Vanessa Barneveld's Blog, page 2
November 23, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 24
Day 24! Yesterday, I wrote 2,018 words. (Yes, I deliberately stopped there because it’s the year 2018.) Then my boss treated me to the ‘Jersey Boys’ musical, which we’ve both seen in various cities around the world. It’s so worth seeing over and over again. We had second-row seats, but the seats directly in front of us were empty. Perhaps those ticket-holders were busy doing NaNoWriMo.
My playlist song of the day is ‘Walk Like a Man’ by the Four Seasons. Check out the cool kids dancing in the clip below. Two things I’ll have to do once NaNo is over — see the ‘Jersey Boys’ movie and rewatch ‘Heart and Souls’, in which Robert Downey Jr and co sing ‘Walk Like a Man’. Magic!
Download ‘Walk Like a Man’ by the Four Seasons on iTunes.
Rent ‘Heart and Souls’ on YouTube. (Warning – the preview starts with loud yelling.)
November 22, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 23
Seven days to go! I added just 750 words to my manuscript last night. However, at this point, I’m only 3,976 words away from my 30K target for November. I can do this! Right now I’m in the middle of a writing a scene set in a restaurant. This scene has so far spanned two and a half chapters. I see a lot of editing in my future.
Today’s playlist song is a joyous little Northern Soul number, ‘Dance Dance Dance’ by the Casualeers. It’s from 1967. No official vid or live performances found, I’m afraid. But happy Friday anyway!
Download ‘Dance Dance Dance’ by the Casualeers from iTunes.
November 21, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 22
I thought it would be really cute to end day 21 with my manuscript sitting on 51,234, so I stopped writing after 1,232 words last night. I was exhausted anyway.
Today’s playlist song of the day is ‘Chains of Love’ by Ryan Adams, whose love of cats rivals my own. Read about his part in coordinating a cat rescue while on tour in New Zealand here.
Download ‘Chains of Love’ by Ryan Adams from iTunes.
November 20, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 21
Day 21! Last night I wrote 1,130 words, which means I’ve tripped over the 50K mark on my manuscript! (50,002, to be exact.) My November total now stands at 25,274.
Today’s playlist song is a dance track called ‘Don’t Ask’, co-written by my husband and Megadon Betamax. Hubby did an amazing job with the vocals. Nice bit of ’70s synth sounds in this. There’s no official vid, but you can have a listen to all 7 minutes and 29 seconds on YouTube (below) and download the EP on iTunes.
And if I may give him an extra plug, here’s a haunting piece my husband wrote and performed on his array of vintage synths for the ‘Dangerous Boys’ novella anthology trailer:
November 19, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 20
Day 20, and the struggle is real! I wrote precisely 1,000 words after trudging home from the day job yesterday.
My playlist song of the day is ‘Shake a Tail Feather’ by Ray Charles, who was a favourite artist of my dad’s (along with Olivia Newton-John). This song made me fall in love with the dulcet sounds of the Fender Rhodes piano. My husband owned one. I tried to learn how to play it like Ray, but I never could do it right. Uh-huh.
Can’t seem to buy the song individually on iTunes (at least, not in Australia), but you can download the entire ‘Blues Brothers’ soundtrack on which it appears here.
November 18, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 19
Day 19! This month is flying by. I’m not exactly breaking any records here, but I’m happy I managed to put down 1,401 words yesterday. This brings my NaNo total to 23,144 (and my manuscript total to 47,872). I’m 6,856 words away from my 30K target. If I do hit that mark this week, I’ll keep going. I’ve got to anyway because this book is far from finished! I’m only just into the second act.
Here’s a Monday morning wake-up call — ‘Walls Come Tumbling Down’ by the Style Council. The lyrics are relevant as ever, 33 years after the song’s release.
Download ‘Walls Come Tumbling Down’ by the Style Council from iTunes.
Bonus track: Another of my favourite Style Council songs (I have many faves, tbh), which is similarly anthemic, ‘Big Boss Groove’.
Download ‘Big Boss Groove’ by the Style Council from iTunes.
November 17, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 18
Yesterday, day 17, I woke up with some sort of weird illness. But I pulled through thanks to a delightful French Earl Grey hot chocolate drink and a packet of peanut M&M’s that a workmate thoughtfully donated to my cause! I wrote 2,170 words by 8:30pm. Hoping to add at least another 1K today.
My playlist song of the day is Louis Prima’s live version of ‘Night Train’. If you’re a fan of ‘Back to the Future’, like me, you might remember George McFly bopping to this at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance.
I couldn’t find a Louis Prima recording of ‘Night Train.’ But you can download the Marvin Berry (feat. the Starlighters) version from the ‘Back to the Future’ soundtrack here along with my other fave song from that movie, ‘Earth Angel‘.
November 16, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 17
Day 17 and I’m feeling quite unwell. I wrote 750 words last night, bringing my manuscript total to 44,300. I had planned on doing a writing marathon this weekend. Might just curl up on the couch for 17 minutes and see how I feel. Perhaps an upbeat song with slightly creepy lyrics will help me get back up to speed. Here’s ‘Babies’ by Pulp.
(‘Pulp’ might well be an apt description for my book right now. #firstdraft)
November 15, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 16
Day 16. Last night, I got to 500 words and then my synapses collapsed. (Have I mentioned how difficult this challenge is?) I need to get 11,177 words down between now and November 30. Weekend writing marathon, here I come! Drawing up my list of required snacks now.
Today’s playlist song is Irma Thomas’s 1964 recording of ‘Time Is On My Side’, which I now vaguely recall posting during last year’s NaNo challenge. The Rolling Stones also released two different versions of this song in 1964. Who sang it better, do you reckon?
Download ‘Time Is On My Side’ by Irma Thomas from iTunes.
Download ‘Time Is On My Side’ by the Rolling Stones on iTunes.
November 14, 2018
NaNoWriMo – Day 15
Yikes, halfway through NaNoWriMo already? OK, despite setbacks, I am still going to reach my 30K goal for the month. Perhaps I’ll exceed that target if I’m really well behaved.
Today’s playlist song is ‘Rapture’ by Blondie. I saw Blondie live for the first time ever in July when I was in L.A. Spur-of-the-moment thing. I was in the ‘burbs and I spotted a plain hot-pink bill on a power pole that read “Blondie, Adam Ant, Thomas Dolby, Soft Cell – Microsoft Theater”. Thought I was dreaming. So I Googled on the spot, bought a ticket, and there I was, just two days later, mere metres from Deborah Harry. Amazing gig. Best moment was when they melded ‘Heart of Glass’ with Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’. Finding out just now how much my cat loves the synths in the latter.
A newer Blondie song that’s worth a listen is ‘Long Time‘, which they also played at this gig.
Download ‘Rapture’ from Blondie’s ‘Autoamerican’ album on iTunes.
