CODEINE MAKES EVERYTHING SO MUCH BETTER: I woke up this morning and it felt like I had a razor blade in my throat. My tonsils were so swollen, I could barely speak and I was having a bit of trouble breathing. I felt it coming on yesterday, but thought it was just the sniffles. I called in sick to work, went to the doctor and turns out I have "highly contagious strep throat." The doctor was so impressed (horrified) by my swollen tonsils, he had another doctor come in so she could be equally impressed/horrified by my malady. I got a shot of steroids to make the swelling go down and another full of antibiotics. The reason I can sit upright and bring you this account is because I also got a prescription of Tylenol with codeine. I could so easily slip into Valley of the Dolls territory. I do love the way pharmaceuticals make me feel.

The codeine also came in handy to keep me calm and cool when I got an email from the agent who had indicated he wanted to represent my novel Conquering Venus, but has now decided it's not for him. He said his "submissions department" (I just love those nameless people deciding on the fate of your work) said the novel needed considerable work. This is just further proof that the reading of a novel is so subjective. Back in 2001-02, CV made the rounds of most of the big NYC publisher. Never once did they indicate that the manuscript needed work. They were turned off by the combination of terrorism and young gay boys in love, but never once did they say the manuscript needed any significant work. Of course, this agent did let me know that "Gay lit is hot right now" so I shouldn't have any problem finding a publisher. I'll let you draw your own conclusions. I already have. C'est la vie...more codeine, please.

I'll continue to get CV out there, but right now poetry continues to dominate my life. I have new work coming out in Terminus, Chiron Review and Split Shot over the next year, which is very exciting. Other work is making the rounds, and I've decided to enter a few chapbook competitions as I work on the next full collection. The CD is also in progress for a November release. A fellow poet and good friend said I should continue to pursue poetry full guns because "you're hot right now." Strike while the iron is hot. Will do. More codeine, please.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Careful, Collin. You could be the next Neely O'Hara. :)

TJ
David Herrle said…
Congrats on the first anniversary for BTT, Collin!

I'm sorry about the agent pass. Yes, blame the nameless Rejecter! Hah!

Speaking of codeine - a really cool band on SubPop's label back in the early 1990s was called Codeine. Their FRIGID STARS EP is splendidly morose and slow - like Pink Floyd on...on...on codeine. (Their other stuff stinks, however.)

My system's down, so no emails possible at present. :(

-David
Anonymous said…
Congrats on the anniversary! How the times does fly.

hmmmm..."Gay lit is hot right now" and I'm forced to wonder how far I would go for a best-seller :-) But, it gives me a new round of excuses when I'm rejected...too damn straight.

I agree with your friend's poetry advice. More Collin please :-)

-TMK
BLUE said…
Re: The Agent ... Fuck 'im. He's trash. On to the next milestone. and take careuhdat throat. you've got a sept. 11 reading, young man. light! ~BLUE

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