THIS IS ONLY A TEST is Bill Brent’s sequel to his first volume of collected work, apathy is a dangerous drug (July 2004).
2005 READING FROM BLACK BOOKS!
THIS IS ONLY A TEST is Bill Brent’s sequel to his first volume of collected work, apathy is a dangerous drug (July 2004). Each book in the three-volume series is a signed, limited-edition printing of 100 copies of interest to readers in the following categories inspiration, philosophy and observations on contemporary American culture, recovery literature, drug-related memoir, gay male subculture. The author’s statement elaborates further:
“Test is the second in a series of three mini-memoirs, spaced six months apart. I began this series when I decided to stop my use of methamphetamine ("speed") in 2004, and to see how that affected my creativity.
”Like apathy, Test is a roughly 40-page collection of poems, essays, and short prose. The voice in Test is more humorous and philosophical. It includes meditations on friendship and love," and pragmatic tips on how to succeed as a life-artist in a conformist, addictive, anti-artist society.
”Thus, I have traded the immediacy of apathy for a broader perspective, with no loss of intensity, irony, or humanity.”
No ISBN • individuals: $5 to $15, sliding scale, postpaid • libraries, institutions: $15 postpaid.
Successful author / editor / publisher Bill Brent (Black Books, Black Sheets magazine, The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Men (Cleis Press), Best Bisexual Erotica, Make A Zine!) became clinically depressed and then self-medicated with crystal methamphetamine (“speed”) following the bankruptcy of his book company’s distributor in 2002, which led to his own bankruptcy. He launched apathy is a dangerous drug as a project of self-examination and recovery while still struggling to quit using speed. Writing the works in apathy became an integral part of his courageous recovery campaign. Here is the author’s statement (taken from www.AuthorsDen.com/BillBrent):
“apathy is a mini-memoir, a chapbook of poems and short prose, mostly meditations on the price of apathy. Many of the works reflect my experience with speed use over the past several years, and my decision to leave it behind. Written in a six-week creative burst in mid-2004, while I was still struggling to quit using drugs.
“Thus, lacking any critical distance from this crisis, there's an immediacy and intensity to the newer work that I quite like, along with some marvelous older work I've never published, mostly raw, gut-punching poems about breaking up with people who weren't very good for me. Joni Mitchell meets Kurt Cobain!
“In my work, I call things as I see them and I don't edit out the uncomfortable parts.
“I compiled the work in apathy especially for anyone dealing with a life-changing crisis or a sudden and dramatic shift in their self-perception, which is why I categorize it as "inspirational." I hope it will help inspire such readers to move on with their lives.”
No ISBN • individuals: $5 to $15, sliding scale, postpaid. • libraries, institutions: $15 postpaid.
The third and final volume in the series, after the story, will be released in Fall 2005. Series subscribers will receive their copy immediately upon release.
NOTE: Institutions and interested individuals may subscribe to the entire three-volume series for $40 postpaid. Send a check payable to BLACK BOOKS, PO Box 1776, Guerneville CA 95446-1776, or call (800) 818-8823 for further information on ordering.
The Double Mirrors and Ones and Zeros theories, by Dylan Tauber. Parallel mirrors in our minds produce a vision of the infinite. Love is all that exists. Free PDF download.
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