Blog

Due to an influx of emails, we’ve decided to post people’s email comments HERE

Here’s a brief email exchange between Wes of Heartworm Press (also of bands Some Girls and American Nightmare) and Jonathan-

——Original Message——
From: Wes Eisold
To: JONATHAN SHAW
Sent: Jul 2, 2008 
Subject:

Hey man!
Just writing to say Congratulations. You wrote an incredible book and I hope you like the way it came out. We are SO happy with it.
Thanks for letting us being a part of this.
Hope you are well out there in the world,

 Wes

——Original Message——

From: JONATHAN SHAW
To: Wes Eisold
Sent: Jul 2, 2008 
Subject:

_________________________________________________

Denis fahy wrote:

Went into the weblink. Must say I got a very good feeling when I saw the cover of your book. I am not surprised that you are getting good feedback, I genuinely think you have a very important work on your hands. Keep going with your upcoming edit.

 
The launch of your book deserves a touch of Irish luck!

 
Go n’eirigh an bothar leat (may the road rise for you).

 
Denis

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We’d like to thank Herb Reichert for sending out an email blast for Narcisa: Our Lady of Ashes. Here’s what it said:

Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:51:25 -0400 (GMT-04:00)

To:many

Subject: the book is out

My friend Jonathan Shaw just published his first book. It is a high speed smack in the head and push to the heart. I read it — it is very very exciting to read - wild and romantic and philosophical . . . . most of all human and kind. Please support his faithful effort. Thank you in advance.love and peace from,herb

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Diana, on Narcisa: Our Lady of Ashes

—–Original Message—–

From: Diana Budur

Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 19:43:55

To: Jonathan Shaw

Subject: ola, e Diana

Hi, Jonathan

I’ve been reading the book and I love it! Awesome writing, beautiful language, I am really impressed!!! The content is also extremely moving…I am gonna be late to the party because I couldnt stop reading it.Basically, it’s more difficult than I could possibly envision it… the deal between the two of you… of course…bjs,

Diana

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Mayra Dias Gomes on “Things are getting better

“Ha, I loved reading this..I told Narcisa that day that she should write and see how much she would feel better!I knew it! Nothing more enlightning than putting yourself down on paper.Maybe us being friends with her helps, you think? I really like her. Tell her I know all the recent adventures of Paris and Nicole, ha ha ha ha ha .They are retarded and addictive! Beijos!!!!

JS RESPONSE:You rule, Mayra!Yes yes yes, you are right about all that, and writing and love are bringing her back to life!!

She’s been reading your book, Fugalaca to me and we both love it. She says you write a lot like me. I guess sick minds think alike, hein?Narcisa really likes you too, baby…. What’s not to like? And of course you are a cool good positive influence on her and an angel to us all…Xx js

 HERE ARE A FEW COMMENTS THAT MAYRA DIAS GOMES RECEIVED ON HER BLOG REGARDING JONATHAN SHAW. BELOW ARE THE ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS, THE PORTUGUESE ONES CAN BE FOUND >>HERE

fotolog.com/canibalvegan said:Ha! The first chapter hooked us! Were anxious to read the rest of the book! Any idea when it’ll come out here in brazil? I already know Jonathan Shaw - not personally, unfortunately - from some of his journalistic efforts here in Brazil, his writings for Trip magazine, specificlly his articles like “the function of the orgasm’ and the Wilhelm Reiche orgone box and so on… Bye.

JS RESPONSE: thanks so much. Glad you liked it…We’re trying to push a Brazilian translation with editora Record. It would be a collaboration between me and the lovely and talented Mayra Dias Gomes. But, unfortunately, still no official date or commitment…Long live the orgasm, orgone energy, long live the great Wilhelm Reiche!! Atb, js 

fotolog.com/dvar said:Has jonathan shaw written for rolling stone here in brazil? I have heard his name around…

JS RESPONSE:no, I think you’re thinking of a big cover piece I did with Iggy Pop for Trip mag a coupla years back.

 fotolog.com/caril_starkie said:Narcisa - Our Lady of Ashes!Great title!I’m going to read it!

JS RESPONSE:Glad you liked it. Thanks. The original title was gonna be “Savage Grace” , but the gringos beat me to it with some big Hollywood movie with that name so I switched to Narcisa.I think it worked out better anyway. Thanks. Atb, js

 fotolog.com/inconstantine said:Wow, I read the first chapter, its a very heavy text! I got the mixed impression that the character of Narcisa is like some parasite dragging herself around the world, and at the same time something profoundly Baffling, a living puzzle of paradigms of evolutionary changes. Very compelling. I’m curious to see further chapters!

JS RESPONSE:Cool! Thanx for the mini-review! Glad you like Narcisa. She is my goddess! You said a mouthful. I am equally anxious to see those further chapters getting translated and published here in Brazil, Narcisa’s home of origin! Pray for us! Atb, JS 

fotolog.com/cris_ornellas said:Oh man, what a chapter! May some charitable soul please put out this holy book here soon! I’m curious as fuck! Hahaha

JS RESPONSE:I’m with ya there and praying for that charitable soul to show up soon too. God bless readers like you, baby! atb, js

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 Lydia Lunch on “Homeward Bound“

—–Original Message—–

From: Lydia Lunch

Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 07:28:46

To: JS

Subject: Re: Homeward bound

so beautiful it makes me sick

____________________________________________________

Lydia Lunch on “Ashes Ashes Ashes“

—–Original Message—–

From: Lydia Lunch

Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 08:31:51

To:JS

Subject: Re: “Suicidio abortado” - by Narcisa

oh how I do understand tolerating the interminable forsuch strokesof genius-how beautifully, twistedly , horribly wonderful!

_____________________________________________________

Johnny Depp on “Ashes Ashes Ashes“

—–Original Message—–

From: JD

Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008 19:38:13

To: JS

Subject: Re: “Suicidio abortado” - by Narcisa

holy fuck.  beautiful.  you and your little girl are certainly chewing on the same spaghetti strand, ol’ mate. i hope all is well, and i’ll just bet it is. love and all=JD

 __________________________________________________________

Orbi Orbison on “Homeward Bound“

—–Original Message—–

From: Orbi

Date: Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:50:48

To: JS

Subject: Re: Homeward bound

write me another book jonathan shaw!not a sequel, just another road on the same path…take us all on another stroll in the hellish-heaven park you call love…on a another spin around the block with us on the back of the moto next tonarcisa and you…the first book is done and it’s great enough to warrant another couple hundredpages….

________________________________________________________

Tonico Monteiro De Carvalho on “Ashes Ashes Ashes“

—–Original Message—–

From: Antonio Luis Monteiro de Carvalho Guimaraes

Date: Sun, 6 Apr 2008 03:25:42

To: JS

Subject: RE: Surto literario

Johnny Boy. This is some serious shit man. Wow. This girl is some really deep creature. An abyssal animal of existential pain. So real and powerful…you are quite right man, this girl is unique.If you ever think she would be up to stand up and read this poem in front of a crowd that would be eager to listen, you know about the Tuesdays of Poetry at Letras e Expressões I am part of. I would be glad to introduce her. She is sure to freak some people out, which I think she would enjoy. I think that could be therapeutic, cathartic and who knows… may be good for her self-esteem. Aloha

 Tonico

 ——————————————————————-

——Original Message—–

From: “Denis Fahy”

Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:32:49

To:JS

Subject: Re: 12 passos

Hey Jonathan - great to hear from you. Was off line for a few days. I enjoyed reading the exerpt from the blog. When you think about it, that is all you need. Your writings are life experiences so a blog allows you to write in real time - something happens one day, you can write and publish it within hours. Your life, past, present and I assume future, is so interesting and full of content and substance. To some extent your creative process is your life itself. I recently spent time with a screenplay writer. The creative process for him is a nightmare as he genuinely needs to create to write. Your creation is your life and in that regard every waking moment is a creation. You have limitless material. It is only fair that you should benefit from having an interesting existance, don’t you think?

A good thing about a blog is that because you write and “publish” so frequently, you are fast tracking the polishing of your writing style. In the past many writers worked as journalists whereby they had to produce every day and this had a positive effect on their writing style. Norman Mailer springs to mind. He developed his writing style while being a sports journalist.

As you already know, I believe you have a very important message and fabulous energy and vitality to your writing. Therefore, if you can figure out a way of getting your stuff out there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.Over the years I have read a huge amount of biographies of artists, writers and composers. For the really cutting edge artists, the medium they end up in is almost incidental. Their lives are the creation. Goya, a genius, spent the first half of his career painting portraits. This paid his rent and financed his lifestyle which was the true work of art. Try and get your hands on a biography of Goya - his early experiences in Madrid are not too dissimilar to yours in Rio de Janeiro. Now that I think of it, you must do some research on Goya - I think you would find it inspirational.You are in the priviliged position of enjoying limitless material for your writings. Like it or not, JS creates everyday! The problem is keeping up with recording it!!Keep up the good fight.

Love

Denis—————————

from JS

to Denis Fahy

date Apr 28, 2008 3:39 PM

subject Re: 12 passos

Wow denis -you really summed up all my feelings about this thing and my hopes for it in a nutshell here.This is just something that has just happened spontaniously in my life, much the same way as the book “Narcisa” itself simply emerged, demanding to be written..And its all been nothing but a joy and a blessing right from the go, albeit a hair-raising one at times, as you yourself well know, having seen me in the throes of the worst of it.

Like you, I believe the best art has to be spontanious, authentic and , most of all NECESSARY to the evolutionary process of the artist’s life itself, and ideally that of his audience.As Narcisa is fond of quoting, Neitzsche said, “art exists so tha reality doesn’t destroy us.”And there, I believe is the saving grace in all of this for me, for Narcisa, and, hopefully for humanity at large.At the end of the day, its all about sharing one’s experience, strength and hope with others, while hopefully trying to make some sense out of what would otherwise be a cruel and senseless randomness of existence in a godless world of endless shit.. Fuck that!Long live love!Long live art!Long live Narcisa - Our Lady Of Ashes!

Salve o amor!Salve a arte!Salve Narcisa - Nossa Senhora Das Cinxas.