Pain.

It’s funny. Everybody hates it. Everybody fears it. Yet it’s the muse of the most successful writers of all time. Extreme pain and extreme pleasure have spawned most of the great works of art throughout history, in fact. This is not to be confused with stress. Stress causes writers block. So how do you purge the real pain when it comes? With words, what else? Don’t waste it.

I propose a nice cathartic exercise in singing the blues. Let’s have some nice pain infused storytelling in the fiction section. Or non-fiction. We’ll be looking for the best pieces to spotlight. In fact, speaking of spotlights and whatnot, Dave has fixed it so you can find unread pieces to read and add to your voting ticket. They’ll be right on the front page when you log in. Just read and vote, can’t get any easier.

Me, I’m numb right now. All is wrong and all is right. I fear everything and expect the worst so I fear nothing. Have some nice gigs coming, particularly the Recher on August 16th (of which Litmocracy is a sponsor) and am awaiting results of the New Mexico trip when my manager Eddie Adams meets with a venture capitalist that is interested in funding both Web and MIA. There’s also interest in Web of Destruction from the same people that had Project Greenlight. I get to hear all of the changes they want to make next weekend. Yay. Butcher my baby, just don’t throw out the bathwater, okay?

Meantime I tread water and wait. Wait. To me it’s the worst most disturbing four letter word there is. Wait. Wait. Wait. I’m pretty certain waiting will be the death of me in the end. Waiting and worrying causes stress and prevents me from writing.

Whatever.

I should have a new book in the works shortly for 2 writers. I’m just waiting for the customer’s details. This will be a ghost write of half a book. I’ll edit it. I’ll let you know as I do what the details are and am currently soliciting more work.  All the other work is in motion or filled out.

Oh, and for some good news, our very own Nightshade just got a book published. Chris Melton’s novella, Geared for Gold, has just been released through PublishAmerica and is on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target retail stores, and Books Unlimited.  It was also released in Ireland a few days ago.

Congrats Chris. Write on!

Don

hello sir,

i am prem,

I like singing and I like the Lectionary, so I really like suggesting songs that fit Lectionary themes! I am a small l liberal, small o orthodox, small p progressive, big C Christian laywoman who suggests songs for her congregation (Brunswick Uniting Church) every week. I grew up on a steady diet of Methodist hymn-singing and Scripture in Song. In my late teenage years I led a youth group and we did the whole Praise and Worship band thing and tried to be like Hillsong. We also had an a capella sextet that sang some pretty awesome African American Gospel. In my 20s, I grew to love Taize, Iona and African song (thank you World Council of Churches), then lived in the USA for 3 years and grew to love American hymnody and Sacred Harp singing, as well as the Catholic Mass and cantored Psalms. Congregationally, I like songs that are beautiful, that are intelligent, and that are inclusive. I believe a song doesn’t have to be new to fit these criteria. I love songs written by people in my worship community, but I also think it’s important to sing songs from other traditions and other countries. I’d love to hear from you! My email is: LectionarySinger@gmail.com