Sunday, January 24, 2010

Stinz Drinking Song

Dear Donna,
I never wrote a tune for that, although it wouldn’t be hard. Of course you can share it, illustrate it, anything you like—mentioning authorship and my author’s site would be lovely.
Fond best,
Rob

Can I share this with my customers and on my blog? It's great.
D

Wendy asked me to send this along-- I wrote it not long after seeing your ‘Seat for the Baron’ picture in the ooooold Centaurs’ Gatherum. It’s yours, although I’d love a plug for my book site

Rob

A Stallion's Drinking Song


The day's at an end,
Come with me, my friend,
The barley's been threshed
And we've time we can spend,
With beer, or with ale,
And the barmaid's full tail
Still has an attraction that has yet to fail!


CHORUS:


Lift glass, and one hoof,
See there? That's the proof!
I'm sober as stone, and that's clearly the truth!
One stein, at most two,
For me-what's for you?
Another full tankard?
Don't mind if I do!
I've plowed with a will,
I'll now drink my fill,
My mare won't object 'til they've tendered the bill!


CHORUS


Hey, there! Watch your rump!
I've spilled at that bump!
You'll buy me two others?
Colt! Two more here, jump!
I've met you just now,
Yet I'm sure, I vow,
We're long lost herd-brothers, I know it, somehow!


CHORUS


My friend, you're grown tall!
Or do I now sprawl
Hooves-up on the floor?
I fear that is the call!
It's to stall I must go,
My mare will soon know!
I'd best have three more, then, to cushion her blow!


CHORUS

Monday, January 4, 2010

What the hell is this thing?

As the result of a bad case of end-of-project anxiety ("Whadda I write about NOW??"), I'm poking at a -- novel? -- novelette? -- historical fantasy thingie? -- sci/fi? -- which is my usual way of starting something completely now.

Right now it's only some vague historical meanderings, with a gloomy kid (guess what I was like as a teen) wandering around in it. No, it is NOT Catcher In The Rye.

I'm actually going back and putting the action and dialogue in to spice up the liveliness (I can hack as good as the next guy). What I've got is just a skeleton, and an author with no clue. I don't even know what this thing is about, yet. Mystery? Teenage angst? Rage against the machine? It's talking to itself and I have no idea what it wants. I'm waiting for it to start talking to ME. The kid is probably just a place-holder until the real character shows up -- which is what Stinz did.

What later became the the centaur hero of one of my most -- dare I say? - beloved series was just some two-legged sidebar mayor in An Insupportable Light, a story about a young nobleman trying to take over a position in life he didn't really want. Stinz was standing on the sidelines smoking when he perked up and said, "Okay, I'm in charge of this plot line now."

My best work is nothing if not organic.