At 6.39 am, my time, which is Greenwich Meantime, I received a chat message from someone through one of my e-mail accounts. I'm afraid I was asleep and therefore unable to chat. I attempted to reply, but could find no e-mail address for the mysterious visitor, so will make an essay at answering his question here.
(If you're reading this, please forgive me for referring to you as "mysterious", especially if we've known each other for ten years, communicate on a weekly basis, etc., and I've somehow managed to forget all this.)
Anyway, the question in question related to whether – depending on the reception to my forthcoming novel, "Remember You're a One-Ball!" – Chomu Press (or any other press, perhaps) will be releasing my novel The Sex Life of Worms.
Good question!
I'm so glad to see that there are people out there who are paying attention.
Do you know, I haven't thought about whether The Sex Life of Worms will ever get published for some time. The fact is, if I remember correctly, some nine hundred pages or so of this novel exist in longhand, but it is yet unfinished. However, if I do finish it, and if Chomu Press does take off (I see no reason why it should not), then I would love to publish The Sex Life of Worms. It may not be too soon in the future, though. The best way genuinely interested parties can make sure that the novel does get published is – I say this quite earnestly – to spread the word about Chomu Press once we start publishing. I promise you that we intend to publish unique and daring books of the highest quality. (Many of them will be mine, of course.)
On the question of other novels, it is likely, first of all, that my back catalogue will be republished after "Remember You're a One-Ball!". After that, though, yes, I do have a number of novels waiting either completion, revision or both, that should be published. These are:
Susuki (now finished in first draft but in need of revision)
This is the sequel to Shrike, a longer and more dramatic piece.
The Lovers (reasonably close to being finished in first draft, though this may yet take ages)
This is thematically the prequel to Shrike though the characters, settings and so on are different. I've written over nine hunded pages in longhand so far.
Domesday Afternoon, Volume One: Summerhill (first draft finished, but it needs extensive revision)
This is the first novel in my Domesday trilogy. The other two volumes are not yet written.
I also have enough uncollected short stories and novellas for another collection.
I am also planning more stories for another collection that will be more futuristic and more Utopian than my previous work.
I am also writing a novella (novel?) with Justin Isis.
I am also attempting to translate the Tao Te Ching, and Dwarf Bamboo by Nagai Kafu.
I am also writing notes for a future novel under the title of Argentopia.
I honestly have so many projects and ideas that I doubt they will all be completed before I die, especially since (as someone on the Internet so kindly pointed out recently), I am "being neglected like the stability of the universe depends upon it".
After the above, you can perhaps understand why it frustrates me to see myself listed in the Supernatural Fiction Database as "short story writer".
I would like to thank those of you who have taken an interest in my writing so far, because doing so, when there has been no significant promotion of my work, demonstrates extraordinary nous and character (trust me, it's true):
(And apologies to any readers who have actually personally encountered me in some way, which must have been horribly unpleasant.)
However, if all is to be well in the future, more people with influence in the publishing world must stand up and defend me.
Well… this is happening with Chomu Press right now, and thank God it is, because I'm tired of dead ends and of my work failing to gain momentum and of publishers saying that yes I'm really an exceptionally good writer but still never getting back to me and still not supporting me financially, etc.
So… If Chomu Press takes off, there's a much greater chance that the above novels and other projects (and many projects I haven't mentioned, such as my idea for a children's story about a toad) will see the light of manifest reality.
And it won't just be my work, either. We will definitely be supporting unknown and little known – but completely excellent and shitting-all-over-boring-cunts-like-Nick-Hornby – writers.
So, if that sounds at all good to you, I invite you to take an interest in Chomu Press and I will give out further information as and when I can.
Hello.Thanks for the enquiry.There will be a website. The domain name has been registered. Obviously, there’ll be more news to follow on that front.The plan is to republish the out-of-print collections, yes. We’ve had the printed proof of Remember You’re a One-Ball!” back and we’re currently making certain decisions based on that proof. Depending on these decisions there may be slight delays with the release of the book, but it will be with the world before very long.
Anonymous writes:Does Chomu Press have a website? Also, will you be re-printing your out of print short story collections at all? I’d love to get my hands on them!
Cloudhurler (Eric) writes:Allo again Mr. Crisp, I would be the mysterious visitor of which you type. This is all potentially wonderful news assuming that Chomu Press succeeds; and since your limited volumes sell-out, I imagine you will be able to cover costs with limited print runs in hardcover and possibly reach readers otherwise with POD volumes in trade paperback for those interested in your back catalog. The POD option would ensure that people could always, at least, read your work. Though as a book fetishist, I am definitely interested in the high quality editions that you mention. Centipede Press recently sent out a survey regarding their company and publications; and in response to a question about authors they should publish, I did mention both you and Michael Cisco as two incredibly unique and skilled practitioners of the dark and fantastique. Much like yourself, Michael Cisco largely draws upon non-traditional influences and has a backlog of unpublished work. Perhaps a group of you could assemble something of a United Artists of book publishing for unique and overlooked writers. Strength in numbers and all that. Again, not certain if you have considered Print-on-Demand for your back catalog once the high quality hardcovers sell-out, but it would offer a little income and at least keep your titles in print. POD editions would also be better for supplying to Amazon and Amazon.uk as well as reviewers. And for exposure, I would definitely recommend the previous. Readings and signings, at both bookstores and conventions, are also a must. And for copies sent out for reviewing purposes, do not limit yourself to All Hallows, Wormwood, Locus, Cemetery Dance, Dead Reckonings, and the like; also try for Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, journals concerning Japanese literature, et cetera. And once the website is up, some sample stories and, perhaps, first chapters from the novels, should be offered. On reflection, even as established a name as Ellen Datlow encourages people to post reviews of her works on their blogs and journals and offers a free copy of her titles for her to do so. Again, the POD titles would be better for these purposes. My apologies about the previous, but I wish you as much success as you can get. There are certain things about publishing that I just do not understand. For example, if you have a known captive audience, as with the Harry Potter books, why not shrink-wrap the books and include within a sampler of like material that you publish? Free advertising if you ask me. Though I suppose if you included a chapter from, say, John Gordon, Dianne Wynne Jones, or Alan Garner the audience may abandon Rowling for them. -Eric-P.S. The review of _Shrike_ in Dead Reckonings was maddening. Yes, whilst my personal preference is also that you would occasionally elevate your prose to an ecstatic pitch when appropriate, I trust that you have your reasons. But such criticisms seem nugatory when in the same issue F. Paul Wilson and Neil Gaiman get positive reviews. You are far more competent and original than either — but of course, they are names. And why must introspection be denigrated as navel-gazing?
Hello Eric.This all sounds like excellent advice. Thank you for your time in laying out this smorgasbord of information and suggestions.Trust me, I am now very interested in looking at Michael Cisco’s work. We are still at ‘early stages’, as they say, but we are also thinking ahead and projecting a vision of what Chomu could and should be.I haven’t read the Dead Reckonings review, but Shrike has certainly had what might be politely (also accurately) described as a “mixed reception”. As you say, if Neil Gaiman got a good review in the same publication then any denigration means nothing, and may even be an accolade. Regardless of whether or not Shrike is any good, I think it is fair to say that my tastes, aims and sensibilities are not always – if ever – very popular. This is not deliberate. If anything it makes me feel rather frustrated and lonely. Being the only person you know in the whole world who is a fan of Nagai Kafu – for instance – can begin to make you very angry at humanity. The annoying thing is when people think you’re “just trying to be different” for it’s own sake. I suppose this takes me back to school when I was accused in the headmaster’s office thus: “You must admit that you deliberately go out of your way to project a bizarre image.” The obvious answer, which is not the one I made, would be, “No, you buffoon, I do not have to try.”Unfortunately, in the same way, in simply trying to write what interests me most, it seems I manage to alienate a great many people. I could go on about this, but don’t wish to be boring. I would like to add, though, that at least part of the complaint that the reviwer seems to make against me in the case you mention, from what I can determine with limited information, arises from the expectation that each writer will write the same story again and again. That is certainly not my intention. Shrike was intended to do something very specific. It is not the pattern for everything I write to follow.Anyway, I am putting your advice in a Chomu folder somewhere as I believe it will be very useful.Again, not certain if you have considered Print-on-Demand for your back catalog once the high quality hardcovers sell-out, but it would offer a little income and at least keep your titles in print.Yes, we’re on the same page.”Remember You’re a One-Ball!”, being our first publication, is a kind of trial, but we also want to get it as good as possible. There was some discussion about this yesterday. We were intending to go with one particular POD company, but we have decided to go with a superior company. This decision will delay the release of the book by about two weeks (not sure exactly), but it looks like it will be worth it to get things right first time.
HiSimply on the subject of “SHRIKE” I found it an impressive achievement.A short, too short piece on “SHRIKE” which I read awhile back, enjoyed, wanted to comment on but delayed due to other commitments: http://bookmanpeedeel.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/shrike-by-quentin-s-crisp/I would like at some point in the not too distant future, to write a longer and more general piece on your work – or at least the work that I’m “Au fait” with. It is good to read that more of your writing will be available soon-ish, and I wish you all the best on these projects.
Thank you. It is always a good thing to hear from one of those who did like the story. It is an experience similar to being shouted at by a gang of feral youths in a lonely street only to discover that they noticed a copy of Arthur Machen’s The White People protruding from your jacket pocket and wished to congratulate you upon your taste.Kind of.Not that I’ve ever had such an experience.But that is the closest equivalent I could think of.Thank you for the piece on your blog. You include some very appealing haiku.