Annie Proulx

[tfferg]

Is a trip to Sydney out of the question?

http://www.cityrecitalhall.com/events/id/934/Annie-Proulx/

Yes. Very expensive.

[Ellen (tellyouwhat)]

Annie's forthcoming gig in Melbourne is booked out, so no chance of me hearing her in person.

I encourage you to show up.  Sometimes an extra ticket can be found, room for one more, or someone just won't be able to make it.

If you have the time, it may be well worth it.

[foreverinawe]

Western United Realty, Annie's realtor, posted this today (Wed, Feb 23):

http://www.ranchbrokers.com/sheep-rock-ranch.html

In large red letters, it says SOLD!

It's confusing, because while the heading of the announcement says the "Sheep Rock ranch,"
the text says 640 acres, with one mile of the North Platte River and the towering cliffs of Sheep Rock
on the property. Hey, that describes Bird Cloud exactly!

Western United are also the realtors for the adjacent Sheep Rock Ranch, 2,777 acres, $12 million. And
they have a separate (but adjacent) listing for it. Maybe their website manager got a bit confused.

Here's a map showing both ranches:

http://www.ranchbrokers.com/images/stories/pdf/maps/sheep-rock-bird-cloud.pdf

BC's asking price was $3.7m. You know how it is with asking prices, but I'll bet she got most of it.

I sure hope so.

   ~~~fia

[foreverinawe]

At least not yet.

I called the realtor to ask for a clarification about which property the SOLD sign applied to, and was told that neither property has been sold, that there had been a slight internet posting confusion,

BUT BIRD CLOUD HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE MARKET!

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my wish to keep
Please help her find another way
To live at Bird Cloud every day.

I ain't jokin...

   ~~~fia

[Buffymon]

At least not yet.

I called the realtor to ask for a clarification about which property the SOLD sign applied to, and was told that neither property has been sold, that there had been a slight internet posting confusion,

BUT BIRD CLOUD HAS BEEN TAKEN OFF THE MARKET!

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my wish to keep
Please help her find another way
To live at Bird Cloud every day.

I ain't jokin...

   ~~~fia

Interesting...

[Ellen (tellyouwhat)]

thanks for the update



Annie had said (at the Dallas reading on January 28) that the property wasn't up for sale currently, so the previous post surprised me.  But heck if a buyer showed up, she might sell it.

[Marge_Innavera]

If A.P. and the others involved in the film are so set on disassociating themselves with the film I see no reason to keep supporting them.

The "Beyond Brokeback" event in L.A. will probably be the last event I get involved with.

Next time I buy a classic movie on DVD it'll be something like "Somewhere In Time", a film that has seen tremendous support from everyone involved. The fans of that film have had annniversary screenings where Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve have attended, and Universal has always supported the fan club. They seem to be proud of this movie.

I've felt about the same way; AP's attitude toward Brokeback fans leaves a very sour aftertaste.  Unfortunately, there aren't many BBM events I've been able to attend; so in the future I'll attend all I can.  But I can't see going to any trouble to see or hear Annie Proulx, which is apparently what she wants.

Somewhere In Time is one of my favorite movies, though I've never been active in the fan club.  The down side of that is that they don't seem to have much central organization so it's some extra trouble to find out anything about them.  The Grand Hotel is certainly a spectacular setting for any kind of fandom's events.

[Oregondoggie]

In fairness to Annie Proulx, whom I agree seems to have a "low startle point", we aren't privy to the kinds of comments and mail (and maybe threats) she's been receiving since the movie came out.  She is soon to be in Perth for a book event.  I'll bet anything she pays her respects before Heath's ashes.                 

[Marge_Innavera]

No we're not, but apparently at least a few of us can see patterns in her statements.   And in fairness to other authors, anyone who's attracted attention via a creative work they've produced gets feedback and it isn't always positive and/or intelligent.  The reactions vary.

"Low startle point" can  be added to the pantheon along with "cantankerous", "outspoken," "prickly", "crusty" and "feisty."    

[Nikki]

"Low startle point" can  be added to the pantheon along with "cantankerous", "outspoken," "prickly", and "feisty."    

How about 'just damned tired of it all'?  LOL

[foreverinawe]

May I quote Annie Proulx from Bird Cloud (pg 5, hardcover edition):

"Well do I know my own character negatives---bossy, impatient, reclusively shy, sort-tempered, single-minded. The good parts are harder to see, but I suppose a fair dose of sympathy, even compassion is there, a by-product of the writer's imagination. I can and do put myself in others' shoes constantly. Observational skills, quick decisions (not a few bad ones), and a tendency to overreach, to stretch comprehension and try difficult things are part of who I am. ..."

I have never met Annie, doubt that I ever will. So I admit that I don't know first-hand how accurate her assessment is, but I have read a lot of her written interviews, watched a lot of her video interviews, read articles about her. Her quoted assessment seems consistent with them, so I accept it, knowing full well that we all are reluctant to talk about our own flaws.

* Frankly, it seems odd to me that anyone one would disparage her unless they were privy to some unpublicized shortcoming. I know she publicly despaired of strangers sending her their "happy ending" re-writes of BBM, but she felt she was writing about the devastation of rural homophobia. That means a suggested "re-write" demonstrates that she failed to make her purpose clear to her reader.

To her, that's a slap in the face. It's saying she didn't write her story right. I'm not a writer, but I can certainly see where that would be offensive.

* It's common knowledge, but when a writer contracts with a publisher, there is a contractual commitment to help publicize any resulting book. Depending on the celebrity of the author, it may involve written interviews, TV interviews and even national tours to speak at writers forums. For Pulitzer prize winners, the engagements may be worldwide.

Certainly the effort is undertaken for the purpose of publicizing the book, but while the author ultimately gets more money because of greater sales, it is the publisher that gets the lion's share.

Annie has said on many occasions she doesn't like to do this. She is, very simply, a private person, and she hates being put on display.  But I think she tries to make the best of it, and she obviously enjoys travel. 

* Annie has had her share of ups and downs. Three marriages, three divorces, four kids mostly raised on her own slender earnings in rural New England, the late blossoming of literary success and the harsh celebrity that comes with it...  She will be 76 in August, wants little more than to be allowed to live and write in a beautiful, isolated part of the American West. 

Oh yes, she's an environmentalist, a witness to our nation's inhumanity to native peoples, disgusted by the dark comedy of our "representative" government (read representatives of the corporations). She recognizes bigotry and exposes it. Unlike most of us, she has a voice that can be heard, and she uses it. How much better off all of us would be to be like her.

   ~~~fia

[Marge_Innavera]

How about 'just damned tired of it all'?  LOL

LOL, that too!  

Privacy in her personal life certainly should be respected but anyone's public statements are open to interpretation and criticism.  And for the record, none of us have any  obligation to 'be like her.'   Even for the most dedicated fandom, that's a bit over the top.

[CellarDweller115]

I have never met Annie, doubt that I ever will. So I admit that I don't know first-hand how accurate her assessment is, but I have read a lot of her written interviews, watched a lot of her video interviews, read articles about her. Her quoted assessment seems consistent with them, so I accept it, knowing full well that we all are reluctant to talk about our own flaws.

I have met Annie, and it was a pleasure.

Granted, I had very little "one-on-one" time with her, I met her at a book signing the day after one of her readings in NYC.  At the reading the night prior, she was very polite, and answered all questions given to her on a variety of topics, Brokeback included.

I attended the book signing the next day, and I had my copy of "Bad Dirt" for her to sign, as well as my short story of Brokeback.  As she signed the books, I told her I enjoyed hearing her read the night before, she looked at me, smiled and thanked me for attending.  I asked her about the story, as I didn't recognize it.  She went on to tell me it was called "The Sagebrush Kid" and was from her (then) soon-to-be released collection "Fine Just the Way It Is".  I told her I looked forward to reading it, and again she smiled and thanked me for coming to the reading and signing.

[Ellen (tellyouwhat)]

When I saw her last month at the reading (Dallas Museum of Art) she explained when she first came out that she had been battling the flu-- then said "It has to end sometime."  And then she spoke, read and answered questions for the next hour -- and after that signed books for a very long line of fans.

I often think how hard it would be for me (twenty years younger than she is) to make so many public appearances, and to travel so relentlessly.

So, for a naturally reclusive and private person, who generally suffers no fools, I think she puts up with all of these book tours pretty well-- and on top of that add her age.

Why are we interested in any artists, generally?  Why is there a fandom at all?

I don't want to be like Annie Proulx, necessarily-- or Woody Allen, or any member of The Band (a few examples of other artists admire) but I do want to understand how a person creates their art.  Or, what is the person like, who created that amazing art?

In the case of Annie Proulx, it still blows me away that a woman in her sixties, who did not grow up on a Wyoming Ranch, and who had not ever been a gay man at any time in her life, managed to write the story of Ennis and Jack, and bring them to life so accurately and profoundly.  So I am in awe of Annie Proulx.

[suelyblu]

Book of the week being serialised on Radio 4 FM @ 9.45am UK....Annie Proulx "Bird Cloud"