Hi everyone!
I haven't done this in a while--a shameless pitch for my novel "Birds of Dreams"--but I just wanted to let you all know that I am uploading the entire novel to Scribd.com, a new chapter/section every day through the summer. You can click on the links below and access it for free.
While it is nowhere near as steamy as "50 Shades of Gray," it is a fun summer beach read and I certainly wouldn't mind replicating the online success of "50 Shades" prior to that book's print publication. A salesclerk at my neighborhood 7-11 just told me that she's not only missed her train stop because she's been so engrossed in "50 Shades," she's walked into things because she can't put it down...much to her grown son's embarrassment. And mine, for that matter...though it does have me curious.
I continue to be delighted by the fact that to date the majority of Facebook likes for "Birds of Dreams" (not to mention downloads) have been from college-aged kids all over India. It probably has to do with the fact that Bollywood plays a fairly significant role in the story.
At any rate, click below and check back daily for the latest installment.
Part One:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/96068324
Part Two:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/96160750
And "Like" the page on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Birds-of-Dreams-A-Novel/265750846787433
I'll be reviewing Ayad Akhtar's beautiful debut novel "American Dervish" and Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi blockbuster "Prometheus" at the weekend. So stay tuned!
Ciao.
Showing posts with label Birds of Dreams: a Novel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds of Dreams: a Novel. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Confessions of a Reality TV junkie
Hi everyone!
There's a lot I could write about today: how I've become (albeit reluctantly) intrigued by Denver Broncos' Bible-quoting quarterback Tim Tebow, the fact that yesterday's protests in Russia took place without any discernible conflict, or more on what's going on in the Middle East. Instead, I'm going to write a little bit about my novel "Birds of Dreams," what it's about, and how I believe it captures the state of popular culture/society today.
I will be the first to admit that I am a reality television junkie. Yes, I am huge fan of Bravo's Real Housewives franchise (particularly Beverly Hills) as well as A-List: New York and A-List: Dallas. I think it would be fun to know Andy Cohen and appear as a guest on his show Watch What Happens...Live. I haven't missed an episode of The X Factor and believe it consistently outshines American Idol in terms of talent, production values, and conflict (real or staged) between the judges. While I have never watched an episode of anything to do with the Kardashians, I did root for Rob on the recently concluded season of Dancing with the Stars and found myself surfing the Internet for the latest on the fallout from Kim's wedding. I have watched several seasons of Top Chef and never miss The Amazing Race when it isn't being pre-empted by Sunday afternoon football. Like many of my fellow world citizens, I have often envisioned myself starring in my own reality television show and was at one time depressed by the fact that I am officially too old to appear on The Real World.
I have embraced this about myself and decided to do something constructive about it. I wrote a novel. "Birds of Dreams" tells the story of what happens when Reality collides with Reality-As-Seen-On-TV. It follows the lives of several reality TV aspirants and the rather ruthless and embarrassing things they do to get famous on the small screen. I have fused their story with another of my favorite guilty pleasures: Hindi cinema, otherwise known as Bollywood. And to further ground the story in contemporary society, I have also included a healthy dose of global terrorism. Readers will be introduced to Jordan, the twentysomething wannabe socialite with a mother whose life's obsession is to be featured if only as a walk-on in an episode of The Real Housewives; Yasmin, the Bollywood beauty and celebrity chef who stops at nothing--including staging the assassination of one of her rivals at her restaurant opening--to get her own reality show; and Tristan, the thirtysomething trust fund kid who finds himself--not entirely reluctantly--in the midst of reality show madness. There is also Matt, the entrepreneur who uses his family inheritance to start up an international drug trafficking operation, and his mother, Candace, the North Shore socialite and philanthropist who contracts a South African mercenary to end the rather unwholesome intentions of an unwanted future daughter-in-law.
If this sounds like farce, it is. The novel is meant as a social satire, an expose if you will on today's pop culture. Only a couple of these characters get what they want and when they get it, perhaps they realize that life in front of the cameras isn't what they had hoped it to be. The price they pay is enormous. "Birds of Dreams" is funny, irreverent, gossipy and vulgar. The reader may be repulsed by these characters while secretly admiring their tenacity. The novel isn't high art. It isn't going to change or inspire the reader to do great deeds. It's sole intent is entertainment. We may laugh at them, we may hate them, we may even finds ourselves egging them on. In short, the reader does exactly what we do when we watch any number of the reality shows that take up increasing space on our DVRs. The novel appeals to our worst fascinations and our compulsive need to "watch what happens...live."
Ciao.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What is your favorite reality TV show...and why?"
There's a lot I could write about today: how I've become (albeit reluctantly) intrigued by Denver Broncos' Bible-quoting quarterback Tim Tebow, the fact that yesterday's protests in Russia took place without any discernible conflict, or more on what's going on in the Middle East. Instead, I'm going to write a little bit about my novel "Birds of Dreams," what it's about, and how I believe it captures the state of popular culture/society today.
I will be the first to admit that I am a reality television junkie. Yes, I am huge fan of Bravo's Real Housewives franchise (particularly Beverly Hills) as well as A-List: New York and A-List: Dallas. I think it would be fun to know Andy Cohen and appear as a guest on his show Watch What Happens...Live. I haven't missed an episode of The X Factor and believe it consistently outshines American Idol in terms of talent, production values, and conflict (real or staged) between the judges. While I have never watched an episode of anything to do with the Kardashians, I did root for Rob on the recently concluded season of Dancing with the Stars and found myself surfing the Internet for the latest on the fallout from Kim's wedding. I have watched several seasons of Top Chef and never miss The Amazing Race when it isn't being pre-empted by Sunday afternoon football. Like many of my fellow world citizens, I have often envisioned myself starring in my own reality television show and was at one time depressed by the fact that I am officially too old to appear on The Real World.
I have embraced this about myself and decided to do something constructive about it. I wrote a novel. "Birds of Dreams" tells the story of what happens when Reality collides with Reality-As-Seen-On-TV. It follows the lives of several reality TV aspirants and the rather ruthless and embarrassing things they do to get famous on the small screen. I have fused their story with another of my favorite guilty pleasures: Hindi cinema, otherwise known as Bollywood. And to further ground the story in contemporary society, I have also included a healthy dose of global terrorism. Readers will be introduced to Jordan, the twentysomething wannabe socialite with a mother whose life's obsession is to be featured if only as a walk-on in an episode of The Real Housewives; Yasmin, the Bollywood beauty and celebrity chef who stops at nothing--including staging the assassination of one of her rivals at her restaurant opening--to get her own reality show; and Tristan, the thirtysomething trust fund kid who finds himself--not entirely reluctantly--in the midst of reality show madness. There is also Matt, the entrepreneur who uses his family inheritance to start up an international drug trafficking operation, and his mother, Candace, the North Shore socialite and philanthropist who contracts a South African mercenary to end the rather unwholesome intentions of an unwanted future daughter-in-law.
If this sounds like farce, it is. The novel is meant as a social satire, an expose if you will on today's pop culture. Only a couple of these characters get what they want and when they get it, perhaps they realize that life in front of the cameras isn't what they had hoped it to be. The price they pay is enormous. "Birds of Dreams" is funny, irreverent, gossipy and vulgar. The reader may be repulsed by these characters while secretly admiring their tenacity. The novel isn't high art. It isn't going to change or inspire the reader to do great deeds. It's sole intent is entertainment. We may laugh at them, we may hate them, we may even finds ourselves egging them on. In short, the reader does exactly what we do when we watch any number of the reality shows that take up increasing space on our DVRs. The novel appeals to our worst fascinations and our compulsive need to "watch what happens...live."
Ciao.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: "What is your favorite reality TV show...and why?"
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The Russian Protests...Alexey Navalny...Birds of Dreams: a Novel
Hi everyone! Hope you're all having a good weekend. It's cold this evening in Galena...bone-chilling cold. Just got back from dinner--the French/German bistro Fritz and Frites in downtown Galena, which really is the only decent restaurant in town. Started with the mussels in a champagne sauce, followed by Wienerschnitzel with red cabbage and spaetzle, and profiteroles for dessert. I've never had a bad meal there, which is something to be said for a small town with plenty of dining options but very few of any quality. If you're in Galena, check out Fritz and Frites. They are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
Also, before I get down to business, I just want to let everyone know that my first novel "Birds of Dreams" is available for sale on Amazon Kindle for $2.99--a price reduction for the holidays. In a nutshell, it tells the story of what happens when Reality TV clashes with Reality. Part "Gossip Girl," part "Sex and the City" with a little Bollywood spice thrown in, the novel is a social satire with a colorful cast of characters all vying for a spot on a hot new reality show, or if not that, then at least a shot at something outside of boring everyday anonymity. Look for it on Amazon Kindle. The print edition will be published early next year...
I've been following the protest in Moscow all day and am happy to hear that everything went peacefully. Depending on who you read, the number of protesters ranged from a few thousand to over a hundred thousand. I'm thinking the average was around fifty-thousand. Regardless, it was the largest street protest in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Another protest has been scheduled for Christmas Eve. Protestors are demanding the resignation of Vladimir Churov, the head of the Russian Central Election Commission, and a new round of elections, which is exactly what Mikail Gorbachev, the last Soviet Premier, called for yesterday. I don't know--revolution seems to be in the air this year.
One of the most vocal advocates of social change in Russia--and this protest movement--is a Russian political blogger and Tweeter named Alexey Navalny. Mr. Navalny was reportedly arrested earlier in the week after blogging about the election fraud. His arrest is, in part, what inspired today's protests.
The Lede, a New York Times news blog, published a translation of a letter he wrote from jail addressed to the crowds gathered today in Bolotnaya Square and across the country. I've pasted it here:
Amazing stuff. Definitely interesting times ahead!
Ciao.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you think change is coming to Russia?"
Also, before I get down to business, I just want to let everyone know that my first novel "Birds of Dreams" is available for sale on Amazon Kindle for $2.99--a price reduction for the holidays. In a nutshell, it tells the story of what happens when Reality TV clashes with Reality. Part "Gossip Girl," part "Sex and the City" with a little Bollywood spice thrown in, the novel is a social satire with a colorful cast of characters all vying for a spot on a hot new reality show, or if not that, then at least a shot at something outside of boring everyday anonymity. Look for it on Amazon Kindle. The print edition will be published early next year...
I've been following the protest in Moscow all day and am happy to hear that everything went peacefully. Depending on who you read, the number of protesters ranged from a few thousand to over a hundred thousand. I'm thinking the average was around fifty-thousand. Regardless, it was the largest street protest in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Another protest has been scheduled for Christmas Eve. Protestors are demanding the resignation of Vladimir Churov, the head of the Russian Central Election Commission, and a new round of elections, which is exactly what Mikail Gorbachev, the last Soviet Premier, called for yesterday. I don't know--revolution seems to be in the air this year.
One of the most vocal advocates of social change in Russia--and this protest movement--is a Russian political blogger and Tweeter named Alexey Navalny. Mr. Navalny was reportedly arrested earlier in the week after blogging about the election fraud. His arrest is, in part, what inspired today's protests.
The Lede, a New York Times news blog, published a translation of a letter he wrote from jail addressed to the crowds gathered today in Bolotnaya Square and across the country. I've pasted it here:
"It is easy and pleasant to struggle for one's own rights. And it's not at all fearful. Don't believe all this nonsense about unavoidable disorders, fights with the police and burning cars.
Everyone has the only one and the most powerful weapon that we need: dignity, the feeling of self-respect.
It's simply important to understand that this feeling could not be put on and put off as a velvet jacket. It cannot be turned on with a button in your kitchen full of your friends and turned off when you talk with an official, policeman or member of electoral committee.
There ARE people with dignity. There are many of them. Dozens of them are sitting on tattered mattresses next to me. And I know, thousands of them are now at the Revolution and Bolotnaya squares in Moscow and in other cities of the country.
There are no repressions or clubs. There are no detentions or arrests for 15 days. All this is rubbish. It's impossible to beat and arrest hundreds of thousands, millions. We have not even been intimidated, for some time we were simply convinced that the life of toads and rats, the life of speechless cattle was the only way to win stability and economic growth in reward.
The palaver wisps away and we can see that the cattle-like silence was a gift to only a fistful of swindlers and thieves who became millionaires. This pack and their media valets go on convincing us that the electoral fraud in favor of the party of swindlers and thieves is a prerequisite of availability of hot water in the tap or cheep mortgages. We have been being fed with this for 12 years. We are fed up. It's time to shake off the torpor.
We are not cattle or slaves. We have voices and votes and we have the power to uphold them.
All people of dignity must feel solidarity with each other. No matter where they are at the moment, out in the square, in their kitchens or in a jail cell. We feel our solidarity with you and we know that we shall triumph. It simply cannot be otherwise.
We say: One for all and all for one!"
Amazing stuff. Definitely interesting times ahead!
Ciao.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: "Do you think change is coming to Russia?"
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