Think PKD is passe?

well, think again! Philip K. Dick (PKD as the Dickheads call him) is getting even MORE popular this fall! Every week we see a new book release about him, or even BY him -- even though he's been dead for nearly thirty years. This November fans will finally see the infamous Exegesis of PKD. Infamous, I say, because there has always been a swirl of controversy around Phil's private life. The Exegesis (in full) is said to be nearly ten thousand pages of raw, journal-like scribblings-- some typed, some hand-written. Much of it centers around Phil's personal speculations on the cause of his strange encounters in early 1974, the "pink beam" phase, as some of us lovingly call it. Other Dick fans hated these final years of Phil's life claiming he had a series of "pin strokes" (TIA is the proper medical term) beginning eight years before he died and that all of his visions and "religious" experiences can be tied to brain maladies. Phil died of a stroke, followed by heart attack, March 2, 1982.

Paul Williams, who was the first Literary Executor for PKD's papers and unpublished works, was adamantly opposed to publication of the Exegesis. He called it "incoherent and repetitive." Of course Paul has his own brain malady now (early dementia from a bicycle accident) so he's in no position to argue with the Trust (Phil's offspring.) Moot point, since Volume One of the material is set for November 7, 2011 publication. All of this was discussed in the last issue of PKD Otaku-- one of the only remaining PKD 'zines. (Interview about my novel, followed by my interview with Phil's widow Tessa and other AKS/PKD matters begin on page 8. Google doc loads fast, check it out!)

The Los Angeles public library is sponsoring a panel discussion about PKD and his Exegesis in November.

That's not all! As I said, every week something new comes out. Just today I received this pre-publication blurb. You can imagine how my heart lept when I saw that subtitle: Do Androids have Kindred Spirits!! On Amazon, however, I discovered the title appears to have been changed to Philip K. Dick and Philosophy: Who Adjusts the Adjustment Bureau? That one is due out October 11.

Postings have never been more frequent or furious than they are now on the "Secret PKD Society," a private Facebook group. Seventy-five Phil fans post every new sighting. Word of the Global eBook Award for my novel, A Kindred Spirit, received fifty comments. But, this my friends, takes the cake. PKD TV!! It wouldn't be hard to fill up an internet channel with the movies, documentaries, video clips and fan ravings about our man, PKD. There's talk of a Bladerunner remake (godforbid) and Radio Free Albemuth (a posthumously published PKD novel/now film) is currently seeking a distributor. The RFA film trailer looks dark and weird, just the way ole Phil liked things. There's plenty more Phil facts over on the Official Philip K. Dick Site to keep fans up-to-date on everything coming down the pike! (pun intended ;)

True Self Webinar

Really enjoyed MSIA (pronounced Messiah)'s webinar tonight. Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, that's the full name. I have been luke warm about this group, which some call a cult. However, I like some of their concepts, which are an odd blend of Buddhist philosophy, Taoism and what I call some Gnostic pre-Constantine Christianity (they don't say that, I do.) MSIA emphasizes Christ Consciousness and something they call Soul Transcendence, which they define as the process of becoming aware of yourself as a soul and as one with God.

I just finished writing about similar concepts for my forthcoming book Vision: Seeing Clearly.

The Gnostic Christians, early followers of Jesus, claimed that any of us could be Christed. It meant receiving the Christ Consciousness. When we become one with God, and the Holy Ghost, we are knowers or seers -- gnostics. The "good news" according to the original Gnostic Gospels was that no intermediaries are required. Everyone can experience God. To me, this is exactly what Buddhists call Enlightenment.

Anyway, tonight's online tele-workshop, as they call it, wasn't about anything "religious," it was about self awareness. How to deal with anxiety, fear, judgment, anger... that type of stuff. How to use simple techniques to overcome old habits, or as they say to reveal your True Self. The techniques are great -- the terminology might be off-putting for some. But, that's my job.

I am determined to express the essence of some of these excellent tools -- whether it's Buddhist mindfulness practice, heretical Gnostic wisdom (read that tongue in cheek because I certainly don't consider Gnosticism heretical), or Science of Mind methods in the non-fiction book I am writing.

I'm enjoying dabbling in a lot of spiritual traditions, including my ancient aliens and Sumerian Shamans, to present a mind blowing perspective on what's really real (as PKD would say.)

Speaking of PKD and AKS, hop on over to the AKS Book Blog and read all about the award and what's next in the ongoing AKS adventures ;) I've got to get back to writing!

A Kindred Spirit Author Interview!

Here's the AKS Interview in Albuquerque's Alibi for those who haven't seen the twenty postings on Fbook or Twitter ;) Oh, and VOTE for ej Morgan, #45 Q under Art and Lit for Best Local Author!! Do it NOW!!!
If not, then at least buy a book ;) OR eBook (on Amazon.) Someday I'll quit asking, but not yet. Dennis and I SIGNED books Saturday at Title Wave... what? You missed that, too?? We made videos. (no not sex vids, stupid idiotic book promotion videos) and posted them on YouTube. Click to enlarge our flyer:

Scroll down for "BUY" widget for either paperback, OR Kindle format.
ENJOY!!!
Eat, read, sleep ;) (I'll link to the videos soon.)

Equinox UPDATE:
As usual, a big fight broke out at the book signing. Peacenik ej and rightwing NutJob DD cannot see eye-to-eye.

AKS is an eBook!

Need I say more? for just a few bucks, you can own the hot, new eBook! or get a sample!! If you don't have a Kindle, no problem. You can get the FREE Kindle app for your PC, phone, iPad, whatever... then get a lengthy FREE sample of A Kindred Spirit!
(prologue, ALL of chapter 1, including art of PKD in his chair, and a bit of Chapter 2, too!!) Just do it! Thank you!! Oh, and please post what you think of the eBook!

100 books

Oh, I wish I could start posting to the new AKSbook.com But for now, stay here with me. This is a post I will never be able to recreate -- the feeling of getting several boxes of books, but all one hundred of them with my name on them. First copies of my novel arrived (actually on July 29)! These are what I affectionately call the FDO Limited Edition (For Dick-heads Only.) I thank David Hyde for use of that term. He was the creator of the original FDO 'zine back in the day. He has blessed, and is now participating in, our new FDO Group on Fbook. (go check it out, even join up!) I have the pleasure of saying that Tessa Dick has joined our group. She is the fifth and final wife of Philip K. Dick, the subject of our group discussion and upcoming festival. Yes, we're all heading to Nederland Valley (wherever the heck that is, a canyon on Highway 119 in Colorado, near Boulder) to participate in two 1/2 days of Phil-phun. We're Phil-fans and we have Phil-phun (Dick-head humor.) I'll be selling as many of these 100 FDOs as possible there... come buy one!

take me to the River

After 3 1/2 years of cautiously protecting the title of another of my "in progress" writing projects, I can now reveal it. Not because it's finished, or published... oh no, because my lack of focus and inability to finish has resulted in yet another massive disappointment. "Take Me to the River" is indeed published, but by someone else.

I knew the title was too good and that's why I never, ever said it aloud. In hold'em, the River, is the final card. The title is a play on an old song by the Talking Heads. It was a perfect title for my effort to be the the first woman to bust the last bastion of male domination -- to Win the World Series of Poker (WSOP.) In writing (on blogs, my website, and in emails) I always referred to my poker journal as TmttR. Just like I call my Phil book AKS. Putting that stuff "out there" in the aether is too dangerous. The only thing I can say in my defense (on the poker project), is that unless I won (or at least PLAYED) in a WSOP, there was really no purpose to my 100,000 plus words about playing online and trying to get to the real deal. So, F that idea.

I haven't even played poker for the past few months. The first blow was having some local hag win a seat to this year's WSOP playing on AOL. That was enough to gag a maggot. I thought it was my destiny to 1) be the first ABQ player to win my way to WSOP, and do it on Full Tilt -- a far superior and respectable method, as opposed to idiotic AOL. 2) Once there, I was to make my way deep into the field of nearly 8-thousand players, ideally win of course. I knew winning was as unlikely as hitting Powerball, but that wasn't stopping me. 3) Once I won, or made the final table, or even just "made the money" (cashed), I would finish TmttR and voila, I would be a published writer. Interest in my poker playing experience and the subsequent TV interviews, would be the opportunity to promote my AKS novel, to be published next year (2008.) See how perfect my plan was? See how F'd it is now?

So, I'm pissed but Phil is ecstatic. He never cared for the poker project which has been just another diversion from completing AKS. He is doing everything he can (from Beyond) to pave the way so I will finish HIS book. Think I'm kidding? I could fill this blog with examples of how he has intervened to make AKS a reality.

Just today, YES TODAY, he insinuated himself into my consciousness. How? While I was bitching and muttering under my breath about the poker book fiasco, I went to the library to get a much needed Buddhist manual on anger management ;) As I was walking in the door, I glanced over where the library keeps a box of recycled magazines. There on the very top was a New Yorker magazine. I chuckled and thought, now wouldn't it be "a sign" if that was the one with the article about Phil. It was the August 20 issue. I picked it up, flipped it open, and there on the table of contents was Philip K Dick -- page 79. And, the title? "Blows Against the Empire: the Return of Philip K Dick." See -- he won't take no for an answer. I picked up the mag and brought it home. Now, here he is in full color, smirking at me with his famous furrowed brow, asking, "What will it take to get you to sit down and finish my story." And, heavy sigh, I have no answer.

The Artiste of the Slightly Funny Deal

Phil's in the news again. The New Yorker magazine this time. I like this line, "Dick’s allegiance was not to literature but to writing and to the possibilities of writing as a form of protest and instant social satire. Another twist of fate, or circumstance, and he could have ended up as Rod Serling." The article also says, "Dick’s last big book was a work of cosmic explanation in which lightning bolts of brilliance flash over salty oceans of insanity. Poe’s explanation of everything was called “Eureka.” Dick’s was “VALIS.”

And, William Gibson's tour de force was "Neuromancer." I know I just went off on this topic a few days ago, but I'm not done. (sorry Phil, but I've got Gibson and Cyberspace on the brain right now.) I just blogged about the fact that Gibson coined the phrase cyberspace in 1982, a good ten years before mainstream America was about to step head-long into it. I was tinkering in that virtual realm myself back then (running a BBS from 1983 until I converted to a website in 1994.) I've paid homage to both Gibson, and Neal Stephenson (of SnowCrash fame) as my cyber godfathers. Both clearly visualized worlds where we exist virtually, rather than physically (in meat space, as Gibson called it.) And, yes, Philip K Dick was certainly a visionary, also. He was writing about computers and alternate realities in the 1950's, for gawd sake! But, did you know that on the same page where Gibson first used the now famous word Cyberspace, he also called it the Matrix!!! Here's the groundbreaking line: "He operated on an almost permanent adrenaline high, a by-product of youth and proficiency, jacked into a custom cyberspace deck that projected his disembodied consciousness into the consensual hallucination that was the Matrix."

In fact, our anti-hero Case (the protag of Neuromancer) was a "console cowboy" using a cyberspace deck to jack into the Matrix. So, the Matrix (aka, Metaverse to me and Neal) was the destination. I searched just now (in cyberspace, of course) and found that the directors of Matrix, the Wachowski brothers, credit Gibson, Stephenson and Philip K Dick for their concepts! That's cool. I was always kind of pissed off thinking they plagiarized the stuff.

Anyway, what got me going on all this (again) is the release of Gibson's newest book, "Spook Country." This is the second of his "current time" novels and uses some of the same characters as Pattern Recognition. I'm anxious to LISTEN to it on audiobook CD while traveling in a few days. I purposely didn't put links to a lot of the references to keep you moving forward. But, here, by all means, jack in yourself to the book that started it all and go ahead and veer off to PKD 's latest tribute (of sorts.) Even take a quick click on Johnny Mnemonic, an even earlier Gibson creation

Oh, and as for the title of this entry... that was a line from the first page of Neuromancer where the bartender Ratz refers to Case as "the artiste of the slightly funny deal." PKD, and hell, me, too!