Literary Egypt

What did King Tut read? I wondered this as I caught the midnight tour of the Tut exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. (It's the last weekend of the exhibit. They' re holding tours 24 hours a day.) Hierogliphics--is this how it's spelled?-- is so beautiful to look at, I wondered what it was like to read.

Going to this exhibit satisfied a childhood dream. I remember the King Tut exhibit when it first came to LA in the 1970's. I wanted to go so badly, but my family was not the go-to-the-museum type of family. I remember passing LACMA as a kid and watching people go inside. I was so envious.

Literary Head-Up-My-Ass

So, have you ever felt like this? I mean, wondered if you made the right choices?

Maybe because we're nearing the end of the year. Maybe because I have a birthday coming up. But my head is going places it shouldn't be. My head is telling me I should have done more, owned more, learned more.

Then, today, I met several people who made "right" moves: went to good schools, recieved advanced degrees, got well paying jobs. After some conversation, I discovered that what they REALLY
want to do is publish a novel or write a book of poems. They have jobs which demands 60-70 hours a week, time that sucks away any energy for writing.

What are they going to do? They're quiting their jobs and are starting from scratch. A good number of them are my age or older, much older.

Suddenly, I realized I'd had my head up my ass. I made the right choices and they were good choices. I'm on a path that many people envy. After meeting these people, I became grateful, very, very grateful.

Lilterary Return: Boldly Back

For the last several weeks, I'd been preparing for today: a press conference announcing the formation of API Equality-LA, a group to work on the same gender marriage issue in the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. George Takei (left), most familiar as Mr. Sulu on Star Trek, and assemblymember Judy Chu were there to announce their support.

I was the point person to bring in media. I'd been losing sleep over this press conference, wondering if any one would come. It is a crappy thing to have a press conference with no press.
It got so bad that I could't write because I was caught up in this event. The only things I was writing were press releases and media advisories.

Well, it's over...and it was a smashing success. They came out, from Asian media like the Singtao Daily to mainstream press like ABC, Channel 7. It's done--atleast until the next event.

I'm hoping to buckle down and get back to my novel. It's amazing how I missed worrying about my novel when I wasn't worrying about it.

Literary Oakland

So, I'm here in Oakland, California attending a conference. Most people don't realize how truly literary this place is. Novelist, essayist Jack London (left) is from Oakland. Mr. London died at 40--an age I'm fast approaching. By the time he died, he had published 50 volumes of novels, short stories, and essays! (Okay, I'm feeling inadequate.)

The other famous Oaklander is Gertrude Stein. I don't think Oakland is praising her, however. (Jack London has a square named after him here). Ms. Stein famously insulted the City of Oakland. She said, "There's no there there."

Literary Get Away

I had to leave town for awhile and breathe. I was feeling bitter--more than usual--and tired. I went to Northern California for several days. I drove up and enjoyed the ride up the 5 freeway. Normally, I dread such a trek (it took me 8 hours), but I enjoyed the fact that I was getting away. Even the smell of death didn't bother me as much. (Anyone whose driven up the 5, heading north, will know about passing the bovine slaughter house--Cowshwitz a friend calls it--which stinks to high heaven.)

I had moments to ponder my next novel. I need to change the names of some characters. I'd pulled names out of the air, just to have them. Now, as the story grows, I found that some of the names no longer have the same kind of resonance. Also, I made notes of developing one particular character that's been feeling unwhole.

I took the 101 freeway down--a much longer trip than the 5. It was coming down the 101 that I saw how truly beautiful California is: the lovely Autumn influence on the vineyards of Napa Valley, the charm of San Francisco, the crisp beaches of central California, and eventually the bustle of Los Angeles.

I needed this trip. I gathered myself back together.

Literary Reasons: Icon Magazine

So, many moons ago, I thought why should I come out of the closet? Why should I care about writing about my Filipino background. I mean, it's not like anyone is going to care. Gay Filipinos are such a small part of the world's population. Who would want to listen to anything that I said or did? Recently, Icon, a gay Filipino magazine in The Philippines--and one of the few in Asia, interviewed me. I couldn't believe that a whole magazine is dedicated to this "small part of the world."

I write for many reasons. A big one is to examine the intersection of different lives, countries, time periods, and beliefs. I heard a radio interview with Maya Angelou who said that people read to hear "The Truth." It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, people want "The Truth." Coming out and accepting myself as a gay Filipino man was one of the most truthful things that I ever did. I hope some of that Truth comes out in my work.

Literary Encounter: Mary Gaitskill

Mary Gaitskill came around Skylight to talk about her new book Veronica. We sat around and chit-chatted. She told me a horrifying story of wanting an HIV test back in 1985. (I've been dedicated to the fight against HIV for a good fifteen years now, so I'm interested in these things.) And she said that the doctor discouraged her from taking an HIV test because women rarely get it. Well, now that countless women have died from HIV, I bet that doctor is eating his words!

I know that Ms. Gaitskill is a cultural phenomenon and all, but I took to her because she was wearing orange, one of my favorite colors. Not everyone can wear orange, but Ms. Gaitskill pulled it off flawlessly. She had an orange bag, a sweater with orange stripes, champagne colored jeans with orange hues. I told her that orange is the preferred color of the insane. She responded: "I started wearing orange when I became MORE sane. Besides, the insane are right about some things."

Literary Photo?

So, my friend Ericson Herbas took some author photos of me. This is my favorite. What do you think?

Literary Distraction: Friendster

So, during those times in my writing life, when the writing is pure hell, I distract myself. One of the ways I do this is is by sending messages, making friends, checking out bios on Friendster. Yes, Friendster! I bet if the internet existed at the time of Charles Dickens, he would be on Friendster, too. It's a great way of keeping in contact with buds and meeting new ones. It's terrrific for a writer who yearns for company, yet wants to be alone. If you're on friendster, look me up and send me a "smile."

Literary Reading

Over the weekend, I did a reading at Michael Kearn's Space in Silverlake. It was a blast. I hadn't done a reading in quite some time, so spitting my words out was a welcomed experience. The writing has been slow (sh*t), so doing this reading made me feel like a writer of some kind.

I must confess that I thought the highlight of the evening wasn't me, but when Sister Buffy (pictured), of the performance troupe the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, did a little talk on Evangelist Sister Aimee Semple Mcpherson. Trust me when I say it was a hoot!

Literary Substitute

The Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany is currently taking place. Frankfurt attracts publishers, agents, writers from all over the world. The book deals and the martinis must be flying.

I don't have the resources to galavant to Germany. So, in honor of the book fair, I commit to watching Liza Minneli in Cabaret.

Literary Skids

Whatever creative progress I'd been feeling toward my third novel has come to a crashing, ear-splitting halt. I hadn't looked at that mess of a book for days. I can't even look in the direction of my computer! I've had it! This novel writing thing is a pain in the ubot. (You can guess the English translation.)

With that said, I'll try to write tomorrow.

Literary Memories: Monty's Birthday

Today is Montgomery Clift's birthday. I credit him for inspiring my first novel. I hope he is happy wherever he is.

Literary Winner: Nobel goes to Pinter!

Okay, every year people place bets on who'll win the Nobel Prize in Literature. Feathers get ruffled, usually when it's some "unknown master". This year, playwright Harold Pinter won. I'm elated, considering that I'd studied theatre waaaaay before I got into writing novels. Pinter is certainly not unknown. I'm sure drama geeks are giving standing ovations the world over.

Check it out:
http://nobelprize.org/index.html

Literary Prize: Booker Award

Britain's Man Booker prize was recently announced. Congrats are in order to John Banville for his novel "The Sea." There is always some controversy that comes with such prizes. Below is a link about a Booker judge and why he chose "The Sea."


http://click.email-publisher.com/maad5NZabk9oka3oRghbaeQxXH/

Literary Encounter: Susan Straight

With my new novel, comes a new author photo. I asked author Susan Straight--one of the coolest people you'd ever want to meet--what she thought of author photos. She replied, "People told me don't smile, you'll look sexy. Or Smile, you'll look friendly. I wondered, What does any of this have to do with my book?"

Indeed, I know readers want to know what the author looks like, but shouldn't the writing itself be the ultimate attraction? Has writing gone the way of the music industry? It's not enough to just have a great voice, you have to be photogenic and be willing to dance.

Ms. Straight manages to have a sense of humor above all else. When I asked her if I should smile in my picture, she suggested that I try "the smoldering stare."

Literary Encounter: Rick Moody

I've been curious about how music affects other writers. Rick Moody came into Skylight Books to read from his latest novel "The Diviners." Mr. Moody said he "thinks about music all the time" and he'll "listen to anything." The only type of music he doesn't like is "smooth jazz." I asked him if he were a musical instrument what would he be and why. He said he would be a tambora because it has beuatiful overtones. He said, "It's not flashy, but a bedrock on which other things are made."

Literary Music: KD Lang

Like many others, I turn to music for respite, entertainment, inspiration. Last year, KD Lang's CD "Hymns of the 49th Parallel" carried me through a difficult time. Those songs of longing, yearning--themes I often explore--helped me deal with my father's death and rewrite my forthcoming novel "Talking to the Moon."

I saw her at the Hollywood Bowl and she won me over for life. She was funny, personable, and, most importantly, entertaining. I ran to buy other stuff by her like her album "Drag." What a voice.

Literary Death: August Wilson

Playwright August Wilson (pictured) recently passed. What remarkable contributions he made to the world of Letters. As I rise into my middle years, I hope to write some good stuff. I don't know how many books I have in me. At this time, I'm thinking maybe four, maybe five? I hope I have enough time on this earth to get all those stories out of me.


Here's a link about Mr. Wilson's passing:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-10-02-august-wilson-obit_x.htm

Literary Panels

I just left the West Hollywood Book Fair where I sat on my fourth--and last-- literary panel of the year. I forget how many people are hungry to hear how to write and how to get published.

I used to be that person who voraciously read through the LA Times and LA Weekly looking for announcements for "How To" panels: How to write better fiction; how to get published; how to promote your work. Now, I'm sitting on the other side of the table.

I do hope I say and do something useful when I "panelize." The best part of the day is running into people I haven't seen in awhile or meeting earnest young writers hoping to be the next best thing.