Back in September
2014, I mentioned some creative idea (apart from the tribute albums) which was to
be implemented. With a three-week delay, I'm still pleased to announce it is implemented
and outline its essence in a couple of words. Most likely, this should have
been done then, at the end of March, but those days were just overfilled with
events related to the completion of the albums, employment in my main job, and
some other enterprises of creative nature. Huge potential difference between
the high creative activity and difficult conditions in which it takes place,
yielded due results.
So, my literary labour
has got crowned with edition of a book, called simply: "Tales.
Poems." ("Рассказы. Стихи."). It consists of the three stories,
written in between November 2012 and September 2015, as well as several poems, survivors
of certain technological collapses, briefly described in the introduction.
Yes, speaking of another
creative idea, I meant my book,
which by that time had morphed from notes for personal use into certain
narratives with plots, characters, actions.
Perhaps the name
of the first of the stories - "Trade gifts" (“Торговля дарами”) - could have been placed on the cover of the
book, for it is the most voluminous and full of characters and events. Its
basic idea (which unites, in fact, all three stories) was once discussed by
me in a conversation with Armen Meruzhanyan, my friend and inspirer, whom I
call "My Melchizedek," and to whom I dedicate this book: life gives
us opportunities which, if not implemented, will be given to someone else. In
the second story "Duo" (“Дуэт”) we become silent witnesses of a
lengthy dialogue between the two protagonists. There are no more active persons
acting in this story, but the stories told by them introduce many other actors
and have a considerable degree of kinematics. During the
"Interrogation" (“Допрос”) (the title for the final story) the investigator
is doing his job, and his client is doing his human duty. Which one will
eventually prevail?
While writing, I
was guided, first of all, by feelings and sensations. There were moments when
the imaginary curtain fell, and I had no idea of what will happen in the next
minute of narrative. The images remained frozen until suddenly a fresh doze of
revelation arrived, and I was in a hurry to write all that was
"received" both from above and from within. Naturally, I also took an
active part in the treatment of the "delivered material", placing
events in time, moving the characters from one scene to another, playing it all
anew and changing scenery. I was the director of my own productions (another
dream of mine), and I was aiming at doing three different productions.
Repetitive is not interesting, even boring, hence different forms of my short
stories. Those who have already read the book noticed the part (scenes) the
first story is separated into (narrated in the third person), absolute secrecy of
the personalities involved in the second dialogue, and, finally, the narration
made in the first person by the main character of the third story, who even
gets a surname.
"Cycles",
presented with some poems, mark certain creative conditions in which they were
created – from the "The Years of Shock" (“Годы потрясений”) to “Now
in English”.
The photographs
used in the cover design courtesy of Lilianna Hakhverdyan, a professional photographer,
winner of various awards, and a wonderful personality. Even if my book is not
read, the cover is seen for sure, and it is her work!
As for "the
author's photo", I have chosen a photograph taken by my British friend,
photographer Sean Kelly taken on 30th of June, 2013 in London (before
the Van der Graaf Generator gig), who kindly allow me to use it for this publication.
By that time, I have already been immersed in the process of writing, and so I
think this picture can be considered adequate for this edition.
I was invited to
a morning broadcast on RadioVan last week. During half an hour we discussed various
topics, including the subject of creativity. I introduced my book, and also spoke
about what is happening in the field of my musical activities. There, I have
already completed the work on my tribute album, which I am talking about in several
posts in my journal, I am awaiting news about the release of the group tribute
album from the UK, and has already begun working on my first solo album. We didn’t
have much time, so only the first of the mentioned projects has been briefly
touched, but one of the songs was aired (not included in the video version of
the interview, but you still can hear the first few seconds at the very end of
this video).
Therefore, I
believe, within the next post here, once again devoted to a tribute, I will keep
my promise and will introduce my album, which by that time, I hope, will have
all the features of an officially released product, just like the book
"Stories. Poems." does.