Comments on: Flurb #5

By: mikey hunter

mikey hunter — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:36:06 +0000

y'okay flurbists. ... John Shirley, 1st time here but I got to say, after reading cyberpunk since "Mirrorshades" kindly passed to me whilst in-carcerated in juvenile Y.O.I., by a friend, back in 1990/91 in the U.K., I think all the comments given above real relevant, as are your replies-reply's. The ' rent a wife - user programming ' description so relevant now/here and at your story's future I was transfixed. I'll read again and am looking towards Rudy's Routines also as not read his yet. By the way, has anybody read 1956 novel by J. B. Priestley called Low Notes on a High Level ? about a character named Dobbs. ... Truly Best Wishes All of You

By: m smith

m smith — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:00:52 +0000

re cathedrals I liked it so to offer a petty suggestion
the “kids” should maybe catcall
“meat-man meat-man shit-to-live-to-eat-man”
or something such instead
cause catcalls rhyme
only to help ok bye

By: shaun

shaun — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:47:22 +0000

I’ve never been there but I imagine there are many Tangiers reflected off many different people’s eyes who have been there, and in that respect - (despite my laptop’s spell check siding clearly with Victor - it adamantly underscores ‘Tangiers’ in a firm line of red pixels) - Rudy’s pluralization works rather beautifully, suggesting to me shades of Calvino’s Invisible Cities.
We are all explorers of cities that are constantly being lost to some while others are still to discover yet another aspect of their sprawl, for themselves. my 2c.

By: Rudy

Rudy — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:50:19 +0000

Hey, Victor, thanks for the further info. By now, you’ve just about convinced me to change the title of the piece to “Tangier Routines”. I wish I could go there too some time.

By: victor barker

victor barker — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:43:54 +0000

I guess I’d better bow to Rudy’s better knowledge of what’s in Burroughs’ letters so sorry if I annoyed.
I first went to Tangier in 1951 and have been back many many times, though never staying more than a few weeks at a time. Unfortunately I never met Burroughs there, though I did meet up with Paul Bowles. I loved the place back in the fifties and sixties. I was there a couple of years ago and though it has changed a lot in the European part of the city I still found the old town delightful. I usually stay around the Petit Socco and in the old Continental.
But I have never seen or heard anyone there refer to the pace as Tangiers. I guess I’m just quirky about it. Some sense of “personal possession” of the place that an oldtimer like me can get!
I do like your site though Rudy - best regards, Victor

By: shaun

shaun — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:23:42 +0000

Nathaniel - -
I just read your story/email from “You Know Who” and absolutely loved it.
Awesome work, and congratulations on having your first sci-fi story published
by The Web. Happy little helpers to have.
– shaun

By: Wedcnogy

Wedcnogy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:46:56 +0000

hi great site 10x

By: Rudy

Rudy — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:51:32 +0000

That’s right, Marc, I did in fact spell Tangier every possible way in the story. Burroughs himself did this in his letters, spelling it all those ways. I chose “Tangiers Routines” for the title because that seemed to look better than “Tangier Routines.”

By: MarcL

MarcL — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:27:05 +0000

It’s spelled every possible way in the story (Tangier Tangiers Tanger Tangers)…as if part of the point is that there are variants…not just the one Tangier but many Tangiers…many routines…

By: victor

victor — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:53:18 +0000

Yeah I like the Burroughs letters - but I get so tired of seeing people spell Tangier with an “s”. Tangier or Tanger. Any other well says the writer doesn’t really know much about the place at all.