The latest in the series...

[cinemabon]

This is the fourth novel in the series...

http://www.iuniverse.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000200341

[oscar jubis]

Congratulations!! I love the cover! Plot sounds quite intriguing. Have you been to Australia? Is that a relevant question in the context of a sci-fi novel?

[cinemabon]

Thank you, Oscar. I appreciate all of your comments and input.

My wife and I went to see the latest Woody Allen film about two weeks ago, "You will meet a tall dark stranger." I was going to review it and post it on our site... but then I thought, why? It stinks! I'd give you my reasons, but then, I'd have to write a review. Suffice to say that despite the rooster of stars, they have little to do with the rambling story line that has no beginning and no ending. Allen's tribute to James Joyce' "Ulysses"? If it was, he poorly attempted it.

[cinemabon]

As to Australia, I have traveled to only one foreign country, Canada. While the stories include descriptions of China, Russia, etc. the settings are based on internet research, my imagination, and a certain je ne sais quoi.

[oscar jubis]

*I am taking an elective course in Literary Theory. I'm the only Ph.D. student from outside the English department. I am proud to have had the courage to admit that "Ulysses" didn't make sense to me without having to qualify that, the last time I attempted to read it, I was very young.

* I did not watch the new Allen or many other new releases. I used to average 5 current releases per week. I am down to about 2, maybe 3. I'm glad to learn I am not missing much. Did you watch The Social Network? I found it well worth seeing (and a lot of people think it is better than that).

*I hope you continue writing because it is apparent that you derive a great deal of pride and joy from it. I am mostly writing critical essays nowadays, rather than film reviews. I am enjoying it very much.

[cinemabon]

I am far from your league, Oscar. My novels are meant to be diversions with a bit of corny moralizing thrown in for good measure. You weigh words as if you were measuring gold dust. I love to read your critical essays and look forward to your continued contributions.

I am fascinated by abuses of power and what some people do with it or how far they can go. That is the true premise behind my latest work. If you could bend the minds of others to do your will, what would you do? How far would you go? Who would stop you?

On one side, I tried to present morality not simply as a choice, but as something that goes deeper, to the root of survival. The novel opens with a statement that those who often preach morality, simply advance their own power and really have very little to do with kind of "high minded" morality they preach. I ask the reader, where were the morals of those who brought "christianity to savages" and in turn, enslaved them. Or the morals of a political party that purged its country of bad Jewish blood? This form of pontification continues even as we banter back and forth. Are we not currently in a debate on wether gay people have the same rights as others? Do illegal immigrants have any rights, or can we just detain them indefinitely because, according to our laws, they are not citizens and not privileged?

Starting my novel with these questions, I pose to the reader... what would you do? If you had the power, how would you use it? Naturally, one character uses it for evil and another for good. However, one character who sort of stumbles onto the power by accident has a difficult choice on whether to use his power at all or walk away. What would you do? Would you apply your own moral standards or would you aspire to apply the morals of others, idealists and the like?

[oscar jubis]

I have great admiration for people like you who can give expression to a whole other world that exists only in your imagination but also reflects on the human condition in the world we all share. My writing is all secondary text.

[cinemabon]

Trying to spread a little holiday joy, Mr. Psychology? I thank you for the compliment, however, I'm not even on the same block as you. I haven't attended college classes for years... and my work, although unjudged, would probably be rated mediocre at best and more likely criticized as pulp fiction by a hack writer, if the NYTimes ever took hold of a copy... but why would they bother.

I live in an imaginary world alright. I consider this "epic 1,300,000 word saga" a pointless hobby at times. I'm an author whose received $26.13 in renumeration. If it were a profession, I'd starve to death. Besides, someone... anyone would be interested if it were good. I mean, who cares about some unknown writer from North Carolina whose grammar is questionable and spelling worse. Disheartened? Hardly scratches the surface. Let me just say I completely identify with those find "life drives them to drink." While I'm a teetotaler, I'm still sympathetic!

Therefore, to wit, sooooo... Merry Christmas, my gentleman friend. I appreciate your kind words. But as the great Dorothy Parker once said: "I'm never going to be famous. I don't do anything, not one single thing. I used to bite my nails, but I don't even do that any more."

From Rawlay, Nawth Caralinah... your friend.

[oscar jubis]

And Merry Christmas to you too.
Wealth and Fame are overrated. The only thing I expect to gain from my writing or any academic work is a job teaching film when I graduate in 2013. And I'm willing to move to Idaho if necessary. In a way, I think that writing is its own reward. Cheers!