Canada's Dirty Little Secret . . .
I ain't gonna promote a book written off the clothes off my back; but, it seems some intellectual misfit without a conscience has utterly and shamelessly ripped me for a rushed-to-print 144 pp. book (not authorised by its subject as mine was) in order to cash in on his need-to-replenish-his-retirement-fund world-touring. I started "Leonard Cohen: Master of Song" at least seven-eight years ago and got 100,000 words of it done before granting bodies (uh, that would be the Canada Council in Ottawa) decided it wasn't a worthy project.
(NEVER. NOT ONE CENT DID THE COUNCIL PROVIDE TO WRITING THIS BOOK. I FINANCED ITS WRITING BY MYSELF WITH SOME HELP FROM THE ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL AS WELL AS A LOAN FROM LEO I PAID BACK A COUPLE YEARS AGO, TOO.)
I guess I can take cold f***ing comfort in the fact the pig who stole my book idea proved the Canada Council's Literature (POLICE) Officer Melanie Rutledge wrong (if nothing else). Stacked juries are a fact of life when you write reviews where you put the art before its creator. I have suffered this malignant viciosity for two-dozen-plus years. I had a contract for it! The advance? Five-hunnert bux. Enough. This is enough!!!
Here, in proof, is what my biography page read on my WriteSite for many years and many of you will know this to be true. I am weeping; this knocks the breath and stuffing outta me . . .
At present, the ex-Torontonian writes "Leonard Cohen: Master of Song" (Dundurn Press, Fall 2008), an authorised explicatory exegesis examining the Mastro's sonic masterpieces (Various Positions, I'm Your Man, The Future, Ten New Songs, and Dear Heather) in collaboration with the subject (who contributed eight original works of art [including the volume's cover] to the first-and-last word on the greatest singer-songwriter on the planet). Fitzgerald's ground-breaking study exploring and integrating both the literary and musical features of "Cinquo de Leo" additionally includes never-before-seen exclusive photographs from world-class artists the calibre of Jean-Marc Carisse, Gabor Szilasi, Jarkko Arjatsalo, László, and Alan Wilson.
My book was killed by lousy little writers coming 'round kissing the ass of the PTB in Ottawa as well as every monied "author" in this country who's got it in for too-fucking-honest me. And, now, another lousy little f***'s got the nerve to steal my idea and peddle-push this POS?
This makes me want to defect; I am already trying to survive on social assistance and review work. I bet I'd get a better life in, gawd, Russia, even. This just destroys me . . .
May this be a lesson to every kid coming up in this Canadian gold-fish bull of shit. As John MacLachlan Gray did so famously say in reference to me, "The thicker the wallet, the thinner the skin." Don't call a spade a spade, Kids. Don't go for truth and beauty over loot and booty. LIE. KISS THE ASS OF EVERY BIG GUN'S BOOK YOU REVIEW. Don't be foolish like you know who; they wanted a critic who had teeth, said they. Yeah? That was so they could kick 'em outta my mouth. And, they did. I haven't been able to afford a dentist for so many years, they literally crumbled. And, boy, have I paid and paid and paid the fucking syntax. Enough! (Please, God, enough . . .)
Howwwwwwwwllllllll!!!!!!!!
Informative geopolitical post. Apparently it ain't any easier being a writer in the land of Our Good Neighbours to the North. Inform Michael Moore, who loves to depict Canada as the socialized Land of Milk and Honey.
ReplyDeleteThanks for soother-sayin', Anon; but, MM's got a few probs of his own (or, mebbe, I got a few probs with his probs, especially since he's making mucho buckos off the backs of our wonderful overblown system, particularly Sicko).
ReplyDeleteI'd be better off callin' Ghost-Bastar . . . s :) . . . But, appreciate the sentiment; that's sweet, whoever you are/n't; and, it helps ease the psychic pain, a little. so, ta bigly.
You know, working the journo trenches for thirty-five years, I've learned it's not just Canada, the US, Mexico (BIG MAC, I call our NAFTARS); it's pan-universal, FWIW. Everybody's on the take; or, they fry @ the stake (and I don't mean T-Bone :)).
Sadly, it's not a new phenom; look at Marlowe, or even earlier . . . I often wonder what's literature got to do with it, though, you know? Yeah, you know!