Michael Embry's Blog, page 43

Story Songs: "Wives and Lovers" and "Wishin' and Hopin'"

I heard these songs on the radio the other day and thought times have really changed in male-female relationships.

I'm sure many of the younger folks won't remember these songs so just listen and judge in the context of the time they were recorded. 

The first is Jack Jones's "Wives and Lovers," a tune by the great songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It won a Grammy Award for Best Male Vocal in 1964.

It opens:

"Hey! Little girl
Comb your hair, fix your makeup
Soon he will open the door
Don't think because there's a ring on your finger
You needn't try anymore"

And then the gals are told:

"Day after day
There are girls at the office
And men will always be men
Don't send him off with your hair still in curlers
You may not see him again"

I'm sure that touches a nerve with a few women today.

And the the song admonishes:

"For wives should always be lovers, too
Run to his arms the moment he comes home to you"

And closes softly:

"Dim all the lights, pour the wine, start the music
Time to get ready for love"

This song was written during an age when most families had one income (man's) and women stayed at home raising the kids and other domestic chores. 

Another song was by the legendary Dusty Springfield called "Wishin' and Hopin'," from, you guessed it, Bacharach and David. It was a Top 10 hit in 1964.

In this song, a gal has to do more than wishin' and hopin' to land a guy, she has to do things to please him:

"Show him that you care just for him
Do the things he likes to do
Wear your hair just for him, 'cause
You won't get him
Thinkin' and a-prayin', wishin' and a-hopin"

And after a woman does those things, she only has to do these extras to get your guy:

"All you gotta do is hold him and kiss him and squeeze him and love him
Yeah, just do it
And after you do, you will be his"

Now I think it's helpful to try to be at your best when dating but this song is a bit one-sided. 

Any thoughts? Any songs that you find a bit out of touch with today's woman?

"Wives and Lovers" lyrics




"Wishin' and Hopin'" lyrics



Until the next time...

Book Release Day!

Today my manuscript became a book.
Wings ePress released "The Bully List" along with three other titles on Oct. 1. The young-adult novel is available that publisher's website -- www.wings-press.com -- and will be popping up at other sites in the next day or so.  
The novel is about two boys who are bullied by a gang. They try to get even but their efforts don't always turn out like they planned. I hope students, teachers, and parents find the story relevant, informative and entertaining. 
Coincidentally, October is National Bullying Prevention Month.
For those who have been following my blog for the past year, you know that I participated in National Novel Writing Month last November. 
I didn't look at the manuscript for about five months, then went through seven drafts before submitting it to Wings. From there, it was read, accepted, and then I worked with an editor for several weeks tying up some loose ends, fixing some scenes and dialogue, and cleaning the copy from typos and such.
I also worked with an artist on the cover. Then I had one more read to make any final changes and additions.
And now it's a book!
I had hoped to launch a new homepage today but I've got a few items to fix before bringing it to life. You'll be the first to know when it's online.
Until the next time...

Spotlight on Chicago

Sometimes I wonder if the folks who vote for nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame really know what time it is?

For the legendary band Chicago, the time is way past due for induction. The group that began in 1967 as the Chicago Transit Authority was first eligible for the Rock Hall in 1994 -- 25 years after the release of their first album. 

So their induction, in my opinion, is 19 years over due. Chicago has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, produced 21 Top 10 singles including 11 that reached the top of the chart. 

This versatile "rock and roll band with horns" -- progressive rock, jazz fusion, soft rock ballads -- scored five straight No. 1 albums in the 1970s. Billboard magazine, in 2008, ranked Chicago No. 13 of the top 100 artists of all-time. They can do it all.

Chicago's hits span five decades, and they're second only to The Beach Boys (and R&R Famers) in sales. I think that equates to longevity and popularity.

With Robert Lamm, Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Bill Champlin, Walter Parazaider, and James Pankow among the band members through the years (Lamm, Parazaider and Pankow have been in the group from the beginning), the group has recorded timeless classics like "If You Leave Me Now," "Make Me Smile," "Colour My World," "25 or 6 to 4" "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" and "Saturday in the Park." 

I always preferred their jazzy and edgy sounds, especially with Kath's guitar before his untimely death in 1978. And Chicago is one of  the first rock group to feature horns. An additional bonus with their early albums were posters -- including one that covered a (dorm) wall.

It's not about time -- it is time -- for Chicago to be inducted into the Rock Hall. 

Now enjoy some of Chicago's great music:

Homestretch for Book Release

The galley proof for "The Bully List" has been returned to the publisher and now the waiting game until the Oct. 1 release.


I'm glad I had fresh eyes (my wife's) proofread the manuscript because she found "missing" words that registered in my brain when I went over the passages. Ever had a "peanut (butter) and jelly sandwich and glass of milk?"
She also picked up on a few other items that improved the novel.

I also received some biased feedback from her about the story -- she liked it! I may have to take her out to dinner next week to celebrate, and it won't be for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. 

As noted in a previous post, my attention now is marketing and promotion. Several review copies will be going out in the mail. I may even set up a Facebook page devoted to my writing life. 

I've been on Twitter for about a year. If you want to follow or connect, I'm @MichaelEmbry. You can also find me at Google+ (as Michael Embry).

And I'm still working on my revamped website that I hope to launch on Oct. 1.

When all of this is over, or at least simmers down a few degrees, I plan to get back to writing short stories to be included in a second volume of "Laments."

But for now, I'm focusing my attention on "The Bully List" and taking a few deep breaths and enjoying what has already been accomplished.

Until the next time...

Show Me the (Galley) Proof

It's getting down to the final days before "The Bully List" becomes a book on Oct. 1.


I received the galley proof several days ago. I hope to complete the process of finding typos and other parts that make an author cringe in the next few days. Needless to say, I hope I don't find many if any. 

Because I have read the manuscript so many times (at least eight), I'm going to have my wife read the galleys as well. She'll bring fresh eyes to the work.  

I received the postcards in the mail today so I'll be addressing them and getting them to the post office next week as well. 



For me, this is an exciting part of writing and publishing because all the hard work finally comes to fruition. Everything continues with promotion and marketing but at least you have a finished product. 

Until the next time...

More Book Promotion

I've received the bookmarks for my latest young-adult novel, "The Bully List," and the postcards should arrive soon. 


The bookmarks will be given to those who purchase the book from my website, book signings, and other events. 

The postcards will go in the mail once I have completed going over the galley proof of the novel. I want the postcards to reach the targeted destinations of libraries and bookstores by Oct. 1, the release date of my book.


I'm also in the process of redesigning my website -- www.michaelembry.com -- and hope to unveil it Oct. 1. My current homepage has been around for almost 10 years, and I admit, it's outdated and a bit (okay, a lot) ragged. It's become a hodge-podge site that I don't even find that interesting.

It would have been updated sooner but sometimes life gets in the way, along with writing and other creative interests. I also had to find decent and simple software to use. I'm about halfway finished with the new site. My blog followers will be the first to know when it's online.

I also plan a book giveaway at Goodreads, probably the first week in October. If you're not a member, I'd advise you to join, not only for a chance to get my book as a free read but also to connect with other authors and readers. It's a great site. Be sure to "friend" me.

Until the next time....

Unveiling the Cover

My latest novel will be released Oct. 1. While I can't reveal all the contents, I can show you the cover.
Drum roll please!

The cover was designed by Pat Evans, the art director at Wings ePress. She's designed all the covers to my novels. I'm very pleased because it provides a visual idea about the young-adult novel.
There's still more work to be done before the release date. I'll be receiving the galley proof for final edits, corrections, and fixes. And there is the promotional side in getting the word out to as many folks as possible.
If you can judge a book by its cover, then I feel like I have another winner.
Until the next time...

Final Countdown

It's down to three weeks and four days before the release of my young-adult novel.

I received the book cover, which I plan to post in the next few days. I also will be using it to order bookmarks and postcards as part of promoting the novel.

I should be receiving the galley proof soon. That will occupy most of my time as I go over it word-for-word to make sure there are no misspellings, grammatical errors, or problems with the story. 

For an author, this is an exciting time. You've been in a lot of work in constructing a story, working with an editor and graphic artist, and then the final read before the everything goes public.

Until the next time...

American Veterans Traveling Tribute

I recently visited the American Veterans Traveling Tribute during its stop at Anderson-Dean Park in Harrodsburg, Ky. The tribute honors all who gave their lives serving in the U.S. military, beginning with the Revolutionary War.

The centerpiece is "The Wall," a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. There are 58,272 names inscribed -- listed in chronological order and time of the casualty within each day.
I had two classmates die in Vietnam -- James Huckleberry in 1967 and Marshall Jones in 1970. Both would have turned 65 this year.



The memorial is a somber place. Some families in the Harrodsburg area planted small flags, a few with photographs, of the loved ones who died on that foreign soil. They served as a reminders that there were faces behind the names and that many lives were adversely and tragically touched by the unpopular war.  
There were exhibits from Vietnam -- artillery, helicopters, jeeps, photographs, weapons, cots, c-rations, and more. 
If you ever get the opportunity to see the AVTT, I would encourage you to do so. It might give you a deeper appreciation for the ultimate sacrifices many made for our nation. 
And it may even bring you to tears.
For more information, click AVTT.

Story Songs: Lady

There have been several "Lady" songs recorded by such luminaries as Kenny Rogers, Lionel Ritchie (who also wrote the Kenny Rogers hit), and the group, Styx. 

My favorite is by the underrated Australian group, Little River Band, in 1978. The song, written by founding band member Graeham Goble, reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

 The song opens with a guy recalling a special woman:

"A long time agoI had a lady to loveShe made me think of thingsI never thought ofNow she's gone and I'm on my ownA love song has come into my mindA love songIt was there all the time"
And he realizes that he would like her back in his life:

"And I love you bestYou're not like the restYou're there when I need  youYou're there when I needI'm gonna need you"
And then he proclaims that he wants her back in life:

"I think it's only fair I should say to Don't be thinkin' I don't want you'Cause maybe I doDon't be thinkin' I don't want youLady I do"
I was fortunate to see LRB in concert at the Executive Inn Rivermont in Owensboro, Ky., in the mid-1990s. Lead singer Glenn Shorrock was with the band along with two other original members. They put on a fabulous show.

"Lady" is one of  LRB's most played tunes on radio, second only to "Reminiscing." Both were on their "Sleeper Catcher" album.

LRB, a band with wonderful harmonies and solid musicianship, was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association's Hall of Fame in 2004.

"Lady" lyrics