The point of diminishing returns?
Writing/working strategies?
When the sky is a hazy shade of winter?
Every time I stepped out to the river’s edge, the south-easterly wind gently stirring the lake’s surface, I kept thinking it was cold. At least it was a wet cold. So as I headed south for an evening of readings, I grabbed a coat, snugged a hat down low, and stuck in the earphones – weird, weird combination of music I chose.
Most interesting tidbit captured from the evening?
“Yeah, a guy backed into me. A friend pulled the dent out. Insurance paid a lot. My friend who pulled the dent out? He told me I won the Mexican lottery.”
Unrelated ad bits:
(Hint: this probably isn’t sanctioned by VW)
New ad campaign?
Unrelated:
Duck Soup.
Marketing:
Damn, I’ve got to write a short ad.
“South Austin-based astrologer, quirky, wryly amusing, seeks clients for phone, in-person, or email readings. See website for details. www.astrofish.net”
Torpedo Juice
First novels usually exhibit a kind of enthusiasm – an exuberance – a certain willingness on the part of the author to bend conventions. Take risks. There’s an excitement that most first novels have that is rarely matched, as authors age and grow with their craft. To be sure, most first novels have flaws that more seasoned and polished novelist doesn’t have. Look at the excitement generated by that first book, though, and how the excitement itself overrules the flaws like plotting, or minor inconveniences like the laws of physics or psychology get warped a bit for the sake of the tale.
Florida Roadkill was one such novel. As a first novel, it careened along with a breath-taking, manic pace that was sheer pleasure to read. I can’t personally document all the facts about Florida, but there’s every reason to suspect that it’s true. All true.
Tim Dorsey – in person – last year when he was on book tour was so disappointing. He seemed so normal. Just a genuine nice guy, like a non-descript neighbor. Nothing odd. No quirks or ticks, easy-going, entertaining. Almost quiet. Normal. So normal it was almost painful. Okay, it was painful. As an author, I expected Tim to cut a more dashing figure. I was looking at the author – the person who created Serge Storms – and I expected to see some of the character’s inherent, intrinsic attitudes reflected in the author. Couldn’t detect any of it on the outside.
(Don’t get me wrong: Mr. Dorsey is a nice guy with a great sense of humor. But he looked so normal. He did have a group pile in the trunk of his rent car, just for the sake of a photo-op.)
Along with that expectation that Tim would be some sort of madman, I’ve come to expect that authors tone done and sharpen their material, but that the lively action meandering plot lines tend to tighten up. As the authors and characters therein mature, I expect a decline in the vibrancy of the writing.
Tim’s own comment, during that book tour? Something along the lines of, “I realized that no one would buy the book, so I wrote it for me.”
When I picked a copy of Torpedo Juice, I’m rather happy to report, once again, my expectations have failed to materialize. So maybe the author looks like a normal guy – the latest Serge story is every bit as good as it gets. The manic pace, the improbable command of history, the pacing that rockets along, careening out of control – or so it would appear.
If there’s one element, more important than anything else, that has to be in a good book like this? I laughed – out loud – startled the cat, and that’s something few authors can do, and in Dorsey’s case? Or really, Serge the character? Over an over.
That’s a winner.
But I know Tim’s birthday, and he’s not really old enough to be quoting Firesign Theater jokes, not from its original context. That caused a brief, momentary bit of cognitive dissonance.
The book I read was an advance reading copy, for review purposes. I picked it up under dubious conditions. However, I’ll be in line to purchase a nice, hardback version, as soon they are available. I’ll be interested to see how certain elements are treated, and whether or not those selfsame elements are given further editorial touch. Good enough to read twice?
A rollicking good ride like this? Plus a half dozen spots that are sure to evoke laughter? Plus, as always, that encyclopedic local history? It’s good stuff. Better than what I expected.
Torpedo Juice by Tim Dorsey (author’s website).
