« Good news and bad news. | Main | Twist & Shout. »
April 02, 2006
You've got your fantasy in my literary fiction.
Check out delightful smartie Gwenda Bond's article, "Fantasy Goes Literary" in the newest Publisher's Weekly.
Topical, and intriguing to me because I'm wondering if the same genre-twisting will start happening in the poetry world. Without ever intending to, really, every now and then I write a piece that's deemed too (imagine me making wiggly fingers) weeeird for many mainstream magazines, which is usually when the dear Mark Rudolph (or other sympathetic friend-editors) snaps it up for one of his publications. It's not like I write lurid vampire sex poems (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I often write persona poems, and it's interesting and rewarding to speak from the perspective of someone a little otherworldly, or someone who has witnessed something very, very strange. Because in my world, there's nothing more boring than poems about writing poetry (gah!), and often that's hyper-realism for serious writers. But wouldn't you rather hear from monster sewer alligators and giant squids? Me too.
Posted by eek at April 2, 2006 12:46 PM
Comments
What's so fantastic about monster sewer alligators and giant squids? Those things are real.
UFOs, alien visitors, vampires, werewolves, the dreaded Chupacabras, Cthulu, trolls who lurk under bridges awaiting unsuspecting billy goats (gruff or otherwise), hobbits, faeries, time travelers, Jedi Knights...all every bit as real as you or me. And a damn sight more interesting to read or hear about than the Angry Lesbian Breasts* you hear about at open mic poetry slams.
* "Angry Lesbian Breats" appear courtesty Stephen King
Posted by: Hulkster at April 2, 2006 06:49 PM
I kinda draw the line at fairies.
Posted by: eek at April 2, 2006 10:45 PM
I draw the line at spelling it as "faerie"
Posted by: monkey at April 3, 2006 11:38 AM
Eek - Kindly read Susannah Clarke's "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" and get back to me about where you draw the line.
Monkey - Sorry. Comes from reading so many British fantasy writers. I'm lucky I don't write things like "I find the colour of the aluminium at the centre to be humourous."
Then again, I know a certain SoCal-dwelling lawyer who describes a list of things as being "from A to Zed"...
Posted by: Hulkster at April 4, 2006 09:07 PM
That is so cute that you defend fairies.
Posted by: eek at April 4, 2006 11:35 PM
Ah, blow me...
Posted by: Hulkster at April 5, 2006 05:37 PM
Nah, but if we were in closer proximity I might give you a noogie.
Posted by: eek at April 5, 2006 06:06 PM
Wow, this just gets more and more condescending as it goes on...how nice.
Posted by: Hulkster at April 6, 2006 05:06 PM
I'm just kidding, yikes!
Posted by: eek at April 6, 2006 06:40 PM
To clarify: I respect your opinion on all things artistic and literary, and I kid because I love. Sorry for being a pain in the ass.
Posted by: eek at April 6, 2006 06:44 PM
I know...I don't mean to be all bitchy and hypersensitive or anything. I as well am sorry for being a pain in the ass.
Posted by: Hulkster at April 6, 2006 09:25 PM
No, I'm sorry!
NO, I AM SORRIER!!!
:D
Posted by: eek at April 6, 2006 10:49 PM