Tuesday, October 23, 2012

PREHISTORY OF SMOKING MIRROR BLUES


Smoking Mirror Blues has a long prehistory, and went through some bizarre transformations before it became the novel it is today. An earlier, shorter version of it was published back in the July 1993 issue of Science Fiction Age thanks to editor Scott Edelman.


Here's a closer view of the corner with my name:


Cybergod in L.A.” is headlinese for the actual title of the story, “Tezcatlipoca Blues.” According to Jamie Todd Rubin, "This was the first and only Ernest Hogan story that I have ever read and at first I didn't think I was going to like it but in the end I did."

I was struggling to sell it as a novel with that title. After a few phone calls in which I got to hear New Yorkers struggle to pronounce Tezcatlipoca, I decided to translate the wizard/warrior's name into English.

Tezcatlipoca Blues” has a wonderful illustration by Fred DeVita


Fred called the painting “Beto.” I have a framed copy of it in my house. His electronic teponaztle and Beto are pretty much dead on.

Fred has dropped off the interweb radar. Anybody know what happened to him? I can't seem to take a few steps without running into another mystery.

Maybe it's me. Maybe it's Tezcatlipoca.

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