Stuck Outside of Phoenix and Ghost Notes going out of Print!!!

Happy fall, y'all.

I'm busy finishing Novel 4, which is called Nineteen Ways to Destroy Your Rock Band. The novel is in its final stages. I want to say it will be done in four months, but with a final read-through it's probably going to be more like six. It always takes longer than I want, but in the end if it's not top-notch, what's the point? Know that I'm working on it daily, and that it's coming.

Also, I've recently decided to take both my first novel Stuck Outside of Phoenix and my second novel Ghost Notes out of print.

Why?

The plan is to re-release the two novels as one book sometime in the future. I also have a short story called "The Move," featuring Hote as a 16-year-old, and I hope to include this story in the collection as well. That would be all the Hote I've ever written, and also everything I have to show for my first decade as a fiction writer. I think this would make a great collection, so I'm pulling everything from the market now to accrue some time between now and this projected re-release--which would fall sometime after the publication of Nineteen Ways. Again, don't hold your breath, but that's the plan.

Stuck and Ghost Notes have already started to disappear from places like Amazon, and by 2018 they should be gone everywhere. I do still have them both for sale at my website for now, and at the ridiculously low price of $5 each, while supplies last, but I'll take them down from there eventually as well. Should you want or need a copy, now's a good time.

For the record, none of this affects my third novel Badge, which is and will continue to be available everywhere.

I think that's it. Have a great holiday season, everyone, and as always, feel free to touch base.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Watch the Book Trailer for Badge.

Buy Badge.

Where to Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix, Ghost Notes, and Songs from Memory

I sometimes get asked where people can find my books and music. Here's the most complete list to date.

The best place to buy any of my book-books or my solo CD is my website, where you'll find the best prices, and all of the books are signed.

 Website

Both novels are also available at Powell's online.

Stuck at Powell's
Ghost Notes at Powell's

If you want an ebook of Stuck Outside of Phoenix, there are of course the big, corporate places.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

The same goes for Ghost Notes.

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

But my favorite place to get either novel as an ebook is Smashwords.

Smashwords

Finally, should you be interested in digital versions of either my solo CD Songs from Memory or Ghost Notes the Audiobook, the best place to buy these is CDBaby.

CDBaby

Both of these digital downloads are also available at places like iTunes, Amazon and the like.

There are many other places to buy all of the above, but these should have you covered for both real-life and digital versions of everything.

Enjoy! 

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Check out the Trailer for Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie, which will premiere in Tempe in early 2013.

Or try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just $2.99.

A Note on Badge

As we await news on Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie, I thought I'd take this opportunity to address the situation of my third novel, Badge.

Last year I promised Badge would be released in 2013 at the latest. My thinking was, if nothing else, I'll self-publish it, which is what I did with both Ghost Notes and Stuck Outside of Phoenix. I've proudly self-pubbed for about a decade now, and I believe deeply in it as a means of communicating from writer to reader. If you don't believe that, look at the subheading of this blog.

Still, I've decided I will not self-publish Badge.

There are a number of reasons for this, which you'll no doubt be reading about in future essays, but let me outline the main one for you.

Whenever a book goes out into the world, there are three basic tasks:

1) Writing the book (Writer)

2) Publishing the book (Publisher)

3) Promoting the book (Publicist)

As a DIY publisher, I've worn all three of these hats for both of my published novels, and by and large I've loved it. I've loved the challenge of trying to be a good publisher, which involves editing and proofreading and formatting the book. I've also loved booking readings and getting reviews and working social media, things ideally done by a publicity person. I've had some success, found some readers, won an award, sold some books. I don't regret any of it. It was an amazing way to learn the publishing industry.

But after a decade, I've come to realize that, while I did a good job for someone who is basically an writer wearing publisher and promoter hats, I'm really a writer who wears those other hats out of necessity. These past few months, as I've gotten closer and closer to having to address some of the publisher/promoter tasks associated with Badge, it's become clear I don't have the energy to wear all those hats anymore. I know exactly what it takes to make a self-published book go, and I'm past the point of being able to do it. (And short the $ to have others do it for me.)

So, what does that mean for the publication of Badge?

It means I have to find others to help me with these tasks. Finding these special folks could happen tomorrow, or it could happen years from now. Either way, it's my only real option at this point; I'd do Badge--a novel I've worked on for six years--a disservice if I didn't feel I could give it my all in every facet of the game. This novel (and every novel I write) means too much to me, so I'm not going to start shortchanging them now.

Know that I'm constantly looking for others to help me publish and promote Badge, and that I will loudly update you--here and elsewhere--when I know more about its eventual publication. Until then, know I'm searching. 

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just $2.99.

Stuck the Movie Timeline

It's hard to believe I'll be watching a movie version of Stuck Outside of Phoenix in less than two months. Very surreal. I first brought this project up to Nico Holthaus in May of 2010. That's about two and a half years from conception to (God willing) fruition. For me, that's major quick. I quit the Refreshments in 1998. Stuck the Novel came out in 2003. Ghost Notes and Songs from Memory came out in 2008...You can see how long it takes me to finish a major project. That something this big and complicated is getting done in half that time is a testament to Nico, and to everyone in the cast and crew for doing what it takes.

Thank you all.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just $2.99.

What Fiction Is and Isn't

For a while now I've wanted to write about the nature of fiction. In light of some of the things that have been said about Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie, now seems a good time.

When someone writes about anything, he can draw from exactly three places. He can write:

A) facts; for example, "George Washington was the first president of the United States;"

B) things he's experienced or that people have told him; for example, "When I was seven I went to Florida on vacation," "Bob said he fought in the Vietnam war," etc.; or

C) things he makes up; for example, "A man from Mars came to dinner last night."

These three areas aren't just the primary places writers pull from, they're the only places she can pull from. If someone can name another place where a writer can draw from to write, please let me know.

So, let's call these three places a writer's palette. If I'm going to write something, I'm going to draw from them. They're the only choices I have.

If I draw my material entirely from category A, facts, what kind of work would I be creating? Nonfiction for sure, right? Probably history.

How about Category B, things I've experienced or been told about? The material from this category is probably most closely aligned with memoir.

And Category C, things from my imagination? That's where fiction comes from, right?

Wrong, or at least incomplete.

The notion that fiction comes (entirely) from the imagination is inaccurate. Sure, much of fiction comes from made up things, like my Martian friend, but a good dose of fiction comes from the first two categories as well. We can't help but draw from facts, and things we've experienced or heard about, when we write fiction.

Imagine sitting down and trying to write entirely from your imagination. Look at my fictional sentence above: "A man from Mars came to dinner last night." Didn't happen, totally made up, and yet look at the concepts within the sentence. "Man," "Mars," "dinner," "last night." These are all things that come from fact or things I've learned about through experience. Even fictional categories like science fiction and fantasy can't avoid elements from our world. If they did, we wouldn't be able to understand them.

So, the real world is always a big player in any fictional one.

In light of this, why would someone choose to write fiction? This is where the painter's palette metaphor comes in handy. If you write history or memoir, you're limiting the possibilities of things you can use in your writing. For example, you can't say, "A man from Mars came to dinner last night." (Unless of course he did.) In these two genres, there are colors on your palette you simply can't use. You might want to, but you're writing in a category that doesn't allow it. You can see the red there on your palette, but you can only use yellow and blue.

But if you're writing fiction, you can choose any color you want: red or blue or yellow, or combinations of the three. This is the beauty of fiction.

Not only is fiction the most liberating category (for me), I also believe it's where the richest stories come from. I could name a few hundred examples, but I suspect you can fill these in.

So, what does this all have to do with Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie?

I've stated many times that the novel--and the screenplay based on the novel--are fictions, but if you think fiction consists of things that are entirely made up, you might not believe my claim. "Wait, I recognize elements of this person," or "I remember that club," etc. When I call things fictions, I'm not claiming I made them all up. I'm saying I'm drawing from all three of the above categories throughout.

Why would I do that? Why wouldn't I just give you the story of my life in the Tempe music scene in the early 1990s and be done with it? Because I wanted to tell the best story, and frankly, the story of my early 1990s in the Tempe music scene isn't all that compelling. As a writer, I don't want to waste the reader's time. It tends to make them testy.

So, I write fiction because I want to write with the largest palette, which in my opinion creates the best stories.

There are of course other, more nefarious reasons to write fiction. You could want to get back at people by using elements of their personalities in your fictional characters, and portraying these characters in some negative light. This happens, and I suppose there are always going to be people who want to believe it's happening with Stuck. People will think whatever they want to think, and I can't claim perfection, but with Stuck--both the novel and screenplay--I tried simply to tell the best story I knew how to tell at the time, using the categories above. Producer Nico Holthaus and I agreed early on that Stuck the Movie would be the story of a kid trying to get out of Tempe--with the Tempe music scene of the early 1990s as a backdrop--and would not be a dig at anyone or anything.

So read Stuck, or (soon) watch the movie, and if you notice elements of the real world in them, don't assume it's meant to represent or reflect upon those elements in the real world. Like a painter who mixes blue and yellow to make green, it's more complicated than that.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just $2.99.

Stuck the Movie Tidbits

A few Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie tidbits from Nico's and my conversation yesterday:

-The first "table read," which is where all the actors sit at a table and read the script in its entirety, is a week from this Tuesday. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that one.

-In an effort to watch our budget, catering for cast and crew is going to be donated by many Phoenix area restaurants. Bless you, Phoenix area restaurants.

-Nico meets this week with City of Tempe folks about things like grants, permits and other exciting stuff.

Finally, Bill Pasdeaux (a.k.a. David Albert) is doing a weekly online reading from Stuck Outside of Phoenix, leading up to the shooting of Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie. This week's reading is of one of my favorite passages, where Hote is battling being no kinda dancer and Lola is trying to pull him down to the dance floor. Take a gander.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just 99 cents.

Having Conversations with your Characters

After fifteen years of working with Hote, Lance and Gad, I had my first conversation with them on Friday.

Yes, I chatted on the phone with the actors who are playing these three characters in Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie. The "band" was rehearsing lines and playing music over at Nico's, and I got a chance to chat with each. I didn't really know what to say aside from "thank you," but all three seemed intelligent and funny and anxious to make a great movie. What should I have said to them? What would you say?

In other news, more sources of badly needed funding for the movie are surfacing, which is a necessity and a godsend. More on these as they become realities.

We're still looking for a Waffle House-like restaurant and Circle K-like convenience store whose owners want to be part of Tempe music and movie history. Shoot me a line if you know someone who might be interested.

ae@artedwards.com

Shooting of the movie begins in two weeks.

Two weeks!

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just 99 cents.

Stuck Outside of Phoenix Production Meeting

Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie had a production meeting this past week, and things like crew and schedule were hammered out. A few points of note:

-All technical crew is in place.

-Filming should start in April and take place over about 25 days.

-Almost half of the shooting days will take place at two facilities on one location.

-We have tentative sites for crowd scenes.

-We still need a Waffle House and a Circle K.

If you or if someone you know owns a Waffle House, Circle K or some such business and would like to offer it up for filming, boy would you make me look like a hero. Just let me know.

ae@artedwards.com

Also this past week, our producer Nico Holthaus worked diligently on budgeting. The movie will cost $30k.We have a little over $20k. Nico hopes to raise the rest soon, with the help of places like Phoenix Art Museum. As always, never be shy to let me know if you have a lead on someone who might be able to help with $. Again, email me.

ae@artedwards.com

As always, thank you all for your support.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just 99 cents.

Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie, Indiegogo and Casting

First of all, in all the movie hub-bub, I forgot to post a link here to a recently published piece of mine. It's called "The Year I Lost Math," and it's about my first year of college, when my math ability abandoned me and I was forced to scrabble for identity. PANK did the honors this time. For those of you who liked some of my more personal stuff at The Nervous Breakdown, you'll like this piece.

As you might know, the Kickstarter campaign for Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie was successfully funded, thanks to many of you. We have a movie, folks.

Despite this, there's still a great deal of concern about financing--like, do we have enough. If you'd care to donate to the cause, there's an ongoing campaign at Indiegogo where you can donate. The cool thing about this campaign is there is no minimum goal; all donations will go to the movie no matter what the final tally is. So, if you'd like to donate, please do.

Nico has finished two casting calls, plus a little get-together with the lead actors and some musical instruments at his place. As of this moment, we have a Hote, a Lola, a Lance, and Nico is going to play Digs. We're working hard to nail down the few final roles, but having so many principles pegged already is a big load off. I've seen the head shots and resumes, and I'm thrilled we're getting such quality actors. Nico even found a couple who are so good we need to find roles for them, so I'll be spending the next few days expanding current parts, or writing in new ones. It's going to be fun to watch these folks develop into the characters.

Next, Nico focuses on fun, sexy stuff like budget, insurance, and no doubt a hundred other things. Actual shooting begins in (gulp) March.

And last but not least, my longtime friend and cohort Jim Gerke is back in action in Tempe. Yep, the Gerkester is teaming up with David Rhodes (Phil Rhode's little bro) to bring you a night of solo acoustic euphoria at the Tempe Tavern tonight and every Monday night. Jim is one of my favorite singers in the world, and it's great to hear he's back where he belongs, which is entertaining you folks. The tunes start at 8:30. If I were in AZ, I'd be there. 

That's it. I'm going to try to post a Stuck the Movie update here every Monday. Be sure to check back.  

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Stuck Outside of Phoenix in print form for just $5.

Or try Stuck for your Kindle for just 99 cents.

Art's 2011 Year-End Review

So, here 'tis. The end of another year. I've gotten much done in 2011, and have much to look forward to in 2012. Let's get at it.

First of all, as you may know, I've spent 2011 trying to get my third novel Badge published or represented by an agent. This has not come to fruition. It hasn't been for lack of trying. I've submitted the query for Badge to 103 agents, eight indie publishers and a couple of contests/grants. Some people rejected the novel because its subject matter would make it a difficult sell. Others found Badge, the main character, unsympathetic. I've taken this latter criticism to heart and have gone back in to find ways to make him more palatable. The thing I like about rejection (there isn't much) is it can awaken me to problems with the book, which I can fix, thereby making it stronger. The same exact problem surfaced with Hote late in the writing of both of my previous novels. I always leave my characters a little too edgy. I want them to be a little abrasive because I want them to get your attention; there's nothing worse than a character who does too little. Also, it's fairly easy to roll back abrasiveness, which usually just involves a deletion or line change here or there, and more difficult to make a character more active and in-your-face, which for me requires complete scene rewrites. So, I've gone back into the novel and rolled back some of Badge's edginess. (Don't worry, he's still edgy.)

Also, Badge is still out there at several indie publishers, and there's a grant I'm still hoping to corral with it.

So, what's my plan for Badge moving forward? I could give up and self-publish Badge right now. This is about when I gave up looking for a publishing partner for Ghost Notes, and I would certainly like to get Badge to my loyal readers, who have been good enough to let me know they're waiting for it. This would be a relief on many levels.

But here's the deal. These novels take too long to write, and I can't just self-publish book after book and expect to grow my readership. I need help on the marketing end, if I can get it. So I've decided I will also dedicate 2012 to finding Badge a publisher. I need to exhaust every possibility of letting someone else publish this thing before I go it alone again.

The worst part of this decision is that my readers will have to wait another year to get their hands on Badge. This sucks, but that's how it is. I don't like that there are people out there dying to read Badge, but I can't sell this thing short. It's too good, and it's too important to me.

Still, loyal reader, I will make this guarantee to you right here, right now:

One way or another, Badge will come out in 2013.

I know that's not much consolation, but it's something. I can even see a scenario where Badge is out in the first quarter of 2013, but I reserve the right to change my mind that. Stuck Outside of Phoenix came out in 2003, Ghost Notes in 2008. Publishing Badge in 2013 would mean I'll be publishing a novel every five years, and that seems the least you can ask of me.

So 2013, one way or another.

As far as other writing goes, I've had my most prolific year ever. (Funny how that happens when you're not tied to writing a novel.) I will complete 52 writing projects in 2011--yes, one per week--and I've already published about half of them. I still have many short stories and nonfiction pieces out there in the world, looking for homes. My guess is you'll be seeing some of them in the first part of 2012 at The Nervous Breakdown and elsewhere. You can bet I'll keep you posted on all of my exploits here at the blog, at my website, at my Facebook page, and through Twitter.

Other good news? 2012 will see the production of Stuck Outside of Phoenix the Movie! Filming is scheduled to start in early 2012, and it should be in the can by May. More on this in the next week or so.

I also have an idea for a new novel, which I'll start in January, and all kinds of essay projects planned. You can expect long personal essays on things like Van Halen, YouTube, and watching Van Halen on YouTube. And maybe a few more things about Van Halen and YouTube.

So, enjoy the holiday season, and know I'll be around in 2012 doing what I do. Drop me a line if we haven't touched base in a while, unless you're going to chastise me about Badge not coming out until 2013. Okay, even if you are.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Ghost Notes, the award-winning novel, in print form for just $5.

Try Ghost Notes the Audio Book as an unabridged digital download for just $4.99.

Or try Ghost Notes the 99 cent Ebook.

Your Art Edwards Semi-Annual Update

Hello,

The last six months have brought much goodness for me, so let's hit it.

First and foremost, my third novel Badge, which I completed at the beginning of the year, was a finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Assocation's Literary Contest for 2011. There were over 1,000 entries in twelve different categories, and my category, Mainstream, was the most popular. It was an honor to be in the final eight. Hopefully this means some agent or publisher will get off her duff and take this novel on. I'm still actively beating the industry over the head with it. As always, I hope to have more to report soon.

Also, the movie version of my first novel Stuck Outside of Phoenix is underway! Director, Producer, Mr. Everything Nico Holthaus is starting preproduction in Phoenix this month with principle photography (whatever that is) scheduled to begin November 2nd. Look for the thing to be in the can by April 2012, when there will be much rejoicing. Keep your eyes peeled here for the occasional update on the movie and more (or when there's no news, a random video of the week).

In celebration of the commencement of the filming of Stuck, two things have happened: 1) Stuck Outside of Phoenix the book-book is again in stock at my website! For a mere $5 plus shipping, you can have a signed copy delivered to your door. Also, Stuck the ebook versions at both Amazon and Smashwords have been reduced to 99 cents! I must be out of my mind to offer these prices, which of course I am, so there you go!

Finally, real-life paper versions of both Ghost Notes and Stuck Outside of Phoenix are now for sale at a real-life bookstore here in Portland! Yes, if you're one of those archaic folks who prefers to buy books during an actual trip to a bookstore (me), you can get mine at Broadway Books in NE, the best little bookstore in town. Give them a try! 

I've had many pieces published since my last communicado, among them a piece at The Writer about my struggles with the memoir form; a short, fun piece about falling out of love with a song at Girls with Insurance; and many TNB posts. Also, there now exists an interview with me at TNB by the inimitable Gloria Harrison! We talk Badge, the Refreshments and of course, senior discount food joints. Take a gander, lest you go unentertained today.

That's it. As always, keep apprised of all thing me at my website, my blog, my Facebook page, or any of the thirty of forty other places I do my best to update on the web. Drop me a line if we haven't touched base in a while.

Have a fab fall, folks!


Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Try Ghost Notes, the award-winning novel, in print form for just $5.




Try Ghost Notes the Audio Book as an unabridged digital download for just $4.99.


Or try Ghost Notes the 99 cent Ebook.

See You Next Year!

That's it for me for 2009, folks. I will be packing and cleaning and moving and unpacking and...until the new year, so no bloggedy-blog next week. Let's recap what's happened in 2009, shall we?

First, you can buy Ghost Notes, Songs from Memory or Stuck Outside of Phoenix at my website for only $5 between now and the end of the year.

Second, you can download Ghost Notes the unabridged audio book here.

Finally, you can buy both Ghost Notes and Stuck Outside of Phoenix for your Kindle device.

Next year, I plan to finish my next novel, Good Night to the Rock 'n' Roll Era, plus I have a few other things planned (ebook, anyone?)

Thanks for keeping up with me in 2009, and we'll see see you again in 2010!

Happy new year.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes, the novel or brand new audio book.



Buy Songs from Memory, the album


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix, the novel

Reading Good Night to the Rock 'n' Roll Era

Until the end of the year, you can buy Ghost Notes, Songs from Memory or Stuck Outside of Phoenix at my website for only $5!

A few of you have caught on that, because of the free shipping kicking in at $20, buying the three-pack and adding one more item gets that extra item for free. In other words, if you order a three-pack, choose one more item and give it away for Xmas!

So, I'm reading the manuscript of my novel-in-progress, which is called Good Night to the Rock 'n' Roll Era. At this stage, it's hard for me to see what's good about it--only what's missing--but after three years and maybe four drafts, I can safely say I'll have something that one day will trump Ghost Notes and Stuck Outside of Phoenix both.

It's the sequel to Ghost Notes, but it deviates greatly from my previous two books. There's really only one character who makes the jump from Ghost Notes to the new novel, Betty, and the new novel takes on a great deal of new terrain, from a band's inception to the making of a record to a country-spanning three-month tour.

One of the things I really want to do in the next revision is expand on some of the locales of the tour, making each city rich and authentic and itself. If you have a novel that takes place in a dozen or two...or three...cities, you'd better make sure each place is distinct. One little thing wrong in any one of them and don't worry, someone will let you know about it.

I also have a few interesting characters who in the current draft make just one appearance. Anytime a character has pull with an audience, as these characters do with my beta readers, it behooves me to include them as much as possible. Without it, the reader gets frustrated. Imagine The Big Lebowski with just one Jesus scene:



You'd want to strangle the Coen Brothers for not giving you more, wouldn't you?

I don't want to get strangled, so the bit players come back.

I promise to write more on this novel in the coming weeks and months.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes, the novel or brand new audio book.



Buy Songs from Memory, the album


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix, the novel

Five Bucks Sale 2009!

Last year, just before I moved to Portland, I announced the Lighten my Load Sale. This sale allowed you to purchase Ghost Notes, or Songs from Memory, or Stuck Outside of Phoenix at my website for $10, and allowed you to buy all three in a bundle for $25 with free shipping.

This sale was popular, this sale was fun, this sale lightened my load.

I liked it so much I kept it going throughout the whole of 2009. Give me $10, and take your pick of anything, I said.

Well, this sale is no longer good enough. Amazon, Target, Walmart and Sears are in a huge book price war. If I want to stay relevant, I have to adapt, and quickly.

But where does one go after marking everything down to $10?

Why, $5, of course!

That's right. As of now, you can buy any of the products mentioned above at my website for $5!

You want a copy of Ghost Notes?

$5

You want a copy of Songs from Memory?

$5

You want a copy of Stuck Outside of Phoenix?

$50, err, $5!

If you're reading this, you've probably been paying attention to me for a while. Maybe you've bought a book or CD or two. Maybe you haven't. If you haven't, and are at all curious, now is the time to jump in.

$5

If you're reading this, you probably have people to buy Christmas presents for. Why not buy them Ghost, or Stuck, or Memory, or all three?

$5

If you're reading this, you can read. So why not read my novels?

$5

So, come to my website, find yourself a copy of something you're interested in, and get it now for the best deal you're going to find anywhere.

$5

While supplies last.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes, the novel or brand new audio book.



Buy Songs from Memory, the album


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix, the novel

Not of the Soul but of the Glands

You can now buy the digital download of Ghost Notes the Audio Book at CDBaby.

First of all, no blog next week. I'm going to the coast and will only have sporadic Internet access. Check back here on Monday, October 5th.

We've got a self-publishing success story on our hands, folks! This guy did what many in the publishing industry thought unthinkable. He self-published his novel, and he reached the bestseller list of the San Francisco Chronicle! A task both amazing and long overdue, in my opinion. The publishing world is finally a-changing, at least in this one instance. Three cheers to Kemble Scott for blazing a trail some of the rest of us hope to follow someday.

Anyone hooked on their Kindle? I dropped the price of the Kindle versions of both Ghost Notes and Stuck Outside of Phoenix! Follow the links above to find out how low I can go.

To conclude this week, let's listen to Bill Faulkner lay down the law, shall we?



That's what I'm talking about, people.

Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes, the novel or brand new audio book.



Buy Songs from Memory, the album


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix, the novel

How's that Audio Book?

You can now buy the digital download of Ghost Notes the Audio Book at CDBaby.

Sales of the audio book have been going well, but I've gotten very little feedback from you folks.

First of all, did the digital download work like you expected? Did you have any problems at all getting the tracks? I'm curious how fulfillment is going.

And of course please don't be afraid to tell me what you think of the book itself. Is it everything you expected? More? Less? If we didn't get it right this time, we want to get it right next time.

Will there be a next time?

Oh, sure.

When I first announced the audio book, a few of you expressed some confusion. "Why not start with Stuck Outside of Phoenix?" you asked. "It's the first of the series, and that way you can start at the beginning."

Good question. Ghost Notes, as my newest novel, seemed like the right one to bring to life first. I'd already put together some audio excerpts for Stuck, and I didn't feel the urge to go back to that novel just yet. You always like your newest work best. At least I do.

But that doesn't mean I won't do an audio book for Stuck at some point. Again, the beauty of self-publishing. If Stuck Outside of Phoenix had been traditionally published, no publishing house would waste time and money releasing an audio book for such a "small" novel.

But it's mine, which means I can revive or refine or re-work it or any of my books anytime I want, and in any form I want. We'll see what the future brings. Maybe 2010.

For now, I'd settle for some feedback on Ghost Notes the Audio Book.

Oh, and health care reform.



Yours in laying down the law,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes, the novel or brand new audio book.



Buy Songs from Memory, the album


Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix, the novel

This Week: SOOP 2.0 and LDL 2.0!!!

Okay, big week for me.

You can now buy the new, improved version of Stuck Outside of Phoenix at my Web site.



Hey, it's the right color! Thanks, Brian!

Why you should buy and read Stuck Outside of Phoenix 2.0 if you bought and read Ghost Notes:

Because you'll learn so much more about Hote: what bands he's played in, what his favorite fast food restaurant is, where he likes to get drunk. You'll also learn about Hote's first big gig, be privy to a formative meeting with Digs Ven at Richmond's, and witness the first truly classy lay of Hote's life!

Why you should buy and read Stuck Outside of Phoenix 2.0 if you've already bought and read the previous version:

Because this is a new, improved version of the Tempe rock lit classic; it's been re-edited, comes with a new cover design, and will nicely round out your collection of Defunct merch.

Why you should buy and read Stuck Outside of Phoenix if you've never read anything by me:

Because it's the first in a series of at least three easy, breezy, fun novels, which means you get to start at the beginning! (Remember when Star Wars started at Episode Four? What the hell was that all about?) And Novel Three, which is called Badge, is coming together quickly. Climb aboard the Hote train now!

What to do if you want a new, improved Stuck but don't want to pay for shipping:

You can buy one at any of the events listed on my events page, starting with the 2nd Annual Laying Down the Law Show on August 9th.



I'll have Stucks and Ghosts and Songs from Memorys at each event!

What to do if you like the pink cover better:



Rock me tonight, baby!

See you all at JJ Kelley's on Saturday!

Art

Buy Stuck Outside of Phoenix



Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

*Stuck Outside of Phoenix* Going Pink?

The mention of pink at the end of my blog last week reminded me of Billy Squier.



Billy Squier was my first "favorite band," the first dude who I thought was the coolest of the cool. Most famous for "The Stroke," which I loved as a kid but now find unlistenable, Billy wrote Zeppelin-esque power pop any 80s-era midwestern kid could love. Here's an example of Billy at his best:



What's a thirteen year old supposed to do but run out and buy this record? And for the future bass player in me, listen to Kenny Aaronson laying down the law!

So, back in 1984, we were excited about Billy's new album, Signs of Life, which was due soon, and his new single and video, "Rock me Tonight," which would premier on MTV. We grouped around the tube the day it came out, waiting for Billy to rock us tonight.

And then we saw it:





We were a little shocked, and a little confused.

Funny, but this need for pink actually dates back to Squier's previous album, the mega-hit Emotions in Motion.



In retrospect, it's amazing we didn't notice it before. Maybe that's why he nailed the point home so thoroughly with "Rock me Tonight."

We can speculate all we want about what happened, why this sudden need for Squier to repaint himself in shades of pink, but I just want you to know that with the new Stuck Outside of Phoenix, which comes out a week from today, Monday, August 4, at my Web site, I'm not going pink on you.



The actual cover is more copper, as you'll see if you order one next Monday, or if you come see me at the 2nd Annual Laying Down the Law Show on August 9th.



But the digital image comes through as ever-so-slightly pink.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Thanks,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

LDL 2.0 Time Slots and SOOP 2.0 Sneak Peak!!!

The time slots for the Second Annual Laying Down the Law Show have been set! Here's the way the evening's going to go:

8:30-Art Edwards and his Defunct Band
9:30-Buck Daddy
10:30-South Slope Cutthroats
11:30-Refreshments Tribute

My band was given the option to play later in the night, but I opted for the first slot because:

a) we're a trio, and something about fewer guys onstage makes going first seem appropriate

b) my guess is we're a just little quieter than the other bands that will play that night

c) it's our debut gig...earn your slot, rookie!

What does this mean to you? It means that, if you want to catch the debut performance of Da 'Funct, you can't lollygag your way to J.J. Kelley's that night. Get cleaned up, get some grub down your gullet, and get to the show!

And have you seen Randy's poster?



On a more bummer note, I'm sad to announce that Dead Hot Workshop will not be playing at my triumphant return to the Yucca Tap Room in Tempe on September 6th. We're working on filling the slot, but you can rest assured plenty of law will be laid down that night regardless. Phoenicians, have you marked your calendars? September 6th!

Finally, I've received the final proof of the revised Stuck Outside of Phoenix--which comes out at my Web site on Monday August 4 and will be for sale at all of my shows starting with LDL 2.0--and I'm freaking over the results. Curious? Here's a slightly pinkish version of the cover art:



That's it for this week, folks. Time for Defunct to rehearse!

Thanks,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory

Phoenix, Phoenix, and Stuck Outside of Phoenix!!!

New this week:

1) My good friend, the ever-lovable Jim Gerke will start the festivities off at the Yucca on September 6th. Jim's always been one of my favorite singer/songwriters on the planet...and I get to crash as his place!

2) New Phoenix Event!

Never happy with just one event per Phoenix trip, I'm thrilled to say I'll be performing Thursday September 4 at the brand new Stinkweeds on Camelback Road in central Phoenix. This will be me solo acoustic, reading from Ghost Notes and playing cuts from Songs from Memory. These solo acoustic events are my opportunities to really ham it up, so come one come all to this really cool new location for Stinkweeds, a Phoenix indie rock institution.

3) Stuck Outside of Phoenix back in print!!!

That's right, folks. A brand new version of the Phoenix rock lit classic will be out on my Defunct Press imprint in August! Stuck has been re-edited and comes in a new trim size and with a new cover design to match the style of Ghost Notes. I tried to wait until next year to drop this one on you, but I simply couldn't wait to see the two of them on the shelf together. The official release date, for Amazon and such, is August 18, but it goes on sale Monday August 4 at my Web site. (That's exactly six months after the release of Ghost Notes.) Stuck will also be for sale at all of my shows next month starting with the Second Annual Laying Down the Law Show in Lansing, IL on August 9. If you've never ventured into the world of Hote, this is the perfect excuse to do so. And you can start at the beginning!

And in case you're wondering, Novel 3, the next in the series, is coming along just fine.

I hope I can do this forever.

Thanks,

Art

Buy Ghost Notes



Buy Songs from Memory