New Book By Simon Options

I just wanted everyone to know there is a new book coming out by our old friend Simon. Yes the same author of the Necronomicon.

The title of the new book which is Dead Names : The Dark History of the Necronomicon has been out for awhile and it is still not released as of yet BUT they have finally released a picture of the book and a quick overview.

Here is the picture of the new book:

(IMG:http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Frater_Nero/newbook.jpg)

and here is the Book Description:


The most feared, fascinating, and dangerous book in the history of humankind . . . Necronomicon

An ancient Arabic text -- a powerful book of spells that could, in the wrong hands, create unimaginable and irreversible devastation -- the Necronomicon featured prominently in the stories of legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. For many generations, few believed it to be anything other than pure fiction.

But in 1972, a young man who, for his own protection, must be known simply as "Simon," stumbled upon an old, handwritten manuscript that ultimately proved to be an authentic edition of the unholy work.

Dead Names is the startling true account of the dark and violent history of this most fearsome of books: from its Middle Eastern origins to its reemergence centuries later; its role in pivotal events of the twentieth century, from the JFK assassination to the Son of Sam murders; and the terrible fates that befell those who helped bring the Necronomicon out of the shadows and into the light of day.

Well, er, I am not Simon or anything, but there must be some cool greek term for questions asked by somone who may himself part of the answer ... if I had written a book which was claimed by certain people to advocate blood sacrifice and the same certain people questioned my judgement for publishing such eviltry into the world ... then I would remain pretty glad that I had chosen to remain enigmatically behind a pseudonym.

The idea which you have that an author should be clear on which specific reasons one is using a pseudonym for ... or what exactly will happen? I think that any reader is capable of imagining circumstances where revealing the purpose behind ones pseudonym would be even more damaging than not having one in the first place. - Or would simply destroy the fun.

I'll write on this in my blog later, but here's a quick version.

One of the most important aspects of authorship is responsibility. My name is on my books. Thus, if something within is incorrect, or if I'm being a jerk, you as a reader can then hold me accountable for it. The exception is if there's some risk to the author - they'll lose your job, their family will be put in danger, or something of the sort. That's why pseudonyms have been used historically - to protect those without power from those who have it taking retribution against them.

(We could also talk about the issues surrounding craft names and Internet handles, but Simon's not just another Internet poster, and if he can joke about it being his real name, it seems unlikely that it's a craft name.)

If you're using a pseudonym to avoid being critiqued, or just for your own amusement (such amusement is never shared by all readers), or to attack people because you'd never have the guts to do so under your real name, you're really abusing and weakening a writer's tool that is even more necessary in today's world of multinational corporations and eroding civil liberties than ever before.