EVERY LITTLE BEAT GOES ON

I had a cold recently. As a result I suffered with loose stools and crapped my Depends twice within a three day period. Once at home and once at a Yumm! restaurant. Yummy, eh?

See photographer here...

Now for some healthier news. My Memoir Of A Nobody is back on track. Three haiku will appear in the May issue of an online magazine Better Than Starbucks. Google a look if you'd like in May. An "Afterword" I wrote for Geoff Peterson's poetry book Archipelago is now available in his book at Amazon, Authorhouse or in any bookstore. Most bookstores will be glad to order books for you. Archipelago is a collection of  Peterson's earliest poetry. He wrote most of it before he entered the creative writing program at Eastern Washington University or during his early years there. My "Afterword" in Archipelago covers those early days and my arrival in Cheney Washington in April 1975 and our first encounters. We eventually both lived at Sutton Hall, the veteran's dorm at Eastern. He also became the poetry editor of Willow Springs Magazine that I co-founded with four other lit. majors. When I quit after a dispute over a couple of poems, he took over and—by the happy way—included the two disputed poems.

GEOFF PETERSON AND THE SILENT BEATNIK BOOMER

Geoff Peterson

Gray, gray Monday in Vancouver Washington. No news is good news from DAW Publishing, Iowa Review or Pittsburg Press. For a couple of weeks nothing creative has entered my thoughts, but my three kids and their loved ones came for Thanksgiving, and we played Golf card game or Splendor and talked up storms. My newly-married youngest son is in love. He and she were often absent while remaining in the room, whispering and giggling together. I loved the vision of their love, even though I distinctly felt their absence from the room from time to time. At times, the rest of us disappeared for them also, I think.

I've just finished a brief memoir about arriving in 1975 to Cheney, Washington. Friend and poet Geoff Peterson plans to include the essay at the end of his newest book Archipelago which arises from the poetry he wrote during that time when we both attended Eastern Washington University to earn MFA's in Poetry. Today, as usual, inspired by a final read through of his Archipelago, I've roughed out two lushis. His work almost always triggers my own imagination, even though our styles are distinctly different. You can find most all his books on Amazon. Click on his name under the photo, read one. You can't go wrong.

MILOSZ, NOBEL PRIZES AND THE BEATNICK BOOMER

That's Milosz.

People who checked in on this blog have triggered me to do this entry. Eighty-two looked in yesterday. I have more or less finished with writing the eight line poetry for the book Wrestling Hanshan. I plan one or two more read throughs before looking at contests to enter it into. Am submitting them in groups of five to lit. mags. I have written 120 of them. That may be too many for a book. Some contests limit total number of pages. Thus one read through will be to mark any that would go first if I had to trim the length and another to get an idea how it sounds in my head start to finish.

Off Topic: today I bowled two games at a local alley. First time in four or more years and following the radiation treatments. I bowled 99 and 102. The first time I bowled I was in my early teens, and I failed to break 100. Never since that time until today have a failed to break the century mark. In my heyday, I could break 200 on a semi-regular basis. You can see the arc of a life in my bowling experience. I was too weak to control the ball and missed my spot nearly every time, although I did get two strikes in a row, the only marks in my 102 game.

The other day, I was writing in our local Barnes & Noble, and I want to support them, so I bought a collection of the poetry of Czeslaw Milosz, Nobel Prize winner. Beautiful stuff, and I can understand some of them. They touch me. Buy books at your local book stores, small and large. Amazon will do okay without us.

OLD BEATNIK POET FINDS HOME FOR POEM

Been more than a week since last entry, but we've had a crisis in wife's family so my writing schedule has, of course, been set aside. I did rewrite another chapter of Ghoul World Tuesday after our return from Spokane on Monday. Will hopefully rewrite another chapter today. 

Washington State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall has undertaken putting together an anthology of living Washington State poets to celebrate our state's 129th year of statehood. I'm thrilled to be included in the anthology.  Washington 129 will feature the poetry of 129 poets living in the state of Washington, and my poem "Legacy" will be included in the hard copy issue. It will also be turned into a handbill to be circulated at various literary events around the state. I look forward to seeing my name in the anthology among the many fine poets of Washington State, and I'm sure to recognize the names of old friends and acquaintances in the collection. As I learn more I'll let you know where you can purchase the anthology when it's published. Sage Hill Press will be the publisher. My poetry can be found at Amazon or Authorhouse. You can even find Gray House By Cold Mountain at Amazon for the low price of $2,498.00 through RedGooseMedia. Seriously. I think it's worth that at least. 

I forked over $765 to take a screen writing course at NW Film Center that begins in April. Since it's almost impossible to find agents for film scripts, the expenditure is just to keep my brain on its toes. I did write a sci fi film script two summers ago, and I thought I might have an inclination for writing scripts. We'll see. I'm going to work on that script for course work.

REPORT FROM THE SILENT GENERATION'S BEATEST BOOMER

Picture: Daniel Selmeczi/Steve Bloom / Rex Features

My goal remains to get someone other than myself to publish a book of mine before I drop dead. Currently I'm working on three novels simultaneously. Mertie is making a final reread of Angie's Choice, and with each chapter she finishes, I correct errors she's spotted in that novel. She's only finding one to three minor errors every two chapters. I'm very grateful that she's doing it. When I send out the first chapter or first 20 pages (whatever an agent or publisher requires), I have been very certain that technically it's as correct as it can be. I read sections of it every once in awhile, and I KNOW the writing is solid, and I think there's sufficient suspense to keep an average reader interested. Now, it's like fishing. Have I got the right lure for the pilot fish I'm trying to catch? 

Every day or so, I sit down and slowly transfer the first novel I ever wrote—The Man In the Mirror—a page at a time, typing it into an editable file on my computer. Of course, the new novel, working title Manning, is my full time writing gig. Progress is steady. Today, on my daily walk, I came up with several more plot elements for Manning that will add to its suspense and, I hope, interesting reading for the reader. I can see several chapters into the future. I always carry a small notebook in my back pocket to write down my thoughts. Lately, I've also written some brief reviews on Amazon for the works of living writers I know and appreciate. The walks are getting colder now, and I'm stepping out pretty briskly, enjoying the trees, the clouds and the neighborhoods I pass through. 

Sidenote: on the very northern margin of my neighborhood walks from our condo, I pass through a very upscale neighborhood. Two homes of the wealthy sported political signs. One home had my favorites as their favorites. The other was not as intelligent.

SILENT BOOMER BOOMING ALONG QUITE NICELY

I've been writing non-stop on the new novel. I pull my smoking keyboard to the side of the road in late afternoon to take my hour walk...in time, also, to do my cooking chores unless it's a morning crock pot preparation. I'm continually asking my working wife to have pity on the poor writer and his creative burden. When I awake, I don't even want to take time to eat or shave. I've completed 27 pages, but I see far ahead into the many possible ways this book can go. I continually adjust the characters and plot roots. One flesh and blood character has turned into a robot. I continually go over the same pages to adjust for my changing visions. The place and circumstances of the novel are so real to me I find myself putting too much detail in, and I want to keep the reader hoping along. It's best to salt the action with details rather than pour them over it. I've also written two possible openings or one may follow the other. 

It's all pretty exciting. Angie's Choice felt exciting years ago when I wrote it. Speaking of Angie's Choice, another agent rejection came in: 

Hi, George,
Thank you for your query. While your project certainly has merit, I'm going to pass. As I'm sure you know, it's important that your agent be totally excited by/committed to/passionate about your project, and I'm afraid that just didn't happen here. But opinions vary considerably in this business, and mine is just one. I'm sure you'll find others who feel differently. I hope so! I wish you the very best in your search for representation. 

Warm regards, Laney Katz Becker, Lippincott Massie McQuilkin

Agents are always kind. It could be worse, you know? They could send a photo of an agent gagging on the novel. On the more positive side, I've been asked to read a poem at the Peace and Justice Action Fair in Vancouver on the 7th of September, and another poem of mine will be hung with a piece of someone else's art at the Gallery360 Art Meets Literature Show. Theme was inspiration. Another poem or two may soon find a home, and it sounds as if someone will write a feature article about this poet for the Vancouver Vector. If that happens as expected, I'll include more details later...names and etcetera. You can always find my work at Amazon or Author House if you've a mind to. Thanks for reading.