Alexander Besher
Encyclopedia
Alexander Besher is an author of fiction and non-fiction. In addition to novels, screenplays and teleplays, he is a journalist
, consulting futurist on Pacific Rim affairs (for the San Francisco-based Global Business Network, the corporate future scenarios think-tank) and former editor of Chicago Review
and contributing editor of nfoWorld]'.
He wrote the internationally syndicated weekly column, "Pacific Rim," covering business trends, technology, and cultural trends for a period of six years for The San Francisco Chronicle. This led to his authoring and editing the compendium "The Pacific Rim Almanac" (HarperCollins, 854 pages).
Rim Triology, set in Japan in the 2020s an 2030s: Rim
, Mir, and Chi. The first of these, published in 1994 by HarperCollins
, was a Philip K. Dick Award nominee. The Manga Man, also called The Hanging Butoh, is the first novel in a new trilogy, "Dance of Darkness," followed by "The Black Tao." "The Manga Man' appeared in its first edition in 2008, with "Manga Man 2.0" appearing in February 2011. It's the first transmedia novel ever to be published on a cross-platform "sentient" T-shirt designed by the noted Italian graphic novel artist Daniele Serra. By clicking on the QR Code (Quick Response Code) imprinted on the front of the tee with a smartphone equipped with a free downloadable QR Code app, the user/reader gets instantly transported into the "Manga Man" universe, complete with mobile phone screen formatted novel, original Indie short film by distinguished San Francisco indie film maker Nara Denning, a taste of Serra's opening pages to the graphic novel based on the story, an original music soundtrack by Seattle electronic composer Diagrams of Suburban Chaos, various commentary extras, and a section entitled "The Butoh Show" that features an hour's worth of video performances by international Butoh dance performers; and finally (as a teaser), the first two chapters from the beginning of "The Black Tao," book two in the trilogy.
Besher is currently working on a "Kabbalah noir" (suspense/supernatural thriller/exorcism) trilogy. The first title "The Clinging" is a short novel based on his original screenplay by the same name. It marks the first time in more than forty years that William Peter Blatty (author of "The Exorcist" and Oscar-winner for best screenplay based on the novel) has ever praised any novelist: "I will break my decades old habit of never reading fiction to grab one of the first copies (of Besher’s new novel) . . . I shook my head in admiration, if not awe, and said, 'Wow! I think he's got it!’”--William Peter Blatty, author of "The Exorcist," "Legion" and "Dimiter." The sequel/prequel to "The Clinging" entitled "The Night of the Golem" was recently completed and the books and screenplays for the entire trilogy are currently being marketed by Besher's new manager in Hollywood and new literary agent in New York, along with a reprise of Besher's original "Rim Trilogy."
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, consulting futurist on Pacific Rim affairs (for the San Francisco-based Global Business Network, the corporate future scenarios think-tank) and former editor of Chicago Review
Chicago Review
The Chicago Review is a literary magazine published four times per year in the Humanities Division at the University of Chicago. It was founded in 1946. Three stories published in the Chicago Review have won the O. Henry Prize...
and contributing editor of nfoWorld]'.
He wrote the internationally syndicated weekly column, "Pacific Rim," covering business trends, technology, and cultural trends for a period of six years for The San Francisco Chronicle. This led to his authoring and editing the compendium "The Pacific Rim Almanac" (HarperCollins, 854 pages).
Early Years
Alexander Besher's formative years were in Japan where he grew up and lived for twenty years, graduating from Canadian Academy high-school in Kobe and Sophia University in Tokyo.Novels
Among his novels, three comprise the science fictionScience fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
Rim Triology, set in Japan in the 2020s an 2030s: Rim
Rim (novel)
Rim: A Novel of Virtual Reality, often shortened to Rim , was Alexander Besher's first novel. Set in the near future where virtual reality has dominated the economy and popular culture , commercial space travel is commonplace, and orbiting space hotels surpass the complexity of even the...
, Mir, and Chi. The first of these, published in 1994 by HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, was a Philip K. Dick Award nominee. The Manga Man, also called The Hanging Butoh, is the first novel in a new trilogy, "Dance of Darkness," followed by "The Black Tao." "The Manga Man' appeared in its first edition in 2008, with "Manga Man 2.0" appearing in February 2011. It's the first transmedia novel ever to be published on a cross-platform "sentient" T-shirt designed by the noted Italian graphic novel artist Daniele Serra. By clicking on the QR Code (Quick Response Code) imprinted on the front of the tee with a smartphone equipped with a free downloadable QR Code app, the user/reader gets instantly transported into the "Manga Man" universe, complete with mobile phone screen formatted novel, original Indie short film by distinguished San Francisco indie film maker Nara Denning, a taste of Serra's opening pages to the graphic novel based on the story, an original music soundtrack by Seattle electronic composer Diagrams of Suburban Chaos, various commentary extras, and a section entitled "The Butoh Show" that features an hour's worth of video performances by international Butoh dance performers; and finally (as a teaser), the first two chapters from the beginning of "The Black Tao," book two in the trilogy.
Besher is currently working on a "Kabbalah noir" (suspense/supernatural thriller/exorcism) trilogy. The first title "The Clinging" is a short novel based on his original screenplay by the same name. It marks the first time in more than forty years that William Peter Blatty (author of "The Exorcist" and Oscar-winner for best screenplay based on the novel) has ever praised any novelist: "I will break my decades old habit of never reading fiction to grab one of the first copies (of Besher’s new novel) . . . I shook my head in admiration, if not awe, and said, 'Wow! I think he's got it!’”--William Peter Blatty, author of "The Exorcist," "Legion" and "Dimiter." The sequel/prequel to "The Clinging" entitled "The Night of the Golem" was recently completed and the books and screenplays for the entire trilogy are currently being marketed by Besher's new manager in Hollywood and new literary agent in New York, along with a reprise of Besher's original "Rim Trilogy."
External links
- Alex Besher's Website
- Recent 2011 Interview (in German) in Buchwurm by Michael Matzer http://www.buchwurm.info/artikel/anzeigen.php?id=116