Nov 28 2006
This Cheeseburger Can Write
Some of you have read my fiction and/or nonfiction. You may ask why I write. I like this quote, found on a local friend’s blog:
You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.
Ray Bradbury
Reading is a great escape, but writing is better. For me, Bradbury’s quote is spot on.
Here and now, however, I want to plug the freely available works of a man who, if there is any justice in this increasingly screwed-up world, soon will require no introduction. He’s a working stiff who happens to write as a hobby.
The thing is… he does it very well.
He does it better, in fact, than authors of most novels I’ve read, and I’m not a browser of the Harlequin section. Trying to describe the qualities of his writing that draw me in is futile. I won’t gush here because inevitably somebody will read a story that for some reason doesn’t appeal to him or her, and call me a liar.
He calls himself Cheeseburger Brown.
His online serial novel, Simon of Space, spawned a community of readers who commented often and at length, sometimes to speculate what was coming next, other times just to say, “Maestro!” A book publisher picked it up and it’s now in the revision phase.
I’ll provide links to just a few of the stories I wholeheartedly recommend, but I won’t attempt descriptions. Some have twists, some a sprinkling of sci-fi, and all have heart. Of course, you may peruse the collection on your own. A good chunk of them are real-life adventures.
(Note: many of these contain dialogue for adult eyes only. Reader discretion is advised.)
First, his current tale, “Pink Santa,” which is a Christmas tale appropriate for all ages. The second part should be out there Wednesday.
A Cheeseburger in Paris - Don’t be surprised if you laugh out loud at this one.
Wile - A fun and tragic behind-the-scenes look at Roadrunner foe Wile E. Coyote’s life.
It’s very difficult for me to limit myself to just the above selections. To read these as they originally appeared, along with reader comments, go to his main blog page and find them in the Archives in the right sidebar.
I keep thinking about Simon of Space, and that it’s how we met bud! *S*
I haven’t checked there in ages, and I’ll have to go back and read more of his creations. I too, heartily recommend them!
It seems, Mark, that your very first link in the post is, itself, fiction. Gives me a big ol’ 404.
Here’s to loquacious cheeseburgers.
Dave - I think of it often, too. Can’t wait for the final cut. CBB’s stories after a revision or two will be so good I’ll probably have to buy copies for friends and relatives.
Simon - Dang it! All those hours with dead link. I fixed it. Thanks for the catch.
Never heard of him. He’s gotta funny name…I probably wouldn’t like him.
What’s a 4o4? Is that like Space lingo for a woody???
Woohoo! Three cheese… er, cheers… for the burger!
We had some great times together in SoS comment-land, didn’t we?
Moksha - Yeah, yeah, we’re all onto you, pal.
Linda - You wish.
Sheik - Yep, we did. We’re trying to rekindle a little of that magic in his current stories, and the plays on word verification are a good start.
Linda, you’re frikkin’ hilarious. But no.
A “404″ is a standard error page that crops up when where you’re trying to go isn’t actually where you end up. There’s actually some (geeky) history behind the number itself, but I forget.
Linda, LOL!!!!!! :-)
Ah geez, you’d think if
ANYBODY knew what a 404 was, it would be me. Yeah, I guess Mark was right.