Exclusive Interview With Geoffrey Dicker (Conducted Fall 2006)

Q:Tell us about your book Sketches of Verbal Alchemy:
A: Sketches of Verbal Alchemy is a collection of short poems, designed to make the reader think about reality in a different way. I've mixed traditional and contemporary poetry with maxims and aphorisms, humor and seriousness in an attempt to take the edge off topics which are often labeled "serious." I truly believe that everything that has already been said can still be said better and what is represented in the book are a collection of sketches I have verbally drawn for the reader. People often get put off by the word "poetry," but I find that when someone flips through the book, there is a very positive reaction.

Q: How did this book come about?:
A: I was reading a lot of books about various metaphysical subjects and I started asking myself all kinds of questions about my belief systems. I started writing these questions and ideas down and before I knew it, I had accumulated over 500 pages of material. I started sending around a handful of sketches to colleagues and friends and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

Q: You've created a new form of punctuation. Can you tell us more about that?
A: (laughs). I've come up with a new punctuation - " ./? " which is pronounced "period slash question mark" and it's what I consider verbal alchemy to be: a statement that makes you question your answer.

Q:Why are the poems/sketches so short?:
A: I think it's best to keep these ideas short so they are not convoluted with extraneous words. In the MTV generation that we live in, people's attention spans have gotten shorter and shorter; therefore, by keeping the ideas as short as possible, there's a better chance of them making an impact. One of the great things about the book is that you can open it up to any page and have a few ideas to chew on for a while. I wanted the book to be as loose as possible, organized only by one- to six-line sketches. On any particular page, you might read about a spiritual topic, love, a breakup, a play on words or an observation. That's sort of the way life is. You never really know what to expect.

Q:Why did you decide to go independent?:
A: When I was editing the book, it was suggested that I should remove some of the sketches that might be construed as controversial and I flat out refused. Artistic integrity is something that I cherish most of all and I was not willing to be told how to edit my art in the interest of having a larger audience. Freedom of speech is something that is very beloved to me and in no way am I seeking to condemn or cause ill will to anyone or anything. I am simply suggesting that we take a deeper look at some of the things that we as a people have formed such strong opinions about. Also, in this day and age, I think it is very important for the artist to own the rights to their work because they created. A publisher is only a means of marketing and distribution and they should be treated as such.

Q:Who are your influences?:
A: I've always been an admirer of people that break the mold. By that, I mean people that seek to destroy labels and always try to challenge themselves to take everything to the next level. Certainly, in my life, two singers come to mind that have a large impact in the way I think: Prince and Jim Morrison. An odd combination, for sure. Prince's lyrics are often a perfect marriage of sex and spirituality, two subjects that are generally thought of as mutually exclusive. In addition, his work ethic is amazing to me. He always challenges himself to come up with a new idea - no matter how out there - and as a result, he sets the trends instead of following them.

What I like most about Jim Morrison's imagery is that it is so unique; it's often been emulated, but rarely successful. Decades later, his words are as impactful as ever. His words were often discredited due to his good looks, but the deeper you dig into his body of work, you'll find he was extremely intelligent.

Q:What's next?:
A: I'm collaborating with another writer on a coffee table book about my childhood experiences about when I used to collect celebrity autographs. My brother and I accumulated well over 20,000 signatures, and there are a lot of memories that we shared that we think will be interesting to people who are fans of pop culture.

Q: You said you have 500 pages of material. Can we expect: Sketches of Verbal Alchemy 2?:
A: I really want to try new things and new creative endeavors, but I guess time will tell. I don't want to repeat myself or get put in a box known for just one thing. I have given birth to some ideas for screenplays and some multi-media projects, so I am trying to nurture and develop those. Maybe one day, I'll release a special edition of the book with additional content.

Geoffrey Speaks - Winter 2008

Hello fans and friends!

I want to thank each and every one of you for making "Sketches of Verbal Alchemy" the huge success that it is!!! The last year has exceeded my wildest dreams, but I am not going to stop there! I've been extremely fortunate to work with a very gifted and talented singer named Jim Emmons (www.myspace.com/jimemmons) and we're going to be releasing our first full-length collection of songs called "In The Absence of Red" in February 2008. The album takes the listener on a journey of rock, pop, dance and jazz that will make you fall in love and believe in yourself in ways you never have before. I can't wait for you all to hear it! As always, I thank you for your continued support and words of encouragement. It means the world to me!

Here's to a great 2008!

Geoffrey