September 8th, 2010 by aarondietz

In an age where we are generating more content than we can possibly consume, it’s desirable to pursue artistic endeavors that can produce measurable results, and to use these results to guide future artistic inquiries.

Every artistic creation that has no measurable impact contributes to a glut of immeasurable content and distracts people from a scientific development of artistic knowledge.

In 1893, Émile Zola pointed out that so little was understood about medicine that some still considered it an art.

Today, this is the state in which literature resides.

August 18th, 2010 by aarondietz

Step 1: Come up with a nifty logo (this part was done by Charlie Potter,
who is the graphic designer and book designer for the book).

Step 2: Order pizza.

Step 3: While waiting for the pizza, cut the logo out of your stencil.

Step 4: Eat the pizza.

Step 5: Test your stencil using the pizza box. Does it look cool? Oh yes, it looks cool. Good job, you. CAUTION:
Do not vandalize other people’s property. It’s okay to spray paint your
own pizza box, but don’t spray paint anyone else’s. Or anyone else’s
other stuff. The principle (and law) applies to more than just pizza
boxes.

Step 6: Buy one of those glow-stick things for kids.

Step 7: Crack it and shake.

Step 8: Cut it open using a knife you don’t care about, and then drain it
into a plastic cup that you don’t care about. Cut slowly and carefully!
CAUTION: Do not actually do this stuff! It could be dangerous! At the
very least, get your publisher to do it while you shield and avert your
eyes! Special note to publishers: Don’t do it!

Step 9: Apply glow-in-the-dark mixture to stenciled paper.

Step 10: Stand back, and then say, “What the heck does RBZ mean?”

RBZ Logo by Charlie Potter.

For more info on the book, check here: http://aarondietz.us/super

August 10th, 2010 by aarondietz

Chong Yit Seng
of Singapore,

You wrote some code once.
And I used it.

I used the code to loop through Word docs
and convert them to XML files tagged according to an EAD specification.

I never thanked you
because I didn’t know how.

Now you have a LinkedIn profile
(if that’s you).

So anyway,
thanks!

July 27th, 2010 by aarondietz

I always have a bit of trouble explaining what my novel is about, so I’m lucky to have a synopsis written by the talented Alex Reed, with a few choice additions from my editor, Bryan Tomasovich.

The Synopsis

Do you need a new job?

Does the world need another superhero?

You see the connection, don’t you? If you had the chance to save lives…could you handle the adventure? The pressure, the risk, the grotesque, the insane? Most of all, could you handle your humanity? Update your resume, ‘cause here we go. Either stick with being sucked down further into your life, or earn the lift-off of the elite.

Aaron Dietz’s debut novel moves with an experimental edge into America’s heroic mythology. Structured as a novel-length job application for a superhero agency, Dietz uses his iron touch to explore themes that go far deeper than the swashbuckling world of comics and costumes. It’s a story about commitment, ability, bureaucracy, possibility, crisis, and heartbreak. Super.

June 21st, 2010 by aarondietz

My novel, Super, is being published by Emergency Press.

Not only are they incredible to work with, they’re also a participant of the Green Press Initiative, and they’re publishing some of the most exciting authors out there right now.

For example, Tom Hansen, Gina Frangello, and Erika Rae. I’d tell you more about them, but the trailers and excerpts are awesome, so don’t let me keep you.

Tom Hansen’s American Junkie

Trailer: here
Excerpts: here

Gina Frangello’s Slut Lullabies

Trailer: here
Excerpts: here

Erika Rae’s In a Handbasket: Notes from a Recovering Evangelical
Erika Rae’s book isn’t out yet, but you can sample her writing on TheNervousBreakdown.com.

May 11th, 2010 by aarondietz

I have a novel coming out this fall called Super. It’ll be published by Emergency Press.

Do you want to see the cover? Oh, goodie! It’s a rough cover, and could change, but here it is at the moment.

The cover art and book design is by Charlie Potter. More on him later this month or so.

Oh hey, and you know what? It takes an army for a small press to get a book out. If you want to help or have suggestions, let me know. I have an entire insane plan in the works and there is a lot to do. I mean, I’ve spent over $30 on stickers already.

March 5th, 2010 by aarondietz

Documentarian

Federal Trade Commission

Pilot Books

Narcolepsy

“In fact, as the result plainly proves, he needed the assistance and
support of staunch and true friends, upon whose courage, coolness and
fidelity he could depend in case of an emergency.”

American Junkie

Triangulate

Gazebo

Tom Hansen

P.S. Tom Hansen’s making a rare public appearance tonight at Pilot Books for the release of American Junkie, an excellent, honest, and captivating book. 7pm, for those in Seattle that can make it. I’ll be there!

Here’s what American Junkie is about in Star Wars language: There is no mysterious “Force” in the galaxy (yet Darth Vader is still around, and just as deadly). This book is Luke’s journey toward facing Vader, anyway, without the Force. Or a lightsaber. Also, Luke doesn’t whine all the time.

December 7th, 2009 by aarondietz

I stand up and take my dishes to the kitchen, belly stuffed.

“Ho, cha po,” I say.

The sweetheart laughs.

“I mean really,” I continue. “It’s a good point. Ho cha po!”

“That’s true,” she says. “Ho cha po.”

She rinses off a plate.

“Do you think,” she says, “that someday we will just talk with words that nobody understands?”

“I don’t see how that could ever arbogooben.”

The sweetheart laughs.

“Frankly,” I say, “the mere idea is froogoobagooku.”

The sweetheart laughs again.

“Aboo gabba deedoo,” she says.

“Aboo gabba deedoo ba-doo.”

May 28th, 2009 by aarondietz

The following is based on events that occurred on May 21 and May 22.

I’m still fresh off the plane, for the most part, and we decide to go for a foot massage. Or more like, those who can speak Chinese decide to go for a foot massage and I follow along.

I’ve never had a foot massage before in any language, but it’s clear that I’m a tense person. Just about everything the massuese does causes at least a tiny little bit of pain, which I’m supposed to alert the masseuse to, but the real options are these:

Try to figure out how to tell someone I’m in pain in a language I don’t know, or wait three seconds for him to do something else. And I can easily sit through three seconds of pain.

My foot massage diagnosis? I need sleep and I spend too much time sitting wrong and staring at computer screens. That’s deadly accuracy.

The next day we head to the Paper Dome. It’s a domed building made largely out of paper. The benches you sit on are an interesting kind of cardboard (or something) and the dome is treated so it won’t be destroyed by the rain.

After the Paper Dome, we drive to Sun Moon Lake. Since it’s right on the lake, we check out Wenwu Temple. There are people selling food all around the lake, so I have my first tea egg. It’s a hard-boiled egg that’s boiled again in tea. Absolutely yummy.

The sweetheart’s mom goes by a strict rule of one egg per day, no more. Otherwise, I’d have had another tea egg immediately.

May 26th, 2009 by aarondietz

The following is based on events that occurred on May 21.

I’m in the car with the sweetheart. We haven’t seen each other in over two months and there’s absolutely no weirdness.

“So,” I say, “is it really foggy or is all that pollution?”

“Pollution,” she says.

Even so, it’s quite pretty.