100 spinning plates by rob christopher

i went to the renegade craft fair’s holiday show a few weeks ago, but i really could not report on it because 1)it was crowded and 2)i knew i would be getting many of my holiday gifts there and did not want to give any clues away! i think it’s safe now to reveal some of these treasures, so please enjoy several artists in upcoming posts who make outstanding things. let’s start with the 100 spinning plates book by local author, filmmaker and rogue publisher rob christopher, for his own random cha press. this is an autobiographical tome that comes in a unique package - 100 stories on 100 slips of paper in a cardboard box. it is the reader’s choice to read as much or as little as he likes, to weave chapters together and create a unique story.

clever concept, random musings.

check out rob’s website and find out more about him on his blog too. i’m a little late to this party, so when i checked with rob, i found out that he had sold out of his inventory (oh no!), and that he’s currently working on plans for his next project (oh goody!). i can’t wait to see what it will be…

christmas miracle: if you hurry you can find his book on amazon in (extremely) limited quantities and on ebay too!

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david b dale packs a literary punch

when i find a gem like the writings of new jersey author david b dale (his pseudonym an homage to his parents, beatrice and dale), it is affirmation to me that the time spent mining the vast hinterlands of the internet for treasure is worthwhile.

david is the prolific writer and creator of very short novels. although he is a skilled technical writer, these stories are where he hones his creative art. characters are developed through his interactions with people he knows, has never met, or who only exist in his imagination, and each tale is 299 words in length -no more, no less. see for yourself:

two-minute monologue

We’re not complicated. Actors, men, all we want is a girl who can play the part. Is that too much? Naturally she has to be attractive. Even the ugly parts are played by attractive girls. You know that. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. Not so attractive that it doesn’t read right, you understand. Reasonably attractive, but decidedly more reasonably attractive than we are, and by that I mean a nine, nine-and-a-half tops. I don’t make these rules. Men want to see their wishes fulfilled. Women want to be the better man. I tell you, they’ll go looking for a guy they can stupefy; they’ll ignore his flaws, lavish him with love, and every day go out of their way to stroke his ego by staying with him, and all they ask in return is that the stupid schmuck act lucky. Yeah, I miss her. She had a way of looking at me that felt like applause. Smartest girl I ever got. I never had to dumb-down my material. She misses me, too, of course, but she’d never hurt me by letting on. We talk. She’s helped me grow as an actor and a man. I don’t think I’d be this mature about leaving her if she hadn’t. No, wait, that doesn’t read right. One minute he’s drawing blueprints of the female mind and the next minute he’s a witless fathead? No, it doesn’t scan. It’s unplayable. Maybe if it didn’t transition so quickly. I mean, are you married to this script? I’ll tell you what. You get a re-write and find me a leading lady who doesn’t look like my mother and I’ll come back and maybe audition. The way things stand, what makes you think I’d want this lousy part? Thank you for your time.

yep. that’s what i thought you would say.

to me, david’s clever concept is like literary altoids: tiny, refreshing and curiously strong. his writing is consistent and frequently forces an emotional response, just like high quality art should!

i love it and after reading a few pieces, was completely hooked, so fair warning.

click here for a more in-depth interview with this talented man.

get over to very short novels now and read the entire collection!

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