Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The Love Hotel Poems
I am pleased to announce the publication of my Love Hotel Poems series as a limited edition artist book available from Press Lorentz in Chicago. Included bound into this volume is also the work of Chicago book artist Ray Martin.
Signed books may be purchased directly from me for $12 (plus shipping and handling where applicable).
Alternatively, these books will be available directly from the publisher at the Press Lorentz website and can be purchased with either check or credit card. (The book hasn't yet been added to the website, but you may contact the publisher via the website/email to place an order).
I will fill any orders after October 4, when I return to Texas from the Dodge Festival and New York.
Thanks for reading.
Signed books may be purchased directly from me for $12 (plus shipping and handling where applicable).
Alternatively, these books will be available directly from the publisher at the Press Lorentz website and can be purchased with either check or credit card. (The book hasn't yet been added to the website, but you may contact the publisher via the website/email to place an order).
I will fill any orders after October 4, when I return to Texas from the Dodge Festival and New York.
Thanks for reading.
The Memory of Running
I just finished reading this Ron McLarty novel, so that I could return it to its owner since I've held on to it for about two months. There are some books that I am willing to give a chance, based on the merits of my friends' tastes, and this was probably one of them.
I struggled with the beginning of the book - in the first 50 or so pages, the heavy-drinking, overweight main character Smithy Ides is introduced and the reader witnesses the death of both of his parents from a fatal car wreck. His mentally ill sister is also introduced through flashback scenes, as well as a wheelchair-bound childhood friend/neighbor. So much tragedy and an unusal and accidental hero who I could only initially first feel aversion for. Eventually, Smithy embarks on an amazing journey which takes him on a cross-country bicycle ride from Rhode Island to Los Angeles, California, where he claims the body of his long-dead homeless sister at a Chinese funeral home in Venice Beach.
In the end, reading this book reminded me of David B's memoir Epileptic - the struggle to deal with a sibling inflicted with a physical/mental disorder. But aspects of Smithy's depictions of his family seemed less than credible at moments - the description of his sister's Bethany's voices and frozen "poses," her disappearances and re-emergences - Smithy's ability to sustain that all emotionally seemed at times on the surface. But I don't think this observation has to be a criticism of the book, so much as that Smithy had a very different journey of physical/emotional transformation vs. the artistic total-being transformation that David B undergoes in Epileptic.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Thursday, September 21, 2006
exhale dallas
Kort's new job is as lead acupuncturist at the new exhale spa at the Hotel Palomar which celebrated its grand opening on Monday. I took a Core Fusion class at the spa yesterday night. Core Fusion combines pilates, yoga, weight training, and ballet to build lean muscles using both floor and bar exercises. The hour-long class was a very tough workout - I was shaking most of the time from the amount of strength needed to do most of the exercises and got a very good night's sleep after the session. It's hard to find a workout routine that works, but this one definitely works.
The Lucipo list is being restructured, the Wave poetry bus is critiqued, and Best American Poetry is exposed for what it really is. Too many life-depleting things at one time.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Currently in production... out very soon
This is a mock-up of the concertina-bound structure of Works on Paper. Book boards wrapped in persimmon-dyed paper.
The ampersand won't be an actual part of the cover - it's used here to test beeswax and dye interaction. The colored sections will be a part of the final design.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Elder abuse
With the story about Mary Ellen Bendtsen and 4949 Swiss Ave in Dallas fresh in my mind, I read about 104-year-old Brooke Astor.
More on Tuttle
Pamela Lu has some great observations on the Richard Tuttle show that was in SF before it came to Dallas.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Fred Flare
Fred Flare is sponsoring a poetry writing contest. Details here. Katey Nicosia also sells her piles o' paper thru this web site, which is all about cute design, i.e. these mushroom thumbtacks and paper airplane passport holder.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Girls for Breakfast
From my friend Dave....
Hello All,
I am happy to announce the official launch of the
paperback version of Girls for Breakfast (Laurel Leaf,
$5.99), available in stores Tuesday, September 12,
2006! Actually, I’m probably misusing the word
‘launch’--this isn’t so much a launch as it is me,
standing on a dock by myself after sunset, smashing a
half-empty bottle of Two Buck Chuck against the side
of some stranger’s boat and then running away. As some
of you already know, first novels face a difficult
road to survival, and this novel in particular faces
an even tougher road ahead because it doesn’t bear the
current hallmarks of popular YA/adult fiction. This
novel isn’t about four friends (which seems to be
turning into a rule as of late), there are no wizards
in this novel (although there is a fair amount of
whizzing), no teen vampires (there is, however,
mention of a “lady of the night”), and most
unfortunately, this novel doesn’t have the luxury of
having been carefully formulated (as opposed to
written) by a team of 40-year-old execs sitting around
a mahogany table in some boardroom in Manhattan,
brainstorming on a dry erase board about what teen
girls like to read. Because of this, the novel depends
almost solely on word-of-mouth in order to find an
audience, which is why I am writing you today. If you
are receiving this email, it means that I truly
consider you one of the following:
-a dear, dear friend
-someone I secretly admire from afar
-rich
What I’m talking about is the very livelihood of a
little book that touched your hearts last year, each
and every one of you. Do you remember her? Try to
picture the paperback version of this novel as a
little child, in a war-torn country, and she needs
just $5.99 to survive another week in the refugee
camp. And maybe, just maybe, if you buy not one but,
say, four copies of the paperback, it’ll guarantee
that she lives to see a, er, second printing. That’s
what is at stake here. This isn’t about me, anymore,
is what I’m saying. This is about the book. And what
this little girl, er, book, needs right now is your
support, and so I ask that you help me spread word of
its existence.
Right now, in fact. This’ll only take a moment. I want
you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of
your computer chairs. I want you to get up right now
and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out
and yell, “I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to
take this anymore!! People of (name of your city), go
out and buy a paperback copy of David Yoo’s wonderful
debut novel, Girls for Breakfast, available in
bookstores and online as of September 12, 2006!”
That’s all I ask.
That said, I’m thrilled to inform you that the
paperback version is, in all honesty, far superior to
the original hardcover, for several reasons. I know
what you’re thinking: “Dave, that’s impossible! You’ve
always been a liar…” But it’s true, I swear, on my
bully from high school’s grave. Here are the 5 main
improvements that have been made:
1.) Transportability: Many of you complained last year
that the reason you didn’t buy my novel was you “never
buy hardcovers” because they’re so bulky, because they
have the ability to maim. To which I replied under my
breath, “Well, I don’t like some of my friends because
they’re bulky, and I think they should be maimed.” I
feel we’ve both grown up a lot in the last year, and I
honestly believe we’re past that, and I’m psyched to
inform you that, as a mass market paperback, this
novel is now back to its birth weight, and shows up to
the weigh-in at a svelte 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches,
making it small enough to fit handily in most purses,
laptop bags, and if you’re overseas—fanny packs.
2.) Affordability: At the implausibly low price of
$5.99, the paperback version is now officially cheaper
then, well, just about everything. Don’t even try to
tell me, “But Dave, I don’t have six bucks to blow on
a book,” because I’ll immediately reply, “But it’s
less then six bucks.” There’s a reason I got kicked
out of mock trial by Mr. Czepiel senior year of high
school: when it comes to debating, I can be downright
ruthless.
3.) Altruism: I didn’t want to have to mention this,
and frankly, I don’t even know if this is real or
fake, but on the off chance that this turns out to be
authentic I feel obligated to bring this up: several
weeks ago I received an anonymous, scarily credible
letter in the mail that stated that if x-amount of
paperback copies don’t get sold by a certain date, all
the animal shelters in this country will…explode.
4.) Numerology: I don’t know if you believe in this
stuff (I for one make even the most basic decisions,
usually involving socks, using numerology) but
irregardless, I just ask that you keep an open mind
for a moment and consider the following example of
what numerologists refer to as ‘digit summing’:
Price of paperback copy of Girls for Breakfast: $5.99
Add up the principles: 5 + 9 + 9 = 23
Subtract 1st principle from total: 23 – 5 = 18
Subtract 2nd principle from revised total: 18 - 9 = 9
Subtract 3rd principle from revised total: 9 - 9 =
Answer: 0
Go ahead, check the math, I haven’t…
5.) Readability: Lastly, and most importantly, the
actual text of the novel has been revised. While the
following is commonly known within publishing circles,
most gap-toothed laymen don’t realize that pretty much
all published novels contain several mistakes. Given
the number of times the author and editor rake over
the material, let alone the existence of copyeditors
(or what people in the industry refer to as
“Godsbane”) you’d think all errors would be found
prior to going to print. Incomprehensibly, you’d be
dead wrong, and my novel is no exception, but we’ve
worked really hard on fixing the text, and I’m proud
to say that, as a result, the new paperback version of
Girls for Breakfast is cleaner, sleeker, well oiled,
and overall just a much better ride then before. Which
leads me to the biggest news of all--I am happy to
announce the opening of:
The 2006 Girls for Breakfast Paperback Contest!
I’ve noticed in the past year that many authors seem
to have contests and various interactive things that
they do that readers seem to eat up, so I figured I’d
join the fray. I invite you and anyone you know to
participate in this inaugural contest. The objective
is mind-bogglingly easy: simply find 5 changes that
have been made to the text of the paperback version
(by comparing the paperback to the hardcover version)
and you win! What’ll they win, me? Well, if you
correctly find 5 edits that have been made to the
text, contact me and you will win:
1.) A signed copy of the paperback version (by the
author himself)
2.) A free year’s membership to the author’s official
fan club, Davey’s Palz!
3.) And while supplies last, this lovely fountain pen:
This contest will run through December 15, 2006.
Spread the word, this contest is open to just about
anyone (see restrictions below) and remember the final
words of Pliny, “Ya can’t play if you don’t pay.”
Rules and Regulations:
1.) If you think you are a winner, please send your
answers along with a SASE to the author’s publisher in
order to receive a signed copy of the paperback
version of Girls for Breakfast. Pending approval,
please allow 18-21 weeks for delivery.
2.) Do not taunt happy fun ball.
3.) Employees and any family members of employees at
Random House, as well as its subsidiary, Halliburton,
are barred from participating in this contest.
4.) Also barred from participating, people from the
following states: North Dakota.
Girls for Breakfast is finally here today, September
12, 2006, available in stores and at various on-line
outlets, as well as mentally, if you’re one of those
people. For more info, visit www.girlsforbreakfast.com
or www.daveyoo.com . Thank you for your time, and have
a great day.
I love you.
Sincerely,
David Yoo
GIRLS FOR BREAKFAST
Delacorte Press/Laurel Leaf Books
Paperback isbn: 0-440-23883-8
2005 Booksense Pick
2005 Reading Rants Top 10 Books for Teens
2006 NYPL Books for the Teen Age
-----------------
David Yoo
Author of
GIRLS FOR BREAKFAST
"This edgy and wickedly hilarious tale..."
-School Library Journal
"Instinctively funny."
-Austin American Statesman
Visit http://www.daveyoo.com or www.girlsforbreakfast.com for more information.
Hello All,
I am happy to announce the official launch of the
paperback version of Girls for Breakfast (Laurel Leaf,
$5.99), available in stores Tuesday, September 12,
2006! Actually, I’m probably misusing the word
‘launch’--this isn’t so much a launch as it is me,
standing on a dock by myself after sunset, smashing a
half-empty bottle of Two Buck Chuck against the side
of some stranger’s boat and then running away. As some
of you already know, first novels face a difficult
road to survival, and this novel in particular faces
an even tougher road ahead because it doesn’t bear the
current hallmarks of popular YA/adult fiction. This
novel isn’t about four friends (which seems to be
turning into a rule as of late), there are no wizards
in this novel (although there is a fair amount of
whizzing), no teen vampires (there is, however,
mention of a “lady of the night”), and most
unfortunately, this novel doesn’t have the luxury of
having been carefully formulated (as opposed to
written) by a team of 40-year-old execs sitting around
a mahogany table in some boardroom in Manhattan,
brainstorming on a dry erase board about what teen
girls like to read. Because of this, the novel depends
almost solely on word-of-mouth in order to find an
audience, which is why I am writing you today. If you
are receiving this email, it means that I truly
consider you one of the following:
-a dear, dear friend
-someone I secretly admire from afar
-rich
What I’m talking about is the very livelihood of a
little book that touched your hearts last year, each
and every one of you. Do you remember her? Try to
picture the paperback version of this novel as a
little child, in a war-torn country, and she needs
just $5.99 to survive another week in the refugee
camp. And maybe, just maybe, if you buy not one but,
say, four copies of the paperback, it’ll guarantee
that she lives to see a, er, second printing. That’s
what is at stake here. This isn’t about me, anymore,
is what I’m saying. This is about the book. And what
this little girl, er, book, needs right now is your
support, and so I ask that you help me spread word of
its existence.
Right now, in fact. This’ll only take a moment. I want
you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of
your computer chairs. I want you to get up right now
and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out
and yell, “I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to
take this anymore!! People of (name of your city), go
out and buy a paperback copy of David Yoo’s wonderful
debut novel, Girls for Breakfast, available in
bookstores and online as of September 12, 2006!”
That’s all I ask.
That said, I’m thrilled to inform you that the
paperback version is, in all honesty, far superior to
the original hardcover, for several reasons. I know
what you’re thinking: “Dave, that’s impossible! You’ve
always been a liar…” But it’s true, I swear, on my
bully from high school’s grave. Here are the 5 main
improvements that have been made:
1.) Transportability: Many of you complained last year
that the reason you didn’t buy my novel was you “never
buy hardcovers” because they’re so bulky, because they
have the ability to maim. To which I replied under my
breath, “Well, I don’t like some of my friends because
they’re bulky, and I think they should be maimed.” I
feel we’ve both grown up a lot in the last year, and I
honestly believe we’re past that, and I’m psyched to
inform you that, as a mass market paperback, this
novel is now back to its birth weight, and shows up to
the weigh-in at a svelte 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.8 inches,
making it small enough to fit handily in most purses,
laptop bags, and if you’re overseas—fanny packs.
2.) Affordability: At the implausibly low price of
$5.99, the paperback version is now officially cheaper
then, well, just about everything. Don’t even try to
tell me, “But Dave, I don’t have six bucks to blow on
a book,” because I’ll immediately reply, “But it’s
less then six bucks.” There’s a reason I got kicked
out of mock trial by Mr. Czepiel senior year of high
school: when it comes to debating, I can be downright
ruthless.
3.) Altruism: I didn’t want to have to mention this,
and frankly, I don’t even know if this is real or
fake, but on the off chance that this turns out to be
authentic I feel obligated to bring this up: several
weeks ago I received an anonymous, scarily credible
letter in the mail that stated that if x-amount of
paperback copies don’t get sold by a certain date, all
the animal shelters in this country will…explode.
4.) Numerology: I don’t know if you believe in this
stuff (I for one make even the most basic decisions,
usually involving socks, using numerology) but
irregardless, I just ask that you keep an open mind
for a moment and consider the following example of
what numerologists refer to as ‘digit summing’:
Price of paperback copy of Girls for Breakfast: $5.99
Add up the principles: 5 + 9 + 9 = 23
Subtract 1st principle from total: 23 – 5 = 18
Subtract 2nd principle from revised total: 18 - 9 = 9
Subtract 3rd principle from revised total: 9 - 9 =
Answer: 0
Go ahead, check the math, I haven’t…
5.) Readability: Lastly, and most importantly, the
actual text of the novel has been revised. While the
following is commonly known within publishing circles,
most gap-toothed laymen don’t realize that pretty much
all published novels contain several mistakes. Given
the number of times the author and editor rake over
the material, let alone the existence of copyeditors
(or what people in the industry refer to as
“Godsbane”) you’d think all errors would be found
prior to going to print. Incomprehensibly, you’d be
dead wrong, and my novel is no exception, but we’ve
worked really hard on fixing the text, and I’m proud
to say that, as a result, the new paperback version of
Girls for Breakfast is cleaner, sleeker, well oiled,
and overall just a much better ride then before. Which
leads me to the biggest news of all--I am happy to
announce the opening of:
The 2006 Girls for Breakfast Paperback Contest!
I’ve noticed in the past year that many authors seem
to have contests and various interactive things that
they do that readers seem to eat up, so I figured I’d
join the fray. I invite you and anyone you know to
participate in this inaugural contest. The objective
is mind-bogglingly easy: simply find 5 changes that
have been made to the text of the paperback version
(by comparing the paperback to the hardcover version)
and you win! What’ll they win, me? Well, if you
correctly find 5 edits that have been made to the
text, contact me and you will win:
1.) A signed copy of the paperback version (by the
author himself)
2.) A free year’s membership to the author’s official
fan club, Davey’s Palz!
3.) And while supplies last, this lovely fountain pen:
This contest will run through December 15, 2006.
Spread the word, this contest is open to just about
anyone (see restrictions below) and remember the final
words of Pliny, “Ya can’t play if you don’t pay.”
Rules and Regulations:
1.) If you think you are a winner, please send your
answers along with a SASE to the author’s publisher in
order to receive a signed copy of the paperback
version of Girls for Breakfast. Pending approval,
please allow 18-21 weeks for delivery.
2.) Do not taunt happy fun ball.
3.) Employees and any family members of employees at
Random House, as well as its subsidiary, Halliburton,
are barred from participating in this contest.
4.) Also barred from participating, people from the
following states: North Dakota.
Girls for Breakfast is finally here today, September
12, 2006, available in stores and at various on-line
outlets, as well as mentally, if you’re one of those
people. For more info, visit www.girlsforbreakfast.com
or www.daveyoo.com . Thank you for your time, and have
a great day.
I love you.
Sincerely,
David Yoo
GIRLS FOR BREAKFAST
Delacorte Press/Laurel Leaf Books
Paperback isbn: 0-440-23883-8
2005 Booksense Pick
2005 Reading Rants Top 10 Books for Teens
2006 NYPL Books for the Teen Age
-----------------
David Yoo
Author of
GIRLS FOR BREAKFAST
"This edgy and wickedly hilarious tale..."
-School Library Journal
"Instinctively funny."
-Austin American Statesman
Visit http://www.daveyoo.com or www.girlsforbreakfast.com for more information.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Magazine release party
Sojourn Journal celebrates the release of their Fall issue on October 13 with a reading party at UTD's McDermott Library. I have a few photos from my spring Taiwan residency in this issue. Details on the party and the issue to come.
Healthy Living Heaven
Yesterday, Kort and I discovered Herb Mart. If we had known about this little chain of TX herb stores during the our Total Life Cleanse, we would have saved hundred of dollars on vitamins, supplements and natural foods. It's a small shop in a strip mall among several other businesses in Plano, with other locations in Mesquite and Lakewood. It's on the way for us to Whole Foods, about half of the distance from our house. Product prices on Ester C and triphala were more than 50% cheaper than what we would pay at Whole Foods, and all had options of the supplements in easy-to-swallow gel caps. Not only that, the store sells organic meats, wheat-free bread in the freezer case, organic sodas and juices, and beauty and cosmetics products. The staff is knowledgable of the products and the website includes an online store where you can have products shipped to you, wherever you live. If you are into green living, this is the place to shop. The only thing the physical store could not offer was produce - but that's what farmer's markets and food co-ops are for....
Saturday, September 09, 2006
4949 Swiss Avenue
The Dallas Morning News ran a series of stories on the woman who owned the mansion at 4949 Swiss Avenue. It is one of the most severe cases of elder abuse in recent media news - two local antique dealers befriended an elderly socialite in order to get her mansion willed to them. She signed over her belongings to them in a dementia-ridden state post-stroke.
Yesterday, two co-workers and I made the trip to 4949 Swiss Ave. A neighbor of the deceased owner organized the estate sale and my co-workers were curious to see the interior of the home which has all of its original fixtures and was the former home of the Caruths. I snapped some photos while we were there.
The grand staircase; local buyers waiting in line to have their purchases processed.
Books from Mary Ellen's library.
Perfume bottles on Mary Ellen's vanity.
Bureau filled with prescription bottles recycled as storage containers for sewing supplies.
Bamboo grove razed to the ground in the backyard.
Sitting room with chairs and bedpan.
Wallpaper in the master bath
Buyers.
Yesterday, two co-workers and I made the trip to 4949 Swiss Ave. A neighbor of the deceased owner organized the estate sale and my co-workers were curious to see the interior of the home which has all of its original fixtures and was the former home of the Caruths. I snapped some photos while we were there.
The grand staircase; local buyers waiting in line to have their purchases processed.
Books from Mary Ellen's library.
Perfume bottles on Mary Ellen's vanity.
Bureau filled with prescription bottles recycled as storage containers for sewing supplies.
Bamboo grove razed to the ground in the backyard.
Sitting room with chairs and bedpan.
Wallpaper in the master bath
Buyers.
Friday, September 08, 2006
David B's Epileptic
I just finished reading David B's Epileptic. My introduction to graphic novels came by way of Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis series last year. David B's book is about his older brother who develops epilepsy when they are children and the family's journey towards trying to find a cure to his brother's disorder - along the path they live in macrobiotic communities, go to psychic mediums who can communicate with the dead, and send him to a Japanese acupuncturist. Like Satrapi's book, it is a story of childhood isolation and loneliness, love for one's family, and various histories.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
20/20
I had my one-month post-op visit yesterday and am seeing at 20/20. I got the green light to go back to wearing eye make-up, rub my eyes, and wash them with water. No swimming for another two weeks. I survived the ordeal with no infections. Hooray!!!
Budget Cuts
Buyouts and downsizing have been happening at my current workplace. Yesterday, I heard a co-worker saying that the coffee mate had been eliminated because the coffee budget had to be cut by 10 percent. I didn't think much of it, since I don't drink coffee. This morning, I found both water coolers completely empty - not even an empty receptacle on top, with post-it notes on each cooler saying "water empty." There is a rumor that the tap water here is tainted with gasoline. There is no filtration system and the other option is to drink Coca-Cola products out of a vending machine. We work in a hermetically sealed environment in the basement of the paper and an email or a memo would have been nice. In other news, our IT team has been dissolved as of yesterday and tech issues are not outsourced to a company in Colorado. Yesterday, the priest called with issues about not being able to receive stories via email from a client. The outgoing IT person said, "Basically, you're hosed."
Friday, September 01, 2006
Yesterday I had a conversation with a poet who just relocated to town from Austin and is teaching undergraduate creative writing programs at UTD. She is in the process of finishing her PhD thesis and has an MFA. She spoke of how MFA programs are serving a similar purpose as residency programs, but for younger less experienced writers. The literary arts are supported by NEA and Guggenheim grants for established poets. For emerging/mid-career writers, there are things like the Stegner, Bucknell, and residencies like MacDowell or Yaddo. So what's left for those at the beginning of their career? MFA programs may be one of the few options. That and maybe community-based programs/models.
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