Sneak Peek: "La Arquitectura de la Luna" (the Spanish translation of Joe Meno’s "The Architecture of the Moon").

Posted: 29 November, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: bull spec benefit short #1, itzel leaf, joe meno, la arquitectura de la luna, the architecture of the moon | Leave a comment

I thought you might also enjoy a sneak peek into the progress of the Spanish translation for Joe Meno’s “The Architecture of the Moon.” Also serving as a “Welcome!” to Itzel Leaf, who is handling the Spanish translation for this story and we are thrilled to have her on the BULL SPEC team. Without further adieu: the first paragraph of “La Arquitectura de la Luna:”

Para el Lunes la luna había dejado de brillar. En un momento es la forma mas importante del cielo nocturno, y después desaparece, una imagen un poco borrosa debajo de nuestros ojos, y después es sólo una pregunta, un flash, y después nada, sólo un recuerdo. Una vez que la luna deja de brillar en su lugar, el resto de las estrellas se desvanecen rapidamente. Y luego, sin la luna y las estrellas, cada tipo de bulbo pierde su inspiración y empieza a fallar. Finalmente, sólo hay obscuridad una completa y total ausencia de luz tan pronto y como el sol desaparece cada noche. Trágicamente, y de repente el público se encuentra perdido cada atardecer. Aquellos que estan perdidos deben de dormir en sus coches, en los portales, o el el césped de extraños. En la obscuridad, vagan hasta que se sienten cansados, despues se recuestan a donde sea que esten, como huérfanos valientes. En la noche. En la noche, parece que los edificios se han empezado a mover por si solos. Los letreros de las calles cambian de posicion repentinamente. En la noche, las avenidas y bulevares se convierten en callejones sin salida. Sin la luna o las estrellas o la luz de la calle para mantener las cosas en su lugar, la gente se da cuenta de la velocidad en que se mueve el mundo. El efecto, como usted puede imaginar en bastante mareador.

About Itzel: Itzel Leaf is a native of Mexico, where she first attained a Ciencias Computacionales from
Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo before graduating with a BS in Education from Universidad Pedagógica Nacional and spending five years as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at one of the most prestigious institutions in her native country. Since immigrating to the United States she has worked as a preschool teacher as well as with older children, and has started a pilot Spanish program for preschool and younger children.

Sneak Peek: "L’Architecture de la Lune" (the French translation of Joe Meno’s "The Architecture of the Moon").

Posted: 27 November, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: andrew matte, bull spec benefit short #1, joe meno, l'architecture de la lune, the architecture of the moon | Leave a comment

I thought you might enjoy a sneak peek into the progress of the French translation for Joe Meno’s “The Architecture of the Moon.” Also serving as a “Welcome!” to Andrew Matte, who is handling the French translation and narration for this story and we are thrilled to have him on the BULL SPEC team. Without further adieu: the first paragraph of “L’Architecture de la Lune:”

Par lundi la lueur de la lune est disparru. Un moment c’est la figure le plus important dans le ciel ensuite c’est parti, un image brumeux sous les paupières, rien de plus qu’une question, un éclair et puis rien du tout, qu’une mémoire. Une fois que la lune ne brille plus dans sa place, les étoiles se décolent. Et puis, sans la lune et les étoiles, chaque ampoule perd son inspiration et commence à tomber. Finalement, il n’y a que l’obscurité, un absence complet de lumière aussi-tôt que le soleil disparait les nuits Tragiquement, le publique s’égare chaque soirée. Ceux qui sont perdu doivent dormir dans leur voiture, dans l’entrée d’une porte ou meme sur la pelouse d’un étranger. Dans l’obscurité, ils trainent jusqu’ils se fatiguent, puis se couchent là où ils sont, comme des orphelins courageux. Les soirs, il parait que les edifices eux memes se displacent. Les signes de rues s’échanges de positions. Les soirs, les avenues et boulevards deviennent cul-de-sacs. Sans la lune ou les étoiles ou lampadaires à garder de quoi en place, les gens se rendent compte la vitesse à laquelle le monde remue. L’effet, comme vous vous imaginez, plutot étourdissant.

About Andrew:

Andrew Matte was born in Toronto, Canada as a French Canadian in an English-speaking city. He attended school up until university in the French system, starting English classes in grade 4. In grade 11 his teacher proudly introduced himself and announced “I’m going to learn you English real good this year.” Andrew studied Economics at the University Waterloo in Canada’s tech capital, holds a black belt in Kung Fu and wields a fierce ukulele. He currently lives on Vancouver Island, and if you want to thank him for putting together the French translation, he is participating in a campaign to raise funds for Prostate Cancer Canada.

Andrew Matte vit et travaille en Whistler, Canada. Il est né en Toronto, d’une famille bilingue, et suivit ses cours en français jusqu’à l’université quand il étudia les sciences économiques à Waterloo, le centre technologique du Canada. Il possède une ceinture noire en kung fu, joue le ukelele et anticipe fervament ardemment les jeux olympiques de 2010.

We’re pleased to announce that BULL SPEC BENEFIT SHORT #1 will be: Joe Meno’s "The Architecture of the Moon."

Posted: 9 November, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: announcements, benefit-announcements, benefit-short-announcements, bull spec benefit short #1, joe meno, the architecture of the moon | 2 Comments

By Monday the moon has stopped glowing. One moment it is the singularly most important shape in the nighttime sky and then it is gone…

BULL SPEC is pleased to announce that BULL SPEC BENEFIT SHORT #1 will be Joe Meno’s “The Architecture of the Moon:”

I first encountered this shimmeringly wonderful short story as one of featherproof books’ free mini-book light reading series, where you can download a well-produced PDF which you can print, fold origami-style, and enjoy. I would offer my thoughts on it, but those of The Story Prize judges do it far better justice than I could:

In lesser hands, these unconventional forms and outlandish leaps of imagination would feel like empty concepts, but Meno fills each of these stories to the brim with heart. There is true emotion hiding behind every trick mirror, and it comes across in spades. As I finished each story, I found myself looking forward to the next, wondering what Meno would surprise me with. But what sets this collection apart, and moved me the most, was that his characters consistently choose hope over despair. Meno brings great skill to every line, and proves, as in his story, ‘The Architecture of the Moon,’ that human connection can be the small light used to illuminate a great darkness.

“The Architecture of the Moon” (and other of Joe’s works) is available in your local and favorite online bookstores and libraries as one of the stories included in his collection “Demons in the Spring,” available in various formats and in various places as described on Joe’s website, a summary being hardcover and Kindle versions at amazon.com, and in audiobook format on Audible.

Joe’s newest novel is The Great Perhaps, a New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice and the winner of the Great Lakes Book Award for Fiction 2009, and which the Chicago Tribune describes as “Laugh-out-loud funny but frequently sad, Joe Meno’s new novel runs the gamut of emotions and techniques as it depicts a Chicago family in turmoil.” It is available wherever quality books are sold.

Note: There will still be an English e-book version of this story, though it would be difficult indeed to improve on featherproof’s in terms of art and origami stylings, we’re hoping some e-book formats made for device and online viewing will help get this story into as many hands as possible.

Look for BULL SPEC’s production of “The Architecture of the Moon” online, in e-book, and audiobook as BULL SPEC BENEFIT SHORT #1 in December, with 100% of donations going to benefit DURHAM LITERACY. Thanks very much to Joe for bravely being the first author to grant BULL SPEC license to produce his work under these terms, and we hope to be able to start contributing to the Durham communities in the way Joe (and featherproof) do to Chicago’s. Another special thanks to featherproof for graciously allowing us to use the cover art from their awesome production of the PDF, credited to Bleached Whale Design.

Update: Due to some scheduling concerns, we may not be able to produce this at the quality level we’d like by December, in which case it would fall back to February. We’ll keep everyone posted. We’d love to see comments on whether people would like to see simultaneous release in all formats/languages, or have these trickle out as they are available.