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I was on Bethany’s Blog this morning and came across a meme. Since I woke up around 4:00 a.m. this morning (couldn’t sleep), I decided to give it a whirl. So, here I am! Here’s the drill with the meme: Go back through your archives and post the links to five of your [...]

It's the day after Barzak Day, and we're still sweeping up all the confetti here at Mumpsimus Central, but I wanted to take a moment to say how much fun it was to see all the support for Chris and his book. I just updated the link post again, most notably with Liz Hand's very positive Village Voice review. Chris has plenty of good news he'll be able to share in the future, too, so keep an eye on him.

Things around here are likely to slow down for a while, because my new job starts tomorrow, and I have no idea what sort of free time I will have. I've got a couple assignments for reviews that I need to get done, reading to do for Best American Fantasy, and one big project I've been promising myself I would devote more time to, so we shall see. But this was a great way to end the summer, and I hope everybody who participated had as much fun as I did. Thanks all.

Bantam Senior Editor Juliet Ulman acquired Christopher Barzak's One for Sorrow and shepherded it into print.

I really have the wonderful Mumpsimus himself to thank for bringing us together. Matt and I met in person for the first time at the World Fantasy Convention in Madison, Wisconsin, and we were sitting around one night, probably resting from a bout of giggling, talking about short story authors we admired and who I'd been following. I was wishing aloud that some of my favorites had a book in them, and exclaimed in frustration, "Christopher Barzak! Now why hasn't he written a novel!?" To which Matt calmly replied, "But he has." A few minutes later, we'd established that Chris had written a novel, Matt had seen it, and Matt would pass on word that I wanted to take a look. When I got back from the convention, the manuscript was waiting for me.

Reading One for Sorrow for the first time is an experience I will never forget. I couldn't stop myself from describing the sensation to people for months afterwards, even as I realized that, at best, I was coming off as a bit odd. I remember turning page after page, a horrible storm of butterflies building in my stomach with each sentence. As I read, I felt a little lightheaded and sick. I can tell you exactly what it felt like. It felt like when you're in the throes of a tremendous crush, a crush so overwhelming that instead of feeling a little happy and silly in that person's presence, instead you feel so nervous and overtaken with that fluttery adrenalized crush feeling that it's debilitating. That is what it felt like.

As far as the book, I knew we were a match. But what about the author?

I had some editorial concerns, and I wanted to make sure that Chris and I were on the same page as far as what direction to take the book -- so we struck up a correspondence. Before we'd even negotiated the deal, we exchanged several (long!) emails back and forth while he was still in Japan, talking about the book and what we wanted for it, and also just getting to know each other and how our minds worked. We learned we both have a big love for Miyazaki, and especially My Neighbor Totoro; that we both come from very small, rural towns (his in the Midwest, mine in the Northeast) and carry them with us; and that we both believed in the same emotional heart of the book and wanted to travel on the same path. We brainstormed about how to get there, each of us tossing out ideas until typically, we'd figure out what the common core of all of our suggestions were, and find the right way to get to where we were going. It was immediate and exciting, this fizzing creative electricity. If the book and I were a match, it soon became clear to me that I'd gotten very lucky in that Chris and I had a real meeting of minds. No one but Chris could have written that book, and, for me at least, no working partnership but this one would have been quite as instinctive or fluid.

Revising One for Sorrow was a tremendously cooperative, collaborative process, and terrifically rich and rewarding for me as an editor. For some people, this kind of back-and-forth brainstorming and discussion would be done over the phone -- for us, it was the modern equivalent of letters flying back and forth, emails and emails and emails exploring our instinctive responses to the narrative, and our feelings about where it should go. This, truly, is why editors get out of bed in the morning. I really loved every minute of it, the debates, the burbling of ideas, the bright nova of light when someone hit upon something true. Chris is a thoughtful, intuitive writer, and through working on the book together, I think we learned more about each other than we could possibly have done any other way. In the end, I came to this with an electrifying crush on a beautiful, heartbreaking manuscript, and walked away with a rich, creative kinship that will stay with me even longer.

For which I will always, and happily, be in the debt of the Mumpsimus.

Yes, today is Barzak Day. Obviously. But it is also, and quite appropriately,The Best of Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet Day. Yes, that fine and marvelous book is being released on the same day as Mr. Barzak's One for Sorrow.

This is appropriate not just because it's appropriate for two wonderful books to be released on the same day. That is, indeed, a good thing.

But here are some facts to consider:

1. Mr. Barzak's first published story was "A Mad Tea Party" in LCRW.
2. One for Sorrow evolved from the story "Dead Boy Found", first published in Trampoline, an anthology edited by Kelly Link and published by Small Beer Press.
3. Kelly Link is co-founder of Small Beer Press, which publishes LCRW, which she co-edits, which is how she got to be co-editor of The Best of LCRW. Oh, the tangled web she weaves!
4. Kelly Link blurbed One for Sorrow, calling it, "An uncommonly good book with brains, heart, and bravery to spare. Readers who don't find themselves in sympathy with Barzak's characters were never adolescents themselves."
5. Gavin Grant, co-editor of all things LCRW and co-founder of Small Beer Press, introduced karaoke, an ancient Scottish ritual, to Japan, which is the real reason Christopher Barzak moved to Japan for two years.

Hugo and Nebula Award-winning writer James Patrick Kelly was an important mentor for Chris Barzak when the young Mr. B. was just beginning to figure out what it meant to be a writer. I asked Jim to join us in celebrating his protege's success, and here is what he had to say:

I first met and worked with Chris Barzak when he was knee high to an adverb at the Imagination Writers Workshop in Cleveland, Ohio back in the summer of 1997, and I remember sitting out on a sunny patio and telling him that he needed to apply to Clarion and then go on to have a career as a writer. I also have a vague memory of him staring back at me like I was perhaps addled by the heat. The next year we did let him into Clarion and I worked with him again and informed him he was already a writer, just one who hadn't published yet. I'm pretty sure he was starting to believe by then. Over the years I have watched with pride as he has proved me so very right. I have recently derived a formula that calculates my contribution to the careers of the talented writers I have had the privilege of helping along and I believe I am 1/679th responsible for Chris's success thus far. Go Chris! And the rest of you: stop reading blogs and pick up One for Sorrow.

Rick Bowes doesn't have a blog, but he's been a huge supporter of Chris Barzak for years, and so it made no sense for Barzak Day to happen without some words from him.

When asked about Barzak, here is what Bowes said:

Chris Barzak is a better dancer than any other novelist in the world. And he’s a better novelist than any dancer in the world.

Chris Barzak’s car just broke down, which is a sin and a shame. I think it would be lovely if a rich patron who wished to keep his or her identity a secret would buy Chris a new car. Nothing too ostentatious or sporty (because he’ll be driving it in Youngstown, after all).Something Japanese would be good. He likes that.

This post will be updated throughout the day with links to material about Christopher Barzak and his first novel One For Sorrow, released today. Thanks to everybody who is participating!

• Colleen Lindsay offers an in-depth interview and a classic photo. She's also giving copies of the book away!
  
• The Stage @ The Oakland is heading up the Youngstown, Ohio side of Barzak Day.
• Into My Own presents an interview with Chris.
  
• Chris guest-blogs at Gwenda Bond's place.
• Small Beer Press and LCRW (about whom more later) offer "Barzakian Secrets of the Barzakian Plan for Barzakian Galactic Domination".
• Colleen Mondor writes about Chris's short stories.
• Jason Erik Lundberg has been reading Barzak from the very beginning.
• Jeffrey Ford has some nice things to say.
• The Creativity Incubator launches a new feature, Creative Spotlight, with One for Sorrow.
• The new Science Fiction Awards Watch notes that Mr. Barzak is in their database.
• Secritcrush remembers One for Sorrow from a workshop a while back.
• Into My Own actually started Barzak Day a couple months early.
• Midori Snyder also began early, and offers a lovely review of the novel.
  
• Fantasy Book Critic notes One for Sorrow's release, and many others, plus a giveaway of other books.
• Tales from the Rustbelt reviews One for Sorrow.
  
• Mike Eats...Books?! devours One for Sorrow.
• Youngstown Renaissance joins the fun.
• Fellow Bantam author Tim Pratt reminisces, and mentions one of my favorite Barzak short stories along the way.
• Scott Westerfeld explains why, though he seldom blurbs, he wanted to blurb One for Sorrow.
• A Barzak Day post from Pittsburgh.
• Meghan McCarron on the man and his work. Fully.
  
• John Klima joins the celebration and links to some Barzak short stories online.
• Strange Horizons fiction editor Jed Hartman reminds us that Barzak has been a regular contributor to SH with fiction, reviews, and an interview.
• Strange Horizons fiction editor Karen Meisner offers some thoughts, and mentions karaoke.
• Elad Haber on friendship and Chris Barzak.
• Alan DeNiro on Barzak at Clarion and what makes this particular writer special.
• Justine Larbalestier adds a few words.
• Richard Butner remembers "Dead Boy Found" when it was a wee little workshop story.
• Haddayr Copley-Woods joins in.
  
• Brooke, who has been so instrumental with One for Sorrow's launch in Youngstown, on "Why I Love Chris Barzak"
• Elizabeth Hand reviews One for Sorrow in The Village Voice.
  

To start off Barzak Day here at The Mumpsimus, I offer Chris's responses to a questionnaire I created (mostly from other questionnaires, including The Proust Questionnaire, Tom Disch's poem "Questions Your Children are Certain to Ask", a SFWA Fantasy Worldbuilding Questionnaire, a couple of Cosmo quizzes, the book Here Speeching American, and other sources).


To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Permissiveness. I permit myself to indulge my other faults far too often. Dr. Spock didn't know what he was talking about.

Your favorite virtue?
There are too many! And from which category of virtue? Buddhist? That would be Right Mindfulness - Mental ability to see things for what they are with clear consciousness. Samurai virtues? That would be To manifest great compassion, and act for the sake of Man. Western virtues? Justice. Roman virtues? Veritas, honesty in dealing with others. Christian virtues? Love.

How do the different prohibitions grow
On fenceposts and the trunks of trees?
They don't grow. They are nailed there by busy busy prohibitionists.

How many chairs are a life?
Three? Twenty? Eighty-nine! Eighty-nine!

Do you have any favorite diseases?
The mumps. [Ed. note: not The Mumpsimus. An entirely different disease. Really. We swear.] It swells your face like a balloon. I got the mumps from a friend in Japan (Hey Katie!). Both our immunizations must have either worn off or weren't effective on the version over there. I spent a lot of time watching my jawline disappear. I thought this was kind of interesting, but only because I knew it was temporary.

What are the controversial subjects in this culture? What things will automatically start an unfriendly argument?
Controversial subjects: religion, political stance, sexuality, class.

Immediate unfriendly argument inspiring topics: Literature. I don't know how many times I've seen English majors and writers and critics brawling after that first beer. It's not a pretty thing to see.

Do you ever envy women who you think are prettier than you?
ALL THE TIME. I CAN'T STAND THOSE B*****S!!!

Do you run after your own nose?
Never. It knows better than to run off like that.

Are certain clothes customary for certain occupations -- e.g., military uniforms, judges robes/wigs, sports teams uniforms, etc.? How much variation is allowed -- could a scholar wear a day-glow green robe as long as the cut is right, or would that be too much? Is it color or style that is most important?
Well, of course certain clothes are customary for certain occupations, as you list examples. Variation should be permitted though. In both style and color. I would like to see police officers dressed in pink, bikers in crushed velvet rather than leather, strippers in wool suits, businessmen wearing sandals. Uniformity is death.

If you were a message t-shirt, you would read...
This.

Are you haunted by the horribles?
Sometimes.

Do the only real philosophical questions have to do with ontology? Are all others transcendental and therefore meaningless?
Nah.

Where do you get your ideas?
Why buy someone else's troubles? (This is also what my father says about used cars).

You're a celeb who's going to be featured in the next issue of Cosmo! In your ideal photo shoot, you'd be wearing...
Nothing but piles and piles of money and issues of Cosmo that have me on the cover covered in money and issues of Cosmo that have me on the cover covered with money and Cosmos!!

If you were a (toy) stuffed animal, what stuffed animal would you want to be?
A Catbus from Miyazaki's anime film My Neighbor Totoro. Those smile really wide and long.

Chris Barzak's first novel, One For Sorrow, is officially released tomorrow, and for that auspicious occasion, I have decided to do something I've not done before -- organize a multi-blog celebration of all things Barzak. I'm calling it Barzak Day in the Blogosphere, which seems to me like a perfectly humble and unassuming title.

The idea is this: various bloggers will write about Chris, about his writing, about the book -- and I will collect and link to as much of it as I know about from here, updating a post with links throughout the day. Also, there will be a couple of guest appearances here by people who have had encounters with Mr. B., and I will present a solemn and deeply meaningful exclusive Q&A with the man himself.

Colleen Lindsay will be offering an interview with Chris as well as, I think, some free copies of the book. I actually owe the whole idea of this to Colleen, because when she announced she was doing an interview on the day of the book's release, I thought, "Wow, I wish I'd thought of that." And then I thought, "Why can't we all do something?" And so I asked around.

If you want to participate, feel free to join the fun by writing something at your blog about Chris and/or his work. Email me a link to your post and I'll add it to the collection here during the day. (This is supposed to be a day of celebration, so if you're intending to write about what a heartless creep he is for stealing your teddy bear when you were three and dressing it up like Tom of Finland, well, save that for another day.)

The reason I'm doing this is not just that Chris is a friend -- he is, and he's been a reader of this site almost since the beginning. Part of my desire to do something for Barzak Day comes from the fact that I couldn't possibly review One for Sorrow, because I got to offer feedback on early drafts and revision ideas, and I've been in contact with both Chris and his editor, Juliet Ulman, about it since before Juliet had even bought the book. I could only be more prejudiced in favor of it if I'd written it myself, and even then I might not be, since I tend to like other people's writing more than my own. Nonetheless, I think I can see through the haze of my subjectivity enough to know that this really is a good novel, one worthy of readers' time. In fact, I think the novel form fits Chris particularly well, because it allows him to delve more deeply into the emotional nuances of characters and situations than the short story form does, and I think readers who only know him through his stories will be pleasantly surprised at how well he can sustain a novel, and how much range this particular novel possesses.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow, then, and see the amazing adventures of Barzak conquering the blogosphere!