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Army of Novelists

First up, who of you are in the sorry position of "working on something" that you hope will one day, with much cajoling and encouragement, become THAT NOVEL.? Huh? Come on, I sense some guilty nods.

How ‘bout some solidarity? A union for unproductive inkwasters? Put us introvert, socially awkward scribblers in the driving seat of our own uncertain destinies?

The first step of anything is always acknowledgement. Hands up if you too, “write”, in whatever humble form.

Have you ever heard of (inter)National Write a Book in a Month Month? Yep, in the sweet month of November (b-day month for me), everyone gots to write a book. Cuz Stone Cold sez so. But if you disregard him, it still seems like a great idea. Sigh. I have exams then, but I’d like to shift that whole month to January or something. I also hope that all writers out there have their own personal Write a Book in One Month Month.

The Sound of Silence

Favour to self: play simon & garfunkel’s “sound of silence”, and turn the lights off. Really listen to the words. Was it good for you?

And in the naked light I saw,
Ten thousand people, maybe more.

American Psycho




Now I’ve been thinking about this all day.

I recently bought Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho for a friend of mine. The thing is, I know it will probably make him insane. Really insane, for the full two weeks or so he reads it.

I know, because the same thing happened to me.

American Psycho is a brilliant book written by a troubled mind. Easton Ellis said as much during an interview, saying that while writing the book he became a monster.

And the book is monstrous. Pages and pages of descriptions of what the other characters are wearing and how much it cost.Patrick Bateman, our protagonist, knows these kinds of things. He also likes hacking up women after hours of torturing them.

I swear, just reading that book turns you a little bit… bad. Until you're done, that is. The images you see in your mind in waking life, even after you put the book down, are pretty gruesome. From time to time, normal women become meat puppets. Your mind is a blood fountain. Unhealthy urges of the other kind.

And then the book ends. Although it doesn’t. He is talking to friends, in a panic after (ludicrously) not being caught, because identity is so insubstantial in the money-mad New York of the late 80’s that justice can not find him, and sees in the restaurant: THIS IS NOT AN EXIT. He tries to describe to us his condition, which, although accurate, does not bring us closer to Patrick Bateman. That is the book’s job, as a terribly complete account of madness. And then he says: “This confession has meant nothing.”

I’m all better now. Thank God for hobbits.

(I'm curious to hear female perspectives on the book... ?)


female-but haven't read American Psycho. Care to try another one?
**love Sounds of Silence**Will be back as soon as i can REMEMBER my fav line from that song!
~d
 ~d  


...and the people bowed and prayed, to the neon God they made...
 ~d  


definitely a contender! actually, its probably the best bit, but also consider:

neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp

as well as

When my eyes were stabbed
by the flash of A neon light
That split the night
 N  


I don't own that, but I do like that song. :-) American Psycho is not actually on my "to read" list. I'm not good with stuff like that. :-P
But I can totally relate to "that novel!" I'm in the process now, in fact. :-) But the more I blog, the less I'm writing. What a great distraction blogging is. :-P
 C  


Ek kon dit nie klaar lees nie. Die geweld was net so herhalend. Oor en oor en oor. 'n Mens kan sien wat die skrywer deur die herhaling probeer doen, maar vir my het dit net te veel geraak en alle funksionaliteit en effektiwiteit verloor. Maar ek moet sê, die toneel waar die yuppies na die U2 konsert gaan luister was een van die snaaksste goed wat ek nog gelees het.
Ek het veel meer van een van sy ander boeke gehou - Rules of Attraction.
 Marissa  


..and echoes in the sounds of silence.
(hoping I got that correct from memory!)
 ~d  


first up: i write and am working on stuff, but they're all screenplays. don't know if i'll ever write a novel; would like to write some youth novels one day though.

then: i have not been able to read 'american psycho', have only read ellis' 'glamorama' which was extremely harrowing, considering the fact that he writes in a way that is so perverly understated.
 arcadia  


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