Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Notes on Craft

Word Count: 4,001

When Desi started this blog it was meant to be a LITERARY blog, not a discussion of his personal life. He will not allow his initial intentions to be hijacked by the antics of unscrupulous elements, no matter how devious they might be. This blog will continue to be a chronicle of his literary life. A thousand robbers and a thousand assassins may visit violence upon him, he will not be cowed. He will remain resolute.

Similarities between the Old and New (novels)
One thing the old and the new (ongoing) novels have in common: they both have heavy elements of crime - old fashioned murder, by stabbing, shooting; shooting especially. For H & H I spent a lot of time reading about guns and gun stats - a 240g bullet released from a .44 Magnum will travel at 360 metres per second, with an energy of 1,000 Joules. But it produces significant recoil, which is a drawback.
With the ongoing book. I have taken my research to new levels. I am trying to research NEW ways and methods of MURDER, and the tools to achieve them...

Differences between the Old and New (novels)
The new novel is much harder to write, writing it makes me feel like I'm a candle burning at both ends, trying to pin down the characters is like grasping at clouds. Every word is so reluctant to join the previous.
Unlike the Lost novel, which kind of flowed. The words flowed, edits flowed, commas flew in and out and seemed just right, knotted plots resolved themselves, characters literally walked into the book unannounced, or vanished off the page without regret. Things happened....

The Old Novel seemed to write itself, the New struggles to be written...

16 comments:

Waffarian said...

Adorna stole a post from my blog as well!!!

I can't imagine why you are writing a new novel instead of trying to get the old one back! You know where it is...it is with that cow...Adorna.

KT said...

Hi Desi,

Did Adorna steal the whole novel or just a piece of it?

And what is your best guess as to how she came about what she stole. She could as well already have access into your email account by now, and trying to get into ours too!

Sarah Hymas said...

I can't believe you're telling us what's in the new novel now - she'll have that one too!

The Shoscomber said...

Dear All,
(Apologies for answering all your answers with a single reply)
Do you really think I have revealed details of my new novel? Please let me know. I didn't quote anything from it did I? I only mentioned a few things ABOUT it... I might have to pull down the entire post then... I might never ever ever again put up anything to do with my writing... do you really think she could get into my email account? I always use public internet but I always make sure to sign out, sometimes I even switch the system off after using it... i think I've got bits of the new novel stored in my email (someone advised me to)... can people get into that as well??? is it so easy?

Toluwalope said...

Dear Desi,
I have just arrived from visiting Ms. Adorna's blog. I really do not know what to say - perhaps I have said it all on her blog - but then having come here let me say something:

I sympathise and commiserate with you on the series of misfortunes and tragedies you have suffered recently - the loss of the novel, and the physical assault.
But I hope you are aware that under all statutes of law, whether civil, criminal or intellectual, you need to PROVE YOUR CASE beyond doubt. You have not really given us cause to believe that Adorna is what you are portraying her to be - a shameless THIEF of other people's writing. And there is no evidence to link her with the loss of your novel.

Questions:
Did you report the loss of your novel to the appropriate Law Enforcement auhtorities?
Did you report the recent attack on your person as well?
Is there any evidence that the quoted extract on your blog - and hers - supposedly your work, is truly yours?

You need to act more seriously, ie take more serious action about these matters. Let us have evidence. Without serious evidence she might just ruin what is left of you in court. I do not want that to happen. Struggling writers MUST be protected and defended. You need to help us to help you!

PS. This case between you and Adorna will be the subject of my next research incursion. One of my PhD students has also indicated interest in theorising on the concept of "Intertextualities and intertheftualities in the case of Adorna and Desiderus"

T. Ogunlesi
Associate Professor of Studies in Literary and PostLiterary Borrowings,
Old Town University

Anonymous said...

Yes, where is the proof? And why would a sucessful and well known writer choose to 'steal' (and how?) The work of an unknown amateur? One who, it seems, specialises in a genre (or at least attempts to) wholly different from Adorna's work?

Until these questions are answered frankly and in full, I can only assume what we here are the foundless ravings of a destitute madman.

The ball is in your court, Desi. Can you prove any of your allegations, or are they mere libel?

Anonymous said...

Have you ever read any Paul Auster? I read this in his New York Trilogy today, although I liked it so much I almost passed it off as my own:

'Once Fanshawe's manuscripts had been published it would be perfectly possible for me to write another book or two under his name - to do the work myself yet pass it off as his. I was not planning to do this of course, but the mere thought of it opened up certain bizarre and intriguing notions to me: what it means when a writer chooses to put his name on a book, why some writers choose to hide behind a pseudonym, whether or not a writer has a real life anyway. It struck me that writing under another name might be something I would enjoy.'

Food for thought, perhaps?

Anonymous said...

Sho-cucumber

Do you want to know what I think?

I think you know Adorna. I think you and she may even have worked together before.

Maybe at Bunny Heaven?

Hmmm?

How else would your paths have crossed? How else would she have known some anonymous guy was even writing a book?

So, anser the question. Are you one more author who has availed themselves of the delights at Bunny Heaven?

Hmm?

Anonymous said...

Desiderus

I've come here from Adorna's blog. If this post, outlining methods of murder, was a threat towards her or her associates, I'd take it back if I were you.

I speak as a friend. She may have lost Carlos (the turn coat!) But there are others who will stand up for her.

Many others.

Anonymous said...

Desi,

You're so, like, totally dreamy!

Literally and totally.

I mean it. I am so into you.

If you ever want to hook up, you can find me on Facebook.

You're so cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Literally!)

Anonymous said...

I'm interested.


What do you think the difference is between the old (missing? Stolen?) Novel and the new one?

Do you think this could be a case of the well known difficult second novel syndrome, or something else?

Best wishes and good luck

Andy

Anonymous said...

Wouldn't you rather people read your book than it languished under your bed? If you cared about the writing, you'd want people to read it. It have their lives changed by your words. What does it matter whose name is on the cover.

Unless, that is, you care more about your fame than your art?

Well?

? said...

Adorna, further to my earlier ironic/sarcastic comment on roland barthes, I am calling the police. Your attackers should be charged for harrasment. On other matters, has anyone seen my missing chapters?...it's gone missing!

Anonymous said...

Broomington's dead you IDIOT! Some say he was bludgeoned to death, others say he was shot, but whatever happened happened in that house you now live in!
I have mailed you a cutting of his obituary.

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DON'T SEEM TO BE AWARE THAT HE'S DEAD - AND BEEN DEAD FOR AGES. MAN, ARE YOU FOR REAL?????????

Anonymous said...

This is the same Anonymous who just posted above:

In your very first post on this blog you said:

"When [Broomington] moved out (April of this year) I moved in - something exciting about writing in a house once lived in by another writer - and for weeks after would wander around the house imagining I was him, and that his Muse, and characters, and plots now belonged to me."


BROOMINGTON DIDN'T F**KEN MOVE OUT DUDE! THEY CARRIED HIM OUT ON A BLOODY STRETCHER (PARDON THE PUN) AND LEFT YELLOW TAPE AND FLASHING SIRENS AND A POLICE PHOTOGRAPHER BEHIND!!!!

If you never heard that story then you deserve to have ALL your novels stolen!

Anonymous said...

No comments, Desiderus? Too busy concocting another ridiculous sub plot for your fictional life?

How you can live with yourself, harrassing some old dipso who's clearly not all there, I can't tell.

And if you did steal her dog, you should be ashamed.

I hope she calls the RSPCA on you.