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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
a special offer from Adam
a special offer from Adam
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kudzurunner
249 posts
Jan 15, 2009
8:06 PM
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[Edited to add: Thanks to all who wrote in. I expanded my intended list of 10 "freebie" readers to 15, but I'd like to stop there for the moment and collect some initial reactions.]
Many years ago, in the summer of 1984, I took a five-week trip to Europe that changed my life. A five-year relationship had just broken up in a truly lousy way; I was wild, angry, and filled with blues. I ended up packing a few harmonicas and playing with various guitar players on the streets of Paris, Avignon, and the French Riviera. There were many adventures.
When I came home, I sat down and wrote a 450-page novel in 14 weeks. Jack Kerouac was my model. It wasn't a very good novel, because I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. But sometimes the energy released by such foolish, ambitious things have long-term ramifications.
I ended up spending most of the next ten years writing, rewriting, throwing out, and freshly drafting a half dozen different version of my European summer road novel. After about seven years, I finally found my voice--or what seemed like my voice--and things moved quickly once again. During all that time, of course, I was working the streets, first of Europe (1986), then of Harlem (1986-1991). I had additional adventures that found their way into the mix.
I finished it in 1994 and put it on the shelf for fifteen years. A couple of weeks ago I took it down off the shelf. The first two chapters needed some tweaking, but the rest of it, surprisingly, looked just right to me.
My literary agent read an earlier version of this novel--or claimed she read it--just after Mister Satan's Apprentice came out. It didn't work for her.
Anyway, it's now officially done. No more rewrites are needed. It's ready to go. 53,000 words; 170 quick pages. I'm not sure what to do with it, frankly. I'm looking for a publisher. But I'm also thinking about making it available, for a modest price, via Tradebit.
Before I do that, I'm making a special and strictly limited-time offer to people here at the blues harp forum.
If you're interested in downloading it for FREE, please email me. I will send a download link to the first TEN people who email me at asgussow@aol.com
Then I'll delete the link and decide what to do with the thing.
I have only one request: if you email me, please be willing to set aside some time and actually read the thing. And please be willing to give me some feedback. I would prefer private feedback, not feedback on the board, but really I'm OK with either one. If you don't like it--if you hate it--I need to know that, and I'd like to know what you dislike about it. My feelings won't be hurt. It's a novel that a guy fifteen to twenty years younger than me wrote. I like it, but all writers, especialy bad ones, like their own work.
If you like the thing, I'd like to know that, too.
Really I'm just interested in giving the novel a very limited test flight. There's a lot of harmonica playing in it, so this board is a natural test audience.
Anyway, email me if you're interested in a free novel.
Last Edited by on Jan 16, 2009 8:16 AM
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oldwailer
448 posts
Jan 15, 2009
8:50 PM
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Very Cool--I already sent an email--trying to make the cut here. . .
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SilasJackson
32 posts
Jan 15, 2009
8:53 PM
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Adam,
I am interested in the novel, and I have the time to read it. I just sent you an e-mail and explained some of the reasons for the available time. I think we are about the same age, so I think I'll get your drift. I think the forum is great, and I have been posting my butt off. I am really new at this, but I am having a great time. And this is the most important thing to me--to have fun.
Thanks, Adam
SJ
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Thunderfromheaven
7 posts
Jan 15, 2009
9:37 PM
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I would love to read it please send the link
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Blackbird
26 posts
Jan 15, 2009
11:09 PM
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Adam, I've sent an email to you. I'm interested in reading your novel and giving you feedback.
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Andrew
75 posts
Jan 16, 2009
12:59 AM
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Well, no offence Adam, but (concerning beat literature) I had my fill of Henry Miller 20 years ago, and I hated Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas when I read it last year, but best wishes for your literary career and I will read all your books one day! Travelogues are kind of my cup of tea, generally, but I've never read Kerouac. Besides, I can't read novels on screen.
Last Edited by on Jan 16, 2009 1:03 AM
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kudzurunner
250 posts
Jan 16, 2009
4:08 AM
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Thanks to all who wrote in. I expanded my freebie list from 10 to 14, but that's it. I look forward to the feedback.
As for novels on screen: I can't read them that way, either. I wrote it on a typewriter. But when I finally dumped it all into a computer, back in 1991, the editing process speeded up immeasurably.
I hope those who receive it are able to print it out. Much easier to read that way, I think. But I'm old school.
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oda
7 posts
Jan 16, 2009
6:12 AM
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Sent you an email, hope I made it in time...
Don't you guys have PDA's or POCKET PC's or PALM's? get with the times, man. I have a pocket pc with a beautiful VGA screen. I read everything on it. It can pretty much do anything a computer does, except somewhat slower, and in the size of your hand!
The one I have is: Axim X51V check it out if you like that sort of thing :)
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CarolynViolin
21 posts
Jan 16, 2009
6:39 AM
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Hi Adam,
Your book sounds fabulous! I just sent you an email. I hope I got in on time.
Carolyn
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Tuckster
81 posts
Jan 16, 2009
6:44 AM
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Yes,I sent you an e-mail,too. Hope I made it.
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Andrew
76 posts
Jan 16, 2009
7:19 AM
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Adam writes:
"But when I finally dumped it all into a computer, back in 1991, the editing process speeded up immeasurably."
Well, in 1999 I embarked on a part-time Classics degree then I did a year's postgrad after that before calling it a day and I cannot imagine how nasty it was writing an essay before word-processing was invented! Also, I wish I'd known about digital recorders because some of the lecturers were great speakers and I got down most of what they said longhand, but I could have used a recorder!
Last Edited by on Jan 16, 2009 7:19 AM
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Miles Dewar
148 posts
Jan 16, 2009
5:59 PM
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I sent an email adam, hopefully i can read it.
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---Be Positive---
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