Author: Matthew E

I am a writer in Canada.

Dec 2 2011 Ded & Sac Update

Matthew E1 Comment

Chapter 12 of the first draft is in the can. That’s what, about a month since the last update? More than a month. I’d certainly like to do better than one chapter a month. Funny, too; seemed like this one went a bit faster.

I’ve started Chapter 13 and I’m having trouble with it. I know exactly what I want to accomplish with this chapter but I have no idea what I want to have happen to accomplish it. My standard technique for dealing with blocks like that is, “invent a whole new thing,” and I may end up going that way. On the other hand I may have enough stray plot threads lying around that I can just use one or two of them. (Which wouldn’t be a bad idea if I can do it.)

Also Christmas is coming, which means I should have some time off that I can use productively. Or, at least, that’s one way that could go.

25 Greatest Christmas Songs Countdown: #24 Huron Carol

Matthew E23 Comments

Next toy out of the bag is the Huron Carol, sometimes known as “‘Twas in the Moon of Wintertime”. Because Canada, that’s why. This is an old one; wikipedia tells us that it’s been around for more than three and a half centuries. I don’t know about a definitive version; check ’em out yourself. I will draw your attention to the Nylons rendition of it on their A Wish for You Christmas album, though; they go all spoken-word on the “Children of the forest…” part and it’s cool.

#25: Sleigh Ride

25 Greatest Christmas Songs Countdown: #25 Sleigh Ride

Matthew E23 Comments

So I have it in mind to count down the definitive list of the greatest 25 Christmas songs. (As determined by the scientific method of coming up with a list off the top of my head.)

The first item up for bid is “Sleigh Ride”, by anybody you like. Because here’s the thing about “Sleigh Ride”: I’ve never heard a bad version of the song. It seems to be pretty hard for musicians to mess up; you can get just about anybody to do it and it’ll come out okay. (There’s another Christmas song that shares this property, and we’ll get to it a bit later in the month.) (The wikipedia entry for “Sleigh Ride” says that it’s been done by a broader range of performers than any other song “in the history of western music.”)

One thing I like about it is that it’s sort of a vocal instrumental. The lyrics come at you so fast, tumbling over each other, that it almost doesn’t matter what they are; it just matters what they sound like. But if you can pick them out, they’re just as Christmassy as ever you please, even if they don’t specify Christmas. I give you Leroy Anderson’s “Sleigh Ride”.