The new Writer and the Critic is out. Always fun, it also includes a discussion of the recent Ditmar controversy, which if you haven't heard anything about it, you haven't missed a whole lot. If you're curious, a starting point is here, but it's the usual kind of stuff: the wrong people won, the right people lost, awards are flawed, and only fifty people voted in the end. You've seen it before. Yes.
However.
However, I say.
However, while I have refrained, downright refrained, from getting involved, I can no longer do so. I will not stand by and listen to individuals of Ian Mond's quality take cheap and easy shots at Andrew Macrae for defeating the Oscar Award Winning Shaun Tan for best art work because said art work is of me. That he claims it to be 'ironic' that a portrait of me won over Shaun Tan is, and I am sure we call all agree here, down right offensive. Irony! Does my ears here properly? Irony?! Criticise it because it has nothing to do with science fiction, criticise it because it does not contribute to the body of work that is science and fantasy fiction artwork (every know knows horror art doesn't count), criticise it because it was made on a typewriter, way before anything remotely steampunk had become cool and Andy was ahead of his time.
But do not call it irony.
How terrible, how offensive, how you must, I repeat, must, find a copy of this book so you can see the award winning cover. How, if you haven't read it, you are really missing out on something, which of course has nothing to do with the fact that I wrote it.
Truthfully, the only way to respond to this controversy given out by Ian Mond is to respond with your wallet. It's time to open it. Time to let him know what you think.
Link.
However.
However, I say.
However, while I have refrained, downright refrained, from getting involved, I can no longer do so. I will not stand by and listen to individuals of Ian Mond's quality take cheap and easy shots at Andrew Macrae for defeating the Oscar Award Winning Shaun Tan for best art work because said art work is of me. That he claims it to be 'ironic' that a portrait of me won over Shaun Tan is, and I am sure we call all agree here, down right offensive. Irony! Does my ears here properly? Irony?! Criticise it because it has nothing to do with science fiction, criticise it because it does not contribute to the body of work that is science and fantasy fiction artwork (every know knows horror art doesn't count), criticise it because it was made on a typewriter, way before anything remotely steampunk had become cool and Andy was ahead of his time.
But do not call it irony.
How terrible, how offensive, how you must, I repeat, must, find a copy of this book so you can see the award winning cover. How, if you haven't read it, you are really missing out on something, which of course has nothing to do with the fact that I wrote it.
Truthfully, the only way to respond to this controversy given out by Ian Mond is to respond with your wallet. It's time to open it. Time to let him know what you think.
Link.
Comments
we'll get a posse together. wait, maybe a gang. ooh. a lynch mob.
The tragedy of Andrew Macrae's typewriter art is of course that most people would glance at it and assume it's done with some kind of easy peasy computer program.
No rich people, unfortunately....
The benefits of a book that has a tight theme - whenever I think of authorial fraud, Peek is not far from my thoughts.
Obviously, I need to cut back on the G&Ts during cons.
well, i hope you guys discussed the current book, as well ;)
of course, as i said a bit further down, i don't think the book is in print anymore, so it could be that as an obscure book goes, it's even more obscure.
(which, lets face it, would be quite disturbing.)
*Okay, they have to share it with the computers.
Mr Peek, I think that you and Mr Macrae would find, if you both actually deigned to listen to the podcast carefully instead of running off half-cocked, that my esteemed colleague, Ian Mond, did not term Mr Macrae's portrait of yourself to be "ironic" but, rather, he was speaking of the situation of said portrait winning the Ditmar over Mr Shaun Tan's book, The Arrival, as being an "ironic" situation, in light of the subtle and nuanced debate that followed the announcement of this year's Ditmar awards. Or perhaps that the fact of said artwork being a portrait of you, long time rapscallion and mocker of said awards, was an ironic fact, which exponentially increased the irony quotient of the situation itself. Sometimes, Mr Mond's erudition and skills of cultural analysis soar far above the limits of my own ability to understand them.
*sigh*
Of course, I do at least understand that "ironic" was in fact coded dialogue which both yourself and Mr Macrae obviously failed to appreciate. What Mr Mond, in fact, was being polite enough not to say explicitly on our podcast was that there was impropriety involved and the Ditmar was ill deserved.
We know you both blew the Ditmar committee.
To see you now attempting to capitalise on this situation in such an unworthy, money-grubbing fashion, is shameful. What gives you the right to think you are allowed to *promote* your book to anyone? It should just sit quietly and wait for someone to stumble upon it. The cream will rise to the top, Mr Peek, if indeed it is cream. Promotion is for the needy, the weak, and the unworthy.
We live in ironic times, Mr Peek, do we not?
i mean, how dare you imply that both mr macrae and i purchased mouthwash for months after. i hold awards (all awards) in the most esteemed positions. how else, after all, do we ackowledge what is good and what is not? it is only with external third party groups totally indepedent of the artist that we do this. with career and money at stage, i may occasionally feel the urge to influence the votes, but because i value the system so well, i would never stoop so low. never!
however, if we must discuss irony, perhaps we should discuss the fact that this book may not be available anymore...