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Rock Revival is Here!
It’s a bit late in the day over here, but the day is not quite over. Today, Rock Revival makes its way into the world. It’s hard to encapsulate just what it feels like to put a book out like this. Technically, it’s my second published novel, but it’s my first non-genre novel, so it’s a bit like starting all over again. Genre has been very good to me, but I can’t say it’s all of me. Music has been such a deep, essential part of my life for so long, and I wanted to write this book to bring to life what I felt was a plausible story — not…
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The Sound of October Revival
One of the things I’m most excited about regarding 2018 is the release of Rock Revival. The book took shape about 5 years ago, right after the birth of my daughter. No, it’s not a genre book. Yes, I’m usually a genre writer, but to be quite honest I’ve never seen myself as a genre writer exclusively. It’s just how things have mostly shaken out. Music is a huge part of my life. It always has been. I’m lucky to have grown up in recording studios and always surrounded by the sounds of people singing, playing guitars, and plugging in amplifiers. Both my sister and I have been singing Beatles…
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Being as Good as My Word: On Getting Distance from Writing
Writers. We’re a funny bunch. I fully believe that in order to cope with the general stress and chaos of having many worlds and stories and people in our heads, we impose odd deadlines and limitations on ourselves. We don’t always share these with the masses, and some of them are downright personal. But it helps us make sense of all the fractal patterns spinning around us on a daily basis. Because otherwise I’m pretty sure we’d never get anything done. I do this quite frequently. And after the nine months of writing drought that came during pregnancy, I wrote a little book called Rock Revival about a fictional rock band.…
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Perception, Imagination, and Experience: “Stairway to Heaven” and Melodies Unheard
What do John Keats and Led Zeppelin have in common? More than you think, if you're me.
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Thoughts On John Lennon
Yesterday was the anniversary of John Lennon's death. 32 years have passed since that fateful walk, when the world was forever robbed of a mad, genius, restless, beautiful soul.
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Rock Revival: Draft Zero
I’m very happy at the moment. This weekend I finished the first (zero) draft of Rock Revival. Now, I know, I’ve written books before. I’ve figured out “the method” or whatever of “being a writer” and all that jazz, sure. Except, since having my surgery in 2010 I hadn’t actually finished a novel. Yeah, there was that pregnancy thing that accounted for nine months. But about three weeks after the baby girl was born, I started Rock Revival to my own surprise. I mean, I had other books to write. Speculative books. Good books, surely! Yet, for whatever reason, it’s the story that wanted to be told first (in spite of my…
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The middle of Octember.
These -ember months do seem to pile up rather quickly, don’t they? Last week I went away to the West Coast, spending some time with family. I don’t know what it is about me, but every single time I make a trip like that I somehow think I’m impervious to jet lag. The truth is, I’m terrible with jet lag. Eastbound is nuts. It’s almost been a week and I still haven’t acclimated, not even close. So the last few nights I’ve been up well past 2 AM, then up again at 3 AM with the little girl. So lucidity is not exactly my strong point at the moment. Anyway,…
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‘Cause I’m Short On Time, I’m Lonely and I’m Too Tired to Talk
The above lyric is from Keane’s “Can’t Stop Now” and it’s apropos for more reasons other than I just like the song. Life, in short, these days, has been nothing short of OMGWTF. I really don’t want to go into the details, ’cause honestly, this blog ain’t that sort of thing. We’re okay. We’re managing. But I hadn’t been able to write a lick in the last almost three weeks due to the insanity of life as of late but… BUT! (Oh, shit, she’s whippin’ out the caps) I wrote last night and came close enough to the middle mark in the novel that I will call it 50% finished.…
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You built it up brick by brick…
Well, Rock Revival is officially at the 1/3 mark. 25K isn’t a novel, true, but it’s more than I’ve written in quite some time. In spite of crazy busy baby stuff, job hunting, and a visit to the beach with the husband’s entire clan, I’ve been crawling along. Some days have been painfully busy and writing hasn’t been an option, but I usually make up for it. If I could actually type for long periods on the laptop, it might be a way to bolster the word count; but alas, that’s likely never going to be unless Apple actually starts designing products with ergonomics in mind rather than the “ooh, shiny!’…
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I can’t stay here to hold your hand, I’ve been away for so long
That's a Neko Case lyric, from "The Next Time You Say Forever" from Middle Cyclone. It sums up things nicely for where the book is going right now.
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GeekDad Post: Geeking Out With the Beatles
Geeking Out With the Beatles: The Magic of Music and Melody on a Young Mind Photo: dunechaser Not only do I love Rock Band, but the Beatles also happen to be my favorite band in the entire world that ever was or will be from now until the end of the world. Suffice it to say, as The Beatles: Rock Band gets closer to release, I’m struggling to suppress my glee. I don’t just dig early or late Beatles, or psychedelic or 65-66 Beatles (though, if pressed, that is my favorite era)–I love all the Beatles. And if it wasn’t for the Beatles, there’s a chance I’d be far less…
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GeekDad: Top 10 Geeky Instruments
By way of a wee announcement, my first post is live over at the GeekDad blog. So, even though I’m not a dad, I am a geek… so I’m a GeekMom! I’m really excited to be part of this deliciously geeky group of guys and gals! I know it says it’s by Michael Harrison, but that’ll soon change. Top 10 Geeky Instruments By Michael Harrison May 1, 2009 | 8:00 am | Categories: Armchair Geek Jay Cartwright and his Marvelon. Photo: Lemming Malloy “Music self-played is happiness self-made,” or so say They Might Be Giants. Not only can playing music make you happy, but, according to research, it can also…
