Set Your Soul On Fire

Back in the 80s, AIDS protestors (protesting lack of funding/concern by the government) took to the streets across the country. Police were so afraid they might get the disease—even though the protestors may not have it and ignoring the science that stated you couldn't get it by mere contact—that they wore gloves in case they needed to touch one of the demonstrators.

Obviously, this enraged the protesters even more as it showed how they were treated as less than human. I remember seeing newscasts about these and the image stayed in my subconscious. When I thought about a follow up to my book TAX BREAK, these images came back. My mind played around with it all and finally suggested to me “what if these protestors decided to kick it up a notch?”

So SOULS ON FIRE tells that story. These activists decide to resort to terrorism to make their point. They embrace the Viking belief that it's better to die fighting for your beliefs than whither away in bed. They attack banks to get money to support themselves and attack the police to get revenge.

In a way, it also reflects the mindset of the people in the Warsaw ghetto during WWII. The people knew the Nazis would inevitably kill them, so they might as well fight back to the best of their ability.

 AIDS is a major theme of the book, but a more subtle one, albeit just as important, is PTSD.  I modeled the story a bit like “Soldier's Home” by Ernest Hemingway. An engrossing (and depressing) story about a young man who returns from WWI and is drastically changed from his prewar self.

This doesn't hit you in the face, but you can begin to see it in the character by the flashbacks he experiences. I won't say much more about this as I don't want to spoil it for you (and it's important when you read any book that you discover what the author is saying) but when you read it think about whether anything is odd or if his judgement has changed.

This book also delves more into Austin then the previous book. I'm in love with this city and you get to learn about its politics, environment, well, the nature of the city. Of course, I also had to mention a great musician who graced the city (and one of its great music venues from the day).

A writing point about the book: it's really short. According to one book seller you should be able to read it within three hours. As I wrote it I kept having this weird internal battle that on one hand said go into more detail, but on the other said, well, the kids today have an attention span of five seconds, so keep it short buster. Okay, I admit that even I sometimes skim books these days so I can get to the grist. So it was for me too.

On a personal note, this took me a long time to write.  I began the project in 2008 and slowly worked on completing it over the next 10 years.  I could blame that because a few years before beginning I got hit by a car while biking and my house burned down, but I am not sure those still weighed on my thoughts. 

It might have also stemmed from being depressed about lack of sales for my other books or how difficult it had been to get short stories published (I have quite a few that succeeded).  However, I have a feeling it’s more likely that it’s that I seem to get distracted easily these days.  Oh, is there a football game on right now?  Maybe.

I hope this insight into SOULS ON FIRE intrigued you enough to give it a try.  Think of it as a great distraction you can complete reading on your next long flight.  Or that you believe you’ll be dragged into this action-packed novel because it delves into important social issues. Whatever your reason, I hope you enjoy it and that it does more than entertains you, but also causes you to pause and think.  It sure did that to me as I wrote it.

Ahhh, James Thurber

 A short description of SOULS ON FIRE:

In 1985 AIDS activists slaughter police and terrorize Austin in the new blockbuster mystery SOULS ON FIRE.  Buy it now to discover if a movie-addicted police detective and his former CIA agent and bar-owner friend can stop the violence that engulfs the city.

FaceBook page:

https://www.facebook.com/SoulsOnFire.JayW/

Join the Write Club: A Thurber Brigade Side Step

Okay, this blog doesn't have anything to do with relationships, men, women, sex, love, dating or the usual things I cover here at The Front. However, since this blog site was originated as an ode to James Thurber's "The War Between Men and Women," it seems only appropriate to take a side step and include one blog about writing. This is a short essay I wrote a while back about different "clubs" writers might join if they go down certain trails. I'm throwing in a few writer-type pictures just to make it more visually stimulating and to keep you from slipping away. So for all you budding writing-types (or those who like reading):

Welcome to the Club

 Which club to join?  Late at night, while avoiding some writing, I often try to choose between the many seeking new members.

A time or two I thought about The Suicide Club.  It has some pretty impressive members.  Hemingway, Plath, Sexton.  The dues are kinda steep though.  Almost joined a few years back after a rough couple of rejections.

Some people think I’m already a member of The Drinker’s Club.  Oh, I’ve visited them a few times and discovered some good ideas and stories.  But I’m not a member.  It’s fun to rub elbows with those in the club though.  Why not have a martini with Capote, or gulp down a gin or two with Carver?  Hemingway was there before he joined his last club.  After all, no one ever said you couldn’t be a member of several clubs.

Speaking of dual memberships, F. Scott was president of the Big Bucks Club, but eventually became a member of the Lost it All Club.  Twain joined the All-American Club and the Grumpy Old Men Club.  Shoot, Stephen King’s in the BBC, the Super Prolific Club and the Books-to-Movie Club.  So there’s no reason to limit oneself to a single organization.

I’ve been sorely tempted to join the Left Our Other Needs Yearning Club (LOONY).  Although their name doesn’t make sense, they’re an easy group to fall into.  Many a late night, after pulling some hair out about a disjointed plot, I’ve almost joined after a brief conversation with Kafka.  But I had too much trouble filling out the application form.  Too blurry.  However, the membership list is pretty impressive, so I may keep that one on the back burner.

Which reminds me about paying my dues to the Cliche’ Club.  Yep, I’m a cardholder there.

Disease and Death Club has one of the longest lists of former members, ranging from Chekhov and Carver to O’Connor and Poe.  I’m trying to avoid this club though, and with luck, and regular doctor’s appointments, should be able to refuse future invitations.

A group closely affiliated to the D & D Club is FAD (Famous after Death). There have been times I thought my membership was inevitable, but that’s just when I’m in a pessimistic mood.

I keep joining and quitting the Writer’s Block Fraternity, and I’m getting just a little tired of all the confusion between the PCC and PC groups.  After all, I don’t know any members of the Politically Correct Club who are also members of the Procrastinator’s Club.  So why the confusion? 

So many clubs, so little time.  Oops, that Cliché Club membership keeps popping up.  As a writer, I know I’m obligated to join some other groups. You’re expected to be a member of these clubs, you either drift there or the reading public sends you there.  For now, guess I’ll just wait and see which one comes calling.  I hope it’s the Rags to Riches Club.  It has such good parties.