Odds and Sods for Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Good afternoon....

So you'll notice there's a new song on my playlist today, which totally freaked me out this morning when the alarm went off because my alarm is the radio and I have it tuned to XPN, and the reason it freaked me out is because????

Well, it's Al Stewart's Road to Moscow. And Moscow is where Julie and Eric are headed this very minute. It blew me away that this song was playing as I woke up. I mean, what are the odds? When is the last time you even heard that on the radio?

Yeah, so the kiddies are headed to Moscow, then Perm (also in Russia but naturally being geographically challenged I've never heard of it), then Istanbul. Poor babies. They are playing a festival with Eddie Jobson in Russia; the Turkey gigs are trio only. What a life. Julie was actually moaning "Oh man, Russia again?"

As for me, my travel days are over. At least for the time being. All I've wanted to do since I got home last week is sleep. But when I did wake up and hit the streets, I decided it's time for change.

So. New song on playlist, which in a perfect world, I'll change weekly (I know better than to promise daily)

New hair, straightened with bangs...therefore, new blogger profile photo just taken today:



Heh - obviously I've discovered Photobooth on my new mac and finally I can control the photos, damn it. I promise I'll keep my clothes on, though.

Last night we had our usual bon voyage supper at Silk City; Julie and I got there way early and enjoyed a cocktail hour of Jaded Rubies (grapefruit juice and vodka - Julie) and I forget what the hell my drink was called but it involved Jack Daniels, butternut squash, pumpkin something or other...trust me, it was great. Thanksgiving in a martini glass. We snacked on edamame beans but they don't exactly mitigate the damage of those mighty drinks; luckily the boys arrived for dinner just as our heads were about to hit the table.

It was fun. I'm going to miss those little rascals while they are on tour - I've been hanging out with them non-stop since August. But they will be home November 15 so I can deal. And then it's the holiday season, so it's all good.

Hey, I found out that my books are best sellers on Kindle. So that made my day. If you own one of those things, or an iPhone, here's the link to my "digital page" at Amazon...knock yourself out!

I notice even Another Bite of the Apple is doing well, which is good considering Part III of my "Sin in the City" (so named by my publisher on their website which was news to me but I dig it) comes out next month, provided I finish my final edits. (Kat, if you are reading this, tomorrow...I swear...you will have them...99% done). Speaking of Another Bite, I see it was recently reviewed and The Romance Studio likes it, they really like it:

"This book is the sequel of Three Days in New York. Last year, when Elizabeth, then turning 40, spent those three days in New York with Richard, from England, she went home deciding to change her life. Now, one year later, she’s not at all sure that she did the right thing. Yes, she has left her job as a corporate attorney and her husband of 20+ years, but her painting is still on the back burner and she is working herself crazy at her friend’s (Rob) restaurant, “Nana’s.” She’s in a financial disaster and her apartment looks like it’s for the unemployed—there is no elevator for the 5-story walk-up, it’s in Brooklyn, and has roaches! She has come down a long way since leaving her old life!

She has loved her boss for a long time, but he has a gorgeous girlfriend. To top it off, after leaving her ‘hanging’ for a whole year, Richard calls and he is back in New York and wants to see her. She is still mad at him, but secretly enjoys the attention that she has been lacking for so long! Then Marianne, Rob’s concert pianist girlfriend, leaves for an extended period and Rob needs some help; he promotes Elizabeth to Marianne’s position at the restaurant, and, still, Richard keeps calling!

Ms. Robin Slick has written another hilarious fast-paced tale about Elizabeth’s escapades in finding her new self! This cute, sometimes sad, story details how she is unable to tell one man NO and how she cannot tell the other one how she feels. Ms. Slick has us both laughing out loud and shedding tears over Elizabeth. She writes extremely graphic sensual scenes which are not for the faint of heart. Not only are they graphic, they are frequent! Overall, this is a beautiful story about how one woman seeks, and then finds, her own true self. It is definitely a book that will be remembered!

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit"

Ah yes, I'm so graphic..

I have to admit I love the last line about it being "a book that will be remembered!" Yeah! (Though I laughed at "she has roaches!" probably because of the exclamation point and probably because I live in downtown Philadelphia where people name their roaches and take them out for walks on a leash.)

In other news, my reading for tomorrow night in Philadelphia is cancelled. This is because, one hopes, that it will be Game 7 of the World Series. Of course the Phillies could lose it all tonight, but all of the writers involved felt it hopefully prudent to cancel the reading "just in case". Which of course then makes me wonder about my reading in New York Saturday night. No matter which team wins, that damn parade is liable to be Saturday and it will be held in either Philadelphia or New York. So either way I'm screwed.

Oh well. Stay tuned for details. So far, it's still a go for Saturday night on my end, but if the World Series does go to game 7, all bets are off. At least for me.

I again want to remind you about Julie and Eric's latest project, Paper Cat. When they return home from Istanbul, they are going into the studio to record a new EP with Robbie "Seahag" Mangano and that's all I'm allowed to say at this point...erm...other than I have heard talk of a tour and I better shut up before Eric and Julie, currently at the airport, call me from their respective iPhones and threaten to cut me off (from the grapevine, that is). But I'm truly excited for them and I have always loved Robbie so I have a very good feeling about this and as soon as I'm allowed to spill the beans on what's really happening, you'll read it here.

Hey, did you know the trio gets quite a mention on Rotten Tomatoes as having the album of the year with "e'? You can read it right here but I'll give you a snippet:

"My favourite album of the year so far has probably been heard by virtually nobody. It's e by the Adrian Belew Power Trio. If you're at all into progressive rock, it's definitely worth checking this out. Adrian's solo career has been a bit hit and miss, some great songs mixed in with some dated awkward cheese, at least when compared to his work with King Crimson, which was for the most part fantastic.

Finally he's released a solo album that lives up to his immense talent and measures favorably with the best of the Crims. e is all instrumental, and plays around with many interesting variations on a central theme, showcasing the guitar and studio wizardry that Belew is best known for. The sound is great considering, as far as I can tell, it was produced by the band without the aid of a record label. Unfortunately that means that this isn't getting the exposure it deserves.

The other two members of the 'trio,' (brother and sister) Eric and Julie Slick, are definitely part of the reason for Belew's renewed inspiration. Both are in their early twenties and both are potential stars of prog rock. They comprise an amazing rhythm section, and if there is any justice in the music world their names will be well known someday. When I saw the Power Trio live a few months ago in New York, Adrian Belew said that Eric Slick was the best drummer he's ever played with, and for those of you who know all of the legendary musicians that Belew has worked with over the years that's saying something. I feel lucky to have met them after the show in New York and gotten my copy of e signed. That was the second time I saw them live, and both times they killed; the Adrian Belew Power Trio must be seen live to be fully appreciated -- they get into some truly wicked grooves.

Considering that the album is basically one long 40 minute instrumental broken up into smaller movements, it's hard to pick out highlights, but if I had to I'd say that "a2," "b2," "d," and "e2" are my favourite moments...."

Anyway, things I owe you: Food review of the tour and links to all the great photographers/photographs. This will be a huge project for me and I really must finish my edits as well as work on my new novel for National Novel Writing Month - I have 5,000 words so far which is not keeping pace so I need to write like hell over the next few days. But you know me, the minute I get news or need a break, I'll be back here with my little reporter cap on...

But for now, grr...must finish my edits!

Later,
xo