Cities and suburbs, real and imaginary.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

i have uncovered evidence...

i have uncovered evidence that author Barth Anderson is leading some kind of strange, double-life. I suspect, in fact, that he is actually twins.

look for yourself! I discovered this strange evidence right after enjoying my reading of the book "The Magician and the Fool".

If you pick up a copy of his latest book "The Magician and the Fool", go immediately to the last page in the book. Notice anything suspicious? No?

Okay, turn the page and look at the back cover.

a-HA! A SECOND, COMPLETELY DIFFERENT YET HAUNTINGLY SIMILAR AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY!

I shall post them both, and together we can sort out the true nature in this identity mess.

On the last page:

"ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barth Anderson is an award-winning author who has been reading tarot cards for over thirty years. His first novel, The Patron Saint of Plagues, received wide critical acclaim. Barth lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two children."

The second biography:

"BARTH ANDERSON lives in Minnesota with his wife and children. He has written short fiction for numerous publications and anthologies, and six of his stories have recieved honorable mentions in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror. He was the winner of the Spectrum Award for best short fiction in 2004. The Magician and the Fool is his second novel."

Now, what have we learned from this. Firstly, one of these Barth Andersons has won a Spectrum Award. The other merely nameless awards (for instance, "perfect attendence in high school", "first prize in the state fair for blueberry pie", and awards of this ilk most likely). Secondly, one wrote "Patron Saint of Plagues". The other merely wrote some kind of novel, of unknown publication history. Thirdly, one has two children somewhere in Minnesota, while the other has an unknown quantity of children in Minneapolis.

All in all, I suspect we are dealing with TWO men, both named Barth Anderson, both living in Minnesota, and both writing under the same nom de plume. They are pooling their accolades and awards, in general, and using their nefarious double-life to dupe the world. Perhaps they are both slow writers, who cannot produce enough, alone, to maintain their desired reputation. Perhaps they are merely laughing - LAUGHING - at all of us who do not see what is written right in front of our faces.

But he will not laugh at me, I tell you. No! I saw it! I saw both biogrpahies, and noticed the strange ommissions from one to the other.

I'm on to you, Barth Anderson, and you, Other Barth Anderson.

I'm watching you.

2 comments:

Pony English said...

In a funny round about sort of fashion, I read this book shortly after reading yours because Amazon recommended it to readers of your book. It wasn't all that bad.

Mark Teppo said...

Which one is Rosemount and which one is John C. Miles? That's what I'd like to know.