A Note on the Editions in 'Tony Velvet'

A Note on the Editions. by David Christopher.

Clearly ‘Tony Velvet Live at Mount Sinai’ is not a typical piece of literature and some of the intentions of the author have called for some creative editing. The text is filled with fast-paced references and allusions intended for exclusively modern audiences as well as classical images, some of which predate the bible itself. One must be well apprised of many of the conventions of modern ‘pop-culture’ in order to catch all of the humour presented in the book, but it reads equally well with no appreciation of these items. The story itself is captivating and interesting as the author juxtaposes the modern horror of alien fear with a very casual, tongue-in-cheek perspective of the real, almost entirely self-absorbed psychology of an average person in day to day life. In fact, some of the horrifying images are even more startling as they come unexpectedly in the midst of the comic ramblings of the characters; characters who are simultaneously real, noble, arrogant, self-righteous, ridiculous, idiotic and lovable.
The author’s attempt to break some of the overwhelming rules of modern literacy poses a problem to the editor. How does one maintain the author’s creative desire to break rules and yet still edit within a framework of rules for a standardized text. Some of the following creative adjustments have been made.
Firstly, an intense desire to keep the extensive dialogue in the story moving quickly has prompted the author to use noun clauses in reported speech that are in and of themselves more than one sentence. Typically, in most texts, an individual noun clause of one sentence is placed in quotations and followed by an identifier of the speaker. The rest of that speaker’s speech follows in quotations without a new paragraph. In this text, however, often full speeches are written without identifying the speaker until the last full sentence of the speaker is ended with a comma and then the speaker is identified. Although unconventional, it quickens the pace of the dialogue but results in noun clauses that are several sentences long. Furthermore, new speakers represent new lines but are not indented, again, maintaining a faster paced dialogue. Neither are new paragraphs indented but separated by a spaced line allowing the author to create visual, almost poetic-styled changes in setting, situation and humour.
The dialogue of the speakers is maintained as highly colloquial, and therefore, often grammatically and syntactically incorrect. Conversely, I have tried to ensure that the text itself is grammatically accurate. However, as most of the text is dialogue, often the colloquy of the speakers is distracting, yet substantially realistic.
The use of modern colloquy as a vehicle for story-telling is not a new convention. It may seem contrary to the classical literature with which we have become familiar, but such is not the case. Many of the great authors in history have used the vernacular of their era and it is only in hindsight when the organic language of English has evolved that we view this archaic vernacular as highly formal or literary. This text represents what one might consider an unconventional period-piece of our own era.
With its use of casual, realistic dialogue, popular, modern conventions and belief systems ranging from aliens to Catholicism and beyond, and some clear opinions on the need for humanity to evolve, the author has created a refreshingly light-hearted look at modern secularism and religion. I’m sure that you will find yourself hilariously unenlightened once you’ve finished reading, but if you’re like me, you will hang on every word with delight. Enjoy.