Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Skinning the Cat

The past few weeks, I've been back-and-forthing, via facebook, with Steve Edwards, author of, _Breaking into the Backcountry_. (For a brilliant review of Edwards' book, check out Susan J Tweit's blog-review:
http://susanjtweit.typepad.com/walkingnaturehome/2010/09/book-review-breaking-into-the-backcountry.html
Steve had posted a line from Springsteen's, "Atlantic City," which led to the aforementioned back-and-forthing.

In my most recent FB message to Steve, I mentioned Springsteen's development as a songwriter, musician. How his newer songs are far more hope-filled, less dark and negative. Further, and what I didn't mention to Steve, is Springsteen's taking audience requests for songs (not his own) during his recent concerts, and then he and the E Street Band would play them.  *sigh*  To have such depth of knowledge of one's art---'twould be a wonderful thing. I hope to get there, myself, regarding my writing.

The past handful of years have brought me into occasional working contact with Susan Tweit. I've been able to see, up close, how one particular writer makes it work: the "doing of the thing." With my current collaborating with Sherrie York, I'm seeing how another artist, and in a different medium, "makes it work." Will I take either's way as my own? Hopefully, I'll figure my own way. But will both of these craftswomen inform and influence the forging of mine own path? I hope I'll be so wise.

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