november 23, 2005
rejection:
in the wake of your tryptophan-induced haze, I thought I'd share one of the more memorable story rejections I've received. I had just finished the story "Natural Born Pig Killers," and decided to shoot for the stars. I won't say what publication it is, but it's big. Think of the most popular publication in the universe. Then multiply it by 10. Then, just for good measure, think of the talking sleestak, Enik, from Land of the Lost breakdancing. Here's the editor's response:
From: [address withheld]
To: "david farley"
Subject: natural born pig killers--a
submission
Dear David,
There is no way in the world that we could
publish this--the PETA people, among others,
would be down on us like a ton of bricks.
All best,
[editor's name withheld]
Of course, all's well that ends well. The story was eventually published and, most recently, won a Lowell Thomas Award. So, the moral of this story--besides the need to think more about dancing sleestaks: even after a blunt rejection, don't let your work rot on your hard drive. Send it out early and often.
november 19, 2005
submission call:
Mark Pearson, who edited an anthology of travel tales called Europe from a Backpack, is seeking travel stories for a couple new collections he's putting together. Send him your best and brightest backpacking-related stories on Spain and Italy for two separate anthologies, scheduled to hit bookstores in about a year. The 800-2000-word stories should include all your contact info and a bio. The deadline is January 31, 2006. Submit here or check out his website.
november 15, 2005
the bearable lightness of not being:
if you've read this blog before, you know that writing a story based on a press trip for certain travel publications is strictly verboten. And you probably know that The New York Times takes it a step further by, apparently, 86ing any writers who have ever taken a press trip. Novelist JT LeRoy is the latest to get the axe from the newspaper--but not because he accepted a swag-laden trip; because he doesn't exist. Yep, that's right. New York Magazine ran a piece a few weeks ago which made a compelling argument that LeRoy's existence is all just a literary hoax put on by a San Francisco couple. LeRoy, who had written for the newspaper before, had an assignment with the travel section and they killed it because LeRoy wouldn't hand over a passport or social security card. LeRoy's argument was that he's always played with gender and identity. So if he doesn't have appropriate ID, then how does he fly? Or buy beer? I recently asked Jonathan Safron Foer his take on "wigs and sunglasses," as the article refers to LeRoy, and he hadn't read the piece, but he did say that novels are so difficult to write, he can't imagine why someone wouldn't want to put their own name on it in the end. A good point, indeed, but perhaps not everyone seeks this kind of recognition. Besides, a near-perfect hoax on the literary establishment is priceless. Click here to read the New York Magazine story.
november 8, 2005
quotable:
"modern stupidity means not ignorance but the nonthought of received ideas."
milan kundera
november 7, 2005
going grand singe:
I wasn't exactly surprised that the epicenter of the recent Paris revolts was Aubervilliers. When I lived in Paris a few years ago, boredom and an obsession with illegally imported apes (a common stage one goes through when moving to France, I've heard) led me to this rough suburb just north of the capital in search of apes that were allegedly terrorizing passersby (and by "terrorizing," I mean scraping their faces right off!). Seriously. Here's the account of my search for all things ape in Aubervilliers, which was recently published in magazine called Mused.
november 6, 2005
the (virtual) road less traveled:
I'm not a country counter. Nor have I really paid much attention to how "well traveled" I am. But when I came across these two quizzes--the traveler's version of a "how sexy are you?" quiz in Cosmo, I suppose--I practically stumbled trying to take the quizzes. How did I fare? Let's just say that I've still got a lot to see. Click here and here to see how well traveled you are.
october 19, 2005
(not-so) lonely planet:
everyone's favorite guidebook publisher is currently looking for writers for a bevy of books. Apply here.
october 13, 2005
guidebook:
Avalon Travel Publishing has been placing ads on craigslists everywhere lately looking for writers to craft guidebooks on Ireland and Greece. To weed out any wannabes and slackers, they require candidates to pen a somewhat extensive proposal. But if you get the gig, this could be one Guinness- or Ouzo-fueled job. Anyone? Click here for more info.
october 11, 2005
the other side of the article:
I don't know how I came across this, but I just found an article...about me. Okay, okay, I admit it: I was googling myself. Actually, the writer interviewed me recently for something he was writing about people who have lived abroad. I guess this is the result. It's a good piece. Read it here.
october 5, 2005
'travel' channel:
Elaine Wolff of the San Antonio Current plunges into the world of the new Travel Channel. I wrote about this on an earlier posting, when the channel was just transitioning from its surface-level round-up "best of" shows to its new slightly above surface-level narrative shows like Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Stranded with Cash Peters. Read Wolff's article here.
october 4, 2005
help wanted:
when I heard about this last year, I actually thought this 'job' was my destiny. Chivas Regal was looking for someone to travel the world for three or four months to compile a "life guide" (basically 50 tips on where the coolest spots on the globe are). I made my three-minute video, had a friend help me edit it (complete with awesome b-roll images), filled out the application, and sent it in. Then, about a month later, I got a call: the guy on the other end told me I'd made it to the final 15 and then began bombarding me with questions. In the end, my last thought to him was something about the benefits of being a cultural relativist. A few weeks later, a bottle of Chivas Regal appeared at my door with a note saying, "thanks, but no thanks." I was devastated. Well, it's that time of year again, but this time Chivas is searching for a team of two to compile their so-called Life Guide. The deadline is fast approaching and, alas, I haven't the time to make a video (and, if I must admit it, I'm still heartbroken from last year's search). Click here to learn more.
october 3, 2005
rock 'n' roll travel writing:
in the last few weeks, a few rock 'n' roll-themed articles have popped up in the newspaper travel sections. The first is Steve Dougherty's account in The New York Times of slavishly following an itinerary that Bob Dylan laid out for Bono while quaffing pints of Guinness at Dylan's home one night, which turned out to be Highway 61 (the anecdote is recounted in Dylan's memoir). In the other story, the Boston Globe's Tom Haines, who recently won the Lowell Thomas travel writer of the year award, spent part of the summer following U2 around Europe. I like this trend. What's next: Prince's Minneapolis (in a little red Corvette, of course)?
