K. Marvin Bruce

I remember reading, a long time ago, the biography of Thomas Merton.  Merton was a Trappist monk who grew very fond on Buddhism and eventually became famous in his own lifetime.  His Seven Story Mountain is a kind of classic. Merton didn’t grow up Catholic, and as he narrates his story he tells of finding a book with an imprimatur.  He was so angry he wanted to throw the book out of the window.  What right did a group, even so large a group as the Catholic Church, have to declare a book fit for print?  It riles the creative sensibilities.  Of course, he went on to become a monk. The concept of imprimatur is one that all writers face.  Publishers, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, or any kind of religion or secular, hold the imprimatur.  There are the successful self-published of course.  I’ve read enough self-published books to see the value in what publishers offer. Still, publishers get to decide what the world reads.  It’s a...

As an erstwhile novelist (six written so far, none published), I have always relied on inspiration.  That is to say, all the novels came to me.  The ideas were there, ready to suggest themselves.  Like a comparable date. I finished my latest effort last summer.  I still need to go back and rewrite and revise, but the fact is it has an introduction, plot, characterization, climax, denouement, and conclusion.  It is complete in draft.  The same is true of its five siblings. I’m now in the process of trying to cobble together another.  You see, I have only a few minutes each day to write—usually less than an hour.  As a result, I frequently produce short stories.  I’ve have 13 published, but I have dozens more to submit.  Since some of these stories share a setting, I wondered… Can a novel be Frankensteined from these disparate parts?  I know novelists have done this many, many times before.  The characters, however, ...

Angel Hunter is the darkest story I’ve ever written.  A combination of things—feeling lost in New York City, having stories rejected multiple times, seeing what seemed to be good turn evil—forced me to explore my darkest imagination. The story went through several permutations on its way to birth.  Initially I tried to take the edge off with some humor.  It was a little gross and a little funny.  The more I reworked it and rewrote it, the more sober it became.  I realized I was the angel hunter. Deep Water Literary Journa l accepted it for publication.  Many other journals disliked it for a variety of reasons.  Assuming the fault was my own, I rewrote and rewrote until someone took it seriously. We assume that angels are good.  It is almost one of those “by definition” things.  Just accept it.  I wonder what happens when we question everything.  Sometimes, it seems to me, sad can be happy.  Sometimes rage can feel...

“The writing is good,” and that's half the battle, no?  If I have to get rejection letters, then those with helpful advice are better than those who don’t say why.  Usually I assume my writing just sucks.  The latest letter, however, said the writing is good.  Only the pacing sucks. I’ve always struggled with pacing.  I like to build a mood; too many hours spent with Poe, Lovecraft, and Bradbury.  Never paying close enough attention to my masters.  Thing is, time moves on and tastes change.  I’ve learned to imitate the passé.  Although I’ve had a dozen or so acceptances in my life, each rejection still hurts.  In fact I check my email before leaving for work only.  At least my thankless job dulls the pain from an early morning pinhead letter.  Compared even to my pacing, work is dull. I recall reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton.  I read it before I saw the movie.  I think of the scene where the ve...