Great comments on the Boing Boing website - see here.
And our authors are showing support - here’s Lance Reyand’s blog (author of the forthcoming Pop Salvation) and Heather McElhatton(author of Pretty Little Mistakes).
Hope you can blog about this - and spread the word.
America, land of the free, but sadly not home of the depraved
Current mood: bitchy
Category: Writing and Poetry
It’s me again, the "Publisher". I can’t tell you what an INSANE day this has been. Well - insane ever since Tuesday, at around 3:00pm, when I got the call.
"Darling, they won’t let him in"
our mutual friend Babette said to me. Rachel, traveling with Sebastian, called her from her cell phone. Babette phoned me and that’s how this whole thing happened.
The press coverage has been amazing, awe-inspiring, and frankly inspiring. The press and public are gathering, in some small way, to support honesty and truth. Because Sebastian leads his life as an open-book. While others sin, lie, cover, repent - Sebastian tells the truth. And for that truth, we say leave. Interesting.
My favorite - absolute favorite piece, thus far, is this wonderful opinion piece that ran in The Independent today. This piece made me believe that maybe - just maybe - something important was happening here. It wasn’t just a situation between an author and his publisher: a friend to a friend. But the world was suddenly noticing, and people started to say, hey, that’s not cool. It’s just Sebastian. A writer with a story to tell. And we’re not letting him come and tell it to us? Another separate blog about that follows, with the complete text of the piece.
But - then - the HIGHLIGHT. PEN gets involved. PEN: An association of writers working to advance literature, defend free expression, and foster international literary fellowship. Complete release here, my favorite bit below...
PEN American Center’s president Francine Prose noted that this year’s theme of "Public Lives/Private Lives" was particularly apt, given that "our (U.S.) borders are becoming increasingly closed."
Prose cited U.S. immigration officials’ refusal this week to admit British writer Sebastian Horsley into the country on grounds of "moral turpitude."
Horsley’s autobiography, "Dandy in the Underworld," is a detailed chronicle of the writer’s extensive experiences with drugs and prostitution. "God bless America, land of the free, but sadly not the home of the depraved," the writer said after being sent back to London.
The Dandy is Denied - Horsley NOT let in the country
Category: Writing and Poetry
Hello all --
Well, right now, at this very minute - I was scheduled to be having a lovely dinner with Sebastian and co.
But instead I’m writing this message to you, and will try to tell you what’s happened.
Sebastian wasn’t allowed into America due to "moral turpitude". After being questioned at Newark airport, Sebastian was put on a plane and sent back to London.
Here’s the full story in the New York Times. Here’s the party recap (yes, we had the party - I already paid for the booze, cheese and crackers and space - why waste it?) in the New York Observer. Here’s an excellent piece about it - with interview with Sebastian in the LA Times. Brilliant NPR piece here. And so, so, so much more.
In the Flesh Erotic Reading Series - This Thursday Night
IN THE FLESH EROTIC READING SERIES THURSDAY, MARCH 20th at 8 PM AT HAPPY ENDING LOUNGE, 302 BROOME STREET, NYC (B/D to Grand, J/M/Z to Bowery, F to Delancey or F/V to 2nd Avenue, http://www.happyendinglounge.com) Admission: Free Happy Ending Lounge: 212-334-9676 http://inthefleshreadingseries.blogspot.com
In The Flesh welcomes a range of authors from the sexy mysteries of Hard Case Crime authors Megan Abbott (Queenpin) and Charles Ardai (Songs of Innocence) to erotic memoirist Sebastian Horsley (Dandy in the Underworld) all the way from the UK, as well as Chelsea Summers (Pretty Dumb Things blogger, contributor, Yes, Sir) and Cheri Magid (contributor to Hide and Seek). Hosted and curated by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Yes, Sir, Yes, Ma’am, Best Sex Writing 2008). Free candy and cupcakes will be served.
I know Im probably NOT suppose to do this - but the DANDY party is March 19th at Housing Works - which is 126 Crosby Street. Starts around 7:30... come early, we only have the space for a few hours - and you dont want to miss SEBASTIAN.
Our lovely Sebastian was on the television show The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos (up in Canada) ...
The link to the video is here..... its fantastic....
Who is Sebastian Horsley? Well, he's a London artist who calls himself a dandy. So, what's a dandy? Well, according to Horsley..
A dandy is part warrior, stargazer, gambler, crusader, plunderer, violator, and martyr. And you can take that description on good authority. Because Horsley says he's one of the few Dandys to ever grace this earth.
His story goes like this. Born into a wealthy family, mom and dad are both drunks. They fight a lot, and Horsley leaves home. He shacks up with Scotland's most violent criminal, convicted murderer Jimmy Boyle. Nice start, eh? It gets better.
Sebastian takes enough drugs to melt 10 livers. He sleeps with too many hookers to count. And travels to the Philippines to experience being crucified. Seriously - the cross, the nails - everything.
Finally, he gets off the junk. Creates more art, and writes his memoir - 'Dandy In The Underworld.' And he declares it all - 'Act 1.'
The Dandy Widget. You can grab the "code" and post on your sites and pass to your friends. Come on people, help me (Carrie) spread the word... The Dandy is coming.....
From the March issue of Zink magazine: "The saga of his life, Dandy in the Underworld, is the most unbelieveable true story since Augusten Burroughs' Running with Scissors..."
artistic
bitchy
