“When you sell your clothes, you can keep your thoughts.”
— Henry David Thoreau
1. The Physical Big Book of Cyberpunk
Prior to my comp copy’s arrival, I actually ran a handful of image searches on the web to see if I could steal me a looksee at what the physical thing looked like. This, despite my not having anything to do with the design or production of this one, but I am a very unwell print-head who fetishizes deliciously bound paper things and wanted to see what a 1100+ page book of cyberpunk goodness actually looked like. My searches garnered nothing, but it was only a matter of days before my copy landed on my doorstep and let me tell you: It does not disappoint.
2. Creating ‘CRISPR Than You’ For The Big Book of Cyberpunk
Back in 2018, I was encouraging something of a writer’s workshop over at my forum RESTRICTED.ACADEMY (it still technically exists, but activity—including my own—is admittedly down to nil, and back then activity was already rather low-ish to begin with). Not a whole lot of workshopping took place to be honest, but the writing prompts in and of themselves sparked quite a bit of creative output. One active member at the time was author Corey J. White (also featured in THE BIG BOOK OF CYBERPUNK) who suggested a prompt focused on developing a CRISPR-centric literary genre. A tall and ambitious order that I’m not entirely sure I succeeded in exploring, but a CRISPR-centric story did come out of it nonetheless. That story was later edited by another active forum member (and excellent author in his own right) Dan Hill for a series of “web-stories” I was launching called TIMES NEW HUMAN. It was there that Jared Shurin would later stumble upon the story, likely way before he even considered compiling a Cyberpunk anthology.
When Jared did approach me about including CRISPR THAN YOU in THE BIG BOOK, it had already been some four years since I wrote it (or read it for that matter). I gave it a re-read and felt it could use a scattering of edits, and asked Jared if that was okay given that THE BIG BOOK is meant to be an anthology of reprints of pre-existing stories. The folks at Vintage/Penguin/Random-House/Rulers-of-the-Printed-Universe gave the okay, and I got to work. I even got the okay to create some new illustrations for the print edition (More completely unnecessary work for me to be honest, but worth the results if you ask me). So yes, the version of the story appearing in THE BIG BOOK OF CYBERPUNK is quite different from the version at TIMES NEW HUMAN.
I imagine all TIMES NEW HUMAN stories will get their fair share of rewrites for their eventual print incarnation (which, before you get too excited, I neither have a date or publisher for).
But all this to say that CRISPR THAN YOU would not have ended up in THE BIG BOOK OF CYBERPUNK or existed at all were it not for a series of completely illogical decisions and the subsequent involvement of other humans in said decisions. Who the hell starts a discussion forum in 2018? Who the hell joins a discussion forum in 2018? What kind of person suggests creating an entirely new literary genre based on CRISPR? (I thank you, Corey, but still a wonderfully nutty idea.) What kind of person would deem it a sound notion to publish a handful of short stories on a new dedicated URL completely for free? And who in their right mind would want to take on the task of editing said person’s word-vomit for weird dedicated URL? (Big thank you owed to Dan Hill along with sincerest apologies for putting the remainder of the project on hold for so long.) And finally, what kind of mind would think it a good idea to take said word-vomit and publish it alongside giants the likes of William Gibson, Philip K. Dick, and Lauren Beukes? (Much obliged, Jared).
All this to say: Is there something you’ve been wanting to do that makes no sense but has been itching at the back of your mind for Gods know how long and just won’t let up? Do it.
Do it now and wait not for an outcome. Just get on with it. Because it’s exactly the sort of thing you were probably meant to do.
3. Restricted Recommendations
Trailer for Russian film THE CHALLENGE, actually shot in space. I love that despite being shot in outer space, the film clearly centers on the humans involved and less so the spectacle of space. Which I highly doubt will be said of the Tom Cruise/Doug Liman flick that also hopes to be shot in space.
George Miller’s FURIOSA, a prequel to FURY ROAD, eyes premier at Cannes. This one involves neither Theron nor Hardy, but there are claims that he’s looking to shoot a sequel with both actors involved. Given their temperament towards one another as well as towards Miller himself during the production of FURY ROAD though (detailed in the excellent BLOOD, SWEAT, AND CHROME), I have my doubts about the plausibility of such an endeavor.
The best caricaturist I know, Fred Harper, is leading a 3-day workshop in New York from Nov 1-3. If you’re thereabouts, sign up immediately. Even if you’re not sure how it’ll ever be useful, do it because it will be (I have in the past taken video-making, animation, and poster design workshops, all things that have benefited me in all the other stuff I do).
It would seem that we’re hitting another milestone with RESTRICTED FREQUENCY, something I wasn’t entirely aware of until I started typing in the issue number at the very top. Going forward, I’d like to do something different with the newsletter and am of the mind to start treating it sort of like a column come issue #200. It should henceforth become much less journal-like (that will be fully relegated to GANZEER.TODAY) and much more focused on writings about writing, design, art-making, and everything related.
Let’s see how it goes,
Ganzeer