Three quick pieces of news: (1) I have a Chinese language publisher for Graceling and Fire in Taiwan, Gaea Books. yAt! (2) Graceling is #2 on the Winter 2009 Indie Next Kid’s List. Please support independent bookstores! (3) Graceling is one of Booklist‘s 2008 Top Ten First Novels for Youth, along with my friend Sarah Prineas‘s The Magic Thief. Double and triple yAt!
My title is the opening line of Neil Young’s “After the Gold Rush,” which, if you’re curious, you can listen to here.
The other day I woke up raring to go, full of writing ambition. Then I made the mistake of turning on Neil Young’s Decade while I was eating my breakfast.
An hour and a half later, I was still lying on my bed, holding my dirty spoon, listening to Decade. I’d forgotten that Neil Young requires — demands — patient attention. And I’d forgotten how squeaky and strange he is and how much I love him.
It’s okay, though, because I expect that once I did pull myself away and get to work, I was in a better writing place from listening to all that Neil. Of course, a couple hours in, I decided to take a break and listen to one more song while I was toasting my bagel for my second breakfast (I eat like a hobbit). And I did listen to one more song. “Sugar Mountain,” “Ohio,” “Old Man,” “I Believe in You,” “A Man Needs a Maid,” “The Needle and the Damage Done“: Each one of those is one more song. Right? ^_^ (Click on the songs to go to youtube and hear them…)
Is there music in your life that commands you to listen?
I’ll leave you with a little Neil wisdom, from the song “Love Is a Rose,” which you can listen to here:
Love is a rose, but you better not pick it
It only grows when it’s on the vine
A handful of thorns and you’ll know you’ve missed it
You lose your love when you say the word “mine”
:o)
