About the Book
Paying homage to the great Hunter S. Thompson, Fear of Imposing in Black Rock City takes you within a twisted voyage of otherworldly mental entwinement, upon the dusty grounds of the most psychedelic event on Earth, Burning Man. Another planet of sorts, just beyond the veil of one’s perception…where our frighteningly delightful fantasies race behind the grimy wheel of a bitchin 69’ Camaro, screaming towards a collision with our tragically mundane realities. At the guiding hand of an asshole with no sense of direction, chaotically stumble down this rabbit hole to discover the strange and peculiar occupants which dwell in our underbelly’s, underbelly society. This is not simply a story of one’s party in the desert, but a motif for the artistry of life itself.
About the Author
Within his unorthodox works, Eric Michael seeks to demonstrate a more dirt beneath the fingernails approach to the ideologies surrounding our mental and emotional human condition, overcoming trauma, spirituality, psychedelic drug use, otherworldly anomalies…but above all else, one’s journey towards their sense of self. Having lived through his childhood under the immense pressure of severe trauma, his only release had been through external dissociation and internal exploration of the mind, as he’d create worlds within worlds free from the brutalizing pain of his upbringing. What he was able to bring back from those places, was a writing style that teeters between the physical and non, fantasy and reality…as they work in harmony to help surface the purpose behind struggle, meaning within suffering, and the monumental message at its resolution’s end…the beginning of one’s true existence.
Instagram handle @ericmichaelstories
Qn 1: Can you tell us more about your book What is it about?
When I first set out to write this book, it was no more than a joke. A guide of sorts, full of silly tips and brutal quips. Meant for navigating a dust-ridden world of unimaginable clarity…with no greater intention than undergoing a hallucinogenic frenzy amongst the twisted, strange, and peculiar. However, through the process, it had become so much more than that. It became a story of radical metamorphosis, a comically tenacious and grotesquely rude evolution of mind, body, and soul. To truly tap into those taboos of desire, face our deepest fears, accept our hypocrisy, tend to our mental health, and oppose the influence of our modern society. This is not a story depicting the world’s most extravagant party…it is one of magic, mysticism, and existential magnificence.
The fact of the matter is, Burning Man is an incredibly harsh environment. This tale is no different. If you’re looking for an easy ride, you’ve punched the wrong ticket. So, sit up straight, strap in, rid your inhibition along with any sense of moral compass, and pour a glass of your cheapest whiskey. If you’re feeling gritty, this is your imposition of Black Rock City.
Qn 2: Who do you think would be interested in this book, is it directed at any particular market?
This book is truly for any and all who wish to dive within, coalesce fantasy with reality, and dare to imagine a world of their own creation. Burning Man is not simply an environment in which hosts a killer party for loosely wound hippies. It is a place for brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, lovers and fighters, young and old, punk rockers and smooth jazzers, misfits and role models, rebels and allies…all in arms, to join forces as one.
Some come for a spiritual experience, others for a sense of community. Some come because they love art, others because they love music. Some come to create, others to destroy. Some come for clarity, others to be lost in the madness. Some come to find themselves, others to run. Some come to be themselves, others to become someone else. Some come to dream, others to live. To get down to brass tacks, it doesn’t matter why they come…they all arrive to fulfil and enrich an existence, on their own journey of self-discovery. This story is no different, and its audience, for all.
Qn 3: Out of all the books in the world, and all the authors, which are your favourite and why?
If I had to pick a single book and author, it would have to be Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, by Hunter S. Thompson, my inspiration for this very book I have written. The eccentric, and stylistic portrayal of Gonzo journalism is a form expressed with true grit and absolute conviction. Much like intentionally scribbling outside the lines of a child’s diner placemat with Crayola crayons…its absolutely senseless direction and twisted humour are what allows for its delivery to be entirely sensible. Those deep, dark thoughts surrounding the issues we both face and refuse to admit to ourselves, finally relatable through another, unafraid of speaking his mind. That is the makings of a great storyteller.
Qn 4: What guidance would you offer to someone new, or trying to enhance their writing?
If you want to become a better writer, end the charade we have been perpetually programmed to believe is the correct or incorrect way to write, or better yet, tell a “story.” Putting pen to paper is one of the most passionate forms of artistic expression…and passion is chaos. An obsessive creation without room for structure and order. The great American novelists had not achieved what they did by following the guidelines or instruction of another, they did so by painting their canvas as wildly as the vast expanse of their souls and minds allowed. If you truly want others to hear you through your writing… then you must write as you would speak, express as you would feel, and tell that story as you would love.
Qn 5: Where can our readers find out more about you, do you have a website, or a way to be contacted?
Trailers for my work, contact information, as well as audio and illustration samples for my books can be found at my website, www.ericmichaelstories.com — I can also be found on Instagram, @ericmichaelstories
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