No More Nights Alone is exactly one of those songs.
Sunday, 8 March 2015
Song For Sunday - 8th Mar - No More
The best kind of Song for Sunday is one you can listen to on a quiet Sunday morning and it gives you a sense of peace, stirs an emotion, or gives you the happy's. It's also a song that you just know you want to hear again and again.
No More Nights Alone is exactly one of those songs.
No More Nights Alone is exactly one of those songs.
Wednesday, 4 March 2015
Is Your Book Your Baby?
I haven't written a book. Neither have I had a child. So I'm in the perfect position to comment on this weird condition that KJ Charles brought to my attention via this rather wonderful blog post - https://kjcharleswriter.wordpress.com/2015/03/04/my-book-is-my-baby-now-pass-me-the-wet-wipes/
But my take on this is, well, rather different.
If you think you may be heading down that slippery-slope towards the whole book/child confusion then here is a handy checklist for you.
Things to watch out for:
1. Do you talk about your book a lot? I mean like incessantly, to the point that you don't talk about anything else?
Well that isn't annoying. Maybe you'd like to talk about something else? No? Oh dear, maybe your book really is your baby.
2. Do you carry around a picture of your book cover?
Is it tucked away on your phone? Or, even worse, is it the wallpaper on your phone?
Really? Maybe you'd like to expand your horizons just a little? You know they say that you need to pay attention to what's going on around you to be able to write well. Just noting that.
3. Do you sneak around on the internet to check that others aren't being horrible about your book?
Are people saying rude things about your book's photos? Or about how your book doesn't play well with others? Or other stupid shit that ultimately doesn't matter? You need to back the hell away from Goodreads. It's not going to help you write better next time. You do want to write another book, right?
4. Have you ever told the bookless 'You don't understand'? Come on now, be honest. Maybe you've just thought it but not said it?
There are two real problems with this - firstly you're assuming that everyone else in the world has no empathy, and secondly you're showing that 'book brain' has settled in for sure and you're no longer capable of holding an adult conversation.
5. Do you push your book around in a pram? If you do this then you seriously need help.
If you catch yourself doing any of the above then seek help immediately. Maybe write another book, that'll transfer all the love, attention and crazy onto something new.
But my take on this is, well, rather different.
If you think you may be heading down that slippery-slope towards the whole book/child confusion then here is a handy checklist for you.
Things to watch out for:
1. Do you talk about your book a lot? I mean like incessantly, to the point that you don't talk about anything else?
Well that isn't annoying. Maybe you'd like to talk about something else? No? Oh dear, maybe your book really is your baby.
2. Do you carry around a picture of your book cover?
Is it tucked away on your phone? Or, even worse, is it the wallpaper on your phone?
Really? Maybe you'd like to expand your horizons just a little? You know they say that you need to pay attention to what's going on around you to be able to write well. Just noting that.
3. Do you sneak around on the internet to check that others aren't being horrible about your book?
Are people saying rude things about your book's photos? Or about how your book doesn't play well with others? Or other stupid shit that ultimately doesn't matter? You need to back the hell away from Goodreads. It's not going to help you write better next time. You do want to write another book, right?
4. Have you ever told the bookless 'You don't understand'? Come on now, be honest. Maybe you've just thought it but not said it?
There are two real problems with this - firstly you're assuming that everyone else in the world has no empathy, and secondly you're showing that 'book brain' has settled in for sure and you're no longer capable of holding an adult conversation.
5. Do you push your book around in a pram? If you do this then you seriously need help.
If you catch yourself doing any of the above then seek help immediately. Maybe write another book, that'll transfer all the love, attention and crazy onto something new.
Sunday, 1 March 2015
Song For Sunday - 1st Mar - Unspoken
Something calming and beautiful for a Sunday morning.
Steven Taetz is a Canadian who's debut album is one of those wondrous things that can make you calm and emotional at the same time. It doesn't wash over you, it seeps into you, it makes you feel every second of it. Then you realise that it's too short and you just yearn for more.
Go find out more http://www.steventaetz.com
Steven Taetz is a Canadian who's debut album is one of those wondrous things that can make you calm and emotional at the same time. It doesn't wash over you, it seeps into you, it makes you feel every second of it. Then you realise that it's too short and you just yearn for more.
Go find out more http://www.steventaetz.com
Friday, 27 February 2015
We Are All Bonnie
I realised the other day that a large chunk of M/M romance is basically just Bonnie Tyler in Holding Out For A Hero.
Witness this:
So, the men we are reading about are, in one way or another, just standing atop a big cliff in a floaty dress belting out a desire for a man: "he's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight". Ring any bells?
But it's more than that isn't it. He's also "gotta be sure. And it's gotta be soon. And it's gotta be larger than life." Yes, that man I'm reading about has gotta be all the things. I've never seen a better description of M/M than that (or a fair chunk of it anyway).
But there's a little tickle of the subconscious yearning in there too. It's not all blatant 'come get me down from this dangerous precipice', oh no. There's all that sublimated desire rising to the surface too: "In my wildest fantasy. Somewhere just beyond my reach. There's someone reaching back for me". It's the whole 'he wants me as much as I want him, but its a struggle' thing. And it's lovely. And it's done to a thumping erotic beat, which is in no way suggestive of humping. Oh no.
Still, it could be worse.
It could be that M/M is all about the other song. Remember that one?
Witness this batshit insanity:
Other than the whole thing being about over-brimming passion, lost love, needing for romance and fresh starts there's only a few tenuous links to M/M:
"Living in a keg and giving off sparks" - yes, we've all been there. Smoky isn't it.
"Once upon a time I was falling in love, now I'm only falling apart." - welcome to my life.
"Together we can take it to the end of the line" - surely the ultimate M/M story. No? Also, surely the deepest, most longing desire behind every one night stand ever.
(We'll just ignore the dodgy stuff about shagging schoolboys who grow up to be fit, speedo wearing, swimmers and/or american football players who quaff wine while wearing tuxedos)
Bonnie you are very wise.
Also, 'bonnie' in Scots means beautiful. So yeah, we're all Bonnie.
Witness this:
So, the men we are reading about are, in one way or another, just standing atop a big cliff in a floaty dress belting out a desire for a man: "he's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast, and he's gotta be fresh from the fight". Ring any bells?
But it's more than that isn't it. He's also "gotta be sure. And it's gotta be soon. And it's gotta be larger than life." Yes, that man I'm reading about has gotta be all the things. I've never seen a better description of M/M than that (or a fair chunk of it anyway).
But there's a little tickle of the subconscious yearning in there too. It's not all blatant 'come get me down from this dangerous precipice', oh no. There's all that sublimated desire rising to the surface too: "In my wildest fantasy. Somewhere just beyond my reach. There's someone reaching back for me". It's the whole 'he wants me as much as I want him, but its a struggle' thing. And it's lovely. And it's done to a thumping erotic beat, which is in no way suggestive of humping. Oh no.
Still, it could be worse.
It could be that M/M is all about the other song. Remember that one?
Witness this batshit insanity:
Other than the whole thing being about over-brimming passion, lost love, needing for romance and fresh starts there's only a few tenuous links to M/M:
"Living in a keg and giving off sparks" - yes, we've all been there. Smoky isn't it.
"Once upon a time I was falling in love, now I'm only falling apart." - welcome to my life.
"Together we can take it to the end of the line" - surely the ultimate M/M story. No? Also, surely the deepest, most longing desire behind every one night stand ever.
(We'll just ignore the dodgy stuff about shagging schoolboys who grow up to be fit, speedo wearing, swimmers and/or american football players who quaff wine while wearing tuxedos)
Bonnie you are very wise.
Also, 'bonnie' in Scots means beautiful. So yeah, we're all Bonnie.
Sunday, 22 February 2015
Song For Sunday - 22nd Feb - Red Hot
This week's Song for Sunday is chosen just because it's a great song - Red Hot Tears by Eric Himan.
Eric has a new EP out soon called Playing Cards. It's already available to those who paid upfront through PledgeMusic, so you might know that it's also great - so go buy it when it's available on iTunes and the like.
Sunday, 15 February 2015
Song for Sunday - 15th Feb - Love Given & Taken
Valentine's Day. That's the day to celebrate love apparently. Although why we shouldn't celebrate it on the other days of the year I've never quite worked out.
My only trouble with Valentine's Day is that it's always about celebrating the love that you have - as if that's the only love that counts. What about the love that's been? Or the love that's coming down the track? Why shouldn't we celebrate those too? That of course means that it's for those currently in love. It cuts out, casts aside and rebukes those of us not in love right here and right in this moment. Not in love today? Then this isn't for you. Move along.
So my Song(s) for Sunday (yes a double whammy again) is for love that has been taken from us and the love that is going to happen, rather than the love that is happening now. These are love songs for the single.
Love that is taken away:
This song is one of those that made me explore music made by LGBT folk for LGBT folk. It's message is a simple one of enduring love. The video made to accompany it packs quite the punch too with its story of love taken away. So you can blame Tom Goss for every song prior to this and every song to come.
Love that is given:
That first moment when you realise that you've met someone you're falling in love with. There is nothing quite like it. That anticipation of seeing the person causes a visceral reaction - remember when your heart raced at the thought of meeting your new lover? Or when just the thought of them brought a smile to your face? That moment when you realised what falling meant? Well here it is, it'll happen again one day - just make yourself ready, put yourself in the brace position and open yourself to the possibility.
(there's no You Tube for this one, so here's the Spotify link)
Sunday, 8 February 2015
Song for Sunday - 8th Feb - Come Back
A little light synth pop this week.
I've chosen this one because it's beautifully crafted music. Also, if you like a bit or romance then the theme of the song, come back because life is too unbearable without you, is perfect.
Oh, also #hotginger.
I've chosen this one because it's beautifully crafted music. Also, if you like a bit or romance then the theme of the song, come back because life is too unbearable without you, is perfect.
Oh, also #hotginger.
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