Now that the 'last Escape' has been released I can focus more on other projects. I have nearly finished a first draft of a follow-up book. This manuscript, which I've been calling 'After the Temple', continues the story of what happened following Wat Thamkrabok. It covers my first year and a bit sober. There is still so much work to do on this manuscript that I fear that it will never be complete.
If I do ever manage to finish 'After the Temple' then the next decision will be what to do with it. I suppose this decision will depend a lot on how the finished manuscript turns out and if 'Last Escape' is well received. I expect to have it finished by the end of 2008.
The reason for writing a follow-up manuscript is that there are many books which describe people giving up alcohol/drugs but there doesn't seem to be many which deal with staying sober after this. Life improves completely when the addiction is put aside but problems still arise and some of these seem common to all newly sober people. It is my hope that maybe this next book can offer encouragement for those trying to stay sober.
Another reason for this book is that following the completion of my blog, which covered the same time period as the book, there were readers with questions. They were interested in what happened to the others after the temple and they were even interested in what happened to me. I dealt with some of these issues briefly in the the postscript to 'Last Escape' but not in any real detail. In the postscript I was trying to condense almost eighteen months of an exciting period of my life into a couple of pages.
As well as 'After the Temple', I am also working on a fiction manuscript. This book is still in the very early stages. Writing about myself all the time so directly can feel a bit draining and self-indulgent and so this is a break from that. I know that some people argue that even fiction is auto-biographical, in that everything we write contains a bit of us, but I want to try my hand at this genre. I am still new to writing and eager to improve my skills.
Thursday 24 January 2008
Monday 21 January 2008
The book in my hands
Twenty complimentary copies of the 'Last Escape' arrived at my door the other day. It was with a great sense of accomplishment that I held the book in my hands for the first time. It seemed like I had been waiting ages for the moment to come - I know that I hadn't, not really. Some people wait years to see there name on the spine of a book, and for many the moment never comes. It had taken me less than a year.
My first impression of the book was that it...Well, it looked like a real book. I was impressed with the design of the thing and thought the typesetting looked very professional; but of course I 'm biased.
I must admit that I do feel very proud of it and spent most of that day turning it over in my hands and sneaking glances at it. I even read a couple of chapters and found the fact that it was on paper meant that it was easier to read. I don't enjoy reading on a computer screen half as much as I do a real book. I had spent months staring at the words in the manuscript, trying to make them readable and near the end began to feel sick just looking at it. The book version made my words seem fresh again.
I now wait eagerly to see what, if any, impact this book will have on its readers. I am not sure when exactly it will hit the shops and living in the middle of nowhere means that I can't check. What if everyone hates it and all they can see is the deficiencies in my writing? How will I cope with the criticism? The truth is that I will remain proud of the 'Last Escape'. It was a genuine attempt by me to be open and honest with the world, and I did my best.
My stack of twenty copies of 'Last Escape' have already begun to dwindle. I gave a few copies to friends here in the village. I also sent a few to Wat Thamkrabok; without the temple there would have been no book to start with. I even signed the copies. I hope this doesn't seem a bit pretentious.
My first impression of the book was that it...Well, it looked like a real book. I was impressed with the design of the thing and thought the typesetting looked very professional; but of course I 'm biased.
I must admit that I do feel very proud of it and spent most of that day turning it over in my hands and sneaking glances at it. I even read a couple of chapters and found the fact that it was on paper meant that it was easier to read. I don't enjoy reading on a computer screen half as much as I do a real book. I had spent months staring at the words in the manuscript, trying to make them readable and near the end began to feel sick just looking at it. The book version made my words seem fresh again.
I now wait eagerly to see what, if any, impact this book will have on its readers. I am not sure when exactly it will hit the shops and living in the middle of nowhere means that I can't check. What if everyone hates it and all they can see is the deficiencies in my writing? How will I cope with the criticism? The truth is that I will remain proud of the 'Last Escape'. It was a genuine attempt by me to be open and honest with the world, and I did my best.
My stack of twenty copies of 'Last Escape' have already begun to dwindle. I gave a few copies to friends here in the village. I also sent a few to Wat Thamkrabok; without the temple there would have been no book to start with. I even signed the copies. I hope this doesn't seem a bit pretentious.
Thursday 17 January 2008
Lokutara by Tim Arnold
I must admit that I hadn't heard of Tim Arnold until a few months ago. I've lived in Thailand for a few years and so haven't kept up with the music scene from that part of the world.
I came across the work of Mr Arnold by pure chance. Like me, he's an ex-patient of Wat Thamkrabok, and when I downloaded an album called Thamkrabok Music I came across one of his songs. It became my favorite track in the collection, so I decided to investigate more. I found his album Lokutara and immediately became a fan. While I was working on my book, 'The Last Escape', I played it constantly.
Lokutara was released in 2004. Much of the music is inspired by Wat Thamkrabok and he actually used a technique developed at the temple to compose his songs. The documentary 'from crack to cracks' shows how cracks, which occur naturally in stone in places such as caves, can be used to select notes on the musical scale. Tim used this technique to write songs for the album. Amazing to see him at work. This documentary was available on youtube but has since disappeared. Hopefully it will turn up again soon, as it's great to watch.
The tracks on Lokutara flow easily into each other and there isn't one dud on the album. They are all great songs. My favorite is River of Love, a song full of emotion and could easily be used as an anthem for the temple. Another favorite is walking through walls. Listen below;
Anyway you can check out Tim's music at;
http://timarnold.co.uk/
I would also recommend Thamkrabok Music;
http://thamkrabokmusic.com/
I came across the work of Mr Arnold by pure chance. Like me, he's an ex-patient of Wat Thamkrabok, and when I downloaded an album called Thamkrabok Music I came across one of his songs. It became my favorite track in the collection, so I decided to investigate more. I found his album Lokutara and immediately became a fan. While I was working on my book, 'The Last Escape', I played it constantly.
Lokutara was released in 2004. Much of the music is inspired by Wat Thamkrabok and he actually used a technique developed at the temple to compose his songs. The documentary 'from crack to cracks' shows how cracks, which occur naturally in stone in places such as caves, can be used to select notes on the musical scale. Tim used this technique to write songs for the album. Amazing to see him at work. This documentary was available on youtube but has since disappeared. Hopefully it will turn up again soon, as it's great to watch.
The tracks on Lokutara flow easily into each other and there isn't one dud on the album. They are all great songs. My favorite is River of Love, a song full of emotion and could easily be used as an anthem for the temple. Another favorite is walking through walls. Listen below;
Anyway you can check out Tim's music at;
http://timarnold.co.uk/
I would also recommend Thamkrabok Music;
http://thamkrabokmusic.com/
Wednesday 16 January 2008
'The Last Escape' has been released
Today is the day. My first book 'The last escape' is now for sale from the Bangkok Bookhouse website and will soon be available in bookshops throughout Thailand and other parts of South East Asia. It is hardly going to take the world by storm but it is a nice feeling to have it out there anyway.
As well as a bit of pride in the book's release I also admit feeling slightly anxious. This book reveals a lot about my personal history and many of the incidents which I describe are far from flattering . Did I do the right thing by allowing this to enter the pubic domain? Reading the blurb about my book on the Bangkok Bookhouse website, my first reaction was that it really focuses on the 'hopeless drunk' aspect of things. Never mind that this I wrote the blurb myself.
The fact is though that I was a hopeless drunk and did a lot of things for which I am not proud. I did change and today I'm a different person but this doesn't mean that past should be just hidden and forgotten, at least that's what I think. I am very much a product of this past and I owe everything that I have today to it. I do feel regret about the times my actions hurt other people but my history is as much a part of me as my skin.
As well as feeling a bit of pride in having a book published, I also hope that my story can help somebody out there dealing with an addiction problem. I know that my blog encouraged a couple of people to seek help and it would be nice to think that 'The last escape' will continue to act as an inspiration. Life does get better when you quit an addiction and in my case it is far better than I would ever have dared to dream. I can still have bad days but nowhere near as bad as when I was drinking. I now love my life.
'The last escape' is now available for sale at;
http://www.bangkokbooks.com/
As well as a bit of pride in the book's release I also admit feeling slightly anxious. This book reveals a lot about my personal history and many of the incidents which I describe are far from flattering . Did I do the right thing by allowing this to enter the pubic domain? Reading the blurb about my book on the Bangkok Bookhouse website, my first reaction was that it really focuses on the 'hopeless drunk' aspect of things. Never mind that this I wrote the blurb myself.
The fact is though that I was a hopeless drunk and did a lot of things for which I am not proud. I did change and today I'm a different person but this doesn't mean that past should be just hidden and forgotten, at least that's what I think. I am very much a product of this past and I owe everything that I have today to it. I do feel regret about the times my actions hurt other people but my history is as much a part of me as my skin.
As well as feeling a bit of pride in having a book published, I also hope that my story can help somebody out there dealing with an addiction problem. I know that my blog encouraged a couple of people to seek help and it would be nice to think that 'The last escape' will continue to act as an inspiration. Life does get better when you quit an addiction and in my case it is far better than I would ever have dared to dream. I can still have bad days but nowhere near as bad as when I was drinking. I now love my life.
'The last escape' is now available for sale at;
http://www.bangkokbooks.com/
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