you are what you read
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under Journal
I was speaking with my friend Thomas (St. Thomas, you may recall, I call him from time to time). He asked me what fictional or historical figure I most identified with. I couldn’t answer him with just one name. So it occurred to me that I have been subtly influenced by, subtly resonant with, dozens of fictional and/or historical figures of whom I have read, heard of or seen television or films of.
I decided to sit down and make an off-the-top-of-my-head list of such people. I ended up, at first blush, with 55 of them, making sure I only used historical figures who are now dead (to avoid lawsuits and related BS).
So I randomized the list, to make things interesting, and here it is. In some way or another each of these individuals, whether they were real or summoned from the mind of another writer, influenced me, the way I act, the way I view the world, the insights I have. It is not an exhaustive list, the full list is probably a hundred times longer and more diverse (although any list that includes Joe Gideon, Jesus Christ and Keyser Soze has to be pretty diverse, you know?):
- Arthur Peabody Goodpasture,
- Vlad Tepes,
- Viscount de Valmont,
- Elliot Garfield,
- Keyser Soze,
- Marcus Tullius Cicero,
- Tom Sawyer,
- Ellen Ripley,
- Penrod Schofield,
- Jesus Christ,
- Jeremiah,
- Ulysses,
- Jerry Cornelius,
- Professor Ransom,
- Macaulay Connor,
- Job,
- Charity Hope Valentine,
- Edgar Allan Poe,
- Percy Bysshe Shelley,
- Jed Bartlet,
- Edmund Dantes,
- Jean Valjean,
- Robin Hood,
- Robinson Crusoe,
- Michael Corleone,
- Steve Rogers,
- Scott Summers,
- Screwtape,
- Hercule Savinien Cyrano de Bergerac,
- Henry McCoy,
- George Gordon, Lord Byron,
- Abel,
- Barton,
- Will Graham,
- Gowan McGland,
- Patient V,
- Tyler Durden,
- Henry Plantagenet,
- T.E. Lawrence,
- Joe Gideon,
- Jack Celliers,
- Ramon Guerola,
- Quasimodo,
- Teddy Roosevelt,
- Theophilus North,
- Johnny Quest,
- Inspector Juvet,
- Rocky Balboa,
- TS Garp,
- Inspector Dauphin,
- Froggy,
- Sir Galahad,
- Auguste Rodin,
- D’artagnan,
- Comte de le Fère
Note that some are names that may be obscure to most readers. Single named individuals may confuse you as you may or may not be on the same page as me in identifying the source material.
But each and every one of these people have influenced me to some degree (I like to think Jesus more than Michael Corleone). In a way this has been a very interesting psychological exercise, and startling to me, as I see what aspects of these characters I find within myself or my worldview. Some influenced me in ways you might find unexpected or not in keeping with what first comes to mind when you think of them.
Criminals, madmen, writers, philosophers and the Son of God. Two women made the list. Both Valjean and Juvet. Three superheroes. A few
new, beautiful features coming to the new site
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under Journal
Later this week I will be activating yet more poetry/art integrated pages at my new site. www.williamfdevault.com, bringing dozens more of my classic and recent works to life and light with art and photography by talented creative artists from around the world.
One feature I am adding is special areas where I will be featuring clusters of my works interpreted with the help of a single artist or photographer, in many cases individuals who are already familiar to my readers.
The first two that will be activated are two amazing photographers who come at you from very different aspects:
Ukrainian graphic artist, photographer and model Mariya Andriychuk will have a featured gallery where a dozen of her photographs are used to interpret various works of mine. Mariya is one of my friends who has helped to inspire the Fields of Arbol features on Amomancer. Her photographs will adorn such works of mine as In the Arms of the Dragon.
Brazilian photographer, model and artist LiZa Lorraine will have a similar gallery, also with dozen of her works. LiZa has been a creative and inspiration contributor to several of my recent works, including the aforementioned Fields of Arbol. Her talents will enhance such works of mine as Cithara Song, strummed lightly as the sun leaps the horizon.
Two more disparate artists would be hard to find. LiZa’s work reflects an everyday elegance, the beauty of a smile, of well-turned ankles in ballet slippers. Mariya’s is edgier, swinging from the blatantly erotic to the intensely, desperately spiritual.
I am very grateful to have these the first of several interpretive and creative artists featured on the new site.
Hurricane Gus and the Gulf Coast
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under Journal
Landfall is expected in hours for Hurricane Gustav. I am grateful it did not build to a Category 4 or 5 storm, grateful it has pulled a bit to the West.
I have friends and, yes, family, as I count it, in that area. People whose fates and daily lives matter to me. But, regardless of that, there are people. Millions of people, standing to be inconvenienced, injured, financially devastated, looted and possibly even killed by the storm.
Some would say it is their own fault for settling where storms like this hit, just like people who live in an earthquake zone shouldn’t catch a government break when the big one comes. Fair point. I’ll leave that to the politicians. It sounds almost like late comedian Sam Kinnison’s point that to fix the famine in Ethiopia we needed to send them U-Haul trucks and luggage and explain to them you can’t grow crops in sand.
I hope all is well. I hope the damage is minimal and those I care about are safe. I hope everyone is safe and all, in some way, come through this a little stronger, a little smarter and with a sense of gratitude that Hurricane Gus wasn’t as bad a boy as he could’ve been.
I remember the horror I felt when Katrina hit, days, even weeks, without knowing the fates of people I love. I don’t want to go through that again (I guess in that way, my concern is selfish). So here are my prayers and best wishes.
just listened to some new tracks
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under CDs, Journal
I have been, between writing binges, flirtations, working out and watching the Mountaineers open their 2008 campaign, working to lay tracks for the next CD. By the time it hits the markets it will have undergone more changes than David Bowie’s legendary "Best Haircut I Ever Had", which I recall went through at least 4 title changes before it became "Diamond Dogs". I have decided, until final naming is made, to refer to this disc as "Project Tarantella"
It’s…intriguing. I promised myself I’d make a poetry/music fusion CD that was heavily driven by the music. That is happening. Not sure how the hardcore poetry fans are going to like it, but with some of the edgy stuff I am striking flint against to make sparks, it is certainly going to be my most musically evolved CD. The first few tracks still need some work, but they are coming along with several midwives inspiring the process. I have learned my lesson, for now.
I have to thank some of the wonderful people out there who have been providing inspiration through both their arts and their very existence. There comes a time and a place in this world when an artist becomes their art. I don’t expect those who have not stood on that cliff to understand the feeling of making that choice, nor do I judge anyone for stepping back, rather than jumping. It’s a bitch of a leap, a bastard of a fall and not for everyone, or maybe not for anyone with half an ounce of common sense.
Maybe that’s the fruit of the tree of life that we’re not supposed to muck with?
Thank you to everyone who has given a piece of themselves to the great god machine, and those who have given even if just a smile to me along the way. It has been one Hell of a run. Now let’s see what this baby can do when you open her up.
the new official portrait
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under Journal
Okay, it’s time I updated my official headshot. I took a shot with my camera phone two weeks ago on my birthday, blacked out/mottled the background, filtered the contrast to make it a bit more dramatic…and VOILA!
Yes, it looks a little surreal, but it is recognizably me. A weird quirk of the light obscures my hairline (I still have the same hairline i had in high school) because of the whitening of my hair (not greying, whitenening). I look a little rough, but I hadn’t shaved that day. I wanted sort of an anti-glamour shot. I’m a writer, not a model, not a beauty queen, not a pinup.
Still not completely sold on the new glasses frame, though…
hey, I was close
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under Journal, politics
Yesterday I predicted John McCains‘ running mate…stating it would be a woman, with impressive Right Wing credentials, who has limited major political experience and is an effective communicator, telegenic, and with a reputation for aggressive positions.
I then said that it would be Ann Coulter.
I hit the tree but missed the target.
Meet Sarah Palin, the Governor of Alaska.
She’s in her first term as Governor, having risen rapidly from local politics largely on her get-tough-with-corruption attitude. She is a former beauty-queen contestant, young (three years younger than Obama and Coulter) and is opposed to abortion rights and gun control while favouring increased drilling for oil in Alaska.
She probably does not have rabies.
I pondered this choice, once it was revealed. I think she’ll be a strong addition to the ticket, but I can’t support her positions on abortion rights and Arctic drilling, so I remain steadfast in my decision to write in Hillary in November.
Nice try, John. Anybody else thinks she looks like a cross between Carla Gugino and Raquel Welch? Just checking. I saw a younger, beauty-contest era picture of her in which she bears a striking resemblance to a photo used by an ex’s ex on FaceBook a few months back, trying to create problems as he pretended to be a woman. It would have helped the illusion if he left the copyright notice off of the picture.
But, anyway, good strategic move, John, I am proud of you. This will be an interesting campaign.
McCain’s obvious VP pick
Posted by William F. DeVault | Filed under Humour, politics
I have been pondering the question of who John McCain will select as his running mate. It’s a tough one, but I had an epiphany as to whom he decided on last night and will be informing today that they are "the one".
Consider: He wants to pull the women’s vote in the face of shameful way the media and the Democratic Party treated Hillary Clinton, estimates show that about 10% of the women voters out there are up for grabs, angry and disgruntled. He needs a woman on the ticket to lock this in.
The Right Wing of the Republican Party will not accept anyone with less than "Right of the Planet Mars" credentials. This means he has to go for someone known for their stance and status in that area. A media celebrity with no doubt as to their loyalty to the Right.
Fortunately, because McCain has plenty of gravitas and cred already, he is not as constrained as Obama was in selecting someone with a major governmental resume. He can pick the best available athlete and ignore their resume.
Finally, he needs an attack dog, someone who is willing to go out, get dirty, point fingers, call people names and bash the living bejesus out of the Democratic ticket and, indeed, anyone who says anything nice about them. Rabies optional.
Oh, and you need someone who is younger and better looking, if only marginally, than McCain, to reassure the voters about McCain’s age.
Okay, young, female, rabid and Right Wing. Hmmmm…AHA!
Ann Coulter is the obvious choice. And think of media attention that would get. Yes, much of it would be questioning McCain’s sanity, but it would make a splash. She’s somewhat photogenic, she has media experience, she’s as Far Right as one can get without falling off the edge of the flat earth, she’s willing to attack anyone who gets in her way with a level of invective that is beyond insane and tasteful. And…
the notion of a Joe Biden- Ann Coulter debate just boggles the mind. I am sure Karl Rove would approve.
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