Authors are typically in the habit of posting positive reviews of their books — even from online reviewers — but being the type of person that I am, I thought I’d dwell on the negative.
Here’s one from an online reviewer who goes by the name of “QuiteTheHuman”–
Now here’s her review of PERMANENT OBSCURITY:
I feel it’s only fair to begin this review with the acknowledgement that I am a snob. I could see someone enjoying the plot of this story. It has touches of a gritty tale of self-destruction, though it‘s a bit meandering. I just couldn’t get into it. More than anything, I found the voice of the narrator irritating and inconsistent. Her story is certainly written in what one may find the believable tone of a drug-addicted sexploitation artist, particularly the dialogue, except there are frequent uses of advanced vocabulary that I find jarring to the effect of the painful New York slang. I think writing first person in a solid voice does require talent, and plays an important literary role, I just have a hard time when the choice of voice is so unintelligible. Again, I’m a snob, and that may account for my entire low opinion. There’s just a quality missing for me.
The story itself is a bit offensive, from a lesbian perspective, but I suppose the characters aren’t so much sexually aware as they are simply sexually open. From a feminist perspective it’s just quite sad, but women like these characters do exist and personal growth is not always the reality. I wonder at the point, though, of turning this into a novel. It seems to make light of the trials and traumas it addresses, while not managing to be funny or entertaining or sexy in place of having a well-developed message. I’d say give it a miss.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Author’s Rebuttal:
QuiteTheHuman,
Thanks for reading and reviewing my exploitation novel, PERMANENT OBSCURITY. I’ve just read your review, which I see is unfavorable. And, no, I don’t think of you as a “snob.” Thanks for reading my bohemian tale of two failed artists — and for taking the time to share your feelings and thoughts.
Now, regarding these characters, I do believe this is true: “the characters aren’t so much sexually aware as they are simply sexually open.”
Neither character has reached the point of acknowledging who or what they really are. They don’t “identify” as lesbian. And I see this all the time in real life, female or male. In fact I would suggest that few of us really know who we are in most ways. I’m only saying this maybe ’cause I’m “old” — in my 40s. And I’ve seen it happen time and again: I mean, people identifying as top or bottom, gay or straight. Sexuality and sexual taste is also in flux, although others might simply call that — that inconsistency — indecisiveness or moral cowardice. But the truth is — regarding their sexuality, religious and political beliefs — people are often conflicted. Rather than resolve things — sort out this tangled mess — we simply live with it, living our lives as best we can, often in compartments (today I’m feeling straight, today I’m feeling gay, today I’m feeling a bit transsexual with a touch of the flu). To quote a line from PERMANENT OBSCURITY: “You better recognize this fact: People are complicated.”
I don’t like “message” books and I’m not religious, although I understand the need early on to moralize. To clearly define right from wrong. The truth is: most of us live in a fog, spiritual and moral. Most of us commit acts that are immoral, sooner or later. When you’re young it’s certainly not something we want to acknowledge or embrace, because we all want to be good, the “good person.” If you want to peer into the dark side of human nature, just look Abu Ghraib. We are those prison guards — you and I. To be “politically correct” is to deny a large and unpleasant truth regarding human nature. I would even suggest that it is dangerous to deny the essential darkness in our hearts. Might it not be better to acknowledge that side exists — and keep that pit bull on a tight leash?
All this is just my opinion now. And I don’t pretend to know a lot. Thanks for reading. Sincerely. And thanks for sharing your opinion, which is absolutely valid and welcome.
I hope some of your friends might also read PERMANENT OBSCURITY and share their opinions. Because the more opinions we have, the more opportunities we have to better know ourselves, right? Even if we are unknowable.
(By the way, what is a “sexploitation artist”? I’m not sure what that means. But it sounds kinda fun. Would Larry Clark or David Lynch be considered one? Or even Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton? Just curious. 
“‘A sexploitation artist’? Really? I thought I was just being me.”
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| PERMANENT OBSCURITY: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Dolores Santana (as told to Richard Perez) Richard Perez's PERMANENT OBSCURITY on Amazon |
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IS THIS EXPLOITATION NOVEL RIGHT FOR YOU?
"Notebook" for the novel --> http://permanentobscurity.com/
I need to emphasize that PERMANENT OBSCURITY is not "erotica," although it has BDSM overtones (leaning toward so-called "femdom"). It's really a dark comedy about bohemia and the difficulty of relationships (female/male and female/female) and finally the big question for anyone in the arts (or in the tabloid media): sudden fame vs. permanent anonymity. The style of the novel is inspired by '60s over-the-top sexploition films like those of Russ Meyer (FASTER PUSSYCAT KILL KILL, BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS) and those Something Weird Videos, like A SWEET SICKNESS and BAD GIRLS GO TO HELL [so-called “cautionary tales”]) -- updated to the Bush era (circa 2006).
PERMANENT OBSCURITY: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Dolores Santana (as told to Richard Perez)
Written in the 3 parts:
PERMANENT OBSCURITY: PART 1 - THE KINKY HOOK
Whereupon we are introduced to Dolores and Serena and their kinky shenanigans.
PERMANENT OBSCURITY: PART 2 - STRANGE HUNGERS
Whereupon Dolores and Serena grapple with relationship/sexuality issues, life-threatening drug dealers, irreversible money woes. Culminating in a desperate attempt at making a so-called "femdom" film.
PERMANENT OBSCURITY: PART 3 - NO MAN'S LAND
Whereupon Dolores and Serena find themselves in a place not expected. Namely, hell.
PERMANENT OBSCURITY: Or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography and Death by Dolores Santana (as told to Richard Perez)
¤*.¸¸.·´¨`°*» PERMANENT OBSCURITY: the title and where it came from --> http://permanentobscurity.com/perm-obsc-origins-title.htm
¤*.¸¸.·´¨`°*» The subversive power of sexploitation:
pre-porn era sexploitation and its influence --
http://permanentobscurity.com/perm-obsc-sexploitation-1.htm
¤*.¸¸.·´¨`°*» BAD GIRL CINEMA (and its influence on the novel):
http://permanentobscurity.com/perm-obsc-origins-badgirls.htm
Buy now from AMAZON (U.S.) >> http://www.amazon.com/Permanent-Obscurity-Cautionary-Misadventures-Pornography/dp/0971341540
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~: About the Author:
Initially published small literary magazines, Richard Perez has also written for The New York Times (a newspaper he doesn't read.) His first novel, The Losers' Club (aka: The Losers' Club: Complete Restored Edition) has three foreign translations to date: Korean, Turkish, Italian. PERMANENT OBSCURITY: or a Cautionary Tale of Two Girls and Their Misadventures with Drugs, Pornography, and Death — his second novel — also reflects his infatuation with bohemia and willful nonconformists.
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