Haiku Wars Mystery Solving Contest
In David Lanoue's latest novel, Haiku Wars, an unpublished, book-length haiku manuscript is stolen during the welcoming Wine and Cheese Reception at an international poetry conference. What follows is a haiku-peppered detective story in which the sleuth—a clever ferret with impeccable literary taste—seeks to identify the poem-thief. Red Moon Press invites you to submit your version of the title, first five pages, and index of the mysterious, stolen text. The best "rediscovered" manuscripts as determined by the author, David Lanoue, will receive a gift certificate good for a hundred dollars worth of books. Two runners-up will receive $50 gift certificates.
For those of you who already know Haiku Wars, start writing. And for those of you who don't, Red Moon Press offers a discount on purchasing the novel ($12 ppd., but quantities are limited, so don't wait).
The in-hand deadline is midnight on the Ides of March—15March2011. Send your submissions to <david1gerard@hotmail.com>. To order the book at a discount, contact Red Moon Press at <jim.kacian@redmoonpress.com> with the subject heading "I Found It!"
Multiple entries are permitted, and there is no reading fee. Good sleuthing!
Hi Billie, well I bought & read 'Haiku Wars', hoping to get the dirt on the American 'haiku wars' that are mysteriously mentioned around the internet traps but which no-one will tell me about! After reading it, I remain as much in the dark as I was before. I guess you had to be there.
In the book, the owner of the stolen MS was male, Japanese and self-important, and (damningly?) wore a brown suit, which seems to show that his sartorial tastes, at least, were stuck in the 1970s. Yet the 1970s were an interesting time in poetry (if not in mens' clothing fashion). I don't know any male Japanese haiku writers who reside in America, as this unfortunate character seemed to do.
I liked the ferret, but I didn't much take to the wheelchair-bound thief, despite David's loading the dice in his favour. He reminded me of the war vets here who fly an Australian flag prominently from their motorized vehicles and try to run over old lady pedestrians in a busy street, that sense of aggressive entitlement.
;D I could probably write a spoof on his MS better (and get myself instantly blacklisted, I suppose). So I won't be trying for this one, but will be fascinated to read the results.
- Lorin