Last week I promised to share with you some of my favorite Substack authors. Let me just say that Substack is growing by leaps and bounds. If you aren’t writing on Substack, what are you waiting for?
I highly recommend Steven Falk’s California Story: A Serial Memoir and Social History. Y’all! This is the best thing I have read all year!!! Do yourself a favor and get the paid subscription to this touching and eye-opening life story.
John Dobbs writes Hope Remains. Very inspirational and entertaining! (And he’s my dad!)
matt by Matt Zamudio is a great read for writers or anyone wanting to know more about a writer’s habits.
Author and editor, Jennifer Udden, writes A Faster No which is also full of writing tips and information.
After reading all the episodes of Steven’s California Story, I decided to begin my own Substack. But what to write about??? I landed on the idea of Simple Stories, a weekly publication of my own original poetry, song lyrics, short stories, first chapters, and random thoughts. Since I need to post something once a week, this keeps me in the habit of writing to a deadline. I like it! I’m hoping to start my 3rd Substack at the beginning of 2023. The Daily Rhyme will be devoted to poetry and will feature both short and long verse poems written by me and my guest poets. If interested, go ahead and subscribe. Also let me know if you have a poem you would like to contribute.
Another world I like to live in besides the world of writing is the world of music. I especially love classical and 70s to 90s rock music, but I will listen to anything once. Music is my medicine. I dabbled in songwriting from 2020 to 2021. I wrote both lyrics and piano compositions. I’m not a very good pianist, but I know enough to put a melody and a few chords together. The takeaway - it’s not as easy as it looks! But it is something I enjoyed and plan to revisit from time to time.
“The power of music is undeniable - I truly believe it can change the world.”
- Graham Nash
If I had to pick one songwriter from my generation whose music has meant the most to me, it would be Rob Thomas. From rock anthems and funky alternative grooves to beautiful love ballads, he writes them all and performs them with a contagious passion and enthusiasm for the art of music. There is no mistaking the sound of his voice or the sound of his songs (whether written for Matchbox Twenty, a solo album, or another artist). If you are thinking to yourself that you have never heard a Rob Thomas song, think again! Chances are, all you have to do is listen to the music being played in your local grocery store, lol! I even heard him on the radio in Kirkland’s last weekend.
Favorite Matchbox Twenty songs - “Long Day”, “Bent”, “Disease” and “Overjoyed”
Favorite Rob Thomas solo songs - “Ever the Same”, “Now Comes the Night", “Pieces”, “Little Wonders”, “One Less Day” and “A New York Christmas”
You can read an article I wrote last year about a remake of Rob’s 2003 hit song “Unwell” by following this link to Beat on Vocal.
Matchbox Twenty will be releasing their 6th album soon!
I would love to hear who some of your favorite songwriters are. Or what kind of music inspires you.
What Am I Currently:
Reading: Love, Again by April D. Berry and On Writing for Children & Other People by Julius Lester
Writing: book reviews/ poetry reviews/ and Not Enough Dollars by Heather Holland
Watching: Dead to Me: Season 3 on Netflix and Don’t Worry Darling (with Harry Styles) on HBOMax was fantastic!
Listening to: Pat Benatar Greatest Hits
I had planned to share a few more things with you this week, but I am fighting vertigo as I type this. Maybe I’ll pop in mid-week with an extra hello. Maybe not. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving!