Dianne Pearce's Blog, page 14
March 10, 2023
IT’S THE TENTH AGAIN! I’M ON AUTHORS ELECTRIC
Do you consider yourself a world-builder? Check out my post!
And thank you for reading~
PS: There are so many good authors there. I also really enjoyed this recent post (click the image to view it!):
March 2, 2023
February 20, 2023
REALIZING A DREAM
I am so excited… poetry (chapbooks and short-form writing) is coming, soon, as its own thing, to the Devil’s Party Press family.
Watch DEVIL’S PARTY PRESS for more information. And look for clues about it here.
February 13, 2023
IT SHOULD BE LIKE A HALF AN HOUR VOLUME 12: “Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.”
HA! I got you! You thought I was going to put up the Beatles version, didn’t you?
Well, there’s a reason I didn’t put that first, but I will put it below.
George, I never knew him, but he always struck me as soft and gentle, in the way that men are not supposed to be soft and gentle. And I think it was very hard for him, as it is for so many people in so many bands, not to be overshadowed by the other members. And I am a Beatle girl, until the age of 30 or so, there was no other band I would spend my limited record money on (aside from Wings, because I was desperately in love with Paul). So I love the Beatles version, but George was given so few slots in the band’s catalogue, so let’s begin with him here, and paired with another gentle great, Paul Simon. And BONUS, if you watch all the way through you get “Homeward Bound” too, one of my favorite S&G songs. I had S&G’s greatest hits (still do have it) because I stole it from my brother, so that was his record money, not mine, and I know I that I probably wore out “Homeward Bound” and “America.”
But this is about the great song, “Here Comes the Sun, ” which I have literally had on “Alexa” repeat since Dave took Sophie to school… so a few hours.
What do I like about it?
Well, it’s plinky might be the first thing I would say. It’s got great plinky guitar. I like plinky guitar; I am a big fan of it. Secondly, that plinky guitar acts like an extra voice: it follows the melody through the song, literally singing the main tune right along with George. I remember hearing that the Beatles had conflict over George wanting to (often) have the guitar follow the melody in the songs, as an extra voice. And the story went that Paul didn’t like it. I do not know if that is true, and Paul may be the sometimes most-hated Beatle, but the guy is a hugely successful songwriter, so there’s that. I think the plinky and the guitar acting like a voice works here, and ads to the gentleness of the song.
The second thing I like about “Here Comes the Sun” is that it is understated. If we assume it’s England, where the sun often hides, and it’s been a long cold lonely sunless period, then WOW! the sun is out!!!
But this is “Here comes the sun… do-do-do-do…,” and “…it’s alright.” It’s low-key, low energy, they way an introvert gets excited about things. Harrison was probably an introvert, and I feel that, and I feel that low-key excitement. It’s no less joyful for not being an explosion of confetti and balloons.
I chose this song today because yesterday I took my teen daughter into teen-daughter heaven, what you probably know of as a store called Claire’s. I have had some fun times finding little doo-dads (doo-dads, am I 100 years old?) at Claire’s, but the three or four times I have been there in 2023 I have been assaulted, every single damn time, by the same two songs, one a country western song, and one a pop song, both of which are guilty of crap formulaic song writing and being ear worms. I will not name the atrocities lest they attack you too. I sentence them to exile from the planet. And clearly neither song writer ever listened to George Harrison.
So, I am using George today, to lift my mood in a gentle “I might have a hangover” way, and also because George can be heard over and over and exterminate those earworms without becoming one himself, because George would never do that. George has mad skills. And I love George with ELO, on his own, with The Beatles, and really quite a lot with The Traveling Wilburys, a band that was much too short-lived.
And, on that note, I want to introduce you to another George song that I adore:
“Give Me Love” almost always brings me to the edge of tears, and not because of the lyrics. The music is sweet, and sad, and… oh I dunno. It’s just something.
It’s good to have gentleness in the craziness of life. George gave us gentleness.
Rest well George. Thanks for all the gentle sweetness.
February 10, 2023
I’VE GOT A BYLINE!
Check me out the 10th of every month! And leave me a comment sos that I know I’m not all by my lonesome.
And, these authors have been at it for years, so check them out too. This is a great site!
February 9, 2023
LIVE CHEAP MAKE ART
I wanted to share the originator (as far as I know) of the motto “live cheap make art” with you: Rosemary.
Rosemary is someone I used to know in real life (still do; we’re just not local)!
I adore her art, and she also has a wonderful book!
If you have ever had a dream of creating beautifully illustrated memoirs or journals, check out Rosemary.
If you have ever wanted to chuck it all, and go liver where you wanted and do what you really want to do, check our her book!
And if you just want a lovely piece of art to hang in your house, take a look at Rosemary’s art.
February 5, 2023
POETRY AND THE GRAMMY AWARDS
Want to read all about it? CLICK HEREPoetry is more and more getting its due. Why is that? Could it be because poetry soothes the soul, and so many souls need soothing? Could it be because poetry is easy to read quickly, on your phone? What other thoughts do you have?
Dianne here, and I earned my MFA in poetry writing, and I am a fan of the stuff. We try, at DPP, to incorporate poetry into our anthologies, and certainly I love putting it in Instant Noodles. And I wish I could do more.
WATCH THIS SPACE (DEVIL’S PARTY PRESS ) .
We’re doing our best to hatch something poetic at DPP. So, stay tuned!
In the meantime, let me recommend a few poems for you:
THE BARBARIANS HAD ACTED REGRETTABLY – COLIN JAMES
SOMETIMES AN EGG – ALICE ROMANO
BLUE PERIOD #3 – R. GERRY FABIAN
NOTHING’S BETTER LEFT UNSAID – GABBY GILLIAM
TROUT FISHING – STEPHEN BARILE
CHRISTMAS DAY WALK ~ ALAN BERN
SUMMER ZUPPAI – ROBERT FLEMING
HOLY ILLUSIONS ~ VIRGINIA WATTS
STOLEN PLUMS – BENJAMIN B. WHITE
MOSS SOUP AND MANICOTTI – JOHN JOHNSON
ABOVE SNICKER’S GAP ~ MORGAN GOLLADAY
CHRISTMAS EVE FROM UNDER THE TRAIN TABLE – R. DAVID FULCHER
February 3, 2023
AND HERE IS THE MOMENT THAT HAS KILLED VUONU
What the hell?
Yes, this is the week that Father Vuono dies.
Are you following my mafia story? Thank you if you are! After all these years of helping other people finish their damn novels I am so happy to have someone, anyone reading mine. What do you think?
January 28, 2023
THE HAWK
As we move further into 2023, we realized it was time to redo the Hawkshaw Press site (home of our crime fiction novels and collections). The site has gotten a fresh makeover, and we’ll be updating Gravelight and Out of This World soon as well.
Meanwhile, please drop by Hawkshaw Press and meander a while, Flatfoot.
January 25, 2023
CAN WE GET MY GUY TO 100?
You know I’m crazy about my partner in crime, David, and look how close he is to 100 LiKeS!
Can you read an episode and give him a like?
Can you leave a review?
I promise you, Dave will leave you laughing!
