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Greetings all. I've been hesitant to publicize the following, and for a true bunch of complicated (and probably over-thought as well as overwrought) reasons. But having reminded myself recently of the generosity of the community here, and of the fact that I've now been able to call myself your neighbor, at least in a virtual sense, for over 15 years (!), I finally feel comfortable with this news with you. On November 1, Jaded Ibis Press will be publishing my debut novel, Crepuscule W/ Nellie. As you might imagine from its title, the novel does in fact have much to do with Thelonious Monk. I.e., the novel's narrative's circulate around him and his cabaret card-less years in the 50s, but, in more importantly, the novel is only about Monk inasmuch as he was a presence in the life of two fascinating women: his wife Nellie, and his patron / confidante the Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter. You can learn more about the novel, read some rather embarrassingly approbative blurbs for it, and find links to excerpts from the book at my personal website here: http://www.slowstudies.net/jmilazzo/crepuscule-w-nellie/. Crepuscule W/ Nellie is not historical fiction in the conventional sense of the term. However, it is novel that knows it is work of fiction and never pretends to be anything other than that. Much in the book is imagined (the origins of its composition predating Robin D.G. Kelley's scholarship); perhaps it can be described as a kind of improvisation on the speculations, rumors and myths that have hovered around these three figures. It is therefore a book that, because it is rather concerned with notions of truth and authenticity (among other themes) is often loose in its accuracy. I.e., if you don't want to read something that ignores, fuzzies up and / or flat contradicts known facts about Monk's life, this may not be a book that rewards your attentions. Now that I've issued those caveat emptors... my publisher has provided me with a PDF of the advance reader's copy (ARC) of the novel, and I would be happy to make that file available to any Organissimo member interested in poring over one. If so, please just PM me. I'm less concerned with sales than with having readers, and I can't think of readership I respect more than this board. Thanks all for putting up with this pitch. Best, JM