There are vague rumours abroad that my third collection of short stories is soon to be published. I even have a hazy picture of what will be the front cover as evidence. The picture that I have does not contain the collection's title, but I can state with some confidence that the title will be Rule Dementia! If you put this title together with the picture, you might begin to get the faint inklings of a concept.
I think there might even be an introduction in this collection. I say that, because I wrote one. In fact, here is an excerpt from it:
It’s been a long and difficult journey, typified by the fact that I first wrote this opening sentence in 2002 in Kyoto, and am rewriting it now in 2004 on an industrial estate near Reading. The original sentence went like this: “It’s been a long and difficult journey, and it’s by no means over yet, but at last my misshapen work is beginning to see print.”
I now wonder about the journey metaphor. As I write this, the metaphor that comes to mind in its place is one that has occurred to me a number of times in my life, an absurd and miserable metaphor that goes like this: Writing is an attempt to escape from the grim prison of reality by digging a tunnel with a teaspoon. Full of dread lest the whole thing cave in on my head, or I am discovered and deprived of my teaspoon, my hands trembling, I scoop out one more speck of dirt, and one more. My heart is wracked by pain and sorrow, and I dream only of the light and the air which I may never see.
Yes, just as the opening to my introduction suggests, all things are uncertain in the world of publishing, or, if they are not, it certainly seems that way to a painfully anxious person such as myself.
If anyone out there wants to know more about the collection, I shall be only too happy to enlighten them. Anyone… out there… beyond this tunnel… that has just collapsed around my ears…
dear Q.,
All is not so dark, the light you see in the collapsed tunnel is me, with searchlight and aspirator. No, I insist -it’s for you- take it. I only brought the one but don’t worry, I am holding my breathe as I drag -persuade- you to the surface where, once again, you can recover. Now, I want to know more about this publication you mention (would that some Publisher might look upon the six short stories (see Comments & Postings index on my page) I have written and astonish me by taking them on board – O!, hang on, I have only submitted them here, in Opera’s lofty halls of learning, so that answers that thought), do please tell me more about what is happening.
…Im watching.
Ah, at least it seems I am not to suffocate.
The publisher is http://www.81x.com/rainfall/Rainfall">Rainfall Books. Actually, I’m not sure I should provide that link, because the website is in a bad way. That’s not something so very unusual in publishing. For instance, in my search for agents, I have found that many of their websites list e-mail addresses that are no longer functioning. Publishing is, on the one hand, an archaic business, and, for people like me, it is also an amateurish business. At least you may find the publisher’s postal address on this site.
But perhaps, to get a better idea of the publisher, it would be preferable to use http://www.britishfantasysociety.org.uk/shop/rainfall.htm">this link or http://shop.store.yahoo.com/shocklines/rainbookpres.html">this link.
My collection, which should come out this month or next month, will contain six stories, as follows:
Jellyfish Joe
The Haunted Bicycle
Zugzwang
The Tao of Petite Beige
The Waiting
Unimaginable Joys
Since I have long been troubled by the question of what genre I belong to, I have penned an introduction specifically for the purpose of clearing up this matter. I shall not say what the conclusion of that essay is.
I imagine that the collection will be limited to 200 copies. The page count is somewhere in the region of 280.
I would advise people not to buy the book unless they truly wish to read it. There will be more than two hundred people on this planet who do truly wish to read it, and if you are not one of them and you buy the volume as shelf decoration, then fewer of those who want to read it will be able to.
I am well aware that many people, seeing that this book is released by a small press publisher, and that it rubs shoulders with many volumes of horror, will be quite unable to imagine that the stories contained therein will be in any way entertaining, well-written or worth reading. So be it. I have not written these stories for the unimaginative. Since there is no point in speaking in my own defence, I will allow a stranger to do so for me, http://www.thealienonline.net/ao_060.asp?baa=1&tid=2&scid=16&iid=2448">here</a>.
Thank you. Reading back what I wrote, I think it sounds a little defensive. Much of this is a reflection of things that I’m going through in my life that will not be apparent to the readers of this blog, so, I hope it doesn’t sound too strange. Getting stufff published is a difficult business, and I think it’s making me a bit neurotic. Anyway, thanks for your interest. I’ll let you know when there are any developments. Actually, though, in all seriousness, there may well be a chance for people to get ‘autographs’ if they live in London, as I expect I shall do a book launch. Well, I feel a bit silly talking about giving out autographs, but, it might be interesting for people to come along to the launch. Watch this space, as they say.
dear Q., I am impressed, having just read the review of your new book, at the link you provided in your previous posting, I say “Bravo!”. The fact that the reviewer is a stranger and not a member of the Quentin Crips Fan Club (such as myself) will not go unnoticed I am sure. Here’s to your morbid success with “Morbid tales” (actually I meant to type in “here’s to your great success with “Morbid Tales, but felt you wouldn’t thank me -hence the first toast).
Well done indeed. Do I get my autograph now, or do you want my usual payment in advance, before signing?
lokutus
I have now finished proofreading the collection and hvae received word from the publisher that my corrections shall be implemented next week.