Norrin M. Ripsman's Blog: Norrin's Literary Blog
June 12, 2025
My Classic Rock Tutors
When I was a teenager in Toronto, I listened to Q-107 FM religiously. At the time, Andy Frost hosted a program entitled "Psychedelic Sunday" every Sunday afternoon. In all my years, I've never encountered anyone so knowledgeable about rock music, its history, the artists, and their times. Andy had the most brilliant, sophisticated taste, eschewing the hackneyed hits, instead digging deeper to provide his listeners with an eclectic smorgasbord of the most creative music ever written.
It was Andy who introduced me to such brilliant compositions as: Boz Scaggs, Loan Me a Dime; King Crimson, Epitaph; Barry McGuire, Eve of Destruction; Eric Burdon and War, Spill the Wine; Grand Funk Railroad, I'm Your Captain; The Ugly Ducklings, Gaslight; Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick; and many other songs you just can't hear on the radio.
But it wasn't just the music, it was the stories and the audio clips that he seasoned his show with, including vintage clips "What we have here is... failure to communicate" from Cool Hand Luke and Jim Morrison shouting "You cannot petition the Lord with prayer!!!" Each session was like a graduate course in music and culture.
And, of course, there was that magical voice. So soothing and reassuring, so confident. Like a cool older neighbour or a big brother. I spent many a Sunday afternoon with Andy from 1985 to 1990, when I moved away from the city.
I was fortunate when I arrived in Philadelphia for my doctorate in 1990 to find myself in the care of the only other radio personality that came anywhere close to Andy Frost: WMMR's Andre Gardner. Also with a golden voice and a wealth of music knowledge, Andre was the most affable radio host I've ever encountered. He seemed to love his job and interacting with his listeners, which made him seem like family. When I returned to Philly in 2016, I was grateful to hear his ageless voice and tune selections again in the afternoon, this time on WMGK.
It saddened me when both of these giants went off the air, Andy in 2018, Andre last year. We are all poorer as a consequence of these dubious business decisions
I have these exceptional classic rock tutors to thank for my eclectic taste in music. When I wrote Song Book, my short story collection loosely inspired by classic rock songs, it occurred to me how much I am indebted to them both. I was fortunate to be able to drop off a signed copy of the book to Andre at the WMGK station, not far from my home, weeks before he signed off for the last time. Andy, wherever you are, thanks for the music!
It was Andy who introduced me to such brilliant compositions as: Boz Scaggs, Loan Me a Dime; King Crimson, Epitaph; Barry McGuire, Eve of Destruction; Eric Burdon and War, Spill the Wine; Grand Funk Railroad, I'm Your Captain; The Ugly Ducklings, Gaslight; Jethro Tull, Thick as a Brick; and many other songs you just can't hear on the radio.
But it wasn't just the music, it was the stories and the audio clips that he seasoned his show with, including vintage clips "What we have here is... failure to communicate" from Cool Hand Luke and Jim Morrison shouting "You cannot petition the Lord with prayer!!!" Each session was like a graduate course in music and culture.
And, of course, there was that magical voice. So soothing and reassuring, so confident. Like a cool older neighbour or a big brother. I spent many a Sunday afternoon with Andy from 1985 to 1990, when I moved away from the city.
I was fortunate when I arrived in Philadelphia for my doctorate in 1990 to find myself in the care of the only other radio personality that came anywhere close to Andy Frost: WMMR's Andre Gardner. Also with a golden voice and a wealth of music knowledge, Andre was the most affable radio host I've ever encountered. He seemed to love his job and interacting with his listeners, which made him seem like family. When I returned to Philly in 2016, I was grateful to hear his ageless voice and tune selections again in the afternoon, this time on WMGK.
It saddened me when both of these giants went off the air, Andy in 2018, Andre last year. We are all poorer as a consequence of these dubious business decisions
I have these exceptional classic rock tutors to thank for my eclectic taste in music. When I wrote Song Book, my short story collection loosely inspired by classic rock songs, it occurred to me how much I am indebted to them both. I was fortunate to be able to drop off a signed copy of the book to Andre at the WMGK station, not far from my home, weeks before he signed off for the last time. Andy, wherever you are, thanks for the music!
Published on June 12, 2025 17:08
•
Tags:
andre-gardner, andy-frost, classic-rock, q107, radio-personalities, wmgk, wmmr
January 2, 2025
Submitted a New Novel Manuscript!
Happy new year!!
I'm pleased to say I was invited to submit a second novel manuscript to an agent and submitted it this morning. It's actually the third novel I have written, but the subject is more timely than my second, so I decided to go with that one first.
The novel is titled Bullet Holes. It addresses the contemporary political divide in the US through the lenses of a suburban Philadelphia family. That's all I'm going to say about it for now, but it's always exciting to submit a new book for review.
I've also got a co-authored International Relations book on near crises coming out soon and another co-authored book nearing completion. And I've also made progress on my fourth novel, so it's an exciting time.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year!
I'm pleased to say I was invited to submit a second novel manuscript to an agent and submitted it this morning. It's actually the third novel I have written, but the subject is more timely than my second, so I decided to go with that one first.
The novel is titled Bullet Holes. It addresses the contemporary political divide in the US through the lenses of a suburban Philadelphia family. That's all I'm going to say about it for now, but it's always exciting to submit a new book for review.
I've also got a co-authored International Relations book on near crises coming out soon and another co-authored book nearing completion. And I've also made progress on my fourth novel, so it's an exciting time.
Wishing everyone a happy and healthy new year!
Published on January 02, 2025 10:11
•
Tags:
agent-submission, bullet-holes, novel
November 1, 2024
The Pliability of Literature
As I do more speaking engagements and meet more of my readers, I'm learning how the same piece of work is understood differently by different readers. The interpretations of my characters, of the meaning of the story -- its lessons -- often has a lot more to do with the reader's priors than what's written on the page or what I had in mind when I wrote it.
For example, some readers are convinced that my novel, The Oracle of Spring Garden Road, is an anti-religious novel and that all of the lead character's troubles stem from his religious outlook. Other readers, however, have told me they believe the opposite is true -- that the novel is a deeply religious novel, which chronicles the consequences of distorting religious teachings. Still others have viewed religion as ancillary to the point of the novel, which they believe has more to do with with mental illness than religion.
Another key disagreement amongst readers is how they judge the Cathy, a central character in the novel. Some view her rather harshly, as manipulative and cruel. Others, however, view her as well-intentioned and very human. In their view, the nastiness she exhibited was simply a response to the immense pressure she was under and ought to be forgiven. Just last week, however, a reader told me that she viewed Cathy as the real victim, and that the lead character had introduced discord into their family by treating her shabbily earlier in the book.
I find this fascinating! And I think it means that art has no inherent meaning, nor does the artist have a monopoly on its interpretation. Instead, while I can discuss my original intentions, I think the individual, subjective understandings are immensely valuable and add layers to the 'meaning' of the work. We should interpret art through our own lenses, provided our interpretations are consistent with what's on the page.
Vive la difference!
For example, some readers are convinced that my novel, The Oracle of Spring Garden Road, is an anti-religious novel and that all of the lead character's troubles stem from his religious outlook. Other readers, however, have told me they believe the opposite is true -- that the novel is a deeply religious novel, which chronicles the consequences of distorting religious teachings. Still others have viewed religion as ancillary to the point of the novel, which they believe has more to do with with mental illness than religion.
Another key disagreement amongst readers is how they judge the Cathy, a central character in the novel. Some view her rather harshly, as manipulative and cruel. Others, however, view her as well-intentioned and very human. In their view, the nastiness she exhibited was simply a response to the immense pressure she was under and ought to be forgiven. Just last week, however, a reader told me that she viewed Cathy as the real victim, and that the lead character had introduced discord into their family by treating her shabbily earlier in the book.
I find this fascinating! And I think it means that art has no inherent meaning, nor does the artist have a monopoly on its interpretation. Instead, while I can discuss my original intentions, I think the individual, subjective understandings are immensely valuable and add layers to the 'meaning' of the work. We should interpret art through our own lenses, provided our interpretations are consistent with what's on the page.
Vive la difference!
Published on November 01, 2024 10:51
•
Tags:
interpretation, novel, oracle-of-spring-garden-road, subjectivity
September 22, 2024
Jeff Lynne's ELO
Last night, I saw Jeff Lynne's ELO's final concert in Philadelphia. It was a fun concert, but I couldn't help feeling sad. Not because they are not returning as a band, but because of Jeff Lynne's career trajectory.
Lynne started ELO by writing the most creative, most inspiring pieces of music, fusing elements of classical music and rock, such as From the Sun To the World (Boogie #1), the 10538 Overture, their take on Roll Over Beethoven, and the absolutely brilliant chef d'oeuvre Kuyama. The inspiration, the instrumentation, the mood -- all were sublime. Not receiving sufficient popular acclaim for his sheer genius, he moved somewhat downmarket, but still contributed creative masterpieces, such as the 20-minute Concerto for a Rainy Day.
Eventually, however, Lynne conceded everything, producing AM-style hits and nothing more. His instrumentation was still interesting, but the songs had little substance or brilliance.
Last night, the crowd cheered him on for these "hits." When he performed one of his early inspirations, the 10538 Overture, the crowd appeared listless and uninterested, simply waiting for the next simple song.
I can't help thinking that it must have been a bittersweet conclusion to his remarkable career. For a genius of his level to be reduced to a mere minstrel....
The parallel with the contemporary world of literature, where the formulaic and commercial dominate the bookstores and airwaves, was not lost on me.
Lynne started ELO by writing the most creative, most inspiring pieces of music, fusing elements of classical music and rock, such as From the Sun To the World (Boogie #1), the 10538 Overture, their take on Roll Over Beethoven, and the absolutely brilliant chef d'oeuvre Kuyama. The inspiration, the instrumentation, the mood -- all were sublime. Not receiving sufficient popular acclaim for his sheer genius, he moved somewhat downmarket, but still contributed creative masterpieces, such as the 20-minute Concerto for a Rainy Day.
Eventually, however, Lynne conceded everything, producing AM-style hits and nothing more. His instrumentation was still interesting, but the songs had little substance or brilliance.
Last night, the crowd cheered him on for these "hits." When he performed one of his early inspirations, the 10538 Overture, the crowd appeared listless and uninterested, simply waiting for the next simple song.
I can't help thinking that it must have been a bittersweet conclusion to his remarkable career. For a genius of his level to be reduced to a mere minstrel....
The parallel with the contemporary world of literature, where the formulaic and commercial dominate the bookstores and airwaves, was not lost on me.
Published on September 22, 2024 11:43
•
Tags:
elo, jeff-lynne, literature, music, selling-out
June 9, 2024
Tonight's the Night!
Only three-and-a-half hours until my debut novel, The Oracle of Spring Garden Road, is available on Amazon! The novel introduces readers to "Crazy Eddie," a homeless man who doesn't drink or do drugs and who is remarkably intelligent and well-educated. What brought such a brilliant mind to the streets and whether he can finally escape his squalid life after twenty years on the streets are the two key mysteries of the book.
You can find the book at https://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Spring-...
You can find the book at https://www.amazon.com/Oracle-Spring-...
Published on June 09, 2024 17:46
May 16, 2024
Why Song Book?
My short story collection is entitled Song Book because of the stories' connection with the lyrics and music of classic rock songs. Some of the stories, including "Bonnie and Clyde" and "The Siren's Call" were inspired by specific songs, the words and music of which created a mood or an idea that translated into the story. In other cases, such as "Speculation" or "Memory," the story came first, but then quickly became indelibly associated with a song in my mind. With this in mind, each of the stories originally had a epigraph from a classic rock song.
Moreover, songs and their lyrics are often central to the dialogue and the songs they reference often reveal much about the characters that inhabit the collection.
Unfortunately, the business of art got in the way of the beauty of art. When I prepared to publish Song Book, I found out that the legal principle of Fair Use did not apply to rock songs and that, if I were to reproduce the short excerpts from the over thirty songs referenced in the book, I would have to pay something in the range of ten thousand dollars. So, in the end, I excised these lyrics and provided an appendix of the epigraphs without using the lyrics. Where lyrics were central to the story, I created my own "classic rock" lyrics sung by fictional groups the Chocolate Bullfrogs and the Melancholy Grapes!
This allowed me to stay true to the initial Song Book concept, keeping the unity of the collection without bankrupting myself.
Moreover, songs and their lyrics are often central to the dialogue and the songs they reference often reveal much about the characters that inhabit the collection.
Unfortunately, the business of art got in the way of the beauty of art. When I prepared to publish Song Book, I found out that the legal principle of Fair Use did not apply to rock songs and that, if I were to reproduce the short excerpts from the over thirty songs referenced in the book, I would have to pay something in the range of ten thousand dollars. So, in the end, I excised these lyrics and provided an appendix of the epigraphs without using the lyrics. Where lyrics were central to the story, I created my own "classic rock" lyrics sung by fictional groups the Chocolate Bullfrogs and the Melancholy Grapes!
This allowed me to stay true to the initial Song Book concept, keeping the unity of the collection without bankrupting myself.
Published on May 16, 2024 21:35
•
Tags:
classic-rock, fair-use, lyrics, song-book, songs
May 15, 2024
What Types of Stories Do I Like?
What kinds of fiction stories do I like to read and write?
I'm drawn to stories with complex, quirky, conflicted characters who are uncertain how to navigate the world around them. Think Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Or ones, like Skobie in Graeme Greene's The Heart of the Matter, with deeply-held, if misguided, principles that are difficult to square with the the complex and bewildering world around them. Characters that make you shake your head as your reading, but then stick with you long after you put the book down.
I'm also partial to ambiguity, rather than neatly wrapped-up stories. In life, we we don't know how it will all turn out, so why should we assume that the narrator is omniscient? I have no problem if a story ends without a clear resolution, if that's what fits the story. It leaves the reader more to think about and has a greater texture of realism.
Finally, I love stories where the action takes place largely in the characters' heads.
I'm drawn to stories with complex, quirky, conflicted characters who are uncertain how to navigate the world around them. Think Raskolnikov in Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. Or ones, like Skobie in Graeme Greene's The Heart of the Matter, with deeply-held, if misguided, principles that are difficult to square with the the complex and bewildering world around them. Characters that make you shake your head as your reading, but then stick with you long after you put the book down.
I'm also partial to ambiguity, rather than neatly wrapped-up stories. In life, we we don't know how it will all turn out, so why should we assume that the narrator is omniscient? I have no problem if a story ends without a clear resolution, if that's what fits the story. It leaves the reader more to think about and has a greater texture of realism.
Finally, I love stories where the action takes place largely in the characters' heads.
Published on May 15, 2024 15:29
•
Tags:
characters, dostoevsky, fiction, greene, stories
May 4, 2024
An IR scholar walks into a bar.... and becomes a fiction writer!
So, in addition to writing about international relations, I've started to write fiction. I now have a killer short story collection out -- Song Book -- and my debut novel will appear next month. (https://www.norrinmripsman.com/fictio...)
According to an impartial reader, Song Book -- which is inspired by and engages classic rock music -- is the best short story collection ever written! Okay, that was my mother, so maybe she's not that impartial.... But it's still pretty good.
And the novel, The Oracle of Spring Garden Road, is exactly like Where's Waldo? Only it's more like Who's Waldo? Or rather, Who's Eddie and What's A Brilliant Homeless Man Like Him Doing On The Streets? So I guess it's not like Where's Waldo at all.... But you get the idea.
And, yes, I'm still writing international relations. I'm finishing a book on Middle East grand strategy with Steven Lobell, Thomas Juneau and Larry Rubin. I'm also starting a book on the decline of the Western liberal order with Lobell and Jeff Taliaferro.
According to an impartial reader, Song Book -- which is inspired by and engages classic rock music -- is the best short story collection ever written! Okay, that was my mother, so maybe she's not that impartial.... But it's still pretty good.
And the novel, The Oracle of Spring Garden Road, is exactly like Where's Waldo? Only it's more like Who's Waldo? Or rather, Who's Eddie and What's A Brilliant Homeless Man Like Him Doing On The Streets? So I guess it's not like Where's Waldo at all.... But you get the idea.
And, yes, I'm still writing international relations. I'm finishing a book on Middle East grand strategy with Steven Lobell, Thomas Juneau and Larry Rubin. I'm also starting a book on the decline of the Western liberal order with Lobell and Jeff Taliaferro.
Published on May 04, 2024 19:20
•
Tags:
fiction, international-relations, short-stories