On my regular trawl through my Google Reader this evening, I stumbled upon a massively disturbing post. I've not experienced anything quite like it before.
Some background: My friend Chris and I had been kicking around an idea for a few weeks, namely that we should create a blog that combined obscure literary references with blatant popularity. We settled upon "LOLrature", a blog that would create Lolcat versions of famous writers.
On the 13th of October, I reactivated a long-neglected Tumblr account.
On October 19, I sent a pedantic email to Chris asking him whether we should call it "LOLrature" or "LOLerature". We decided on the former. I spent fruitless hours trying to superimpose the phrase "I CAN HAZ VOGELZ?" onto a picture of Tim Winton, but to no avail. We agreed to find Photoshop and unveil the site in the next few weeks.
And so it was to my absolute surprise to see reference to a Tumblr blog called "LOLerature" in one of my favourite literary resources, The Millions:
http://www.themillions.com/2009/10/lolerature.html
For one beautiful moment, I thought Chris had set up the blog under a different name, and my Millions fame dreams had come wildly true. But alas, he knew nothing about it.
The first post on "LOLerature" was made on October 22, days AFTER I'd set up "LOLrature". I still can't decide if this is intellectual property theft, or a really really bizarre coincidence.
If you're out there, creator of "LOLeratre", drop me a line...
*nb. You can find our much less funny blog at the now-useless URL: http://lolrature.tumblr.com/
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
WELCOME BACK, COTTER
Just a few quick notes...
Further to Haruki Murakami's new novel 19Q4, which I have covered here before (and failed to establish the meme "Newrakami" in the blogosphere): it will be published in English, in September 2011. Details, and all your Murakami needs, are furnished here.
I also have to talk about a seriously great book I'm reading at the moment (thanks, Mr Somerville). Despite having an impossibly cool cover, and being published by McSweeney's (two factors which tend to mean a book will sit on my shelf and never be read), Bill Cotter's Fever Chart is one of the most readable, brilliantly imaginative things I've read in quite a long while.
Further to Haruki Murakami's new novel 19Q4, which I have covered here before (and failed to establish the meme "Newrakami" in the blogosphere): it will be published in English, in September 2011. Details, and all your Murakami needs, are furnished here.
I also have to talk about a seriously great book I'm reading at the moment (thanks, Mr Somerville). Despite having an impossibly cool cover, and being published by McSweeney's (two factors which tend to mean a book will sit on my shelf and never be read), Bill Cotter's Fever Chart is one of the most readable, brilliantly imaginative things I've read in quite a long while.
Yes, that is a 4/5ths wraparound dust jacket. Yes, that is a Ron Rége Jr illustration. Yes, there is a quote from Wells Tower on the back. But the words are good too. I promise! I've been trying, and failing, to think of a way to describe the prose. The frantic tragic style reminds me of Denis Johnson's Jesus' Son, but the luxurious sentence-craft gives me good George Saunders vibes. Anyway, seek it out and read it. Why not ask at your friendly local indie bookshop?
Saturday, October 17, 2009
THE EMPTY PAGE
This post is part of the Queensland Writers Centre blog tour, happening October to December 2009. To follow the tour, visit Queensland Writers Centre's blog The Empty Page.
Where do your words come from?
I really wish I knew. Sometimes it's scary to think that what you write comes from something as fickle and fragile as your imagination. An empty page and invisible thoughts? I think I'm going to have to lie down...
Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
Born in Melbourne, grew up in Warwick, now live in Brisbane.
What's the first sentence/line of your latest work?
"Down by the skate park, I'm shivering out a lungful of petrol fumes." From a short story I started a few days ago called Why Don't You Come Over and Break My Heart.
What piece of writing do you wish you had written?
For dialogue: Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
For imagination: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
For pure skill: Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje
What are you currently working towards?
Right now I'm re-writing the manuscript of my first novel, Reception, in lieu of its first edit by these good folk.
Complete this sentence: The future of the book is ...
... yet to be written.
Where do your words come from?
I really wish I knew. Sometimes it's scary to think that what you write comes from something as fickle and fragile as your imagination. An empty page and invisible thoughts? I think I'm going to have to lie down...
Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?
Born in Melbourne, grew up in Warwick, now live in Brisbane.
What's the first sentence/line of your latest work?
"Down by the skate park, I'm shivering out a lungful of petrol fumes." From a short story I started a few days ago called Why Don't You Come Over and Break My Heart.
What piece of writing do you wish you had written?
For dialogue: Brighton Rock by Graham Greene
For imagination: Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
For pure skill: Coming Through Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje
What are you currently working towards?
Right now I'm re-writing the manuscript of my first novel, Reception, in lieu of its first edit by these good folk.
Complete this sentence: The future of the book is ...
... yet to be written.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
SAY WHAT NOW?
Today, at the bookshop I work at, we were offered the chance to stock the Permaculture Diary 2010. We declined. Can you guess why?
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