The multi-talented Bill Manhire, author of the kickass intro to We Wanted to Be Writers, and director of the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (among myriad other thriving pursuits) has a new book out next month. Co-authored with several fellow faculty members, The Exercise Book: Creative Writing Exercises from Victoria University’s Institute of Modern Letters is full of writing prompts, advice for many genres (including scriptwriting), and even several exercises designed to help high school writing teachers.
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Now switch gears for a Radio New Zealand interview with Bill, songwriter Norman Meehan, and vocalist Hannah Griffin as they talk about their new CD “Making Baby Float,” for which Bill penned the lyrics.
Can’t get enough? Treat yourself to an excerpt from the concert at which the CD was recorded. And if you’re as enthralled as we were, you’ll want your own CD of “Making Baby Float” or MP3 download.
“We Made the Baby Float…” You go Bill.
Just hit Amazon for a few samples. The first mp3 was “Rehearsing The Choir…” so I clicked.
Hello Hannah Griffin (Chanticleer downunder / chanteuse?) torching out this first line…
“I loved you only once a lot – but now you are starting to annoy me…”
Well from my nearly 70-years of life and experience with love, if translated into song, that one really hits the spot.
Not that you give up on someone just because they start annoying you. Hell that’s what makes them interesting!
Anyway, I downloaded the whole album and now listen to that torchy voice and mellow piano while I jog the dogs around my neighborhood Juniper Canyon Nature Trail.
Here is the highest compliment any respected professional music lover such as myself can come up with:
If you walked into a quiet piano bar in Wellington say, and Ms. Griffin started to sing with Mr. Meehan beguiling out his piano sighs, that room would gradually stop talking and just listen them – then applaud for more.
About as good as it gets in any piano bar anywhere…
Cheers… dc (Usually our Workshop Chinaski – but not this time – class of ’70)