In the Light — Alexander Gallier Interview 16

I was caught somewhat unawares when Raea suddenly asked me about my book.

In the spirit of “It’s-not-about-me,” I released 72 Treatises under the pseudonym “The Bleating Nichodemus” in order to dissuade a personality cult. 

When I was 21, I scribbled around 78 one or two-liners in a black, hemp fiber-bound Zen notebook that had a large, Japanese calligraphic character for “moon” reproduced on the cover.  Every time I had a moment of clarity, walked with God, felt the Force — whatever your preferred metaphor — I endeavored to capture the spirit of the occasion with a gold, micro deluxe Uniball pen.  My Mind was electrified with possibilities.  I realized that if I used different colors and employed some strategic placement, my prose could interact with targeted areas of the reader’s brain.. even if they didn’t know it.

Initially, I wanted to release what I had as it was, call it “The Book,” and not even put my name on it.  I conducted extensive research of the book publishing industry, and it seems that you have to be published in order to get published.  Meditating on the subject, I came to the conclusion that the best way to keep creative control over it — while at the same time avoiding a career of “journalism” — would be to self-publish.

Self-publishing comes in several different breeds.  Most common in 2002 was “print on demand.”  This doctrine dictates that a wholesale printer will ship a finite quantity of product — say 1,000 units — to the author, which then becomes incumbent upon him/her to distribute amongst the civil populace.  Having been in a band and hocked CDs, I can tell you that the hardest thing on Earth to do is to try to sell somebody something that (s)he has never heard of before, and does not want to buy.

I contacted a leading print-on-demand company — one that and I had actually seen some of their books in the retail chains I’d frequent.  Summoning up all my gall, I dialed the 800 number I found on their website and soon found myself connected with a pleasant-sounding young man, perhaps two or maybe even three years older than me. And then I blew it.

“Yes,” I told him, in a very even and professional-sounding voice.  “I am an author from the Pacific Northwest who has written a very unique book — and I’m interested in talking to you about publification.”

Ever since I was a little boy, I have been identified as possessing a superior ability to communicate.

The customer service rep confessed that, at best, his company was only a cookie-cutter novel producer, and their Carter-era printing equipment was ill-equipped to handle multiple font colors, produce color illustrations, print in different directions, create negative space, and sell individually for less than $30.00 US.  It seemed then that my book-writing career was over before it started.

One day not long after that, I discovered MySpace.  I set up a blog there as a blank notebook page where each day I would post something from “The Book,” just to see how it would look in print.  

And then something strange and wonderful happened.  My online friends started to dialogue with me.  Through philosophical logic, I was able to elaborate on my ideas and justify that they were sound.  And, since they were bringing the discussion to my turf, I had fewer inhibitions about rebutting.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was re-tooling the work.  I expanded some of the ideas, and added art as I saw fit. 

It took a little less than a year to produce the first draft of 72 Treatises.  The Treatises are based on those conversations, and contain the core ideas from “The Book.”  But now the work had grown into something different.. poetry.. prose.. dialogue.. word art.. negative space.. drawings.. diagrams.. paintings..

Several revisions occurred before the product was finished.  Meanwhile, an artist friend of mine named Mike Rigney started talking about a publishing company called “Lulu” [incidentally, the character of “Micha-El” is based on Rigney], which would publish anything that anybody uploaded to it, help market it if desired, permit the creator retain the copyright, and set their own price and royalty rate.  The trade off is that Lulu makes a percentage –extremely tiny.  Lulu does not proofread or edit in any way, and it is up to the author to self-promote.

I became intrigued because “LU.LU” (cun.) is the Sumerian term for “human being.”  It literally means “mixed being;” impling domestic animal labor, and over the years has come to mean “mixed up,” or “crazy” in modern English.  Why not do business with them?

Since then, 72 Treatises has been a steady international seller.  There are at present plans for two other books.  Whereas “Treatises” was heavily philosophical, the next will be more left-brained; incorporating mathematics, history, and metaphysical anatomy and physiology.  The challenge will be to make it more of a living document capable of pushing standard notions of “the book experience,” while still being a relatable page-turner.  One more book I want to write will recount my encounters with extraterrestrial, interdimensional, and trans-universal Intelligence.  This one will be a little more subjective and right-brained.

At present, all indications are that I will enjoy many, many more years of publification.

External links:
a1exanderga11ier.com
(r) E v o l u t i o n
In the Light YouTube channel