The Experiment: The Countdown Begins.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I proudly present to you the next exciting installment of the Steve Karmazenuk Experiment To Independantly Publish and Successfully Market His Novel, The Unearthing; The Experiment for short.

The news is beyond good. The final burst of "Hurry Up and Wait" has happened: The book went to press on Monday. It is oddly fitting that a book that I have worked so hard on, worked so dilligently thusfar to promote and produce, would go to press on the Eleventh of September, five years after The Event.

And although I promise to return to topic and talk about What Comes Next, I would like to comment on the date, itself.

September 11 is not just about the fall of the Twin Towers, but the Towers themselves are part of a greater symbology than one might think.

Yes, they are a symbol of the worst tragedy in modern American history; yes, they are a symbol of a moment that galvanized a nation and plunged the world into chaos. They are a symbol of heroes: the firemen and policemen who suffered the Ultimate Sacrifice, the brave men and women in uniform who followed, both in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In a very real sense the Fall of the Towers is a symbol of great change; change that comes at a terrible price.

That is certainly the meaning of the card, The Tower in most standard Tarot Decks. But there is only one Tower in a Tarot deck; so for two towers to fall, the card's alternate meaning, when the card is reversed, would be the one we would need to look at: A change for the BETTER that comes at a Terrible price.

And the date itself: September 11th; many, many important and significant events have happened on that day.

Let's look at a few:

--in 1226, eight hundred years ago this year, the Roman Catholic Church began the practice of perpetual adoration, a most significant religious vigil.

--in 1609, explorer and friend to all Canadian shoppers Henry Hudson landed on Manhattan Island.

--in 1773, Benjamin Franklin's satirical essay Rules by Which A Great Empire May Be Reduced To A Small One was printed for the first time, by The Public Advertizer.

--In 1814 the Battle of Plattsburgh ended, thus ending the War of 1812.

--In 1906, one hundred years ago, Mahatma Gandhi started the Non-Violence movement, Satyagraha.

--In 1943 the Nazis began liquidation operations in the ghettos of Minsk and Lida.

--In 1962 the Beatles recorded their first single, Love Me Do.

--Three years later on September 11 1965 the First Cavalry Division of the US Army arrived in Viet Nam.

Clearly, many great and terrible things have happened on this day. I hope that the ever-changing historical significance of this one day will carry with it some power to change my fate, once again.

September 11 2006: The Unearthing by Steve Karmazenuk goes to press.

November 13 2006: Official launch date ofThe Unearthing.

Another post will soon follow, outlining the next steps.