K_A_Opperman Wrote:
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>synopsi (is that a word?)

No.

Ha ha, I was almost certain it wasn't (was too lazy to look it up)--but it was perfectly clear what I meant, so the language fulfilled its purpose, no? I've seen far worse abominations of language on the internet...

I see now that the correct word is 'synopses'--I'm sure I knew that, somewhere deep down in my brain.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 16 Aug 11 | 02:19PM by K_A_Opperman.

It's synopses, rhymes with sneeze. Sounds like a good title though--"Genius Synopsi."

I've had a tale of Zothique I've longed to write, ever since the call for submissions went out for THE LAST CONTINENT: NEW TALES OF ZOTHIQUE back in 1998, but life circumstances then prevented me. I placed the outline on the shelf and there it has stayed, because (1) I wished to develop my craft in worlds of my own invention once I began to write again, (2) no new venues have presented themselves and, of course, (3) my lack of knowledge regarding potential copyright infringement. Are there markets, and is there interest, for such stories set in the worlds of CAS as there are for those in the mythos of HPL?

Respectfully,
Dr. Bob

I don't know if there is any specific market. My idea for my own book of CAS-influenced tales was to create my own world in the Smith tradition. I wrote one CAS-influenced tale and just sold it yesterday to S. T. Joshi for his WEIRD FICTION REVIEW that is published once a year by Centipede Press. The professional market for such work is lean these days. I think it is best to write your own collection of tales and then try and sell a book of your stories to a publisher, but here again so many small press publishers don't look at "unsolicited" MSS from writers with whom they are unfamiliar. Trying to write more tales in the CAS tradition has proved so difficult for me that it has become obvious I don't have what it takes, & thus I have abandoned my plans to write such a book, even though I had two publishers who were interested in publishing the thing had I written it. Creating our own realms of phantasy is the best way to go, as it frees us to do our own thing within the genre tradition. I wish you much luck on your story, and your growth as a writer. The best way to grow, as you surely realise, is to write write write. Once you've established yourself, the publishers will come to you. I now have many publishers who dig my work and always ask for another book, but it takes a long time for that to happen.

"I'm a little girl."
--H. P. Lovecraft, Esq.

K_A_Opperman Wrote:
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> Ha ha, I was almost certain it wasn't (was too
> lazy to look it up)--but it was perfectly clear
> what I meant, so the language fulfilled its
> purpose, no? I've seen far worse abominations of
> language on the internet...
>
> I see now that the correct word is 'synopses'--I'm
> sure I knew that, somewhere deep down in my brain.

The idea of adding "i" to make a plural from a word ending in a sibilant comes from the those with poor memories of Latin classes they probably flunked - "i" can be the masculine plural form, but "ae" is the feminine - for those who don't remember, the endings masculine are - nominative - us; genitive - i; dative - o; accusative - um'; and ablative - o - there is also the locative and vocative cases as well, but that's second or third year Latin -
Again, small lesson - genitive denotes possession; dative denotes direction toward; accusative serves as we use the direct object; ablative has to do with movement "from" or "away from" -
Plural is "i", "-orum", "-is", "-os", "-is" - should have put the dashes in above for clarity -
so we have Alumnus, Alumni - feminine, Alumna, Alumnae -

Once had a lively debate at the Univ. level in my Prof's home - name was William P. Hotchkiss whose grandfather invented the famous Hotchkiss sub-machine gun so highly touted in Lawrences' "Seven Pillars..." - One very bright Poet/Graduate Fellow (Harold Holden) suggested the plural "Hotchki" ( the professor was a noted antiquarian - those of whose who knew his wife preferred the more accurate, "Hotchkissi" - and do remember that in Latin the letter "i" is pronounced like double "e".
Sorry for this lengthy peroration, I couldn't help myself today -

I have no 'poor memories of Latin classes'...I never took one--and I would not have flunked it, I assure you; never flunked a class in my 23 years. I typically place on the other extremity of the scale. No school I have ever attended offered Latin (while I was there), else I would have certainly taken it. I once attempted to teach myself out of a book, but failed in my resolve only a few weeks in. Any suggestions? I suppose, in the very least, I should memorize a list of roots. I am not an elite scholar with formidable knowledge of ancient languages...but I do possess a more than adequate command of the English language (it was my major, and is my passion and constant object of study), and I do pride myself on an unusually large vocabulary--and I'm quite aware that knowledge of Latin would be greatly beneficial in that area...

I laud your peroration, Dr. Farmer (to use a Latinate verb!), but it's a little over my head...it can be mildly intimidating being in the virtual presence of such formidably erudite folk as yourself... I just remind myself that we all know things that others do not. I, for example, could melt your brain with a peroration of my own on musical theory (unless you are a musician...in which case, damn you!), or a recondite discussion on the anatomy and biology of macrofungi, or a tenebrous delving into certain dim areas of folklore--but I will spare you.

At any rate, we less academically elite people out there need folk like yourself to challenge us, to raise the bar. CAS himself definitely set the bar high, and I have become the wiser for it. 'When something is over your head, stand up,' I believe he once said.

K_A_Opperman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have no 'poor memories of Latin classes'...I
> never took one--and I would not have flunked it, I
> assure you; never flunked a class in my 23 years.
> I typically place on the other extremity of the
> scale. No school I have ever attended offered
> Latin (while I was there), else I would have
> certainly taken it. I once attempted to teach
> myself out of a book, but failed in my resolve
> only a few weeks in. Any suggestions? I suppose,
> in the very least, I should memorize a list of
> roots. I am not an elite scholar with formidable
> knowledge of ancient languages...but I do possess
> a more than adequate command of the English
> language (it was my major, and is my passion and
> constant object of study), and I do pride myself
> on an unusually large vocabulary--and I'm quite
> aware that knowledge of Latin would be greatly
> beneficial in that area...
>
> I laud your peroration, Dr. Farmer (to use a
> Latinate verb!), but it's a little over my
> head...it can be mildly intimidating being in the
> virtual presence of such formidably erudite folk
> as yourself... I just remind myself that we all
> know things that others do not. I, for example,
> could melt your brain with a peroration of my own
> on musical theory (unless you are a musician...in
> which case, damn you!), or a recondite discussion
> on the anatomy and biology of macrofungi, or a
> tenebrous delving into certain dim areas of
> folklore--but I will spare you.
>
> At any rate, we less academically elite people out
> there need folk like yourself to challenge us, to
> raise the bar. CAS himself definitely set the bar
> high, and I have become the wiser for it. 'When
> something is over your head, stand up,' I believe
> he once said.


Dear K.A. - I did not infer you as the one who had flunked Latin! -- The web site I gave you earlier at Lexfiles.com will, if you master the "thrust" of the meaning of the 14 prefixes and roots, be more useful than 2 years of Latin, and a hell of a lot quicker -
Regarding music - I began Violin at 5, studied Voice with Frank Purcell and eventually sang at the NY City Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Portland Opera - have conducted numerous choirs, and recorded as conductor with a couple of Symphony Orchestras - Taught voice and piano and organ for 50 years, have directed or performed in most major musicals, and since retiring in '93 have done the musical direction for Menotti's "The Medium" and "The Telephone",plus "Jesus Christ, Superstar", "Damn Yankees", and "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum",
One of my former students, had he not died tragically, would have been the first Black conductor to do opening Night at the Met, and another is currently music director for the Seattle Opera, and associate director of the Seattle Symphony - I studied composition and conducting with Ernst Bacon, Pulitzer prize winning composer and conductor, founder of the Carmel Bach Society, and contemporary of Copeland and Harris (whose wife was a fine pianist and good friend many years ago). However - I would love to have my brain melted - now, I can be easily outdone in many fields - including the above - I had a foster son who graduated with a 4.0 in nuclear physics, and when visiting him at Whitman College in the late '70's, I would listen for hours as he excitedly told me all the wonderful things he was learning, of which I understood only the prepositions, particles, and interjections, and occasional "expletives deleted" - I watch with great joy the exuberance of others in fields outside my own, and within - truly my young friend, a thing discovered anew is no different in its importance, than when discovered the first time - I well remember one of my daughter's at 3 years of age one day holding up both hands and expressing in awe and wonder -- "They're both the same!"

Whoa...I will definitely never attempt to melt your brain via musical theory! Truly, you are the master! I bow down to you, sir. Although a lot of you classical fellows can usually use to learn a thing or two about jazz improvization--what I consider my forte (though I don't claim to be a grand master or anything, and am largely self-taught). I myself have a strange tendency to combine elements of medieval and renaissance music into my often lightning quick guitar lines, most often played on an acoustic. I am especially fond of 70's fusion jazz--and of course, early music. Anything fast, complicated, or moody and mysterious. One day, through sheer concentrative power, I am going to transform my guitar into a lute! At which point I will become a travelling bard, a singer of songs, a spreader of merriment and mystery.

I will certainly investigate that website and memorize whatever needs memorizing. Still, there is no substitute for learning Latin...perhaps I am more up to the task now than a few years ago, when I first tried. If only my book weren't buried somewhere in storage--alas! If I learned Latin, I could finally read the ancient manuscripts whose antique secrets I find so lethally alluring. Then again, perhaps it is best that I can't...I think one of them was a leaf from the Necronomicon...

Regarding your daughter's whilom awe and wonder of her hands--I still cannot get over my own! The fact that the human mind can with virtual instantaneousness affect complex motor actions simply astounds me--there is little that doesn't astound and fascinate me, actually. Just yesterday, while examining my fingers, I discovered that one of them is a few millimeters longer than its counterpart. So you see, I really have been scrutinizing my hands. A strange one, I am.

Hmm, so, I assume that the two of you know, without resorting to search engines, what a Tierce de Picardie is. ;-)

I didn't, actually, but now having cheated and looked it up (mwah ha ha!), I see that it is a concept that I am perfectly familiar with--just didn't know that fancy name!

K_A_Opperman Wrote:
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> Whoa...I will definitely never attempt to melt
> your brain via musical theory! Truly, you are the
> master! I bow down to you, sir. Although a lot of
> you classical fellows can usually use to learn a
> thing or two about jazz improvization--what I
> consider my forte (though I don't claim to be a
> grand master or anything, and am largely
> self-taught). I myself have a strange tendency to
> combine elements of medieval and renaissance music
> into my often lightning quick guitar lines, most
> often played on an acoustic. I am especially fond
> of 70's fusion jazz--and of course, early music.
> Anything fast, complicated, or moody and
> mysterious. One day, through sheer concentrative
> power, I am going to transform my guitar into a
> lute! At which point I will become a travelling
> bard, a singer of songs, a spreader of merriment
> and mystery.
>
> I will certainly investigate that website and
> memorize whatever needs memorizing. Still, there
> is no substitute for learning Latin...perhaps I am
> more up to the task now than a few years ago, when
> I first tried. If only my book weren't buried
> somewhere in storage--alas! If I learned Latin, I
> could finally read the ancient manuscripts whose
> antique secrets I find so lethally alluring. Then
> again, perhaps it is best that I can't...I think
> one of them was a leaf from the Necronomicon...
>
> Regarding your daughter's whilom awe and wonder of
> her hands--I still cannot get over my own! The
> fact that the human mind can with virtual
> instantaneousness affect complex motor actions
> simply astounds me--there is little that doesn't
> astound and fascinate me, actually. Just
> yesterday, while examining my fingers, I
> discovered that one of them is a few millimeters
> longer than its counterpart. So you see, I really
> have been scrutinizing my hands. A strange one, I
> am.


Dear K.A. - you might not know that Donald Sydney Fryer accompanies his recitations of CAS on the Bass Lute - I commend you on your apparant playing skill - I am a regular listener to "Jazz as the Improv" - and, until about 6 months ago, shared a Saturday 3 hour radio show with a local Host, which we called "music that won the war", featuring stuff from the late 30's into the early 50's - and, of course, many of the great Jazz pioneers were regularly featured - If you ever have the opportunity, see if you can find an old Tal Farlow album - for sheer speed and inventiveness, I never heard his equal - if you are really fast, then I am eager to hear you - go for it kid - great performance is great performance - the genre is secondary. My son-in-law, a classical bassist (plays with the symphony) is a true jazz performer, and anything else modern (he looks like Bob Marley - he also sang "Judas" for me when I did "Superstar" - he had done the role in NY) - he did not believe that his stuffy old Father-in-law could conduct rock-and-roll (we hadn't known each other very long then) - he was stunned to discover that the finished performance was of touring company quality - Hope to meet and get to know your and skills in person.

Yes, I did know that DSF sometimes accompanies himself with his bass lute, and I hope to someday witness him performing with it. I recently sent him my letter, and eagerly await his reply (assuming he will be nice enough to do so). I hope to learn a thing or two from him--I'm curious what it takes to be an "enchaunter," how this is done, and how to aspire to loftier poetical peaks. I am also keenly interested in the California Romantic tradition (and sometimes pretend to be part of it...)--and being that he is the current holder of the torch, it is paramount that I contact him!

And yes, I can play very fast :)--although you musn't mistake me for one of those egotisical shredders that are all speed and nothing else. I like to think that I have plenty of style, inventiveness, a very good ear, and an impeccable sense of timing--which is crucial, as I'm sure you know. But I am no master. I cannot read sheet music (I can decipher it), and I'm no great composer in any sense; I just have a high facility for intelligent improvisation, often at very fast speed--with the occasional (or more than occasional...) jaunty renaissance flavor thrown into the maelstrom of weird jazz lines. Still, improvisation is a skill that even some highly trained individuals are hard-pressed to master--there's no black and white scientific formula, and you've got to have the guts for it! For some weird reason, I've always lacked the discipline to learn songs--I've scarcely done anything besides improvise interminably for going on 10 years! I've always preferred to play how I feel--literally translating my mood into music--rather than something else pre-written--music is very much a cathartic excercise for me. As you can see, I am very, very unconventional in my approach. In some ways, I'm the antithesis of a song writer--although my improvisations often take on the semblance of pre-composed music. I've always felt that a master improviser should be able to fool an audience into thinking that they are playing a composition--even if it is made up right on the spot!

I have some limited formal training (I played trombone in my high school advanced jazz group--did I mention I was first chair? And I took some basic theory in community college), but other than that, I'm entirely self taught. I always learn best that way.

Regarding mood improvisation - if you have not seen the remarkable film, "1900" - I strongly recommend it - a small and mystic masterpiece.

calonlan Wrote:
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> Regarding mood improvisation - if you have not
> seen the remarkable film, "1900" - I strongly
> recommend it - a small and mystic masterpiece.

The 1976 Bertolucci film?