Booking A Dream

I can't remember for sure what my first book was going to be. I'm not talking about the first book I read (which was probably a book about the circus that I memorized when I was five years old), but the first book I wanted to write. I can go back at least as far as fourth grade, 1969-1970; I read a Big Little Book starring Saturday morning cartoon hero Frankenstein Junior, wherein a supervillain with a fetish for frankfurters had written a book called Hot Dogs I Have Loved. I figured, what the hell: the bad guy's fictional--plus, y'know, a bad guy--so maybe I should write that book.

I haven't written it yet. But never say never.

It does seem that I always had some kind of vague notion of writing books someday. In the early '70s, I started scribbling ideas for all sorts of books I intended to create, including nonfiction (mostly comic book histories) and new pulp adventure. I recall working in study halls on a pulp superhero novel called The Snowman around...1974, maybe? It was heavily influenced by The Shadow and by 1940s superhero movie serials, with each chapter ending in a cliffhanger. It was without discernible merit, and I grew tired of it. 

A much later (and also unfinished) take on The Snowman

But I kept on writing other stuff, including humor pieces and comic book scripts. I got a little better at it, and tried my hand at writing short stories. My skill in that realm went from horrible to nearly mediocre, and improved considerably over time. Forty years later, I am absolutely not terrible at writing stories, and I've sold two to AHOY Comics.

Meanwhile, my ability to write nonfiction began to take shape, especially when I was writing about rock 'n' roll. My freelance career wasn't exactly stellar, but I'm proud of what I accomplished, and I've since continued to hone my skills at fiction and nonfiction alike right here at Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do).

My first book proposal was 1993's Shake Some Action, a failed attempt to pitch a definitive book about power pop; it bears no relation to John M. Borack's subsequent book of the same title, other than what I reprised and updated from the earlier project for use in my own contribution to John's book. (John's 2007 Shake Some Action included my history of power pop, and a limited edition reprint of his long-outta-print book is itself about to sell out, but might still be available from Pop Geek Heaven.)




I didn't submit any queries for any other book ideas over the ensuing decades. I did pull at the strings of a rock 'n' roll superhero time travel novel called Eternity Man, a punk rock love story called Bright Lights, a nonfiction book called Rock And Roll All Nite: The 500 Definitive Albums Of The 1970s, and a book collecting my 1994 interviews with The Ramones, and I may yet do all of these (especially the latter). But they've taken a back seat to my current book project, The Greatest Record Ever Made.

In the past, when I've been working on my own without a deadline or an editor waiting for my manuscript already, I've had a tendency to work on projects until something distracts me, and I wind up moving on. I've been uncharacteristically focused with The Greatest Record Ever Made. The first draft is more than 75 % completed, with 79,000 words done so far. It's go time, so I've prepared a query, and submitted it to an agent whom I hope will agree to represent my first book. 

That conversation has begun. That doesn't necessarily mean she'll take me on as a client, but I'm hopeful. I still have a lot of books I want to write. But it's gotta start with a first one...first.

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Our new compilation CD This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4 is now available from Kool Kat Musik! 29 tracks of irresistible rockin' pop, starring Pop Co-Op, Ray Paul, Circe Link & Christian Nesmith, Vegas With Randolph Featuring Lannie Flowers, The Slapbacks, P. Hux, Irene Peña, Michael Oliver & the Sacred Band Featuring Dave Merritt, The Rubinoos, Stepford Knives, The Grip Weeds, Popdudes, Ronnie Dark, The Flashcubes, Chris von Sneidern, The Bottle Kids, 1.4.5., The Smithereens, Paul Collins' Beat, The Hit Squad, The Rulers, The Legal Matters, Maura & the Bright Lights, Lisa Mychols, and Mr. Encrypto & the Cyphers. You gotta have it, so order it here. A digital download version (minus The Smithereens' track) is also available from Futureman Records.