The Chronicle-Herald Novel year for SMU grad; Comeau took unique approach
to solve tuition cash Holly Fraughton An author who titles his novella Lockpick Pornography is probably going to get some attention - and that's the effect Saint Mary's University grad Joey Comeau has had in the literary world. The 25-year-old linguistics student had an exciting
final year at SMU, But Lockpick Pornography started out online. Mr. Comeau, who helps produce an online comic strip, needed tuition money for his final year of university. He decided to post chapters from his novel on the comic strip's website, asking for donations. After he received a certain amount, he would post the next chapter. In less than a week, he raised all the tuition money he needed. "It was the combination of desperation of not having the money and seeing the example of other people who had been putting their works online and also publishing them in print simultaneously," the Edmonton native said in an interview. Loose Teeth Press, an independent publishing company run by Mr. Comeau's friend Mike Lecky, was looking to publish an nconventional book. Mr. Comeau's online novel was just what Mr. Lecky was looking for. "He wanted to start with something that (a company like) Random House wasn't going to touch, and something that he believes in, but something that wouldn't get a voice elsewhere," Mr. Comeau said. Loose Teeth published the book in December 2005, with 1,050 copies produced for the first print run. Within three months, it was sold out. The novel is already being used at the University
of Pittsburgh for an It is also part of a graduate-level course at the University of Wyoming, which Mr. Comeau said he finds surreal. "The idea that someone at the graduate level is studying my work is just hilarious," he said. This January, he also optioned the film rights to
his novel to Gavin The novel contains some graphic scenes and controversial subject matter, but Mr. Comeau, who usually writes science-fiction stories, said he didn't intend to make a statement about sexuality. "There have been a couple of people who have disagreed with the politics of the main character and confused me and the main character, assuming that my politics are that of the narrator, which is not the case," Mr. Comeau said. Paul Fitzgerald, spokesman for Saint Mary's University,
said Lockpick "These are new times. Schools like SMU are diverse . . . and we're very proud of that," Mr. Fitzgerald said. Mr. Comeau said the response to the novel has been "overwhelmingly positive" and attributed the success to his decision to post the chapters online, because it allowed people to read for free and spread the word. "A lot of people thought it might hurt the print
sales of the book, but it Mr. Comeau is leaving on another North American book tour in two weeks and will be touring England for a month in the fall to promote the book. He has also contributed to a book of comics coming out this month.( 'It was the combination of desperation of not having the money and seeing the example of other people who had been putting their works online and also publishing them in print simultaneously.'
Joey Comeau, a SMU linguistics grad, holds a copy
of his book Friday in Halifax. The book is in use at several universities
across North America.
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