Great piece, very much into this and a nice primer/snippet for what's coming at some point with more CARTER.
"Death no longer reaps our knowledge, merely our husk..." Love this line.
Hope the pain has gone and the dentist did their job. A nice reminder to write and seize any ideas. Such ideas can have an annoying way of being oh-so-ephemeral--though, perhaps that is their beauty.
Thanks, Nathan! It was an experiment in style and voice I may have otherwise never written, had I let the moment pass, not in that form anyway. CARTER is not written in that style and I am not sure a full novella of this kind of prose would work. Then again, it might?
Dentist was months ago, so it's all good. The pain is gone. Transference remains.
I think you’re right, a whole novel in that style would get tiresome and exhausting but it’s powerful and dramatic and intriguing , I really enjoyed reading it. I definintely think it could work well as an epilogue or prologue or something.
I know I would get annoyed by it, I had an 800 words version and I did not like it. But there are works, long works in this style, and there are readers for it, I presume. Take William Carlos Williams' epic poem "Paterson," one of Jarmusch's inspirations for the movie of the same name. I have not read the five books long poem but I loved the movie, then again I am a big Jarmusch fan.
Glad you wrote this, love it. Write anywhere, pain, no pain - I like that. It’s like a thing we say in dog training #shutupandtrain [also #nicestoryshowmeyourdog to cut through the bullshit! ;) ] Went over to Carter and saw the temporary art / draft book jacket - v cool. Not been into this kind of genre so far but I have to say, from dipping into your excerpts, I might be in future! And all this from me being delighted by your wonderful surname! Isn’t life funny.
Thank you, Emma! It was another experiment, quite different in style than what I posted thus far, I would say. So glad you liked it and thanks for checking out CARTER. I am very close to releasing the first chapter. Soon, real soon! Hence I thought, I use this little monologue to connect the dots between the two, even if this text may not be part of the final story.
What genre are you reading usually? And what kind of genre do you think this here is? Is it really Science Fiction? Where is the science some might ask! :)
Ah, and names, yes, names do that sometimes, maybe I am lucky after all or maybe I should adopt a pen name "AMI" – my initials, which means friend in French. Either way, I am delighted to have you here and hope you will like CARTER, too!
I love the idea of releasing chapters of a book in instalments to a loyal readership. A lot of people these days struggle to carve out time for reading , perhaps this sort of thing will hook them in. It’s also a great way of enticing people into being paid Substack subscribers (I subscribed to kate spicer’s because of a few trial chapters she dropped into her free subscription posts). I loved the immediate style of this and it resonated with how I feel about death since starting seriously meditating. Goodness me no clue, I’ve never quite understood what science fiction means. I’m more of a classics / literary fiction (whatever that is - no chick lit for sure!) / poetry reader myself. Ha! Alexander Ipfelkofer is far grander and more stand out than plain old AMI, even if it does have a nice meaning in French. How funny - just read you are a Bavarian - I lived in Regensburg for a year, and Munich for another year (got a scholarship to do a German literature masters but I didn’t really want to do it so jacked it in half way through, very naughtily)
Serialisation in literature was very popular already back in the 1800s. In today's hectic always-online world, maybe it's due for a comeback.
As for genres and settings, at least for me, there are only two types: dramas and comedies and you decide how you want to dress them up (settings), but then again people will argue SF and F are genres etc. That's fine, albeit the underlying nature of any story is either dramatic, comedic or as Aristotle wrote, both (Tragicomedy). One could also ask: How many "stories" are there really? Interesting topic.
You plan on finishing your MA maybe some time? Never too late! And Regensburg is a beautiful Roman city. I grew up near there, a bit further south, deep in the woods... 🌲
Seems it's something we have in common, I initially inscribed for History, NDL (Neue Deutsche Literaturwisssenschaft), German Linguistics, English and American Literature, but soon realised the day would need to have 78 hours and it still wouldn't be enough, so I ditched History and NDL after 3 semesters, naughtily.
Please absolutely do NOT feel any need to reply! I have a terrible tendency towards written durchfall (gosh, perhaps I remember something after all - geil!) and writing (anything, to anyone) is my little introvert way of relaxing. We just completed a 13 hour drive from London to Aix and whilst my husband winds down wasting time watching telly (like a normal person) I wind down and waste time meandering around substack!
It's definitely due for a come back I reckon, yes - at least as a little device to get people to 'go paid' on Substack ;) I generally binge read books but this might help me find some measure and learn to eek books out. Feels odd, the idea of being spoon fed little bits of a book but let's see... at least it necessitates the story to be memorable / powerful enough to be cut off and get transported straight back into it with ease a week (or whatever) later. Hmmmph, you've stumped me there, I'll have to think about that. I'm definitely not into comedic anything - I despise the concept of someone setting out to make other people laugh - it seems so silly and frivolous... Of course done right it's brilliant and super smart, I just don't like the IDEA of it. What a grump, ha! There are infinite stories, surely?
Absolutely not (the MA) am afraid - tho you are very right that it's never too late for anything. I've been thinking about that a lot lately (something to do with turning 50 next year I imagine, I'm totally cool with it but it definitely serves to focus your mind). You've made me laugh there - that really would have required 78 hours in a day, haha. You must have been exhausted after 3 semesters of all that - a heroic effort! I inscribed for Business, French and German (and all the related whatnot). 3 months in I decided (quite rightly too) that I despised Business, and what was the point in French as I already spoke it really well. Better to immerse myself in all things German. To this day I don't know how I got away with that, except that I'm lucky enough to be the 3rd child so my parents didn't especially seem to notice (I was allegedly very bright and in hindsight it was such a waste and I'm devastated I didn't just do English) and the Dean was a slacker and went along with my reasoning. My French is still pretty decent (I discovered when we semi moved to France last year) despite not having studied it since 19, whilst my German (for all the 'immersion') has regressed to the point of non-existence. I do however speak fluent Bosnian/Croatian which is pretty left field! How lovely to grow up deep in the woods. Now I shall think of you as Alexander Ipfelkofer of the Gingerbread House, Bavaria. What better title!
Bienvenue en France! I was busy editing the podcast until late and still am missing some shots plus it runs too long. Let’s see if I can make it for tomorrow. Feel free to meander! Winding down is good, although now it’s time to “wind up” again.
Such a cool piece. I especially love the phrases "All that was, is, and will be, in one singular moment."; "Lift the fog and see beyond."; "Well of knowledge turned into a river, feeding the ocean that is me." It's like you know what is beyond, what is hidden, all the truths and wisdom of our world and life and death.
Thank you, Nadia! I am honoured that you took the time to read this. Also, very happy that you liked it! "Well of knowledge turned into a river, feeding the ocean that is me." is one of my faves as well here. Between you and me, and don't tell anyone that, but I had at least four brushes with Gevatter Grimm thus far. Not that it gave me any insight into the afterlife since I was either delirious or knocked unconscious in all those instances. In terms of spare lives – as a gamer – that would mean, I should avoid hardcore mode... 😂
LOLOLOL. I see, unfortunately or fortunately, through your experiences you've gained humor. Now whether it's good or not is another question. Joking :D. You're very funny.
Wonderful piece. It read like a stream on consciousness poem. Hope the focus on writing was an anesthetic for the pain.
Thank you! Stream of consciousness poem, yes, I have written it as such. Great to hear that you feel the same. 🙏
Great piece, very much into this and a nice primer/snippet for what's coming at some point with more CARTER.
"Death no longer reaps our knowledge, merely our husk..." Love this line.
Hope the pain has gone and the dentist did their job. A nice reminder to write and seize any ideas. Such ideas can have an annoying way of being oh-so-ephemeral--though, perhaps that is their beauty.
Thanks, Nathan! It was an experiment in style and voice I may have otherwise never written, had I let the moment pass, not in that form anyway. CARTER is not written in that style and I am not sure a full novella of this kind of prose would work. Then again, it might?
Dentist was months ago, so it's all good. The pain is gone. Transference remains.
I think you’re right, a whole novel in that style would get tiresome and exhausting but it’s powerful and dramatic and intriguing , I really enjoyed reading it. I definintely think it could work well as an epilogue or prologue or something.
I know I would get annoyed by it, I had an 800 words version and I did not like it. But there are works, long works in this style, and there are readers for it, I presume. Take William Carlos Williams' epic poem "Paterson," one of Jarmusch's inspirations for the movie of the same name. I have not read the five books long poem but I loved the movie, then again I am a big Jarmusch fan.
Glad you wrote this, love it. Write anywhere, pain, no pain - I like that. It’s like a thing we say in dog training #shutupandtrain [also #nicestoryshowmeyourdog to cut through the bullshit! ;) ] Went over to Carter and saw the temporary art / draft book jacket - v cool. Not been into this kind of genre so far but I have to say, from dipping into your excerpts, I might be in future! And all this from me being delighted by your wonderful surname! Isn’t life funny.
Thank you, Emma! It was another experiment, quite different in style than what I posted thus far, I would say. So glad you liked it and thanks for checking out CARTER. I am very close to releasing the first chapter. Soon, real soon! Hence I thought, I use this little monologue to connect the dots between the two, even if this text may not be part of the final story.
What genre are you reading usually? And what kind of genre do you think this here is? Is it really Science Fiction? Where is the science some might ask! :)
Ah, and names, yes, names do that sometimes, maybe I am lucky after all or maybe I should adopt a pen name "AMI" – my initials, which means friend in French. Either way, I am delighted to have you here and hope you will like CARTER, too!
I love the idea of releasing chapters of a book in instalments to a loyal readership. A lot of people these days struggle to carve out time for reading , perhaps this sort of thing will hook them in. It’s also a great way of enticing people into being paid Substack subscribers (I subscribed to kate spicer’s because of a few trial chapters she dropped into her free subscription posts). I loved the immediate style of this and it resonated with how I feel about death since starting seriously meditating. Goodness me no clue, I’ve never quite understood what science fiction means. I’m more of a classics / literary fiction (whatever that is - no chick lit for sure!) / poetry reader myself. Ha! Alexander Ipfelkofer is far grander and more stand out than plain old AMI, even if it does have a nice meaning in French. How funny - just read you are a Bavarian - I lived in Regensburg for a year, and Munich for another year (got a scholarship to do a German literature masters but I didn’t really want to do it so jacked it in half way through, very naughtily)
Serialisation in literature was very popular already back in the 1800s. In today's hectic always-online world, maybe it's due for a comeback.
As for genres and settings, at least for me, there are only two types: dramas and comedies and you decide how you want to dress them up (settings), but then again people will argue SF and F are genres etc. That's fine, albeit the underlying nature of any story is either dramatic, comedic or as Aristotle wrote, both (Tragicomedy). One could also ask: How many "stories" are there really? Interesting topic.
You plan on finishing your MA maybe some time? Never too late! And Regensburg is a beautiful Roman city. I grew up near there, a bit further south, deep in the woods... 🌲
Seems it's something we have in common, I initially inscribed for History, NDL (Neue Deutsche Literaturwisssenschaft), German Linguistics, English and American Literature, but soon realised the day would need to have 78 hours and it still wouldn't be enough, so I ditched History and NDL after 3 semesters, naughtily.
Please absolutely do NOT feel any need to reply! I have a terrible tendency towards written durchfall (gosh, perhaps I remember something after all - geil!) and writing (anything, to anyone) is my little introvert way of relaxing. We just completed a 13 hour drive from London to Aix and whilst my husband winds down wasting time watching telly (like a normal person) I wind down and waste time meandering around substack!
It's definitely due for a come back I reckon, yes - at least as a little device to get people to 'go paid' on Substack ;) I generally binge read books but this might help me find some measure and learn to eek books out. Feels odd, the idea of being spoon fed little bits of a book but let's see... at least it necessitates the story to be memorable / powerful enough to be cut off and get transported straight back into it with ease a week (or whatever) later. Hmmmph, you've stumped me there, I'll have to think about that. I'm definitely not into comedic anything - I despise the concept of someone setting out to make other people laugh - it seems so silly and frivolous... Of course done right it's brilliant and super smart, I just don't like the IDEA of it. What a grump, ha! There are infinite stories, surely?
Absolutely not (the MA) am afraid - tho you are very right that it's never too late for anything. I've been thinking about that a lot lately (something to do with turning 50 next year I imagine, I'm totally cool with it but it definitely serves to focus your mind). You've made me laugh there - that really would have required 78 hours in a day, haha. You must have been exhausted after 3 semesters of all that - a heroic effort! I inscribed for Business, French and German (and all the related whatnot). 3 months in I decided (quite rightly too) that I despised Business, and what was the point in French as I already spoke it really well. Better to immerse myself in all things German. To this day I don't know how I got away with that, except that I'm lucky enough to be the 3rd child so my parents didn't especially seem to notice (I was allegedly very bright and in hindsight it was such a waste and I'm devastated I didn't just do English) and the Dean was a slacker and went along with my reasoning. My French is still pretty decent (I discovered when we semi moved to France last year) despite not having studied it since 19, whilst my German (for all the 'immersion') has regressed to the point of non-existence. I do however speak fluent Bosnian/Croatian which is pretty left field! How lovely to grow up deep in the woods. Now I shall think of you as Alexander Ipfelkofer of the Gingerbread House, Bavaria. What better title!
Bienvenue en France! I was busy editing the podcast until late and still am missing some shots plus it runs too long. Let’s see if I can make it for tomorrow. Feel free to meander! Winding down is good, although now it’s time to “wind up” again.
You can do it! The person that even attempts to enrol in 143 subjects at uni can do anything I reckon... Bonne chance!
Wow! Really like this.
Thank you, James. Much appreciated.
Such a cool piece. I especially love the phrases "All that was, is, and will be, in one singular moment."; "Lift the fog and see beyond."; "Well of knowledge turned into a river, feeding the ocean that is me." It's like you know what is beyond, what is hidden, all the truths and wisdom of our world and life and death.
Thank you, Nadia! I am honoured that you took the time to read this. Also, very happy that you liked it! "Well of knowledge turned into a river, feeding the ocean that is me." is one of my faves as well here. Between you and me, and don't tell anyone that, but I had at least four brushes with Gevatter Grimm thus far. Not that it gave me any insight into the afterlife since I was either delirious or knocked unconscious in all those instances. In terms of spare lives – as a gamer – that would mean, I should avoid hardcore mode... 😂
Damn, that is grim knowledge (sorry lol). So happy you're still here with us, take it easy and take care. Definitely stay away from D4 hardcore XD.
I see what you did there! Ya, no Diablo Hardcore for me... Looking forward to it, though, software care bear Monk/Rogue.
LOLOLOL. I see, unfortunately or fortunately, through your experiences you've gained humor. Now whether it's good or not is another question. Joking :D. You're very funny.
Humour is better than the alternative! As with Albert Camus, always choose the coffee never the other thing... it's a drag!
Agree. Joking through life is how we survive!