Misirlou ( #BOTB ) ( #IWSG )

         Happy Birthday U.S.A.!  The Fourth is upon us along with the downslide toward the coming next year.  Let the fireworks commence!   We'll clean up the mess later.  Please don't start any fires and be safe...



The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 

The co-hosts for the July 3 posting of the IWSG are Erika Beebe, Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

July 3 question: What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

       When I write fiction I immerse myself into the story as much as I possibly can so therefore it is perhaps inevitable that I'll write myself into the characters.  In fact, I would postulate that what any of us write is actually a look into our personal psychologies and a projection of self into the written work. 

       Though I cannot cite any specific references at the moment, I can recall having read or heard others say something similar.  But from a strictly personal perspective I know that I have written characters with great similarities to who I am and those characters might be analyzed as particular aspects of who I am or who I might have been at some past point in time.

        This is probably why I've been gravitating more towards memoir writing in recent years. Why write cloaked fictional accounts of my life story?   And it's not just wanting to tell a story of my life, but more than that it's a matter of voice--leaving a legacy of what I might have learned from life that I can share with others.

       However, back to the question of writing personal traits (or interests or the like) into fictional characters, one thing that I will often incorporate into my characters is an interest in music, whether it be a matter of style preference or a focus on a particular song or work of music.  And even if the music is not the specific focus within the story, I will usually write with a song in mind about each character or with an imaginary soundtrack playing in my mind as the story proceeds.

        This line of contemplation inspires an idea:  Maybe I should go back through my old stories and book ideas and start turning them into musicals.  Hmm...it might be something for me to consider.

          In the meantime let me turn to the Battle of the Bands....

Battle of the Bands

Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens each month on the 15th and on some blogs there is also a Battle on the 1st of the month.  My blog is one of those with a second Battle on the 1st of the month.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.

Misirlou

        In honor of the Fourth of July I'd thought I'd go another try with that all-American tune "Misirlou" which was revitalized in the nineties with an appearance in the film Pulp Fiction.  Oh, but wait--it's not a tune with American roots as was detailed so nicely by Debbie Doglady when she featured the song in her Battle from last year.  For more background about the song please click on the preceding link.  As for my part I'm just going to keep things short by presenting three selections from which you can choose your favorite.

Icy Hot Club    "Misirlou"  (2010)

        Let us start the contest with the song performed by two guys with guitars.




Sephira   "Misirlou"  (2012)

     Or perhaps you'd prefer two viragos with violins




Honoka & Azita    "Misirlou"  (2016)

      Or how about two young ladies with ukuleles.








Time to Vote!

     Three's a charm or something like that.  But one of these choices might be more charming to you than the others.   Which group do you like best?   Pick one and have some fun!  You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.

         Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.




Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:

 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

Angel's Bark  

Debbie Doglady's Den

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 

Cherdo on the Flipside

A I Love Music


Winner of this Battle Announced on Monday July 8th

          It's vacation time so  I might be rushed to get my results up--I'll try my best to post according to schedule, but it might not be much of a post.  But maybe it doesn't matter too much.  Things have been slowing down in blogland.  For me at least and from appearances I'd think you too.  Hope summer is kicking off nicely for you.

          What big plans do you have for the summer?   Do you think your writing reveals much about your inner self?   Can you think of a story you've written or read that might be a good musical?