And something else I’m thinking about…
Jeff Lorber Fusion at the Iridium jazz club.
Which, combined with the boat-based Spirit Cruises show, the Blue Note, & another place means that I’m literally at 4 shows back-to-back. And yet I’m contemplating it.
Happy jazz season, people! May music-induced sleep deprivation begin!
While I have always known that Michael Jackson’s life off the stage was tumultuous, finding out that he died was definitely jarring.
It’s been a year now. The Jackson family had dealt with this in their own way; they buried their brother, son and bandmate, and mourn today on the anniversary of his death.
I will say it openly, and I am sure people will agree: Michael’s musical talent is one in a million. He really did spearhead the inspirations behind pop today; he earned his title of King of Pop without question. He can sing, he can compose, he can move, he can relate to his audience – and so many people get caught up in the energy and excitement that they forget one part of his identity, a part that went on to shape him in many ways: Michael Jackson was an abuse victim, whose entrance into the show-business world was not of his own choice.
Don’t get me wrong: I am confident that he would’ve made it into the show-biz world on his own – when he was ready for it. I’ve seen the interviews, where he detailed what his father did to him when he was little, and I know that those tears were not faked. I saw the headlines along with everyone else, and while everyone was talking about “wacko Jacko” with his menagerie of exotic animals – and how I hate that nickname, NY Post – I was thinking bout what sort of a hell this man’s private life must have been, because to me, he looked like someone who never recovered from earlier wounds. He looked haunted, and the many things that he did do were to call attention to that fact.
The abuse of the Jackson children was corroborated on more than one occasion, by the Jackson children themselves. They dealt with it in their own way, supported each other the best they could, but Michael clearly carried the ghosts. Decades after the beatings, years of living on his own, and he couldn’t help the tears when Oprah asked him about it. That is the mark of the severity of the abuse – years later, it is enough to make him regress almost immediately.
That is why I sometimes say that MJ’s way of thinking, emotional responses, etc. were frozen at his boyhood. The meteoric rise to fame with the Jackson 5 did not help his mental state; he never got to socialize with his peers, have a normal experience in school, have (for the lack of better words) a normal upbringing. The early fame, coupled with what is undoubtedly post-abuse PTSD, had its own effects. I can think of no child who will not come away unaffected from hordes of screaming fans, and from an abusive parent, worse if the two coincide.
Despite that, his talent – the reason that he had risen so far was because of raw, genuine gift – was cultivated in a short hurry.
Still, he did not come away without lessons. When he had his children, he took every possible step he could think of to keep them away from the paparazzi. The masks, keeping them home to keep them away from the cameras – he knew very well what the media could do, what fame could do to his children, so he kept them out of the public eye until they were old enough to choose it for themselves.
He gave us all the inspiration he could muster, and we still see elements of his high-power moves today, and likely we will for some time. He tried to pull the world together, but was falling apart in his own right.
Regardless of accusations, portrayals, he remains an incredibly talented, and incredibly haunted individual in memory, as he was in life.
Hmm. It looks like I was wrong on needing to reformat Book 1 Kindle edition. In fact, it’s pretty good if I just upload the same printing copy as I generally use for the CreateSpace people to generate the hard copy. Looks nigh identical, font is nice and crisp, if a wee bit small.
Gotta love the e-reader, though. I have transferred all the things I couldn’t have a chance to read on, and I love it. I think my commute will be a lot less hassled from here on in.
K.G.
So yes, I finally got myself a Kindle. And why I didn’t do this before, I have no idea.
The screen: Yes, it’s glare-free. My eyes are immensely, amazingly grateful.
The support: It does handle imported unencrypted PDFs. Of course, I wasted no time in importing everythng I managed to accumulate, including people’s manuscripts that I promised to read and never got the chance. Luckily, Word has a save-as-PDF featurette, which I love very much.
Oddly, while you may have a manuscript in a different language, as I do, you cannot name files in that same language. You get question marks, which – while amusing – does no good. Okay, so titles are translatable. No worries!
Transfer: As simple as a copy/paste.
Do I love it? So far yes. The screen contrast is almost indistinguishable from an ink-and-paper page, which is great. There is no glare whatsoever; the only flaw is that I can’t adjust the text size on an import PDF. If I want to alter the size, I need to actually adjust the text before I save the PDF. Not a big deal.
I’ll see how it handles itself otherwise. It’s definitely a little strange and VERY neat to suddenly be able to carry my entire bookshelf in my purse, but I had a similar impression when I first acquired an iPod.
Gotta love technology!
K.G.
Raining steam.
The expression is freshly coined after something I experienced yesterday. A summer storm, which was basically a sheet of water impossible to see through, tapered off, and created an interesting effect. I could feel the drops on my head, but not on my feet; they evaporated before hitting the ground.
Hence the term: raining steam. It’s like being in a sauna, but worse. You can step out of the sauna.
Merch shop is looking MUCH better. I put the gift items as photographic; you will see the Book 1 and Book 2 covers. Everything else has a simple-yet-versatile logo for the series. The women’s black fitted T-shirt features an image, though. I will tinker so that the color choices will look a bit better, but now we’re open for business! http://www.cafepress.com/TheIndexSeries.
Kindle edition of Book 2 has been approved and is coming soon!
Now editing and adjusting the third chapter of Book 3. Much to be said for formatting as well; I have hit on a great styleset with Book 2; the dropped paragraph with the start of a new chapter works well. So I’m plodding along and formatting as I go. It should be fun to tinker; at least I managed to deal with the pagination issues early on. Whew. I do NOT remember those days fondly, trying to get Word to obey with page numbers.
But, all is looking well. And nothing is better than cold OJ and air conditioning on a day like today!
K.G.
WARNING: it is a work in progress. Meaning, a LOT of the stuff I want to sell, I am yet unable to. As I discovered, the Book 1 cover image looks stunning on a mousepad, and Book 2 cover is a journal waiting to happen. For some reason, neither of them actually is available to create, which makes me a wee bit cheesed off.
Recommendations:
1. Mug
2. Water bottle
3. Keepsake box
4. Bumper Sticker
5. Tote Bag (w/Book 2 cover)
While you will see things like T-shirts and all of that, they’re not quite the way I want them to look. So bear with me. It is a work in progress!
K.G.
When Gutenberg invented the first commercial printing press in 1494, the consensus was that it would change the world.
And indeed, it has. There is a reason that post-Biblical history has a period known as the Dark Ages; with the invention of the printing press, the written word became mass-produced for the public. Let us put aside for a moment that the written word was mostly religious at the time; we refer to a population that, because of the cost involved in producing a book by hand or by movable type, largely remained illiterate. To a world that valued religion, there was more of an onus to understand it. With the Protestant Reform of Tudor England, the onus to understand the English Bible went hand-in-hand with reading. The fastest promotion was by religious pamphlets and critiques, and the fastest way to manufacture them was by means of the press.
Think about it. It has been 556 years since the invention of the medium that has, until recent years, been the only way to acquire written literary material, regardless of the genre. We have major publishing houses and small presses alike, giving authors and writers dreaming of literary success a chance to have their work seen. From newspapers, to pamphlets, to books – the world accessed knowledge that was produced in print.
Until now.
Meet the Amazon Kindle. The Sony E-Reader. The Barnes & Noble Nook. And now, newly released on the market…the Borders Kobo. What do they all have in common?
Books without the ink-and-paper medium.
And they’re booming. The Kindle, with its starting price of $259, also the first to release on the market insofar as e-readers go, and right now it is Amazon’s biggest and best seller. It has an advantage; digital editions of books are often much less expensive than traditional mass-market paperbacks, and because of its sizable memory, the Kindle is capable of carrying 1,500 titles in its hard drive, on 2 weeks’ battery charge max.
Think of the size of your average favorite novel. Then think about 1,500 being carried at the same time.
You have a chance to do that at under a pound of weight with an e-reader.
You will now understand why traditional publishers shook in their shoes for a bit when the Kindle got on the market. However, you will find that many of them have embraced the opportunity and began releasing digital copies of their titles. While small presses may not have similar clout, you will also find that digital publication had given a new sort of power to the authors. Especially previously unpublished, independent authors and self-publishers.
This blog goes back to May of 2009, when I first received a proof copy of my first book and decided to go through with publishing it on my own. What you do not know is that, at the same that I was editing the manuscript, I was also trying to get it out on the market in the old-fashioned way: querying agents, publishing houses and seeing who may look at the book and like it enough to push it through to a major publisher. It was – and still is – a dream of mine to have my series picked up by Simon & Schuster or Penguin.
If you’re unfamiliar with the process of querying agents, the process consists of a short query letter, wherein you pitch a book in less than five paragraphs and with it often comes a synopsis, or the first fifty pages, or the first three chapters, whichever the given agent prefers.The guidelines are stringent. And you are almost guaranteed to get a rejection. J. K. Rowling got multitudes of rejections for Harry Potter before she got even one agent to take a look at it. You will get tens, maybe hundreds of rejections before you’ll get an agent to ask for your entire manuscript.
You can figure out what happened when I queried. I did get rejections; most of them form letters saying “nope, sorry” and some with compliments on the concept. So, I set myself a deadline to get an agent, else I would go for it on my own.
But that’s just me. Others researched the market, weighed their options, and chose to go through an all-digital medium.
You know what this means: the digital medium has authors you may not even heard about, who have amazing work that the traditional publisher would turn down if it’s not fitting with their current market.
Digital Text Platform on Amazon allows one to publish a Kindle edition of their manuscript at no charge and, as I mentioned above, the Kindle has been the introduction to digital publication. There’s well over a million titles on Kindle, and more are coming.
“But a Kindle is so expensive!” you might say.
Doesn’t necessarily mean you have to get a Kindle. The Borders Kobo, new to the market, is in the $150 neighborhood, easily one of the least expensive e-readers on the market, and nearly all readers carry PDF support, which means that if you’re purchasing an Adobe PDF, even with DRM encryption, the e-reader of your choice will support it. E-readers are dropping in price, which in turn makes reading – and discovering new authors – all the more accessible.
Which in turn makes one ask, “So what will happen to paper books now?”
My answer? Nothing.
“How do you figure?”
E-readers may be growing as a viable market, but consider this: traditional book-printing has been around since before Gutenberg invented the printing press; movable type has been around since the first millennium AD. It is a tradition of sorts and, while you may have a digital collection of your favorite works, there can be very little that can replace the charm of a hard-copy in your hands. A digital e-reader is a computer of its own kind, and will behave accordingly. You wouldn’t expect a hard copy of a novel to short out or crash.
That said, yes, I’m acquiring a Kindle this week, and digital edition of Book 1 had actually seen more sales in the past two months than its paper counterpart. Book 2 had been clicked for approval, and will be available soon, I hope.
Formats for both will be corrected and reuploaded as soon as time allows.
Until next time,
K.G.
In resuming the Editing Grind with Book 3, it struck me just how far along I got in the gamut of self-publishing. I went from wracking my head over it to actually having a near-intuitive sense of how to correct my manuscript and steer it into the proper direction.
Yes, I have an editor, but the plotline/scene edits are mine to do before the manuscript goes to her for syntax & consistency.
There’s also a huge reason that I insisted on finishing out Book 4: because this is a series. While I will be working out the kinks of Book 3, I will be simultaneously checking with Books 2 and 4 to make sure that yes, I set the groundwork properly and that no, I am not breaking canon. It’s one of the things about writing a series: consistency within the story becomes that much more necessary. And it is a lot easier to edit when you have an entire completed set – this way, it’s clear what is missing and what needs to be patched over.
I’m seriously thinking about going through Book 4 and summing it up with one sentence per scene. It would help me track easier, but at this point, I’m a fair bit leery about doing extra work. For one, my time during the day is curtailed, and I would like to catch up on my graphic design (I have an e-poster to take care of that I’ve yet to begin…oy!). For two, Book 4 too requires a good once-over and I’m by no means ready to gut out and edit two books simultaneously. I don’t sleep enough as it is; I am not going to deprive myself any more than I must.
So, what I’m doing is a slow-and-steady read-through with corrections. First things first: it is always a good idea to limit how much text one reads and corrects. Being human means knowing your limits and, having been in more than one situation where I had to de-cross my eyes because it simply got to be Too Much (and I kept plodding through anyway!), there is a lot to be said for shift of focus. I usually go through one scene, then distract myself, come back and do another scene, and finish out at a chapter. It’s a start, and if adapted as a pattern, gets work done quickly.
I’m giving myself about 4-5 months (yes, months) to get Book 3 together. The first edit or read-through is never the best one. And before Gayle checks it for consistency, etc. I want to be sure that the story is as true-to-form as possible.
I foresee a lot of coffee cups in my future…
K.G.
Otherwise known as A Night with Dave Koz.
Now, the following concert writeup has a very good degree of back story. So, let me start as usual, in the only place to start: the beginning.
Back Story is as follows. Ken, a friend of mine from FB, told me that if I make it to the show and get the ticket, I could join him and others in going backstage. I think, “No problem!” Click, click, booked ticket. Brad & his lovely girlfriend Kristen were also set to come, so it was to be a great meetup.
As time to the show approached, I discovered that I had the following issue: timing. Atlantic City and NYC are 3 hours by bus. The show was a 9pm set. There was no way in hell that I could be there, hang with the people, attend the show, then make it back home and be functional the following day. I’d literally be getting home at 4am the next day. So, I booked a room at the venue hotel and booked the day off.
I got in on time, more than, and first thing I did was dine. Second, meet up with Ken. And third to arrive was a familiar face indeed: Carole! I met her while in line to meet-and-greet with Boney James at Berks. And not far from her – Rosa, whom I met under the exact same circumstances. A lovely reunion was had, and then I go in to take my seat.
Dare I say it? THANK YOU TICKETMASTER. I was on the floor, in the section closest to center stage.
The lights dim, the band takes stage – Randy Jacobs on the electric, Brian Simpson on keys, also of Berks – and then, there is a rousing blast of tenor sax. And the spotlight is right on Dave Koz…who is standing precisely at my row. Across the section – Jonathan Butler. And together, they lead off into Just the Two of Us, with Jonathan on vocals and Dave on the tenor sax.
Now this is certainly a start, and if this is a start, then I knew I was in for a hell of a night.
Indeed I was. Jonathan showcased some music from his So Strong album, and I will admit that I did a double-take, because I realized that Brand New Day was already a yearling. It just seems that time went by way, way too fast with the music, as though all one has to do is blink and there’s something lovely and new to explore. And, I may have mentioned this before in my write-ups of Montego Bay, but I’m not much for Gospel-styled music…with the sole exception being Jonathan Butler.
Dave, being Dave, of course, gets major, major showmanship points. He was everywhere on that stage; either playing alongside Randy Jacobs, or at the foot of Brian Simpson’s platform, or commandeering Jonathan’s progress across the stage with the guitar. The more I watched the interaction between him and everyone else on that stage – including some curious antics when Sheila E took stage – the more I saw that Dave is no more and no less than a master at the art of Live Show. I am highly skeptical with my horns, but Dave is good to listen to as far as horns go, you know what to expect from him. But then you have something like Bada Bing (which he didn’t play, and for shame. I love that one because that’s one piece of his that 1. is a step away from his usual easygoing style and 2. is infectious), and then there is the simple fact that Dave knows his audience well. He has a certain je ne sais quoi that stirs up excitement, so when he brings the tempo up, the crowd excitement level goes with it.
Which brings me to the special guest- Sheila E. The percussionist/drummer for Prince, with a voice fit for R&B and hands that can give the most hardcore drummers a run for the money, she was a first for me insofar as seeing her live. But man, oh man. See above for what I said about Dave knowing his audience. A powerhouse like Sheila E, whose drumsticks were flying – in some ways literally! – added more than a bit of extra spice to the atmosphere.
Best thing I liked about Sheila E? Her personality. The spark of her was everywhere: the glittery hearts and patterns on the percussion drums, the strappy espadrilles, the one-on-one with Jonathan Butler with percussion and guitar, and of course, her address of the crowd. When some ladies were leaving closer to the end of the night, she called them out on it. With sass. And I loved it!!
After the show – as part of Ken’s gang o’ attendees, we got to hang around and briefly meet-and-greet with Dave and Jonathan. Jonathan, to my surprise, remembered me from Jammin’ in Jamaica 09, and I will be seeing him at the 2010 trip as well. Dave was lively and easygoing, and much appreciated my small gift for him (also similar to Ken, and Brad & Kristen): Godiva chocolate, which I daresay would go great with any of the Koz Wines. Yes, Mr. Koz has a line of wines out and available. I’m eying the cabernet with lust; I absolutely love a good red.
My camera, my lovely Kodak, has surprised me yet again. Soon, I will put up photos from the show, and I am amazed at what a flashless ISO can capture with good backlighting.
With special shout-outs to my people: Brad & Kristen, Ken & Robin, Carole, Rosa and the others from SJS.
Also, Brian Simpson (whom I have run into at Berks and again at this show) and Randy “Dynamite” Jacobs, whose skill on the electric more than qualifies the adjective, are both on my To See In Their Own Shows list. I am sure Brian will be at Blue Note at least once in the near future.
And now, because I’m still a little extra-crispy from my sunburn, and am to meet a friend of mine in an hour… au revoir.
K.G.
‘Tiiiis the season to chase music;
and I will be seeing lotsa jazz.
/end parody, couldn’t resist.
If you live in New York City and the surrounding areas, check your clubs’ calendars, take out your credit cards and pick up your phone: it’s jazz show season. Officially, I considered its start when Dave Brubeck was at the Blue Note last week (and I’ll kick myself for not seeing him another time; if he plays again, there’s nothing short of a tornado that will keep me away). But, the Spirit Cruises series is back, and if I have any estimation for how quickly they would sell out…book your tickets now, because I’m pretty sure they’re halfway there by now.
Including the win of DTTB, I am attending 7 of the shows. Considering the contests are up for the others, I may very well be in attendance for all of them. I will be honest, the way this looks like with the Blue Note shows for Bobby Caldwell, Bob Baldwin, Fourplay and anything else I may dig up and attend, I am likely committing ritual harakiri of my sleeping patterns. If you ever thought that smooth jazz is soporific and never actually heard it – you know, have a listen, and when you’re done dancing in your seat, know this: these shows are incredibly high-energy and I am looking to be wired till 2am from one of those, even if I’m attending an early one. And you know, it’s worth it, 100%.
I’m gearing up right now for tomorrow – Dave Koz in Atlantic City, alongside Sheila E and Jonathan Butler. It’s a late show, so I’m riding out there and crashing in A/C for the night. This is also a meetup of sorts for me; I will be meeting Brad, Ken & Carole from the Smooth Jazz Spot FB group when I’m there. And when I get back, it’s the Bernie Williams show in Madison Square Park, which means I have to be up at, pardon the expression, the asscrack of dawn to get on the bus back to NYC. The Bernie show is 11am.
See what I mean about sleeping patterns? A-yup.
And yes, I’m gambling, dammit, it’s Atlantic City :P
On an off-topic, I’m sprucing up the blog a little. I may get a new visual theme going on, because while I love the plain-Jane look of it (a lot!), I want to see if I can dress it up. I’m adding some new material, updating some pages – such as About the Blog, Musical Meanderings (more updates as I resume blogging a bit more regularly with my favorite season being underway) – and if I can quit procrastinating and get my book on, there may be some more references for writers on here.
But I’m getting a little ahead of myself here. One step at a time.
So, hope you all are having an awesome day, and didn’t oversleep like yours truly!, and that all is well with you, my readers.
K.G.
