward to.

The funny thing about this play is that I know exactly when I first composed it. Often I know when I started a thing (I can look at the Word document and see when it was created), but this I know from writing it in my journal -- specifically at 11.03 am GMT on May 27, 2007. This piece sprang almost Athena-like from my skull on a rainy day walking down St. Martin's Lane, pausing just past the Duke of York's Theatre to sit on some steps and write it all out. Across the street were signs for Kismet, the English National Opera production at the London Coliseum.

Elsewhere on the same page where this piece begins is a reminder of what joy I find in sneezing loudly in the British Library Reading Room, as well as a note on a BBC news story about shin kicking in the Cotswolds (in white coats, no less) with the comment, "I love England!" The presenter asked the roving reporter, "Does it hurt to get kicked in the Cotswolds?" (yes!) and himself said, "Only in England."

Keeping a journal pays off in so many ways!

Happy Birthday, Cheryl & Birdie!

Pay your homage to the fabulous women of the day: Perilous Cheryl, host of the New England Anomaly, and Birdie, master gardener and voice of reason. Sing their praises, give them gifts and celebrate their lives -- you're lucky to know them!

As Black Ethel might say, "Arrr, it's a great day!"

Spring Break!

Whoo hoo! I'm on spring break -- but I won't be lounging on a beach in Brazil. Admittedly, I'm not much of a beach lounger anymore, so it's not actually that tempting. The thought of idleness is probably more pleasurable than actual idleness, or so I'm trying to convince myself. Much to do, but at least it doesn't have to be done quite so early in the morning!

Happy Birthday, Kit!

Happy Birthday, Marlowe, the voice that launched a thousand riffs. I seem to always be looting from him, whether it's something like my short story "Fear and Loathing in Deptford" or random bits from passages like this one (part of which just ended up in my latest novel [first draft creeping toward its end, hurrah]). Sic semper geniis, eh?

I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits,
Musicians, that with touching of a string
May draw the pliant King which way I please.
Music and poetry is his delight;
Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night,
Sweet speeches, comedies, and pleasing shows;
And in the day, when he shall walk abroad,
Like sylvan nymphs my pages shall be clad;
My men, like satyrs grazing on the lawns,
Shall with their goat feet dance the antic hay.
Sometime a lovely boy in Dian's shape,
With hair that gilds the water as it glides,
Crownets of pearl about his naked arms,
And in his sportful hands an olive tree,
To hide those parts which men delight to see,
Shall bathe him in a spring; and there, hard by,
One like Actæon, peeping through the grove,
Shall by the angry goddess be transformed,
And running in the likeness of an hart,
By yelping hounds pulled down, shall seem to die:
Such things as these best please his majesty...

Weekend Round-up

Friday night we headed out with friends to celebrate a birthday and a new job (yay, Maryann!) at Koto Japanese Steak House. They have a great koi pond and the decor is simple and restrained. Everyone seemed eager for hibachi, but I was looking forward to sushi -- it's been ages since I had any. Our chef put on the usual show, which might be the same in every J-steak house across the country, but an energetic chef can make it fun. The food was fresh and tasty. Afterward we headed over to Dee's to hang out and chat. Gene was in rare form, leading Allan to ask, "Have you ever done stand-up?" Hee hee -- he should.

Yesterday, we were off to Saratoga to meet Crispinus and his long suffering uxor, Krista, for the Home Made Theater presentation of Stoppard's The Real Inspector Hound and the Fifteen Minute Hamlet. Having looked at the company's website and having been to the Saratoga Spa State Park, I thought it would be a breeze getting there. It turned out to be clear as mud (I thought it was part of the performance center...nope).

Once we finally found ourselves in the right place, the next challenge was finding a place to park. Making a run for the theater, we found that the line was so long for picking up tickets that there was no way the play could start on time anyway. Dan and Krista joined us on line as we snaked our way slowly to the box office. There was a big group of Red Hats in the audience, all chatting excitedly. We were down in the second or third row, so right on top of the action.

The oddest thing was realizing that Stoppard's playful meta-narratives have become mainstream. I suppose it will always be the case with what was once innovative and strange. The cast seemed to be having a good time; they have a difficult challenge in Hound playing melodramatic "types" and repeating scenes with new partners. I was distracted at times by the coincidental similarities some actors had to other actors: Chris Cook looking just a little like Eddie Izzard, Phil Sheehan looking a bit like Spike Milligan (especially during Hamlet) and Winnie Bowen looking rather like Jane Curtain disguised as an elderly woman. Bowen had a good sense of comic timing -- she had to carry a lot of the physical comedy, although I have to say I really admired the way Lauren Cognato went all out for the prat fall with her Ophelia in Hamlet. You can't go far wrong with Stoppard.

After the show we headed over to the Crispinus domicile for a fantastic meal (mmmm, orangey-beefy stew and tasty antipasto) and the usual abuse of Crispinus (a game for the whole family). Thanks guys, that was great! We came home and watched the Oscars while I finished some grading. Best speech? Tilda Swinton's!

What Punctuation Mark are You?

You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic. You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything. You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests. You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time. Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to. (But with so many competing interests, you [sic] friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.) You excel in: Inspiring people You get along best with: The Question Mark

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

We'll ignore the fact that the image is not actually a comma...

Midsummer in Late Winter

Yesterday I ran over to HVCC's Maureen Stapleton Theatre to see Shakespeare & Co's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Conveniently close by and better yet -- it was free!

It's a nice little theater, although the acoustics weren't brilliant. The theater slowly filled up with students and other theater junkies (well, maybe they were faculty). They announced that there would be a talk back session after the performance, which was nice. From the start, this was an energetic and athletic performance from the company of seven -- yes, seven, so there were a lot of quick changes.

They began with several of the cast members using sticks like Morris dancers to beat out a vigorous tattoo. At first I thought, cool! A little percussion is always fun. But then Theseus and Hippolyta came out to mime their romantic backstory, which normally gets buried behind the plot of the happy lovers. As readers of Chaucer's Knight's Tale know, they marry because Theseus has defeated the amazon queen at war. It worked well and they bring the music back by the end.

More than that, there was tumbling and vigorous fights, chases: when Puck is chasing Demetrius and Lysander through the woods, they grab variously homey implements like mop handles and even a "wand" (leading to a big laugh when its wielder shouted "expelliamus!"). The costuming -- often a selling point for this play -- was sacrificed for the portability of travel (this was their 20th of about 70 performances on this tour), but Oberon's costume was cool, more like a goblin king than a fairy one (which of course I liked).

After the play, the cast asked opinions of the audience as well as questions, then let the audience ask questions, too. Students talked about how much easier it was to comprehend Shakespeare's language in motion, which led one older guy to grouse about how it's been "turned into literature" and ruined. Nonetheless, everyone seemed to be energized by the performance. I, of course, can never have enough theater -- more this weekend, too. I filled up on cheap Troy gas (a dime cheaper than on our side of the Hudson) and then headed home, a little fairy dust still lingering in my head.

Did you see it?

NASA, of course, has great coverage of the terrific show last night, including this stunning image. It was a cold night, but it was worth braving the chill for such a beautiful sight. We laughed on the way to campus yesterday morning because the digital billboard near Everett Road had an ad for the lunar eclipse -- "One night only! Admission free!" -- so maybe a few more people decided to look upward last night.

The Chronicle Bump

No, not that Chronicle; the Saint Rose Chronicle. One of my good students told me about there being a piece which featured members of the English Department -- including me. It's too late to get a print edition, but there's an on line version of the story. No quotes from me because, well, I didn't know about it.

They did publish the link for my personal website, about which I feel a bit uncomfortable. In academic email or on Facebook, I always list my Saint Rose website (although there is a hidden link to my regular website). I have tried, perhaps artificially, to keep a wall between my personal writing and my professional. That's one of the reasons I don't link this blog to Facebook. Maybe it's foolish, maybe it's an endeavour that will inevitably fail, but for some reason, I have felt the need to maintain that barrier.

Maybe I should give up...

PCA etc

Miss Wendy reminds me I need to be planning for San Francisco. The final schedule for PCA is up online (with my strange paper title correct, hurrah!). Suddenly so much to do -- and always less time in which to do it. Somehow I'm going to get loads of writing done over spring break, right? Deadlines loom!

Good news: one of my students just got accepted to the Master of Arts in Teaching at Bard. Go, Annie!

What Fred Said

Fred Vargas, archaeologist of the Middle Ages and crime novelist, interviewed in the Guardian:

Since the 1970s, Vargas argues, serious literature has regarded stories as "slightly silly", forcing them to become "refugees" in the crime novel. "It has been a literature of narcissism about 'me and my family', 'me and my problems', 'me and my lover'. I'm sick of it, especially as Proust did this perfectly all those years ago. But when he spoke of himself, he spoke of the whole world. Most writers today just speak of themselves. And Hemingway's language is precisely the opposite of Proust in that it feels rougher, and while Proust could deal with the infinite smallness of life, Hemingway has the infinite hugeness of it."

No Respect

The other day we watched the television show "The Comedians' Comedians" hosted by Jimmy Carr. It counted down the top 50 comedians according to, well, comedians. While it was a British show, they did include a number of Americans like Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, Joan Rivers, Bill Hicks (long lionized in Britain) and Robin Williams. I suspect an American show would fail to list any British comedians -- perhaps Eddie Izzard, just because he has made such successful inroads into American pop culture. Of course, that's unlikely to happen because Americans don't on the whole have the same appreciation of comedy that Britons do. You can't imagine a critic here writing, as Brian Clover did, that "Arguably, comedians are the true artists of the troubled Twentieth Century." Obviously, I agree. We enjoyed the show leading up to the satisfactorily anticipated top spot going to the genius that is Peter Cook.

But one thing really disturbed me: in the top ten was Eric Morecambe without Ernie Wise. For those of you unfamiliar with them, Morecambe and Wise (pictured above) were an institution. Check out some of their classic clips like the breakfast sketch or their version of "Singing in the Rain" to see the physical side of their comedy. Watch more clips to get a feel for their playful sense of dialogue. They define the classic double act.

So why is Morecambe there near the top without Wise?

I suspect it's because so many of the young comedians they spoke with are solo acts. They don't understand the dynamics of the duo, unless it's someone they know (contemporaries Vic & Bob and French & Saunders all make the list). The straight man is a thankless role. Eddie Braben, who composed many of the sketches for which Eric and Ern are so well-known, wrote, "In his own way, Ern was every bit as talented as Eric, he underlined his comic greatness. Even at their peak I don't believe Ern's contribution was fully acknowledged. Eric was probably his greatest admirer" (98).

So here's to Ernie Wise! and all the overlooked straight men and women in the world.

Gene forwarded a link to an NPR story on the play Ying Tong: A Walk with the Goons, that's playing in Philadelphia. I'm resisting an urge to look at the Amtrak schedules and jump on a train to go see it. I may have to console myself with getting a copy of the script. I can't help but wonder how it will go over with an audience unfamiliar with Milligan and the Goons. The website for the production offers all kinds of background links, so perhaps it will help educate the audience. Hope it goes well -- wish I could be there!

Happy Birthday, Elena!

Yep, another day of celebrations: our pal Elena celebrates her birthday today and her anniversary with Rod -- four kids and umpteen years later, they're still like a couple of teenagers together. Inspiring! [but incorrect -- Elena reminds me their anniversary is in May. My PDA led me astray; but that doesn't mean it isn't a great day to celebrate their marriage!]

Happy Valentines Day, folks -- I always think of it as Chaucer's holiday, because he's the first one to connect the day with love and romance in his Parliament of Fowls. I got a beautiful card from my sweetie :-) with vintage art. Love you, mine sweetie!

On less happy news, Up Against the Wall is ceasing publication. Waah! I liked having a regular gig to write, of course, but I really enjoyed reading all the other writers, too. I don't know if the pieces written for issue 11 will go up; if not, maybe I'll post mine here. Sigh.

Happy Birthday, Pops! and Happy Anniversary

Hey, it's Gene Sr.'s birthday as well as Gene Sr. and Jane's Anniversary. Hope you're having a great day -- and not too much snow. I have a snow day -- whoo hoo! I had already moved my morning classes on line instead of in class, but planned to go in for the 1.15 class. Then I got the phone call from our new automated alert system telling me that campus was closing:

At 2.30pm.

Uh... well, I guess it's better than not at all. Nonetheless, it seemed pointless to go in for the 1.15 class, so I told them to take the day off and curl up with some hot chocolate and a good film. At least that's my plan!

Which British Romantic Poet are You?

Well, duh!

What British Romantic Poet are You? Your Result: You are William Blake!   Like Blake, you believe in the union of opposites: "Without Contraries, there is no progression. Attraction and repulsion, reason and energy, love and hate, are necessary to human existence."
You are John Keats!
You are George Gordon, Lord Byron!
You are Percy Shelley!
You are William Wordsworth!
You are Samuel Coleridge!
What British Romantic Poet are You? Create MySpace Quizzes

Viva le Vegas

We've been indulging in a Johnny Vegas smörgåsbord of late, everything from the oh-so-accurately named 18 Stone of Idiot (by the by, U.S. readers: 1 stone = 14 lbs.) to the Johnny Vegas Guide to Evangelicals (far more interesting than it sounds), with stops off at Room 101 and various random tidbits. I think it all started with watching old episodes of Vic & Bob's Shooting Stars. From the third season Vegas was a regular along with wordy-wordy-wordsmith Will Self and Ulrika (ka ka!) Jonsson. But he's also made the transition to "real" acting in things like Bleak House, The Libertine and the series Happiness, which we're finally getting around to seeing. So the upshot is Gene and I go around talking in our Johnny Vegas voices to one another. Yet another thing we do that no one understands...

My students in the film class (Writers in Motion) -- normally the uplifting moment of my teaching day -- deflated me yesterday by declaring writing to be devoid of cachet in our time: Who doesn't have a blog? Anyone can be in print with Lulu! Everybody's a writer, they tell me, so there's nothing special about it. Ouch. However, they always have interesting opinions and thoughtful responses, so I'm content.

On the opposite side of the spectrum is my creative writing students, who seem to have decided that they don't need to bother doing the readings assigned. They had nothing to say about Beckett's "Not I" -- no, really. I can understand being confused (of course!) or irritated, but shrugging? Working in class, it became apparent that they simply didn't read it. So, first, we watched this version; then for their workshops on Wednesday, they are writing little dramatic scenes about two students discussing their assignment -- Beckett's "Not I" -- and how they can make sense of it. Meta!

Proofs

Here's the final cover for Jane Quiet. Elena got the proofs and inevitably, we noticed a few things that we need to change. Argh -- editing is not my strength. Gene, of course, has a careful eye and spotted a few things that could be improved. The process of publishing is a lot of hurry up and wait; at least comics publishing is a little faster than book publishing.

Nonetheless, it's exciting to have it so near to hand. I can't wait to see the actual comic in front of me. We're already looking into signings at local places. Of course, we'll let you all know when the details are firmed up.

I can't wait to see what Jane does out in the real world!

Insert Dramatic "Noooooo!"

I pulled a Sunday 8am panel at Kalamazoo. At least I'm only presiding, not speaking, but argh! After the Saturday night dance, Sunday panels are killer -- you're tired and there's often little audience. Sigh.

In the Great Grey Beast

The great gray beast February had eaten Harvey Swick alive. Here he was, buried in the belly of that smothering month, wondering if he would ever find his way out through the cold coils that lay between here and Easter.He didn't think much of his chances.

        Clive Barker, The Thief of Always

Everyone seems to be in the jaws of the great beast lately, sounding gloomy and keeping to themselves. February usually seems to have that effect. Snow yesterday with a bit of ice -- more snow to come Monday, I believe. This time of year, snow has lost its charm and we dully turn to shoveling with grim persistence. Sometimes we just have to hunker down to work and wait for the first signs of spring. But would spring be as sweet without the bitter days of February?



By a river in a green meadow, where there is at all points so much sweetness, I saw a garden, full of blossomy boughs, with white, blue, yellow and red flowers; and cold fountain-streams, not at all dead, full of small shining fish with red fins and silver-bright scales. On every bough I heard the birds sing with the voice of angels in their melody. Some busied themselves to lead forth their young. The little bunnies hastened to play. Further on I noticed all about the timid roe, the buck, harts and hinds and squirrels and small beasts of gentle nature. I heard stringed instruments playing harmonies of such ravishing sweetness that God, Maker and Lord of all, never heard better, I believe. At the same time a wind, scarce could it have been gentler, made in the green leaves a soft noise which accorded with the song of the birds above. The air of that place was so mild that never was there discomfort for heat or cold. Every wholesome spice and herb grew there, and no person could age or sicken. There was a thousand times more joy than man can tell. And it would never be night there, but ever bright day in every man's eye.

        Geoffrey Chaucer, The Parliament of Fowls, Translated and Edited by Gerard NeCastro

Who's Better?

As Father Dougal might say, who d'you prefer? Oasis or Blur?

I got my head checked
By a jumbo jet
It wasn't easy
But nothing is, no

Mardi Gras/Year of the Rat

Down in New Orleans, they're getting the floats ready. I can enjoy the pleasant thought of the fun without much regret, as the crowds alone are enough to keep me away.

Chinese New Year is coming up and it's my year! Yes, I was born under the sign of the rat -- a better thing in Chinese culture than in American, I suppose. According to at least one site:

Clever and quick-witted, the Rat of the Chinese Zodiac is utterly disarming to boot. Possessed of excellent taste, this Sign flaunts its style at every turn. Its natural charm and sharp, funny demeanor make it an appealing friend for almost anyone. The Rat likes to know who is on its side and will treat its most loyal friends with an extra measure of protection and generosity.

Of course on the other hand, it also says:

Behind that sweet smile, though, Rats are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas. This Sign is motivated by its own interests, which often include money; greed can become a problem if the Rat isn't careful to keep its priorities straight. This Sign's natural powers of charm and persuasion can definitely come in handy!

Okay, so something to watch out for, I guess. Although as I work on the promotional materials for Jane Quiet I figure I can let my inner rat run wild.

Of course, I'm disappointed to once again miss the Gorillaz's "Monkey: Journey to the West" which will be performed this week at the British Museum (one of my favorite places in the world). Waah! So, listening to the Gorillaz now (and thinking about the irony of being in Britain while Monkey is in Charleston).

Jennifer Saunders: Looking Fab

Jennifer Saunders on life at 50 (pictured here with her daughter, Freya):

You reach a point when you realise your capabilities. You go through life feeling you don't know quite as much as other people, then you get to a certain age and think, “Actually, I do! I probably know more.” So you start driving yourself to do stuff. I don't care so much what people think of me. I'm not so self-conscious, but I'm not so tolerant, either. You can rationalise: “I'm still here; I can't be that bad.” So, if I'm out of a job, I'm out of a job, and if not, keep going.

Plus, she's going to be on tour with Dawn French! (Thanks, Gene, for the link.)

Jane Quiet Back Cover

Elena is the drawing machine!

Get out Your Monkey Trousers!

Thanks to Gene-Gene, the g'rilla machine!

Jane Quiet Cover -- Mach 2

Here's Elena's second go-round on the JQ cover. What do you all think? I've already suggested shortening the subtitle, LOL.

Jane Quiet Cover

Elena's put up her first go at the cover of Jane Quiet. She wants your feedback -- is it gruesome enough?! What do you think? This is going to be our chief selling point to grab eyeballs -- does it work?

Happy Birthday, Miss Wendy!

Let's hope it's positively medieval!

All Quiet!

Elena brings it all to a close -- whoo hoo! With luck it will not be long before we get Jane Quiet in physical form, too. Yee ha!

The Curse

Gene forwarded a link to a Wired magazine article where Clive Thompson actually compared genre writing positively to "literature" (i.e. stories with people a lot like you* to whom very little happens except for a small epiphany by the end of the story/novel; subgenres include stories about people who have really horrible chldhoods yet survive, or people who have really horrible divorces and/or deaths, yet survive, etc.). As Gene pointed out, too, the writer seriously undercuts any credibility he might have by ignorantly conflating fantasy and science fiction (Gene: "How many dragons are on the covers of SF books? "). But he means well:

From where I sit, traditional "literary fiction" has dropped the ball. I studied literature in college, and throughout my twenties I voraciously read contemporary fiction. Then, eight or nine years ago, I found myself getting — well — bored.

It's a feeling shared, seemingly even by the mainstream writers themselves, who all seem to be writing fantasy, science fiction or alternate history these days. Over at the Guardian, Mark Lawson takes on those who sneer at mystery writers with some really effective scorn:

So the reason for the survival of these prejudices can only be that whenever populist fiction makes an attempt to drag itself through the doors of the academy, it's held back by the dead, reeking weight of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code manacled to the ankles. But it makes no sense to discredit the best of a genre by invoking the worst: no television reviewer argues that Newsnight is rubbish simply because America's Next Top Model stinks.

If only everyone were that sensible. Good books are good books. But it's great to see mainstream journalists finally coming around to what so many of us have always known.

[*This generally only applies if "you" are white, middle class and have been through an MFA program]

Happy B-Day, Vic!

Raise a glass of Bovril to England's top light entertainer, host of television (aka TV), radio, pirate history, and music.

[He does not eat bears, though (which is to say that the paparazzi have not yet snapped his picture doing so).]

Publication: Oops

It's not like me to miss a publication, but I have done. My story "Tangled Up in Some Sort of Cerulean Hue" appeared in volume 3 of Ephemera in December (pp 49-52). It's a mash up of not quite Dylan lyrics from Blood on the Tracks (obviously stealing its title from the first track) with Marlowe's Doctor Faustus. It's best to listen to the album first, see a production of the play, then read the story.

If you don't have that much time, just read the story.

If you can find it -- it's a small press lit mag put out by students here, which means I only came across it by chance because there was a copy lying on the table in one of the other department buildings where I had a meeting this morning. I picked it up, a faint bell ringing in my head. Oh yeah -- that story. I had written the story originally for the Bayou Review, but then we moved up here and I submitted it here instead.

Then I immediately forgot about it. It's a nice way to be reminded, I must say. Of course, this means it will be difficult to get hold of, so if you want a copy let me know and I'll see what I can do.

PCA schedule

(At least the relevant parts for our schedule) My paper is up first:

WED MAR 19 / 2.30 pm – 4.00 pm
Golden Gate Hall Salon B2
042 Comic Art & Comics II: Novel Approaches to Narration
Chair: Claudia Stanger

“Phror, becadom, sissirishic and huwf: Alan Moore writes without some pictures”
K. A. Laity, The College of Saint Rose

“Speaking Loudly Through Silence”
John Lamothe, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

“The Grotesque in « Bluk-Bluk Zogotounga:” A Visual Semiotic Analysis of Edika’s Work.”
Luc Guglielmi, Kennesaw State University

“Towards a Narrative-Visual Grammar: Reading Comic Literature”
Claudia Stanger, Fullerton College

Wendy's up next:

THU MAR 20 / 8.00 am - 9.30 am
Golden Gate Hall Salon C2
095 Asian Popular Culture IV: Manga and Anime: Japan and Abroad
Chair: Wendy Goldberg, United States Coast Guard Academy

Shoujo Manga (Japanese Comics for Girls) Style as a Transcultural Form: Decentering Japan and Displacing the West
Fusami Ogi, Chikushi Jogakuen University (Japan)

Homegrown Shōjo Manga and Germany’s “Forty-Niners”
Paul M. Malone, University of Waterloo.

Transnational Circulation of Manga and Anime and Cultural Creolization: Reception, Absorption and Glocalized Reinterpretation of a Foreign Imagination in Italy
Marco Pellitteri, Trento University (Italy)

Bishie Love, for the Love of Bishies: Changing Understandings of Gender and Sexuality in Anime and Manga Fandom
Antonia Levi

And again:

THU MAR 20 / 2.30 pm - 4.00 pm
Golden Gate Hall Salon C2
170 Asian Popular Culture VII: Anime and Manga: Issues of Power and Identity
Chair: Wendy Goldberg, United States Coast Guard Academy

World Without Haragei: The Disintegration of Cultural Harmony in Abe & Ueda’s Texhnolyze
Debbie Scally, University of Texas at Dallas

Anime Pleasure as a Playground of Power, Resistance, and Sexuality
Lien Fan Shen, University of Utah

It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses an Eye: CLAMP and Their Three American Publishers
Stacy Rue, Bowling Green State University

The Manga Phenomenon in America
Wendy Goldberg, United States Coast Guard Academy

FRI MAR 21 is all my medieval panels and:

Golden Gate Hall Salon B2 8.00 am - 9.30 am
217 Comic Art & Comics XI: Concepts of Comics
Chair: Gene Kannenberg

“Lynda Barry: Building Bridges through Text and Image”
Susan Kirtley, University of Massachusetts at Lowell

“I Can Get College Credit for Reading Batman? That’s a Joke, Right?”: Confessions of a Fanboy Professor Teaching Comic Books”
David Whitt, Nebraska Wesleyan University

“Comic Books as Discursive Space”
Kris Wright, University of Texas at Austin

"Essentials Assemble!" A Glimpse into a Commercial Editorial Process”
Gene Kannenberg, Jr., ComicsResearch.org

So maybe Gene can use the digital recorder to make a copy of his presentation. Of course many will be looking forward to FRIDAY night's special panel, 6.30 pm - 8.00 pm:

FRI MAR 21 /Golden Gate Hall Salon B2
017 Comic Art & Comics XVI: Special Session: The Institute for Korvac Studies
Moderator: Nicole Freim

Please join us for a special discussion on the current state of Korvac scholarship and special discussions led by the most noted Korvac-ologists in the country.

“The Korvac Situation and Its Influence on World Affairs”
Nicole Freim,Riverside Community College

Discussants: Wendy Goldberg and Amy Nyberg

Unless I missed something, it looks like there will be some free time to actually have fun in SF on Saturday. PCA is always a whirlwind and this year looks to be no exception.

Reviewed

"Ninja" Paul Gravett, the one man comics crossroad of Britain, has reviewed Tove Jansson Rediscovered, the collection edited by Kate McLoughlin and Malin Lidström Brock [Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2007]. Scroll down past the pillowcases to find the review.

As his primary interest is comics, he really only reviews my piece which he mostly seems to like. But he's positive about the project as a whole:

Late last year, the organisers, Kate McLoughlin and Malin Lidström Brock, edited for Cambridge Scholars Publishing a 256-page collection of nineteen essays by these conference attendees, interestingly the majority of them women. It's perhaps inevitably a rather pricey hardback but it is well worth seeking out, perhaps by getting your library to order it in for you. A joyful photo adorns the dustjacket showing an elderly, radiant Tove swimming, her hair garlanded with flowers, and sets the tone. Inside, a six-page section of colour plates includes a striking self-portrait painted in 1942 entitled 'The Lynx Boa' and one of her illustrations from 1966 for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland...

Get your library to order it today!

Ulla & Gerry

For your entertainment on a cold, cold Sunday (well, it is here), pal Gerry Henkel sends me the following video (that's one of his beautiful kanteles below):



A poetic collaboration by a Finnish poet, a Finnish expatriate performer, a Canadian Finnish videographer, and an American Finnish kantele player

Ulla Suokko, an expatriate Finnish citizen living in New York City, performs "Lapin Laulu," a poem written by Finnish native Tuovi Koivunen, with kantele accompaniment from North American Finn Gerry Henkel. This performance is excerpted from a video produced by Finnish Canadian Teuvo Hirvela taped at the Finnish Canadian festival “FinnFling” held in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, July 14-16, 2006.

One morning of the festival, Gerry Henkel wandered into the art gallery area and met Rita Apuli who was featuring her original paintings from the book Louhen Kartanolla - a joint effort with poet Tuovi Koivunen who was also present in the gallery. Gerry then met Ulla Suokko and insisted that she meet Tuovi and Rita because he knew of her love of Finnish poems. Later in the day during one of Gerry's kantele performance, he asked Ulla to read one of the poems on stage while he played kantele. The video is the result. It illustrates how wonderful things can happen spontaneously in settings such as a Finnish summer festival.

The poem which Ulla performs is from Rita Apuli and Tuovi Koivunen's book, Louhen kartanolla [ISBN: 9529185081].

More information about Rita (and paintings from the book) can be found on her website. Tuovi Koivunen's website is here.

Ulla Suokko will be performing with her flamenco partner Carlos Revollar at Carnegie Hall in New York on February 10th. In July, Ulla will be participating in another Finnish North American festival: FinnFest in Duluth, Minnesota.

Happy Anniversary, Boojums!

How will the Boojums celebrate 17 years of wedded bliss?

More Quiet and a little medieval

Elena's got more of the Jane Quiet pages up at her Goth Scout pages, where she's also featuring a run on Andrew Jackson's ghost who's busy irritating the scouts. This section of our comic deals with the big monster battle, so there's lots of cool action. Elena's doing a bang up job, eh? Even as her house undergoes remodeling!

I also got an email today from the editor of the new journal LATCH that my essay "Medieval Community: Lessons from The Black Knight" (which I gave last May at Kalamazoo) has come through the first review with flying colors, so it looks like it will be another publication soon (though I'll keep my fingers crossed until I know for certain). In the premier issue, too.

Which Torchwood Member are You?

To celebrate seeing the first episode of series 2 of Torchwood, I offer this BBC quiz. They don't give easy cut-and-paste code, so we'll have to go with less attractive cut and paste.


You are Jack

You're a born leader - fair, charismatic, inspiring, firm, loyal to your team, and, most of all, measured and consistent in achieving your goals. With your vast amount of knowledge and experience, everyone knows they can look to you for clear-minded guidance. Your fearlessness also inspires people around you to push their boundaries a bit more.

;-)

The tough part was choosing a favorite Beatle (John, no George! ah...). Series 2 starts with a bang, so to speak, with guest star (soon to be recurring) James "Spike" Marsters. Whoo hoo -- some good liplock between Cap'n Jack and Cap'n John (jump to pix 27 and 28 ;-). This time Marsters' look comes from Adam Ant not Billy Idol. Still looks good! Otherwise the episode was a bit routine, apart from a flirting conversation between Jack and Ianto. Please no more Owen! And better monsters -- enough with the weevils.

In Dreams

So, I woke up at 4 am from a dream in which I had been shot in the back. I think I was shot once more, but the bullet ripping through my back seemed the most important. I knew it was crucial not to panic, but because I was being calm, no one paid me any attention. I could feel my consciousness fading away and everything getting dark and then, finally, people were leaning over me looking concerned as I sank down.

Then, of course, I woke up.

Things had gone well on Monday, less well yesterday (I shouldn't have a student crying in my office on the second day of classes). Today seems better -- better than waking up at 4 with a horrible dream, anyway...

Princeton Scholar Unused to Literature

You're not surprised are you that Sophie Gee seems unfamiliar with both Beowulf and John Gardner's Grendel? She's only an English professor, after all. What's that -- she never read anything before Shakespeare? or after Eliot? She has seen the Beowulf movie though!

Roundup

Well, I have survived the first day of classes -- that calls for a cuppa! Right up until I stepped into the first class, I was moaning and dreading it. I always forget it can be so much fun, a chance to be silly, to try to get their bored faces to light up with surprise and, sometimes, interest. Pity I had to end the day with a meeting, but there you are. Since people always ask me, I might as well tell you what I'm teaching this term:

ENG 134 MEDIEVAL LITERATURE
This is a freshman level course that introduces non-English majors to the subject. Emphasis on making it accessible, showing clips of medieval films, lots of group work making sense of the texts, and fun presentations -- they have to come up with their own Beowulf movie pitch and perform a medieval drama.

ENG 206 CREATIVE WRITING
This is the intro course for people to get their feet wet, try different genres and see whether any genius burns. A lot of fun except when someone decides to focus on poetry -- well, there are the occasional exceptions. I had a couple of students at UHD, Pamela Andino and Edgar Fuentes, who were simply brilliant. It can happen.

ENG 379 WRITERS IN MOTION
This is the film topics course and I chose to look at how writers are portrayed in film. Yes, a chance to share movies I love (mostly) and get students to read film more carefully. We tend to take the medium for granted because film allows us to be passive absorbers of its narrative. Well, we spent half an hour talking about Damien Hirst's 40 second film of Beckett's "Breath." That seems promising.

To celebrate surviving the first day, we indulged in pizza and our on-going wallow through the oeuvre of Johnny Vegas. I think this current mania came out of catching up with old episodes of Shooting Stars, where he was a regular with Vic and Bob and Ulrika and wordy-wordy wordsmith Will Self and where he occasionally gave in to his tendency to go off on rants. He also guested on QI; while Stephen seemed a tad trepidatious, he did find himself helpless with laughter at one point (was that when Johnny accused him of subsisting on "swan caviar" available only a select folk like Fry, Noel Edmonds and the Queen?). In Who's Ready for Ice Cream, he says he doesn't do comedy, but pathos. The two stand-up sessions that are extras on the DVD are a really good illustration of that (and yet, funny as hell). In 18 Stone of Idiot, you can see, well, just what the title suggests. It can be gut-bustingly funny and cringingly painful alternately.

On the publication front, I'm thinking about my Valentine issue essay for Up Against the Wall and I've just heard from the editor of the American Horror Film Today, that that collection is moving along mostly on schedule. I don't have a table of contents yet, so I can't tell you what will be in it apart from my essay on Terry Gilliam's Tideland. Now, it's time to go back to campus.

Jane Quiet rocks again!

Elena is doing some blistering work on our joint venture, Jane Quiet. Way cool! Here, the intrepid occult investigator and her friends confront the troublesome spirit mano a mano.

Näkemiin, Maila

Näkemiin, Maila Nurmi and kiitos paljon, Vampira. You will be missed by fans everywhere. [Thanks to the joey Zone for passing along the sad news.]

Something in the Eyre

During my week of solitude, I re-read Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre in the handsome illustrated version beautifully rendered by Dame Darcy. It's been ages since I last read it and months since a friend went off on a long rant about how he hated Jane. I found myself instantly captivated by the iconoclastic rebel, Jane. There were several words that made me want to reach for my dictionary and it was odd to be without both a dictionary and dictionary.com. Most could be figured out from context (e.g. "vicinage" as an analogue to "vicinity") but many were simply out of fashion (like negus and bashaw). And speaking of fashion I ought to have known what a pelisse was, but it didn't matter too much. Brontë's habit of using painters to flavor her descriptions led me to several unfamiliar artists, like Cuyp. While watching Krapp's Last Tape, a Beckett play I thought I had read before (but hadn't) starring the wonderful John Hurt and a tape recorder (it's mesmerizing!), he uses the word "viduity" and I thought, argh, where's that dictionary. But Krapp has to look up the word he used 30 years ago on the tape, so I guess I ought not feel bad about looking words up that I thought I knew at one time.



Trying to hold on to the feeling of peace that permeated last week. That's always the hard part. As Larry Darrell says in The Razor's Edge, it's very easy to be a holy man on the top of a mountain; the challenge is holding on to a sense of tranquility when you're back in the noisy whirl of daily life. It pays to keep that sense of quiet in mind and to make some more concrete changes to that daily life. One endeavors.

Last night we drove down to make birthday tacos for Robert. They turned out pretty good, as did the nice chocolate cake from Hannaford's. We even had a chance to chat with the folks and Steve thanks to the speakerphone, then watched some SCTV. Around midnight we heard a crash outside -- it was the Possum of Unusual Size. The size of a schnauzer it was! Yikes. Robert's fattening it for slaughter, I think. How do possums taste?

Back to work on the last syllabus -- argh! Choices to make; decisions, decisions. Writing to do, too; I don't want to lose the momentum of last week.

Happy Birthday, Robert!

(thanks to the LOLcats)

Publication: JFR Review

I have another review on-line for the Journal of Folklore Research. This time it's Marina Warner's Monsters of our Own Making: The Peculiar Pleasures of Fear (formerly No Go the Boogeyman). A sumptuous little book with a lot of fun and thoughtfulness.

Medieval Simpsons

Thanks to Gene, I got to see the latest Simpsons which aired Sunday. While most of the excitement on line seems to be about the Wiggum '08 campaign, I was thrilled by the couch gag, which referenced the Bayeux Tapestry. This 11th century tapestry tells the tale of William of Normandy's defeat of Harold in 1066 at the battle of Hastings, which spelled the end of the Anglo-Saxon era and the beginning of the infusion of French language and culture that changed the tongue to Middle English (the language of Chaucer and the Gawain-poet). Some of the images follow below (tip o' the hat to Gene):