Books & Authors : September '12 - Book Club Selection - 'Broken Piano for President' by Patrick Wensink

Actually, Patrick, I think if read frantically the way it seems we are all doing, it could produce a hangover effect. A headache from the substance, the blurry cloud of "what the fuck did I just experience," and a few coffees and aspirins later, the urge to indulge in it all over again.

P.S.

This book, and your presence on here, has made you one of my favorite authors. I'm eager to read your older and future stories. 

Question: And sorry if I missed this - but what about Findlay's body? If I'm remembering correctly, the video says they took off. Did Lipsec stumble out and find the body? 

I agree with the momentum of the story and it really not being all that important. It didn't bother me a bit, but it's the only question I could come up with while trying to do to the day job thing. I'll see if I can think of anything more interesting while I'm not paying attention to the day job thing.

I can't speak for Patrick, obviously, but to your point of the band surviving - I liked that, even if it presented the happy ending. I don't think they're (the band) lives are dead ends. If you recall, the Japanese couple who loved Lothario Speedwagon left before the explosion. And now they survived a corporate terrorist attack? The Rise of Lothario Speedwagon has just begun. 

Get working on the sequel!

Seeing the band members also gave Deshler that one final choice - in those final moments he's confronted with a life of being a corporate dog and being controlled by those filthy, underhanded vegans. Earlier in the novel he was really starting to dig his role as a hero to the burger world and the burger genius he was celebrated for. So it looks like that's where his life is headed, even if it's a little forced. Then he sees the band and he realizes that's what he wants and what he loves and what he wants to pursue.  He's given that choice and in the moment, he realizes that's his passion and what's going to make him happy. While the ending is a little walk off in the sunset-ish - I found it pretty satisfying.

Well, perhaps in your future novels, there will be references and odd cameos by Lothario Speedwagon.

I have some questions regarding your writing method. You say you do not outline, but what about notes? Is it entirely on a whim, go with the flow when you write or do you jump for a notepad when picking up doughnuts or taking a shower to write down an idea you could maybe incorporate? Also, how do you balance having an organic and natural feel (what I get from your book, though it is it's own world) versus having it come off as random? Is that what the rewrites are for, so you can go nuts and clean up the mess later, or is it just a natural thing that pieces itself together?

Oh, also, this just popped into my head: 
 

I once had a very good workshop teacher tell me to always have your ending in mind while writing. That might be the single worst piece of advice I've ever heard. I'm very fortunate that I chose to ignore it. 

Knowing your ending when you start is like knowing you have a full house immediately after the cards are dealt. Chances are you are going to let everyone at the table know what you're holding. Me, I'd rather play Texas Hold 'Em and discover what the end looks when that final card is flipped. 

Finished!!

Okay, so I definitely agree with all the posts above that the confusing style was a whole lot of fun. Each time a 'Dean' chapter began I was looking forward to seeing what mess he might have gotten himself into. It made it a little tough to read right at the start, but once I gave up any hope of trying to figure out what was happening and just went along for the ride I began to enjoy it a lot. The middle-section of the book moved at lightning pace and kept me sucked in.

And I like the bullets & lists narration. A niceway to fit some characterisation in there, plus some of the lists were rather funny.

But I'm another that's not sure about the ending. I thought it was too neat and packaged compared to what had come before. I wanted Lothario to play the gig and the chaos to continue. I wanted the rug pulled out again. I thought it a bit odd that the calmest part of the book in some ways was the huge explosion!

I dunno. I guess for whatever reason, I just didn't long for resolution with this story. I wanted to be left hanging. When Neopoleon was explaining about the video, and when the vegans were debriefing in the van, part of me felt like sticking my fingers in my ears and closing my eyes. Maybe it's just me, but I'd have happily seen this end a complete mess. Okay, so it did end in a mess, but not the sort of mess I wanted. (I'm aware I might not be making much sense here, it's hard to put my finger on exactly what I am trying to say)

Overall though, I thought this book was a good, fun ride.

A couple of Q's

Patrick - do you consider this to be "bizarro"? I ask because I am interested in hearing how different people define the genre, and because to me this seemed like more of a traditional story-telling venture than a lot of the books from the bizarro presses.

Do you play (or used to play) in a band? Are you a big music guy? There seems to be a lot of fondness here for dirty rock and roll and the punk attitude and I was wondering if that comes in from you.

Wicked: Good questions. And good point, I never really thought about how the calmest part is an explosion. I'm always impressed by what other readers see. I've read that book more times than I can count and it never occured to me! 

Answers: 

1. My publisher, Lazy Fascist Press, is an imprint of Eraserhead Press, who basically invented bizarro fiction.  That's an association my work gets often and that's cool. I could never write something as extreme as someone like Carlton Mellick, for example, but the Bizarro community has been super supportive of me. I'm grateful. 

The funny problem my work has is that it's too weird for mainstream readers, but not weird enough for people who crave really strange stuff. I've had to carve out my own little foothold. 

2. I used to be a couple noise bands. When I started writing BPFP about six years ago my last band was fizzling out in Portland, OR. I played guitar and sang (Poorly at both).

In addition, I was a rock critic for the better part of a decade. My beat was primarily avant garde/noise/weird  music. So I knew the world well. Lothario Speedwagon is a combination of several bands, but primarily Lighting Bolt, Pussy Galore and this crazy band called Caroliner Rainbow. 

Caroliner is by far the most nutso live show imaginable. I was lucky enough to see them a few times in the 00s.

3. Juan and Henry had help. Shortly before the bomb goes off Martin bails them out. 

Thanks for the rad questions! 

Oh, and P.S. - that video is amazing

Yes, that video is amazing. The music, however, is terrible.

I've heard of Fat Worm. They put out a couple albums on Load, right?

Damn -- beat to the punch. I was going to say that I definitely felt like I had a hangover a few times. Some of the plot twists were like being whacked in the head, and it left me reeling more than a few times after I put the book down.

Since you said we're being too soft, here's a question I've wanted to ask but felt it would be rude to do so: did you ever fear that leaving the reader in the dark would be a cop-out? At times, the frustration of not knowing boiled over (I'm the type of person who will read a single line three times to figure out exactly how a leaf fell off of a tree, even though it's not important at all) and made me almost feel like you didn't know exactly how Dean got to where he did, so you were leaving the reader in the dark, rather than figure it out.

Of course, I would read for a little longer and become swept up in the ride and enjoy it so much that I only felt that way twice, maybe three times, but were you ever worried that someone like me would read it that way?

That's a great answer and the one I was hoping for. I have this terrible dichotomy of needing to know everything but also hating authors who shove the info down my throat. I loved the way his co-worker slowly became more prominent and finally stepped in to the spotlight to show him the video -- you have a real knack for the unraveling narrative and it was great.

Someone just told me today is National Cheeseburger Day. 

Celebrate accordingly. Be careful around your deep-fryer. 

I don't feel so good, suddenly.

Yikes. It seems like every town has some crazy ass eating challenge now. In college I saw a buddy eat a 4.5 lb steak in Amarillo, TX. This was before Man Vs. Food, so it seemed more impressive back then.

If my Nook copy smelled like that, I'd be extremely worried about my brain.

But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you convinced yourself that it did -- the book was intoxicating and engaging in a way I haven't seen in a long time. I've stayed away from indie presses for way too long. I forgot that much higher quality books can come out on those types of presses; I'm used to books that are easily forgotten and don't have much impact on real-life, but when I read BPFP, I was able to feel the book after I finished my reading session.

My copy DOES smell like a bar. It's warped and swelled from having beer spilled all over it. I've been playing a drinking game with audiences whenever I do a reading. 

It wasn't exactly a drinking game but I was drinking when I met Frank Bill at a reading. But then again, everyone had hot bourbon breath by the end of the night. 

Patrick, It completely slipped my mind to ask my first question I had for this discussion. How did you come up with the title "Broken Piano For President?" Is there some kind of symbolism to it? Or did it just sound cool? (It does sound cool.)

How was the whole process of recording it to tape? And are you annoyed it was such an old format or like it?

I used to "roadie" for the local bands around my home area and I had a 4-track I loaned to just about everyone before finally selling it for $50.

Anyway, I am having a hard time coming up with anything that hasn't been covered here or on B&B, but I did want to let you know that I finally got a good cheeseburger tonight. Nothing weird on it...haha.

Okay, so one question (and this might be reaching) did you ever consider NOT having a gay character/gay love story as a subplot? I'm not all that familiar with bizarro so I don't know if that's even considered daring, but I know some people worry about either getting hit for misrepresentations if they are straight, or getting shit for including it at all. I thought it was kind of refreshing to see a gay love story subplot that didn't have any fanfare around it (meaning it wasn't LBGT fiction, and it didn't come across like you wanted a neon sign flashing "LOOK HOW PROGRESSIVE I AM!")

JACKS, that's a really tough question. I don't tend to write with a distinct message in mind. I worry stories would get too preachy if I did. However, as I edit and revise, certain themes and messages begin to appear, sort of like an archeologist gradually dusting away dirt to uncover a bone. When these things come into the light, I try to organically emphasize them. 

So, for this book, there were a lot of smaller messages and themes. The obvious ones about consumerism, yes, but more importantly I think the book is about right and wrong, or good and evil, and how both live in a grey area most of the time. Everybody in this book, from Dean to the cosmonauts to the CEOs, thinks they are doing the right thing. Conversely, most everyone else thinks that person is doing the wrong thing.

It's true throughout the world. Right now, you are going through your day and probably consider yourself a good, decent person. Meanwhile, halfway across the globe angry people are protesting because they think you are living an evil life. Mussolini and Roosevelt both thought they were doing what was right, you know? I'm fascinated by perceptions of right and wrong in real life and it ended up being a major thread sewing this book together. 

Honestly, though, I'm more curious what meaning other people find in it. 

Kelby: Yeah! Exactly. Growing up out of your 20s was definately another topic I was exploring. The three men in the story all kind of represent the three major personalities of 20-something dudes for me: Self Confident, Unconfident and Oblivious.

Yes! Quarter life crisis is definately something I was trying to explore, because I was in my mid-20s when I started writing it. (I"m in my 30s now). However, ha, with all the fast food consumption, alchohol and crystal meth, maybe this is their mid-life. I don't think anyone could live very long like this!