January 2009 - Father Luke vs. justin.barrett

justin.barrett: So, how do we do this thing?

Father Luke: I think we're doing it. Okay to print all the extra shit, too? People like behind the scenes. . .

justin.barrett: Yes, absolutely. I'm devastatingly funny and smart, so this stuff is GOLD!

Father Luke: Right. Me too.

justin.barrett: and by I, I obviously meant WE.

Father Luke: I guess we could begin.

justin.barrett: I will start. Why Father Luke and not your last name?

Father Luke: My dad is an asshole. I don't honor him. I respect him and I have created bridges to him, and we speak and get along. But my last name is his name. My first name is from my mother's Father - my grandfather.

justin.barrett: I can respect that. Cool. I only ask because you and I both have a gimmick in our names, and I've often wondered how it came about. I like your gimmick better. Is it true the Father part of your name, also, is due to your being a priest and not the patriarch of a massive family?

Father Luke: Yeah. Priest. Orthodox. I was going to have: "Thou Art A Priest Forever" - my favorite quote - Tattooed across my shoulder blades, but the guy doing the work? A collector for the Hell's Angels. . . was caught skimming from the collections. I hear he is no longer doing tattoos . . .

justin.barrett: Awesome. You should still get that.

Father Luke: Yeah. One day.

justin.barrett: I was raised Catholic and am now a devout atheist, I hope this isn't a deal breaker.

Father Luke: Naw. I've had my run-ins with the church. But it was funny, because now office politics everywhere are so fucking lame in comparison. I mean, when the boss says if you steal paper clips from the office, you will spend eternity having your skin peeled from your body and pissed on by three headed dogs then someone giving you two weeks notice kind of makes you giggle. Why do you have the dot?

justin.barrett: Funny. I just got told today that I would spend eternity in such a place for stealing a paper clip. Odd. Oh, by the way, work sucks. The dot. Well, my middle name is Dorothy -- my mother wanted a girl BADLY -- and, so, Dot is a nickname for Dorothy. Seems to work. Also, it was my first email address back when I was in college some 16 years ago. I used it and it stuck. I just hope people don't hate me for it. There is so much else to hate me for.

Father Luke: People who hate you for having a history would probably be surprised by your past.

justin.barrett: nice. Not much surprising in my past, sadly. I like that, though...great quote.

Father Luke: Well, let’s see - in your past you have how many books? Can I count them on two hands?

justin.barrett: You could, but it would be easier on one.

Father Luke: heh

justin.barrett: 5 chapbooks.

Father Luke: How many broadsides, j.b?

justin.barrett: ooh. Now that one is tough. Probably 15. I'm a broadside king. The prince of the one-off.

Father Luke: The folks at the GPP have found your work to be worthy of being elected time and time again. I think that's how I first heard of you. Then I found your website. Then I found your poems. How many times have you been published, and by how many different publishers in the small press . . .?

justin.barrett: Wow. Hundreds of poems published. Probably in the neighborhood of 400. Some 250 different places maybe? I keep TERRIBLE records. I have a folder of "poems published" that I keep so that I don't send them out anymore and it's over 400 thick. The GPP has been very kind to me. How about you? Chapbooks? Broadsides? Had published?

Father Luke: One book - it sold out twice. Then I have a broadside being put out soon by the GPP. I have been published I think twice or three times in small press zines. I think I started about the middle of this year. That includes a move, well, a couple of moves. And I will be moving again soon. I'm headed to Portland. The point I'm making is that I just got started. So, I haven't much in the way of a resume but let's pretend for a second I was just starting out. Like say I had just begun writing and wanted to begin submitting to places. What do you tell a writer just starting out?

justin.barrett: Wow. wow...this first book...I have it. It's fabulous. Not surprised it sold out twice. I should inform you that my first book was with Bottle of Smoke Press, too (some 7 years after I have been publishing) and it only sold out once. Never went into a second printing. I would like to talk about your book, it was the first time I heard of you and it stunned me... Okay… Oooh. Easy. I would tell this writer to READ

Father Luke: YES!

justin.barrett: Read voraciously. Novels, non-fiction, poetry (both contemporary and from the past). And most importantly: work on their craft. Craft is missing in most of the small press circles. I would also say, don't worry about publishing. That will come. Worry about perfecting, first.

Father Luke: Suggest some ways that new writers would be able to work on craft. What worked for you? I can tell you what worked for me if you like. . . But, I want to hear what you say.

justin.barrett: Okay, I'll say, then you. For me, it was realizing that Bukowski was deeper than just a misogynistic drunk. I saw he had a tremendous vocabulary. Then I noticed what Strand was doing, and how he did it. I worked on saying what I needed to say in as few words as possible. I worked on metaphor and analogy and the strong image. You?

Father Luke: First and foremost I read. I read, and I read, and I read, and I read and I read until my eyes were literally bleeding. Bloodshot eyes aren't so uncommon. I got tired of the things I read. Some were good. Some were brilliant. I found Bukowski before I found Hemingway. Then when I found Bukowski I read everyone, he mentioned. Celine. . . and those cats.

justin.barrett: yes

Father Luke: that was all nice. But I have been writing since before I was able to remember. When I told my family I had a book out, they all said: Yeah. Finally. - I didn’t get it. They said: Dude? You have been writing your whole life. So that’s the other thing. . . Writers write. It isn't because they have been told to write, it's because it has to come out. I used to read Usenet. There was a Usenet group called misc.writing. I found a couple people who could really write. Dr Zen was one of the guys I read. He was so fucking amazing with words. Clear. He used to critique people and he was dead on. He could tell people why their stuff didn't work, and make suggestions as to what might work . . . He was fascinating. Turns out, he is a college-educated editor living in Australia.

justin.barrett: Cool. This idea of being tired of what you read. I think this is why we write in the first place, right? Or, publish at least. We say, "Shit, I can do that...and better." and, if we're lucky or talented or whatever, we do. Yes, writing is a part of us. It's us. It's what makes us human. And by us, I mean those of us who cannot live without writing.

Father Luke: So. Better implies competition. I just think that I can write, and I want to write the best I can. Does that. . .?

justin.barrett: Well, competition, maybe. I don't mean it in a competition way, like swimming or something. It’s more me saying, that dude has a great idea but totally fucking wrote it wrong. It should be like this:.......and I do it. I know your point, but competition can be healthy if not taken to the steroid extreme.

Father Luke: So, inspired?

justin.barrett: Sure, that too. Inspired to compete. In a friendly way. In a creative way.

Father Luke: Tell me how you see what drives you to create. Is that a question?

justin.barrett: Not sure I understand what you mean.

Father Luke: Me either. Let’s take it from this angle. You stopped writing for a time. Talk about that.

justin.barrett: I did. Ooh. Well, I’m not a prolific sort. I don't write every day. I’m driven by inspiration, which is driven by cynicism with the world. My wife went through some health issues a few years back, we nearly lost her, and it really hit me hard. I wasn't prepared for it emotionally. at all. It fucked with my balance, created a panic disorder in me in which I lost all creativity. The fucking pharmaceuticals I was put on only exacerbated the whole damn thing. So, I didn't write. Couldn’t.

Father Luke: I've been in and out of psych wards my whole life.

justin.barrett: So, maybe you understand?

Father Luke: Prolly.

justin.barrett: Some psychoses can create, some negate creation. I had the latter. Two years later, I am crawling out of the tunnels, squinting into the piercing sunlight. It hurts my pupils.

Father Luke: There is a lot of catching up to do.

justin.barrett: Lots. I feel lost most of the time and feel I’ve squandered much time, which pisses me off and will create new spirals of craziness.

Father Luke: heh.

justin.barrett: I need to stop pressuring myself to write and just let it happen organically. If I write 3 poems a year, so be it. Better than none.

Father Luke: Well, funny thing is? Once you uncork that bottle, it's hard to fit the genie back in.

justin.barrett: It can be. It sure can be. I don't seem to have that problem. Some of the other writers I talk to work in such mysterious ways (to me). I don't have a genie. Nor a lamp. I have a pen with a broken nib and the margins of dusty newspapers.

Father Luke: You published. You were a publisher.

justin.barrett: I was. Yes. Both of an ezine and a press. Did the ezine (remark) for 8 years.

Father Luke: I purchased one of David Barker's CD's from you.

justin.barrett: Yes. That was a good one. We did chapbooks, broadsides and CDs.

Father Luke: You also have a typewriter.

justin.barrett: many. I can see 4 from where I am sitting.

Father Luke: I'm jealous.

justin.barrett: You can have one. Visit me and you've an instant gift.

Father Luke: I told Jenifer that when I am on the keyboard at my 'puter, I BANG BANG BANG on the keyboard. I used to have ‘typers. I started writing on one. Had dozens. I miss them. But I still BANG BANG BANG on the keys.

justin.barrett: Ooh, not good for a computer keyboard. Hilarious!

Father Luke: I know.

justin.barrett: Well, I’ll save one for you. My wife will be happy to have the space.

Father Luke: heh

justin.barrett: What happened to your ‘typers?

Father Luke: May I ask about your personal life?

justin.barrett: sure.

Father Luke: My ‘typers? Well, you see it's like this. I spent about 27 years homeless off and on, and ‘typers don't travel well.

justin.barrett: No they don't. Wow. 27 years? That’s amazing.

Father Luke: Now - if you include driving truck you have another two years.

justin.barrett: Wow. I read your truck driving piece at the new ezine Along The Knife's Edge. I don't think I’d handle homelessness too well.

Father Luke: I think truck drivers deserve a lot of credit. Most of them, anyhow. The truck driving companies are like boxing promoters - they take all of everything you have. . . as to the homeless, you sort of adjust. How old are you justin.barrett?

justin.barrett: 35.

Father Luke: And your wife? Julee?

justin.barrett: 36 in January.

Father Luke: How long you guys been together? Not married - together.

justin.barrett: 18 years.

Father Luke: What would you say is the thing that gives people longevity in a relationship?

justin.barrett: Humor. Not taking oneself so seriously. I think most marriages end due to arrogance.

Father Luke: My estranged employer has an employee’s handbook. In it is written pride comes before the fall. So, my employer supports you.

justin.barrett: Yeah. Your employer. That makes me laugh. Yes, it is a truism. People who think they are better than others are often wrong. Horribly so when that other is their spouse.

Father Luke: Ask me what I found helps create longevity.

justin.barrett: Hey, I just thought of a good question: what have you found helps create longevity in a relationship?

Father Luke: Compromise. Does that make sense?

justin.barrett: That's a good one. It does. Arrogance prevents that.

Father Luke: I agree. How is the adoption coming along for you?

justin.barrett: Ah, tediously. Tons of paperwork and hoops through which to jump. Seems we pay thru our ass to add more stress to our lives. It'll be worth it though.

Father Luke: Can you see your daughter thinking of you as a scientist or a writer or both or just dad?

justin.barrett: Hopefully, as merely a dad. As a supporter and an encourager. As someone who gives warmth and love. The rest is details.

Father Luke: Do you find pleasure in writing, justin.barrett?

justin.barrett: Sometimes. Sometimes I find fear and pain. Sometimes sadness. What about you?

Father Luke: I find that I find what I need to say when I write. I don't write to say something, I write to find out what I have to say. I used to write before I went to sleep at night. It was a way of reconciling the day. Some nights I found myself writing until daylight. I find satisfaction in having written. Funny thing is I hate - I used the word hate - I hate to go back and read what I wrote. I have only really been writing for a couple years for anyone to read. It never occurred to me to actually publish anything. Bill Roberts came to me and asked me if I would be open to him publishing my stuff. He found me on the internet. I said - Okay. I know he published your first book. You got a pushcart award for that. Care to tell me what that is exactly? I have heard about it, but. . .

justin.barrett: Why do you hate to read what you wrote? Any specific reason, or is it like hating hearing your own voice? And seeing your own face/body/movements on TV? Pushcart nomination. Didn't win. It’s a small press award for the "best of the small press". It’s not really a big deal to be nominated as all publishers (presses and magazines) can nominate. But, it meant a lot at the time.

Father Luke: Okay

justin.barrett: Meant a lot to me, that is. No one else really cares, except maybe my mother. Now, my question remains....

Father Luke: First, it means something to me. Now my answer. When I read what I have written I know what comes next in the piece. I have a good idea anyway, because the mind that thought up the piece in the first place is the same mind that is reading it. I can never read what I wrote and say: "Hey! This fucker is good!" It's just my writing. I have seen it, I thought it up, I wrote it down. It's nothing special. I had some people endorse me a while back and when they did people started taking a look at what I had written I would get emails saying: Hey! So and so says your work is great. I think so too. Where can I read something you wrote? There is a quote by Picasso I like: Before success few people understand the artist - after success - few people understand the artist. See how I slipped Picasso in there?

justin.barrett: Clever. Great quote. Picasso knew things. I can understand feelings on this. I have the same feeling. What I do is I let the poems sit for a month and revisit them. Works. You're divorced from the moment you wrote it and you can see it as new. Works for me, at least.

Father Luke: Meh. Here is the thing. . .

justin.barrett: Yes, I wanted to get my response to some things you said earlier before I forget.

Father Luke: heh. Here is the thing. When I finally do read what I wrote it is usually a lot later. I see the flaws. I see the warts, I see the blemishes - I see the hairy ass that looks like moldy cottage cheese in a
g-string. But I let it sit. It's a historical record. You know? Father Luke - the early days, Or whatever. I wouldn't change it if I could. But I am still growing. So, I hate things, because I can see where they are going - I wrote them and I can see where I would change it. Back to what you were saying about writing better than some hack, right. But that hack is me.

justin.barrett: nah...I can see what you mean. I edit. It’s me. I want the best I can do out there. But, your thoughts are just as valid as mine. I’m also compulsive in my editing, so it can just as easily make things worse. But, now onto your book. I have it in front of me right now - The Pages Turned to Dust by Father Luke, published in 2008 by Bottle of Smoke Press.

Father Luke: Paperback or hardcover?

justin.barrett: Paperback. You sent me a copy, inscribed to me and I was happy and honored to receive it. I missed out on the hardbacks.

Father Luke: Bill did a good job. I was proud of his work.

justin.barrett: You should be, it's a damn fine collection. I notice the back cover has a blurb by some hack named justin.barrett

Father Luke: yup

justin.barrett: I remember how I came to write that blurb.

Father Luke: okay

justin.barrett: He sent me the ms before it was published and asked what I thought, it was the first time I heard of you. I wrote that blurb and it's the truth.

Father Luke: Well thanks. Bill said you might enjoy it.

justin.barrett: Seems the esteemed Taylor thought similarly. Your work is unique in voice and structure. Sparse language, but strong. Does it embarrass you when people talk of your work to you, especially effusively?

Father Luke: I'd have to look up effusive, but yeah. May I share a story about that?

justin.barrett: Please.

Father Luke: When I got Bill’s package of my book - hard and soft - I let the package sit on my floor for a day. I kind of walked around looking at it. I took a picture. Like that. . . When I finally opened it up? I rocked back and forth holding my stomach for a day. I was like sick. mjp told me he had a similar experience the first time he had a book. And Jenifer said she did too. You?

justin.barrett: Very much so. I wept. I shit you not. I never thought it would happen and I wept.

Father Luke: Yeah. I understand completely.

justin.barrett: Now, I’m jaded and much the schmuck.

Father Luke: Dickwad. Liar.

justin.barrett: "Yet, another book"..."hohum". I kid. It’s an amazing thing to have a collection of one's words. Magical.

Father Luke: Yeah. mjp said it like this - to see validation for your words - to have others see them and welcome them - it's . . . and then I would have to paraphrase. . . Ever see publishing again?

justin.barrett: Validation, that's exactly it. Publishing others?

Father Luke: yeah. and yes.

justin.barrett: I don't know. I doubt it. It’s very time-consuming and my life is about to lose quite a bit of time with a kid. Especially being first time parents so old. The both of us work. I doubt it. I’d love to. But, I will be putting out books occasionally with the help of the writers. Nothing consistently, though. Do you mind if I ask you personal questions?

Father Luke: Shoot.

justin.barrett: In your poem "Distance" from "The Pages Turned to Dust" you mention having a 3 year old daughter. Do you indeed have a daughter, or was that the poet speaking? Just curious, mind you.

Father Luke: Never had any kids.

justin.barrett: Okay, cool. Do you make things up often in your poems?

Father Luke: All the time. I have one about a woman who shoots a man in the face.

justin.barrett: Hilarious. I take quite a bit of license as well. Especially in my "relationship" poems about my wife and I. awesome.

Father Luke: Here is the thing, I make things up - but the emotions are real. Does that make sense?

justin.barrett: Absolutely. I know exactly what you mean. Same here.

Father Luke: Okay

justin.barrett: Just because it's fake doesn't mean it's not real.

Father Luke: I like for people to not notice the poet and not the poetry. I see blahgs. blawgers? And what used to be personal is now being thrown up into cyberspace.

justin.barrett: yeah.

Father Luke: I think that people are living vicariously through blogs.

justin.barrett: They can. They sure can.

Father Luke: Can, yes.

justin.barrett: There's a lot of loneliness out there, yet, blogs cannot replace "real" friendships.

Father Luke: So. As a writer - poet - I like to mix it up.

justin.barrett: Yes...I know what you mean. I think the best thing about being a writer is being able to inhabit the body of another.

Father Luke: Ever hear of a writer by the name of Jim Knipfel?

justin.barrett: I haven't.

Father Luke: Slackjaw - Ruining it for everybody - sort of a hoodlum out of N.Y who began writing columns for punk rock papers. Has been published by the mainstream press and still writes. Jim said that if you write about anyone - it could be graffiti on a bathroom wall - they will read it. Then he has a funny story about writing this scathing column about a company he was going to interview with – calling the guys gorillas and stuff like that, mob guys. And when he shows up to the interview they are holding the paper reading his column about themselves. That's why I stick to telling people I write fiction.

justin.barrett: Hilarious. Sounds like a sound idea to me. I just looked him up on Wikipedia. I’m gonna get some of his stuff.

Father Luke: He has a weekly column. When we print this up, I'll link him. Damn - my typing is wild.

justin.barrett: Yes, do. cool. Like you.

Father Luke: heh. BANG BANG BANG

justin.barrett: You'll split that damn thing in two before you're through.

Father Luke: How long have you been writing?

justin.barrett: Seriously for over 15 years. Started in college. I wrote some my whole life, throughout school, but never considered it seriously until college. Publishing since '96. In journals and zines and such.

Father Luke: Funny. I never considered publishing until this year.

justin.barrett: Why?

Father Luke: Seems every time I submit I am accepted. Never occurred to me

justin.barrett: Luck you...I hover around 10% acceptance level.

Father Luke: !

justin.barrett: Why did it occur to you?

Father Luke: I wrote for myself. Like I said, it was a way for me to digest the day before I went to bed. Then Bill asked me to publish with him. Funny story about that. I found him at Bukowski.net, and I asked him how much he charged to publish. He goes like: huh? I said skip it. Years later he found my work, and asked me if he could publish me. I said heh. yeah. Let’s do it. But publishing had never occurred to me. I mostly write for myself, and never thought of myself as someone who would ever be published.

justin.barrett: Gotcha. You said he found your work...where did he find it?

Father Luke: The website

justin.barrett: Why did you start the website?

Father Luke: F a t h e r L u k e .com. A friend told me to. Here’s the story on that: I hijacked a dead Usenet group and began journaling there. This was waaaay before blogs. I stole the news group, and made it my personal journal. A friend of mine who runs media.underground found me and told me to put my shit on my website. So I did.

justin.barrett: Funny.

Father Luke: heh.

justin.barrett: Well, glad he did. It brought us together. Indirectly, that is.

Father Luke: Yeah. I have only passed through your home state - if we had ever been together we couldn't claim we are the same person. There are no known pictures of us together.

justin.barrett: That's true. Are you saying you're me? You’re my Tyler Durden?

Father Luke: Well or the guy who lives.

justin.barrett: Ha...that's true...shit, I may be your Tyler Durden...jesus.

Father Luke: If we ever find video tapes of either one of us talking to the other we will probably both be alone.

justin.barrett: That's funny.

Father Luke: You know what's funny is when writers fight on the internet. The words are fucking magnificent.

justin.barrett: Yeah, this is true... They can be glorious brawls.

Father Luke: Any goals for the future?

justin.barrett: In what respect? Personally? Literarily?

Father Luke: Yeah

justin.barrett: Not really. I have few goals. In my writing, I would like to have a hardcover like you had. Never had one of those. That’d be nice. I’d like to write the perfect poem. again... personally, not much. I’m not an ambitious man.

Father Luke: Are you a happy man?

justin.barrett: Occasionally.

Father Luke: That's fair.

justin.barrett: You? Happy and goals...

Father Luke: No. Un happy. I can never have tomorrow - I can never have yesterday, and today is pissing me off.

justin.barrett: Seriously?

Father Luke: I'm a malcontent. But I get by. But I would say I am content. A content malcontent.

justin.barrett: That's all we can ask for. Contentedness is nothing to sneeze at, despite what our consumerism age might tell us.

Father Luke: You pay attention to the knot in your guts, justin.barrett?

justin.barrett: I always have knots in my gut. Suffer from ulcers and terrible heartburns. Got an endoscopy in three weeks in fact. But, metaphorically, no. my gut is often wrong. I’m not very intuitive. 100 years ago I would've died young. I was the kind of person people had many kids for. I’m a modern man. What about you? Is your gut intuitive?

Father Luke: Yeah. It comes from being hyper vigilant, from living on the streets so many years. It kind of sucks. I have known many who turn to pills, booze, shopping to turn off the flow. It never stops. That's the burden. You know?

justin.barrett: I don't, but I can imagine. In between us lies the perfect mix. Any goals?

Father Luke: I have a woman I love. I want to remain with her. I want to write. Other than that. . . none.

justin.barrett: Those are plenty and should keep you busy many years.

Father Luke: Before we publish this I would like to get three pictures of you if that would be okay?

justin.barrett: 3? I don't think I have three pictures of myself.

Father Luke: Have a digital camera?

justin.barrett: Yeah.

Father Luke: uh huh.

justin.barrett: and? I don't understand.

Father Luke: Any film in it?

justin.barrett: no. That's the problem

Father Luke: I see.

Justin.barrett: I'm not a handsome man.

Father Luke: Make them blurry.

justin.barrett: Like that works...I’ve been getting chicks drunk for years...nothing. badda bing.

Father Luke: You got me drunk once. I had fun. zingo.

justin.barrett: That's true...You're not a woman...

Father Luke: hmmm. I guess that's true.

justin.barrett: Seriously, you need photos?

Father Luke: Uh. If you don't mind. I would like them - yes.

justin.barrett: I'll see what I can do. I’m very shy. Pee shy. Stage shy. Camera shy. But, I’ll see.

Father Luke: Up to you, j.b.

justin.barrett: okay.

Father Luke: Jenifer said she could probably coax them out of you - but I said I'd ask.

justin.barrett: Ha. the guile of a woman...yes, I’m aware of it.

Father Luke: How about one shot of your hands on a typewriter?

justin.barrett: I might be able to arrange that.

Father Luke: Another further away with you still at the 'typer.

justin.barrett: Ah, yes...and naked. I see...

Father Luke: And then one waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay far away.

justin.barrett: Of the earth? Like a marble.

Father Luke: If you can swing that - I'm going with you.

justin.barrett: I have ways...I AM a scientist after all.

Father Luke: How long you been doing that racket?

justin.barrett: Since I was a child. Science was my first love. Way before writing. Professionally for 10 years.

Father Luke: Ever have a chemistry set?

justin.barrett: Many. Collected rocks. And stars.

Father Luke: Me too. My old man threw it on the floor in a drunken rage and stomped on all my test tubes.

justin.barrett: Oh shit. I’m sorry to hear this. Too bad he wasn't barefoot!

Father Luke: That’s thinking.

justin.barrett: Always.

Father Luke: I still collect rocks.

justin.barrett: Me too. I majored in geology. Love it. Cool.

Father Luke: I don't know the names of all the stars, but I have named a few after loved ones who have died. When I feel lonely at night, I go out and sit with my loved ones.

justin.barrett: Then those are the names of the stars. Names are arbitrary.

Father Luke: Funny hearing that from a writer - words are our trade. And we see them so much, play with them like a gambler plays with chips. They become second nature.

justin.barrett: Yes. But they are merely symbols for something. Arbitrary ones at that. We’ve only agreed to their meaning.

Father Luke: Symbols of symbols.

justin.barrett: Yup.

Father Luke: Anything we left off?

justin.barrett: Lots. But, it might not be within the scope of this experiment.

Father Luke: I was kind of not knowing what to ask you. It's been rather interesting coming in here blind and just hanging out. I have to admit that you are among my favorite writers.

justin.barrett: I agree...and thank you. I’m flattered. I must say it makes me question your taste... I kid. Thank you. I'm looking forward to reading more of your stuff...damn eager.
Father Luke: I just had a book I sold: The Seven Deadly Sins. I only had seven of them. I hand wrote them.

justin.barrett: Oh wow...cool. Great idea for writing it by hand...and 7 of them...how did you come up with that number to make?
Father Luke: I had seven notebooks. Then the idea flowed from there

justin.barrett: Wow...I thought it was one for each sin...but, that's even cooler. Clever. Gonna go look at it when we're done here.

Father Luke: I want to ask you, because this is going to a writing community -

justin.barrett: yes.

Father Luke: What do you wish you knew when you were starting out that you know now?

justin.barrett: Hmmmm. I wish I knew the evil of adjectives, and the inherent grandeur of verbs. I wish I knew that poems are never finished, but abandoned, and that it's okay to abandon them.

Father Luke: (off the record - I gott'a take a leak be right back )

justin.barrett: Cool...

Father Luke: Sorry thanks.

justin.barrett: No worries...allowed me to take a Zantac and some Rolaids...so, thank you, kind sir.

Father Luke: I may end up printing our break. Heh.

justin.barrett: Ha...print whatever you like. I have no shame...nor much fear in these regards...

Father Luke: My kind of guy. So um.

justin.barrett: Feel free to make up some answers, too...make me sound cleverer, or less so.

Father Luke: I could put in some pictures. . .

justin.barrett: Oooh, you're wily. You almost had me...

January 2009 - Father Luke vs. justin.barrett

Father Luke: No adjectives - but adverbs are okay?

justin.barrett: All things in moderation.

Father Luke: Including moderation?

justin.barrett: I find too many writers rely upon adjectives....use it as a crutch....the _____ tree behind the ____ house sits among the ____ field as a ____ man watches a ____ sunset....you get my drift...

Father Luke: I can relate to the adverbs, adjectives rather. Adjectives are shorthand for the thoughts I want to write about anyway.

justin.barrett: The wonderful, purple, grandiose adjectives. Exactly. They are very helpful when not used. Most helpful. And then even more powerful when they are.

Father Luke: Buckminster Fuller said: "I seem to be a verb"

justin.barrett: And he is/was.

Father Luke: Bucky

justin.barrett: Bucky... There's a mineral named after him. Fullerene or
buckminsterfullerene.

Father Luke: Didn't know that. He discover it? Or was it an honor?

justin.barrett: An honor...it's a clay and I believe it has a buckyball morphology. A geodesic dome.

Father Luke: At that level, most molecules look like a buckyball.

justin.barrett: Haha...well...no.

Father Luke: Splainme Lucy

justin.barrett: This one looks like a soccer ball.

Father Luke: Okay. I can see that. Most are flat...or bent...this one is spherical. Then it fits.

justin.barrett: Again, this is from memory from 15 years ago, so I could be wrong...I probably should've looked it up before spouting off. I'm probably WAY off.

Father Luke: Close enough for chit-chat.

justin.barrett: I can consult my geology manuals...or just trust my gut...umm.. Yeah, close enough.

Father Luke: I like the way you said it.

justin.barrett: Okay, cool. So, poems with no adjectives...try writing one. Not as easy as you'd think...but, when you do, find where you MUST have one...

Father Luke: May I ask you who some of your favorite authors are throughout history? Not influences - just names you can remember off the top of your head. I like spontaneity.

justin.barrett: Mark Strand, Neil Gaiman, Katherine Dunn, Harry Crews, Charles Bukowski, Gerald Locklin, Carl Sagan, Stephen Jay Gould, Hosho McCreesh, Christopher Cunningham, Glenn W. Cooper, Jonathan Safran Foer, Whitman, Ayn Rand, Toni Morrison. Now, you!

Father Luke: justin.barrett, Jenifer Wills, Jenifer Lauck, Joe R. Lansdale, Neil Gaiman, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Bukowksi, Raymond Chandler / a.k.a. George Hopley / a.k.a. William Irish - William Taylor Jr. , Jim Thompson, mjp, Anne Herbert.

justin.barrett: Nice list... I'm reading For Whom the Bell Tolls right now, in fact...somehow never read it in my upbringing.

Father Luke: Anne Herbert wrote for Stewart Brand in The Whole Earth Magazines of the 60 -70's. Then in Co-Evolution Quarterly. She was among my first Influences. Oh. And I should also Inclde Harvey Pekar. Harvey was the guy who wrote American Splendor. But there it is. . .

justin.barrett: That's a fine list.

Father Luke: Has me changing my pictures been distracting?

justin.barrett: No, I quite like it. You have long hair, now you don't. You’re a drawing, now you’re Alfred E. Neumann. You’re in color, you're in black and white. It’s cool. With beard, without. The many flavors of Father Luke.

Father Luke: I'm kind of hard to pin down.

justin.barrett: Yes. Yes. I see that. Amorphous and ethereal. I like that.

Father Luke: Two ways I have learned to be anonymous: 1.) Put everything out there. People won't believe the truth. 2.) Lie your ass off People will believe the lie.

justin.barrett: Nice.

Father Luke: What's left?

justin.barrett: Hide behind the truth. Hide deeper behind the lie. Not sure...anything else you want to know?

Father Luke: Best lie in the world is the truth.

justin.barrett: damn skippy.

Father Luke: Sheeeeeeeeet. What's left is the knot in your guts. I listen to that, and try and stay happy.

justin.barrett: Thank you. I try. And I’ll try. I wish you many, many years of contentedness, my friend. It's been a fucking blast getting to know you. Hope this is the first in a long line of correspondences. And if you ever find yourself unlucky enough to be in Utah...look me up.

Father Luke: You got it Toyota.

justin.barrett: Peace, Father Luke.

Father Luke: Okay. Hugz 'n kisses to the Missus.

justin.barrett: Likewise...

Father Luke: Peace baby.