Hello.
It seems like this blog might prove to be useful, after all.
Your last email didn't read strange at all, I quite understood. The below response to the book is interesting. I can see where they're coming from – and maybe they're right – but I will decide for myself once I've finished. It is exceptionally well written and while it is far from comfortable (or at times even pleasurable) reading there is enough here that I am determined to give it my full consideration. In short, you're not wasting my time and I hope that I'm not wasting yours.
…
Part of me wants to just say yes and to hell with the consequences! A lot of people would have the response below but I cannot help but feel in my gut that this is a book that should be out there and that was what [name of publishing company] was for when we first started.
The above is an extract from an e-mail I received from a publisher on the 4th of November 2007. He was referring to a novel I had written in 2005, previously rejected by another publisher as being too horrible to publish. Eventually the publisher from whose e-mail I have quoted ceased answering my e-mails without explanation.
That doesn't matter anymore. The novel in question, entitled "Remember You're a One-Ball!", is soon to be published. I sent another e-mail to the publisher quoted, asking if he would be willing to provide a blurb, but have heard nothing back. Since he did end up wasting my time, I feel he owes me one, and so I am quoting from his e-mail in place of the blurb I asked for (I take his silence as consent).
"Remember You're a One-Ball!" will be the first book to be published by Chomu Press. I hope to give more information about Chomu Press later.
At the end of this month I shall be attending the World Horror Convention in Brighton. Chomu Press are aiming to have preview copies of the novel ready before then, so I can take them with me to the event, although this might be cutting things fine and I can't guarantee I will have copies with me. Nonetheless, if you are attending and if you are interested, please do ask me.
In fact, ask me anyway, even if you are not attending the WHC. If you have my contact details and are interested, get in touch with me, especially if you would like to review the novel. I will do what I can either to get preview or review copies to anyone interested who already has my e-mail address, or who can promise to actually review the book in some way.
More information to follow.
(PS. I think there are people still waiting news regarding another Ex Occidente release. I have not forgotten and will let you know what is happening with this when I know.)
Congratulations are in order: Hooray! I guess that more people will be reading Chomu after all, after a fashion. What are your expectations for ‘reviews’? I know that I would be interested, but the most I can do in the way of reviews would be to blog one, copy to Amazon, etc., and insure the the book has an accurate entry on Goodreads. I suppose that I could send a review to my city’s paper, but I think that the response would be something like: “Hmmm. Some weirdo read a book by an obscure British author with the name of a dead gay guy. Let’s get Chinese for lunch today!”You can see the obstacles that I face; namely Chinese food.
Hello. Thanks. The Chomu blog has been in suspended animation for a while – dead but dreaming – but I hope it will return to activity sooner or later.A blog and an accurate entry in Goodreads sounds worthy of a preview copy. As I say (or imply?), I don’t know yet how many preview copies will be available, but even if there are few or no preview copies there should at least be review copies, so I should be able to get you one or the other.
Good News for you (and well deserved)! I look forward to purchasing a copy in the not too distant future.Kindest regards.
And bad news for the rest of the world, I know.(I hope.)But yes… it’s been a long time coming. This is a hurdle I’ve wanted to leap for years. I’ve just been re-writing a section of it – rewriting something I wrote five years ago. I’m a somewhat different person now, but hopefully a better writer. I hope the changes I’ve made have substantially improved it. (I think they have, to be honest.) I look forward to you and others reading this.
You’re not working for the FBI, are you?
Anonymous writes:DO you still keep in touch with Justin, does he still write.
The answers:Yes and yes.
Justin Isis writes:Have we met?infinitydoctors (at) yahoo dot com
Excellent. I’m in a text message conversation at the moment, but I’ll get back to you.
Justin Isis writes:Have we met?infinitydoctors (at) yahoo dot com
Anonymous writes:no actually was just a fan waiting for more writing.
Anonymous writes:Thank you and sorry for taking the spotlight away from you (seriously)
Anonymous writes:I will email you when I get the chance and no we have never met, I knew your work from the blog you once worked on.
Obviously my role is redundant now, but for the sake of other readers that might happen by I should point out Justin’s name amongst the authors in this anthology:http://www.exoccidente.com/morphine.htmlThere's also this:http://pleasureprincipled.com/?p=26http://pleasureprincipled.com/?p=88And this:http://swiftywriting.blogspot.com/2009/08/interview-with-justin-isis.htmlAnd more.
No need to be sorry. Glad to be of help.
So what is “Remember you’re a One-Ball” about, Quentin?My first thought was a fictional account of Hitler’s life. I hear in my mind’s ear Sir Ian McKellan intoning:”Three Balls for the Emperor under rising sun,Seven for the Italians in the halls of Rome,Nine for Frenchmen who were outgun’d,One for the Fuhrer on his dark throneIn the Land of Berlin where the SS run.One Ball to rule them all, One Ball to find them,One Testicle to bring them all and in the darkness bind them…”
Ah, and I was hoping for no spoilers.Official press release blurb from Mark Samuels:Unpublished for far too long, “Remember You’re A One Ball!” is a work of profound insight into childhood and the long shadow it casts over adulthood. Its fearless, brutal honesty and the superlative quality of the prose are virtually without peer. This novel confirms me in my belief that Crisp is the most important writer of his generation.