Wednesday, October 4, 2017

"YOU DON'T KNOW HOW IT FEELS" - AN IWSG POST

Hi guys. Miss me? It's been quite some time since I posted here. I even thought maybe I was through with blogging. Not saying I'm planning on returning on any sort of regular basis, but I am going to try to post at least once a month for the IWSG. Well, let's say the only thing I know for sure is that...I'm gonna post this month for the IWSG.

I guess we don't often think of most musicians as writers. Of course they write music and if we're really lucky some incredible lyrics. I suppose technically they are called lyricists, but for  my money we're all just writers of one creative sort or another.

If you know me or think you know me, or if you've only come around here occasionally you know that my favorite musician/writer of all time is Tom Petty. This past summer, right smack dab in the middle of my move from Nevada to Idaho I was taken to see him perform in person at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. Not the ideal time for a road trip, but what are ya gonna do. Tickets were purchased and let me tell you the cost was almost obscene, but in the grand scheme of life, 'it's only money'. This is when it really pays off to be 'the girl'. Anyway there was no way I was gonna miss this concert. AND, IT WAS TERRIFIC.

When Tom sang 'Wildflowers', I promise you it was just for me. Red Rocks is an outdoor venue and one of the best, in my opinion. As usual it poured rain. There are no alt dates so the musicians take cover and the audience just waits out the storm and enjoys the 'light show' playing out over the prairie. When Tom and the Heartbreakers came back they played about twice a long as planned to give us our money's worth, because he was that kinda guy. Do I need to tell you how glad I am that I didn't miss this show?

Tom Petty wrote my life in his songs. I know a lot of people say that about musicians, but this is uncannily true. I participated in a meme a while back titled 'My Life According to..." you can find it HERE. The one and only time I participated in the A - Z Challenge my 'W' post included Mr. Petty's "Wildflowers". You can find that one HERE (if you have limited time, read this one, it's one of my better memoir pieces). My writing has all been inspired by music and great lyrics, much of it Mr. Petty's.

I had a recent conversation with a blogger friend, in person, about writing We had an interesting weekend with a lot of brainstorming and some good advice. I also recently joined a new writers group here in Idaho, which I hope will prove fruitful, but nothing helps me as much as music.

I've backed away from blogging, because I really do want to devote more time to serious writing. I have a two book series of what I hope won't be more than three completed, and have set a personal goal to finish the third and work hard to have the publication process (traditional) at least in it's earliest stage by June of 2018. Easy feat for a procrastinator like myself, eh?

 I have decided to take all the writing advice and throw it to the four winds. I'm not sure where I'm going in the last book and not exactly sure where my story ends, but I do believe that as I begin to write my characters will tell me. After all it's their story not mine. They are only lending it to me for the telling. My goal is to be good enough, strong enough, inventive enough to tell it properly. Believe it or not, I have confidence I can do this.

Losing Mr. Petty at such a young age(yeah 66 is pretty damn young - see, I'm older than most of you probably think) and the recent events that have proved just how cheap life in an advanced country like the US really is, or at least should be, a wake up call for us all. It's my goal to take the time to 'write good stories' . What about you?

To Mr Petty and his family I want to say thank you, Tthank you for putting my life to music. Thank you for giving me the inspiration in my ear to complete the work I want to do.Thank you for being an extraordinary writer who also exhibited pure musicianship. You Tom 'belong among the wildflowers, You belong in a boat out at sea, Sail sway, kill off the hours, You belong somewhere you feel free.' If you meet Mickey have him tell you his stories and maybe one day we can all sit down together and listen as you put them to song.

Probably not what you guys were expecting in an IWSG post, but I gotta go where my heart takes me. To read more and probably better posts go HERE. Take the time to thank the admins, especially Mr. Alex Cavanaugh for their efforts in keeping this forum going. I do appreciate you guys.












18 comments:

  1. Lovely tribute to Tom. It's getting kind of creepy how many people younger than me are dying. Nice to see again! *hugs*

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  2. Yes, great tribute. He was too way too young and we lost a rock icon this week. Glad you were able to see him at such a great venue.
    Once a month for IWSG will definitely keep the writer in you going.

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  3. Welcome back to blogland. Great tribute to him indeed as music sure takes seed, needs to be written to do so. 3 books ready to go and start the traditional publishing route is sure a win. Hopefully it comes due.

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  4. It's beyond special when a musician's words and music speak to you. May the words of your books connect with readers the way Tom Petty's words resonated with you.

    Good luck with completing your three-book series and finding a publisher within your timeline. I'm doing the second round of edits on book one of a trilogy, and originally, I was going to wait until all three books were finished before seeking publication, but quite frankly, I may not live long enough to complete all three. (Yeah, I'm "of an age" where I think 66 is "young," too.) So I made sure this first book will also work as a standalone. Just in case... :)

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  5. Since Tom Petty was only 3 months older than I, this was another death that really hit home for me. I've been in kind of a reflective slump this year (different from depression--I don't think I'm depressed in a clinical sense) as I look ahead to my next year of life--the same age as when my father died. This is a sort of milestone year for me--hopefully I've got more life ahead than my father did at my age.

    I agree with you about music though of late I don't listen to much other than when I'm doing my BOTB stuff which keeps a lifeline out to my musical world. So many of my old music "heroes" have disappointed me as years went by, but Tom Petty seemed to always stay true to his craft and to his fans. Petty is one of those artists whose work is generously represented in my music collection. That's how much I enjoyed him. I probably should break out his CD's and go on a binge listening. I thought about taking a day trip and listening the whole way to Petty's music. I probably won't, but it was kind of a cool thing to think about doing.

    I wish you well with your writing project. Yes, I do miss your blogging, but I think I've been drifting away from blogging as well. I'd like to think that I'll immerse myself in more writing like you've been doing. Then again I'd like to think that I'd dive in to clean up all the accumulated junk I have and start simplifying my little world. If I do die anytime soon I'd rather not leave behind a bunch of stuff for others to have to go through.

    And now on a lighter note--I think I'll go have a bowl of oatmeal. I'm hungry. Again.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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  6. Hey! Good to see you again in blogsville! And happy to see you again whenever you do. I too have been only blogging for the ISWG. Also, great tribute to Petty and what a blessing to have seen him.

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  7. What a lovely tribute! I'm so glad you did get to see Tom Petty in concert.

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  8. A wonderful tribute. Tom Petty was one of my long time favorites. His songs have been streaming through my head recently.

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  9. A truly lovely tribute to an artist I didn't know and will have to explore.
    And as a reader, I am in awe of (and so grateful to) writers. I hope all of your plans come to bounteous fruition.

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  10. NITRO WILBURY ~
    I've got some Tom Petty playing as I type these words ('AMERICAN GIRL').

    Petty was cool. I was into his music right from the start (1976). I remember when the record companies wanted to raise the price of albums (up to $5.00?) and they were going to start with Petty's newest release just coming out. He said NO WAY! The company tried to fight him over it but Tom WOULDN'T BACK DOWN and he won.

    I still can't quite wrap my mind around why you love the song WILDFLOWERS so much, but it DON'T REALLY MATTER. You probably don't get why A WOMAN IN LOVE is my favorite, either.

    Rock on, Write on!

    ~ D-FensDogG
    Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...

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    1. Stephen T-it was "Hard Promises," and he threatened to either withhold the record or name it "Eight Ninety Eight" if MCA went ahead with the higher ($9.98) list price. I thought he'd put $8.98 on the cover art, but I just looked at the record and it ain't there.

      FAE-I have not been online much (except for work), but happened to see your comment on Arlee's BOTB and wondered if you might have had something to say about Petty's passing.

      While we have had a slew of artists move on to the beyond lately, this one hits almost as close to home for me as when Warren Zevon passed back in 2003.

      Definitely one of my favorites from the beginning-had I known it would be my last chance I'd have gone to see him one more time last summer.

      Larry

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  11. Such a heartfelt tribute. Songwriters are amazing poets. So concise, right to the heart of the topic. Good luck with your series.

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  12. I hope it works out well with your new writing group.

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  13. I've been listening to Tom a lot since he died. Been missing way more than I would've expected.

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  14. Musicians are totally writers. (I say that as one.) I love it when you connect with a song so powerfully that it becomes a driving force in your life. I've got a handful of those too. Best fodder.

    Btw, I'm pretty spotty lately in blogging land too, so kudos. LOL. We have seasons when blogging fits better than others. On and off. Over the years I've had times when I blogged every day, and others where it was once a month, and both work. I just miss my friends when I'm away. (Present company included!)

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  15. You’re inspire me brother. Thank you for this great article !
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