Pontypool's Secret PULP Origins! (Pulp Fiction Part 4)

I intended to address fans of the tantalizingly written novel, but if you've just seen the movie, that works, too.  Most of us were rendered speechless in 2008 with the release of the movie Pontypool, set in the town of the same name in Canada, wherein a zombie-like virus envelopes a county, spreading through the bacterium of words. However, unbeknownst to some, a novel preceded the movie.

The movie Pontypool took one chapter late in the novel and centered around it and the limited connection with the towns surrounding that were falling rapidly into chaos.  Even more unbeknownst to move fans,( and to me until a friend bestowed upon me the short story written by H.P. Lovecraft's cohort Henry Kuttner in 1943) Mr. Tony Burgess, author of Pontypool, most likely did not have divine inspiration when he came up with his tale of semantic terror.

Enter Mr. Henry Kuttner, pulp terrorist. He deserves a post all his own, so I will not go into detail about him now. However, his story is another story.

Nothing But Gingerbread Left.

In the story, a professor and one of his grad students are having a discussion while the professor's teenage son sits in the background muttering a silly schoolyard sing-song rhyme that gets stuck in their heads.  At the forefront of their minds is the war in Europe and the spread of Hitler's propaganda.  Both scholars, who are German-as-a-second-language speakers, devise a scheme wherein they will use the pattern, rhythm, and particularities of the German language to write a nonsensical verse, say it for a group of German prisoners of war, and analyze the results.

Results, to whit, that are the undoubted origins of Mr. Burgess' Pontypool novel.

The link below provides a skip over to the short story in whole. There are some annoying errors in format, but these are easily ignored, for the most part.  The story is very short, 15 or 20 minute read for us logophiles, 5 or 10 for everyone else. If you have to ask why it takes some of us longer, then praise the lord that you are not damned to read blissful words and phrases three or four times, then call up a friend and read them aloud for as long as the friend will tolerate it.

               Henry Kuttner's Nothing But Gingerbread Left (1943)

Opinions? Comparisons? Curses?

Author Interview: Rosalie Lario

Rosalie Lario, author of The Fallen Warriors series, recently answered some questions for me on self-publishing, the writing process, and her new book For Love of an Angel.  Please read the interview and visit her website.


Q: Describe the process you went through to publish your novel.



I knew when I thought up The Fallen Warriors series that I wanted to publish it myself. I had very strong ideas about the marketing and look of the series, and I wanted to retain control over that. So after writing the story I hired a cover artist to bring my vision of Michael to life, as well as a freelance editor to polish my story to perfection. Once that was done, I placed my novella for sale on Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com and Smashwords.com.


Q: For Love of an Angel is what I would call an erotic novel, meaning the descriptions are very titillating, for lack of a better word. How did you feel about friends and relatives reading those scenes in your book? Did you meet with any disapproval from anyone?


You know, if I worried about what anyone else was going to think while writing, I’d never get anything done. So I just sit down and let the words escape me. And then I worry about it later, LOL.


Q: What is the writing process like for you? Do you make time to write every day or do you write when you feel inspired?


When I’m writing a book I try to write every day, and that’s mostly because I have this deep-seated fear that I’ll lose my feel for the story if I don’t constantly keep at it. But I do try to take some time off between books (at the very least a few weeks) to recharge and start thinking about the next story.


Q: Where did you get the rather dystopian idea for For Love of an Angel, where jobs are assigned rather than chosen?


I got that idea where I get most of my ideas. From my crazy brain! When I first thought up the series I knew two things: One, I didn’t want my angels to be biblical creatures. And two, I wanted Fallen Angels. So from there I had to think of a reason why an angel would be “Fallen”, i.e. an outcast. That’s where the idea for taking over control of the human society came from. 


Q: I’ve seen that idea a few different places and always find it interesting. It seems to be a common philosophy in dystopian settings. I haven’t seen the idea that people are also living in assigned spaces that may or may not be equal to their job status and do not have to pay rent. What appealed to you about such a set-up?


I really liked the concept of having a lottery system for everything. In other words, something that would be completely random and not based on social class or status.


Q: I’ve read a lot of articles on where authors find inspiration. Some have said in newspapers, some in RPGs like Dungeons and Dragons, some in philosophy books. Where do you find most of your inspiration?


Television! Seriously, I am the biggest CWTV fan in the world. I can’t get enough of their supernatural-type shows. My number one favorite is Supernatural. I don’t understand how anyone could not love my boys, Dean and Sam. But I also live for Vampire Diaries, Smallville, Being Human, True Blood. Watching these shows inspires me to come up with some kick-ass fiction myself!


Q: What resource (online website, fellowship with other writers, reading often, etc) do you find most helpful with the writing process?


I live for Wikipedia. Honestly, I don’t know how we ever survived without it. It’s the number one tool I use when plotting out a new novel. There’s so much information on practically every topic. I start out there, and I use Google for images of places I’m writing about or that evoke the feel I’m going for. I’m a visual creature, so pictures trigger my muse.


Q: When you read, what genres and types of settings do you like to read about?


I mainly read within my genre, and that’s because I love it so much. There are some seriously awesome paranormal romance and urban fantasy authors out there.


Q: What is your preferred method of reading: print or e-book (Kindle, etc.)?


I used to say I’d be the last woman standing when it came to print books. I love the feel of them, and reading in the tub is a must for me. But then I got an Android phone, and discovered just how wonderful it is to have a whole library of books in the palm of my hand. So while at this point I’d say I’m 50/50, I have a feeling e-books are going to win out in the long run.


Q: Do you feel that self-publishing is a strong option for writers?


Absolutely! I think there’s a lot of upheaval going on in the industry today, and I say, why not explore all your options? I have a series of novel-length books releasing with a fabulous publishing house later this year (Blood of the Dragon, Book 1 of the Demons of Infernum Series, releasing on August 5, 2011 through Entangled Publishing). But for my novellas, I like the flexibility of releasing them on my own, and the fact that I can do it at a lower price point than if I went through a traditional publisher.


Q: You have a great website. What tools do you feel work best for promoting your novels? Do you do any public appearances?


Thank you! I don’t know if I’m in the position yet to say which promotional tools work best, but I do know that I really enjoy visiting blogger sites. It’s fun to interact with the blog followers there, and hopefully I can entice them into visiting my own blog. 


Q: What is your biggest piece of advice to writers trying to get published?


If you really, really want it, then don’t give up. Seriously. It takes time to hone your craft. For some of us it takes more time than others. But as with anything, practice equals improvement. If you have stories inside you that simply must be told, then do it, and keep doing it. Never, ever, ever give up.


Q: How did you find the publisher you used?


With For Love of an Angel, I went with the major distribution companies: Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Also, Smashwords is a great site for distributing to all the minor e-reader players out there. As for my Demons of Infernum series, the managing editor of Entangled Publishing happened to read a post on my blog that intrigued her, and after taking a peek at my Works in Progress page on my site, she contacted me and asked to see more. That just goes to illustrate how important a social media presence is for unpublished authors!


Q: One thing I was dying to ask about is that completely yummy cover! Did you have any hand in the design?


Thanks! I love this cover too! And I’m especially proud of it because it was my vision. I chose the stock photo of the cover model and the feel I was going for, and relayed it to my amazing cover artist who brought my vision to life perfectly. Aren’t her angel wings just flawless?


Q: How much of yourself do you find in Eva, your heroine in For Love of an Angel, when you skim back over your book?


I don’t think Eva is very much like me. Of course I don’t know how true that is, given that she’s a figment of my imagination, LOL. But I find that once I come up with my characters and a few of the attributes I want them to have, they really take on a life of their own. Sometimes I feel like I’m just a fly on the wall, being privy to their lives as they happen. (Heh, I never said I was “all there”.)


Q: One last question I was eager to ask about the book: If you were in Eva’s position would you resist as much as she did? She made me so mad! I wanted to throttle her sometimes! Of course, it wouldn’t be much of a story if everything happened easily!


LOL. This was a tough journey for Eva because she had to change her views on practically everything she’d been taught to believe. I think that’s what made it so hard for her to decide what to do. If it were me...I probably resist more. I like my life just as it is!


Q: This book is the first in a series. Do you know the release dates of the next novels and is Eva going to be featured in those as well, or will there be different heroines?


Each novella will feature another Fallen hero with a different heroine, but all of the characters will play recurring roles as the series arc develops. In fact, the heroine of Book 2 walks in on Eva and Michael in a (ahem) compromising situation. So if you like the characters in Book 1, never fear, you’ll see them again!


Angel’s Desire, Book 2 of the Fallen Warriors Series, is set to release on June 15, 2011. (And wait until you see that cover; it’s smoking hawt!) There’s no set release date for Book 3 yet, but it will likely be toward the end of the year.


Thanks so much for having me here, and for these really interesting questions! It was a blast. 

Guest Author Post: Rosalie Lario

I have been reading the new novel from author Rosalie Lario entitled For Love of an Angel. I asked Rosalie to offer her insight on the craft of writing and was thrilled to receive the following article.  Please check out Rosalie's links and read the first chapter of her novel.  Comments and discussion are welcome!

What is it About Dystopian Fiction?

First off, I’d like to say thanks so much for hosting me on your site! Today I’m here to talk a little bit about dystopians.

Dystopian fiction features a nightmarish sort of world, often post-apocalyptic, wherein society has become repressive and controlled. It’s very popular in YA fiction (Hunger Games) and has also appeared in romance (Joss Ware’s Envy Chronicles). It can even contain paranormal elements (Sophie Littlefield’s Aftertime, featuring government-created zombies).

So why is dystopian fiction so popular lately? Many people conjecture that during times of economic or societal stress (like we’ve had for the past several years), dystopians increase in popularity because they serve as a societal caution about what could happen if we continue down a certain path.

My new release, For Love of an Angel, isn’t dystopian in the traditional sense in that it features paranormal creatures. The angels on my world aren’t biblical creatures, but rather a race of beings from an alternate dimension who are forced into our world when the walls between the dimensions collapse. They convince humans to allow them ultimate rule over Earth in exchange for peace and security...the ultimate utopia. But in reality, their designs on Earth are far more sinister.

The heroes of my series are a group of angels, the Fallen, who seek to protect humankind. Because of this they have been cast out of their society and condemned to die. Read on for more:

Blurb:

In a world where angels rule over humans, twelve outcasts dare to defy expectation, warring with their angel brethren to prevent the extinction of humankind.

They are The Fallen...

Michael is one of twelve angels who have been outcast due to their determination to protect humankind. In order to preserve his immortality and strength, he must find a mate with angel blood. Eva Smyth has never believed the propaganda spouted by the Consortium—the elite system of guards put into place once angels took over reign of Earth—but she never expected to learn the angels plan to eradicate all of humankind, or that she herself is part angel. Joining Michael means living a life on the run, at war against the angels and hunted by the Consortium. Eva must decide whether to risk it all...for love of an angel.

You can read the first chapter here:

http://rosalielario.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/for-love-of-an-angel-chapter-one.pdf

Please Visit me at:

Website: www.rosalielario.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rosalielario

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100000710051624

Buy Links:

Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/For-Love-of-an-Angel/Rosalie-Lario/e/2940012464378

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Love-Angel-Fallen-Warriors-ebook/dp/B00500796I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1305054233&sr=8-1

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/58033

For your readers, I’d love to know whether you enjoy dystopian fiction. If so, what is it about the subject that calls to you?

My Reading Challenge

On the right hand sidebar of my blog I've listed about 60 or 70 books that I've never read.  The school I attended until my last few high school years did not have a focus on literature for whatever reason, so the books that are often required reading for high schoolers, I never read. Of course, I was never seen without a book in my face. Cheerleading practice, I was sitting with a book until everyone got there (usually a horror novel to gross out the other girls).  In the dressing room at ballet school I was reading (usually a novel or biography of famous prima ballerinas or primier danseurs).  And in bed at night or in my treehouse I was usually reading some spanning epic like Count of Monte Cristo or Anna Karenina or Gone With the Wind.

History in novels was always an attraction for me.  The Alienist, Sherlock Holmes, the French Revolution, Jack the Ripper, the Spanish Inquisition.  I read Count of Monte Crist, of over 1000 pages, when I was 14! But I didn't read Anne Frank's diary. I read Hamlet when I was 12, but I didn't have the required (for other schools) Julius Caesar.

So what I've done here is look over twenty or so greatest books lists, and seek suggestions from others which did not go over well (forcing me to assume that the majority of people I know do not read), and compile a list of what I think are great novels that I have never read, or read so long ago that I do not remember enough about them.  I tried to pick works from across the board: German, Netherlands, Asia, Europe, Britain, America, men, women, classics, modern, horror, science fiction, fantasy, tear-jerkers, young adult, exploitative, political, etc.

I've toyed with the notion of creating a 2nd list of the greatest short stories or poems that I've not read because these are often over looked and have contributed to the advancement of the culture as much as novels.  We'll see. I have an ambitious list already!

I would like anyone who happens upon this blog to post a comment with any book, short story, poem, etc. that should be on my list but isn't.  Just put whether it is a novel, short story, etc. out to the side and the author if known.  I don't anticipate finishing this in any short time span, and I'm sure that I will close a few of them after 100 pages and never pick them up again.  The point isn't to torture myself; the point is to enrich my knowledge of what is out there to be consumed.