shrew? why not gerbil? -- Freedom Hall

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Date Posted: 09:17:15 10/08/04 Fri
Author: jamelah
Author Host/IP: 24.56.203.33
Subject: shrew? why not gerbil?
In reply to: volt 's message, "Jammelah IS talented, but a shrew nonetheless" on 00:02:47 10/08/04 Fri

Dear Vlad,

Oh my. Um, thanks?

I want to clarify a few things.

First of all, my name only has one m in it.

Secondly, the piece of writing pulled out for (now kind of recanted) ridicule isn't an essay. It's not even autobiographical, except for one tiny little throwaway statement that hasn't sparked any comment and that I won't draw attention to. I don't generally write about myself very much, at least not directly, and so (with the exception of my blog) first-person writing by me usually isn't about me at all. Granted, it comes from my perspective, on some level, but I try to write from an observational, detached viewpoint, because I think there's really only so far a writer can go with self-focused work born out of whatever the day's emotional upheavals are.

But maybe that's just me.

Third, I've never read any Anne Rice and I don't intentionally delve into tragedy (or tragedy-lite, whatever). I'm basically just interested in how people react to things (having been extensively trained in theater I know that reacting is the more interesting work) and I do try to keep things on an uncomfortable or unsettling edge, mostly because I think that life is uncomfortable. And life mostly isn't grand, it's mostly very small.

It's neither here nor there, but to quote (or maybe paraphrase) Milan Kundera -- "In the realm of kitsch, the heart reigns supreme."

So there's that. For whatever it's worth.

Also, isn't a subservient control freak a contradiction in terms?

Sincerely,
Jamelah

>Rereading Jam's essay (and having read other writings
>of hers, back when LK still had not become the
>micro-police state it is today), I admit I was
>mistaken in calling her writing that of a 10 grade
>failed cheerleader. She is really one of the best
>writers to appear on October Earth or LitKicks, in
>spite of her control freak 'tude and her subservience
>to Genghis Asher.
>
>Her writing is sort of Raymond Carver-esque, and a bit
>melancholy, sometimes with startling images you might
>encounter in a Flannery O Connor story. She writes
>bizarre first person reflective essays that are almost
>good, but still quite juvenile; though tragic, her
>essays are the sort of tragedy-lite of goth rock, of
>Anne Rice, of Wynona Ryder or Tim Burton movies.
>Unintentionally very frightening, ersatz tragedies,
>scarier for their kitchiness.
>
>So while I detest pretty much the entire LK project, I
>will admit that Jammelah Earle IS a real talent, a
>budding writer, not Virginia Woolfe or Faulkner, but
>unique and perhaps gifted. Hopefully she will get it
>together and break free of the Asherocracy and maybe
>succeed.

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Replies:

A shrew into gerbils? Whoa, you NY gals are wild, baby..... -- vlad, 09:51:44 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
- i wouldn't know since i'm not a NY gal. -- jamelah, 10:36:14 10/08/04 Fri (24.56.203.33)
  - Overestimating the audience -- volt, 10:53:03 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
    - yeah, yeah -- jamelah, 12:10:48 10/08/04 Fri (24.56.203.33)
      - assumptions -- volt, 13:00:54 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
        mmhmm -- jamelah, 13:51:07 10/08/04 Fri (24.56.198.192)
        disingenuous -- volt, 14:18:10 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
        Litkicks? Who cares? -- Martha Stewart, 14:37:22 10/08/04 Fri (172.169.222.232)
        then stay out of the phucking conversation -- volt, 14:45:11 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
        This is a public board -- Martha Stewart, 14:59:02 10/08/04 Fri (172.169.222.232)
        naw -- volt, 15:48:58 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
        Camp Cupcake -- Martha Stewart, 15:59:36 10/08/04 Fri (67.22.182.218)
        Martha's Homemade Cider -- volt, 16:13:15 10/08/04 Fri (4.27.250.92)
        I'd prefer not to. Thank you anyway. -- Martha Stewart, 16:21:40 10/08/04 Fri (172.144.82.56)
        ah, xanax -- jamelah, 15:22:51 10/08/04 Fri (24.56.198.192)

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