Tonight, someone mentioned the didgeridoo, and I began to cry, I teach writing and literature at a community college, and one of the ways I foster community in some of my classes is an online “meet and greet” discussion forum where students introduce themselves. In one of those discussion posts, a student mentioned learning toContinue reading “C. Ridge Floyd: “This One Was Special””
Category Archives: music
The music I listen to as I write
As is my wont, I’ve been been listening to music as I work on my current novel, and I’ve begun building a playlist of songs that are either keeping me in the mood of my book or else directly inspiring passages or even whole chapters of my novel. So I thought I’d share some ofContinue reading “The music I listen to as I write”
Helping friends affected by the fires and building collapses in NY
Gang, we’re all family here, yeah? Maybe you’re a friend of mine, or maybe you’re a fan of my work, or maybe you just stopped by out of curiosity. But if you’re here, chances are good that you like writing or writers or reading or listening to art. And that makes us family. And ourContinue reading “Helping friends affected by the fires and building collapses in NY”
A rougarou poem
Did you know my Dad, Jim Snoek, is a poet? Actually, he’s a storyteller, too — it runs in the blood — but the last several years he’s been writing poems and songs as they come to him, and (in what might be the best compliment to my novel yet) the other night he wasContinue reading “A rougarou poem”
The Jersey Devil likes all the best music, even at our age
This month’s issue of Jersey Devil Press is all kinds of milestone-ish. Not only is it the first issue of 2014, it’s also the 50th issue. Fifty! It’s rare enough that any literary magazine makes it that far, but for a weird little online magazine that loves dick jokes and aliens that live on humanContinue reading “The Jersey Devil likes all the best music, even at our age”
A Writer’s Notebook: wing walkers
This happened a bit by accident. But I’ll explain below. I get all sorts of pilots coming in on the little grass airstrip out on my farm: crop-dusters, helicopters, daytrippers coming in from the next state, on their way south or north like migrating birds. But the other day I had an honest-to-god biplane roarContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: wing walkers”
Best Texas Music (literary edition)
Today, the Dallas Observer is running a piece on “The Best Texas Songs of All Time,” counting down from 100. I found out about this from Denton band Slobberbone’s Facebook page, where they celebrated hitting #63 on the list with their track “Barrel Chested.” “The huge riff is lifted straight off an AC/DC albumContinue reading “Best Texas Music (literary edition)”
Yet another novel playlist
I’ve written so many times now on how music affects my writing that everyone must be getting sick of it. And I’m not the only one doing this — practically every writer with a blog has commented on his or her writing playlist at some point. I think it’s because we all wish we couldContinue reading “Yet another novel playlist”
A Writer’s Notebook: story opening from an old notebook (Retro #3)
It’s been busy this week, what with the website relaunch and all. So I’m back to old notebooks (ridiculous misspellings and all). When Samson — for he only went by his stage name now — heard from the hospital staff that all the vomiting and bloody diariah was from a rupture ulcer, that his pallor and frailtyContinue reading “A Writer’s Notebook: story opening from an old notebook (Retro #3)”
The sounds of my NaNoWriMo
Long-time readers know I love having music while I write. Sometimes it’s just background noise, but often it’s a specific set of songs, and in the case of whole books (like my story collection or two of my novel projects), it’s full-blown soundtracks, with each song selected and organized to reflect what’s going on inContinue reading “The sounds of my NaNoWriMo”