Demidramaturgist
The big news is that my first book of plays is going to be out this month, September 18th specifically, from Madness Heart Press. The cover art is by the amazing Suguru Tanaka. Here’s the pitch for it.
“Having dabbled in texts for performances in his prior books, PLAYS/hauntologies sees Ben Arzate’s first full-length foray into works for the stage. Combining the absurdity of Samuel Beckett, the cruelty of Antonin Artaud, the postdramatic vision of Heiner Muller, and a wide mix of inspirations from genre fiction, these pieces are a deeply eclectic mix.
From the surreal science fiction of “The Doomed Flight of the Taurus-19” to the pitch-black humor of “The Confessor” to the searing anti-war monologue “An American Demon,” these plays are guaranteed to entertain, horrify, and bring the minds of readers to new and strange places.”
I’ll talk a bit more about the genesis of the book after it’s released. Until then, you can pre-order the book at the Madness Heart Press website.
Who Are You Anyway?
Over at Statement of Record, I had a lengthy interview with author, editor, scholar, and all around good egg Jordan Rothacker. I talked about my inspirations, how I came to be a writer, and legacy. Here’s an excerpt.
JR: What is the role of music in your work? Elaine has a record store owner character and playlist that runs through it. Also, music is essential in Music Is Over and The Story of the Y.
BA: Thomas Dolby once said that he writes songs like a frustrated novelist. I like to say that I write books like a frustrated musician. I first started out writing lyrics to songs I was making in high school. Then I moved to writing poems before migrating towards stories and, eventually, novels. No surprise, my early poems were mostly about music and musicians as well. So, I think it’s always going to be central to my writing.
Read the full thing at the Statement of Record website.
Coming Attractions
I recently had a story accepted to Expat Press. It should be up in October. The story is part of a collection of media-themed horror stories I’m currently working on. The working title is Fatal Spectacles. The other project I’m gradually working on is a collection of poetry with the working title birthday balloons for a beautiful funeral. I’m also planning on re-releasing my currently out-of-print first book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Saying Goodbye, sometime next year.
Until next time…