The poet friends Anna Stearman and Adam Zdrodowski introduced me to The Next Big Thing where I write about an upcoming book- my poetry collection – Mu (So) Dream (Window):
1) Where did the idea come from for the book?
A Korean Robinson Crusoe with lost parrots and a small lint free cloth, fire chicken on a fire island, a flying bird teahouse, the Gobi desert, live animals crawling in the shops, an Egyptian poet named Rumi, morning glories, larvae boiling on the streets, rainbow warriors, barebacking a man from Texas with beautiful cheekbones, Korean pizza with hot sauce, searching for ham and finding spam, everybody wanted to go to Japan but everybody just held hands, there were no tapeworms in the chamber pot, doraji doraji doraji, mother and twinkling boys, a garment of rice, tender loins, the lights of the night commute, mongolian mermaids, dream brothers and dream lovers, 200 dreams under the broad sword, Zen blud lust dharma toppled rice cakes, tonked up testy and smiling a cock grew against my leg and then I came.
2) What genre does your book fall under?
Poetry
3) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
William Burroughs as Rumi, Jeff Hilson as the magic parrot, Jim Goar as Jak Jeon fire chicken, Michael Zand as swamp grass, Tim Atkins as a beard between me and my knee, Tao Lin as the yogi-yo, Grzegorz Wroblewski as saint Robinson Crusoe, Miranda July as an allegory that breaks in the mouth, Tom Cruise as the old wood that sticks out from the newer handle, Peter Jaeger as Wonderland bossman, Bernadette Mayer as blind date from Korean friend finder, Jack Nicholson as ass juice, Juliette Binoche as cherry pits, Meryl Streep as flexi glass, Sean Penn as ten thousand splendids.
4) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
"In a world of spam (to paraphrase the author) he gives us (good) ham, with a big side of kimchee.." - Tim Atkins
5) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
The project began with notebooks written while living in South Korea n 2006. It was revised in London. First in 2008 and then again in 2012. I think I can let it go now.
6) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
First the poetry of Clark Coolidge and my nomadic experiences living in South Korea (aren't we all nomads of some sort). Then in London the poet Phil Whalen was a big influence. That's partly the love part. Expansive mind states in miniture spaces. Goshiwons. Kimchee on the fire escapes. Broken watches. Nightstands. Palaces and Buddhist temples. Hermit kingdoms. Dream brothers and dream lovers.
7) What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
Do you believe in magic?
8) Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It is now available for pre-order from Poor Claudia. A nice handmade limited edition. Available over here:
Labels: Bernadette Mayer, Grzegorz Wroblewski, jeff hilson, Jim Goar, Juliette Binoche, Michael Zand, miranda July, Mu (so) Dream (Window), Peter Jaeger, Poor Claudia, Tao Lin, Tim Atkins, william burroughs
