Resurfacing
The last year has been a tough one; may the coming year be better. "Dark Horizons," the next Leonard Smith story, has been submitted to "Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine," with hopes of acceptance in the near future; and "Frog Tales," two volumes of aphoristic fables are now available through Audible.com. Please download a sample story by entering "Rex Burns" on their search panel. Meanwhile, longer manuscripts are with my agent and looking for a home--a novel of the Civil War homefront "Into Enemy Arms," a wry yarn of revolution in Latin America, "The Better Part of Valour," and two (count them: two) novels in the new "Touchstone Series": "Body Slam" and "VLCC." Whether they see print (or eprint or audible or . . . ) is problematic as always, given the vicissitudes of publishing, but hope is eternally springing.
Just finished reading "the Leaning Land" and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm glad to learn here that longer mss have been submitted by you. I must say that I am impressed by your use of setting. In every chapter I "saw" terrain and vivid surroundings--something I'm trying to work on. Nice job!
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Thanks for the kind words, Ray . As the title implies, "land" and landscape are key elements not only of the setting but also the plot. The attempt is to carry the reader into feeling as well as seeing the physical world of the protagonist, but to do so indirectly rather than dictating to the reader. The attempt is also seen in my urban "Gabe Wager" novels where Denver becomes the "landscape."
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Thank you, Rex. I like it when you say "indirectly" not "dictating" to the reader. I feel I should mention that Sorche is also my agent; we are hitting the market with my hoped for debut novel this fall. I plan to read "Blood Line", and good luck with your next offering.
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Congratultions, Ray, and good luck with the market. The writer's world is pretty chaotic right now, with a variety of opportunities and perils. But Sorche will work hard for you--she's good people. I hope to see your book come out (title?) and have a chance to read it.
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Rex, Don't know if you read comments, but I don't know any other way to meet you or contact you. My mother is your first cousin Dianne, I new your mother as a child but vagly remember her for I was only around her when I was young. My grandfather is your moms brother. Jack as he was called but really he was Lou. Don't think I should say anything else. write if you can would like to talk to you about a book that will be coming out in December that I wrote
best regards
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Hi Steve--
I remember Dianne when she was about eight years old! And your grandfather was the closest I had to a brother--he was maybe 10 years older than me, and a very fine person whose far too early death came as a shock that still hurts. I hope your grandmother is doing well (I heard she was quite ill) and that your several aunts on your mother's side--those still alive--are likewise well.
I'm not surprised that you've written a book; the literary virus seems to be spread through the Hendricks/Heinrich/Heinrichs clan (as well as on my father's "Sehler" side).
My email address is rexburns@comcast.net, and my web page is www.rexburns.com. I hope to hear from you--
--All best,
Rex
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Hi Rex,
This is Laura, Steve's sister. He just now told me that he had written to you on this site but never checked back to see that you had replied. So I am doing so now until he can get home to write you himself. Grandma (Eunice) is doing ok for her age. Aunt Charlotte and Debbye are taking good care of her. We are so proud of having such a famous author in the family. I especially loved the book you wrote under the Sehler name. Very good!!
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Hi, Laura--
Good to "meet" you, and to hear that Eunice is in reasonably good health. Please give my regards to Charlotte and Debbye--whom I remember as babies, and it dosn't seem so long ago.
If you wish, you can reach me at my home address: rexburns@comcast.net-- and thank you very much for the kind words on "When Reason Sleeps"
--All best,
Rex
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Rex I think you read the blog faster than email...LOL I got the email off didn't know what should be said publicly. We tell everyone about you and your books. One curiosity Grandma said once that you were approached on making a TV series from one of your books. Always wondered what happen with that. I have a distant cousin on my father side Dawn DeNoon who writes for "Law and Order"
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I finally found this note on the blogpage, Steve--sorry the reply's so late. There was interest in a TV series, movies, and do on, but no action. A few of the titles have been optioned for film, but only one was made: Bronson's "Messenger of Death," very loosely based on "The Avenging Angel" novel. It can still be seen very late at night on subterranean television channels. Please give my regards to your cousin Dawn--I like "Law and Order." --Rex
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Hi Rex,
I do hope this 2011 has found you in good spirits!
I really want to thank you for the copies of the AHMM I got early this week. And not to forget to mention the fact I mostly enjoyed looking at the nice card - ja ja! - as well.
The short story - "Constable Smith And The Bone Pointer" - dating from the October´s 2009 issue, puzzle and plot in an Australian setting - the forces of land trying to gain control on man´s soul, make me dwell on the thought that as long as Rai-God keeps its sacred home-place, the Aboriginal Law and the White´s can co-exist in McGrath and Carter, Sergeant Cappiello and Constable Leonard Smith can be at ease. What´s the use of a bone pointer? What´s the use of revenge?
I liked it very much.
Thanks over again.
All best,
María Inés
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Thanks for the kind words, Maria Ines--you've put your finger on the meaning of the story: how does Constable Smith balance the demands of "civilized" Australian law with the 40,000-year-old laws governing Indigenous ritual and behavior. Sometimes, the "white man's law" must be stretched to accomodate the justice of Aboriginal Law.
Very pleased that you enjoyed the card, as well.
Please have a good 2011--
Best to you,
Rex
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Hello Rex,
After a while, here I am again - despite of being victimized by the internet which happened to be off for about a month. It sometimes occurs in countries such as Argentina where a few monopolies are constantly struggling to gain control over the situation. And this is exactly one example of this.
Back to the point, I want to say I really enjoyed Homestead from the AHMM dating November 2007. Meeting Constable Smith - once again - and the underlying tone of the short story which remains the same. Smith and his " constant " fight against the unfoughtable - the brutality of native justice - merely witness and watch and wish that it should be written somewhere and read so that he himself and those on his side might be more alert and vigilant when those who violate some tribal laws come into action.
As a whole, the situations delineated in the saga stories - even though I only had the chance of reading two of them - thanks once more for your letting me have a real pleasure to come across with them - sound like an echo. The Australian setting where the tribal law can be " heavy business " and the actual Argentinian setting where still the tribal is being fought. It seems to be a problem concerning latitudes.
Thanks once more.
Very best,
María Inés
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Hi, Maria Ines--
Sorry to hear about the problems with the internet and the monopoloists who take advantage of the public to feed their greed. It's a familiar story in US history, as well, and there are still those who would like to take the US back to those days.
Perhaps you can write some tales based on an Argentinian situation??
--Rex
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Just discovered "When Reason Sleeps"...wow..where have U been hiding? Or I'm just buried. Am starting from square one and my goal is to read all your books by Fall. Hope at least your newest not-yet-published will make it to an e-version. Will b in Denver in Sept. and Oct. if U r having any 'events' I will check out.
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Hi, Linda--
Very, very sorry not to have replied earlier. You didn't miss any "events," as I didn't have any. Perhaps this year, which I hope will be a very good one for you.
I've made one Resolution: check my emails and learn how to blog.
--Rex
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Hi Rex,
Thinking over about these short stories that take place in a far-off setting, unfamiliar to nearly most of us, you - once again - bring the point to us depicting in a brilliant way the devastating metaphor of the 21st century in the Occident. Despite man has achieved modernity there seems to be no solution for the recurring tribal issues.
All best,
María Inés
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Hi, Maria Ines--
You're right: human nature has developed far more slowly than human invention--a scary thought.
--Rex
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Hi Rex,
Dwelling on your cute comment, it springs into my mind that if we - humans - create the non-human and because of being the unique creator, we´re supposed to be superior to anything that refers us to the world of our inventions. But why do we - humans - happen to fall so often and are so deeply imprisoned by our own recurring passions,coming across with the same old tribal issues that make us entities so dependable on our own creations to grasp - as if it were our last attempt - at least the tiniest bit of it to be safe.
María Inés
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Hi Rex,
First of all and hoping you remained sober to welcome the 2012 and not just like I did - indulging in a few drinks myself - that brought about a confused state of mind - wish you the very best for this year!
Going over Homestead some hours ago, dating from the November 2007 AHMM issue, I´ve come across the apparent disruption between two worlds - seeming to be so much opposed to each other - underlying the idea of the uncivilized struggling for some sort of achievement or a bit of a "better" civilization and the interdepedence among every social being - no matter which world they belong to - shows us this constant moving further process that can be clearly seen in both characters: L.C.L. Smith and Hunter.The White law and the Aboriginal´s splitting them up and re -uniting them into this movement that pushes both of them a bit forward and differencies appear to become of a lesser importance at the end. Hunter homestead and the barn. And that space in between that can be walked through by them both where there´s no such an appearance of a disruption. And it´s right there where the process takes place and they can move a little on.
Best wishes.
María Inés
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Hi, Maria Ines--
And Happy (and festive) New Year to you--
You've put your finger on one of the underlying purposes of the story, which was to bring the reader's attention to the Aboriginal culture which has enabled them to live in a very challenging landscape for over 40,000 years before western culture invaded their country. To have managed to survive for that length of time and to have created a complex vision of the spiritual past that still gives meaning to the present is a human achievement of the highest order. One of the elements of Constable Smith's character is his fragmented understanding of this knowledge and a sense that something that should have been his has been taken from him.
Perhaps the same could be said of South American indigenous societies?
Good to hear from you,
Rex
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Hi Rex,
I think the same could be said of Argentinian native or indigenous peoples. Going through marginality - being left in what concerns laws, their rights in the land and a bilingual intercultural education - constantly postponing their inner efforts to be acknowledged as civilians. Their claims have long been overlooked by the existing governments. These days we are under a different light. A lot has started being done to re - establish their rights that could embrace diversities and restore what was taken from them.
It´s good to hear from you, too.
María Inés
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Hi, Maria Ines--
Given your interest in the Indigenous people of Argentina, you have the opportunity to write about them. I don't know how much can be restored to them--too much has been taken, and too many changes (technological, political, geographical, social) have occurred to get back to the way things were. But maybe a brighter future can be outlined.
Please stay in touch--
--Rex
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