Nov 2009
SOLDIERS' CEMETERY
24/11/09
I’m enjoying a lunch at the Ellice Cafe (turkey BLT warp, only $6.00) while I wait to drive Paul home from his college class. I had a chat with Alan Mckenzie (editor, Bendecido Books) about the draft, unfinished manuscript for Turtle Dove. He had some good insights. I’m waiting for the same review with my wife Pat Hodgert, and with my publisher, Ray Blumenfeld. After those talks I’ll decide whether to continue to work on the draft, and, if I do continue, what I’ll do and how I’ll go about it.
In the meantime, work on the music goes on. For fun and feedback, here’s the lyrics from one of the songs from the putative soundtrack:
THE SOLDIERS’ CEMETERY
I walked the soldiers’ cemetery,
Where my father is not buried.
Rode the bus never taken by us.
I prayed to Christ Unrisen.
You said your love was temporary,
Lent to me as necessary.
Paid the debt, never had a regret.
I lived in debtors’ prison.
What is my position?
Will you unchain me?
I know I was your sweet Mad Hatter,
When my wishes did not matter.
Took the prize and a ton of your lies.
I pardoned your affliction.
I walked the martyr’s crematory,
Where I’ll never burn in glory.
Ground our lust till it crumbled in dust.
I prayed to God Unsightly.
Does it even slightly,
Does it matter at all?
There’s a moment on the other side of now,
When all our worries whistle past their grave,
When emptiness is filled,
When fears are blow away,
And young men never die to prove they’re brave.
I walked the martyr’s crematory,
Where I’ll never burn in glory.
Ground our lust till it crumbled in dust.
I prayed to God Unsightly.
Does it even slightly,
Does it matter at all?
Does it even slightly,
Does it matter at all?
Does it matter,
At all,
At all?
In the meantime, work on the music goes on. For fun and feedback, here’s the lyrics from one of the songs from the putative soundtrack:
THE SOLDIERS’ CEMETERY
I walked the soldiers’ cemetery,
Where my father is not buried.
Rode the bus never taken by us.
I prayed to Christ Unrisen.
You said your love was temporary,
Lent to me as necessary.
Paid the debt, never had a regret.
I lived in debtors’ prison.
What is my position?
Will you unchain me?
I know I was your sweet Mad Hatter,
When my wishes did not matter.
Took the prize and a ton of your lies.
I pardoned your affliction.
I walked the martyr’s crematory,
Where I’ll never burn in glory.
Ground our lust till it crumbled in dust.
I prayed to God Unsightly.
Does it even slightly,
Does it matter at all?
There’s a moment on the other side of now,
When all our worries whistle past their grave,
When emptiness is filled,
When fears are blow away,
And young men never die to prove they’re brave.
I walked the martyr’s crematory,
Where I’ll never burn in glory.
Ground our lust till it crumbled in dust.
I prayed to God Unsightly.
Does it even slightly,
Does it matter at all?
Does it even slightly,
Does it matter at all?
Does it matter,
At all,
At all?
0 Comments
Quid Pro Quo Vadis
18/11/09
Hi folks. Sorry I haven’t blogged for a while, but I’ve been busy on some interesting stuff. I’ll give a brief review here, then follow up with more detail on each item in future blogs.
First, on the book, the publishers and I are happy with the progress to date. Assuming receipt of a couple of orders that are expected shortly (touch wood), we are; 1) past break-even and into profit! (N.B. This was all down without ‘soft’ money of any kind - government, charitable, friends and family, etc. - i.e. all hard, for profit dollars), and 2) heading for 60%+ sell-out of the first printing.
On the critical front, we were disappointed with the reaction of one of the local papers, but thrilled with the reception by independent observers and book club websites. Finally, we (me and my musician friends Paul Hodgert, Tony Buchner, and Doug Anderson) were gratified by the excellent response to the live music.
The publisher, Ray Blumenfeld, and his associates at Bendecido Books; Alan McKenizie, Carol Lee, and Krista Kline did and are doing a great job on the editing, design, and marketing of the novel. I can never thank them enough. The latest thing they worked on was a package for presentation to a select few international publisher, to explore the feasibility of a joint venture for a more developed national and international distribution of Except My Love For You. The package is as snazzy as all their work! It has been sent. Whether or not something is worked out, we will all continue to get the book out there, by all means, including this blog.
“Great, but what kept you busy?” The answer is writing a second novel and the songs for potential inclusion therein. I started a second book some time back (working title ‘Turtle Dove’) but put it aside at about the 75,000 first draft stage - because it was getting emotionally tiring, and because there was lots to do to polish the music for EMLFY, and to sell, sell, sell. Recently, I went back to the manuscript and subjected it to a ‘machete’ edit in light of what I had learned on the freshman effort, working with Ray, Alan, and Wayne Tefs. Turtle Dove has more characters and a more complicated plot than EMLFY. Too many? Too complicated? Where to go from here? How to finish? Whether to finish or to start over? I felt bogged down by these issues, so I took a side step to work on some new and old songs that might or might not go into the next novel. Or is it a novel? Maybe a play, or a stage-play, or a screen-play?
I had a coffee with Wayne to talk this over. He was very helpful, and is standing by if I want to engage him to review the manuscript from a quo vadis (wither goest thou?) point of view. I told him I would, like the first time, start with my homies. So Pat Hodgert, Ray, and Alan are now reading the draft, partial manuscript. They will shortly let me know whether I should goest fly a kite, or carry-on - in one form or another.
For the last couple of weeks I have been, as stated, working on some songs, not only for possible use in a second work, but also in their own right as songs/recordings. I’m also rehearsing performing the songs, to be ready to record and to use them in marketing, as I did for EMLF. However, I am also interested in live performance in general, again in its own right, and as an aid to something else. Accordingly, I’m trying to nail down an ‘act’. This would take the form of two or three songs for an open mike, then six or seven songs for a coffee house type set, then whatever. For example, I’m working on a set including the songs Except My Love For You, Give Up (new, and one of the Turtle Dove candidates), and All I Have to Say (ditto). If I felt like a cover was required, I’d use a Beatle song or something as familiar. Because Tony’s in Mexico, Paul is doing exams, and Doug is into his own recording project - I am practicing the set as a solo act. If, as, and when I get up the courage, I would likely inflict myself on the open mike that is part of the regular 8:00PM Thursday night shows at Gordie’s Coffee House in the Gordon King Memorial United church at 127 Cobourg Street, west off Henderson Highway. www.myspace.com/gordiescoffeehouse
Final Note: The Boat Song will be posted by year-end. I promise!
Too much information?
Okay,
Au revoir
First, on the book, the publishers and I are happy with the progress to date. Assuming receipt of a couple of orders that are expected shortly (touch wood), we are; 1) past break-even and into profit! (N.B. This was all down without ‘soft’ money of any kind - government, charitable, friends and family, etc. - i.e. all hard, for profit dollars), and 2) heading for 60%+ sell-out of the first printing.
On the critical front, we were disappointed with the reaction of one of the local papers, but thrilled with the reception by independent observers and book club websites. Finally, we (me and my musician friends Paul Hodgert, Tony Buchner, and Doug Anderson) were gratified by the excellent response to the live music.
The publisher, Ray Blumenfeld, and his associates at Bendecido Books; Alan McKenizie, Carol Lee, and Krista Kline did and are doing a great job on the editing, design, and marketing of the novel. I can never thank them enough. The latest thing they worked on was a package for presentation to a select few international publisher, to explore the feasibility of a joint venture for a more developed national and international distribution of Except My Love For You. The package is as snazzy as all their work! It has been sent. Whether or not something is worked out, we will all continue to get the book out there, by all means, including this blog.
“Great, but what kept you busy?” The answer is writing a second novel and the songs for potential inclusion therein. I started a second book some time back (working title ‘Turtle Dove’) but put it aside at about the 75,000 first draft stage - because it was getting emotionally tiring, and because there was lots to do to polish the music for EMLFY, and to sell, sell, sell. Recently, I went back to the manuscript and subjected it to a ‘machete’ edit in light of what I had learned on the freshman effort, working with Ray, Alan, and Wayne Tefs. Turtle Dove has more characters and a more complicated plot than EMLFY. Too many? Too complicated? Where to go from here? How to finish? Whether to finish or to start over? I felt bogged down by these issues, so I took a side step to work on some new and old songs that might or might not go into the next novel. Or is it a novel? Maybe a play, or a stage-play, or a screen-play?
I had a coffee with Wayne to talk this over. He was very helpful, and is standing by if I want to engage him to review the manuscript from a quo vadis (wither goest thou?) point of view. I told him I would, like the first time, start with my homies. So Pat Hodgert, Ray, and Alan are now reading the draft, partial manuscript. They will shortly let me know whether I should goest fly a kite, or carry-on - in one form or another.
For the last couple of weeks I have been, as stated, working on some songs, not only for possible use in a second work, but also in their own right as songs/recordings. I’m also rehearsing performing the songs, to be ready to record and to use them in marketing, as I did for EMLF. However, I am also interested in live performance in general, again in its own right, and as an aid to something else. Accordingly, I’m trying to nail down an ‘act’. This would take the form of two or three songs for an open mike, then six or seven songs for a coffee house type set, then whatever. For example, I’m working on a set including the songs Except My Love For You, Give Up (new, and one of the Turtle Dove candidates), and All I Have to Say (ditto). If I felt like a cover was required, I’d use a Beatle song or something as familiar. Because Tony’s in Mexico, Paul is doing exams, and Doug is into his own recording project - I am practicing the set as a solo act. If, as, and when I get up the courage, I would likely inflict myself on the open mike that is part of the regular 8:00PM Thursday night shows at Gordie’s Coffee House in the Gordon King Memorial United church at 127 Cobourg Street, west off Henderson Highway. www.myspace.com/gordiescoffeehouse
Final Note: The Boat Song will be posted by year-end. I promise!
Too much information?
Okay,
Au revoir