Somewhere, somebody is right. But it isn't here, and it's not tonight.

[raybear]

But really, the James Frey AND the JT LeRoy scandal? It's a big week for the fiction/nonfiction debate, as well as the literary world in general. Which means it's still off most people's radar but whatever. Thank god for Oprah otherwise they would both be esoteric page 12 stories. At least Drunktank Jimmy's book having been part of her book club boosts it up to page 5. To be perfectly honest, I have read neither of their work or works. I keep meaning to pick up JT LeRoy but just never got around to it. Now I'm both more intrigued and less willing to spend my time on reading her stuff. I will say that the most interesting piece I've read about the issue comes from Susie Bright on her blog: http://susiebright.blogs.com/susie_brights_journal_/2006/01/my_name_is_susi.html

Also in the news, we are all sleeping and Samuel Alito will soon be on the supreme court and executive power is going to get even scarier. Good job.

Or as mintwaster would say: blah blah blah blah blah blah.

Oh, and by the way, did I mention I had meetings today with the high school I taught at last fall and learned that gay is a bad, bad, bad word and if we do any outreach to gay kids, they can't host our program, and oh, by the way, we've cancelled the lifeguard program and brought in a writing program. Um, I thought we were a writing program? And we weren't exactly busting at the seams with students to support a second one. If you wanted to push us out, well, guess what, you succeeded. I'm making the call in the morning to tell our program coordinator to place somewhere else. Which is liberating but nervewracking because I could be ultimatum-ing myself right out of a job. But then again, it doesn't really feel like a choice. I can't work there.

I wanted to zone out and escape after all that, but instead I got a burst of productivity and I'm writing cover letters for story submissions. I need to get up, get out, and do something.

Comments

[limenal.livejournal.com]

I forgot to say in my post that I haven't read either of their stuff, either. I know that affects my take on the debate (in that, I'm not sure I can have a take), but the debate has made me curious to read Leroy. But I probably won't. For some reason I still don't give a shit about Frey.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

This is the first impression I had, which has stayed with me: I was in a book store in San Francisco last May and picked up the Frey book and found the cover appealing, and then I read the back and opened up a random page and thought, god, another drug memoir -- rock bottom, finding redemption, triumph of the human spirit, yes yes, it's all a rich tapestry.

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

Scantabulous scandals made fresh gayly.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

you were totally in my dream last night. you had made me a copy of the stories and poems (!!!) that you sent in your packet so i could read them. i gave you a collage and a zine.