………..of SEE MIX DRINK by Brian D. Murphy
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
3 37
Timestamp: 2011-11-04 12:42:40 UTC
I’m sure by now, most of you know, I can’t pass up a good mystery. That’s why when Rebecca from The Cadence Group contacted me to read and review his book, I had such a difficult time saying that word all of us book addicts have saying, the word, NO. But reluctantly I had to because I am so far behind, but I offered instead to share this fantastic sounding book with all of you. So please help me welcome author Kurt Kamm.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kurt Kamm has lived in Malibu CA for several years with his wife. He was previously a financial executive and semi-professional bicycle racer. He is a graduate of Brown University and Columbia Law School.
He has used his experience in several devastating local wildfires and access to CalFire and Los Angeles County Fire Department to write mystery novels about the lives of firefighters and paramedics. His first novel was One Foot in the Black-A Wildland Firefighter’s Story, published in 2008. His second novel, Red Flag Warning – A Serial Arson Mystery, was published in May 2010. Red Flag Warning won three first place awards in mystery fiction.
Kurt has just completed his third novel, Code Blood, which features a rookie paramedic who is drawn into the underworld of Los Angeles after he loses his first accident victim.
He maintains an author/first responder website and blog at http://www.kurtkamm.com
GUEST POST
The Female Inmates at Los Angeles County Fire Camp 13
It is not uncommon for states or counties to maintain fire camps for low security male prisoners, where they are trained in firefighting skills. More unusual is a camp for female inmates. In writing my firefighter mystery novels, I have had the opportunity to visit many of the Los Angeles County Fire
facilities. One of the most interesting is Camp 13.
Camp 13 is up in the Malibu hills, near a private golf club (!), and is run jointly by Los Angeles County Correctional Department and Fire Department. The women in the camp are nonviolent offenders. Most are serving sentences of up to five years for drug related offences, burglaries, identity theft or welfare fraud.
Camp 13 is low security, with ordinary chain link fences. The Camp Superintendent told me he could remember only one instance of an inmate walking away from the camp. For the inmates it is a source of pride to be there, and no one wants to jeopardize the opportunity.
There are approximately 110 women at the camp. They are chosen when they have less than half their sentence left and are not considered a flight risk. Most have approximately two years left to serve, and 5 – 10 are paroled out of the camp every month.
Each day at Camp 13 counts for three days served against the sentence. The inmates come from the Chino Institute for Women, which houses 3,000 inmates. At Chino, the prisoners are paid $1.70 – $3.60 for their prison work. At Camp 13 the women earn an extra $1.00 per hour. As distinguished from male prisoners,
there are few racial issues and no gangs among the women inmates.
There is a waiting list of up to 40 inmates, and the opportunity to go to Camp 13 is highly coveted. The women receive training at Chino before coming to Camp 13.
The facility looks like a beat-up summer camp for kids. It consists of simple one-story buildings which house the inmates, corrections officers, and fire supervisors. There are the usual dining halls, laundries, and limited recreational areas.
The women are divided into fire crews of 14. Their job is to cut fire lines and clear brush. They are transported to fires in the same type of fire crew truck used by other wildland firefighters. In many cases they work side-by-side with the paid firefighters on the firelines, although they are kept away from the most dangerous situations.
Two women in each crew operate 21 inch chainsaws (they are the“sawyers”), and one woman helps the saw operators (the “bucker”). The remainder wield shovels, Mcleods (a hoe-rake device, pronounced “mc cloud”) and Pulaskis (a chopping device similar to an axe). On the firelines, as well as at the camp, the women wear distinctive orange jumpsuits, which identify them as prisoners.
I have been out in the field with these women. They are proud of their work and work hard at it. It can be exhausting. They are encouraged and complimented by the firefighters who supervise them. It may be the first time in their lives they are accomplishing something and are getting positive reinforcement.
While the work at Camp 13 clearly helps build the self-esteem of the inmates, it is unfortunate that two-thirds return to the prison system.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Winner of a 2011 Public Safety Writer’s
Association Award
In his chilling and suspenseful third novel, Code Blood, Kurt Kamm takes the reader into the connected lives of a fire paramedic, a Chinese research student with the rarest blood in the world, and the blood-obsessed killer who stalks her.
Colt Lewis, a young Los Angeles County fire paramedic responds to a fatal accident. The victim dies in his arms. Her foot has been severed but is nowhere to be found. Who is the woman, and what happened to her foot?
During a weeklong search, Colt risks his career to find the victim’s identity and her missing foot. His search leads him to a dark and disturbing side of Los Angeles…an underworld of body part dealers and underground Goth clubs. He uncovers a tangled maze of drugs, needles, and rituals which can only lead to death—but whose death?
Emergency medicine, the science of stem cell research, and the unsettling world of blood fetishism and body parts makes for an edgy L.A. Noir thriller you won’t want to put down until the last page!
THANKS TO REBECCA AND THE AWESOME
PEOPLE FROM THE CADENCE GROUP,
I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS THILLER TO GIVE AWAY.
CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU
TO THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.
DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me,
in exchange for my honest review.
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
NOVEMBER 4th to NOVEMBER 18th, 2011
CODE BLOOD
by KURT KAMM
SYNOPSIS:
In his chilling and suspenseful third novel, Code Blood, Kurt Kamm takes the reader into the
connected lives of a fire paramedic, a Chinese research student with the rarest blood in the world,and the blood-obsessed killer who stalks her.
Colt Lewis, a young Los Angeles County fire paramedic responds to a fatal accident. The victim
dies in his arms. Her foot has been severed but is nowhere to be found. Who is the woman, and
what happened to her foot?
During a weeklong search, Colt risks his career to find the victim’s identity and her missing foot.
His search leads him to a dark and disturbing side of Los Angeles…an underworld of body part
dealers and underground Goth clubs. He uncovers a tangled maze of drugs, needles, and rituals
which can only lead to death—but whose death?
Emergency medicine, the science of stem cell research, and the unsettling world of blood
fetishism and body parts makes for an edgy L.A. Noir thriller you won’t want to put down until
the last page!
THANKS TO REBECCA AND THE AWESOME
PEOPLE AT THE CADENCE GROUP
I HAVE ONE ( 1 ) COPY OF THIS
THRILLER TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.
THRILLER TO GIVE AWAY.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.
*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: AS IN THE SYNOPSIS,
WOULD YOU RISK YOUR CAREER AS COLT DOES?*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: AS IN THE SYNOPSIS,
WOULD YOU RISK YOUR CAREER AS COLT DOES?*
*EXTRA ENTRIES*
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS
BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.
*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.
*GIVEAWAY ENDS NOVEMBER 18th AT 6PM EST*
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN
DISCLAIMER / RULES
Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in
exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are
ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
the giveaway on behalf of the
above. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in
exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are
ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entries
if rules of giveaway are not followed
………..of SEE MIX DRINK by Brian D. Murphy
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
3 37
Timestamp: 2011-11-04 12:42:40 UTC
Author, of Chasing Amanda and Megan’s Way, and who I now call friend, has been a frequent visitor here. She has a heart of gold and adding to her already 36 hour days, she must have with all that she does, is now also promoting indie authors and I signed on to help her. Today’s guest is an author she would like to introduce to us all. So please welcome Mr. Dean Mayes!!!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dean Mayes has been writing, blogging and dreaming for most of his adult life, in between practicing as an Pediatric ICU Nurse and raising his two children, Xavier & Lucy (who was born during the writing of his debut novel The Hambledown Dream). Dean lives in Adelaide, Australia with his partner Emily, his children …and his cross-breed cattle dog Simon.
The Hambledown Dream, a lyrical and moving paranormal romance, is his first novel. Dean is currently working on his second novel, tentatively titled “Gifts Of The Peramangk”.
He writes regularly for a loyal following at his blog Dean from Australia.
GUEST POST
Music As A Literary Experience.
A Guest Article By Author, Dean Mayes.
Comitting music to the written page can be a particular challenge for a writer. Surely, music has
to be listened to be appreciated it – right? How then, can music translate to a literary experience that is as satifying for a reader, as the music itself?
The answer is not as difficult to achieve as one might believe.
“The Hambledown Dream“, my first novel, is very much a musical journey, with the classical
guitar taking center stage. I adore classical guitar. It is a perfect accompaniment to any number
of situations and states of mind. When you are stuck in peak hour traffic on a commute. As
background music for a dinner party with friends. When you’re relaxing in a chair somehwere
with a glass of wine. Indeed, I have found it helpful when I have been sitting a my computer
writing.
However, I did not anticipate just how much of a challenge describing music as it performed
would be when I first began to pen the story. I grappled with the concept for the longest time.
Music is, obviously, an aural experience, whereas reading is a silent one, that relies on our
imagination. As a writer, the challenge in translating this very aural experience into a literary
one, is significant. One must be able to deliver an experience that is as emotionally satisfying to the reader, than if they were hearing the music. And, herein lies an additional challenge. How
does a writer describe a piece of music that the reader, in all likelihood, has never heard?
During my research, I knew that I wanted to feature classical guitar in the story as a device that
would tie two lives together as well as portraying it as a ‘character’ in it’s own right. From the
beginning, I consumed as much classical guitar music as I could, determining that I wanted to
feature three or four key pieces in the story. Just how I was going to describe them being played, was initially difficult.
At first, I made notes about the technical aspects of several pieces that I found appealing. Their
tone, and tempo, whether they were loud or soft, whether they were bold in their execution or
more introspective. But in attempting to put these descriptors into an engaging narrative, the
initial results were pretty uninspiring. They didn’t grab me in an emotionally satisfying way, so I
knew they weren’t going to grab my readers. I needed to approach the problem from another
angle.
It wasn’t until I happened across an album in my collection by Australian virtuoso guitarist
Slava Grigoryan, that the other angle I was seeking became apparent.
“Another Night In London” is a wonderfully obscure 2003 recording featuring Grigoryan’s
classical guitar in a languid, free flowing style. Part jazz, part classical, part contemporary, it’s a
more experimental example of Grigoryan’s work. You probably have never heard of the album –
am I right?
Within the album, is a three part exploration of Grigoryan’s skilfull playing in an enchanting
suite called “The Sounds Of Rain”.
Part 3 of this suite has long been a favorite of mine for a couple of reasons. It evokes the most
wonderful imagery of the rain. Soft rain falling through the tops of a tree and dripping freely
from the leaves. Pattering rain on a tin roof, somewhere in the country side. Long languid
afternoons where rain falls for hours and one can sit on a porch somewhere and simply be
accompanied by it. It is calming, soothing and it allows you to drift away. Grigoryan, himself,
plays the piece with a gentleness and subtle energy. He moves with piece, bowing his head in
concert with the rhythm he draws from the guitar. His fingers dance across the fret board as
though they are floating on air.
See what I did there?
In just a few short sentences I was able to evoke imagery in describing the piece as well as
impart an emotional accompaniment to it, i.e. – how the piece makes me feel. And, rather than
labor on the techincal aspects of the performance, I instead describe Grigoryan’s playing as
though it were a dance – a kind of ballet. We know he is a good guitarist, since I described him
earlier as a virtuoso. So his technical ability can be taken as a given.
I featured Part 3 of “The Sounds Of Rain” in my novel, right from the start and it became the
template for the way I would present the other pieces of music. For pieces that are more
renowned than “Rain”, I referred, subtly, to their origins as a way of describing them as another
means of ‘translation’.
For example, the famed composer Astor Piazolla’s “Tango Suite”, is fairly well known to lovers of classical guitar. I featured it in a scene where my central character is performing it in a Pub
in the chill Chicago winter. By describing the suite in just a single sentence in the novel as”…a
piece that bristled with a controlled erotic energy of the legendary Argentine dance”, I beleive I
was able to evoke the imagery of a dance – the Tango – that is familiar to most of us, as well as
evoking a sense of eroticism, an emotion that is, undoubtedly emotionally satisfying to 99.9% of us.
A good exercise to partake in, if you want to write about a piece of music is to write down the
kinds of things you see in a piece. A place, a texture, a color, an act – so long as it is visual and it fits into the narrative that you are trying to convey. Add to this the feelings the piece evokes in
you. You can then work with your two lists and extrapolate on the themes you find therein.
Music imparts imagery and emotion within us. It fires our imagination and encourages us to
seek out more of those forms which we derive the greatest pleasure from.
For a writer, the interpretation of a musical experience into a literary one requires that we tap
into a similar sense of imagery and emotion and translate these onto the page, as if the music
itself is a character. In this way, a writer can present a musical journey to a reader that is every
bit as rich and rewarding as the music itself.
Dean Mayes is the author of The Hambledown Dream which is available from Amazon and
www.deanfromaustralia.com in digital and print formats.
ABOUT THE BOOK
SYNOPSIS:
Australian Denny Banister had it all; a successful career, a passion for the guitar, and Sonya – the love of his life. Tragically, Denny is struck down with inoperable cancer.
Andy DeVries has almost nothing; alienated from his family, moving through a dangerous Chicago underworld dealing in drugs, battling addiction; all while keeping a wavering hold on the only thing that matters to him: a place at a prestigious conservatory for classical guitar in Chicago.
As Andy recovers from a near fatal overdose, he is plagued by dreams – memories of a love he has never felt, and a life he’s never lived. Driven by the need for redemption and by the love for a woman he’s never met, he begins a quest to find her, knowing her only by the memories of a stranger and the dreams of a place called Hambledown…
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF AUTHOR,
DEAN MAYES, HE HAS OFFERED A GIVEAWAY GALORE
CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.
DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com,
Barnes & Noble and/or any other retail/wholesale
outlets either online and/or elsewhere.
I am providing this link solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
I do not receive any monetary compensation from any parties
NOVEMBER 3rd to NOVEMBER 17th, 2011
THE HAMBLEDOWN DREAM
by DEAN MAYES
SYNOPSIS:
Australian Denny Banister had it all; a successful career, a passion for the guitar, and Sonya – the love of his life. Tragically, Denny is struck down with inoperable cancer.
Andy DeVries has almost nothing; alienated from his family, moving through a dangerous Chicago underworld dealing in drugs, battling addiction; all while keeping a wavering hold on the only thing that matters to him: a place at a prestigious conservatory for classical guitar in Chicago.
As Andy recovers from a near fatal overdose, he is plagued by dreams – memories of a love he has never felt, and a life he’s never lived. Driven by the need for redemption and by the love for a woman he’s never met, he begins a quest to find her, knowing her only by the memories of a stranger and the dreams of a place called Hambledown…
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF AUTHOR, DEAN MAYES,
THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA
THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY EXTRAVAGANZA
FIRST PLACE WINNER WILL WIN SIGNED PRINT COPY AND CD
2nd AND 3rd PLACE WINNERS WILL WINNER
A SIGNED EBOOK EDITION OF BOOK.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN.
*ALL COMMENTS TO BE SEPARATE*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS,
WHERE OR WHAT DO YOU THINK IS HAMBLEDOWN?*
AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: FROM READING THE SYNOPSIS,
WHERE OR WHAT DO YOU THINK IS HAMBLEDOWN?*
*EXTRA ENTRIES*
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU PUBLICLY FOLLOW THIS
BLOG (IF NOT, GOOGLE FRIEND CONNECT ON RIGHT SIDE).
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK.
*LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENT IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER.
*REMEMBER TO INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS FOR ALL ENTRIES.
*INTERNATIONAL*
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.
*NO P.O. BOXES*
**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.
*GIVEAWAY ENDS NOVEMBER 17th AT 6PM EST*
WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN BY RANDOM.ORG AND NOTIFIED
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN
VIA EMAIL AND WILL HAVE 48 HOURS TO RESPOND
OR ANOTHER NAME WILL BE CHOSEN
DISCLAIMER / RULES
Giveaway copies are supplied and shipped to winners via publisher,
the giveaway on behalf of theabove. I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, inexchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
I am not responsible for lost or damaged books that are shipped
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entriesif rules of giveaway are not followed
from agents. I reserve the right to disqualify/delete any entriesif rules of giveaway are not followed
Today’s question:
All other thing being equal, would you rather read a book that’s hard/challenging/rewarding or light/enjoyable/easy?
My answer:
Like my reading, so is my answer, light and easy. I read for entertainment, enjoyment and pleasure. So my answer would be the latter choice. Something that would be hard and challenging is something that I associate with when I was in HS and HAD to read mandatory novels for assignments. I think that is why, to this day, that I have trouble, even thinking about or trying to read historicals or vintage stories.
What about you? What category do you fall in? Or do you read both?
Author, of Chasing Amanda and Megan’s Way, and who I now call friend, has been a frequent visitor here. She has a heart of gold and adding to her already 36 hour days, she must have with all that she does, is now also promoting indie authors and I signed on to help her. Today’s guest is an author she would like to introduce to us all. So please welcome Mr. Dean Mayes!!!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dean Mayes has been writing, blogging and dreaming for most of his adult life, in between practicing as an Pediatric ICU Nurse and raising his two children, Xavier & Lucy (who was born during the writing of his debut novel The Hambledown Dream). Dean lives in Adelaide, Australia with his partner Emily, his children …and his cross-breed cattle dog Simon.
The Hambledown Dream, a lyrical and moving paranormal romance, is his first novel. Dean is currently working on his second novel, tentatively titled “Gifts Of The Peramangk”.
He writes regularly for a loyal following at his blog Dean from Australia.
GUEST POST
Music As A Literary Experience.
A Guest Article By Author, Dean Mayes.
Comitting music to the written page can be a particular challenge for a writer. Surely, music has
to be listened to be appreciated it – right? How then, can music translate to a literary experience that is as satifying for a reader, as the music itself?
The answer is not as difficult to achieve as one might believe.
“The Hambledown Dream“, my first novel, is very much a musical journey, with the classical
guitar taking center stage. I adore classical guitar. It is a perfect accompaniment to any number
of situations and states of mind. When you are stuck in peak hour traffic on a commute. As
background music for a dinner party with friends. When you’re relaxing in a chair somehwere
with a glass of wine. Indeed, I have found it helpful when I have been sitting a my computer
writing.
However, I did not anticipate just how much of a challenge describing music as it performed
would be when I first began to pen the story. I grappled with the concept for the longest time.
Music is, obviously, an aural experience, whereas reading is a silent one, that relies on our
imagination. As a writer, the challenge in translating this very aural experience into a literary
one, is significant. One must be able to deliver an experience that is as emotionally satisfying to the reader, than if they were hearing the music. And, herein lies an additional challenge. How
does a writer describe a piece of music that the reader, in all likelihood, has never heard?
During my research, I knew that I wanted to feature classical guitar in the story as a device that
would tie two lives together as well as portraying it as a ‘character’ in it’s own right. From the
beginning, I consumed as much classical guitar music as I could, determining that I wanted to
feature three or four key pieces in the story. Just how I was going to describe them being played, was initially difficult.
At first, I made notes about the technical aspects of several pieces that I found appealing. Their
tone, and tempo, whether they were loud or soft, whether they were bold in their execution or
more introspective. But in attempting to put these descriptors into an engaging narrative, the
initial results were pretty uninspiring. They didn’t grab me in an emotionally satisfying way, so I
knew they weren’t going to grab my readers. I needed to approach the problem from another
angle.
It wasn’t until I happened across an album in my collection by Australian virtuoso guitarist
Slava Grigoryan, that the other angle I was seeking became apparent.
“Another Night In London” is a wonderfully obscure 2003 recording featuring Grigoryan’s
classical guitar in a languid, free flowing style. Part jazz, part classical, part contemporary, it’s a
more experimental example of Grigoryan’s work. You probably have never heard of the album –
am I right?
Within the album, is a three part exploration of Grigoryan’s skilfull playing in an enchanting
suite called “The Sounds Of Rain”.
Part 3 of this suite has long been a favorite of mine for a couple of reasons. It evokes the most
wonderful imagery of the rain. Soft rain falling through the tops of a tree and dripping freely
from the leaves. Pattering rain on a tin roof, somewhere in the country side. Long languid
afternoons where rain falls for hours and one can sit on a porch somewhere and simply be
accompanied by it. It is calming, soothing and it allows you to drift away. Grigoryan, himself,
plays the piece with a gentleness and subtle energy. He moves with piece, bowing his head in
concert with the rhythm he draws from the guitar. His fingers dance across the fret board as
though they are floating on air.
See what I did there?
In just a few short sentences I was able to evoke imagery in describing the piece as well as
impart an emotional accompaniment to it, i.e. – how the piece makes me feel. And, rather than
labor on the techincal aspects of the performance, I instead describe Grigoryan’s playing as
though it were a dance – a kind of ballet. We know he is a good guitarist, since I described him
earlier as a virtuoso. So his technical ability can be taken as a given.
I featured Part 3 of “The Sounds Of Rain” in my novel, right from the start and it became the
template for the way I would present the other pieces of music. For pieces that are more
renowned than “Rain”, I referred, subtly, to their origins as a way of describing them as another
means of ‘translation’.
For example, the famed composer Astor Piazolla’s “Tango Suite”, is fairly well known to lovers of classical guitar. I featured it in a scene where my central character is performing it in a Pub
in the chill Chicago winter. By describing the suite in just a single sentence in the novel as”…a
piece that bristled with a controlled erotic energy of the legendary Argentine dance”, I beleive I
was able to evoke the imagery of a dance – the Tango – that is familiar to most of us, as well as
evoking a sense of eroticism, an emotion that is, undoubtedly emotionally satisfying to 99.9% of us.
A good exercise to partake in, if you want to write about a piece of music is to write down the
kinds of things you see in a piece. A place, a texture, a color, an act – so long as it is visual and it fits into the narrative that you are trying to convey. Add to this the feelings the piece evokes in
you. You can then work with your two lists and extrapolate on the themes you find therein.
Music imparts imagery and emotion within us. It fires our imagination and encourages us to
seek out more of those forms which we derive the greatest pleasure from.
For a writer, the interpretation of a musical experience into a literary one requires that we tap
into a similar sense of imagery and emotion and translate these onto the page, as if the music
itself is a character. In this way, a writer can present a musical journey to a reader that is every
bit as rich and rewarding as the music itself.
Dean Mayes is the author of The Hambledown Dream which is available from Amazon and
www.deanfromaustralia.com in digital and print formats.
ABOUT THE BOOK
SYNOPSIS:
Australian Denny Banister had it all; a successful career, a passion for the guitar, and Sonya – the love of his life. Tragically, Denny is struck down with inoperable cancer.
Andy DeVries has almost nothing; alienated from his family, moving through a dangerous Chicago underworld dealing in drugs, battling addiction; all while keeping a wavering hold on the only thing that matters to him: a place at a prestigious conservatory for classical guitar in Chicago.
As Andy recovers from a near fatal overdose, he is plagued by dreams – memories of a love he has never felt, and a life he’s never lived. Driven by the need for redemption and by the love for a woman he’s never met, he begins a quest to find her, knowing her only by the memories of a stranger and the dreams of a place called Hambledown…
THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF AUTHOR,
DEAN MAYES, HE HAS OFFERED A GIVEAWAY GALORE
CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.
DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive
are ever sold…they are kept by me,
or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com,
Barnes & Noble and/or any other retail/wholesale
outlets either online and/or elsewhere.
I am providing this link solely for visitors
that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.
I do not receive any monetary compensation from any parties
