One of my favorite devices in writing non-fiction is that of writing auto-biographical elements in the third person. This actually has a name - Illeism - and is a long held mechanism in literature of many sorts. Julius Caesar used the device based on an egoistic assumption of hubris not unlike that used in the present day by Cam Newton, or Floyd Mayweather in sports interviews. Henry Adams used it to distance himself from his own family stories in "The Education of Henry Adams" though he acknowledged its use was in some ways falsely self-deprecating. It gave the appearance of distance while in fact maintaining a deep sense of self.
So it goes.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Saturday, November 23, 2013
An Excerpt from "The Beast"
This week's blog entry is a taste of what we're talking about here. It is the opening of "The Beast". This was written approximately twenty minutes after the events told within it transpired. It is interesting that I knew kind of where the book would be going - but not in a precise sort of way.
I couldn't obviously control the events upon the bus to make a readable story about a bus ride, but I could not escape my own personal context either. I carried that with me to the bus: my ethos, my experiences, my deep feelings for why I am on this earth, and my voice. Of all my books, this one bears my writer's voice perhaps the best of any - maybe because it is the book that means the most to me.
Chapter One
7:24 am – LaGanga: The Beast is unforgiving. It
moves to its own internal rhythm – at its own pace. It cares not whether those
it claims as its passengers are early, or are late, or are precisely on time.
To The Beast, it simply matters not.
No.
It cares only for its own selfish, belching, rheuming, fuming journey along the
Bara-Bara (main thoroughfare) of the Arusha Road from Usa River to Morogoro,
Tanzania, East Africa.
The
Servant of the Dust stood quietly at the bus station at LaGanga with his young
Tanzanian friend MeHost who had driven him there. Together they patiently
waited. And waited. Tanzanian Time, you know. Meanwhile a long line of
small, local Dalla-Dalla buses – so called because they cost only a ‘Dalla!’
(dollar) – scurried frantically to and fro, spewing forth passengers and chaos
like so many African fire ants.
But
no Beast.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
"The Beast" is here...
"The Beast" is here a few weeks earlier than predicted. Woohoo!
What an incredible process this has been for me. From the writing of "The Beast" while actually in the belly of The Beast - to the editing, proofing processes, to the release - and beyond... This has been one of my favorite writing experiences ever. Ever. Perhaps that is because it means so much to me. It cuts deep to who I am as a person, both in the writing and in the content.
You'll understand when you read this little gem that it may be small, but it says, well pretty much everything!
I would love to have this book take off a little and reach as many people as possible - not only because I think it is one of my best, if not THE best writing I can do... but because all royalties go toward building preschools in Tanzania. Namely The Linda School in Kaloleni.
There are various ways you can purchase this book, each with benefits for you and for Brick by Brick for Tanzania!, Inc. They are as follows:
What an incredible process this has been for me. From the writing of "The Beast" while actually in the belly of The Beast - to the editing, proofing processes, to the release - and beyond... This has been one of my favorite writing experiences ever. Ever. Perhaps that is because it means so much to me. It cuts deep to who I am as a person, both in the writing and in the content.
You'll understand when you read this little gem that it may be small, but it says, well pretty much everything!
I would love to have this book take off a little and reach as many people as possible - not only because I think it is one of my best, if not THE best writing I can do... but because all royalties go toward building preschools in Tanzania. Namely The Linda School in Kaloleni.
There are various ways you can purchase this book, each with benefits for you and for Brick by Brick for Tanzania!, Inc. They are as follows:
- Click on the Right. This little store gives Brick by Brick the largest donation (even if you have a Discount Code, it is the largest)
- Amazon This is second highest donation value for us. The added plus of buying it through Amazon is that it will add to our ranking in the algorithm and will hence promote us to more people. Even if you don't use Amazon to buy, please consider LIKING the page, tweeting it, Giving it stars and reviewing it. That all helps push us out there.
- Barnes & Noble, other websites - lowest donation value, but added convenience by being located near you. These will not have access for usually fourteen days or so.
- Kindle - Quick, easy and done. Nice donation and you can share with friends. Don't forget that you can use the "Give to a friend" button to share an inexpensive treasure with others and donate to Brick at the same time.
Thanks so much for supporting my writing and the schools we build in Tanzania. Combined together in "The Beast" it is like a perfect storm for me.
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Stream of Consciousness...
Or stream of undisciplined blather...?
That is the question.
When a writer writes a stream of consciousness piece, it can often be a self-indulgent work that meanders back and forth across the landscape of the page, and never really alights anywhere of note. There are notable exceptions of course, "On the Road", ostensibly feels to be written that way, and mostly was, but as crazy of a process as that may have been, it was edited by one of the great minds in literature on the fly and hence is coherent and cohesive.
My intent was to create a work not unlike that in its unity. Written without the strictures of acceptable-restraint, yet hopefully still imminently readable.
My feeling as I sat down to write "The Beast" practically as the events were unfurling, was to let it flow freely, but also to advance it toward a clear and pre-defined end. I knew approximately how many chapters I would be writing ahead of time. I knew certain elements I would incorporate within the anecdotes - the dedication of the Terry Berg School at Ndoombo, the final days of my mother, my first trips to Tanzania, things like that. I didn't know how per se I was going to get there and the bus ride itself helped to define all that.
I knew before I even opened the noteboook on my lap that I would call the book, "The Beast" and that it would be akin to one of those metaphorical short works by William Faulkner ("The Bear"), or Glenway Wescott ("The Pilgrim Hawk") or even Norman Mailer ("Why we are in Vietnam"). I can't remember if I had discovered the twist at the end so much before boarding the bus or not. I think it was only vaguely broiling in the back of my mind at that point and came more fully alive later on as the writing progressed and took shape.
The structure of the book, I knew would be hourly. Not exactly. But close. I tended to write about the events of 7:30 at 8:30ish, but part of the time - namely when The Beast broke down and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere - I was not writing at all, so I had to catch up with those later.
In a way, there were four threads of storylines working at once:
In a few weeks, you'll see for yourselves whether "The Beast" is a rambling mess, or a glimpse at a world in need of compassion. I hope that you find the latter!
That is the question.
When a writer writes a stream of consciousness piece, it can often be a self-indulgent work that meanders back and forth across the landscape of the page, and never really alights anywhere of note. There are notable exceptions of course, "On the Road", ostensibly feels to be written that way, and mostly was, but as crazy of a process as that may have been, it was edited by one of the great minds in literature on the fly and hence is coherent and cohesive.
My intent was to create a work not unlike that in its unity. Written without the strictures of acceptable-restraint, yet hopefully still imminently readable.
 |
| The children of Ndoombo arriving at the The Terry Berg School dedication. |
I knew before I even opened the noteboook on my lap that I would call the book, "The Beast" and that it would be akin to one of those metaphorical short works by William Faulkner ("The Bear"), or Glenway Wescott ("The Pilgrim Hawk") or even Norman Mailer ("Why we are in Vietnam"). I can't remember if I had discovered the twist at the end so much before boarding the bus or not. I think it was only vaguely broiling in the back of my mind at that point and came more fully alive later on as the writing progressed and took shape.
The structure of the book, I knew would be hourly. Not exactly. But close. I tended to write about the events of 7:30 at 8:30ish, but part of the time - namely when The Beast broke down and we were stranded in the middle of nowhere - I was not writing at all, so I had to catch up with those later.
In a way, there were four threads of storylines working at once:
- One thread contained the events happening in almost real-time on the bus,
- Another was a leap back to the prior few days from this present journey to Tanzania,
- Another was a leap further back to prior events - backstory if you will to these two sets of events,
- And the fourth was the metaphorical ethos that began winding its way through the story and leads up to the twist.
In a few weeks, you'll see for yourselves whether "The Beast" is a rambling mess, or a glimpse at a world in need of compassion. I hope that you find the latter!
Friday, November 8, 2013
You've been warned - "The Beast" is coming!
What is The Beast?
On the morning of September 30th, 2013, I stood at the bus stop at LaGanga, Tanzania awaiting my transportation to arrive. My young friend, MeHost, did the best he could at taking my mind off of my anxieties by engaging me in a bit of small talk as we waited, but honestly he mostly just seemed to be happy that it was me who was going to be boarding soon and not he. My intent was to do site visits of two possible locations for the next preschools that the organization I founded, Brick by Brick for Tanzania!, Inc., was planning to build in Africa. Unfortunately they were in far off Morogoro and only one way to get there... on an extremely crowded bus.
Filled with trepidation at the eight hour ride looming before me, my mind filled with visions of every stereotypical African bus scene I had ever seen in movies, which I was later to discover, didn't even begin to depict the intense sensory overload of the reality. When the bus at last lumbered into the bus stop - squeaking its brakes and fuming furiously from its tailpipe - I said a quick good-bye to MeHost and boarded the bus carrying only a small knapsack with a change of shirt, some tin-foil wrapped samosas and an empty notebook.
It was this notebook that proved to be my balm...
Aboard the bus, hour after excruciating hour, I scribbled out my thoughts. I wrote not only of what was happening real-time on (and off) the bus, but also of my myriad experiences in the past in Tanzania, the influences who had helped shape that incredible journey, and of course the children. Oh, yes, the children!The result of those frantic scribblings was a free-association ramble that ultimately formed the basis for a small book called "The Beast" which will be published Thanksgiving weekend. It is not pretty, but it is earnest and heartfelt. And it is of my voice.
"The Beast" will be available on www.amazon.com, and at a bookstore near you!
Don't say I didn't warn you!
- John D. Kenworthy
Monday, December 3, 2012
Opening chapter - The Death of O'Ryan Ross!
For your reading pleasure, the opening chapter of "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" available now on Amazon in paperback ($6.99) or Kindle ($1.99) formats. Enjoy! As you read, consider this question - why do we as readers like dark work? What is it about the writing of Sylvia Plath, JD Salinger, and me that touches a chord within you. Send me your comments and I'll post a few of those responses as my next blog entry - the role of literary darkness.
Chapter One:
During a break in classes at Daybreak College
in the theater wing of the Schall Performing Arts Center a group of Theater
majors lounged casually in the green room, where their discussions revolved
around the recent production of Tennessee Williams’ one-act play “The
Confessional.”
Antony Fedora coldly bemoaned that he found
it to be too symbolic and contrived for his taste, Isaac Gore argued precisely the
contrary, while Peter Ivanovich, having acted the role of bartender in the play
felt obliged to remain aloof from the discussion even though he agreed with
Antony’s position and instead was thumbing through the campus newspaper, the
Daybreak Sunrise, which he had just retrieved from his mailbox in the student
center.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
How animation legend Chuck Jones influenced "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!"
I've spoken before about the rules legendary animator Chuck Jones established for his Roadrunner cartoons. He insisted that the roadrunner not speak - only Meep; the roadrunner had to stay on the road; the coyote would always fall the same number of frames. To Chuck those strictures freed the creativity of the artists within that context. It was very structured.
Some would say rigid.
But it worked. The Roadrunner - (And Pepe Le Pew, which was similar) is extremely popular. When I interviewed him for "The Hand Behind the Mouse" he reaffirmed those rules as a creativity-enhancing device. For me, that's what my little experiment with Tolstoy was all about - working within a structure.
Each line for me was like one of Chuck's rules. It may have limited my options, but it also forced all of my thought processes to be concentrated on the content and the story - instead of rhythms, parts of speech or anything of the sort. All of that was already done for me. The process was enabled in some ways by the choice I made to have O'Ryan be integral to every chapter. With the exception of the opening chapter at his funeral - and the final scene in the hospital - the viewpoint is limited omniscient. I write from his perspective, feeling his pain.
So knowing the subject was O'Ryan, and the sentence structure I needed, I merely had to fill in action verbs and pretty it up with the filigree of adjectives and adverbs as prescribed by Tolstoy's word choices.
"Merely," the man said. "Merely!" Hah! Darned hard work actually. But that hard work was between the lines. Not external. Everything that suffered my restless nights was what was truly important - the story itself.
Not that I would do it again. But it was certainly an interesting process.
Some would say rigid.
But it worked. The Roadrunner - (And Pepe Le Pew, which was similar) is extremely popular. When I interviewed him for "The Hand Behind the Mouse" he reaffirmed those rules as a creativity-enhancing device. For me, that's what my little experiment with Tolstoy was all about - working within a structure.
Each line for me was like one of Chuck's rules. It may have limited my options, but it also forced all of my thought processes to be concentrated on the content and the story - instead of rhythms, parts of speech or anything of the sort. All of that was already done for me. The process was enabled in some ways by the choice I made to have O'Ryan be integral to every chapter. With the exception of the opening chapter at his funeral - and the final scene in the hospital - the viewpoint is limited omniscient. I write from his perspective, feeling his pain.
So knowing the subject was O'Ryan, and the sentence structure I needed, I merely had to fill in action verbs and pretty it up with the filigree of adjectives and adverbs as prescribed by Tolstoy's word choices.
"Merely," the man said. "Merely!" Hah! Darned hard work actually. But that hard work was between the lines. Not external. Everything that suffered my restless nights was what was truly important - the story itself.
Not that I would do it again. But it was certainly an interesting process.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Creating the Unexpected when so much is Known...
One of the immense challenges with writing "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" - aside from the Tolstoy sentence structure - was in creating a narrative that was somehow interesting when so much was known from the start. Heavens, the very title tells you all you need to know, doesn't it?
Or does it?
If that were the case, why write the story at all? Indeed. O'Ryan Ross lived; then he died. Big surprise.
But it is that journey from A to B that is revelatory. How and (more importantly) why did he die? Part of that is explained away in the opening scene which takes place at O'Ryan's funeral. We know he committed suicide, we know he used a gun, we know he's dead. Done, done, and done...!
But despite that fore-knowledge, there is much we don't know as well. We are given some hints in that opening scene, and the stage is certainly set, but with a work that is so dogmatic as is this - it is so very important to add surprises where possible, just to maintain the reader interest. Even up to the final line, I have tried to do that.
One thing I have attempted to do is to slightly skew events by having unreliable narrators at times. It is more fun if even I don't know precisely what is happening and when. By having characters be self-delusional (O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross) or simply mistaken (Peter Ivanovich, Alwyn Ross, Professor Hays), we are able to keep that suspense evident along the way.
Or so I hope.
By writing with this in mind, I feel I have veered a couple of times from where I thought the story was going. Several of the twists were un-explored when I began and only revealed themselves with the writing of each scene. What made this interesting was that I did not write "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" in sequence - but rather, I wrote Chapter One, Twelve, Nine, Two, Three, Eleven, Four, Five, Ten, Six, Seven, Eight. So surprises had to be consistent with the continuity without mucking up something already written. Fortunately there were few instances where I had to rewrite an existing section of an existing chapter.
Adding to this continuity challenge was that at about Chapter Six in my writing, I began to work on "silent words..." which added a layer. That companion book didn't really alter the original concepts of "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" which is a much more vital book in my mind (right up there with "The Missionary and the Brute" for me) - but it did add some nuance and a sense of symbiosis. In a way, "silent words..." is a parasite-pecking bird on the back of the crusty-backed rhinoceros that is "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!", but the relationship hopefully benefits both works.
Coming soon: How animation legend Chuck Jones influenced "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!"
Or does it?
If that were the case, why write the story at all? Indeed. O'Ryan Ross lived; then he died. Big surprise.
But it is that journey from A to B that is revelatory. How and (more importantly) why did he die? Part of that is explained away in the opening scene which takes place at O'Ryan's funeral. We know he committed suicide, we know he used a gun, we know he's dead. Done, done, and done...!
But despite that fore-knowledge, there is much we don't know as well. We are given some hints in that opening scene, and the stage is certainly set, but with a work that is so dogmatic as is this - it is so very important to add surprises where possible, just to maintain the reader interest. Even up to the final line, I have tried to do that.
One thing I have attempted to do is to slightly skew events by having unreliable narrators at times. It is more fun if even I don't know precisely what is happening and when. By having characters be self-delusional (O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross) or simply mistaken (Peter Ivanovich, Alwyn Ross, Professor Hays), we are able to keep that suspense evident along the way.
Or so I hope.
By writing with this in mind, I feel I have veered a couple of times from where I thought the story was going. Several of the twists were un-explored when I began and only revealed themselves with the writing of each scene. What made this interesting was that I did not write "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" in sequence - but rather, I wrote Chapter One, Twelve, Nine, Two, Three, Eleven, Four, Five, Ten, Six, Seven, Eight. So surprises had to be consistent with the continuity without mucking up something already written. Fortunately there were few instances where I had to rewrite an existing section of an existing chapter.
Adding to this continuity challenge was that at about Chapter Six in my writing, I began to work on "silent words..." which added a layer. That companion book didn't really alter the original concepts of "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!" which is a much more vital book in my mind (right up there with "The Missionary and the Brute" for me) - but it did add some nuance and a sense of symbiosis. In a way, "silent words..." is a parasite-pecking bird on the back of the crusty-backed rhinoceros that is "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!", but the relationship hopefully benefits both works.
Coming soon: How animation legend Chuck Jones influenced "The Death of O'Ryan Ross!"
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Tolstoy
Now I've never really been a Russian Literature buff, bigger on American Lit actually. But there are a lot of folks whom I admire that rave over Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Turgenev and of course - Leo Tolstoy. So I figured that I had to read me some Tolstoy. My cocky, confident side thought I should tackle "War and Peace," but good common sense prevailed and I chose "Ivan Ilych" instead. It was the smallest Tolstoy in the bookstore!
Even though it was small, I found the concepts and the writing to be quite large. Ambitious, dense, huge. The sentence structure was amazing to me - and I wasn't certain if it was the translator or Leo that had made it so. I tend to give Tolstoy the credit.
No writing I have ever encountered has featured such convoluted run-on sentences within sentences within parenthetical phrases within asides and lists and more lists. Being almost dialogue-free, it practically scared me off. I was tentative of digging in, but it was ultimately well worth it. I felt it was almost precisely opposite of my usual way of writing. I tend to truncate. Eliminate articles, subjects, predicates.
So I started dissecting it clinically. Then it hit me. To take that structure, but me-ify it. It was some of the most tedious writing that I've yet encountered. But still I feel that I found my voice within it, and began to feel that rhythm strike me. It fit the tone of the story I wanted to tell, and it fit me. Fantastic exercise, and an incredible experience all the way around.
It isn't a perfect mirror of the original by any means, but then again it was never meant to be. Ultimately, it was meant to be book that I hope you will all want to read. I know it is the book I wanted to write.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
The Ross Chronology... as it stands...
Did you miss them? The Rosses, I mean. The last we saw, Jadwin Ross was flying back from Africa in "The Missionary and The Brute" and Alwyn Ross was interviewing animators in "Animated Lives!" but O'Ryan Ross? Who in the name of William Faulkner is that?
Before we go too far, perhaps we should lay out the chronology we are encountering here. There are four Ross siblings (as far as we know). In descending order of age they are: O'Ryan, Jadwin, Dottie, Alwyn... When I was writing "The Missionary and the Brute" I quite deliberately avoided any semblance of backstory. I wanted the novel to be set in the universal NOW with no encumbrances of time or history to intercede on the reader's interpretation.
Now however, I have discovered that all of my books are inter-linked, and they ARE the backstory to one another. Jadwin Ross is a character in the upcoming "The Death of O'Ryan Ross" as is Alwyn. But 30 years or so before the events that take place in Missionary and Animated Lives!
Placed upon a rather shaky chronology and always subject to change, the Saga looks something like this:
"Ira, the Seeker and the Kid" - 2017
Timeframe: 1800s
Primary character(s): Ira Haseltine
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Ethan Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Death of O'Ryan Ross" - 2012
Timeframe: Mostly O'Ryan and Jadwin's college years.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross
Secondary character(s): Jadwin Ross, Sarah B., Professor Hays
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"silent words..." - 2012
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years as viewed from Alwyn today.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Jadwin Ross, Dottie Ross
"Man-soldier" - 2017
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years
Primary character(s): Man-soldier, Slade
Secondary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Sarah B.
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"Reject from Retard School" - 2013
Timeframe: Mostly Alwyn's Middle School and High School years.
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, GranPap Ross
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross
"Straw Man" - 2014
Timeframe: Mid 2005
Primary character(s): Dottie Ross, Professor Hays
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: None
"Animated Lives!"- 2011
Timeframe: 2009
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"The Missionary and the Brute" - 2011
Timeframe: 2010
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Rev. Kweka, Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Blue Man" -2013
Timeframe: 2012 and 1930s (Alwyn's research)
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): Karen Wilcox
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"A Harlot's Diary" - 2015
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Professor Hays
"Chiaroscuro Bums" - 2014
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Not telling
Minor/Mentions: None
"Believer" - 2015
Timeframe: 2014
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Lifecycle" - 2016
Timeframe: 2015
Primary character(s): None
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Shorts" - 2013
Timeframe: Multiple
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross, Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
Before we go too far, perhaps we should lay out the chronology we are encountering here. There are four Ross siblings (as far as we know). In descending order of age they are: O'Ryan, Jadwin, Dottie, Alwyn... When I was writing "The Missionary and the Brute" I quite deliberately avoided any semblance of backstory. I wanted the novel to be set in the universal NOW with no encumbrances of time or history to intercede on the reader's interpretation.
Now however, I have discovered that all of my books are inter-linked, and they ARE the backstory to one another. Jadwin Ross is a character in the upcoming "The Death of O'Ryan Ross" as is Alwyn. But 30 years or so before the events that take place in Missionary and Animated Lives!
Placed upon a rather shaky chronology and always subject to change, the Saga looks something like this:
"Ira, the Seeker and the Kid" - 2017
Timeframe: 1800s
Primary character(s): Ira Haseltine
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Ethan Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Death of O'Ryan Ross" - 2012
Timeframe: Mostly O'Ryan and Jadwin's college years.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross
Secondary character(s): Jadwin Ross, Sarah B., Professor Hays
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"silent words..." - 2012
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years as viewed from Alwyn today.
Primary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Jadwin Ross, Dottie Ross
"Man-soldier" - 2017
Timeframe: O'Ryan's college years
Primary character(s): Man-soldier, Slade
Secondary character(s): O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Sarah B.
Minor/Mentions: Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross
"Reject from Retard School" - 2013
Timeframe: Mostly Alwyn's Middle School and High School years.
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, GranPap Ross
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross
"Straw Man" - 2014
Timeframe: Mid 2005
Primary character(s): Dottie Ross, Professor Hays
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: None
"Animated Lives!"- 2011
Timeframe: 2009
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): None
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"The Missionary and the Brute" - 2011
Timeframe: 2010
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Rev. Kweka, Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
"The Blue Man" -2013
Timeframe: 2012 and 1930s (Alwyn's research)
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Secondary character(s): Karen Wilcox
Minor/Mentions: Dottie Ross
"A Harlot's Diary" - 2015
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: O'Ryan Ross, Jadwin Ross, Professor Hays
"Chiaroscuro Bums" - 2014
Timeframe: 2013
Primary character(s): Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Not telling
Minor/Mentions: None
"Believer" - 2015
Timeframe: 2014
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Sarah B.
Secondary character(s): Dottie Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Lifecycle" - 2016
Timeframe: 2015
Primary character(s): None
Secondary character(s): Alwyn Ross
Minor/Mentions: None
"Shorts" - 2013
Timeframe: Multiple
Primary character(s): Alwyn Ross, Dottie Ross, Jadwin Ross
Secondary character(s): Godsend
Minor/Mentions: None
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
The Reviews Are In!
Here are a few of the reviews written on Amazon, GoodReads and the Boston Globe for "The Missionary and the Brute"! Great fun for me to see that folks get it! Enjoy!
Boston Globe
(in an interview of Author Suzzy Roche - "Wayward Saints")
"[Kenworthy’s] written such a page-turner."
Amazon.com
****
Steev Baker
"Equal parts travelogue, thriller, and theological treatise, Mr. Kenworthy's first book-length work of fiction is a genre-bending tale of sin and redemption. "The Missionary and the Brute" pulls no punches but moves breathlessly between gorgeous descriptions of Tanzinian landscape and customs, a tense story about a serial killer, and the faith-driven, internal dialog of a tormented man. The story is fairly straightforward: 4 days in the life of a man as he assists a visiting American missions team building a school in Tanzinia. Along the way, they encounter everything from fermented bananas to a bushfire to a funeral for a child. Jadwin Ross (also called simply The Missionary) is as flawed a protagonist as you would want, and although the story is largely told from his point of view, there are rarely any times you feel sympathy for him. And that's ok; this book is read best as a psychological horror novel akin to Robert Bloch's "Psycho" or Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." Kudos to Mr. Kenworthy for tackling a difficult subject and complicated character development. I look forward to reading his next novel(s) and watching him grow as a novelist. "
Amazon.com
*****
Shawmemory
"I'm into my second read through this new work. I missed so many nuances the first time because I just wanted to keep reading through to the end! Surprises throughout, fascinating twists and turns ... one of those smile-one-moment-cringe-the-next stories. I've already purchased three - one for myself and two as library donations for my community. This is a thought-provoking and entertaining read. Highly recommended!THE MISSIONARY AND THE BRUTE "
Amazon.com
*****
Sheila Pierson
"Mr. Kenworthy is one of my new favorite authors. With The Missionary and the Brute I was immediately captured by the author's exceptional ability to lead me into a world he's obviously very familiar with, a world of beauty and darkness, mystery and intrigue, heartbreak and triumph. His descriptions of Tanzania, Africa, made me feel as though I'd been transported there. His descriptions of the people make it obvious he is speaking from first-hand experience even though this is a work of fiction. By the end, you are glad it is. By the end, you will be catapulted to a place you never saw coming, never anticipated and will be left positively breathless. I actually needed a moment to recuperate from the shock. Read The Missionary and the Brute for yourself and find a new favorite author in John Kenworthy. "
Goodreads.com
****
Bobby J.
"What started as a lazy read becomes an overwhelmingly intriguing novel taking place in the daytime darkness of Tanzania. Jadwin Ross, the missionary, is the perfect character to keep you guessing throughout as to his innocence or guilt. Be aware, the on-going battle between good and evil (and in this case predator or prey) is descriptive and violent. This tale is a journey to be taken with a seat belt and maybe a lifeline. It took me 2 days to read the first 50 pages and 1 afternoon to read the last 250. It WILL hook you. Mr. Kenworthy has produced an African horror story that will bring you face-to-face with a beast that is undeniably believable and late-night-in-the-dark frightening. I won this book in a Goodread's giveaway and have added myself to John Kenworthy's reading list."
Goodreads.com
***
Cee Martinez
"The opening of this strange, cold tale set in the heart of sweltering Tanzania is a good one. Missionary Jadwin Ross is being pummeled in a creaky interrogation room, accused of a murder he did not commit. There is hardly a better way to open a book, and it hooked me instantly. Ross, as a character, is very clearly defined. Lusty, apathetic at times, and even mean-spirited, Ross is not your garden variety missionary.
He is in charge of a small village in Tanzania, and a flock of American visitors who range from the stereotypical dress-alike married couple, the mother with a problem goth-daughter, and a beautiful guest named Leah. Ross's peers also include a fellow minister, his beautiful bespectacled daughter Imura, and a misogynistic tour guide named Daud.
Imura and Leah are the best defined of the side characters, and both at times objects of Ross's lust. Daud is also well done, a vicious, sharp tongued sulker who becomes a thorn in Ross's side.
In between the day to day goings on of the characters, the story jumps forward to Ross's ordeal in interrogation. The story shines best with all the little details throughout. The Missionary work, Africa, traditions, local colloquialisms, scents, sounds, heat, sweat, smells, all of it shines through from an author who clearly has mastery of his setting and subject. I found it a personal joy to experience this detailed world I'd never previously put much thought to.
Ross himself, however, is a tricky fellow. A man of God, to be sure, and one dedicated to his work. This is outlined with a constant inner monologue, that, to be honest, got old fast for me. The florid quoting of scripture and lofty sentiments muttered over and over, comparing himself to martyrs and to righteous suffering became quite redundant for me to read.
The man of God lapses and quite often, I might add, into another man, an Earthy lusty fellow at that. A disturbing glimpse of his character is shown in a graphic sex scene where the woman in question is degraded to nothing more than a pliable sex toy to satiate Ross's lust.
The center of this novel is sprinkled with mystery and the specter of death. Nevertheless, it did sag somewhat for me. Although I did appreciate the flash-forward format, I still sometimes felt stifled by some of the pacing and befuddled by Ross's increasingly callous nature. I wanted a character to bond with, and Ross remained fiercely resistant to that, no matter how intriguing I found the plot.
A violent, surreal world spills across the pages in the third act however. Bloody, heart pounding, and heartbreaking, with just the right amount of twist, and with no regard at all for expectations, I found myself nodding and smiling at this brilliant final act. A few of the more "infuriating" points I found in the first two acts were actually cleared up for me with the final act and I am so glad to have stuck with it. "The Missionary and the Brute" is an offbeat, uneven thriller but the mastery Mr. Kenworthy has over his setting and the brutal confidence he has in presenting Jadwin Ross to the reader makes this a bizarre, deadly little read"
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Free Kindle Day!
For two days "Animated Lives!" will be free on Kindle for whomever of ya'all want it. Already it has zoomed up the charts and is #1 in free animation books being offered this weekend (Okay, so it's the ONLY animation book being offered free this weekend - but don't burst my bubble....)
So enjoy this special freebie. If you like it maybe you can toss up a good word two on a review somewhere. If you don't like it - hey, it's free!
Happy Weekend!
Get your Free Kindle Book Here
So enjoy this special freebie. If you like it maybe you can toss up a good word two on a review somewhere. If you don't like it - hey, it's free!
Happy Weekend!
Get your Free Kindle Book Here
Friday, March 23, 2012
Reviews, news, free books, cool movie and more...
A lot of great things all happening at once.
The first is that I got a really insightful review of "The Missionary and the Brute" on Amazon. The description and understanding of the novel are really dead on for me. Way cool. Read the review here.
The next is that my friend Floyd Norman (animation legend from Disney/Pixar/Tom Carter, etc.) did a mini-interview for my next novel, "The Blue Man". Floyd is sometimes referenced as the first African American animator in the industry and he did an awesome job answering questions from a fictional character (faux animation historian, Alwyn Ross). When Leslie Iwerks and I did a booksigning at Disneyland in 2001 for "The Hand Behind the Mouse", Floyd drove down and stood behind my chair the entire time telling me tales and keeping me company. It was so ironic that all these hardcore Disney fans were eating up Leslie and my signatures but it was FLOYD's they should really have sought. It was such a cool thing to have him there. I get choked up thinking about the kindness of that gesture to this day.
The next cool thing is that "Animated Lives!" is now available for Kindle! To celebrate that release, I am offering free downloads for Saturday and Sunday so get yours this weekend. If you like it please consider writing a review or ranking it or liking it or whathaveyou. It is much appreciated. Or if you can't wait, get it now!
"Animated Lives!" is a strange hybrid. Just as Floyd Norman was interviewed for a small section of "The Blue Man", real animators are interviewed by Alwyn Ross in separate chapters of this quirky little book. Each chapter features an animator working in short film. Some are famous, some are infamous, some are quiet little geniuses working alone for their art.
Gitanjali Rao was one of my favorites of these interviews. Her work, "Painted Rainbow" is a sensitive and sensitively-rendered work that embodies a visceral sense of loneliness and joy. Ostensibly it is the story of us all - escaping our pain through imaginations that set us free. Here is the film upon which her chapter is based.
The first is that I got a really insightful review of "The Missionary and the Brute" on Amazon. The description and understanding of the novel are really dead on for me. Way cool. Read the review here.
The next is that my friend Floyd Norman (animation legend from Disney/Pixar/Tom Carter, etc.) did a mini-interview for my next novel, "The Blue Man". Floyd is sometimes referenced as the first African American animator in the industry and he did an awesome job answering questions from a fictional character (faux animation historian, Alwyn Ross). When Leslie Iwerks and I did a booksigning at Disneyland in 2001 for "The Hand Behind the Mouse", Floyd drove down and stood behind my chair the entire time telling me tales and keeping me company. It was so ironic that all these hardcore Disney fans were eating up Leslie and my signatures but it was FLOYD's they should really have sought. It was such a cool thing to have him there. I get choked up thinking about the kindness of that gesture to this day.
The next cool thing is that "Animated Lives!" is now available for Kindle! To celebrate that release, I am offering free downloads for Saturday and Sunday so get yours this weekend. If you like it please consider writing a review or ranking it or liking it or whathaveyou. It is much appreciated. Or if you can't wait, get it now!
"Animated Lives!" is a strange hybrid. Just as Floyd Norman was interviewed for a small section of "The Blue Man", real animators are interviewed by Alwyn Ross in separate chapters of this quirky little book. Each chapter features an animator working in short film. Some are famous, some are infamous, some are quiet little geniuses working alone for their art.
Gitanjali Rao was one of my favorites of these interviews. Her work, "Painted Rainbow" is a sensitive and sensitively-rendered work that embodies a visceral sense of loneliness and joy. Ostensibly it is the story of us all - escaping our pain through imaginations that set us free. Here is the film upon which her chapter is based.
Monday, March 19, 2012
I empathize with mine-goblins in underwear. So what?
For my latest book, "Animated Lives!" I had the leeway to interview whomever the heck I chose. My main criteria for selection was that the animator had to have created work that I found enjoyable, interesting, challenging, important or hopefully all of the above. The first chapter kicks off with Slovenian interviewee, Dusan Kastelic who single-handedly made a strange little CGi film called "Perk" which can best be described as 'An out of work mine-goblin dances around his cave in his underwear to accordion-laced punk rock.'
I can't say honestly that it's all that important of a film. Nor is it really challenging. It wasn't meant to be. I suppose it's interesting, but that's not the word that comes to mind when most folks view it. Mostly it's just pure quirky, blissfully joyous entertainment.
Enjoyable? Heck, yeah! Unabashedly so.
Other chapters feature famed animators such as Suzie Templeton talking about her Academy Award-winning film "Peter and the Wolf", Andrew Jimenez of Pixar talking about "One Man Band" Disney's famed Ward Kimball walking us through "Stop that Tank"... but this little film by Kastelic may strangely be the most representative of the quirky films encountered in this little book.
And yes, strangely is the operative word.
Enjoy! Lord knows I do!
I can't say honestly that it's all that important of a film. Nor is it really challenging. It wasn't meant to be. I suppose it's interesting, but that's not the word that comes to mind when most folks view it. Mostly it's just pure quirky, blissfully joyous entertainment.
Enjoyable? Heck, yeah! Unabashedly so.
Other chapters feature famed animators such as Suzie Templeton talking about her Academy Award-winning film "Peter and the Wolf", Andrew Jimenez of Pixar talking about "One Man Band" Disney's famed Ward Kimball walking us through "Stop that Tank"... but this little film by Kastelic may strangely be the most representative of the quirky films encountered in this little book.
And yes, strangely is the operative word.
Enjoy! Lord knows I do!
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Animated Lives! now on Amazon!
Just in time to eradicate those post St. Patrick's Day Blues - a lively fun book that embraces the lighter side of my writing. Now on Amazon - "Animated Lives!" It is always really fun for me to watch the roll-out of one of my books. It goes live on the publisher site first, then it gets its barebones look on Amazon. Then it gets a description, a LOOK-INSIDE and the beginning rankings. Shortly after that it starts appearing on Powells, Barnes & Nobles, etc. in a very skeletal form. Months later those will fill in with details as well.
But for now Animated Lives! is live and well and available on Amazon. Enjoy!
Well frankly do more than enjoy - LIKE it, RATE it, REVIEW it, and BUY it! Not necessarily in that order... and then yes, ENJOY it!!!!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Special request...
Good morning!
My friend, author Sam Kirshaw (The Cushion Effect) has asked if I'd help bring awareness to Somoto Canyon Tours of Nicaragua. It is a cause that is very dear to her and I am happy to veer away from my talk of writing and my books for a moment.
As in so many impoverished regions of the world, the middleman is the scourge of all scourges. I know that to be so in Tanzania and Sam knows that be so from Nicaragua as well. For every well intended effort, there is someone with his hand out winnowing away part of the proceeds so the full benefit does not truly get to those who need it most. There is still benefit, but much less than might have been.
Understanding this, Somoto Canyon Tours aims to keep the benefit in the local region. As Sam explains, "It is a community project in a very poor part of Nicaragua with all profits staying in the community. No middlemen or big tour operators." The money stays with the people not siphoned away to some FatCat.
My friend, author Sam Kirshaw (The Cushion Effect) has asked if I'd help bring awareness to Somoto Canyon Tours of Nicaragua. It is a cause that is very dear to her and I am happy to veer away from my talk of writing and my books for a moment.
Understanding this, Somoto Canyon Tours aims to keep the benefit in the local region. As Sam explains, "It is a community project in a very poor part of Nicaragua with all profits staying in the community. No middlemen or big tour operators." The money stays with the people not siphoned away to some FatCat.
She continues, "These are hard-working people and need to capitalise on the opportunity they have." If only all people had the opportunity to positively impact their own self-destiny.
The blog detailing the tours and their mission has gone live at http://somotocanyontours.blogspot.com. If you have a chance check them out. And if you have a vacation coming soon - please add this to your consideration list.
I'll get back to writing about writing and my latest release "Animated Lives!" with my next post. Thanks for listening!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Surprise! "Animated Lives!" Available Now!
The premise of "Animated Lives!" is that Alwyn Ross is a fictional animation historian who interviewed 20 different real-life animators working in short animated film. In actuality, I conducted the interviews starting in 2005 on the heels of the success of "The Hand Behind the Mouse: an intimate biography of Ub Iwerks" (Disney Editions, winner of the E.G.Lutz Award for best book about animation). It was thrilling to be able to talk with so many brilliant filmmakers working at such a high level of artistry.
If the name Alwyn Ross seems familiar to you, it is because he is the younger brother to Jadwin Ross, the Missionary from "The Missionary and the Brute". While the siblings are vastly different in temperament and personality, they together with their sister Dottie comprise the core of the Ross Family Saga - a sprawling fictional opus that shall eventually span at least eight novels.
I hope you enjoy this unique new book that offers an in-depth inside view of the wonderful art of animation and an interesting new character in Alwyn Ross.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Barnes & Noble lowers price!
With that in mind, Barnes & Noble has lowered the price of "The Missionary and the Brute" to $10.76. This is a substantial savings for you bargain hunters out there and you still get the same great book! Just passing on the great news! Get your copy today! Or maybe two...
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-missionary-and-the-brute-john-kenworthy/1036936009?ean=9781442148413&itm=1&usri=john+kenworthy
Oh, and after you read it - go back and give it a rating and a review if you would be so kind. Much appreciated. The only rating up there is mine and I inadvertantly gave it a 4-star instead of what I truly believe is a 5-star read...LOL
Monday, March 12, 2012
Back Home Again! (Blog Tour Recap)
What a wonderful thing! It's always lovely to go on the road to talk about writing, my books and other people's books, but it is also great to be back home again in the comfort of one's own blog. It was a whirlwind tour to be sure - and what I've pulled out of it is pure amazement and joy at the diversity of great writers supporting one another in a loving sense of community and sharing.
I hope that my constant readers have enjoyed going on other blogs and that you have joined, followed, liked and bookmarked those blogs to continue following these great and special authors and readers. Such incredible people they are. Our format ran from interviews of me to interviews of others - from my pontifications on various subjects such as how to handle bad reviews to several pieces of fiction either excerpted from my work or new prequel pieces written specifically for the tour.
I hope that my constant readers have enjoyed going on other blogs and that you have joined, followed, liked and bookmarked those blogs to continue following these great and special authors and readers. Such incredible people they are. Our format ran from interviews of me to interviews of others - from my pontifications on various subjects such as how to handle bad reviews to several pieces of fiction either excerpted from my work or new prequel pieces written specifically for the tour.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Day 12
It is always interesting to see what authors choose to excerpt as a means of enticing more readers. For "The Missionary and the Brute" that was a bit challenging for me because there are so many twists and turns that I don't want to spoil for the readers. The chapter on my friend Jamie's site is one wherein the Missionary Jadwin Ross is picked up at the airport and he learns (as do we) about the other Americans who have already arrived. This is a good opportunity to get a taste of Tanzania and the characterizations in our tale.
Enjoy!
Today:
Sunday March 11th
"An Excerpt from 'The Missionary and the Brute'"
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Complete Schedule:
Wednesday February 29th
"Interview with John Kenworthy"
Thursday March 1st
"Mrs. Starr's EZ Peasy Spinach Surprise"
Friday March 2nd
"Stunt Double"
Saturday March 3rd
"Educating Tanzania"
Sunday March 4th
"Kenworthy interviews Author Raychelle Muhammad"
Monday March 5th
"Kenworthy interviews the Missionary Jadwin Ross"
Tuesday March 6th
"Interview with John Kenworthy"
Wednesday March 7th
"Alwyn Ross writes: Visions of Bakshi" (NSFW)
Thursday March 8th
"Raven's Reviews"
Friday March 9th
"How to get a bad review (without slitting your wrists)"
Saturday March 10th
"Kenworthy interviews author Sam Kirshaw" at
Sunday March 11th
"Free Excerpt of The Missionary and the Brute" at
Monday March 12th
"Back Home Again!"
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