Hey, everybody . . .
Haven't been around much lately. I'll try to get better. Too busy with the book, and with living my life . . .
Random thoughts from the meanwhile:
Been thinking quite a bit about Nixon lately. Y'know, it was the Republicans who got rid of him -- after the press finally got off their asses. Well, the American press is slowly coming to life, but there is no sign that the Republicans will ever turn against Bush.
This, to my view, springs from one fundamental distinction between the two presidents: Nixon was poor white trash. [Well, not trash exactly, but the point remains. By comparison, anyway.]
Bush comes from the WASP Mafia -- and the Bush Family is legendary for the vengeance it wreaks upon its enemies . . .
Watch Saudi Arabia now that Fahd's really gone -- Abdullah looks like an honest man, who honestly hates our guts. He's an actual enemy of Islamist terrorism -- the word is that most of the real SA progress against the Islamist whackos has come directly from him -- but apparently he also hates the whole "looting the country and funnelling the cash through American oil companies" way of doing business, too . . .
Our relations with Saudi Arabia are about to get interesting, I think.
Our relations with Pakistan will continue to be See No Evil, despite the fact(s) that Pakistan is a totalitarian military dictatorship that sold nuclear weapons technology to North Korea (now common knowledge), despite the fact that Pakistan airlifted Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters out of the siege of Kandahar (cf. Seymour Hersh's CHAIN OF COMMAND), despite the fact that any woman, in that nation, who reports a rape can still to this day be routinely prosecuted for adultery unless she can producce FOUR MALE WITNESSES TO THE CRIME (cf. Nicholas Kristof's recent reports in the NYTimes for case histories).
But they're an Important Ally in the Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism.
For shit's sake.
And, in an entirely non-political note, I just wanted to let all you Caine fans know that the way things are going, it looks like I will successfully achieve my goal of fucking off the whole multiple-third viewpoint for CAINE BLACK KNIFE.
That's right.
Those of you who thought that the main problem with BLADE OF TYSHALLE was that Caine just Wasn't In It Enough, well . . .
I'm gonna make you very, very happy.
And those of you who felt that there just hasn't been enough Balls-Out Asskicking?
You're gonna be happy, too.
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About Me
- MWS
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19 comments:
Sheesh, time to fasten my seatbelt it sounds like.
Hey Matt, now that all of our mouths are--and have been watering for the last several months in anticipation, any idea how soon we'll be able to get our hands on this book?
Also, are you sticking with CAINE BLACK KNIFE as the title?
--Shane
An electric tingle races up my spine as I read about CAINE BLACK KNIFE, and I can already feel the answering blaze roar to life in my knuckles as they pop, as if a ton of C-4 has been compressed behind them for two years... and somebody just hit the detonator.
The blinding urge to feel someone's face shatter under my fists is almost too much to bear.
Bring it on assfucks, it's almost Caine time!
Thanks for the update Matt, looking forward to your new book.
Also, I would love to get a look at "The Real Flash Gordon". I know that the blood-sucking,legal wonks have put the kabash on it. Have you considered maybe renaming Flash in order to get past the legal beagles? Maybe a name like Flash Horowitz (geez, sounds a bit like a jewish porn star...but what the hey?)or Buck Gordon...
Just wanted to let you know that I have greatly appreciated your writing and your Libertarian viewpoint.
Peace.
Scott.
I wish I could simply re-name it -- but Avon/Harper/Warner etc. paid me for the book. It was a work-for-hire tie-in, and is thus no longer my property.
However, I am going to try to buttonhole an Avon editor or two at WFC to remind them that they already own an unpublished novel by the NYTimes Bestselling author of REVENGE OF THE SITH . . .
Yeah, those metnioned points about the book indeed make me bloody happy. Can't wait to get my hands on this book. Any rough idea on a release date?
Way ta go Matt! I liked the multplie view of BoT, it let you get a better perspective on alot of issues.
Thanks Matt.
Also, wanted to express to you my appreciation for your writing. There is so much unoriginal crap out there, it's refreshing to see a writer that can write on multiple levels, expressing something deeper than storyline and characters; something that delves into the levels of political commentary and deeper still, into the realm of Spirituality.
Now, after having sufficiently "Blown" you, I have another question: I haven't read all the discussions that you've had here concerning CAINE BLACK KNIFE. I read an interview that you gave some time back concerning Caine and Overworld in general. You mentioned then that you were considering writing prequels (if I remember correctly, in short story form) for Caine's adventures mentioned in HEROES DIE. In what sequence does BLACK KNIFE take place? Is it Pre-Heroes or Post -BLADE OF TYSHALLE? Or is it "none of my fucking business. Just buy the fucking book when it comes out"?
Peace,
Scott.
I'm not Matt, but from the things that I've read from him, and the emails he's sent me, CBK is going to be both prequel and sequel. It takes place after BoT but will have flashback sequences from one of his old adventures. I forget which one though, but either Last Stand or Retreat from the Boedecken or whatever... might've been a different one, I forget.
Read back a few months in his blog though, he writes about it there, like how he originally was planning on doing several flashback scenes, but then out of experiment he put all of the flashback scenes together to form 80 pages of pure asswhoop and other colorful language that I probably couldn't duplicate if I tried. I have no idea if that's the way he kept it, or if he mixed it up again.
Regardless, I'm sure it'll be a killer read. I've read his Star Wars novels, and they're fine and all, but I've been waiting damn near 4 years now to get my hands on another Caine novel. I can't wait.
~Shane
Thanks Shane! Ditto on the 4 year wait.
Scott.
So Matt, when is Hollywood gunna pick up your Caine books and make a movie or two?
Probably when they make more money. Nothing against Mr. Stover's writing (which I love) or his novels (which I can't put down after I pick them up), but that's just the way Hollywood works. It's gotten to the point where the big studies don't care how good a story is, they just care how much money they can make from it. Until he becomes a better known author, there probably won't be much chance of movies based on his books. Which is unfortunate because I for one think that they would kick some major ass if done properly. Though with his recent novelization of a certain Hollywood blockbuster, that chance might be closer than my cynical outlook on the matter expects.
--Colin
Thank you Matt, for once again, for making me late to work. Yes, yes I know, I should have not picked up one of your novels even if I had 30 minutes to kill before I needed to leave the house to beat traffic, but atlas, I did pick up Shatterpoint for the second time, and started to read it all over again.
I can honestly say that you are the only author that has made me late to work. I don't know if that is a compliant to you, or just a comment on how bad all the authors I have been reading are.
Please Keep writing, the only novel I haven’t read of yours is the one they an’t selling.
Thamos
Intersting take on Pakistan, Matt. The truth is that US-Pakistan relationships are certainly more complex than they first appear and there is a long history behind them, that I'd be happy to discuss with you some day.
I just have some problems with their status as an ally in the "War on Terror." Just as I have some problems with Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan, and a variety of other places.
You really should check out what happened to Dr. Shazia after she was raped -- as soon as she refused to "confess" to adultery or deny she was raped, she was imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital to keep her quiet; once her husband secured her release, they were both told (by Musharraf!) that telling their story in public could result in death for them and their family, including their fourteen-year-old son, who is still hostage in Pakistan . . .
It's an ugly story.
Oh, and it was the seige of Kunduz, not Kandahar.
Apologies for the error.
I agree its an ugly story. BUT, its also been played out in the media as a generalization of what Pakistan is all about. That is patently not true. Having lived there for more than 25 yrs, I can most assuredly tell you that while far from perfect, Pakistan is not quite the hellhole it is made out to be.
And as for that story, there are stories of equal ugliness the world over. Not an excuse, merely an observation.
No place is a hellhole all the time for everybody, Shez.
No place is even a hellhole most of the time for most of the people.
Even in Mogadishu in the 90s, most people managed to go about daily lives with some pretence of normality . . .
It all depends on who's holding the fuckstick, and which end you're likely to find yourself -- or someone you are about -- on.
Some people may notice that by the above standard, the United States bodes fair to meet the standard of hellhole for many of us in the not-so-distant future.
It already has for far too many.
you need to tell us when this book is hitting the stands so there isnt a goddam riot.
tim
See, here's the thing.
I'm a scientist. Molecular biologist, to be accurate. I'm fascinated when I see writers, singers, actors create a whole new world out of words that resonates with something inside of me. It's something so fundmentally different from what I do that it is fascinating to experience.
Unfortunately, that resonance can easily be soured. When I go to an Indigo girls concert and hear little other than Bush bashing between every song, I come home and throw away their CDs. What was appealing about them was lost.
I never will understand why those who choose to woo the public with their vision of the world seem so willing to throw that away by discussing politics, particularly with an inchoate and somewhat incoherent rage: they are pretty much guaranteed to piss off or disgust half their audience.
So, though it may not matter to you, here's one person that won't be reading your next book. It's a shame, I enjoyed Heroes Die and Blade of Tyshalle enough to search for info on your other books. But a big part of what I enjoyed- the spell you were able to cast, the appeal and wonder- is tainted.
You're not even a person.
People have names.
People have things to say.
People with names, who have things to say, are welcome here. Even when they disagree with me. Even when they disagree with the patently obvious.
Being a molecular biologist clearly does not qualify you as an expert in any other field, be it music, literature, politics, or ethics.
If you would like to undertake an education in such things, hang around.
But sign your name, or a handle, or fuck off.
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