Alex’s Comments (group member since Aug 21, 2009)

Alex’s comments from the Second Wind Publishing group.

And I will check out yours, Sherrie.

Using the criteria above, I eliminate all the books I don't want to read and then I read the rest. No, that's not true. If an author is willing to read my books, I'll read hers. She doesn't even have to read mine; she just has to be willing. That may be true.

James Bond had a license to kill but he still had to do the killin'. Much of the above discussion focuses on whether fiction should reflect or abandon reality to be believable (more importantly, to draw readers?). I don't believe that in life there are frequently "no motivations, no consistency, no cause and effect,"--but realistic fiction puts a premium on them. The reality in realistic fiction is not just the author's to create. In romance, gothic, thrillers, it's unreality that the author has the license to create.

With some things I write, I make a conscious effort to represent reality as I know it (that's the trick), and yet I'm aware it's still not reality. But with these efforts I feel obligated to respect cause-and-effect, common-sense notions of time, and the conventional relationship among author, narrator and characters. To me, that's realistic fiction, but it's no more reality than a representative painting is the same as what it represents. But playing with the process is interesting. You attend the theater. The actors are playing fictional characters, but one of the actors interacts with an illusion, someone she sees but the other actors don't. But the illusion is played by a real actor. Is the illusion less real than the other actors because he is a fiction of one of the primary characters?

I'm creating a podcast of my novel The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed for Podiobooks. I've posted the first two chapters in MP3 format on http://www.willcall.org I'd like to get some feedback on the quality (if any) of my voice and how the recording comes across. Podcasting is new for me. It's an interesting process with a steep learning curve. I will return the favor if you try this yourself.

I think this should be of interest to anyone who writes novels. Over at Librarything there is a thread that is focusing on "Underappreciated Writers." For an entire month the writer is asked wide-ranging questions about his or her work. The goal is to broaden readership and appreciation of the work, but the questions can be demanding and revealing. By the way, anyone can pose questions to the writer. I was lucky enough to be chosen as the writer for February, and for another 10 days will be answering any and all quetions that come my way. Other writers will be chosen in the months ahead. Dropping in on the thread to ask a question or make a comment may be a good way of introducing yourself. The link to the thread is http://www.librarything.com/topic/82398

By the way if you ever want to take a look at the primary novel being discussed, The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed, the free PDF is http://www.willcall.org/web/redalbum.pdf

I think this should be of interest to anyone who writes novels. Over at Librarything there is a thread that is focusing on "Underappreciated Writers." For an entire month the writer is asked wide-ranging questions about his or her work. The goal is to broaden readership and appreciation of the work, but the questions can be demanding and revealing. By the way, anyone can pose questions to the writer. I was lucky enough to be chosen as the writer for February, and for another 10 days will be answering any and all quetions that come my way. Other writers will be chosed in the months to come and dropping in on the site to ask a question or make a comment may be a good way of introducing yourself. The link to the thread is http://www.librarything.com/topic/82398

By the way if you ever want to take a look at the primary novel being discussed, The Red Album of Asbury Park Remixed, the free PDF is http://www.willcall.org/web/redalbum.pdf

Say the word, DB, and I’ll come packing my rhetoric.

I think it should be handled the same way that townsfolk in the Old West dealt with troublesome outlaws who were too tough for the local sheriff. You send for someone who's meaner, tougher and faster than the bully, and have him run the villain off the thread. I have encountered several of these Clint Eastwoods of literature on Goodreads and Library Thing, and if all the above well-meaning efforts fail, I say, send the telegram.

Basically if something isn't in my computer, it's in my car, so that my disorganization is contained. I know that I will find that newspaper clipping, behind the gym bag, under the tinned salmon, stuck to the hair gel, somewhere ... sooner or later.

Reviews, but not necessarily reviews about the book. I freqently get interested in a book after I've read a mention of it in a review of another book. I've also read several books based on Goodreads recommendations. Sometimes cover blurbs will draw me in, and a good ad also works. Once I like an author, I'll try to read all her books.