Asked & Answered~222

Oh Hell, I give up! ...in 12 lines

Big Apple Book Beat

"Thanks for coming on the show, Ernest."

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"Thanks for inviting me, Kate."

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"Your novel, I Give Up!, now tops the NY Times Bestseller List! How do you feel?!"

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"Like s**t."

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" ... ...What? ...Why? ...Thank god this is cable!"

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"I Give Up! is my nineteenth novel, Kate, first one published. I banged it out in an I-feel-like-a-piece o's**t defiant despair, pouring out all the loser-crap I felt about myself into my protagonist."

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" ...Okay? But now you've finally made it Ernest! Top of the heap! 

Surely you feel vindicated! Proud! Exhilarated!"

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"'Course I do, Kate, but I'm trying not to. My next book's less than half finished!"

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" ... Huh?! ...Why try not to?! ...Oh hell, I give up! What's the damn thing called?"

"I Give Up this Time! Really!"

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Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Why do authors and poets often dislike their own work? Continually beating themselves up over it:) Maybe that is an essential part of being a writer JD. This made me smile:)

Chris

[JD Major]

I think maybe it's Step-1 of an essential process. Step-2 is putting it in a drawer for a fortnight (British term:), and Step-3, taking it out and thinking it's kinda OK, maybe even kinda good.
...Thanks Chris! :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

made me smile...thinking of Ernie Hemingway...and all his novels and how he might have thought of them. Much like I feel about all my poetry sometimes..23 books and .like it is all just s**t.
j.

[JD Major]

26! :)
I think we've all felt that way at times, Jacob, even 'ol Hemingway. And I think we've all reread our stuff after time has passed and thought, "Ok, that's not bad." :)