Alex Bergauer's Blog: Bergauer's Blog

In which the author releases a new short story, one that's less based on science-fiction and more on childhood memories.

Take it while it's hot:

There Are Powers

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011...

If you're in the mood for an immersive story with sci-fi elements from a hungry author who has to put food on the table for his two cats, then why not try The Dissolve? Especially today, when it's absolutely and completely FREE. So what if one of my cats has to starve because of it? I'll still have the other one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X...

Ladies and gentlement of goodreads,

It's been swell, it really has, but I feel like we should start seeing other people.

So, as of today, I am oficially discontinuing this blog for the time being.

I'll still answer to any and all inquiries about The Dissolve or anything else really, but the time for mindless ramblings is over.

For now.

So long, and thanks for all the fish,
Alex

"“Kilgore Trout once wrote a short story which was a dialogue between two pieces of yeast. They were discussing the possible purposes of life as they ate sugar and suffocated in their own excrement. Because of their limited intelligence, they never came close to guessing that they were making champagne.”

I would do well to remember this quote on some days.

Ok, so now what?

The book's all done. The author is raking in those sweet royalties (still only one sale!) and enjoying himself in the company of loose women.

So why keep the blog running?

Well, like a junkie who still has to wean himself off his favorite substance, I figure I might as well keep writing these entries for a little while longer. After all, it's not as if anyone is actually reading them:)

That affords me the luxury of being able to write what I want, when I want (and most likely die penniless as a result).

For example, today I'm feeling funky. So I just went ahead and uploaded the first 10 pages or so of my book right here on Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/ebooks/down...

C'mon. Take a chance on me. You know you want to.

Alex

Have you heard the good news? He is risen.

The book launch is done. Finally. Up & running. Take a gander and see for yourself:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X12D97U

I even have my first buyer. So, thank you, anonymous buyer, for shelling out three bucks on a debut novel by somebody you've never heard of!

And for those of you who are just a little bit curious but don't yet have a clue if you wanna spend your hard-earned cash the same way, I present to you the main character of the book (as I envisioned him):



(it's the drummer from Bloc Party)

*runs & hides from the copyright police*

Smoked hookah today. Yeah, I guess you could say this quitting smoking journal isn't turning out exactly as planned.

I also put my name in the hat for a screenwriting competition organized by HBO. My pitch was about a time machine that magically transports people to various periods in Romanian history. Then it breaks down and leaves them there to fend for themselves.

I hope it doesn't suck. That's the most you can ask for, really.

Somebody once told me that when your favorite Beatle is Paul McCartney instead of John Lennon, that's how you know you're all grown up.

By those standards, and many others, I have failed.

But, as of today, I know what my next book will be about. And for once it won't be time-travel.

Do androids dream of electric cigarettes?

Three more days before The Dissolve goes live on Amazon. I've abandoned all pretense of becoming a non-smoker. Apparently the Cubans have discovered a vaccine for lung cancer. Just in time, I'd say.

I'm currently trying to add quotes from my book here on Goodreads. People love quotes, especially if they're of the inspirational variety. But there are precious few to be found in The Dissolve. And I'm not sure why. It is mostly a cheerful book, after all, one filled with sex, drugs and (russian) rock'n'roll.

In fact, only one character dies at the end. And it's probably not who you'd expect.

Alex

I cheated today. I smoked a cigarette while watching the penultimate episode of "Mad Men". And then another one afterwards.

I guess it figures. This is the show that got me into smoking tobacco, and it makes sense that it would also be the one that gets me to finally stop.

Without resorting to spoilers, suffice to say that this episode prominently features the storyline of a main character who finds out she has lung cancer of the terminal variety.

I always wondered why some people are more driven to addictions than others. Sometimes I think that some of us are simply more ill-equipped to deal with inner turmoil without the aid of various crutches. Other times I call bullshit on myself and resolve to be a stronger person from now on.

But what do I know? I'm just a guy with a book to his name. If I keep on it at this rate I may eventually surpass Kilgore Trout, but don't bet on it. I might get lung cancer long before that.

Alex

It's getting late. Cavs vs Bulls starts in half an hour. I just got word that my favorite sportswriter, one of the people who pretty much inspired me to lay down words on a piece of paper, recently got fired by his employers at ESPN.

It may not look like it, being a science-fiction novel and all, but The Dissolve took many of its cues (Obscure inside jokes! Pop culture references!! Exclamation points!!!) from the recently laid-off sports columnist Bill Simmons.

So this entry goes out to you, Bill. May you forever entangle a gazillion Teen Wolf references and endless footnotes into your 10.000 word basketball essays. And may I soon rejoice in reading them once again.

Alex