Evolving novel forms

Printed novels in the past have always been outdated by the events that form a background to the story or even the subject itself. Today Lulu prints books by order, even one at a time, thus the writer can update events when they change in the real world.
My book The Prism was written in the early nineties, the story is set in a forseeable, not too distant future in Paris, and the background, which is essential to the story, explains how the world arrived where it does in the book.
This required some creative foresight, today however it is clear that world events as then imagined did not quite take the path as seen in the cristal ball 15 years ago, example: the war in Iraq, Iran, China, or the exansion of the European Union, and of course the Twin Towers. So a little re-writing would have been nice from time to time. Today that rewriting can take place in real time as readers buy books on Lulu, with background events being re-edited from time to time as changes take place, though the fundementals of the story do not.
The title of the book is The Prism and this was chosen because the future can take different paths as seen through a prism. Today real events show how this in fact really takes place, how images reflect differently as we watch them. In spite of this concept being complicated it gives form to a new kind of continuous novel, where parallel paths and parallel worlds can be compared.

Sibelius 2007 Anniversary

Half a century after his death in 1957, Jean Sibelius remains the dominant icon of Finnish classical music and a great figure in global terms. His popular seven symphonies are re-recorded and performed regularly in Finland and across the world, and works such as Kullervo, Finlandia and The Swan of Tuonela.

Jean Sibelius - a biography

I am nearing the end of a 1,102 page marathon - the translation from French into English of Marc Vignal's huge and deeply interesting biography of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Like a marathon it is a lonely task. The difference is when the race is won there is no glory. When a musician or an conductor interpretes a piece of music he is appluaded, it is a noble undertaking, when a literary work is interpreted, more than a year's effort in this particular case, it goes unremarked, the translators name tucked away on some inner page. This is not a complaint but an evidence for those interested in writing and its lesser but ncessary companion; translation.
Sibelius lived to the age of 90, an important achievement for great artists, even though his last decades were unproductive. I will be writing more of this on my site http://www.johnkinsella.net
What does translation give a writer? Firstly, there is the negative aspect since it takes up his own creative time. Secondly however, it stimulates his own creative ideas and hones his own skills. Translating is the most intense form of reading, each word, each line, each paragraph is analysed. This is especially the case in a biography where spoken words and facts count.

Jean Sibelius

‘Set your sights high – such is the challenge of life. Learn to do it if it is not innate, such is the objective of life’
Jean Sibelius 6 January 1944

Offshore Islands

The ideas contained in this book come from several different experiences in the different locations cited in the story, namely: France, Ireland, England Scotland, Texas, Mexico, Florida, Guadeloupe, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Russia. The story is woven together through the trials and tribulations of the different protagonists based on real and imaginary events in any case changed to protect those concerned (not the least myself). You may say that its a complicated way to go about writing a story? I don't think so because as I mentioned these incidents are based on my own experience. We write about what happens to us, what goes through our minds and what our imaginations invent.

Borneo Pulp

This is the story of how modern industry has been eating into the Indonesian rainforest at an ever increasing rate. It shows how little people really care, behind all the good words of government and business there is only one objective - money! It's not surprising, but there is also a question of employment for 200 million Indonesians. OK you say they should live simply, why not! First you try it on a dollar a day! Starting out each morning without a cent in your pocket.

Today in Paris

One question that concerns all writers, whatever their subject, be it fiction or otherwise, is how to publish their work. Nothing is more galling than to spend a year or more writing - I know of an archaeologist who spent ten years writing his work - then being unable to find a publisher. Publishers received mountains of manuscripts everymorning, most of these go with no more than a glance to pulp, which reminds me, have you read my noval 'Borneo Pulp'?
I used (note the past tense) all kinds of solutions to get my books into print, most of them laborious or unsatisfactory not to speak of costly. Finally I discovered Lulu.com founded in 2002 by Bod Young. Lulu permits any writer to have his work published regardless of the number of copies without heavy expenses on the basis of a given fixed price for each copy. This is nothing short of miraculous for all those writers who have spend years trying to be heard and trying to penetrate the inpenetrable world of publishing! This is not a criticism of publishing, which is today, more than ever, a business.

About Lulu.com: Lulu is changing the world of publishing by enabling the creators of books, video, periodicals, multimedia and other content to publish their work themselves with complete editorial and copyright control. Lulu empowers these individuals and corporations to create high quality content products to sell directly to their customers and the rest of the Lulu.com marketplace. With storefronts provided as well as other marketing assistance, creators are fully supported to profit from their work. With Lulu offices in the U.S., Canada and Europe, Lulu customers can reach the globe.