The Author Reads Snippets of Your Silent Face

Finally got a chance to record a few snippets from Your Silent Face—my self-published coming-of-age novel set in Flint, Michigan in the mid 80s. These are from the “front of the book.” The entire novel is narrated by the protagonist, Stuart Page. These three snippets are meant to provide a glimpse of Stuart’s continuous internal monologue as he drifts across the East Side of Flint, as well as his perception of his surroundings.

“The reader will likely be reminded of Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel High Fidelity or possibly Richard Linklater’s 1993 film Dazed and Confused; Lane’s tale is similarly episodic and digressive and more dedicated to re-creating the feeling of a time and place than telling a cohesive story. Even so, the sharp prose and inviting energy help it to succeed where similar novels fail. Readers will enjoy following Stuart’s thought processes, wherever they lead.” —Kirkus Reviews

Key words: fiction, coming of age, 80s music, New Wave, Gen X, Rust Belt, Native American, graffiti, urban poetry

*Your Silent Face is a semi-autobiographical novel. Names, characters, places and incidents have been exaggerated if not totally altered or recreated for artistic and thematic purposes and are used fictitiously.

Your Silent Face

By Lane, Tim

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Shoplifters of the World trailer

When will I be seeing this film, you ask? Like, how soon is now???

Well, soon, anyway, after it comes out.

I have actually probably become a bigger Smiths fan as an adult. I was totally into them in the mid 80s; their earlier tunes (pre The Queen Is Dead days) were always my favorites. And I have always regretted that this is one of those important alternative 80s groups that I did not see live (how in the heck did that happen). But they didn’t quite seem as necessary to me as they do to the characters in Shoplifters of the World.

I like the title, by the way.

I did, however, have a bonafide Smiths concert t-shirt from the Queen Is Dead tour. My friend, Mary, who went to a show, nabbed one for me, which was very thoughtful of her. I wore it a lot.

It seems like the look back at Gen X’s formative years is upon us. It makes sense. We’re in our 40s and 50s now. (Or maybe it just seems that way to me because I have spent the past six years writing my 80s novel, Your Silent Face, and also just recently read Rob Sheffield’s book, Talking to Girls about Duran Duran). The Smiths, though, seem to speak to a lot of 30 and 20 somethings, as well, as far as I can tell. I know that both of my kids like The Smiths, whom they had to hear blaring from my studio, or from the kitchen, when they were growing up.

My favorite song is probably “This Charming Man.”

Your Silent Face: The Playlist

This playlist is a companion to my 80s coming-of-age novel, Your Silent Face. Stuart Page is a protagonist obsessed with 80s New Wave and Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Divison. All of the tunes and bands in the playlist get a mention in the novel. The novel is available on Amazon.

Berlin Artist Tina Berning

The figurative illustrations, drawings, paintings, diaries, vignettes of Tina Berning have occupied my mind lately. I discovered the work on IG. Berning is based in Berlin. Berning’s illustrations are published world-wide.

I spent some time looking at the work here. It has stuck with me for days now.

First of all, I am drawn to the soft pastel colors (as well as the bolder ones), the drips, the painterliness of these vignettes. The thin, layered washes are so lovely. Layers always speak to me of the depth and complications of life, and they force a lot of “looking”—the eye takes over and the brain sits back.

Berning’s hand is great, as well. All of these drawings/paintings are so sure.

There’s so much range, here: complicated passages, monochromatic studies, elements of collage. One time a gallerist told me that my biggest asset was my inventiveness. Berning has an ample supply of it, plus so many other strong artistic qualities. It’s hard to pinpoint Berning’s biggest asset—I won’t even try.

There is also something very arresting about the eyes—the “gaze”—of these. I’m not sure what it is. Maybe this is what I am trying to work out in the back of my mind. Does the gaze reveal something about the figure or the viewer? Am I making too big a deal of it?

I would like to have a folder or a drawer full of her work, or one of the diaries. I am especially drawn to the visual diaries.

Screen shot of images from Berning’s 2017 diary.

Your Silent Face Makes Kirkus Reviews Magazine

Very happy to report that Your Silent Face was included in the Indie Book Reviews section of the March 1st issue of Kirkus Reviews Magazine (p.173). You can check it out here.

If you ever saw me at the counter of Strange Matter Coffee with my headphones, Your Silent Face is what I was working on!

Looking for my novel, Your Silent Face? Keep scrolling. I’ve provided links below. It’s available in all digital formats as a product on my site, at Amazon for Kindle and in the Apple Book Store for the Apple Book app.

And don’t forget to check out the Spotify playlist companion to the novel (scroll for link).

Thank you for visiting.

Your Silent Face

By Lane, Tim

Buy on Amazon

Your Silent Face: The Playlist

This playlist is a companion to my 80s coming-of-age novel, Your Silent Face. Stuart Page is a protagonist obsessed with 80s New Wave and Ian Curtis, the lead singer of Joy Divison. All of the tunes and bands in the playlist get a mention in the novel. The novel is available on Amazon.

British Artist Grayson Perry Interviewed by Ruby Boddington in Isn't That Nice

I had never really heard about the artist Grayson Perry until I found this interview. I like what he has to say about therapy and humor and academic art. You can find the interview here.

Image, Unusual Artist, created by Sam Jevon of Submit to Love Studios.

“ I think a lot of creative people are suspicious of therapy because of that; because they think their quirks are their creativity. Which is a huge mistake. I always describe it as someone coming to clean your tool shed – they don’t throw the tools out, they throw the shit out – and you can find the tools easier afterwards! So for me, therapy was incredibly useful. It wasn’t just about sorting out my emotional health but also it gave me a subject and a view of the world, almost as a philosophy, a clarity of vision. A lot of people think therapy is a woolly, spiritual experience. I would say it’s the opposite – it’s the most bullshit-free zone I’ve ever encountered.”

— Grayson Perry

A Visit to the Broad

I reserved a visit at the Broad in East Lansing, Michigan, today. I had already seen the Interstates of the Mind exhibition, but had not seen Seeds of Resistance. Below, I’ve included one image from Seeds and several from Interstates.

It was cool to be at the Broad. There are several exhibitions in rotation right now; I enjoyed Interstates of the Mind the most.

The Broad is doing pre-arranged visits right—you can reserve a slot online—and I appreciate that.

Beatriz Cortez, Salvadorian artist b. 1970

Generosity II, 2019

The sculpture, which resembles a satellite, and reminds me of the menacing machines in The Matrix, is a seed bank, storing seeds for future generations.

Screenprints and photolithographs by British artist, Eduardo Paolozzi (1924-2005).

Chakaia Booker, American b. 1953

Solar Flare, 2007

Philip Guston, American, b. Canada (1913-1980)

Driver, 1975

Delphian Gallery & Francisco G Pinzón Samper

I recently found some artwork that I really like on Delphian Gallery’s IG account. The artist is Francisco G. Pinzón Samper, and the gallery is located in London. I have posted a pic of the painting that grabbed my attention, but there were many others.

You can find Delphian Gallery on IG or Facebook. I wasn’t able to find a lot about Francisco G. Pinzón Samper online, but you can find this artist on IG, as well, as @sanfranciscodebogota.

Isis, by Francisco G. Pinzón Samper

@sanfranciscodebogota

Poem Begun In August

This is another old poem, written around 2004. I still enjoy performing this one, when the moment is right. It is also featured in Pure Pop, which is free (scroll down).

Thanks for stopping by the website.

Three Houses, One Home, 2004, 40”x30” on canvas

Pure Pop

$6.99

Pure Pop was released in 2007 by the wonderful folks at Revelator Press. Here it is in its original format! You can still find other downloadable titles at revelatorpress.blogspot.com.

“Pure Pop is just that—a little bit of Coke, a little bit of homage to the Pops of the New York School, and a lot of heart. Tim Lane’s gracefully fluent lyrics are celebratory, immediate, full of feeling, and full of life. Without falling into sloppy sentimentality or clunky derivation, Lane conjures his own world while stealing fire from the masters.”

Lisa Jarnot / author of Black Dog Songs and Ring of Fire and more

Pure Pop delivers all of the delicious, unmitigated pleasure implied in its title. Tim Lane’s poems, jubilant and experientially engaged, prove that joy too is serious stuff.

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