Poe & Composition

I had a great conversation with my wife last night that helped clarify some things I’ve been mulling over rather unproductively of late. Looking at teachings on writing, and at how those I respect craft their tales – there is a chasm there.

When the Braveheart speech of writing tutors invariably ends with “Show, Don’t Tell” and the classic tales of Lovecraft (to name only one) are nearly all telling and tone there is a gap. Focus on the specific, and concrete creates a structure that does not always lend itself to the ineffable. It surely can be done. The best writers find that sweet spot were illustration and intuition harmonize, but the weight placed on specificity does claim its share of artistic casualties.

I had traded some of the surrealism and emotional impressions in my writing across this table in favor a more quantifiable mode of story telling. I am taking it back. It’s difficult to maintain and keep cohesive, but I realized last night that I need that to fulfill my intentions accurately. It is a simple, and perhaps obvious revelation but one I needed to have validated.

She recommended I read Poe’s The Philosophy of Composition. We got home from dinner and I was presented her heavily underlined copy of The Norton Anthology of Theory & Criticism. I read the essay, and of the valuable things within it, the following was my biggest takeaway….

“I prefer commencing with the consideration of an effect… I say to myself, in the first place ‘of the innumerable effects, or impressions, of which the heart, the intellect or (more generally) the soul is susceptible, what one should I, on the present occasion, select?’… I consider whether it can best be wrought by incident or by tone – whether by ordinary incidents and peculiar tone, or the converse or by peculiarity, both of incident and tone… for such combinations of event, or tone, as shall best aid me in the construction of the effort.”  – E.A. Poe

reinvigorated & organizized

I haven’t written fiction in a couple of months. Something derailed my enthusiasm that really shouldn’t have been a surprise. Here’s hoping I have the clarity to not let that happen again.

I’ve kept a Wiki using Connected Text to manage my writing projects for the last couple of years. It’s been useful, but lacking – likely due to my unwillingness to learn it inside and out. As my inspiration has returned, I’ve been weeding through all that info.  I  decided to rebuild the whole thing in Google Sites: a) for back up and b) for more access away from my desk.

The process has been really helpful to the creative side, going over things I’d forgotten, reviewing old notes, and getting them organized in a ways they can feed each other. You could argue this is a more caustic form of procrastination than not doing anything – I wouldn’t fight you that much on it. It is however showing me ways fragments of things once on life support may yet live again.  It’s gotten the gears grinding on how that thing in the corner may be more a novella than the short story it is today.

Anyway – it feels good, to feel good about the process again.

“The Black Gondolier & Other Stories” by Fritz Leiber

I have finally introduced myself to the weird fiction of Fritz Leiber via the collection, The Black Gondolier & Other Stories. It has impressed the hell out of me.  The title piece alone has been a revelation. Edited by John Pelan & Steve Saville it was originally released by Midnight House as a limited hardcover. Though this has since gone OOP, the editors reissued it digitally through E-Reads. It’s available from all the usual suspects.

Leiber stirs character, atmosphere, insight and entertainment in to a roiling cauldron of delicious poison. He makes it look easy, the stories are fluid and seamless. Even in the instances where the endings are visible on the horizon they are not a disappointment because they are inevitable. His authenticity, and the natural course of the prose validate the things you encounter along the way.

He stitches his underlying themes together in a way that is never overbearing, and for me was perhaps his most enviable trait. Leiber’s genius is no secret, he was awarded every prestigious honor through his life that was out there. I’m just late to the celebration.

While there were stories I preferred over others here, I enjoyed them all. I wouldn’t hesitate to call The Black Gondolier a masterpiece. Supernatural dread, conspiracy, and awkward friendship drape each other in this tale that remains relevant and powerful. Without going into details, Leiber infuses the world with a logic that other authors might leave open to the unknowable. Whether the logic of the enlightened or the mad, it informs the tale and makes this a potent classic I will re-read over and over both for entertainment and study.

Other highlights: The Dreams Of Albert Moreland,  Lie Still, Snow White, Spider Mansion, The Dead Man, The Secret Songs and others.

More Please.

Celestiial & Ballet Deviare

Taken from the press release:
“Ballet Deviare presents “Disconsolate”, a nine-minute experimental dance film directed by Adam Waltner. “Disconsolate” is a powerful, soul-entrancing depiction which illustrates the depths of human suffering. Set to “Waldlander im Herbst” from the funeral doom phenomenon CELESTIIAL (Tanner Anderson), the piece evokes a feeling and mood that is as hypnotic as it is effecting.”

Celestiial’s work to date has been released on Bindrune Recordings. It’s a label I helped found with Marty “To Old Too Cold” Rytkonen (who now carries the torch nobly). Tanner Anderson is the spark in the Celestiial petri dish. It’s from him that the energy rises to coagulate the moss and mud into the primordial doom he’s become known for. He is also a good guy. His vision and intent is pure. As odd as this collaboration might seem on the surface, I’m happy as hell for him.

scattergun

I’ve been digging through old masters, rousting the black eyed hopefuls and shunned shadows I’ll need to populate the upcoming collection for Fall of Nature. The track list is starting to come together. I even found one unreleased track I have no recollection of recording. If you have any requests, now is the time to make suggestions. I’ve also found a few things that won’t be included on the release because of length or whatnot that may end up here on the site.

I had a title pretty well formulated. The title of Joseph Pulver, Sr.’s recently announced novel is remarkably similar to what I had in mind. I will defer to Mr. Pulver, encourage you to read his words, and go back to the well. Seriously, read some Pulver.

A story that was under consideration with an anthology for the last several months has been returned to the pen. The anthology was canceled, which is too bad. I was looking forward to reading whether I made the final cut or not.

More soon, probably.