BookLust

Art Imitating Lit 7

I'm still crazy busy, but had to squeeze in some time to whip up my latest Art Imitating Lit strip. There's nothing like staying up into the wee hours of the morning, pencilling, inking and erasing like mad to help you keep perspective on things! Like the fact that eventually you gotta stop when the fingers just won't move anymore! But I digress...

There's been an interesting conversation going on for about a year now, this whole serious women's fiction vs chick-lit. I think it started with some article written by Curtis Sittenfeld who made a comment something to the effect that having one's book labelled 'chick-lit' was akin to being called a slut. And then Elizabeth Merrick edited a book of stories by a group of women entitled This is not Chick-Lit, which naturally pissed off some of the chick-lit writers out there, people like Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Jennifer Weiner and Rachel Pine. There's been some interesting discussion about this subject ever since, and I'm sure it will continue for many years to come, 'cuz let's face it, chick-lit is not going away. And earlier this month, Lauren Baratz-Logsted produced an anthology of short stories basically in response to Merrick's collection. Lauren's book is entitled, This is Chick-Lit. What else would it be called?

I knew that eventually I would devote a strip to this subject matter, it was just a matter of finding the right kind of inspiration. Often times I will be reading a newspaper, or a blog, and some word or phrase will light a fire under my ass. It was while I was reading Edward Champion's blog that the muse struck. He got into the whole chick-lit discussion too, providing as always, great wit and insight. But it was one of his comments that stuck in my brain and wouldn't go away. He wrote in his post: there is, as of yet, no estrogen answer to the Jonathans. I have to agree with him, which kind of pisses me off. It's not that there aren't great women writers out there, but they just aren't being promoted like those goddam Jonathans. With that idea in mind, and the whole chick-lit discussion, I got inspired. So there you have it. I now have an official muse, and his name is Ed.

I did want to add that I, too, used to hold my nose up at all chick-lit, but over time my attitude has changed. I see no reason why this genre (is it a genre?), not unlike mysteries, science fiction and thrillers cannot exist without all this criticism and hostility. There's a wide gamut of fiction written by women, from extra light to very deep and serious (and really, who decides what is deemed light and what is serious?), and you should be allowed to read whatever the hell you want. It really does beg the question, can't we all just get along? But then, if everyone got along in the publishing world, I'd have nothing to draw now, would I? Heh.

Oh, and a few words about the strip. I was once again very rushed, so the body of the strip hasn't been coloured yet, and yes, the brush strokes are quite frantic at times. My apologies, but I really wanted to get this damn fool thing posted, and if I waited any longer, well, it would never happen.

Enough blather. Enjoy the strip.

Now I gotta get back to work!

Art Imitating Lit 6

Have you heard about the latest literary drama going on with Oprah's latest pick for her book club? James Frey, author of A Million Little Pieces may have been stretching the truth a bit in writing his b est-selling memoir chronicling his "steep descent from a dark marathon of drug abuse". Seems The Smoking Gun kinda blew the whistle on this guy, but apparently many reade rs of Frey's memoir had been doubting the veracity of this supposed life of a former frat-boy addict.

I have to wonder what Oprah's thinking through this whole brou ha-ha. Wait. I don't have to wonder! I just need to create another silly comic strip.

Art Imitating Lit 5

Have you ever noticed how you feel internally when you walk into a mega-bookstore, compared to how you feel when you walk into an indie bookstore? I sure notice the difference.

And so I decided to channel some of those emotions into my latest strip.

Art Imitating Lit 4

For the past few days, brilliant book promo blogger and author M.J. Rose of Buzz, Balls & Hype fame has been discussing the subject of marketing your book, covering all areas of publishing, from getting the right publisher for your book, to how to spend that book advance responsibly, to choosing the perfect book cover design and the fascinating subject of the writer as entrepreneur. Author Barry Eislier has been guest blogging for most of these subjects, and he has been sharing some really savvy perspectives based on his own writing/publishing experiences. It's worth reading all of the posts if you are serious about getting published, or just plain curious about the book business.

And then after you have read all of this worthwhile information, you can sit back, relax, and read my latest comic strip, and learn all about my take on how to get ahead in the competitive world of publishing.

Yeah, I know, I have a lot to learn.

Art Imitating Lit 3

I find it very interesting how these ideas for Art Imitating Lit come to fruition. What seems to happen is that I have a general idea which floats around in my head, sometimes for weeks on end, and then suddenly I will read something on a blog which will release the idea, sort of like Arthur when he pulls the sword out of the stone. Ok, maybe I'm pushing it with that analogy. But you get my drift.

My latest story was inspired by the intelligent, witty, passionate, and no-holds-barred author M.J. Rose, who as well as having written many successful novels, also has a great blog aptly named Buzz, Balls & Hype, where she provides great insight and inside information on the book publishing industry. One of her more recent blog entries struck a chord with me. In the post she bemoans the sad state of the publishing world, specifically how authors are not getting more creative and ingenius with their approaches towards marketing their books. Near the end of her post she writes: Authors aren't getting advice from anyone about what to do when their book is coming out. Why can't we figure out a way to educate authors so they can do the most for their books? Anyone have a good joke? This is getting really depressing.

Well, I sure hate to see M.J. sad. And so I made it my mission to try and cheer her up. No, I don't have any answers; I'm not a marketing expert. I'm just a smart-assed cartoonist, so I do what I can.

So here ya go, M.J. I hope this brightens your day!

I didn't have enough time to colour the entire strip because I wanted to get it posted PDQ. So please excuse the rushed style. Also, my hand was starting to go into spasms near the end of this!

Enough chatter. Enjoy the strip.

Art Imitating Lit 2

It started with the letter from Word of Mouth to Oprah, bascially asking her to start up her Book Club of contemporary authors again. It didn't take too long for all the responses to start trickling in.

I've got my own opinions, which I have shared a little online, but I prefer to just let my warped sense of humour explore a different perspecitve.

One more thing I'd like to add. Although I do like to tease poor Mr. Franzen mercilessly, I really do like him, and his writing very much. It's just that from a cartoonist's perspective, he's such a deliciously tragic/comic figure.

Art Imitating Lit

Sometimes I get these ideas in my head, and I just cannot get rid of them until I put them to pen and paper. And then it just feels so good to get them out. A mental movement, if you will. That's what happended a few months ago. I got this silly idea for a comic strip with some well-known literary guys, and I just had to write it down. Thing is, it just took so freakin' long to ink and colour the darn thing, 'cuz I had so much other pressing things to do, like actual freelance work.

But then I recently read this article in the New York Review of Books, written by John Leonard, in which he gripes about Jonathan Lethem's obsession with comics, and how he should really move on to something else. And then I read this other article about these women writers bitching about the quality of women's writing these days, and then the very angry response that came soon after. It got me thinking about the subject of my silly comic, and so I thought, shit, I gotta get this darn thing finished.

Oh, and by the way because of this silly idea, I've decided to create another category, entitled Art Imitating Lit. Every now and then (when I have the energy and time!) I will create a comic strip that spoofs some element of the book and literary world, past or present.

So without further ado, here's the strip. Enjoy.