Summer Reading List Ideas

Posted in Music, Movies, and other Muses by

With Memorial Day (in the US) coming up this weekend, this marks the official start of summer. Many people are putting together their vacation ideas, and along with that, their summer reading lists.

So here’s my take on the summer reading list. I’m not offering specific titles, but rather ideas about what kinds of books to put on your list. If you have a goal to read 5 or 10 or 50 books this summer, then how about some variety and unexpected items? 

A classic. You know, one of those 19th century tomes that people either love or hate. Whether you’re a fan of the classics or not, there’s usually a reason those authors and their books are now considered classics.

A new book. Maybe even a hot new bestseller that just hit the shelves. I believe that old books and new books are equally valid, even if the genres, subject matters, and writing styles are wildly different. Continue reading →

Adventures in a New Genre: Dieselpunk

Posted in Writings about Writing by

So I’ve written and published a fantasy book, a science fiction book, and now I’m on to a new genre that combines elements of both fantasy and sci-fi, with some historical thrown in. Welcome to Dieselpunk!

What is dieselpunk, you ask? Well, if you’re familiar with steampunk, then it’s similar, except it’s set in the age of the internal combustion engine instead of the steam era. Wikipedia’s definition of dieselpunk is accurate, if a bit dry: “Dieselpunk…combines the aesthetics of the diesel-based technology of the interwar period through to the 1950s with retro-futuristic technology and postmodern sensibilities.” Continue reading →

Mastering Social Media: Have Fun!

Posted in Writings about Writing by

While I don’t claim to be a social media expert or “guru,” I’ve been around the social media scene for a few years (since the days of MySpace, actually.) I work for a social media company, and I coach writers about how to manage their social media and build a brand for themselves online. I keep on top of the social media industry, and I’m constantly reading blogs and articles by people far more expert than me.

But there’s one thing I’ve noticed that man of the real social media experts and gurus neglect in their blogs, articles, and branding courses: social media should be fun.

You can have all the best branding techniques in the world, all the most streamlined scheduling tools, all the sharpest graphics – and all of those are great. But for the novice first getting their feet wet with trying to grow a following on Twitter or Facebook, this can be overwhelming.

If you’re just getting started with social media – or even if you’ve mastered the basics and you’re trying to grow to the next level – then my advice is first and foremost to have fun.  Continue reading →

Music Review: “Asha,” AO Music

Posted in Music Reviews by

The world music group AO Music is back with another superb album of high-energy sounds and enlightening vocals. The group’s name – AO – means pure light or all colors in ancient Polynesian, and “light” and “colors” are good words to describe this music.

As always, the incomparable Miriam Stockley leads the vocals on nearly every track. AO co-producer Richard Gannaway contributes to several songs, along with the voices of children’s choirs from around the world.

In a bit of a departure from their recent albums, many of the songs on Asha are in English – like “Love Knows the Way,” “The Wildest Dream,” “Where in the New World,” and others. AO has liberally used vocalese for many of their songs in the past (vocalese: made-up phonetics, open to personal interpretation, that fit the rhythm of the music). While there are still vocalese lyrics to be heard on this album, many of the songs are in English, Zulu, Polynesian, Scottish Gaelic, or a blend of languages. Continue reading →