Decent outcomes and decency among artists. I think I am ready for that this year.
The Conference was exhausting. It has taken days to come down from all that happened. Days. It might even take weeks. The superb thing that happened though, out of the misery that happened?
Was that I became bold after the cruelty. I really did.
Can you imagine what it is like to have given a book to your writing teacher and he didn’t even crack it open?
For three years?
Well that is true.
I don’t think I have ever been so hurt in my entire life. Idols topple. Overnight.
That’s what happened.
Imagine writing a book that you dedicated TO a teacher. I did.
It seems like a blur to me this year, all the things that happened last week.
I know one thing, I’d like to have the right Literary agent. It would make things much, much easier.
As this happened this morning…
Frankly I was so bloody hurt by not hearing a comment back, it pushed me to another level!
For several years now, and especially this last year, I have looked at the actor (incredible actor) Viggo Mortensen and that Press of his Perceval Press based in Santa Monica. I had no idea about how he made some of his recent films until I began to research things.
This Press is Exquisite – that is all I can say.
I think everything he has done is? So a few years ago now at the Conference I was introduced to the screenwriter for the film “Walk On the Moon” one of my favorite films.
I had no idea he was a musician, or a poet until just this last couple of years. I have gotten nearly all the books from his Press and all the music.
The MUSIC!
I love that film he was in Jauja, but I had no idea his music was in that. Well, it is.
So what I did was mail my children’s book Heart of Clouds down to him at Perceval Press. I made copies of the book and just fedexed it!
I have three books, actually.
One of them has a character I would like for him to play – a Romantic lead. He’s been everything but that so far. It’s the character Valdez in my short story “Man in the Moon” which was published at Cleansheets – the first serial I wrote.
It’s a very beautiful tale, the last tale in my book Gardenias.
It’s a tale that makes people want to fall in love like that – so.
I am getting my manuscripts in order because I would really like to be published by Perceval. That film he was in last year, Captain Fantastic is one of my favorite films of all time. I just loved that film. Well, Heart of Clouds is an exquisite book for kids, and it sort of follows what he just did. I feel like he should have won the Oscar for that performance, but hey.
Hollywood.
So I went to the SBWC this year with great expectations, I really did.
It’s not the only Conference in the world.
I did see Ray Bradbury speak at this conference a few times before he passed and since I started my career as a writer just as he did, with short stories, I really thought I’d be taken seriously, especially by the teacher who I have adored since about 2009.
Everything in life is a lesson.
2017 was the year of understanding the gravitas of what I have written once it is for sale.
I only ever wanted the most beautiful Press for my things, and the best Literary agent.
Well. I mailed it. To Perceval. So that was my good thing. I might have been mad, but at least I took action rather than just waiting for a word back. I really am.
xxoo!
VALENTINE BONNAIRE - WRITER 