DEATH OF AN INTELLECT WE ARE GOING TO MISS; DEATH OF AN INTELLECTUALLY COURAGEOUS MAN

Image via Wikipedia

I ARRIVED A LITTLE LATE TO MEET UP WITH THESE GUYS,
BUT THANKS TO BRILLIANT AUTHORS LIKE CHALMERS JOHNSON, MY JAPANESE TRIP WAS A GREAT SUCCESS. 

I prepared for a year before going to Japan to research my second thriller, RULES OF THE HUNT, and it was time well spent. 

It’s a paradox of research, which I have written about before, but the reality is: the more you know in advance, the more people are likely to tell you. They feel that you must be genuinely interested to do all that work, they feel you have paid your dues, and you start the discussion with sufficient knowledge to know what questions to ask, what nuances to pick up, and – especially important in Japan – how to behave.

Chalmers Johnson is dead at 79.

As part of the process I read a great many books and was particularly struck by the works of Chalmers Johnson. Subsequently, I became an even great fan after reading his BLOWBACK  trilogy which documents many of the undesirable consequences of our activities overseas and then moves on to deliver an exhaustive critique of U.S. imperial overstretch which not only generates enemies in itself, but which we cannot afford.

One of the most attractive qualities about Chalmers Johnson, whom I never met except through his writing, was that he was intellectually fearless. He said what needed to be said and the consequences be damned.

He died yesterday at the age of 79.

 .

This is an extract from the eulogy his friend, James Fallows, wrote:

“Johnson -- "Chal" -- was a penetrating, original, and influential scholar, plus a very gifted literary and conversational stylist. When I first went to Japan nearly 25 years ago, his MITI and the Japanese Miracle was already part of the canon for understanding Asian economic development. Before that, he had made his name as a China scholar; after that, he became more widely known with his books likeBlowback, about the perverse effects and strategic unsustainability of America's global military commitments. Throughout those years he was a mentor to generations of students at the UC campuses at Berkeley and San Diego.

Johnson and his wife and lifelong intellectual partner Sheila were generous and patient with me, as I was first trying to understand the world they had studied and analyzed. I vividly remember spending an afternoon in the early 1990s on the sunny patio at their house in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, north of the UCSD campus. I'd moved back from Japan, was working on a book about it, and spent hours writing notes as fast as I could as Johnson described Douglas MacArthur's mistakes and (occasional) successes during the U.S. Occupation of Japan, and why Japan's economy was unlikely to open itself on the Western model, even if U.S. or British economists kept giving lectures about the importance of deregulation. I have never concentrated harder as I tried to be sure to capture his bons mots.”

MUMMY, DADDY! WHERE DO IDEAS COME FROM?

Image by _gee_ via Flickr

A COMPULSION TO
TAKE RISKS.
CLEARLY A WRITER...

Department of The Twins Are In The Tulips

I’ll let you into a secret: mostly ideas don’t come from under a cabbage. Babies, of course, do; as I’m sure you know. I can confirm that for a fact. I’m the eldest of twelve (true) and I remember full well that our garden always featured a healthy crop of cabbages. Mind you, we also grew much else, but I don’t recall any of my siblings being found under the rhubarb. 

Department of Heavenly Voices

Though I’m fascinated by innovation, and have worked with creative people for significant chunks of my life, I don’t profess to understand the creative process to the extent I would like. Then again, perhaps that’s a good thing. Who doesn’t like a good mystery! Nonetheless, this morning I gained an insight into the process. I have been thinking about writing a science fiction novel for some time but had failed to come up with a theme. On the other hand, I had a location – Seattle.  Then this morning, as I was gazing out at the snow falling into Lake Washington, the whole concept came together in a flash and a voice thundered from the heavens: “And don’t forget my byline.”

Did the heavenly voice have an American accent? Doubtless: I don’t recall. But the incident made me realize that one of the ways I assemble a story is by racking up a series of elements on a mental shelf and not worrying about whether they connect or not. 

Time, one’s subconscious and faith does the rest. Here I don’t mean faith in a religious sense but more in the sense of the confidence of a high-wire walker. Somehow, you know that things will work out even though any observer with his or her head screwed on would say that your chosen profession was hazardous, insecure, stressful in the extreme and scarcely conducive to marital stability. 

Yet you persevere because it’s what you do; and you can’t conceive doing anything else. It’s not a job. It's a mission in life. It’s a compulsion - and it is truly satisfying. 

Sounds like writing to me.

A SAD TIME FOR IRELAND & ANOTHER WARNING FOR THE U.S. (WHICH WE ARE LIKELY TO IGNORE)

Cover of James Joyce

JAMES JOYCE IS WIDELY KNOWN
 AS THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED SEX
TO IRELAND. PREVIOUSLY, IT WAS
UNKNOWN THERE.

Department of Hubris , Corruption, Greed, Incompetent Banks, Interchangeable Words & Predictable Outcomes

As I write this, Ireland is frighteningly near being bankrupt – and would be if it hadn’t got the EU to backstop it - a sad fate indeed for a country that had transformed itself from being one of the poorest nations within the EU, as late as the Eighties, to becoming one of the wealthiest by the first decade of this century.

The scale of the catastrophe – an entirely appropriate word in this context – is hard to grasp.

I find it particularly upsetting because I was once heavily involved in trying to reform the Irish economic system – with some success at the time - so now it is particularly galling to see so much of the progress that resulted being destroyed as a consequence of entirely preventable, and reprehensible, behavior.

Department of 'So what happened?' 

I’m going to write about it in detail some other time when I’ve dug a little deeper, but, in broad terms it seems to be a classic example of a nation getting rich too quickly, thoroughly bad political leadership, massive greed at just about every level, a property bubble that reached insane proportions before it burst, and a banking system that performed just about as badly as the U.S. financial sector.  Add in arrogance and corruption in large doses – and stir.

And now the Irish are emigrating once again. Since I devoted over a decade of my life, and all I possessed, to preventing that very thing, my initial reaction was to feel very, very angry. But since I have mellowed with the years – and everything is fodder to a writer – I have moved on to feel more philosophical than irate – and to await ‘The Big Picture’ – the scaled up version of Ireland’s economic collapse where the currency in question is the U.S. dollar.

I have run across two quotes about Ireland that fits the mood. One is the disturbingly accurate classic from James Joyce:

“Ireland is the old sow that eats her farrow.”

The other makes me smile – which is exactly what I need to do right now to counter these bitter developments. It comes from Dave Barry.

“Geographically, Ireland is a medium-sized rural island that is slowly but steadily being consumed by sheep.”

If we don’t change our ways, much the same fate await the U.S. economy – and for much the same reasons; and, as with Ireland, the collapse will come with disturbing speed. As for the sheep, could it be that the American version comes with two legs, is also known as ‘the voter’ and is disturbingly easy to manipulate.

Watch this space.

INTRODUCING MY NUMBER 1 FAN – DEBRA G. WAGONER

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WE AUTHORS LOVE OUR FANS.
WE RARELY MEET YOU BUT...
YOU ARE MUCH APPRECIATED.

Department of Fans & Other Fantastic People

If you are debating whether you should write to an author or not, all I can do is answer for myself: PLEASE DO!

I doubt that most other authors, no matter how famous, feel differently. Whereas you, the fan, might feel that well known authors never see their fan mail and that it is processed by some underling or machine, I suspect that is not the case where the reading of it is concerned. Most of us are human, after all, and we humans like praise. I cannot speak for the Martians amongst us.  

Fan letters are a great motivator and, at least in my case, they have a habit of arriving at just the right time. My daughter, Evie, used to joke that she wrote all of them – and I’ve had about 7,000 - but I think otherwise. Indeed, I know otherwise because some of my fans have become very close friends.

I try and reply to all my fan letters personally. That makes me think about the person who wrote to me initially so don’t get the idea you are taken for granted. You are not. Some email gets lost in the sheer volume of the stuff and where that happens and you don’t get a reply, all I can do is say ‘I apologize’ and encourage you to write again. But mostly I do reply first time around – and with pleasure.

I appreciate all fan mail but am especially touched by those who go on to achieve writing success for themselves. I know how hard the struggle is.  I salute those who persevere. Indeed, I salute all who try. Writing is marvelous but it’s very tough.

Department of Number 1 Fans

My Number 1 fan is a delightful lady called Debra G. Waggoner who has been writing to me for fifteen years now and includes an elegantly penned Christmas Card as part of the process. She is a woman of great courage who holds down two jobs and looks after her unwell but much loved husband with grace and fortitude. To me she symbolizes the very best of America; and I feel honored by her regard for my work.

Department of Terrific Fellow Authors

I received an intriguing fan message today via Facebook from fellow author ZAC HAMRIC.

Zack says, "Victor, Just wanted to let you know that your first three books were a major influence in my writing. I'll have to check out your ebooks that were just released...".

Unfortunately, the ebooks aren’t up yet but they will be soon. 

FOR MY NEXT TRICK, I INTEND TO INVADE RUSSIA

Cover of The Devil's Footprint

THIS QUAINT TAIL WAS BASED AROUND
THE NOTION OF A TERRORIST THREAT TO
THE U.S. EMANATING FROM
A LAWLESS PART OF MEXICO...
FICTION, OF COURSE!

Department of Blogs, Blogging & Bloggers
Here is the plan – and like all plans subject to change. As matters stand, it’s a work in progress but my overall intent is to:

Keep Victor O’Reilly – Letters From An Author as my personal blog mainly devoted to my fiction writing, my life, and the business of writing in general. There will be separate pages for my different fiction books so, as matters stand, these pages will be headed:

• New! THE BLOOD OF GENERATIONS 

• New! SATAN’S SMILE 

• GAMES OF THE HANGMAN 

• RULES OF THE HUNT 

• THE DEVIL’S FOOTPRINT 

How will I know when I’ve got my blog writing approach right? Almost certainly as a result of your telling me – plus the ‘inner voice’ that we writers are supposed to possess. But right now all of that is academic because I know perfectly well what you want – from thousands of emails - and that is to get the books I have already written published as soon as possible.

Set up separate sites for my non-fiction works because they each cover distinctly different areas. They are:

Economic & Political Stuff: TITANIC NATION: How To Avoid Icebergs: The Case For Fundamental Change In The American Way Of Life

Military Stuff & Memoir: GETTING TO KNOW THE WARFIGHTERS: The Fascinating True Story Of Victor O’Reilly’s Research Into The U.S. Army For His Book ‘The Devil’s Footprint.’

Personal Memoirs: MY COTTAGE IN IRELAND: A True Story Of Dropping Out To Write, To Find Love, And To Live A Very Different Way Of Life

My intention is to update my main blog, Victor O’Reilly – Letters From An Author, roughly five days a week, except when interrupted by traveling, particularly intensive writing and so on, and to update the other sites only when particularly relevant content comes in. With the next Presidential Election now only two years away, that may be quite often where Titanic Nation is concerned.

So far, Victor O’Reilly – Letters From An Author and Titanic Nation are up and running. The main delays have more to do with my lack of technical competence than anything else. The time has come to get some compatible technical help.

By the way, all the above books are finished – subject to any fresh ideas that may hit me – so any delays in launching them have to do with matters other than writing. However, I’m confident that once the publishing process starts, which will be the ebook phase, it will happen at some speed.

Next Book Department
I’m planning to write novel inspired by my own recent experiences which will seem at first to be a classic short novel, free of action and primarily concerned with the human condition, which will morph into a thriller; and which will end with a scene of absolute violence and a twist. It’s proving to be something of a challenge because I’m not relying on action to hold your interest but am more dependent on character and story; that said, I expect the action in the book to blow your socks off. After that, I intend to write the fifth Fitzduane in the series. Not sure about a sequel to TITANIC NATION. I would like to do one but am far from sure there will be the time before November 2012. But, I could be tempted.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG?

Image by anomalous4 via Flickr

IF A CAT CAN LEVITATE, SURELY AN AUTHOR CAN.
IT SHOULD ADD A CERTAIN SOMETHING
TO MY WRITING.

Department of Introspection While The Internet Is Down

I have had so many computer problems since I first started a using a personal computer seriously in 1986 – over a quarter of century ago – that I’m surprised that I now deal with them with equanimity. I must be mellowing. Today, for instance, though offline due to some gremIin despite the ever increasing use I’m making of the internet (though using Chrome, Gmail, Google Apps, Blogger, Evernote, and other web based software), I’m continuing to work by operating the old–fashioned way. I’m utilizing the copy of MS Word that’s installed on my laptop instead of the Cloud. As long as that continues to function, and I can write, I seem to be able to get through the day temporarily disconnected from the digisphere without frothing at the mouth. Writing is my Zen, so to speak. I may move on to levitation.

Why am I blogging?

Am I doing it because everyone says authors should if they are to sell any books, or to indulge my ego; or am I seeking to build it into a high traffic web site to make money; or am I just writing for the sake of writing? Or do I merely regard blogging as a test of my writing skills, a challenge I’m determined to master.

I am definitely of the view that billions of us are being manipulated to spend a great deal of time doing stuff in the digisphere that is more distraction than substance, and decidedly destructive in its effects. However, I don’t automatically include blogging in that category. True, some blogs are so bad that one is tempted to advise the author to go stand on the edge of a skyscraper in a high wind while drinking a pint of beer while doing a handstand, but at the top end of the scale many blogs are terrific; and it’s still an evolving format.

As best as one can know one’s own mind – we humans are funny in that regard – the primary purpose of this particular blog is to enable me to talk to talk to you, my readers (both current and prospective), both to say thanks for the extraordinary support I’ve received over the years, and to encourage you to buy new books (which you will soon be able to do after a long hiatus). Everything else, if I am to be honest about is, is secondary.  

Have I found the right blend of content, humor and length as yet? I don’t think so – but the journey is half the fun.

Department of “The Damn Internet Isn’t Working Yet.”

Quote from my friend Chris Carrdus after an abortive conversation with Technical Support who, as normal, admitted no corporate fault: “The Cloud – a fabulous parking space for responsibilities.”

WHERE DOES AN AUTHOR PARK AN IDEA?

Image via Wikipedia

OBSERVE THAT SHAKESPEARE'S CUFFS - NORMALLY
 COVERED IN NOTES, ARE NOT SHOWN.
THE MAN WOULD WRITE ANYWHERE - A CUFF HERE, A BOSOM THERE

Department of Missing Ideas & Half-Formed Thoughts

Words are fine and beautiful things, but they are of limited value to an author unless they add up to a fully formed thought or idea; and they are rarely so obliging. Instead ideas have an irritating habit of arriving in fragments, in an untimely manner, and sometimes litter one’s mind for years. Worse, they have a disconcerting habit of retreating into one’s darkest recesses to the point where even the most brilliant thought can be forgotten. That is a tragedy of Hamlet-like proportions for a writer. That raises the question of where one should park an idea until needed; in such a form that it can be found. The latter is the really important bit and the hardest.

I don’t think there is any one solution. Rumor has it that Shakespeare plotted everything on his cuffs (driving Anne Hathaway nuts), but the traditional way was to carry around a notebook and keep a journal. It remains a thoroughly sound approach, but so much is going on these days that I’m of the view that one needs some kind of free-text database as well. Ideally, it should copy a web page (in whole or part) with a click of a mouse, be always on hand in one’s browser, handle multi-media, and keep the data itself on both one’s computer and the Cloud – and work on PCs, and Macs and the full range of electronic gizmos. Such a product is Evernote which is available in both Free and Premium Editions. As I mentioned yesterday – while forgetting to explain Evernote (it was one of those days) - the definite guide to Evernote is Brett Kelly’s Evernote Essentials. Not only will it tell upu a lot but, above all, it will tell you how to find.

Department of Research Without Ending Up Dead

Some writers don’t need to do any research  - and such people have my respect and admiration – but where thriller writing is concerned, I’m a believer in a three pronged approach: (1) Read every book you reasonably can on the subject. (2) Research the Internet. (3) Talk to those who know, and get as close to the reality as possible – short of getting yourself killed.

The reading-oneself-in part should come first. People will respect you more if you have done your homework, and they’ll talk more freely if they respect you – and you are more likely to know what questions to ask.

When I was researching the character of Etan for GAMES OF THE HANGMAN I spent several days hanging around the set of an excellent current affairs program called TODAY TONIGHT. The impressive presenter,  Olivia O’Leary (I think I was smitten for a while), memorably remarked over dinner that her boyfriend, the famous journalist Robert Fisk, had advised her that the only way to assess the truth of a situation was “to be there and put your hands in their wounds.”