Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Friday, September 23, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Friday, April 8, 2016
What Inspires Me to Write?
It never ceases to amaze me how a song can lead to a story idea. But, it’s not every song, just the ones that resonate with me in some emotional way. Sometimes, this has led to idea overload when I’m forced to avoid listening to these sources of inspiration until my imagination slows down.
My first novel, A Beautiful Girl, was inspired by The Story of Beauty by Destiny’s Child. Every time I listened to that song, I thought that someone ought to write a story based on its words. I didn’t realize I’d be the one writing that story many years later and finish the first draft in two months. This book of hope has touched the lives of the many people who have read it so far and continues to do so.
By the time the idea for Billiard Buddies came along, I’d discovered Colbie Caillat and couldn’t get enough of her Coco album. Combine that with an appreciation for Billiards and strong female characters, out came a delightful story worthy of a cup of your favorite hot beverage and a comfy sofa.
If It Kills Me, a story currently in contract, barely preceded Billiard Buddies with the discovery of Lucky, sung by Colbie Caillat as a guest on Jason Mraz’s We Sing album. When I heard Jason’s song If It Kills Me, I was hooked after only the first listen and the plot fell into place.
Another bonus is that I find it easier to edit a story if I replay the song that inspired its birth. Scenes fly onto the page on the wings of sound. I’m merely writing what’s dictated to me by the characters acting out their lives in my mind. Music not only inspires me to write, it’s the lifeblood of the stories I share with the world.
What song will inspire my next story?
Cassandra Ulrich was born on the beautiful island of St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands, located east of Puerto Rico. Living in the tropics fueled her imagination and daydreams. For years, she wrote poetry and entered competitions. However, only many years later did she discover joy in writing stories longer than a few pages.
She published her first young adult novel, A Beautiful Girl, in April 2011. The inspirational novel has already touched many hearts ranging from teens to adults. Her second novel, Love’s Intensity, is a teen paranormal romance and was released on July 11, 2013. Her third, Billiard Buddies, a New Adult romance novella, was released on May 24, 2014. In June and August 2014, she also released two poetry books, “Real Purpose: You Are Special” and “Life Experienced,” written while in high school and college.
Cassandra can be found on Facebook, Twitter, her Blog, and her Website.
Monday, March 14, 2016
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Friday, December 20, 2013
Writing 2.6 - What to Write About
Guest Blog by Rich Voza, originally presented on his blog, Brainsnorts: Trashing Today for a Better Tomorrow. You can see it here.
Preface 1: I started this post thinking it would only be about three paragraphs, maybe 300 words. Not so.
Preface B: I am not writing this to criticize anyone’s blog or suggest that anyone should do anything any differently than what they’re happy and comfortable doing on their blog. I’m writing this because I’ve been asked a similar question, and I’ve seen similar questions posted on other blogs, so this is an extensive answer either to those bloggers who have asked or those who are thinking of the same question but haven’t yet asked it. I’m not suggesting that I’m any kind of a blog authority or writing lord. I’m nothing of the kind, but I like questions, both asking and answering, and I like being thorough. Sometimes. Also, these are my thoughts only. Every other blogger in existence might disagree with me, and that’s not only okay but probably good.
So my goal was to make it a little entertaining and perhaps make someone smile a little. I admit that it gave me a little extra boost when someone with whom I worked a long time would reply to my e-mails and tell me how funny I was or that they never realized this other side to me. I tend to be very boring and monotonous in person until I get to know someone well enough to unleash the demon known as – Rich. After enough people said, “You really should be writing for a living, or writing comedy, or host a game show or something,” I agreed, but I still wasn’t sure what to do about it. So far, this blog is all I’ve done about it. But this post isn’t about me, although it certainly seems to be going that way. This is about you. Well, not you personally, but those of you who have asked me or posted questions about blogging.
Over the past two weeks I’ve seen more than the usual amount of blog posts in which someone did one or more of the following:
I’ve also seen blogs on which the author posted a poll asking readers to vote for a favorite topic on which the author should mainly focus. Movies? Television? Music? Books? And I’ve also seen the blogs on which an author begins a story and asks readers to make suggestions on which direction the story should take. Now that I’ve made you read through about 600 words, I’ll get to the point, but it’s nothing you haven’t heard before.
If you’re not sure what to write about, most people say, “Write what you know.” I disagree. I say, “write what you feel.” If you see a movie you love – write about it. If you read a book that bores you, or turns you on, write about it. If a driver on the road next to you does something that pisses you off and you’re thinking of giving her a flat tire, write about it. If you love to cook, take pictures of the process, sketch the details of the recipe, and write about it. If you love sports or political debates, park your laptop in front of the television, take notes, and write about it. And if you find yourself strangely attracted to the female news anchors of CNN, well, maybe you should keep that to yourself. You shouldn’t just write about things or topics without specifying how those things affected you. I don’t need you to tell me what the movie was about. I need you to tell me how it made you feel. If all I want are the facts, I’ll watch the news. No, not Fox News. Duh, I said “facts.”
He had a counter argument. “But blogs with specific topics have more readers than blogs that don’t have a specific focus.” Yeah, he’s right, but that’s because there are people out there who only want to read about food or cars or a guy pretending to be a girl and writing about “her” promiscuous exploits. So those readers had searched for blogs about food or cars or sex, and then those readers follow those blogs. True they might have more followers and “likes,” but that doesn’t mean those readers are enjoying it more. Those topic-specific blogs will likely have more views per day, but that doesn’t mean they’ll have more comments or a more interesting and rewarding conversation. I’d rather have 20 comments than 100 views because I’m not really about the numbers as much as I am about the interaction and conversation. I’d rather have two people give me their opinions on my book or movie review than 20 people just click on it and go away.
The other question that comes up is how often to post, which, although it’s a matter of personal preference, I can at least give not a writer’s but a reader’s perspective. In the almost 500 bloggers I follow, there are some who post several times a day. Sometimes it’s all photography, each picture as a separate post. For me, that’s overkill. For photog fans, it’s a mother lode. After a while, I’m breezing through because I don’t have time to study them all – but I know I’m not the target audience. I also follow blogs on which there might be three or four new poems a day, each in a separate post. Having studied poetry extensively in college, I love reading and interpreting poetry, especially when I can sometimes leave a comment that lets the poet know that I can feel exactly what they were thinking. I love when that happens, but most readers don’t have time for careful reading of everything that we all post every day. Conversely, there are other authors who post only once a week or less. I wish they’d write more, but those carefully crafted, well-researched, and very entertaining posts just can’t possibly be produced on a daily basis.
Please remember, neither me nor any individual is important enough for you to aim your blog at us. Those writers and photographers do not need to care one bit about what I have to say. They only need to care about how it makes them feel to write and post what they’re writing and/or photographing. So, if you’d like a one-sentence answer to sum things up, it would go like this:
Instead of “write what you know,” consider “write what you want others to know.” And I want others to know how I feel about the movie I saw, the book I read, the mouse I accidentally stepped on, etc. And if I write it well enough, then you will know exactly how I feel because I will have chosen the right words so that you feel it too.
About today's guest blogger:
Richard Voza Voza has been writing since 4th grade when he forgot about a summer book report and created a story called Carrot Top Mr. Mouse, about a mouse ridiculed for his red hair. After accidentally becoming an English teacher for 25 years, he now takes writing seriously.
The first volume of his short story collection, When the Mirror Breaks, has been accepted by Whiskey Creek Press. He is currently marketing a suspense novel called Woodbury Avenue, about a stalker in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Two other finished novels are Lizzie’s Journal (paranormal) and Room 317 (suspense).
Most days he drinks coffee and wonders if anyone will read his blog, brainsnorts.com. Other days he sits on the beach, listens to baseball, and watches the waves with friends and a cooler nearby.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Super G Interviews the Very Talented Robin Renee
Hello to all our followers of Tall Tales and Short Stories from South Jersey. I was asked to do a blog tour for the very talented singer, Robin Renee on my blog site, and of course I said, yes! She's a very talented performer and I want to help spread the good news about her music. Now I'm posting an interview that I did with Robin and I know you'll enjoy this, but first....
...the person who is orchestrating Robin's blog tour is no other than our very own Glenn Walker, and I would like to brag about him, before I begin Robin's interview. Glenn is an extremely talented, published, writer and has earned the nickname 'Patron Saint of Bloggers' but what makes him a Super Hero, is his way of supporting and encouraging all writers. You can read some of his work on Welcome to Hell: http://monsura.blogspot.com/ and on Biff Bam Pop!: http://biffbampop.com/category/glenn-walker/
And now, let me introduce you to a beautiful and talented singer. Hi, Robin. I'm so glad that you could join us on the South Jersey Writers Group blog. I'll start with my first question.
It’s usually a family member or a teacher
that introduces us to music at an early age. Who was the person responsible for
encouraging your love of singing?
Both of my parents
were encouraging once they realized I liked music. There was a piano in the house as far back as
I can remember, and as soon as I showed interest, I got lessons. I think I was seven when I started to play.
How did they encourage you?
There was always
great music in my house. My mom liked a
lot of mellower folk, great lyricists, and some R&B; I also learned of my
dad’s love of jazz and other more novel sounds.
So Mom and Dad, respectively, turned me on to Bob Dylan and
Kraftwerk. I’d say that explains a lot
about who I am today. They also took me
to concerts from when I was really quite young, and once I started playing in
bands, they would go out of their way to show up and be supportive. I’m really glad for that experience.
I remember one bit
of encouragement very distinctly. I was
listening to music and singing along when I was about ten. My mom came in and got all excited, shouting
“Robin can sing! Come listen! She can really sing!!” It was very funny to me because I always sang
– didn’t think anything of it and hadn’t realized people thought it was
extraordinary in any way. The song, by
the way, was The Bee Gees’ “Nights on Broadway.” Whenever I hear it now, I
always laugh and remember that day. I
really love that they used it as the template for the “Barry Gibb Talk Show”
skit on SNL. Too funny.
Did you sing at school or church functions as
a young girl?
I sang in the school
chorus in elementary and junior high school.
One of the most fun early musical experiences happened when I convinced
the head of the school chorus in junior high to let my band (The Half Mann
Band) sing in between sets of the choral music.
We got to perform in a few area schools - it was our first and only
“tour.”
In high school I
sang in the folk group. I went to a
Catholic college prep school and wasn’t really enthused about singing the
religious songs, but singing at Mass was really the only musical outlet at the
school at the time, so I went with it.
Is there any type of music that you just
don’t like to sing?
I guess I’m not so
fond of singing in styles that are out of my natural cadence or interest. So, I don’t think I’d ever attempt to learn
opera – As cultured as I’d like to be, I don’t really grok it. I love punk rock, but don’t have that kind of
voice, so I’ll sing it offstage, but I wouldn’t make a good front person for a
punk band. I also would really not like
to sing anything with seriously corny lyrics – unless it’s karaoke night and
everyone knows it’s all for laughs.
Robin, tell us about your writing, and how
you began.
The first song I
remember writing was basically a fan song about Billie Jean King. Then when I was ten I started a band called
Solar Explosion which turned into the aforementioned Half Mann Band. I started writing songs in earnest then. When I think about those tunes now, I think
they sound very much like the pop radio hits at the time, so I guess I was
learning by imitation. My love of poetry
grew around the same time. It’s pretty
hard to say more about how I began writing, because it’s like I’ve been writing
as long as I’ve been conscious.
What inspires your work?
Inspiration is
endless. Let’s see what inspires me
today… The hazy sky, emotional complexity, travelling, J. R. “Bob” Dobbs, the
desire to speak to social struggle without being overbearing, sexy people.
What do you write and where can we find your
work?
I have five
full-length recordings – In Progress, All Six Senses, Live Devotion,
spirit.rocks.sexy (compilation), and This.
They are downloadable just about everywhere, and you can find out more
at www.robinrenee.com The music ranges from singer/songwriter,
sometimes edgy, often melodic pop. Live
Devotion and This. are centered on a kirtan, or call-and-response chant. I blog about music, art, love and sexuality,
transformation, and whatever else at The Dream Between: http://dreambetween.wordpress.com/
and you can find other writings of mine around the web, anthologized, or
otherwise published from time to time.
Ostensibly, the “Truth” section of my website keeps track of that: http://robinrenee.com/truth/index.html
I take on collaborative works and ghostwriting projects from time to time. My latest release is a song called “All I
Am,” and I’ve been encouraging everyone to download it to help out a good
cause:
"All I Am" Is a bright pop anthem-sexy, spiritual, and bold-for all those who color outside the lines, determined to be all they are without apology. Your download helps support the anti-bullying You Will Rise Project. http://youwillriseproject.blogspot.com
Tell us a little bit about the non-fiction
book that you’re co-writing.
What are your thoughts of writer’s groups and
would you join one? If so, why?
I honestly haven’t
done a whole lot with writer’s groups, but I am definitely interested. I have paired up with close friends of mine
who are also writers and we’ve prompted each other with writing exercises or
various topics, critiqued each others’ work, and kept each other moving. That has been very beneficial and I imagine
with the right synergy, a writer’s group could really magnify that
experience. I’ve sat in on two South
Jersey Writers evenings so far and have enjoyed it. I am looking forward to learning more and
getting to know people.
What are some of the pitfalls that you’ve
encountered and survived in building up your career?
The greatest
obstacles I’ve encountered have to do with overcoming the idea that I’m
supposed to be something other that what I am.
It’s easy to start believing people who tear you down or your own head
noise – not pop enough, not indie enough, not black enough, not white enough,
not thin enough, not young enough, not spiritual enough, not definable enough…
whatever. Enough! It creeps back once in a while, but for the
most part I’m over it and living to do the writing and performing that feels
most authentic to me. When I am able to
feel that kind of focus without reservation, I am most able to move forward.
What advice can you give a young person today
who loves to sing and hopes to make it big some day?
I don’t
know. Maybe the best thing I could say
is “Pay attention.” Listen to yourself and create what you truly want to
create. Then pay attention and look and
listen for opportunities. The music
business is in such a wild flux right now that I’m not sure if anyone knows
what “making it big” is these days. Some
would tell you the business is dead, but I don’t believe that. It has most definitely changed and is
changing. I think the key is to be open
to recognizing what you have to offer and ways to make connections and be
heard. In the midst of all that, don’t
forget to make art that you love.
Thank you, Robin, for being a guest on our blog. I wish you the best with your music and I know everyone reading this blog will now be listening to your music. Now my little zombie snacks, I'm asking you a little favor. Please check out all the links included to learn more about Robin Renee and spread the good word.
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