City of Legends

Don’t ask.

A few moments ago, I removed from distribution two of my books, specifically Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite and As such…

These were mercurial actions taken because I, as the creator of these works and the arbiter of their fates, chose to.  Don’t worry, the excellent pieces within each volume will live on in perhaps future volumes, online, and via already existing print copies of these books.

I’m just getting warmed up.  The actual distribution cycle is such that it may be several weeks before the stores list them as out of print.

Just got the widget for Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite put together.  Enjoi. 

Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite is now available as a Kindle eBook at Amazon.com

Don’t believe me?  Check here.

I promised a surprise.  Nothing expected.  Nothing about my love life (I have a love life?  Amazing.)

What I am about to announce means I am embracing a shifting paradigm in books.  The amazing part is perhaps how slow I have been, considering my relationship with the digital renaissance and the elements of that movement over the last two decades.  Ah, well, even Odin is blind in one eye.

To the point:  I am working this weekend to bring several of my books to Kindle, the eBook reader that is marketed through Amazon.  This will provide my content of my books, in the layout and form originally presented, available to the audience that is embracing the paperless book movement.  The books will be provided at a lower price than the hard copies, particularly with The Compleat Panther Cycles, and will be the full books, no detail lost.

To assist in the market, we’ve come up with a series of marketing slogans (isn’t this fun?  No.  It makes me feel like a pimp, when in fact, as the author, I am the hooker.)

The books selected to be the first wave of my transition, along with their "clever" slogans are:

The Compleat Panther Cycles 
slogan:  Kindle the legend

As such
slogan:  Kindle the fire

The Morgantown Suite Poems
slogan:  Kindle memories

A Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite 
slogan:  Kindle a quest

 The slogans are subject to tweaking (I am an editors’ nightmare).  The whole idea is to use the name of the device as the verb.  The final prices will be released when the books go live, sometime in the next three days or so.  I will keep you informed.

Now, back to dealing with some interestingly erotic text messages I just received.  Bad girl.

Okay, one miracle down (you have no idea how much furious effort is going on in the background to accomplish all of this)…

The City of Legends Store has re-opened.  You can get there by slicking the linked name (in the previous sentence) or by following the top of the page link that reads "The City Store" (trying to keep it simple).

We’re offering some discounts on some books and CDs as a "Pre-tour Blowout", and as always, free shipping and custom signing.  Shopping cart services are courtesy of PayPal.

Available in the ‘Store are:

Books:

• As such…romantic poetry of rebirth
  
• Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite
  
• Psalms of the Monster River Cult
  
• The Morgantown Suite Poems
  
• The Compleat Panther Cycles

CDs:

• Nemicorn
  
• The Naked Reads
  
• Amomancer:  nightblooming
  
• the last romantic verb

Not in the store?

• from an unexpected quarter
  
• Love Gods of a Forgotten Religion
  
• PanthEon
  
• 101 Great Love Poems (hardback and paperback)
  
• Invocato

But I may later decide to fold them in…I just hate making the store too chaotic and huge.  All of those not in the official store can be purchased elsewhere.

And yes, when Evangelist is done, it will be available through the City Store.

The other day I and my lady love were talking about everything and nothing when the Candiferous one herself said "I want to ask you a question…" which is usually a bad sign except I have done nothing to be worried about from her, at least I do not think so (she has a temper, or so I am told, but she keeps it well in my presence, or maybe I just don’t annoy or bore her as some do?)

Digression which will get back to the point: Where do you think is the first documentable evidence of my affection for the unbelievably marvelous Candy…was it back in mid-September 2007 when I posted "The Island of the Sweet Siren" on Author’s Den?

Nope.

Maybe a few weeks before that when I released the poem "Above room temperature" in which I accused her of settling for men well below her worth? Nah.

Back to the conversation…

Candy said "A few years ago you dedicated something to me on Author’s Den and I always meant to ask you why…"

So we pulled it up and there on February 18, 2006, was my timestamped first posting of "The Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite" with the dedication "Thanks to Candy Gourlay for the inspiration (don’t ask how)." Back then she was known to me by her previous married name.

I had to be upfront with her. I was cornered, so I relied on the truth.

I explained how, as a part of my whole personal renaissance I had decided to follow my own advice from my poem "In the memory of lovers" and live by the credo to "take no pretender, again, to my bed". But I also wanted to benchmark my heart. I wanted, if I was to be alone for the rest of my days, to at least stand for a purpose, a standard.

And who better than my friend Candy? Brilliant, insightful, deep, beautiful and talented. I figured if I couldn’t have someone who lived up to Candy’s benchmark of everything, I’d just skip the next few courses. Truth!

But now her memory brought us back to that inscription and I had to confess that I had, for some years, considered her about the most perfect woman I knew, just unattainable.

I guess, if you wait long enough, and hold to your standards, a few miracles are bound to come your way.

Mine did.

I love the book, "The Morgantown Suite Poems", so don’t get me wrong. It’s a good book, nice cover (better be, I chased Ron Rittenhouse for months to get permission to use the photo I wanted on the cover).

But there is a certain sadness as to how the book became the official sample of my work that will be given to competitors for the West Virginia state finals for Poetry Out Loud next week.

"The Compleat Panther Cycles" is too expensive and massive.
The unholy trinity that I have with iUniverse, "from an unexpected quarter", "love gods of a forgotten religion" and "101 Great Love Poems" I rarely recommend, not because they have nothing to contribute (particularly "love gods…" which I adore) but because I have a thing about my former publisher.
"Invocato" is not easily accessible.
"PanthEon" and "from out of the city" are out of print.
"Ronin in the Temple of Aphrodite" might be over the heads of many high school students…
and "Psalms of the Monster River Cult"? Well, the poem "if your husband comes home" found some furrowed brows, as high school students might be corrupted by hearing of people having sexual relations outside of marriage.

So the winner, by default, is "The Morgantown Suite Poems"…makes me wish "As Such…" was already out…

Next time.

I hereby announce that, pursuant to my vows, I am no longer a "ronin in the temple of aphrodite".

The title of that book of my works was to reflect the sense of being a romantic in a world without a lover. I have found not only a lover, but the lover, and have made my vows and accepted her as the one I will fight for, write for and seek a gentle night for.

Thank you, Candy. It is nice to be yours.

The response to my suggestions earlier today of some of the projects for the new year has been gratifying and overwhelming. I am grateful the fans feel comfortable addressing what they want and that they care so passionately.

INAMORATA will be a reality. Will it be the book I put out before the Frontiers in Writing conference in Amarillo? I don’t know…depends on my emotional stamina (my lovelife is a strange and beautiful thing at this time) and a few other factors that could push any of the other projects forward or backwards.

I do promise that certain key poems in LOVE GODS OF A FORGOTTEN RELIGION and FROM AN UNEXPECTED QUARTER will certainly make the leap as those two volumes go out of circulation, and you can probably guess at least a handful of those, but the vast majority of the volume will be material previously unpublished in book form.

Also, INAMORATA will have at least two things in common with my blockbuster THE COMPLEAT PANTHER CYCLES (TCPC): Size and content volume. I plan to make this an oversized volume with 300-400 works.

Editor? I haven’t decided yet. I have found being my own editor for a few volumes very exhausting, so I will probably seek a new editor. Candidates, the line forms here…

Cover model? I have a few candidates already. She’ll have to be something to stand alongside the likes of Jillian Ann, Ann-Michelle and Sarah Chadwick Spiker. I also want to do internal illustrations, as in TCPC and I want a cover that combines the eroticism of the original, unpublished cover design of TCPC with the archival beauty of RONIN. A challenge. But a life without challenges is an illusion.

Beyond that? Not certain, but I had to pick up a new project with the wrap up of the two new CDs and the 2 new books in the last few weeks. I am nothing if not a workaholic.

The line just came to me…no poem around it yet…but very true and evocative.

All my life I’ve focused on doing the best for my lover. Worked long hours, walked into crack hotels to retrieve bartered jewelry, sold my personal belongings to pay for their mistakes, ghosted works, moved away from established networks of friends and financial support, done whatever it takes, even taking the blame when they fail (yes, it is called co-dependency by less enlightened individuals)…

and now, as a mistress-less lover, I am like a Ronin, a disgraced samurai. I’m not into ritual suicide, so that resolution is out.

we’ll see where this poem comes from and what it leads to.