Welcome to International Fake Journal Month 2013!

What is IFJM?
Please read the page "What Is IFJM" for details.
Learn the difference between Faux, Fake, and Fake Historical Journals.

2019 IFJM Celebration
IFJM has been suspended indefinitely. Please read the pinned post about this below.

Participants who Post Their Journals
A list of 2018 participants who are posting their fake journals this year will appear near the top of the right side bar of this blog around April 6. Lists of participants who posted their pages in 2010 through 2017 appear lower in the same column. Please pay them a visit and check out their fake journals.

View a Couple of Roz's Past Fake Journals
Roz's 2009 fake journal takes place in an alternate Twin Cites, where disease has killed the human and bird populations. (It ends up being an upbeat tale of friendship.) Watch a video flip through of Roz's 2009 fake journal here.

Read an explanation of Roz's insanely complex 2011 fake journal.

Tips on Keeping a Fake Journal
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Remember, "Life's so short, why live only one?"


Saturday, May 12, 2012

April 30 in Roz's 2012 Fake Journal—the Final Entry


Above: April 30 in the 2012 fake Journal. This entry extends onto the endsheet of the inside back cover. I've cropped the image so that the boards of the cover can be viewed around the edges of the open book. Click on the image to view an enlargement. Read below for details.

Transcript:
April 30, 2012 6 a.
Samantha, I pondered this morning the idea of mug shots. None of us looks good in them. Not me, not Ronnie Biggs—I leave this sketch as a memento for you. I hope that they let you have it out of evidence.

Since we both know that you knew that I knew that you would have access to everything I wrote here are a couple parting points:

1. Police response time is easy to test with an ankle monitor—but yes I really was sketching clouds—I haven't burnt a pot of rice since I was seven, however.

2. Martha Stewart was right: ankle monitor removal is easy—especially if you have a "refrigerator repairer" friend who brings in tools. (You were busy searching so I didn't introduce you.)

3. Karl's note wasn't in code. The only really useful code with which to send notes is to have no code—to be the code. His message was to leave.

4. You were never going to find Jimmy Ping's list, no matter how many times you tossed my house. I'm the list. Hidden in plain sight. I keep the catalog of every fake Jimmy signed. I've been his memory since I joined the firm in 1984. He's dead now—if you'd been less rigid I might have shared…

5. Keep looking for the real "Boy in the red vest," because the recently recovered one is a fake…the worst I've ever done. Jimmy and Karl have never let me live down that awkward arm.

6. Tampax tubes make a great hiding place for rolls of cash. No one ever searches them—it's easy to make the wrappers look untouched.

One more thing. The truth about mugshots—we change. I don't look like mine at all any longer…

In some ways it's easier today to disappear than it was in Bigg's day (Especially if you're non-violent). And I have more internal resources than he did—since I don't crave what he craves.

Thanks to all those miles on the trainer I'm fit. I have a destination. (Help yourself to the resistence [sic] trainer wheel upstairs. It's top of the line. The Robbie Ventura "Race Day" video is great.)

Don't expect to see me again…but I expect you'll look.

Please turn out the lights when you leave. Thanks. SNT

[Note at base of back cover where bookbinder's signature is located: RMS 07.04.09
4.12.12 I really like this book and would get more but someone said you can't have hard covered books in prison because you can make skivs out of the boards. It will be a learning experience.

The journal is a 7 x 10 inch handmade journal containing Nideggen paper. The pen used is a Preppy fountain pen. The sketch was made with a 2B mechanical pencil on T.H.Saunders Waterford 90 lb. hot press watercolor paper.

9 comments:

Dana said...

ahhh... the best!

Dana said...

Wait! Is that the painting that was hidden in the car??? Oh now I have to hit Google... First... it's the train robbery guy... then the painting.

In the moment... wow!

Now I'm going back and read from the beginning.

GalleryJuana said...

What a gripping story and ending!

Roz Stendahl said...

Dana, Biggs isn't really part of this story. He's only "important" in that originally I was much more interested in mug shots and was going to do more sketches of them throughout the month, but then I realized she was just fascinated with this one mug shot and this one criminal who had been on the lam for so many years.

So don't look for more connections to Biggs. You'll just be frustrated.

Glad you enjoyed it!

Roz Stendahl said...

gallery juana, thanks for reading, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Roz

iona said...

I read your last entry and have been going backwards to read all the journal entries again. They make so much sense now! :)

Miss T said...

You're a terrific storyteller, Roz! I'm going to read all your entries again from the beginning.

Dana said...

I've just finished re-reading your... cancel that... SNT's journal. Interesting... her initials are all one letter up from yours... hmmm.

Roz Stendahl said...

Yep Dana, I didn't want to give this character a name, because I found at the end of the month she still didn't use a name to describe herself. Hence this easy resolution—because she needed to be able to sign her notes. Hmmmmmm.