Joe Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 (edited) 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 Awesome news Joe! I know how long you have been working on this and in fact have long ago had a peek. Congrats and job well done! I want to buy a copy so please be sure to let us know how and where. And don't be shy or embarassed, this is an achievement to be very proud of. Edited September 30, 2014 by jazzbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 ... this is an achievement to be very proud of. Exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Yes, congrats - sure would like to read this. Keep us informed when it's ready for purhcase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Thanks all, and deeply. I will be happy to send updates as we get closer to November 1. You can find the book on Goodreads, if you use that service: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22886178-crepuscule-w-nellie. Copies will be available directly from the publisher as well as (ulp!) Amazon. I am also working directly with independent bookstores whenever and wherever possible. I will try and maintain a list of where the book should be available for purchase on my website. Best, JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Very much looking forward to reading this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Me too. Is it unfair to compare the concept to "The Bear Comes Home"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted September 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 (edited) Me too. Is it unfair to compare the concept to "The Bear Comes Home"? I might liken it more to Geoff Dyer's BUT BEAUTIFUL* because of some shared premises (real musicians, real occurrences), but I'd like to think that this book has more Zabor-like than Dyer-like moments. For sure. It's just not fabulist in the way that THE BEAR COMES HOME is. * A book that was published a couple of years after I began my working on this in earnest and very nearly caused so much agony / agonizing that I abandoned my project (for the first time... but that its own long story). Edited October 22, 2014 by Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted September 30, 2014 Report Share Posted September 30, 2014 Don't know Dyer's work but Rafi has been a friend since '74. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifford_thornton Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Congrats Joe! Look forward to reading this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted October 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 (edited) Greetings all. Jaded Ibis is now accepting pre-orders of this title. As with any direct purchase from the small (boutique?) record label of your choice, so too with small publishers. The price of the book has gone up a bit more than is ideal (long story there), and I will probably be selling copies myself in the near future. Either way, any support you choose to lend is greatly appreciated. http://bit.ly/1rT6Kxn Thanks; best, JM Edited October 30, 2014 by Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Looks awesome Joe! How exciting! Ordered a copy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted October 18, 2014 Report Share Posted October 18, 2014 Let us know as soon as you have copies for sale. I'm the only one I know of who doesn't appreciate "But Beautiful" but I really liked "The Bear Comes Home". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 The book looks much better than the couch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 The book looks much better than the couch. Hey, we love our Dick Van Dyke couch! Seriously, we're working on getting it recovered... have the fabric, just need a good upholsterer... recommendations in the DFW area welcome... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjazzg Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Looking forward to reading this. Any European distribution in the pipeline? I suspect not but no harm is asking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Looking forward to reading this. Any European distribution in the pipeline? I suspect not but no harm is asking I really, really, really want a European audience to have ready access to this book. Alas, Jaded Ibis has no European distributor of which I am aware. The book will be carried by Amazon (after November 1), and I believe that includes the co.uk, .fr etc. Amazon domains. I will coonfirm this, however, and report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Hey, we love our Dick Van Dyke couch! Seriously, we're working on getting it recovered... have the fabric, just need a good upholsterer... recommendations in the DFW area welcome... OMG, I was watching some DVD last night, saw the sofa, and said to myself, hey, wait a second....and here we have confirmation. We had a sofa reupholstered about a decade ago by Childress Fabrics in Frisco and were/have been well-pleased by the results. But the online reviews are terrible, and it was a decade ago. They've been in business since 1958)?, so maybe a new generation has taken over and is not handling their business. We've had other furniture repair done by our local Furniture Medic and have been extremely pleased. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Furniture+Medic/@33.063035,-96.792787,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xd54fc9785c3fbb66 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 We use bonfires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted October 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Hey, we love our Dick Van Dyke couch! Seriously, we're working on getting it recovered... have the fabric, just need a good upholsterer... recommendations in the DFW area welcome... OMG, I was watching some DVD last night, saw the sofa, and said to myself, hey, wait a second....and here we have confirmation. We had a sofa reupholstered about a decade ago by Childress Fabrics in Frisco and were/have been well-pleased by the results. But the online reviews are terrible, and it was a decade ago. They've been in business since 1958)?, so maybe a new generation has taken over and is not handling their business. We've had other furniture repair done by our local Furniture Medic and have been extremely pleased. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Furniture+Medic/@33.063035,-96.792787,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0xd54fc9785c3fbb66 Oh yeah! He had a guy we liked but he "disappeared." (You know what I mean.) I trust open flame was not involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted October 19, 2014 Report Share Posted October 19, 2014 Childress of Medic? When we've used the local Medic, it's been a husband/wife duo operating out of their house, so I assume Childress? I do know what you mean. All kinds of people disappear around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted October 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2014 Friends: Amazon links, for those so inclined. North America: http://smile.amazon.com/Crepuscule-Nellie-novel-RECURRENT-Volume/dp/1937543609/ UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crepuscule-Nellie-RECURRENT-Joe-Milazzo/dp/1937543609/ France (and other parts of Europe?): http://www.amazon.fr/Crepuscule-Nellie-RECURRENT-Joe-Milazzo/dp/1937543609/ Germany: http://www.amazon.de/Crepuscule-Nellie-RECURRENT-Joe-Milazzo/dp/1937543609/ Thanks again for your interest and support, JM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejp626 Posted October 31, 2014 Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 Congratulations. I am not familiar with the book Chuck was referring to, but there are a handful of novels about real-life individuals where it is clear it is a work of fiction, i.e. somewhat metafiction. I've just started Leonid Tsypkin's Summer in Baden Baden which is a recreation of Dostoevsky's time in Germany (still in the thrall of his gambling addiction) and his last days, combined with Tsypkin's own visit to the Dostoevsky Museum. I'm sure it's not exactly the effect you were going for, but there might be parallels. Hopefully, someday I will be able to read both and compare the two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted October 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2014 Thanks. Vis-a-vis "novels about real people that are clearly novels," this book provided some encouragement, if not direct inspiration. http://www.amazon.com/Ingrid-Caven-Novel-Jean-Jacques-Schuhl/dp/0872864278/ I am hoping to have reviews to share with you all soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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