Thursday, March 31, 2005

NOW LET'S CONJUR UP SOME READERSHIP

Okay. It seems to me (because I've been keeping track) that there are few (or no!) readers on this site. If you do read my inane ramblings once in awhile would you please mind putting in a response so I can guage just how many hits are actual readers and how many are me, myself, checking the site out?

I wasn't going to write tonight but decided to, just because I am curious about readers. And because I have another pretty good rant.

To begin with, I had a busy day, first writing, then going downtown to buy some stationary supplies and enjoy the lovely sunny day we had here on the Coast today. Then home again via the Drive where I stopped for an iced tea. Walked home in order to get some exercise. But then Iwas tired and tonight I had plans to go out.

Tonight I went downtown to a literary gala at this club called "Crush". There's a writers/publisher's convention in town this weekend (I couldn't afford to go) and they have organized various venues around town so that people can take in some literary readings. This was one. There's another tomorrow night. There were well-known published poets and prose writers at this gala tonight. To tell the truth, in spite of the fact that a few of them (the Canadians) are well-known in the literary world here mostly all of the readers that performed tonight were totally boring and I'd never spend a dime on any of their books. No kidding! And that wasn't just my own opinion. There were exactly 3 who merited any attention. The rest were a complete ho-hum.

My friend and I were sitting up front on a couch and believe me, I was snoozing for part of the time, it was so hard to concentrate. One of the popular poets was a long-time well-known local gay poet who gets accolades galore and frankly he is out of his friggin' mind and his wordless (just sounds) crap was barely worth a titter. This guy is considered to be a brilliant reknown poet. Crap!

What has happened to the use of the beautiful language of words??? Where are the 'real' poets??? Even the guy who is Canada's 'poet laureate' was enough to put you to sleep!
Only one young lady (formerly local who now lives in Chicago) performed anything that was worth listening to in the poetry genre. Besides that, there was one short-story writer (Can. guy) and a woman from U.S. who read a clever, amusing short piece from a book she's had published.

Otherwise it was a complete bore. One thing that comes out of this is that I realize I am a damn good writer and so are a few of my friends. So how come we're not published and getting all those accolades (and money, such as grants?)

And here'sanother thing: later I went to the LQ and saw my pal J. who has just recieved a big grant from Canada Council (which he deserves!) and he was insisting I should apply. But guess what?..they are NOT going to give me a grant no matter what. No.1: I'm not writing Canadian content. #2 I am writing 'literature', not this jibber-jabber weird stuff that people are actually getting published these days. I've never had one single iota of help from any Canadians. Only the Greeks and, while in Greece, the Finnish and Norwegian Institutes.

Sour grapes? No. I just won't sell out to anyone and I won't pay to have my work in print either. That is a complete cop-out. So I struggle on, hoping that eventually one day I'll hit the jackpot. In the meantime, I wonder how tomorrow's literary evening of 'magic realism' is going to measure up? I'm a tough critic, it seems.

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