Sunday Songs and Writing

I am sitting at the Murray Grove Retreat Center in Lanoka Harbor, NJ. For those who have NOOOO idea where that is or what it is CLICK HERE ..but come back. I am listening to the music of  Mthakathi. That is the Zulu name of this New Jersey AWESOME singer/songwriter.

He sings in English and Zulu and his songs are stories.

I associate songs to my life and the life of my characters. It is how I became so connected to the Jersey music scene. Mthakathi's music is rooted in the blues of the South African blues.

What music do you listen to? Are there songs that, as a reader or a writer, are there songs that remind you of your favorite characters?

Sunday Selfie: Mayberry, Stone Pony and Publishing

The last few weeks have been busy. No such thing as the summer doldrums. Last year at this time I was out of work and actively hunting. In addition, I was using the time to expand my editing, writing and I hoped, at the time, my dream of helping others publish. I was socially active, hanging out with friends but not actively looking for anything more than friendship.

We talk of planting seeds and harvesting the fruits of that process. What we cannot totally control is when our activities will bear fruit.

I found a full-time job in February. It is interesting and the salary is adequate if I am careful with my pennies.

And now the seeds that were planted on the editing and publishing are beginning to sprout. I privately edited, edited for a small press house and for various websites and ezines including CrypticRock.com(music and horror movies—check it out)

In the last three weeks, I have begun lining up editors, cover artists and others. Working with an experienced attorney, we are drawing up contracts for authors and service. The next hurdle is the initial construction of the website. While no small feat, the tools currently available make it easier than it might have been a few years ago.

As I have told, several people, this is an exciting and scary time. I am both a writer and business person. I have spent decades in banking and finance and take a practical and conservative approach to launching a business. I take the responsibility to authors, readers and distribution channels seriously. One of the risks of any new business is letting our enthusiasm get ahead of us. One of my key roles is vision keeper and focus channeler.

I am dating a great guy who gets major points for accepting and supporting my writer/publisher dreams and activities. We also enjoy music together and were at Southside Johnny at The Stone Pony yesterday. It is also nice to sit on the front porch with him for an evening cocktail or morning coffee. He swears I live in Mayberry. 

Fun times.

No road is perfectly smooth, but I am enjoying the high points and working to do it right.  Enjoy the moments always!

If the publishing thing intrigues you…follow me and Three Worlds Productions on Facebook and message me.

Tuesday Tune: Ulfric's Mate's Song --- Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas

I asked Leona Bushman, author of the Ulfric's Mate, to give me a song that she felt set the tone for that book. See the excerpt last week and watch for the review soon

She gave me :


Carry On My Wayward Son  by the 80's prog-rock band

Kansas

For the Book and the Series.

Do songs remind you of books or characters in them?  My character sketches include the music on their mp3.

Jumpin Back In: Diners, Starbucks and the Dinner That Wasn't

Jumpin Back In: Diners, Starbucks and the Dinner That Wasn't

So what happens when two profiles meet?

First there is the messaging back and forth hoping to find that next level of common interest and connection. All the while you are trying to determine if the person behind the profile is as advertised. If that happens and they are geographically desirable, you agree to meet for coffee (usually). I wonder if Starbucks measures it's participation in the online dating meet-up market? Sometimes it's a diner and sometimes it's dinner.

Ah, you say, she seems to have made some progress. Truth be told, I did. I have so far had an initial meeting with three different gentleman. All went acceptably well. One was at a diner, one at Starbucks and one was a rescheduled dinner in an outdoor café.

I had lunch with Diner Guy and it went reasonably well. No sparks, but pleasant. So when he invited me over to hang out with his neighbors, play horseshoes etc, I said okay. So I get there and the neighbors are on their way out to dinner. He was in the yard with their grown daughter. I'm thinking ooooookay, this is odd but we are outside and it's an easy dash to the car. About 30 minutes into this, a member of the local police shows up looking for the neighbor-wife as someone was being taken to the hospital and she needed to be there. Diner Guy asks if I want to take a ride to the restaurant they are at as she is not answering her cell. Duh…. I pass. In fact, I say that "this doesn't seem like a good time to do this" and head home. He texted an apology but that was too much oddness and drama for a first date.

Starbucks Guy was VERY friendly. Seemed very smart, business owner, overeager to impress I think. Showered me with too many compliments. Within 15 minutes he wanted to hold hands across the table. That just ended quietly. Fortunately, he left the ball in my court to initiate next contact. No chemistry and a bit of a turnoff.

So then there is Dinner Guy. We messaged and talked on the phone beyond frequently for at least two maybe three weeks. He invited me to meet him at a celebration for his son's birthday. Very tempting, we had been connecting wonderfully, but a family event as a first date was daunting even for a brave soul like me. So we agreed to meet two days later at a music event that I usually attend. I figured if it goes well all the better, if it doesn't I am in a familiar place.

The day arrives and I am truly looking forward to meeting face-to-face. At four o'clock my cell phone rings. It is the agency that my father's home health aide is hired through. She has had an emergency and beginning one hour from then she will not be at his house. They are trying to find coverage, but it is difficult. I am for this purpose an only child. So if an aide is not found, I'm it. I am to meet Dinner Guy at six. I go to my father's and after several phone calls and with a bit of a lump in my throat I had to tell him that we had to cancel. He was gracious and supportive stressing that Dad comes first and we left it at that.

Maybe.

More next week……..

If you missed the previous installments, scroll down.

Thursday Thoughts: You've Got a Friend

On the eve of Valentine's Day, as a single person I focus on friendships. As an author and a friend to musicians, artists, photographers and other creative people, I understand the tough road we are on. We are gripped by our passion and cannot do anything but pursue it. We are half a person, if we do not. But only some truly understand and appreciate that this is like breathing for us.

It is a hard calling and while some think they can go it alone, I will tell you that it is truly the rare person who can.

I write this from the perspective of author, but know that other creatives can substitute similar wording in for their chosen addiction. Of course did you choose it or did it choose you?

As we push on down our road we are subjected to the negative and, I hope, experience the positive.

We hear everything from outright negativity to what I call the placating negative.

Phrases like: Great so you are an author! What do you do for a living?
                    So you can write?
                    That really isn't a job right?
                    How nice.

And then there are the ones, sometimes your nearest and dearest, who voice their support but rarely if ever put that support into action. Do they promote your book, share your blog?

Musical interlude from Carole King


Then there are the real friends, the one's you should have in your inner circle, who are officially or unofficially on your street team. These are the ones who introduce you as the author, the musician (fill in the instrument and band name). Who read your book, write a review and tell all their friends they MUST read it.  Your real inner circle will be there to help you through your moments of doubt, to lift you up. They are the ones who send you links to review sites, conferences, articles or just an inspiring post or song.

So on Valentine's Day and EVERYDAY show some love to those friends and if you are a friend to a creative person, send some love and support their way. Creating can be a lonely job.

What keeps you going when the going gets tough? Feel free to give a shoutout to any those who keep your going.

The Music of My Muse

The Music of the Muse

Sorry I haven’t been around lately but I’ve been a bit under the weather.  Trying to stay awake and get some writing done, despite cold meds.  To get in the mood, I have my personal writing station on Jango running in the background.  It plays a mix of songs from bands I’ve designated and those thrown in by Jango.  I knew that music had the power to change my mood, so it followed that my characters would have music that represented them, both in general and in certain scenes. Right now, I’m listening to Bruno Mars “Grenade”.  It somewhat reminds me of Ekaterina Vilkas, the shapeshifting assistant to my Russian vampire, Baron Ivan Vasilievich.  She is hopelessly and obsessively in love with him.  She will do anything for him and in a dangerous extension of this, she will do anything to make him hers.  So I might add it to Kat’s song list.  Songs are not a perfect reminder fit my characters but they help me focus on them or the emotion of a scene. 

“Werewolves of London” belongs to Liam when he’s in one of his playful moods.  As his mood darkens and the moon grows full, he might switch to U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name”. When out driving, he listens to Bad Haggis. In his gloomier moments, The Doors and darker from there.

Micaela is a funny girl. She likes music but since there are so many things she doesn’t want to deal with she avoids associating things and herself with music.  As usual she’s holding out. As if on cue, Styx’s Crystal Ball started.  It now belongs to my MC Micaela.

Now I’m from New Jersey and here we have our own version of Coke vs. Pepsi and it’s Springsteen vs. Bon Jovi.  I like early Bruce, but I am a Bon Jovi girl.  Looking great from the front and rear doesn’t hurt, either.  So I find a lot of inspiration in his songs.  Welcome to Wherever You Are is a group song for my main characters who all seem to be on a journey to getting comfortable in their own skin (or skins, in some cases).

During fight scenes, it’s not about the lyrics; it’s the bass and the drum.

What do you listen to while you right? Is it about the character, the emotion, the location or the action?