Let me begin by observing that, while I have read—and on occasion even enjoyed—some of Barthelme’s work, indeed have scrutinized it with what I can only describe as painstaking assiduousness (emphasis on the pain part), I confess here, for the record, that I understand neither the writing itself nor the ethos or personal angst or whatever it is that would drive an otherwise intelligent person to construct such obtuse stories (stories here being a term I employ in only its very loosest connotation, what with me being a rather traditional sort of guy, at least in the sense that I like my stories to have clearly perceptible beginnings, middles, and endings, which I totally get is regarded

The cold, bitter truth is that most writers are awful marketers. I’ve yet to meet an author who enjoyed or was any good at self-promotion and publicity. Not only are we terrible at selling to begin with, but we also tend to resent the time that we’re obliged to spend doing it because it cuts into time that we could be writing. And yet, if we subscribe to the belief that authors strive primarily—either publicly or at least in secret—for readers, then we’re forced to accept the uncomfortable fact that we’re all obliged to expend at least some measure of effort to promote and sell our work.

The late, absurdly talented essayist David Foster Wallace, in an interview with Charlie Rose, once noted the painful dichotomy of being a writer; how on the one hand you’re this recluse who sits in an office or garret for days at a time, eschewing all human contact, striving to complete a piece of work; but on the other hand you repeatedly put your writing out there into the public sphere for human consumption and evaluation. It’s a poignant observation, and one that gets to the heart of what writers want.

In fairness, I can, of course, only comment on what this particular writer wants, though in so doing, I am prepared to also make a bold leap and assert that it’s what every writer wants; put quite simply—readers.

I've had a wonderful time interacting with the students of John Damaso's Honors English class at Brophy Prep in Phoenix, AZ. There are about 100 students in 4 classes, and they have spent the past month reading and studying World Hunger as part of their project on human dignity and world food supplies. I've had an opportunity to answer numerous questions on this site, as well as participate in a series of Skype video-conferences with the classes, during which we discussed aspects of the novel, as well as broader GM issues and the writing/publishing fields. I thank the class for their time and energy and look forward to many more such opportunities in the coming days.

I am experimenting a bit with Chapter 3 in which the falcon Ain Fir reflects in first person about his life as a trained hunting falcon. I am trying to set up the relationship between the bird and the boy Rodrigo, as this will be an important relationship throughout the story to come.  I am after three distinct voices with this--the bird, the boy, Columbus. To further distinguish the changes, the boy's chapters will be past tense, whereas Columbus's will be present, to give them a bit more immediacy. We'll have to see how this all works. I would really like though for Ain Fir to have a sense of superiority, almost as though he tolerates being with the boy, all the while knowing that he is free to take off whenever he likes.

Posted for the first time today the cast, glossary and bibliography on the web site for others to review. I also began getting some decent traction in Chapter 2, in which we begin to deal with Lope's grief over Catalina's conviction and impending execution. I remain undecided on whether or not to oblige Lope to attend this execution. Doubtless the officials of the inquisition would have required this of anyone who had been reconciled to the church, as a sign of their penitence, etc. Still, to have to watch your spouse burned at the stake? A bit much....

Fir, Ain – Rodrigo’s pet peregrine falcon.

Isabella 1 (the Catholic) – Queen of Castile and Leon from 1474 to 1504.

Morillo, Miguel de – Dominican friar and one of two original inquisitors of Castile, appointed in 1480, well prior to Torq’s appointment as IG.

Torquemada, Tomas de – Inquisitor General of Spain (from 1483 to his death in 1498), Spanish Dominican friar. On Oct. 17, 1483, Thomas de Torquemada, then sixty-three years of age and prior of a monastery at Segovia, his native city, was appointed inquisitor-general.

Completed drafting Chapter 1, in which Morillo spends a good deal of time interrogating Lope de Triana (Rodrigo's uncle) and at the end of which he (Morillo) is informed of Torquemada's appointment as IG, a position he very much coveted for himself. Morillo will be even more hacked when later in the novel Torquemada sends his butt after Rodrigo as a clandestine member of Columbus's crew. One of the many goals here, character-wise, is to ensure that Morillo has the pissiest attitude possible since he is the personification "the devil" being outrun per the title. 

1492 was such a surpassingly bountiful year in world history that it’s a bit surprising more fictional stories haven’t emerged from the period. In fact the original idea for this novel sprang from the idea that Columbus departing Spain for the New World at precisely the same time and place as Isabella and Ferdinand were expelling the Jews in the midst of the Inquisition seemed positively rife with dramatic opportunity. Consider some of the events taking place at this time around the world:

• January 2 — Spain recaptures Granada from the Moors

• January 23 — “Pentateuch” (Jewish holy book) 1st printed

• March 31 — Queen Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon expels Jews (Alhambra Decree)

Spent best part of past few days reading in Homza and Kedourie anthologies (raw docs and essays respectively) with much good new material found re. the inquisition.  I have already begun working original source docs into the manuscript, including testimony from interrogations, verdicts, etc. Much more of this sort of thing as I proceed. Once we get into the Columbus bit of the story, the same will occur except using his log entries, correspondence with the queen, etc.  All is properly sourced, though I don't know the exact rules concerning use of lengthy quotes from other essays and source docs, especially when the docs are >500 years old.

I received a new reference a couple of days ago that ought to be quite helpful - The Spanish Inquisition, 1478-1614: An Anthology of Sources, edited by Lu Ann Homza.  It contains many original documents (though the elusive papal bull appointing Torquemada as Inquisitor General continues to evade my efforts).  Most interestingly, there are transcripts here of actual confessions, interrogations, etc., which I ought to be able to employ to great effect in supporting the veracity of the fictional accounts. 

At last, some actual writing. Just two pages, but the story is off and running. We begin with Miguel de Morillo (one of the original two inquisitors in Seville, appointed 1480, "questioning" Rodrigo's uncle, a local craftsman and suspected converso organizer. The goal in the opening sections is to establish a tone of general terror throughout Seville, and introduce several main characters, notably Rodrigo (14 at this time), Morillo, and Torquemada, our main inquisitors. The uncle will survive this initial treatment, but will be damaged for life as a result, a fact that will become important later when we revisit him in 1492.

Spent eternity searching on-line for full text version of exigit sinceras devotionis affectus, Pope Sixtus' edict authorizing the appointment of Torquemada as Inquisitor General for all of Spain. There is some inconsistency in the literature as to whether Torq's appointment was the Pope's or Isabella's and Ferdinand's, but this distinction is minutia and not critical to my narrative. In any event I would like to locate the original bull, if only to use portions of it in the story. I located as well a new source book that looks excellent - it is now ordered on Amazon (thank goodness they had it). It's full of original documents and trial transcripts from the period.

Started to read the brief Columbus bio by Peter Riviere. I've determined that I ought to get a copy of the original Washington Irving biography of Columbus, published in 1828 (bidding on an early copy on eBay now). This will go on my reading list for this book, along with about 25 other books, mainly concerning either Columbus, the Inquisition, or both. I could spend my life reading in preparation for writing this thing! Also spent a bit of time thinking through the full scope of the story, viz, when to start and end it. I will begin with vignettes from the life of de Torres, de Triana, and Torquemada, all authentic historical characters with whom I mean to take prodigious fictional liberties. If I begin with the appointment of Torquemada as Inquisitor General in 1482, that makes de Triana 14 at the time.

I am intent that this book be of at least some historical value in addition to being a novel of entertainment. To that end, I mean to intersperse between the chapters historical documents and excerpts therefrom, e.g. letters between Columbus and Isabella, papal bulls, letters of appointment, etc. I am currently spending a bit of time with the Alhambra Decree, which is the bit of paper that expelled the Jews from Spain in 1492. I am, however, having rather a bit of difficulty locating a copy of the decree by which Torquemada (Inquisitor General) was appointed to that post by Isabella and Ferdinand (under Pope Innocent's direction). I think these are critical documents for putting the fictional bits of the story into their proper perspective.

Just spent three days in Vegas with the family celebrating mom's 75th birthday. Much of that time I discovered the continuation of what has been happening for many of these past weeks, i.e. plot lines and character attributes for my new novel "Outrun the Devil" (OTD) refuse to stop spinning around in my head. I am currently reading Steinbeck's "Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters" in which he talks about the same phenomenon, viz the existence of two worlds for someone trying to write a novel, these being the real world and the world taking form in the book. At this point there is virtually no moment of the day or night when something about OTD isn't taking form (or perhaps breaking down) in my head.

Q. Where did you get the idea for “World Hunger”?

A. A tough question to answer succinctly, but one I get asked a lot. First, I am an engineer by trade (Columbia University Engineering School) and a business person as well (Wharton School MBA), so two of the essential ingredients have been in place for some time.

Still, I am by no means a biotech engineer, so that’s where the need for extensive research came in. I have had a long interest in genetically modified crops for the better part of the last 20 years or so, reading articles off and on, a few books, that sort of thing.