Innovative Pop

ONE MILLION would-be writers are cranking out pop fiction and publishing them via ebooks and other outlets. AMERICAN POP LIT ebooks are distinguished by their originality and innovation. While I’m fully capable of writing a standard pop narrative (see “Hoppenngger House” at www.literarymystery.blogspot.com), I’m also willing to play with the form, as I do with the latest APL release, The McSweeneys Gang. What exactly is it? A novel? Satire? Criticism? Theory? Detective story? History? Madness?

Throughout, the narrative maintains pop style and energy. A collection of pop motifs hitting the reader at high speed.

Pop Black Style

THE ROBERT GRIFFIN III “CORNBALL” CONTROVERSY

ESPN commentator Rob Parker has accused Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III of being cornball. But RG III isn’t cornball. Eli Manning is cornball. RG III is pop. Robert Griffin III dresses and behaves in a pop style, which is something else.

Once again the Underground Literary Alliance was ten years ahead of the curve. We enlisted Detroit cartoonist Yul Tolbert to do much of our artwork. He creates in a pop black style. Or if you will, a black pop style. Check out the evidence here:

http://ulaliterary.com/tolbert.html

and here:

http://timeliketoons.tripod.com/
(Except watch for the ads!)

Pop style is colorful and not a little cartoonish. Most of all it’s fun. What does RG III seem to be about? Having fun!

In its heyday the ULA was always fun, and—who knows?—may be again, soon.

New Pop Novel

State of the art pop fiction satire like never before with The McSweeneys Gang, now on sale via Kindle or Nook. See links to the side.

SEE what new-style pop fiction looks like!

Back to Basics

I heard some Blondie/New Wave music yesterday. Classics like “Hanging on the Telephone” and “Atomic.” For a time, pop music had a remarkable ability to keep reinventing itself. Just as things were stagnating with pretentious album-oriented rock in the 70’s, punk and new wave hit the scene in reaction. Bands like the Ramones went back to basics. They simplified the art and made it exciting again.

This is what needs to happen with the literary scene. Forget over-pretentious overwritten sluggishly slogging tomes by the likes of Jonathan Franzen and David Foster Wallace. This fails to excite the general public. Writing can be exciting again if it simplifies itself, stripping itself down so all that remains is the plot, the movement, the punch.

It’s what I’m attempting to do with my new ebooks. Check them out. (Soon up: The McSweeneys Gang.)