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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 82.38.75.85
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 11:48 am:   

Des may not be around this board any more, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about him as far as I'm concerned! I've just pre-ordered a copy of his novella "Weirdtongue" from here:

http://www.inkermenpress.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypa ge.tpl&product_id=27&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4&vmcchk=1&Itemi d=4

Looking forward to it!

I also see from Des' blog that the Ex Occidente Press guy has said that "The Last Balcony" is definitely on for publication. I was a bit worried about this as I'd seen on the BFS board more unrest about that publisher (apparently, Quentin Crisp has severed his ties with them). So I hope "The Last Balcony" does see the light of day soon. I've been wanting to see another collection of wonderful DFL shorts for a long, long time.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.55
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 02:04 pm:   

I found I have one of his short stories in my copy of darklands 2 the other day. I'm sorry to say but I wasn't all that impressed. It really did nothing for me.
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Mick Curtis (Mick)
Username: Mick

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.106.220.19
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 02:17 pm:   

Why has Des disapeared from the board? And Facebook too, it seems...
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Joel (Joel)
Username: Joel

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 217.37.199.45
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 02:20 pm:   

Weber, I love that story – especially the last line.
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.55
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 02:51 pm:   

It just seemed a bit far too random for my taste.

I really liked your story in that collection though - "Waiting for a Train"
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Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 81.96.253.77
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 02:55 pm:   

Weber - Des'stories all have that random feel. There's a lot of them I don't even understand, but I suppose that's the point. It put me off his stuff for years, though. There's an excellent - and very focused - DL story in the recent Where the Heart Is anthology.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 82.38.75.85
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 03:35 pm:   

Mick - I'm afraid there was a bit of a "bust-up" here on the RCMB which Des got caught up in. He decided to take his leave of all message boards for a while - I don't know how long "a while" will be though. I hope it isn't too long as I miss his wit and wisdom here and elsewhere.

Yes, Des' stories all have that "random" feel - some more random than others. I don't know the precise story you're referring to Weber - what's the title as I might know it? I must admit that some of Des' stories are too random, even for me! But for the most part I love that descent into otherworldly strangeness which often occurs in his stories.

Funnily enough, I was just revisiting one the other day - "Digory Smalls". I'd first read it in "Weirdmonger" but I've recently acquired a copy of the issue of Dagon in which it originally appeared. It's quite brilliant - told in such a matter-of-fact, everyday fashion that you really believe in the hideous characters portrayed within it.

Des has done many absolutely amazing stories - but, I agree, there are others which leave you scratching your head thinking "eh?". I guess that's part of the appeal really.

If the Weirdmonger Wheel was still intact I'd advise you to go away and play on that a little, Weber, to find some of Des' stories you really enjoy. But, sadly, the Wheel is no more. Try getting hold of a copy of "Weirdmonger" perhaps? But I'm not letting go of my copy - that's one of my most loved books!
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Weber (Weber_gregston)
Username: Weber_gregston

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 194.176.105.55
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 03:45 pm:   

It was something about baldness and bad dreams.
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Zed (Gary_mc)
Username: Gary_mc

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 81.96.253.77
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 03:48 pm:   

That's a good one. Isn't it called "Clad Bone", or something? It was the first of Des's stories I remember liking.
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Degsy (Degsy)
Username: Degsy

Registered: 08-2010
Posted From: 86.134.93.9
Posted on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 10:04 pm:   

I'll second Zed and recommend reading 'So' from 'Where the Heart Is'.

It's an evocative and wistful tale - much more accessible to the general reader than some of Des's more avant-garde productions.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.171.167.169
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 02:31 pm:   

Weirdtongue speaks in such weird tongues nobody reads it.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Monday, December 20, 2010 - 06:00 pm:   

I've read it, Des - and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I confess I haven't finished Agra Aska yet, nor started on Strollers or The Visitor. I have to admit, Reggie Oliver took precedence when I got a copy of Masques of Satan. Then, other more mundane "daily life" type things happened, and I haven't got back to any further reading at all for a couple of weeks ...
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.143.98.68
Posted on Friday, January 07, 2011 - 12:39 pm:   

Thanks Caroline.

Some may be interested to know that I've started a dedicated website for the WEIRDTONGUE book (InkerMen Press).
http://weirdtongue.wordpress.com/

Other than you, nobody seems to have read it. :-)
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Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer)
Username: Matthew_fryer

Registered: 08-2009
Posted From: 90.195.182.42
Posted on Saturday, January 08, 2011 - 02:53 pm:   

I'm going to push to this to the top of TBR pile.
I'd kinda put off reading it, because I was afraid it would be over my head.
But I concur that the story in "Where The Heart Is" is excellent.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.143.98.68
Posted on Saturday, January 08, 2011 - 03:54 pm:   

Thanks, Matthew.
It is a book that eventually turns its words and ideas into Weirdtongue within readers' minds - and it has yet to be proved whether anyone beyond a select chosen few will want to finish reading it, let alone to review it.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.143.98.68
Posted on Saturday, January 08, 2011 - 04:13 pm:   

Of course, having written it, I'm so deep into Weirdtongue, it may have affected my judgement retrocausally upon it. It remains to be seen.
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Saturday, January 08, 2011 - 05:35 pm:   

I found it quite easy to finish. In fact, it was one of those books which I had difficulty putting down - I just had to get to the end to try to figure out what was going on, and having got to the end, I wanted to go back again and see if I could see any other things going on (if that makes any sense!). I think it did help already being familiar with some of the characters from Des' other stories, but I don't think it's *essential* to be familiar with the characters.

I wouldn't even attempt to review Weirdtongue though - I just couldn't do it justice. It needs someone with a far more eloquent use of words than me!

Give it a go, Matt - see what you think. If you like clever wordplay, and things which leave you thinking after you've finished reading them, you'll probably enjoy it. It's like some kind of roller-coaster ride through Des' imagination!
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Degsy (Degsy)
Username: Degsy

Registered: 08-2010
Posted From: 86.134.41.189
Posted on Saturday, January 08, 2011 - 10:44 pm:   

Halfway through 'Weirdtongue' from The Inkermen at the moment and I admit that I was eager to see how DFL's style worked in an extended form rather than the discrete interventions that I'm more familiar with (from the likes of 'Weirdmonger').

Some glorious, and curiously profound wordplay (in the footnotes especially, cf. Nabokov's 'Pale Fire')

Not having read the doorstep-sized volume of John Cowper Powys referenced in the surtitle, am I in danger of missing out on any subtle parallelisms?
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.143.98.68
Posted on Sunday, January 09, 2011 - 09:40 am:   

Thanks, Degsy.
I don't think any knowledge of JCP's The Glastonbury Romance is needed, but some knowledge of the Glastonbury Festival is desirable. :-)

My novel 'Nemonymous Night' (100k words) is shortly to be published by Chomu Press. Although not necessary, a limbering up with 'Weirdtongue' would not go amiss. Or amister.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.143.98.68
Posted on Sunday, January 09, 2011 - 04:41 pm:   

PS: There is now a link on the new WEIRDTONGUE website that gives you a reading-aloud by me of the first few pages.
des
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Sunday, January 09, 2011 - 07:59 pm:   

>>My novel 'Nemonymous Night' (100k words) is shortly to be published by Chomu Press. Although not necessary, a limbering up with 'Weirdtongue' would not go amiss.<<

In that case, Des, I'm all limbered up and raring to go!

Hey, you kept this one quiet - I only spotted it by accident. I've got it on order now:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/numbskull-and-others/13574456?productTrack ingContext=author_spotlight_83213552_
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.169.219.237
Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 11:08 pm:   

Thanks, Caroline.

Meanwhile, WEIRDTONGUE has been out a while and has not had a single standalone review. :-(
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Mbfg (Mbfg)
Username: Mbfg

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 212.219.63.204
Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 09:11 am:   

I will remedy that and purchase a copy forthwith and put it in the Exaggerated Website review pile. Hope that turns the blue man yellow Des.

Cheers
Terry
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.169.219.237
Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 09:24 am:   

Thanks, Ierry, you're a chum.

It was just that I buy many books to review, myself, but when I get a book published myself some months ago ... I didn't necessarily expect anything, but I hoped.

I don't mind if they're bad reviews. :-)
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.169.219.237
Posted on Friday, January 28, 2011 - 06:11 pm:   

On the other hand, I ought to make it clear that I think the publisher has presented my novella - as a book - very well. I haven't wanted to push it too far myself as a pimping process, as people get fed up with authorial publicity. The book will shine through eventually... but only if it is destined to do so. :-)
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Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker)
Username: Stephen_theaker

Registered: 12-2009
Posted From: 62.30.117.235
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 09:54 am:   

It doesn't look like the BFS has had a copy for review, so that might be worth exploring.

I'm always happy to get books for review in TQF, too, though to be honest our received to reviewed ratio is getting worse by the day... If your publisher does want to send me a pdf, the email address is theakers at silveragebooks.com.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.169.219.237
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 11:39 am:   

I don't really believe in review copies.
I buy as a normal paying customer - or (rarely) exchange books for - other authors' books to real-time review.
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Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker)
Username: Stephen_theaker

Registered: 12-2009
Posted From: 62.30.117.235
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 06:16 pm:   

That would go some way to explaining the lack of reviews...
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Gary Fry (Gary_fry)
Username: Gary_fry

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 82.31.7.247
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 06:54 pm:   

In fairness to Des, he's been a real trooper these last few years with his real-time reviews and if anyone should be made an exception for, it's undoubtedly him. I'm not a reviewer, and I grit my teeth in saying that lately I've been far too busy to read for pleasure let alone analysis, so am just sad I haven't been able to oblige.
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Gary Fry (Gary_fry)
Username: Gary_fry

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 82.31.7.247
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 06:55 pm:   

I started a novel two weeks ago and am still on page 146.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.169.219.237
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 07:17 pm:   

I blame myself completely. The publisher - who did a brilliant job on this book - is probably not au fait with the'world' within which my name normally circulates. It's down to me.

(Thanks, Gary). :-)
des
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.169.219.237
Posted on Sunday, January 30, 2011 - 07:28 pm:   

(continuing) I expected a review from Stephen King, at least.

In some seriousness, I think it's a useful and fulfilling exercise to buy a book by a colleague and review it publicly in a standalone fashion, whoever you are.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 81.131.174.204
Posted on Friday, February 18, 2011 - 09:29 pm:   

I think this is the world's first ever review of WEIRDTONGUE:

http://blackabyss.co.uk/2011/02/weirdtongue-by-d-f-lewis/
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Sunday, February 20, 2011 - 09:06 pm:   

Nice review, Des! It is a very difficult book to review - I couldn't have even attempted it. But it is a wonderful roller-coaster ride of a read.
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Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer)
Username: Matthew_fryer

Registered: 08-2009
Posted From: 90.195.182.189
Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2011 - 11:38 pm:   

I just finished this, and it was a very immersive experience.
I'm going to attempt to review it.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.59.122
Posted on Wednesday, April 06, 2011 - 06:12 pm:   

Thanks for trying, Matthew... :-)
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.236.228
Posted on Thursday, April 14, 2011 - 09:08 am:   

Thanks, so much, Matthew. Just spotted it:
http://matthewfryer.com/2011/04/13/weirdtongue-a-glistenberry-romance-by-d-f-lew is/
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Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer)
Username: Matthew_fryer

Registered: 08-2009
Posted From: 90.195.182.189
Posted on Saturday, April 16, 2011 - 11:34 am:   

You're welcome, Des. The prospect of reviewing it turned out to be much more sobering than the reality, which was rather fun.
My brain rumbles like an empty stomach in anticipation of "Nemonymous Night".
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.236.228
Posted on Friday, April 22, 2011 - 10:44 am:   

Weirdtongue bitingly deconstructed: http://theakersquarterly.blogspot.com/2011/04/weirdtongue-by-df-lewis-reviewed.h tml
A refresh view of the book that contrasts with the previous review.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.237.148
Posted on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 - 04:34 pm:   

wrtog

Having now recovered from the incident in the previous post, let me show you (at the link below) how the building on the cover of 'Weirdtongue' has developed over the last five years. This is amazing stuff, I think you'll find:
http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/clacton-pavilion-over-the-last-five-years/
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.237.148
Posted on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 - 07:19 pm:   

I can't believe anyone can believe this:
http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2011/05/18/clacton-pavilion-over-the-last-fi ve-years/
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.237.148
Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011 - 05:57 pm:   

Altered some of the images (their order or inclusion or exclusion).
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.158.237.148
Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011 - 06:05 pm:   

Actually this is retrocausality in action!
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Carolinec (Carolinec)
Username: Carolinec

Registered: 06-2009
Posted From: 92.232.199.129
Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011 - 06:13 pm:   

Looks like they've done a good job with it - not altered it beyond recognition as most councils tend to do nowadays (they do here in Bradford anyway). Personally, I love old buildings - and if they're old and crumbling, that's even better.

Did they knock it all down and start again, Des, or is it the old building rennovated? D'you know, I've never been to Clacton. Looks like it's got character. It's a long time since I've been to the seaside ...
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Tony (Tony)
Username: Tony

Registered: 03-2008
Posted From: 81.132.93.209
Posted on Thursday, May 19, 2011 - 06:15 pm:   

Ugh - the other night I had a dream I was racing my kids down to the basement floor of a department store. I took the lift and they went on foot down the stairs. When I got to the floor my feet were ankle deep in water and it was dark, the ceiling an odd affair that was sort of an inch or two above me and bellied. It was utterly horrible and did not look at all in the same condition as the rest of the building. I had no idea where the kids were.
In fact last week I had a smiliar experience - I went in a department store with this chap in a wheelchair. He had to use the loo, and we had to cut through a nice-ish cafe to get to it. Well the corridor was very shabby compared with the rest of it and was actually still part of the cafe, and the disabled loo, once inside, was a room within a room that I couldn't understand. Both events were very dreamlike, the 'real' one perhaps more than the other.
I hate seeing improvement work being done. It gives me the willies, shows up the horrible age of the original.
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.168.20.75
Posted on Sunday, July 03, 2011 - 06:08 pm:   

I thought this InkerMen Press book is going slower than I would have liked so I have rejigged my own website for it:
http://weirdtongue.wordpress.com/
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.165.37.175
Posted on Thursday, August 25, 2011 - 05:43 pm:   

A new review from Grim Blogger:
http://grimreviews.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-weirdtongue-by-df-lewis.html
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.165.37.175
Posted on Friday, August 26, 2011 - 01:48 pm:   

Nomophobia - the fear of losing one's mobile phone. Is that a word you've used before?
Just noticed that the Grim Reviews review of 'Weirdtongue' mentions this word (not a word it got from my book).
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Des (Des)
Username: Des

Registered: 09-2010
Posted From: 86.130.100.94
Posted on Monday, February 11, 2013 - 09:30 am:   

Some amazing potential synchronicities with the latest news regarding the meat trade and Romania:
http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/weirdtongue-and-the-latest-meat-n ews/

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