Another kind of High-Ball

In earlier posts, I mentioned a novel I work on from time to time about a couple of pals whose lives intertwine between the end of the First World War and D-Day of the Second. One of them is employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and much of the story centers around life along the lines in Eastern Pennsylvania. It’s hard to imagine what the scenery was like back then. By this I mean the large number of steam equipment traversing the countryside as well as working in massive railyards located in major cities and small towns alike. Everything moved on the rails, especially if it had to move over a long distance.

Thus, I found this video of a Union Pacific steam locomotive running out west. The term high-ball originated from a signal which consisted of a ball run up to the top of a pole, indicating to the locomotive engineer that the track ahead was clear. Thus, he laid on the coal and proceeded with all due haste. Take a look at more than 200 tons of locomotive moving at full speed.

In case you missed it, watch the video all the way through. The whistle isn’t all that clear, but it does spark the imagination. I’m grateful to all the people who post videos like this. They go a long way to making my job as a writer a bit easier. Just think, sixty or so years ago, before jet liners arced through the sky, there were hundreds of steam trains like this striking out across the nation.

Published in: on June 19, 2009 at 12:40 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Singer, Songwriter, Al Stewart

Perhaps the most famous songs performed by Al Stewart are The Year of the Cat and Time Passages. These are the ones that were big hits on the radio back in the day. They deserve all the acclaim they got. Both are exceptional lyrically as Stewart has the ability to tell a story in five minutes that takes us lesser mortals hundred of pages. The Year of the Cat has to be one of the best “story songs” I’ve ever heard. It never bogs down or become maudlin, but rather continues to the end in a perfect arc of building tension until the protagonist is left there wondering what just happened. There’s a lesson here for anyone who wants to tell a story, whether it be a novel, a song, or something else. Stay focused, fine tune the message, and use the right words. Sounds basic, right? Try it. Not so easy.

Thanks to the miracle of online music, I was browsing through some Al Stewart songs and discovered the man is still hard at work. He’s produced numerous albums over the past four decades. His lyrics continue to impress me with their narrative prowess, ironic twists, and occasional humorous interlude. A sort of novelty song is Hanno the Navigator, which I found myself grinning to the other day. Then there is the driving pop/rock sound of Genie on a Table Top. Take a listen; it’ll be worth your while.

It’s interesting how some musicians have long careers even after their original hits have faded from the scene, while others seem to vaporize, never to be heard from again. When you think about someone like Al Stewart, who has literally been making music for more years than I’ve been alive, you can’t help but realize how far you have to go in order to earn a permanent spot, however small, in the arts.

Published in: on June 7, 2009 at 9:05 pm  Comments (1)  
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At Book Expo America

I attended Book Expo America this year, if for no other reason, to get a glimpse of the publishing industry’s changes. Publishing endured some wrenching upheavals in the previous 12 months. There have been consolidations among companies, staff reductions, and title suspensions to name a few. There has also been an increased presence of the electronic readers such as Amazon’s Kindle and Sony’s reader. Still, there are plenty of paper books out there. Here I am at the Spanish publishing pavilion where some fine examples of printing could be seen.

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A Spanish printing company displayed their version of medieval texts, printed and bound seemingly as they were several hundred years ago. It was impressive, but no photos allowed. Books have been growing in popularity in Spain, and I look forward to seeing my own work translated into Spanish soon. Many of my characters are Spanish speakers, from Colombia or elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world.

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That’s me up there, grinning like a fool to be among the printed pages. Couldn’t help myself, really, standing in the middle of so many books and people interested in the same. Trade shows are a natural opportunity to network, do business, and gauge trends. At the same time, it’s simply fun to be among like minded souls. Relax and enjoy it.

Published in: on June 1, 2009 at 1:54 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Bonk’s Bar, cover

Here’s a sneak peek at the cover of Bonk’s Bar, my next novel.

bonkscovpostIt’s amazing how well the designer captured many of the elements of the story in such a small place. Yes, there are spicy crabs and poker games in the story, not to mention Russian mobsters, live music, and a brawl or two. I love this cover. Let me know what you think. See my website for the first chapter. More info about the release of the book is coming soon.

Published in: on March 5, 2009 at 12:16 pm  Comments (1)  
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