I’m a writer and a musician, and when I sleep I dream in rhythm! I wake up and write down threads that come together later in the week. Sometimes they are great poems, some need melody, and then when I really get going … a couple hundred pages of novelette isn’t out of the question.
The themes were familiar, authentic and consistent. Dragons threatening innocent young girls, or so it seems. Dreamy but distinct, my thoughts brought mice to the jury stand with a bandito attorney dressed as a bullfighter and poised to protect his maiden.
So then there’s the question of what to do with all these visions. I wish, in a perfect world, I could stuff them right down your throat! The marketing of greatness will be the biggest let-down of your life, if you ever think, even for just a moment, you’ve done something great. If it is to be heard, no-one will listen; if it is to be seen, no-one will look; and if it is to be experienced, you will feel very much all alone.
So I have completely given up. The idea of hoardes of friendly readers praising my cleverness will probably be fodder for a future book, one where the dragon eats the book and no-one notices. In the movie he’ll jump right out of the screen in 3-D and (in a slight twist on the book) stuff the book down the audience’s throat!
So, sadly, once a writer, I have become a marketer.
I hope you like my blog. I will tweet about it frequently. If you currently enjoy my work and many of your friends do also, I’m probably dead.
My poems tried to be heard by morphing into songs. I even took them on the road, performing before empty restaurant spaces, getting the word out.
My purpose, my serious message, was no-where to be found. It attempted to emerge from the depths of the virtual haystack it was lost in by hiding within a fun, spunky and romantic, short, colorful, wicked awesome novel.
My vision came true. I was to hock both novels I wrote that were terrific fun, inspired by the lack of sales of a serious and helpful book, and music CDs all together at fun, entertaining, professionally-presented music events where I, a former radio host for many years, audio expert, musician and songwriter, would sing, play, chat and entertain, taking a small fee and a few tips and making ends meet, allowing me to continue to create more fun and … but … no-one showed up.
Well, I forgot. I am in marketing now.
I have a studio CD with 11 original songs that are getting (a little) radio play, and a novel that shares the title “Share the Moon” that’s the first of nine episodes and features a talking cat, that goes along with the CD; the song themes and images are all from the book; it’s fantastic!
This put me, obviously, on the path to … create … another!
The following poem and novel chapter are from the forthcoming set, which will include the second “Share the Moon” novel, to be subtitled “Episode Two, Esteban Escobar,” introducing a new character who reminds us of the most magnificent of Columbia’s drug lords, an imposing man who throughout the novel is taunted by a mouse named “Cesar” he can’t seem to control.
This is the best thing, maybe, I’ve written so far. It’s a lot of fun and continues the adventures of main character Aina, who we met in the first edition of the novel series, “Share the Moon, Episode One, Aina’s Dreams.”
You’ll see a demonstration of the songwriting, which begins as a poem, and the novel writing, which is done simultaneously over a period of time. I had written most of this second novel before taking up the task of writing the song, but with the intention of having another novel/CD combo I thought this topic would make a poignant tune that’s timely, and at the same time timeless.
I have a lot of fun writing, and I hope you enjoy reading my work. If I am supposed to be a great marketer you can feel free to pity me. This blog is the best I am going to do.
The poem and a book chapter will be in my following two blog entries.
As of this posting neither is either complete nor published elsewhere. When the novel is published, just as with episode one, there will be an accompanying CD by the author and the lyrics will be in the back of the book.