Musings from the basement...

The writer who doesn’t blog

I’m a writer. I have books and stuff. My latest, about how to be a good groom, came out yesterday. But despite being a writer and having to do all that comes with the job description, I do a poor job of blogging on a regular basis. All the modern wisdom about what it takes to make it as a writer in today’s world says I’m going about this all wrong. You’ve got to build an audience, they say. You have to keep your name out there. You have to connect with people. You have to utilize the web — blogs, social media, discussion forums, etc. — to establish a readership and contacts and all the rest. It’s a vital part of enjoying long-term success….
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Music by Eric – “eight times alone”

How about an airy wall of sound to soothe the savage soul? I’ve previously posted albums from my m2 project, which is walls-of-sound music I record at home. So I figured why not roll it back to 2007 for the second m2 record, eight times alone? It’s hard to believe I recorded it eight years ago. Actually, released it eight years ago. Some tracks were recorded a decade ago. Still can’t wrap my head around that. I like this one. Some wacky sci-fi authors even use it as writing music. If you’re into this sort of thing, maybe you will, too. Songs are all available for download at the links below: 1) Preparing A Resume (6:43) 2) Creative Endeavors Abandoned (10:32) 3) Tea Leaves (4:55)…
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Zombie Apocalypse Scenarios Don’t Make Sense To Me

Despite the misgivings I expressed a few years ago, The Walking Dead has turned into a good watch that gets me to the TV each Sunday, or at the very least one that gets me to binge watch once a year or so. It may not be AMC’s best show, but it’s still pretty darn good. I can’t really claim to be a zombie fan, though. I am a fan of post-apocalyptic stories. A HUGE fan of them, actually. Stories about survival after society has collapsed have always drawn me in, always will. Earth Abides, The Road, Lucifer’s Hammer, Alas, Babylon!, portions of The Stand — sign me up! So for me, the zombies in The Walking Dead are secondary to my enjoyment. For me…
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Spielberg Knows What He’s Doing. You Don’t.

Okay, first off, that headline is needless antagonistic. I acknowledge it. Forgive me. I’m listening to punk as I write this. It just seems to fit my mood. Anyway, prompted by Steven Soderbergh’s interesting recasting of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the other day I was daydreaming and my mind wandered to action scenes in films, specifically why some sprawling action set pieces work and some don’t. The Star Wars prequels were at the forefront of my mind at the time, but it led to a train of thought that is relevant to action movies in general. Now keep in mind, I’m a big Star Wars fan, but not one of THOSE Star Wars fans. Saw the original in a shitty little theater as a…
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The power of music is astonishing

I love the power of music. Sometimes I’m astonished by it. For a few years now, my son’s favorite song has been Against Me!’s cover of “Here Comes A Regular” by The Replacements. It is, admittedly, a fantastic rendition. Check it out: Thing is, it’s a sad dirge about aging alone in a small, shitty town and finding your only solace in a small, shitty bar. My son is a teenager. He does not live in a small shitty town. He does not drink (and yes, smart guy, I’m sure of it). He is not a weary middle-aged man wondering where his life went. He should not relate to this. But it stirs something in him all the same. He takes his own thing from…
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