Asta Charles

Asta Charles
Location
Los Angeles, California, USA
Birthday
December 12
Title
Myth Maker
Bio
A foul-mouthed commentator on life, society, politics, pop culture, and economics. I spend a lot of time in bars. I wrote a manuscript about the perils of online dating and its ultimate cost to society. It's not published. Meh.

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AUGUST 29, 2010 3:24PM

I'm drafting a semi-fictional novel

Rate: 3 Flag

As those of you who still read my blog will attest to, I haven't been writing as much as I used to. I need more fuel for my fire, dammit. So I am going to give myself a challenge and work on something I have not been previously successful with: a semi-fictional novel.

 As I finish sections of it, I will post them on this blog. Please feel free to give feedback, and realizes that revisions may be posted at will.

 The plot is essentially this:

A young trust fund kid loses all his trust fund money by way of foolish stock trades. He has been in punk bands for years, yet fails to embrace the ethos of punk. He lacks emotional depth required to do this, as he's been sort of paralyzed by his wealth: he believes it is his only redeeming quality. At a party,  he meets a brainy girl swimming in a gaggle of JAPs (his typical sexual interest), that may change everything. Maybe, she'll open up his brain long enough to plant the seeds of what is punk, and maybe, that will save his apparent downward emotional spiral. What remains to be seen is if she's the girl of his dreams and if she can be the catalyst for the creation of other redeeming qualities within him. 

 The point of the story is the value of a punk ethic in society. Without it, we change nothing, we question nothing, and our depth as individuals are limited. It's important to each and every one of us, to thought innovation, and changing the way that things are. 

All of you at OS will probably understand why this is, after all, it's what you do almost every day when you write.

Stay tuned.

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novel, writing, fiction

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Comments

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there is a punk ethic? who knew!

i suggest a doco, troll thru the alleys and underpasses for new residents and old, report how they got there. this would be a good look at the american ethic, and injecting rage and pathos would come naturally.

wouldn't sell in the states, of course, but a french translation would clean up.
Sounds wonderful! Looking forward to reading...xox
Good luck. Interesting premise.
good luck, eager to hear how it goes, do you have a publisher?
@al loomis:
My fiancee used to do that actually. He wrote for a magazine that encouraged exposure of homeless Americans. So he lived with them for a week. I wish there was a copy of it roaming around on the innernets somewhere...or even in our apartment.

There is absolutely a punk ethic. It definitely has changed over time. Have you seen those "PUNK PROPHET BILLIONAIRE" posters for The Social Network? That kind of punk. The rebel with a cause kind of punk.

Thank you
There is absolutely a punk ethic! Think of it as being a rebel with a cause. It's an important facet of idea innovation in society. I just don't think people would commonly label it that.

My fiancee actually did write a magazine article about homeless Americans once. It was a documentary, he lived with them for a week. I wish I had a copy of it around here...or anywhere.

Thanks for stopping by!
@ Robin Sneed:
Thanks for the support!
@Kathy Riordan:
Thank you! :)
@Bernadine Spitzsnogel:
My publisher is um, myself, I guess. I write more for my own psyche than anything else. But if you've got any leads, please let me know. I will message you...as you probably won't see this.
Great idea, Asta ... and a great way to offer insight into a part of society not easily understood. Punks.

Rebels - with causes - have always been around. See the Beat generation; see the Hippies; see Abby Hoffman, et. al. Most have been "one trick ponies" but nonetheless, each gave us something that evoked social change that proved good. Moreover, in time we, the *typs* (typical, average, "normal" people), learned to appreciate *their* differences, even as the *rebels* eventually assimilated into becoming us. No doubt this will be true with Punks, too ... on both counts. Looking forward to your work!
@Rod Emmons:
Good point that most were one trick ponies, but that's better than zero tricks!
And I do think that people with a punk mindset or ethic do eventually assimilate in some manner (visually), but I hope that some continue to examine the world through a unique lens.