In this installment of the Rock is Lit Season 4 Reading Series, Michael T. Fournier shares an excerpt from his debut novel, ‘Hidden Wheel’ (2011), and explores the musical influences behind the book, along with his experiences as a musician with the bands Dead Trend and Plaza.
About ‘Hidden Wheel’: When an art scene takes root in a pop-up colony called Freedom Springs, micro-visionary Ben Wilfork promotes the giant, autobiographical 600 square foot canvases of former chess prodigy and high end dominatrix Rhonda Barrett using his Hidden Wheel as a bridge to the future before pre-Datastrophe history completes itself. It's a book about the scams of the modern age—artistic self-promotion, corporate infiltration of hipsterdom—and it's hilarious. At the same time this is a philosophical literary work that dissects hipsterdom to get at the core of what it's all about. A must-read for art fans, punk fans, anyone who wants to know how the truly original ideas can get subsumed by the corporate machine—and how to save them. Told in an intriguing intersecting point of view style, this is a powerful short novel by an emerging talent.
Bonus Content: Michael also offers an exclusive glimpse into his forthcoming novel, ‘The Impasse’, sharing an excerpt that promises more of his signature mix of insight and edge.
Don’t miss this exciting episode as we dive into the intersection of art, music, and literature with one of the most original writers on the scene.
Bio: Michael T. Fournier is the author of the forthcoming novel ‘The Impasse’ (St. Rooster Books 2024). Previously, he wrote ‘Double Nickels on the Dime’ (Continuum/Bloomsbury, 2007), ‘Hidden Wheel’ (Three Rooms Press, 2011) and ‘Swing State’ (Three Rooms Press, 2014). He graduated from the University of Maine's MA program, where he won the Steven Grady Award for fiction. Fournier has toured the United States extensively—twice through successful crowdfunded prerelease campaigns.
His writing has appeared in ‘Razorcake’—America's only non-profit punk magazine—as well as ‘Pitchfork’, ‘McSweeney's Internet Tendency’, ‘Vice’, ‘Electric Literature’, ‘Oxford American’, ‘Boston Globe’, and more.
Mike is the co-editor of ‘Zisk’, the baseball zine for people who hate baseball zines. He's the drummer and main songwriter for Dead Trend, and plays bass in Plaza, Cape Cod’s #1 band.
MUSIC IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
Rock is Lit theme music
[Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop”
Rites of Spring “Hidden Wheel”
Dead Trend “Age of Consent”
Super Team—No Copyright music/NCS/copyright free music/music for YouTube
Plaza “Fat Half”
Echo & The Bunnymen “The Killing Moon”
The Cure “Pictures of You”
Black Flag “Rise Above”
[Guitar Instrumental Beat] Sad Rock [Free Use Music] Punch Deck—“I Can’t Stop”
Rock is Lit theme music
LINKS:
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Michael T. Fournier’s website: https://www.michaeltfournier.org/
Michael T. Fournier on Instagram: @xfournierx
Michael T. Fournier on Facebook: @MichaelT.Fournier
St. Rooster Books website: https://stroosterbooks.bigcartel.com/
Three Rooms Press website: https://threeroomspress.com/
Bloomsbury Books website: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/
Dead Trend on Bandcamp: https://deadtrend.bandcamp.com/
Plaza on Bandcamp: https://plazacapecod.bandcamp.com/album/adult-panic
Christy Alexander Hallberg’s website: https://www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/rockislit
Christy Alexander Hallberg on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube: @ChristyHallberg
Rock is Lit on Instagram: @rockislitpodcast
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