moi, moi, mais rien que moi

[realthog]

Sometimes these things require a while to gestate . . .

Trusty Google Alerts this morning, er, alerted me to the fact that a very long interview with me has just been published on the Conversations with Writers website. Natch, I hurried to have a look, my interest piqued not least by the fact that no one's done an interview with me for at least a few months.

Curiosity deepened as I read. While I recognized my own phrasing, my own opinions, my own bugbears, my own general dimwittery, I had no recollection whatsoever of having given this particular interview. It's actually a pretty good interview, so an ol' egoboo/publicity whore like me had no complaints whatsoever about its publication, you bet.

Neurologically speaking, though, I was becoming a little concerned.

And then I cottoned on. Internal evidence reveals that the conversation (almost certainly an e-conversation) was conducted in the first part of 2002 -- i.e., approaching eight years ago. Why it should have taken so long for the piece to reach publication is a mystery to me, but there ya go. Bearing in mind that a lot of cliches have flowed under the bridge since then, it's kind of unsurprising I've forgotten this effort.

Whatever: If you'd like to know a few of the things I was cheering or whingeing about eight years ago, many of which cheers and whinges I today entirely disown as the self-indulgent ravings of a madman, the interview can, once again, be accessed simply by clicking these words.

Comments

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

Terrific interview and article. For me, the idea of the poly-cosmos is a reality, more than it is a fantasy. The World is great reading; and I reiterate that out of all the contemporary authors I've encountered, I trust and rely on your grammar and usage more than any other.

Just between you and me, I agree with you regarding most small presses and their lack of good editing. I appreciate the small press, but sometimes I'm appalled by the grammatical gaffs I've read in some of the small press publications. This said, I will still look the other way if the story is good, and the mistakes not egregious.

Good article about you, Paul. I'm glad you posted it.

[realthog.livejournal.com]

Many thanks for the kind words, unmerited though they might be.

I did read one small-press novel where the appalling grammar, the spelling errors and the typos in a curious way added to the effect of the text: it was a sort of road-movie/serial killer novel (I simplify hugely), and none of the characters were educational marvels. The chaotic nature of the text somehow conjured up the ambiance of their chaotic existences.

I reviewed the book somewhere, and the author (who proved to be a very nice guy) got in touch to assure me that this effect had been in no way deliberate on his part. Some of the errors were his; many more had been contributed by his "editor".