Days Walking Down Sniper Alley
I am sorry there has been a lack of entries recently. There are entries I want to write – among them ‘Geno Washington’s Fight Club’ and ‘This is how Mr. Grasso Kicks Out the JAMS’ – but life has been difficult. I have moved away from ‘slashing my wrists’ in public (seemingly much to the annoyance of some readers), but I am currently experiencing somewhat unravelling circumstances.
I feel like I have spent days walking down Sniper Alley. When bullets strike too close, turning stone to violent storms of dust inches from your face, there is a gradual erosion of the soul. This is one reason for the dearth of new material on English Dreaming, English Rain during August.
Although I have my ‘funny book’ going to Frankfurt, I have also been working on the proposal for a project with the working title Counterfeit Truth. When you pour words professionally, sometimes there are not enough left for personal use. This has also been a factor hitting the blog over the last couple of weeks.
While I have no intention of whinging or dwelling on it, the final factor in the ongoing drought is my health. Trying to write, trying to forge the words and bind them together when pain takes all your strength is one of the ultimate acts of resolve. Imagination and will is the root of all magic. I understand that on days like these.
I feel like I have spent days walking down Sniper Alley. When bullets strike too close, turning stone to violent storms of dust inches from your face, there is a gradual erosion of the soul. This is one reason for the dearth of new material on English Dreaming, English Rain during August.
Although I have my ‘funny book’ going to Frankfurt, I have also been working on the proposal for a project with the working title Counterfeit Truth. When you pour words professionally, sometimes there are not enough left for personal use. This has also been a factor hitting the blog over the last couple of weeks.
While I have no intention of whinging or dwelling on it, the final factor in the ongoing drought is my health. Trying to write, trying to forge the words and bind them together when pain takes all your strength is one of the ultimate acts of resolve. Imagination and will is the root of all magic. I understand that on days like these.
Labels: Counterfeit Truth, Pain, TIA, Wars of Dissolution, Who Would Win
17 Comments:
I hope by now the physical pain has gone at least a little.
Talking about 'acts of resolve': did you see what the 'Ndrangheta did in Germany yesterday?
You ('you' as the writer) were the first person who came into my mind when I read the news on Repubblica.
I am sorry to hear all this. And yes, when in physical distress it's hard to do anything else at all, much less responsibilities and find creativity. Hope the drought ends soon.
Sometimes the words die before they ever pass my lips....
I hope you feel better and things soon come round to golden.
I'm sorry to hear you're in so much pain. Virtual hugs to you.
I noted that your foot or feet got painful [ in 1 of your blogs] and as a writer's pun you have invoked Counterfeet Truth.
As well, connecting the Writers=Thieves subject, you have written 'forge the words'.[ last para] This reminds me of a great book, possibly it has even been written, called 'How Britain Forged an Empire'
Franfkort is the source of the great forgers the Redshields.
Day before yesterday Arsenal played Sparta Praha who took their strip from the origianl Arsenal strip, the kinda Crimson coloured one. Rosicky returned to his old club and argued with the Sparta captain, who has an anger management problem
As far as dearth, I appreciate it, as i have some dearth-related material at my blog which makes for enjoyable reading. Thanks
Nothing worse than pain to sap the creative juices... not that I would know I still have to find the juice!!
I haven't heard the word dearth (nothing to do with that vader chap) for ages thanks!
You're right, health and pain issues can really take over, beyond our wishes to accomplish work or play. I'm glad to see you have a strong inclination to get on with your work.
Sometimes, the silence between "notes" is just as important and meaningful as the music.
Milla – You, the BBC and one German broadcaster obviously think alike. When I was well enough to check my voicemail, I discovered I had missed a couple of requests to do interviews about the shooting.
Thank you GC, Z, NC&M and Nina for your kind thoughts. They are much appreciated. Thank you to all the others who have emailed. At worst it is a minor TIA. No need to fret.
Mirk – It seems whenever you comment, you run your own talents down. I am happy to go into a prolonged bout of praise if you cannot see the juice in your photographs and ramblings.
AFM – Counterfeit Truth (if it happens) is about hoaxing, fraud and scams, hence the appositeness of forging the words. To provide some Arsenal context, the following is from my upcoming book Conspiracy Files:
'Outside of Hollywood, no other part of the global entertainment industry generates such a continuous stream of conspiracy theories as sport. One reason for this is that almost every major professional sporting activity is now part of a multi-billion dollar industry with vast fortunes being earned from ticket sales, endorsements and TV rights. Whatever the total global business revenue directly related to sport, the revenues generated by both legal and illegal sport betting dwarf it.
Possibly the biggest reasons conspiracy theories abound in sport is due to the vast emotional commitment some fans place in their favourite sporting teams. Just as some conspiracy theories spring up when fans cannot face up the fact their favourite musician died in a random accident, many sports supporters cannot accept that their side lost due through bad luck or the superior skill of their opponents.
Looking at Arsenal – the English football team I support – provides a good example of how the conspiracy process in sports works. Due to the fact it can claim Queen Elizabeth II, John Lydon (AKA as former Sex Pistol Johnny Rotten), Keanu Reeves and Osama Bin Laden among its supporters, all sorts of conspiratorial nonsense has been written about the club. This is heightened by the fact its former ground, Highbury Stadium, was known to include Masonic symbolism within its construction.
News stories about sponsorship of the club by Emirates Airline and its possible takeover by an American billionaire have been pored over by some conspiracy theorists. Such regular elements of sporting business have even been cited as ‘proof’ of the hidden hand of al-Qaeda or the Grand United Lodge of England behind the club. When the Queen had to withdraw from a planned visit of Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium and the ground was tested for radiation as part of the investigation into the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko, the febrile imaginations of certain conspiriologists went into meltdown.'
Do u have a list of yor writings, with prices etc.
In relation to pain PKDick read Dante's Descent into Hell overnight with a raging toothache.
If you have inferred Darth Vader with the word 'dearth' then May the 4ce be with you.
I have taken to fresh Sage Tea over the past 6 months, as well as footbaths with rosemary. Mrs Grieve's Herbal [ online] is a great resource. in fact lots of quotes from old sources so a few plague-time remedies in there. it also seems to contain a lot of loving truth [ whatever that may be] .
Reading Tods blog there's a freeflowing mercury invocation. Is Mercury not a thief of sorts, and a wordsmith, I link it to A Fragment from the Dreamscape - a birth in a dearth of wordth
All the quest
If I connect Darth Vader, it is usually with Daath and crossing the abyss...
When I am more recovered I might post a fuller listing of my writing. Most of my commercially published work is available on Amazon.co.uk. Given that I have been published on four continents in a surprising mix of languages, it did not surprise me to learn that you were once even able to find my work in the odder bookshops of Prague. I am not sure about prices, though it is my policy to always charge less than publisher’s suggested cover price on the signed/inscribed copies I sell direct.
Of my mainstream books published under my own name I would only recommend Secrets & Lies, the newest version of Conspiracy Theories to be published this autumn and The History of Organized Crime – the book which provoked the serious death threats.
If people only read one of my books, I would be happiest if that book was Secrets & Lies. I would be aghast if anyone paid money for the Guano book with my name on it (only written to provide income for my then fiancée Anne-Marie Forker) or for the atrocious Dirty Cash. Both works are a crime against trees for which I have tried to make amends by giving 25% of all my subsequent earning derived from any writing to reforestation projects.
My privately published monographs on VALIS, The Angry Brigade and English Hoodoo were released in exceptionally limited editions. I have no copies for sale and would not suggest anyone wastes the £163 it recently cost a buyer on eBay to purchase one.
I wish there was something I could do to help, David :( I'll have to settle for beaming as much light and goodness at you as I can muster.
AFM, as for "Dirty Cash", I'd like to second David's disdain.
If writing is theft, then Dirty Cash was a nasty, squallid little case of armed robbery with assault, committed in a stinking back-alley sex shop.
The crime is made far worse by the fact that its hideous and overwhelming shortcomings had absolutely nothing to do with David, and he has no amends to make for such a flagrant -- and frankly unforgivable -- misuse of his good name.
"Guano Stains Grandma" is barely better, but at least one glance at the book shows you exactly what you're getting.
I owe the world a lot of trees.
Have been away nso Me hasn't noticed that you havent posted fer a while.
Me be happy that you be finding the resolve to get yer thoughts down on "paper".
Often we find that it be the battle to overcome whatever obstacles that be in our way on imagination's road is exactly what give us the material and gumption to sit down and get them words out.
Stay Stompy!
I'm sorry that you're in pain, David. *hugs*
I've enjoyed your blog, as well the comments you've left at the Deadline Divas. So, I really look forward to reading the two books of yours I've ordered (Conspiracy Files and Secrets & Lies).
Take care and hang on to that imagination and will.
Lots of warm fuzzy stuff heading your way to melt the pain away.
Hi David,
Very much enjoyed your interview on 'Occult of Personality'.
http://rochester92.vox.com/library/post/podcast-24---david-southwell.html
Thanks.
Take good care of yourself,
Ellis
Sorry David, what I was really referring to was water. Coincidentally, my younger brother now lives on a barge and I recently went to see him.
I poured myself a mug of water from the tap - it was disgusting - sourced from the canal side bowser.
I just thought that maybe..
cheers
Ellen – I really only recommend Secrets & Lies and maybe the newer entries in this October’s updated Conspiracy Files. I really hope they do not grate too much.
Spaceman – Thank you. To clarify, I do not drink the water from the canalside pumps. Ever.
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