Saturday, February 21, 2004
We finished the read-through yesterday, chapters Ten, Eleven, and the epilogue. Each time I read this novel I like it more. And it's easy to see the effects of my absinthe consumption during its composition. Murder of Angels is not only hallucinogenic, it's marked by a pronounced lack of inhibition. It goes where it needs to go, whether that's a hotel room in Atlanta, a coffeehouse in San Francisco, or a pirate ship in an alterante universe. I think I am proud of this book, which is vast improvement over how I felt about it while I was writing it and how I felt about it in December just after finishing it. But it is not an easy book. It is odd, and dark. Some people are telling me that it's darker even than Low Red Moon, though I'm not sure I buy that. The end of Low Red Moon devastated me. The end of Murder of Angels was more a sort of release. Just don't go into it expecting Silk II, because even though it is a sequel, it is an entirely different sort of novel and the characters have become entirely different people. I've already mentioned the degree to which the book came out autobiographical. Well, the disimimlarity between, say, the Daria Parker of Silk and the Daria Parker of Murder of Angels is one reflection of that mostly unconscious autobiography. In some ways, this is me now looking back at me then, etc. & etc.
Last night, I went over a few things with Jennifer (commas, hyphens, and more commas). Now, the ms. is sitting in its box, waiting to be returned to NYC. I think it won't go into the post until Monday, which means I'll beat my re-revised deadline by one day.
And much to the chagrin of the writer in me who wanted nothing else to do with novels for another year of two, two more novels have occurred to me...
Monday, I'll go back to work on "Rappaccini's Dragon."
Last night, Spooky and I watched the very excellent Wonderland, and then the entirely dopey action flick S.W.A.T.. After the real violence of Wonderland, it was actually nice to have S.W.A.T. to bring us back down. It's everything that a big dopey action film should be (and besides, Michelle Rodriguez is hot). After that, it was Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando until after 4 a.m. I think we need a good Mommy and Daddy to make up go to bed at a decent hour (and keep me away from the tequila).
I am about to attempt to complete Thomas Pynchon's monumental Mason & Dixon. I began the novel in, I think, 1997 and finally set it aside. I actually love this novel. It's brilliant. It may, indeed, be the most brilliant English-language novel since Finnegan's Wake, but it's a much more difficult read than Joyce. Anyway, I'm more than halfway through, with only 336 pages to go. I can do this. I shall keep you all posted on my progress.
I may escape to Athens today. If you see me, though, please have the kindness not to notice.
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