Archangel Press, Cover Jacket
(front)
Site last updated:
10/13/2007
Before discussing who or what Archangel Press is, let us first ponder
the internet and the complexities of website navigation. I do this especially for those of us who
were not born to the computer screen but, instead, to the comfortable realm of
the printed word. If you are like most
of us involved with Archangel, the "three-dimensional" navigation of
web pages and links leaves you with the feeling that you have missed half of
any given site and, with all the bright colors and fancy graphics, you also
walk away with a headache after a few minutes of reading. Nevertheless, the ability to
"stack" documents under headings and save the reader time does have
its uses. It is all of this in mind
that the site itself was designed. It
is not intended to be especially pretty or visually impressive. The goal is to be clear in what is presented
and simple for everyone involved.
So, do not despair.
Although the green on green used here is eye-catching, the documents
themselves are on plain white, usually at least 14 point font, with simple font
styles and the picture on the cover is an exception rather than the rule. Each non-document page will have the link at
the bottom which will take you to the next page, just as if you were turning a
page and, if you get lost, you can jump back to the table of contents. The documents themselves are not intended to
be read primarily from the site, feel free to print them out and read them
horizontal, as language should be. On
the other hand, the fact that the page literally has no end is a privilege
which I fear will be terribly abused.
Who or what is Archangel Press?
Archangel Press is a fancy, all-encompassing term used to refer to the
writer M. Keaton and the growing number of editors, test readers, fellow
authors, artists, friends, supporters, and similar folks who have found themselves
caught up in the wake of the juggernaut.
The fact that this motley crew has grown to the point it has a
designation (as much for legal things such as taxes and wages as for any
intrinsic value) of its own should probably signal the clear dissent of western
culture and also probably is an excellent argument in favor of private weapon
ownership. For that reason, most of the
manuscripts herein are Mr. Keaton's work but not all. I've done the best I can to give credit where it is due and I'm
reasonably certain that all the by-lines are correct. If there are errors, they are purely accidental and can be blamed
on the ignorance of the humble webmaster.
Should you happen to spot one, or even what you think might be possibly
considered a remote form of copyright infringement, please let us know
immediately and rest assured that any errors will be corrected post-haste. (Website maintained by Chaos--not quite as
grotesque as Jabba the Hut, not as serene as Sidhartha.)
As far as the works within, most are presented as style samples
rather than completed works. This is
due to pure greed and logistics. The
best, complete work has to be marketed so the author involved can buy groceries. Posting these to a website can complicate
rights negotiations and is, therefore, avoided. Because of this, most work on this site is old, out of print,
fragmentary, or originally written as or deemed unmarketable. I still think you'll find plenty to read and
enjoy but I apologize in advance for still making you go out and by a magazine
or book for our best work. As a matter
of fact, some of the pages are completely blank because I think they will be
used eventually and I'm a lazy site designer.
Getting the site up and running has been a challenge (most of us around
here still have not mastered the use of our thumbs, consider fire a gift of the
gods, and try to program by yelling commands at the computer screen) so, in
order to satisfy public demand, it has been pressed into service 'as is' with
lots of holes. Add a lazy author to the
mix, stir in an energetic marketing impetus, and you have a lot of blank
pages. To save you the trouble of
checking constantly to see if anything has changed, just check the update date
in the upper left-hand corner of this page.
If it has not changed, neither have the latest contents. In an odd twist, I would actually suggest
jumping to the last page News)
to see the latest information regarding the site, on-going projects, and products.
A lot of the non-authors within this unruly mob prefer to have
their privacy but some credit should be given to their tireless efforts. The mighty Shar-El (a.k.a. Stormy) is,
without question or challenge, THE EDITOR.
She has all the power and has earned all the respect that goes with
it. She has waded through literally
thousands of pages of bad writing and worse spelling for over ten years. Complain about the writing and the website
all you want but do not show disrespect to the REAL power of the Press.
Finally, although the temptation is great to belabor various
points and oddities of the philosophies of Archangel Press, I shall resist the
temptation and instead refer you to M. Keaton's introductory essays "In
defense of the tactile word" and "The case for killing
languages."
Archangel Press, Cover Jacket (back)
About the Author:
Archangel Press can neither confirm nor deny the existence of
one M. Keaton. Current rumor has it
that he is currently held prisoner by a mad woman and her feline minions in a
god-forsaken wasteland. (If I may
translate from Mr. Keaton's personal short-hand: god-forsaken = any place north of the Mason-Dixon line, wasteland
= anywhere with more people than trees.)
Although a terribly loud and opinionated person, Mr. Keaton also
likes his privacy and quiet and does not brook intrusion well. After no small amount of coercion, I
convinced him to answer a short list of selected questions. I have little doubt that he lied a few times
and I have not recorded the many questions which he refused to answer.
Q: Why do you write?
A: How do you not? Besides, no serious questions, just give me
the softball woman's magazine dumb stuff.
Q: What is your
political affiliation?
A: None. I vote constructionist and intellectually
support monarchy as the ideal form of government. As for economic systems, I support a libertarian capitalism even
though it will probably starve me to death.
I'm also in favor of letting me run everything.
Q: What is your stance
on religion?
A: Oh no, that's a trick
question. Religion does not mean what
it did years ago. Fifty years ago, I
would be a very religious man. Now, I
am a heretic. I have not changed, the
standard has.
Q: Are you married?
A: All my life.
Q: I know you do
conventions. Do you like to travel?
A: Slightly less than I
like a root canal. It has value. I know in my head that the more I see the
better I write because you can only write what you know but in my heart, I'd
much rather just stay home. Bottom
line, change is bad and travel is all change--change in location, change in
sleeping, change in eating, change in habits.
Even worse, there are always people when you travel.
Q: You don't like
people?
A: That is an
understatement. I hate people. Enough on that, you're getting close to
serious questions again.
Q: Okay, let's do the
favorites list.
A: Sure. Favorite color, blue because black is not a
color. Favorite food, chicken casserole
but not with vegetables. Favorite
smell, the old cliché of burning leaves but for some odd reason I like gasoline
too. Favorite author and music stuff I
have to avoid because I think about those things too much to give a simple
answer--anyone's writing but mine and, as for music, everyone should hear at
least one Trans-Siberian Orchestra or Savatage album in their life. Mind you, I also think that pain builds
character so judge for yourself on that count.
Favorite artist is tough as well.
R. Guay has done some of my favorite stuff but Ed Beard Jr. is my
favorite because of who he is that shows through in what he does and I don't
expect anyone to even understand that.
I also have to give a lot of credit to Arnie, Glen, and Matt whom I'm
also quite fond of (never end a sentence with a proposition). Favorite science, physics, everything is
physics in science. Favorite art,
mathematics.
Q: Last question, what
do you really like?
A: I don't like
anything. I believe in extremes and
passions. Love things, hate things,
apathy is the greatest dismissal, but like?
Like is an insult. Like is an
opinion without commitment, passing fancy and the like. Give me hot or cold but not lukewarm. Why did God forgive David? Why was the wisest man in history also one
of the greatest indulgers in sinful pleasures?
Look at the world around you, there is no "like" in life.
Cover Jacket by Chaos, 2000
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