Of an Example Made: the book

After the completion of my 9th (and then final) book of poetry, reality vs. perception in September of 2006, I was tired of writing the same old shit and writing in the same dull 6x9 journals from Barnes & Noble. Although, to their credit they were the best I had ever come across and were only $4.95. I wanted something more epic, something more me, something more personal.
Then I thought, "If I can write, format, & publish my own books of poetry, why not my own journals?" So I set to work in creating a word file of nothing but blank lines. 400 pages of dual-columned lines. Each column having 64 lines. So each individual page was equal to about 4.2 pages of the old journals. I published it in hardcover in November of 2006 and ordered a copy just to see how it came out. also to see how sexy the picture of me on the back cover looked. The picture compliments of J-Pop.

It arrived sometime in December and it looked pretty fucking impressive. On the spine, just to utilize every function, I had 'number ten brett alan coker' printed on it.

What I failed to mention thus far, was that I gave up writing "poetry" on September 13th, 2006. I said "No more poetry."

Then came January 5th, 2007. Out of boredom I began to write again, yet using a different name, and as a different mind. In the course of one week I wrote an entire, yet short, book of poetry, under my new pseudonym. Some weeks passed, I mapped out the character a bit more and then took a stab at it again and completed a second book of the same.

Going back to what I failed to mention again, for effect. When I first received the new journal and looked at every page and how goddamn sprawling and massive it was, I turned to the chick with me and asked "Wouldn't it be fucked up if I filled this entire thing in one year?" I laughed because I was joking and put it to the back of my mind.

Now more time passed and I couldn't stand not writing; once you do something almost daily for, as of then, nine years, you can't help but miss it. So I added the end of the sentence I said in 2006, "No more poetry...for no year."

So come May of 2007, a mere eight months after quitting (not counting the two books by the alter ego) I began again, with an insane goal in mind.

To fill the entire rest of the journal by January 4th, 2008. Attempting to write, in all, nine books of poetry in one year; matching the nine books of poetry I wrote over the course of eight years. I am certifiable.

I divided the journal up into relatively equal parts and set to it. Trying to stick to a demanding routine of writing and brain exploding. And without saying, the outcome was rather impressive.

With each book, I began to write more and more. You would think I would blaze through the first few and then struggle with the last. After running out of ideas. Both is true in a way.

In 2005, I wrote a book entitled in lucem proferre... (book 5) and it only took me two months. At the beginning of 2006 I wrote a book called corruptio optimi pessima (book 8) and it too only took me two months. So two months seemed to be the shortest amount of time I was able to write a book in.

Then came book 5 of the new series, written in eighteen days. This absolutely blew my mind.

Then came book 6 of the new series, written in eight days. My hand about exploded.

In perhaps October or early November (subtle homage) I joked again to the same chica mentioned previous, "Wouldn't it be bad-ass if I made the last book one long poem?" She laughed and said "Yeah, good luck with that."

Suffice it to say, not only did I actually complete this most arduous task, I did in fact, make the entire last book one long f'n "poem."

The book itself is book ten in the archive of my works. Yet, at the same time it is also books 10 - 18. Since this book is in fact one giant work, an equal to the nine that preceded it.

The book is called Of an Example Made. And each individual part is listed as follows:

Part One
"White Lies & the Confusion of Day Dreams"

Part Two
"Black Truth & the Comprehension of Nightmares"

Part Three
"Gray Days & the Possibility of Loveless Eyes"

Part Four
"Golden Lust & the Resurgence of Youthful Trysts"

Part Five
"Magenta Scars & the Delusions of Erudite Whores"

Part Six
"Violet Dust & the Detriment of Broken Homes"

Part Seven
"Green Dreams & the Overflow of Orchidaceous Nights"

Part Eight
"Silver Rays & the Revolution of Dystopic Cliques"

Part Nine
"Cyan Lines & the Metamorphosis of Cyclical Tales"


All in, this mamma-jamma equaled out to 1,238 "poems" and I wrote on merely 158 days out of the full 365.

As of now I only have the first three parts typed up, but have been working on the full book as a whole and plan to throw in some rather interesting little things to give the shit more depth and scope.

It is my plan to have it all out, proofed, formatted and sexified by Summer.


And I must give credit where credit is due. I now have planned on publishing the book using the look of the real journal for the cover. However, cleaning it up (look-wise, not vulgarities) and removing things that may lead to copyright difficulties.
Thanks Kelly.

Check it, it can be seen to the left.

As it stands, I am proud of the work done. Proud of myself for actually accomplishing this task and furthermore, I'm just sexy as all fuck. Don't deny.

Word.

BAC