Busytown by Jolisa Gracewood

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Busytown: A new (old) sensation

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  • Ngaire BookieMonster,

    Currently reading The Last Werewolf, and it's really. Really. Good. Damn you Glen Duncan, do not disappoint me.

    Though it is the first time I've ever seen the word "uglily" committed to paper.

    At the foot of Mt Te Aroh… • Since Nov 2009 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    You think they had a point? Maybe he never would have finished it without all the badgering.

    I suspect the end of the Second World War and his appointment as the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature in 1945 had a little more to do with it. I don't think Oxbridge dons, who wrote a mildly successful children's novel on the side, had to worry about demented fans much in the 30's and 40's. :)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to James Butler,

    Of course, writers can have “entitlement issues” too…

    Oh, crap – yes, Howett has been getting some epic (and richly-deserved) urine extraction around teh interwebz recently. She’s not the only author who needs to have this piece of wise advice from Samuel Johnson tattooed on the inside of her eyelids: Authors place themselves uninvited before the public, and solicit fame at the hazard of disgrace.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • linger,

    Though as many commentators have pointed out, Howett’s book sales have in all probability increased as a result of the publicity (albeit deservedly negative publicity). Which is … depressing.

    The only thing that would be more depressing would be if it were a deliberate strategy rather than an unedited hissy fit on her part. (But it’s pretty clear that lack of self-editing is by far the more likely explanation.)

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi, in reply to linger,

    The only thing that would be more depressing would be if it were a deliberate strategy rather than an unedited hissy fit on her part. (But it’s pretty clear that lack of self-editing is by far the more likely explanation.)

    Well, it worked for DecorMyEyes.com. (Long read, but well worth it.)

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Jacqui Dunn, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    Well, it worked for DecorMyEyes.com

    Wow.

    Deepest, darkest Avondale… • Since Jul 2010 • 585 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Tolkein 'bout my g-g-generation....

    Maybe he never would have finished it without all the badgering.

    There was a lot more Badger action in CS Lewis' canon, while
    most Badger action happens off the page in Tolkein's works
    no setts and drugs and rock n roll here...

    Kenneth Grahame and Rupert The Bear also have good strong Badger characters...

    weasel good then...

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    Well, it worked for DecorMyEyes.com. (Long read, but well worth it.)

    I echo Jacqui's "wow". Extraordinary story, thanks Andre.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to Andre Alessi,

    Very wow! That's not in the Marketing course book I read.

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I note with some relief that DecorMyEyes no longer shows up high on Google and that the owner was arrested the day after the article was published.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • recordari, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    I note with some relief that DecorMyEyes no longer shows up high on Google and that the owner was arrested the day after the article was published.

    Nice work Gio. So normal transmission can resume and the world as we know it isn't ending. Phew!

    AUCKLAND • Since Dec 2009 • 2607 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Sounds like he pushed it too hard. He could have just dialed back a notch on the persistent enemy he had made, and continued to get away with it. But I expect the rudeness itself was a little intoxicating to him.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • James Butler, in reply to BenWilson,

    Sounds like he pushed it too hard. He could have just dialed back a notch on the persistent enemy he had made, and continued to get away with it. But I expect the rudeness itself was a little intoxicating to him.

    Also, not taking so much trouble to explain his business model to The New York Times might have helped...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 856 posts Report Reply

  • Cecelia, in reply to Ngaire BookieMonster,

    If reviving a dead thread is not a crime against blog etiquette, I like to say that Glen Duncan's The Last Werewolf is a helluva read. Thank you Listener Reviewer.

    Outrageous sex and violence with a tinge of irony bathed in a sauce of cultural references and thickened with a heavy dose of existential angst lightened by tender observations of people and light and crunchy one-liners.

    Hibiscus Coast • Since Apr 2008 • 559 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I really love how people who dont write books et al feel fit to quote people who did
    as ashuddup&go away to people who do- y'know, like fuck you too when you dont have the faintest idea except that of the *almost* most important end chain thingie- ta dah!
    consumer

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Islander,

    Islander:

    I've obviously said or quoted something to heinously piss you off, just not entirely clear what.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Craig Ranapia,

    I’m guessing that would be the Johnson quote,

    An author places himself uncalled before the tribunal of criticism, and solicits fame at the hazard of disgrace.

    from the Life of Pope
    It’s probably worth noting that Johnson was describing criticism of authors by other authors, and specifically the criticism of bad writing that was trying to pass itself off as high culture. He was not giving carte blanche to criticism. The quote needs to be placed in the context of another occurring a few lines above it:

    the purpose of a writer is to be read, and the criticism which would destroy the power of pleasing must be blown aside.

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

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