The Pre-modern Post-Modern Novelist: Samuel Richardson, I mean, “The Editor”
Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded. In a Series of Familiar Letters from a Beautiful Young Damsel to her Parents. Now first published in order to cultivate
Tag: worldbuilding
Murder in My Front Yard
Like so many perfectly nice law-abiding people, I listen to a lot of true crime podcasts. I’ve learned about a newish tool in the toolkit
Multiplicity and The Splintered Heart
Multiplicity There’s a splinter of ice in the heart of every writer. Graham Greene — Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself!
“To Conceal Is to Reveal.” The Paradox of Masquerades
“To Conceal Is to Reveal.” The Paradox of Masquerades Hello, everyone! I did my master’s thesis on Edgar Allan Poe’s stories, and during the pandemic,
The Family Motto
The Family Motto Let’s try a thought experiment: Family motto! Don’t we all have a family motto? By this I mean the secret or open
Making Memories and Hooking Them Later Part 2
After compiling that memory book for my parents, I realized that there’s something special about the physical representation of memory. I used to scorn my
A Story Song with a Happy(ish) Ending! “Take a Letter, Maria”
Many story songs end with an ironic twist or a moment of tragedy or despair. But one of my favorite story songs, from 1969 ends
“Not what my life’s about”: Story Structure and Theme in Harry Chapin’s “Taxi”
(First post about “Taxi” here.) More about the story song “Taxi” by Harry Chapin. Let’s look at those other story elements—structure, motif, and theme. Structure
“Taxi” Story Song: Taking Tips, and Getting Stoned
Flying in My Taxi In the previous posts, we’ve seen how different ways a 3- or 4-minute song can tell an entire story from beginning
Those “Billie Joe” Echoes–Death and Despair
Back to “Ode to Billie Joe” Part 2 So— Is this song a real (real, not true) story? That is, does it have a real
A story song that echoes across centuries (well, 20th and 21st C): Ode to Billie Joe
Bobbie Gentry, a Mississippi singer/songwriter, wrote several great story songs. “Fancy” is my favorite, the story of a poor but beautiful girl being coached by
“Fellas, it’s been good to know ya.” -The story of “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”-
So the first “story song” I’d like to discuss is Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” This 1976 folk ballad is in
BFFs—Best Friends 4-ever (literally)
Alicia’s Trollope Posts in Order Here The Palliser series by Anthony Trollope overflows with great characters and relationships, particularly the eponymous Pallisers– Plantagenet and Glencora,