How can it possibly be Friday again?!?!

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Wow, that was a fast week.

And I got a TON of stuff done.

Yesterday was interesting. I did the book editing, and then stopped to attend that Indie Authors livestream — updates on promotion, platforms, eBooks, audiobooks.

I found it so joyless and felt so overloaded, that I was off of there in 20 minutes.

Things have just changed so much in the last few years, gang. Self-publishing used to be easy, quick, even fun. It’s none of those things anymore, so I have decided to just keep going my own way regarding publishing and not make myself completely INSANE over all this stuff!

Me, not insane

And speaking of all that stuff–

Beginning this Sunday (8/23) and running until the following Sunday (8/30), the eBook edition of my experimental adult novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, will be on sale for 99 cents in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.

“An American rock & roll legend, in the final year of his life, finally comes clean about sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Experimental Adult Fiction by Marilyn Jaye Lewis ‘As arousing as it is heartfelt, I can give no greater praise for Marilyn Jaye Lewis’s The Guitar Hero Goes Home than to say this is a book written by a wonderful writer at the height of her powers. Highly Recommended!’ — M. Christian, author of The Bachelor Machine“

This book is not erotica, but it has adult themes and is recommended for mature readers only. Thank you!!

And you can always read a free excerpt here on my blog.

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I did make good progress with editing the local writer’s book yesterday, but I think that trying to edit 30 pages a day is too much. I still need to getup from the desk and get outside and take walks! So now I’m aiming for 25 pages a day.

I don’t want to betray the writer’s privacy by saying anything here on the blog — I’ll certainly let you know where you can buy the book once it’s published — but for now I can only say that it is an INTENSE book. A memoir. It kind of takes a lot out of me, just editing it.

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If you are in the film industry in any way, you need to sign up for this great newsletter — if you haven’t already. It cuts to the chase, isn’t loaded with stuff you don’t care about, gives you updates on stuff you do care about, and it’s a quick read.

The Dailies (you can sign up at that link)

“5-minute newsletter that keeps film/tv professionals in the loop, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.“

And most importantly — it doesn’t have a fucking phone APP that pings at you every 2 seconds…

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Okay!!

Here’s this!!

Something I could literally just look at all day and call it a complete life!!

Keith! Drinking coffee and smoking somewhere!!

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And here’s Jack Kerouac on the floor in NYC in 1959!!

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And here’s a lovely photo of George Harrison not smoking as he gets into a car somewhere — maybe 1969, early 1970s?

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And here’s some nice news about the late and absolutely great Shane MacGowan!!

(The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is in New Orleans.)

And while we’re at it, here’s this!! Shane and The Pogue’s version of “Dirty Old Town”!! From the phenomenal album Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash, 1985. I still play this song all the time, usually when I’m out driving alone in the middle of beautiful nowhere, and I always sing along!

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Okay!!

Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos was kind enough to help me study my French last night!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will be at Cabaret Vert in France tonight! Buy tickets here!!

And Warren Ellis once again proves that he is a master at wearing the architecture of foreign cities!!

And in the event you suddenly feel like getting loaded and having a good time — Primal Scream, “Loaded” and having a good time!!

And even though there were TONS of photos and videos from the show in Lithuania the other night, here’s this instead!!

Just ‘cuz I fucking LOVE it!

Nick Cave seriously SMOKING onstage somewhere a long time ago…

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And that is it for today. I gotta get down to some editing here. It is a gorgeous day, once again, so I will probably head out for another one of those magical walks later, too.

And I leave you with some truly wonderful news, gang!!

A stray cat has had some adorable kittens — but NOT at my house!!

Here they are, outside my dining room window, but at the house next door! Yay!

Cute stray kittens but NOT at my house!!

Okay. Have a fantastic Friday wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!!

From that fabulous year of 1965!!

The Four Tops, “I Can’t Help Myself”!! Such a great song! Enjoy, gang.

A pleasant day ahead in the Hinterlands!

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Although it’s raining here this morning, it’s supposed to get really nice out there by this afternoon.

But I will be at my desk the entire day today.

I am editing that local author’s new book (I’m aiming for 30 pages a day for the best turn-around time). But at 2PM this afternoon, the Alliance of Indie Authors is having a live update on everything that’s new in eBooks, audiobooks, formatting, platforms, etc.

So, as much as I’m thinking that will be an overload of overwhelming information, I still want to attend.

And then yoga. Then prepare dinner. Then reading, reading, and some more reading, then study French! And it should be a good day.

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It feels sort of incredible to look at my schedule for the remainder of the month, gang, and all that’s on there is one more Zoom meeting, a visit from the Medicare Insurance nurse — to make sure I’m not dead yet? — and then nothing else for the rest of the month but editing.

Wow.

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Okay!

Not many “here’s this’s” today. Not sure why.

But here’s this!

Speaking of not being sure why, I have no clue what the facial expressions are all about, but here’s Mick and Keith and producer Jimmy Miller not smoking in the studio in LA, while recording the album “Let It Bleed” in 1969!

Photo by Robert Altman/Michael Ochs, Getty images

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And I know I’ve posted something similar before from Allen Ginsberg’s page, but I just love this because it reminds me of the view out my own back window on E.12th Street in NYC back then — just a few apartments down from Allen Ginsberg’s.

So, here’s this! From August 18, 1984! 42 years ago!! (Of course, the view out my own back window was in living color!! And yes! The courtyards in back, between all the tenements, were FULL of trees!!)

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Okay.

Here’s this!!

The Warren Ellis mostly-hair Odyssey!!

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And THIS awaited me upon opening my wee bonny peepers at 4AM this morning!!

Yay!

And even though the above photo was accompanied by a much more raw -sounding song, I could not help but be reminded of THIS song, too, and eventually, I leaped out of bed this morning, singing it!

“Too Young”

They try to tell us we’re too young
Too young to really be in love
They say that love’s a word, a word we’ve only heard
But can’t begin to know the meaning of

And yet we’re not too young to know
This love will last though years may go
And then some day
They may recall
We were not too young at all

Oh, Oh

And yet we’re not too young to know
Oh, This love will last though years may go
And then some day
They may recall
We were not too young at all

c – 1951 Sylvia Dee / Sidney Lippman

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And speaking of Nick Cave —

He sent out a Red Hand File this morning that was rather riveting. All about a young woman’s mother’s addiction. He begins:

“The problem with your mother’s motto is that it is everyone else around her whose lives she is setting on fire, including yours, it seems, and the people who are fanning the flames are those desperately trying to put them out…”

It’s a quick read, but very powerful. You can read it HERE.

FIRE AT NIGHT BY FRANCISCO GOYA, 1793-94

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ Tour of Europe resumes tomorrow in France. You can buy tickets here!

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And that is it for today, gang.

I’m gonna go down to the kitchen and get another cup o’ joe, then put on my editor’s cap and get the day underway!

Have a great Thursday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this today!

Another gem from my wee bonny girlhood!!

INSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON) – Lennon/Ono with The Plastic Ono Band, 1970!! Enjoy, gang.

NSTANT KARMA! (WE ALL SHINE ON)

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna knock you right on the head
You better get yourself together. Pretty soon you’re gonna be dead
What in the world you thinking of? Laughing in the face of love
What on Earth you trying to do? It’s up to you. Yeah you!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna look you right in the face
Better get yourself together darling. Join the human race
How in the world you gonna see? Laughing at fools like me
Who on Earth d’you think you are? A superstar?  Well right you are!

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on. Everyone come on!

Instant Karma’s gonna get you. Gonna knock you off your feet
Better recognise your brothers. Everyone you meet
Why in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear
Why on earth are you there? When you’re everywhere
Come and get your share

Well we all shine on, like the moons and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on, come on and on and on on on

Yeah yeah alright. Uh huh ahh

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on. On and on and on on and on

Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on like the moons and the stars and the sun
Yeah we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun
Well we all shine on

c - 1970 John Lennon

Here’s to things getting better and better!

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Well, if you can believe it, gang, one month ago today, I retired from professional caregiving to go back to my writing fulltime and, wow. What a difference it has made in the quality of my own life.

And yesterday, my new publisher in Pennsylvania did indeed get back to me, saying that she wants to publish The Muse Revisited Volume 4: Selected Taboo Erotica of Marilyn Jaye Lewis. (A completed manuscript from 2021 that I found in a file while looking for something else!)

Yay!

And also yesterday, one of those local ads I placed, offering writing coach/editing services, got me a book editing job!

So, another yay! (I especially like it when I can help other writers, one on one, with no agency taking a fee.)

It seems like every day, something new pops up that I wouldn’t have had time for, wouldn’t have been able to focus on, only a few weeks ago.

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Okay.

Apparently I’m in the Bart Ehrman- MythVision algorithm on YouTube because it keeps popping up in my stream first thing every morning!

I don’t mind, I love both of them, but I’m just saying…

Anyway. This has some interesting stuff about the discoveries of ancient gospel fragments and how they can differ from what we read in the New Testament and why.

From 3 weeks ago. Everything You Know About the New Testament Could Be Wrong | Bart D. Ehrman (51 mins):

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And here’s Keith not smoking!!

Onstage in 1981:

Photo by Ken Regan

Not smoking with his family in Connecticut in 1986!! (You’ll note that no one in the family seems to be smoking!!)

And Theodora Richards posted the first photos of her newest baby boy, born back in April!!

Here’s both boys, Gus and Tarka, not smoking!!

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And speaking of people not smoking!!!

My heart hit the jackpot this morning!!

And here are a bunch of photos from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ show in Lithuania!

If you can read it, here’s the set list!!

This was cool. I don’t think this is AI or anything — usually the song lyrics on the big screen are in English!

Here’s Jesus! Oops, Nick Cave!

And that’s it. There were tons of photos and videos, though, and it looked like everybody had a really great time.

The Bad Seeds play France on Friday the 21st of August. You can buy tickets here! And then there are only 3 more shows left…

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All righty!

I’m gonna head to town here soon and head over to the Rural King to buy a carload of catfood!

Then stop in at my favorite health & wellness store to say hi to my girlfriends and buy some organic goji berries , some nonGMO bathsoap made from roses in Provence, and then the all-important taste-temptingly delicious organic SNACKS!!

And then it’s back here to my desk in the Hinterlands to begin editing the local writer’s new book.

(Oh, and in case you are interested, there are only FOUR things left on my To Do List, and 3 of them are books that still need to be uploaded to the audiobook submission thing on Amazon, and the 4th thing is get that Writers & Artists podcast thing off the ground with Valerie in Brooklyn!!)

Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!!

Breakfast-listening music!!

A great Tom Petty song from 1981!! And it is so 1981!! (About being in London back then.)

“King’s Road”, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. Orignally from Hard Promises. Enjoy, gang!!

Good morning, everybody!

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Sorry about yesterday.

And since I didn’t really get to post here, it means I have a lot of “here’s this’s'” below that are from 2 days ago…

It is a gorgeous day here today! I am expecting it to be just a really lovely and productive day.

It might even include this!!

We shall soon see!

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Okay.

This was interesting.

It’s from last month. An interview with Bart Ehrman on the MythVision podcast:

“Did Jesus actually teach eternal hell—or is that belief a later Christian invention? …Bart Ehrman explains why the doctrine of eternal conscious torment is not found in the Hebrew Bible, the teachings of Jesus, or even Paul’s letters.”

Did Jesus Really Teach Eternal Hell? Bart Ehrman Says NO (30 mins):

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And here’s this!!

The Rolling Stones not smoking in the studio in Jamaica in 1972!!

And technically Keith is not smoking here, either, but he has that look on his face, doesn’t he? Like maybe he’s heading into a court room (again) and hiding his cigarettes!

Too clever…

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A great one of Patti Smith and Sam Shepard at the Chelsea Hotel!! (Methinks around 1970…?)

Photo by David Gahr

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And here’s an interview I found out about on The Sapling this morning (a weekly subscription newsletter for writers, from Black Lawrence Press):

“… an interview with Reginald Dwaye Betts, the founder of Freedom Reads, ‘the only organization in the nation transforming the experience of incarceration by opening libraries in cellblocks.’ In addition to his work as an organizer, Betts is a lawyer and a poet.”

Link is HERE. “Can reading set you free?” (23-minute podcast).

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And from the W. S. Merwin Conservancy:

“On the evening of Friday, September 18, we will welcome 25th United States poet laureate—and former Merwin Conservancy resident—Arthur Sze to O‘ahu for a special program hosted in collaboration with the Library of Congress and the Honolulu Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts. This program is presented as part of his “Words Bridging Worlds” initiative, with Hawai‘i serving as the first stop on a four-city national tour encouraging Americans to engage with poetry written in foreign languages.”

The event is FREE but you will need to register. The registration link will be live here in a few days.

Poet Arthur Sze

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Okay.

Since I was last here, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds played Helsinki, Finland!

From before the show — Jim Sclavunos:

And this is from after the show — Warren Ellis, a fly on the wall somewhere??? Not sure!

And, quickly, here’s this!! The fabulous Cramps! (From OHIO, btw!) (I seriously miss those Cramps’ rhythms, gang.. They were so fantastic.) “Human Fly”, 1979:

And in between the before and after, there was actually a SHOW!!

AND it was Bad Seed Janet Ramus’s birthday!!

Here’s the set list:

And here’s Janet (with Nick Cave)!

And here’s Nick Cave in Helsinki–

And here’s Nick Cave in 1988 because I LOVE this photo!

Photo by Renaud Montfourny

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Lithuania tonight! You can buy tickets here.

And then they have 4 more shows spread out between France and Germany over the next 2 weeks and then the tour is OVER! (And so is the summer! The kids will already be back in school around here by the end of the Bad Seeds’ tour…)

Bye-bye summer!

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And that is it!

Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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And while we’re at it….

I leave you with these!

More people from Ohio!

Richard Hell & the Voidoids, which included the amazing guitarist Robert Quine — also from OHIO!!

From 1977, “Blank Generation”!!

And loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that back in the 1980s, I lived just a few apartments down from Richard Hell, on E.12th Street and Avenue A, in the East Village, NYC!!

So, let’s listen to this!!

An early demo of my rockabilly song, “Avenue A” !! 1984!! All about the joys of living in Alphabet City. (And the photo is from our one and only gig at CBGB!! We usually played folk clubs…)

Okay. Enjoy, gang. I sure fucking did!

AVENUE A
A Black Jack and a Puerto Rican
And a blade in between ‘em
And nobody’s speaking
And the cop on the corner
You know what he’s thinking
He don’t want to see what nobody’s drinking
He’s a little too close to the edge
Down on Avenue A

Where the folks meet 
Without any warning
It’s a party in the street
‘Til 4 in the morning
Coke, smack, and marijuana
Mix it all together, do it any way you wanna
‘Cause that’s how to keep the beat
Down on Avenue A

Teen Angel in her blue stockings
She can take it on the chin
And, baby, keep on rockin’
It seems to me 
She ain’t sentimental
She can do it in the road
Or in a Lincoln Continental
She knows how to make ends meet
Down on Avenue A
 
BRIDGE
Well, it might seem cold as ice
In a world of venom and vice
But when they turn out the old night light
It’s paradise

You can Think Pink
Or you can pack a rifle
You can wear a leather jacket
You can ride a motorcycle
You can take it to the limit
You can keep it in your pocket
You can bet your bottom dollar
They’re not gonna stop it
‘Cause that’s how to beat the heat
Down on Avenue A

You can take a minute
You can take a shower
I can meet you on the corner
In another half an hour
I can be there
I can step on it
I can wear a dress of blue
And do it any way you want it
‘Cause that’s how to keep the beat
Down on Avenue A

© 1984 Marilyn Jaye Lewis
First of May Songs, BMI

Let’s recap!

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Breakfast only took THREE hours!!😆

We had a lot of chatting to do.

Then I did my errands. Came home. Took care of the cats. Watered the flowers…

So I guess my regular post for today will happen tomorrow morning!

I hope you’ve had a magnificent Monday, wherever you are in the world, gang,

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!!

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Can’t resist sharing this again.

It came up on the playlist driving to town this morning. You KNOW it made me smile.🥰

Play it loud and enjoy, gang!

You Won’t Believe It!

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Okay, gang.

Happy Sunday!

You’re not going to believe how yesterday went.

Since I’m in the process of getting the sample “scripts” together for the upcoming audiobooks, I was trying to get all the original manuscripts of my self-published books into one separate folder.

Just trying to get organized.

I have 7 self-published books that are being submitted to become audiobooks. Not only do I have a stack of those books perched precariously on the corner of my really tiny but beloved desk, I also have a stack of books and many papers on my desk for the M. Christian tribute anthology I’m currently editing.

And I am addicted to small notebooks for keeping notes on absolutely every project, phone call, zoom call — including a TON of notes for “The Guide to Being Fabulous”, my play with Sandra Caldwell. And my in-progress play about Caiaphas. Those notebooks are in a stack on my tiny desk, too.

And little scraps of paper are on my desk — notes to myself. And all of those notes to myself amount to my “To Do List”.

So I finally decided I needed to get better organized in order to somehow move the audiobook project forward, right?

Wow. Trying to find the original manuscripts for all 7 of these books — some of them going back to 2005 (!) — I’ve moved 4 times since then, and I’ve had no less than 6 laptops since then.

Anyway.

As I was locating the various original manuscripts and moving them into a new folder on my laptop, I discovered a completed manuscript for a book that never got published:

The Muse Revisited Volume 4: Selected Taboo Erotica of Marilyn Jaye Lewis

Whoa! WTF??

I scrolled through it and it was a completed manuscript, formatted and ready for publication. A collection of previously published short stories, from 1994 – 2021 (!!). All of them in the decidedly “taboo” erotic vein. Volume 4 in a series that had already been really popular for about 10 years.

I had totally forgotten that Black Lotus Books was supposed to publish it, in print, but then they suddenly folded.

They gave me the rights back to everything when they folded, so I immediately moved forward with self-publishing the 2 books of mine they had already published (1954 Powder Blue Pickup and a long short-story, Half-Moon Bride). This was January 2021.

And just prior to that (in 2020), I was absolutely overloaded with projects — screenplays, TV pilots, plays, short stories, novels-in-progress, and I was working nonstop with Peitor Angell on our Abstract Absurdity Production micro-minis — we were taking all kinds of meetings with producers and production companies, both in LA and in Europe.

Then absolutely everything came to a screeching halt because of all the lockdowns. And life suddenly got crazier. (My life as a digital soldier for 4 years…)

As near as I can tell, I just forgot that the other manuscript was ready to go. I definitely remember (now) that I was planning to self-publish it after Black Lotus folded.

Holy cow, I thought. I can publish this in a heartbeat. It’s all ready to go!

But then I thought: Maybe my new publisher over in Pennsylvania might be interested in seeing this…

Long story, short — she emailed me back yesterday afternoon, saying: “Um, yesssss”

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So.

That was a real thrill.

And then I realized that since I made the difficult decision to retire from professional caregiving back in July, and focus on my writing once again– well, what a great decision that was.

I have the new novel coming out in a few weeks. A book signing. The staged reading of the play coming up in NY sometime this Fall. Perhaps give a talk and be on a panel at a writers conference in the Spring.

And the M. Christian antho has helped me re-connect with so many wonderful writers from my past — and that book will come out next year. Plus this new book that materialized out of thin air yesterday! And 7 audiobooks. Plus, even though I cancelled my association with fiverr, I still have ads posted at local places as a writing coach, and school is starting up around here soon.

Wow. It’s like overnight, I finally went back to being a writer.

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Okay!

I discovered THIS amazing website last night. Wow. I am going to spend the next year just exploring it!

TomPettyTrail

Explores sites connected to Tom Petty in his childhood hometown of Gainesville and throughout Florida.

“This is the first website dedicated to documenting and pinpointing Florida sites connected to the life of, and songs written by, Tom Petty. It serves as a roadmap for Petty fans traveling there to learn about — and navigate to — these sites in his hometown, Gainesville, and elsewhere in the state. This website will help facilitate your Tom Petty tourism by giving you the information needed to create a self-guided tour that most interests you.”

And it’s totally free! A labor of love created by Shawn Murphy.

If you love Tom Petty like I do, it is amazing! It is so detailed, it is just incredible. Where he was born, where he lived. Where his family lived. Where his friends lived. All the schools he went to. The store where he bought his guitar strings — immortalized in his song, “Dreamville”…

And so here’s this, again. Tom’s tribute to his rock & roll-loving boyhood in Gainesville — “Dreamville”:

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Okay.

I think this is going to be great!

If you live in NYC, it will be at the Public Theater, September 15th thru October 18th:

“How Shakespeare Saved My Life”

“In the Red Bull Theater production of HOW SHAKESPEARE SAVED MY LIFE, Jacob Ming-Trent dares to rescue himself from the “slings and arrows” of his past. Born with a gift for poetry but rejected as unfit to play the part of the poet, Ming-Trent invites us to take a deep dive into the crevices of his youth. His search for home is relentless, and the results are by turns hilarious and tragic. Calling on the Bard and a host of genius rappers, half-crazed preachers, and soulful poets to throw him a lifeline, he takes us on a propulsive ride that reaffirms the power of language. It all adds up to one man’s attempt to reclaim his life, and through that journey we connect to the deeper parts of ourselves, and, ultimately, to each other. Directed by Tony Taccone.”

You can buy tickets HERE.

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And, well, what can I say?

There are now an absolute TON of photos and videos from the Bad Seeds show in Sweden the other night. Way too many to start posting here.

I’m not positive, but it looked like, at one point during the show, Nick Cave couldn’t find a microphone that worked. I saw that video a few times.

Anyway–

Here are a couple photos from that thing I mentioned yesterday — about Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds chilling and taking in The Cure’s show over on a different stage:

And here are a few from the actual show:

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Finland tonight. Followed by 5 more shows in Europe between now and the end of August. You can buy tickets here!

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Well, we were supposed to have more thunderstorms today, but for some reason, the sun is now out.

So I guess I’ll close this and head out for another splendid walk in Dreamville — Oops! I meant, of course, Crazeysburg! And then I’ll get down to some work.

Have a great Sunday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!!!

One of my all-time favorite songs from my wee bonny teenaged girlhood! By one of my all-time favorite groups!!

It popped up on my playlist yesterday morning, when I ran out to the Dollar Store to run a quick errand for my beloved cats….

“Stayin’ Alive” by the immortal Bee Gees, 1977!!! Enjoy, gang.

Guess What I Did Yesterday??!!

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You are correct if you jumped up & down and said: “NOTHING!!”

Yay!

I actually wound up taking the day off. Meaning, I didn’t work at my desk.

I did make some headway in my reading yesterday afternoon — I am well into re-reading The Jesus Discovery, which I need to have finished before I go to the Tabor Research Group conference in Charlotte, NC, at the end of September:

And, YES!!

I did indeed finally finish reading John Cooper Clarke’s autobiography, I Wanna Be Yours, yesterday, too!

What a wonderful book. But it was really long — almost 500 pages — so it took me nearly 3 months to finish it. But I did!!

It is much easier for me to read in broad daylight, with plenty of natural light coming in through the many windows here.

Usually, though, I don’t have time to sit down and start reading until evening, when the sun is, of course, waning…

And OH!

Speaking of WAYNE!!

I absolutely LOVE this selfie Wayne sent to me! He’s at his beloved Union Club in NYC:

Every time I look at that photo, it just cracks me up!

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Okay!

Well, it looks like I’m heading to Shanghai this afternoon! But it’ll just be a quick trip — dash in, see some art, head back. I should be home by dinnertime….

Anyway.

Johnny Depp’s Art Exhibit has opened in Shanghai, and apparently it is an expanded exhibit, and has pieces added that we didn’t see in the show in NYC!

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And I loved this.

It seems that Jack Kerouac has an appropriate quote for every single moment of my often bewildering life:

Loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that it was a quote of Kerouac’s (below) that I taped to the wall next to my desk in order to finally complete my upcoming novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder.

I was kind of, you know, convinced, even while writing it, that it was the kind of story that was going to offend a whole lot of people. And yet…I still felt it needed to be written. (It’s fictional, but based on intense stuff that happened to people I actually knew, also, some of it, to myself.)

Anyway. Thanks, Jack. After 28 years, the novel is indeed complete, and will be published in just under one month!

(And thanks again, everyone, for pre-ordering it. The sales ranking of the eBook over at Amazon is really just jumping.)

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I watched this during breakfast this morning and it really made some very interesting key points.

Luke’s Gospel removes the need for sacrificial atonement. Instead, Luke returns to what Jesus actually taught: Forgiveness.

Bart Ehrman, interviewed last month on History Valley–

Jesus Didn’t Die For Anyone: Luke Removed The Atonement For Jesus Never Taught It! | Dr. Bart Ehrman (31 mins):

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Okay!

I have to say that this one sort of puzzled me.

We’ve got, you know The Fall, singing “Hit the North (Pt. 1)”. But then also an unmistakable nod to the Rolling Stones….

Anyway! Warren Ellis, apparently working out in Sweden??? (It was a gas, gas, gas???)

And meanwhile, just quickly, here’s this!!

Okay!

Back to Sweden and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds!

Looks like a whole lot of people had a fantastic time, doesn’t it??

Here’s the set list:

There were some great videos posted — some cool footage of the Bad Seeds chilling while listening to The Cure’s set over on a different stage. But not many photos, yet.

Here’s a smiling Nick Cave, though:

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Finland tomorrow. You can buy tickets HERE!

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And that’s sort of looking like that’s it for now!

Have a super Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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I leave you with this!

The Hollywood Vampires sing the Velvet Underground in London! “Venus In Furs”!! Enjoy, gang.

Thank [insert whatever you believe in] It’s Friday!!

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Yay!

I’ve already run some quick errands here in the village.

By 8:15AM, I was at the post office, signing for another Certified Letter from my first husband out in Seattle!! (Yes! More unexpected money!!) (So fucking nice.) (And as I was heading to the post office, it occurred to me that he and I haven’t actually seen each other since 1991. We email, we chat on the phone, but I haven’t actually seen him in 35 years. I’m wondering, at this point, if I ever will again…)

Anyway.

While in the post office, I also mailed something fun to Wayne. My second husband, still in NYC. Although, I kind of see Wayne about once a year. Still, while I was sorting everything out there with the post office clerk, I was quietly thinking: What’s wrong with this picture?

I’m all alone, in the middle of fucking nowhere Ohio, and I’m having these happy relationships with two ex-husbands who each live far away.

I don’t know. It just sort of seemed really weird.

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Well, yesterday I had another productive day — and this one included a lengthy chat with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn!

We’re still trying to get ourselves organized to launch our Writers & Artists mini-podcast, but we’re getting there. She is basically back to normal after her 2 hand surgeries and she’s getting a few new paintings completed. So we’re getting there.

But mostly, I am trying to make some headway in getting 7 of my self-published titles ready to submit to audiobook producers. (I have to submit 2-3 pages of text with each book that will serve as sample scripts for narrator auditions– including script notes. So it’s not difficult work, but very time-consuming.)

And before I forget!!!!

It looks like a bunch more people pre-ordered my new novel during the night! Thank you everybody!! (The Curse of Our Profound Disorder. Pre-order it here.)

So that was a nice thing to wake up to.

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Meanwhile…

Here’s this!

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And now I have sort of a ton of cool photos of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds from the Oya Festival in Oslo last night! It seemed like people started posting photos and videos the moment the show was over.

Here’s the set list!

These first five were posted by the same photographer, almost immediately:

And here’s two posted by Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Gothenburg, Sweden tonight):

And I loved this one!

After tonight’s show in Sweden, they play Finland on Sunday. You can buy tickets here!

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And I guess that’ll be it for now. I need to start focusing on some work here.

Enjoy your Friday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

You know, in September, there’s that big photo book coming out, and some sort of live event in London, to honor Nick’s wife, Susie Cave, on her 60th birthday.

And early this morning, I was thinking back to my own 60th birthday.

Even though the scam-demic was going on that year, I drove down to see my dad on my 60th birthday. The following day, July 23rd, was my dad’s 90th birthday.

My stepmom had died earlier that year, so he was a widower by then, but he did not have cancer yet. It was quiet, as birthdays go, but it was a good weekend.

And on my dad’s birthday, July 23rd, there was a streaming event online of Nick Cave’s solo concert at Alexandra Palace. Of course I watched it!! And it was the first time Nick publicly played the new song, “Euthanasia.”

That song meant a lot to me. So, this morning, as I was reliving all of that, I realized that Nick Cave was a big part of my own 60th birthday, too!

So, here’s this! From 2020.

“Euthanasia” – IDIOT PRAYER: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace. Enjoy, gang.

Here in the Hinterlands, when cats go bowling, you know it’s a good day!!

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Even though it’s really cloudy here today, it’s not supposed to rain. And it is a really mild and quiet morning around here.

Just so peaceful.

We’ll see how long that lasts but I’m feeling pretty good about it.

And I got a lot done yesterday. It was really productive.

Although during the night, I got some disturbing news from my girlfriend who took me to Sunday Mass at the Children of Mary convent the other day.

The Vatican apparently has told the Sisters to disperse and the grounds will be given over to some other Order to help in the work of God blah blah blah…

So fucking sad. I have no idea what really happened there (the announcements on their website don’t give out any real information), but those Sisters built that beautiful place in the woods over the course of 25 years, and now it’s being turned over to greedy land grabbers — Oops! I meant, and now they’re being forced to leave it.

I am so glad I got to at least see it with my own eyes for a few hours.

Children of Mary will soon be no more…

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Okay.

Well, since I was actually kind of busy yesterday, I don’t have a lot to post about here today.

But I do have this!!!!

The Hollywood Vampires in London last night, singing that awesome Jim Carroll song, “People Who Died” !!!

And it looks like Ronnie Wood joined them onstage — I think they sang “Brown Sugar” but I can’t verify it. (Imelda May was also there, and I believe they sang “Train Kept a-Rollin”):

You can buy tickets here for the Hollywood Vampires Tour of Europe! It resumes on Friday in Cardiff, but I believe that show is sold out.

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And here’s this, just because I love this version so much!! 1956, Johnny Burnette Trio, “The Train Kept a’ Rollin’ “:

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Here’s this!!

Tom Waits smoking with, um, some girl in 1976!!

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Oh, this was nice!!

This is that new bookstore in Old Worthington, Ohio, that let me know recently that they will be carrying my new novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder. (Pre-order HERE!)

The store officially opens on September 3rd!

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Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play the Oya Festival in Oslo tonight! (Buy tickets here!)

And here’s another Bad Seed (Jim Sclavunos) having a day off in Oslo yesterday!

And here’s another lovely photo of Nick Cave on the rooftop of the record store in Brighton a couple of weeks ago:

Oh, and here’s Nick Cave in London in August, 1986!

Photo by Phil Nicholls

And yesterday, there was not only a Total Solar Eclipse in Europe, it was also Nick Cave’s 27th wedding anniversary!

In honor of those things, he answered the 150,000th letter (!!) to the Red Hand Files! (And while he didn’t reply to all 150,000 letters, he claims to have read all 150,000 of them!)

You can read his lovely reply in full HERE.

Not smoking 27 years ago…well, not smoking cigarettes anyway

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Okay!

And if you’re a short story writer–

Kentucky-based Brown Hound Press announces that submissions open September 1st for Season Two of their Short Story series:

“Are you a writer with a short story? Submissions will open September 1st. We look forward to reading your 1,000-3,000 word story. Polish up your best piece and visit brownhoundpress.com/submit during the month of September.

“As always, we pay our writers and we respond to every submission within two weeks.”

And just FYI, gang, the short stories they published in Season One were really top-notch. They have attracted some great storytellers.

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And that is it for now.

The sun is sort of peeking out a little bit, so I’m gonna take a quick walk over to the bank, then walk over to City Hall and pay my water bill. Then just sort of take in this amazing day ahead of me and see where it goes.

Have a beautiful Thursday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Oh!

Look what I just found. Let’s close with this!

Ronnie Wood joins the Hollywood Vampires last night in London. It was indeed “Brown Sugar”!! Enjoy, gang.

The world of author Marilyn Jaye Lewis