tag:saracrawford.net,2005:/blogs/the-crawford-blog?p=2The Crawford Blog2023-12-11T15:25:46-05:00Sara Crawfordfalsetag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/73177582023-12-11T15:25:46-05:002023-12-11T15:25:47-05:00Light in the Darkness<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/58945/5611949984f1c502e2962916e059decbdb84179c/original/pexels-980859.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>The holiday season has always been a time of joy for me. My family is close, and my parents always gave me and my brothers these epic Christmases. We all have holiday traditions; some of the traditions in my family include watching our favorite holiday classics like <i>Elf </i>and <i>It’s a Wonderful Life, </i>going to see <i>The Nutcracker, </i>going to look at Christmas lights, and baking sugar cookies and then switching the tops on my mother’s holiday cookie jars when she’s not looking.</p><p>This is not the case for so many, though. For many, the holidays can be a time of stress. Some people feel inundated with obligations. Whether it’s a holiday work party, a family gathering, or even something that’s supposed to be festive and fun, some people get stressed simply by looking at their calendars. Others feel bombarded by the commercialism of the holidays with the pressure to buy so many presents. <o:p></o:p></p><p>The holidays can also be a time of sorrow for many. It may be the first year without a loved one at the table, the first holiday season after a divorce, or a season that brings feelings of isolation for those who live alone. Even simply turning on the news and hearing about everything happening in the world can have some people wondering why they should even bother celebrating at all. We all know those who would do anything to sleep through the holidays and come back to the world in January.<o:p></o:p></p><p><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none;"> </span></o:p></u></p><h4>A Time of Grief</h4><p>My partner and I recently drove from Georgia to Florida to visit his parents for Thanksgiving. When we got home from a long day of driving, my cat, Julian, was lying in the hallway in obvious pain. We rushed her to the emergency vet, and we ended up having to put her to sleep. </p><p>When Sean and I met in 2019, we had four cats between the two of us. Both of our boy cats passed around the same time in 2021, and by the time he moved in earlier this year, we only had Julian and Maddux. Maddux had <i>just </i>passed in October so we were still getting used to having just one cat, and now, we had lost Julian too. </p><p>One of the things that initially made me fall in love with Sean was how he loved cats as much as I did. The last time we had both lived in houses with no cats was essentially two decades ago. So needless to say, we were both devastated.<o:p></o:p></p><h4>The Service of Remembrance<u><o:p></o:p></u>
</h4><p>They recently had a service of remembrance at Unity North Atlanta for everyone to remember their loved ones and after, we all went outside where they unveiled all the Christmas lights they had put up on the trees, throughout the parking lot, and on the building. There were reindeer and angels made of lights, and they let people adopt the trees in dedication to their loved ones. <o:p></o:p></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/58945/04adeb3916ff12113c40f42a780357946e313d79/original/cat-memorial-tree.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small"><i>The tree I adopted for Julian & Frank and Charlie & Maddux</i></span></p><p>The service was beautiful. The prayer chaplains all said prayers for our lost loved ones—those who had lost spouses and parents, those who lost family due to violence or global conflicts, and those who had lost children. Mostly, though, we all sat in silence, holding the space for each other to grieve and honor our loved ones. During the prayer for people who had lost their pets, tears flowed down my face. It was a sad, beautiful release. </p><p>But as I sat there listening to the prayers and thinking about everyone who has lost someone they loved, I started to understand the urge to turn the calendar to January. In my own grief, I couldn’t think of possibly watching <i>Elf </i>or messing with my mother’s cookie jars.<o:p></o:p></p><h4>A Spark of Joy<u><o:p></o:p></u>
</h4><p>My therapist said something recently about the holiday season being a time for “light in the darkness” and it shifted something in me. The holiday season is the darkest time of the year, and yet, it’s all about light. Whether it’s the light of the Hannukah menorah, the Kwanza kinara, or lights on the Christmas tree, this time of year is filled with light. </p><p>And when I thought about the Christmas lights outside Unity North Atlanta after the service of remembrance, I thought about how the lights represented the Divine. Because ultimately, we know that we are all connected, we all have that inner divinity, and those we love are still with us. <o:p></o:p></p><p> </p><p>Then I thought about how the holiday season is all about creating moments of joy—even in a world with so much darkness. The holidays are about gathering with those you love—whether it’s biological family, chosen family, a spiritual community, a group of close friends, or even fur babies. It’s a time to show appreciation and gratitude for the people in your life, a time to help and serve those who are in need, and a time for compassion.</p><p>I started to realize how all the stress and sadness so many feel around the holidays can be a gift. I may be feeling sorrow now about Julian, but if she hadn’t given me 17 years of joy—if I <i>hadn’t </i>loved her as much, would I be feeling this depth of sorrow? Or if I turn on the news and I feel despair for everything going on in the world, can I appreciate the fact that I have empathy and compassion? If I get stressed about gift giving, can I not find appreciation for the act of crocheting a blanket as a Christmas gift or taking the time to wrap a present in beautiful paper? If I get overwhelmed about commitments, can I not feel grateful that I have so many people in my life that I’m able to <i>have </i>those commitments?</p><p>The holiday season is not easy for everyone, and treating anyone you encounter with kindness and compassion is so important for this reason. But if you are one of those people who find this season to be a challenge, try to find a spark of joy—whether it’s lighting a candle or going to see <i>The Nutcracker </i>or switching the tops on your mother’s cookie jars.<o:p></o:p></p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/58945/9651a369aaba761da30a6944fddaba748044b20e/original/cookie-jars.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><i><o:p></o:p></i></p><p style="text-align:center;"><span class="text-small"><i>The cookie jars in my parents' kitchen</i></span></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/72972452023-11-01T12:52:54-04:002023-11-01T17:12:01-04:00Time After Time <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/58945/8594d0725428bd6d9bf0e5694f33c909ad9279bd/original/ebook-front-cover-sara.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" />My young adult 1980s time travel novel, Time After Time, is available again in e-book, print, and audiobook with a new cover designed by <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.instagram.com/olivereekie/" data-link-type="url">Olive Reekie</a>. It's available <a class="no-pjax" href="/time-after-time" data-link-type="page" data-link-label="Time After Time">here on the website</a> or your favorite <a class="no-pjax" href="https://books2read.com/u/4Ep69O" data-link-type="url">book retailer</a>. </p><p><i>Megan Gallagher has only ever seen her mother as neurotic and overworked.</i></p><p><i>When a Whitney Houston song at the 80s dance sends Megan back to 1987, she discovers her teenage mom dressed in all black and sneaking liquor in the bathroom.</i></p><p><i>After preventing her mom’s drunk car accident, Megan realizes she has one month to get her teenage parents to stop partying and learn enough about her family’s secret to get back home.</i></p><p><i>Too bad the much cuter teenage version of her history teacher is such a distraction. With time running out and her future at stake, Megan must learn that, when it comes to family, you can’t always get what you want but you might just get what you need.</i></p><p><i>"A fast-paced novel about love and family and the 1980s that manages to be both totally tubular and amazingly poignant. Crawford is one to watch.” - Carrie Jones, NYT Bestselling Author of Need</i></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/71858892023-04-07T12:50:37-04:002023-11-01T11:55:20-04:00For the Joy of Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/58945/65bf1a051449cf4e770e3a4516cc9a165ffe5392/original/pexels-kai-pilger-1128440.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="Black wireless headphones resting on a sleek gray electronic keyboard" />Anyone who talks to me for two seconds can usually tell how important art is to me. I have tried basically every kind of art: fiction, poetry, playwriting, screenwriting, making videos, graphic design, painting, acting, directing, dancing, singing, playing guitar/keyboard/ukulele, and writing songs. And I even did <a class="no-pjax" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/find-creative-expression/id1524849246" data-link-type="url">a podcast </a>for over a year where I talked about art and creativity with artists. When I'm not creating art, I'm usually doing something creative like crocheting, decoupaging, coloring in adult coloring books, etc.</p><p>I've taken some forms of art more seriously than others. But the common theme in my life has been the importance of storytelling (through books, plays, films, TV) and the importance of music. Ever since I sang in a little version of Little Red Riding Hood in fourth grade, I have tried actively to be a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://saracrawford.net/home/blog/the-music-inside-you-never-dies-my-journey-as-a-musician-and-a-singer" data-link-type="url">singer and writer of songs</a>. I was an acoustic singer/songwriter for 15 years or so, and I was in bands off and on from 2000 to 2012. </p><p>But around 2012 or 2013, I started to sense my window of time to be a singer or musician was closing, especially as a woman nearing her thirties. I had just graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing, and I decided to essentially give up my dream of ever being a “successful” singer to 100% pursue being a “successful” writer. (My idea of success has since shifted a lot - which is why I put quotation marks around the word.)</p><p>My love for music has never gone anywhere. I still have almost 300 playlists on Spotify, I also use Apple Music (because it sounds better on my headphones), I ask everyone I meet to name their favorite bands and albums so I can get to know them better, I often say “making playlists is my love language,” and I listen to music literally all the time - throughout the work day, in the shower, while sleeping, etc. You can also see my love for music clearly in anything I write--especially <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/We-Own-Sky-Musician-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B073T2JK2L" data-link-type="url"><i>The Muse Chronicles</i></a><i> </i>trilogy, my play <i>The Spins</i>, and it's definitely there in my work in progress (which I actually finished the first draft of a few nights ago)!</p><p>But aside from an acoustic show I streamed online from my living room in the summer of 2020 and some goofy songs I've written for friends and family on their birthdays with my ukulele, my instruments have basically collected dust in the corner, and I've barely sung since my last official show at Smith's Olde Bar in 2014. There was something painful about it. Every time I picked up the guitar or even sang in the shower, I had the inner critic reminding me that <i>I had failed at music.</i></p><p>One of my favorite places to sing along to my favorite songs used to be in the car when I was driving. It probably didn't help that I sold my car in September 2021 and rarely drove. Over the past few months, though, my boyfriend and I have been sharing a car. We both work from home so we rarely need it, but I do go to church, and I also drive up to see my parents (who live about 20 minutes from me). </p><p>Recently, I was in the car, and I was having such a moment to <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SYO6a6PaTs" data-link-type="url">“Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It” by Stars</a> that I realized I was singing along. Did it sound as good as it used to when I sang every single day? No. But I wasn't even thinking about that. I was just singing along for the sheer joy of it. </p><p>Since then, I have found some vocal coaches on YouTube, and I have been doing some vocal exercises with them to try to recondition my voice. Not really because I think I'm going to be singing at open mic nights again or putting acoustic songs on my YouTube channel, but just because I want to bring back singing and creating music <i>for myself. For the joy of music.</i></p><p>So no, I'm not saying I am actively going to start performing as a singer again (although I'm open to it), but singing and making music can hopefully go back on my list of creative activities that bring me joy.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/71730742023-03-16T21:40:05-04:002023-03-21T07:20:18-04:00Life Update! New(ish) job, fiction work in progress, and some random recommendations!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/58945/ba9f3e1035843f5fd43ef4e0adceb2b508e2ddb3/original/pexels-lumn-1410226.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="A beautiful bouquet of red roses sits beside a book, pen, and coffee cup on a white surface." /></p><p>So I've been trying to make my website more accessible, and I'm slowly adding image descriptions to the alt tags in all the images. But when I saw my last blog post was called “Six Things I Learned in 2021," I thought, “oh, maybe I should write a blog post.” </p><p>I sort of disappeared last year because I was unemployed and depressed for the last half of it. Just when I learned to accept the fact that having a day job didn't make me any less of a writer, my contract at AT&T ended two years earlier than it was supposed to. I got through the rest of the year by freelancing and borrowing money from my parents or my boyfriend. </p><p>But then! In December, I got seriously the best job I could ever even imagine. </p><p>I've been a member of <a class="no-pjax" href="https://unitynorth.org/" data-link-type="url">Unity North Atlanta Church</a> since January 2013, and the Unity movement is something I'm deeply passionate about. I've volunteered at my church as a worship team/ensemble/choir singer, I edited <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Coming-Home-Collection-Inspirational-Stories-ebook/dp/B011F3SO9Y" data-link-type="url">an anthology of poems and short stories</a> about Unity North by the congregation, I've performed in several plays, I've done some random things like helping out with painting the Holy Grounds Cafe, and most recently, I've been volunteering in the booth to run the cameras for the stream. So it's safe to say I'm on board with Unity.</p><p>So one day, I was on Indeed, browsing the digital content/copywriting jobs, and I saw that Unity World Headquarters up in Unity Village, Missouri is hiring a remote digital content writing specialist. I made a loud, excited sound and scared my cat, Julian. I ended up getting the job. I've been working for Unity World Headquarters for just over three months, and it is (no joke) hands down the best job I've ever had. I get to spend my days creating positive content including a piece about some amazing <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.unity.org/article/women-writers-unity" data-link-type="url">women writers in the Unity movement</a> as well as <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.unity.org/article/spiritual-meaning-tattoos" data-link-type="url">the spiritual meaning of tattoos</a> and helping to “transform the world, one heart at a time” (as we would say at Unity North). </p><p>(Yes, I also think it's kind of hilarious that I just stumbled on this job on Indeed.)</p><p>Next week, I'm going up to Unity Village for the first time for some onsite training, which I'm excited about!</p><p>As far as the writing goes, it may seem like I haven't had any news since I published my <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Coiled-Swallowed-Driving-Downtown-Show-ebook/dp/B08ZRY5D35" data-link-type="url">three books of poems</a> in March 2021. (And that's… well, true.) But that's not because I haven't been writing. I just haven't been publishing. </p><p>I've been working on an adult contemporary novel about my disability, SCA (and really, just disability in general), for what seems like forever although I am actually almost done. (I have about 85k words--I think it will end up being 95k or 100k words, maybe less?). I am going to pursue the traditional publishing route for this (I'm not so great with indie author marketing--especially for a book that's general fiction as opposed to a fantasy or science fiction novel) so who knows how long it will take me to get it out there in the world, but eventually, it should be out there. And maybe I'll get back to <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Into-Shadows-Paranormal-Vampire-Vampires-ebook/dp/B07P91XPB5" data-link-type="url">my vampires</a> after that? </p><p>I am no longer doing the Find Creative Expression podcast (which is still available on <a class="no-pjax" href="https://open.spotify.com/show/133x5i0sKFxdwXroNm3QEn" data-link-type="url">Spotify</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/find-creative-expression/id1524849246" data-link-type="url">Apple</a>, <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-cqq0cHrPPNqg8Koz6CwwnJuptGso7Ub" data-link-type="url">YouTube</a>, and other podcasting platforms although the actual site is no more) but I do really miss talking about art I like so I'm going to close out with some recommendations for you!</p><p><strong>Movie:</strong> This is old news at this point but if any of you have not seen <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Everywhere-All-At-Once/dp/B09RDF4BNL" data-link-type="url"><i>Everything Everywhere All At Once</i></a><i>, </i>GO SEE IT. What are you waiting for?? It won <i>seven </i>Oscars (including three acting categories, Best Director, and Best Picture. I'm not always a fan of movies that win a lot of Oscars, but this one definitely deserved all of those. It was just a heartwarming film.</p><p><strong>Music: </strong>If you never heard <a class="no-pjax" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/79NySyjxJ8xric31mXKMAo?si=DL2K2jk7TZOOpf6IT7w33w" data-link-type="url"><i>Once Twice Melody</i></a><i> </i>by Beach House (which came out last year), WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE? Okay, well, Beach House is not for everyone. So if you're not into super mellow melodic dream pop with a lot of organs, guitars, and layers of sound, here's a <a class="no-pjax" href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/40Wb0ASUOmvvHKq46LPIzJ?si=8266292ea3ab42b5" data-link-type="url">Spotify playlist</a> I recently made that's completely upbeat. (On the other hand, if you want to hear me obsess about Beach House and describe them with the perfect made-up word--mellow + emotional=mellotional--check out this <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzInq8ArJa8&t=39s" data-link-type="url">old classic</a>.)</p><p><strong>TV: </strong>Lately, I've really been enjoying <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/poker-face" data-link-type="url"><i>Poker Face</i></a><i> </i>on Peacock. The premise is basically a woman who has a supernatural ability to always know when someone is lying, and throughout the show, she has to solve many murders. But it's a fun spin on the murder mystery, the acting is really good, and it's just a fun show. Check it out!</p><p><strong>Other: </strong>Anyone who knows me knows I <i>love Beauty and the Beast. </i>So naturally, I was pretty excited to check out the 30th-anniversary special. The whole program was pretty cool, but this performance of <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f33TPz6eoWg" data-link-type="url">“Evermore” by Josh Groban</a> is amazing, y'all. (Ironically, it's the only song they did that wasn't in the original animated movie but in the 2017 live-action remake.) I legit gave him a standing ovation in my living room (again scaring Julian).</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/68561822021-12-31T17:26:55-05:002023-03-16T21:12:11-04:00Six things I learned in 2021<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/0e554eb5986dbed596394b96c5bdc8b58d31ef80/original/new-year-s-lights-2021-08-31-12-23-24-utc.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" alt="An exploding firework in the night" /></p><p>It’s the end of another year. Typically, around this time, I reflect on the previous year and set intentions for the upcoming year. I told myself I should do that today, but I really wasn’t feeling it. Last year, at this time, I was thinking, “The vaccine is coming! Everything’s going to be back to normal in 2021!” </p><p>And there were times when it did feel that way, but there was also a lot of up and down. 2021 was definitely a better year for most people I know than 2020 was, but it still wasn’t quite what I was expecting. </p><p>But in spite of the weirdness the year brought for the world, there was quite a bit of personal growth for me. Here are a few things I learned. </p><p><strong>1. Sometimes the point of creation is just to create. </strong></p><p>Okay, this is something I’ve always said, but I don’t think I really learned it for myself until this year. Whether I was having conversations with artists about the creative process on the <a class="no-pjax" href="https://findcreativeexpression.com" data-link-type="url" contents="Find Creative Expression podcast">Find Creative Expression podcast</a> or painting random paintings or crocheting a rainbow blanket, I was able to fully be present and enjoy creating–not with the expectation of sharing my work with others or receiving validation–just for the act of creation. </p><p><strong>2. Live music and theatre make life magical. </strong></p><p>Okay, this is also something that I’ve always known, but after going so long with no live music or live theatre, I really, <i>really</i> appreciated the three plays I was able to see this year (<i>Hamilton</i> at the Fox and both <i>Calming the Man</i> and <i>Raising the Dead</i> in the Essential Theatre Festival) as well as the band I was able to see (Wolf Alice at Terminal West). Living without live performances for so long made me really appreciate them more than I ever have before, even if we were all wearing masks, even if it wasn’t at full capacity and was a little different than usual. I hope I’m able to continue to see live performances in 2022. (I already have three music shows on the agenda!) </p><p><strong>3. It’s important to appreciate the ones you love and to tell them/show them as often as you can. </strong></p><p>This is also something I’ve always known, but it really hit home for me this year. In February, I had to put my cat, Frank, to sleep, which may not seem like a huge deal to some, but I had Frank for nearly 14 years. That was by far way longer (almost five times longer!) than any romantic relationship I have had. Anyone who knows me knows how important my kitties are to me, and losing Frank really reinforced the fragility of life for me. </p><p>I’ve had so many great times this year with my loved ones–family, friends, my boyfriend, my other cat, Julian–and I made it a point to try to express my appreciation for them more than I have before. </p><p><strong>4. It’s okay to carve out your own path for your life. </strong></p><p>I made the decision to sell my car this year–which isn’t actually a conventional thing for a person in suburban Atlanta to do. I still get a lot of questions about it. People just don’t get it. They’ll look at me and ask, “So you just <i>don’t </i>have a car??” </p><p>Atlanta is not really a city with great public transportation, and if I wasn’t able to work remotely, it probably wouldn’t work as well for me, but I’ve been without a car for three months now, and it really works for my life. I work from home, I live close to my boyfriend, and I have created routines that make the most of weekly Lyft trips to church and to see my parents. I’m saving money and I don’t have to deal with the constant anxiety of oil changes and maintenance and what if I break down and what if I get in a wreck and all of that. </p><p>You have to make decisions that work for you and feel right for your life, in spite of what anyone else thinks. </p><p><strong>5. Facing things head on is always better than denial. </strong></p><p>This year was the first year I faced my genetic condition. There is a progressive genetic condition that runs in my family called spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). It’s caused my balance to become horrible, and it’s why my father uses a walker and my grandfather used a wheelchair for the last decade of his life. I’ve known I probably had SCA for a few years now–ever since I entered my thirties and started having balance issues–but it was always just something to be dealt with later. </p><p>Well, this year, I saw a neurologist to begin the process of being officially diagnosed and treated. (There’s no real treatment right now, but now I can participate in drug trials and studies and it’s good for me to just see a medical professional about it.) Furthermore, I found a great YouTube channel called <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCamLVWEe_fq5FJmDE5ds5nQ" data-link-type="url" contents="Little Steps, Big Gains">Little Steps, Big Gains</a> from an occupational therapist who specializes in workouts particularly for people with ataxia and Parkinson’s. </p><p>And I’ve been doing exercises on her channel at least three to four times a week most weeks. You can’t stop SCA from progressing, but you can slow the progression and get yourself in better shape to deal with symptoms. So that’s what I’m trying to do. </p><p>I’m also in the middle of writing a novel about SCA, which feels important and cathartic for me. </p><p><strong>6. Having a day job doesn’t make me any less of a writer. </strong></p><p>I spent the first half of the year trying to make ends meet. I’ve always been trying to be a “writer.” But I never thought I was a real writer because I’m not making enough money on my books to make a living. </p><p>This has been a conflict in my life ever since I graduated from grad school. And I put so much pressure on myself. I have to be writing books that are going to sell, and I have to be creating content every day to create more of a following online. </p><p>But this year, I just took all of the pressure off myself. I just looked at my writing, and I thought, you know, I don’t really need to write my vampire sequel right now. I need to write a book of poems about loss. And that’s what I did. It wasn’t a huge seller, and I’m sure I would have made more money if I put out my vampire sequel, but it wasn’t what I needed as a person and as a writer. </p><p>And now I only post on Instagram or Twitter or even TikTok if I have something to say. There isn't this constant pressure to be creating a following online.</p><p>(I still intend to get back to my vampire trilogy someday, but it will be because it’s the story I want to tell and not because I think it will sell.) </p><p>And eventually, I was able to land an amazing day job, writing web content for AT&T. And I learned how easier it is to write when you’re not stressing about how you’re going to pay the bills. </p><p>Everyone who writes is a writer. This is something I’ve always said, but never let apply to myself. But this year, I finally felt and believed this about myself. </p><p>I’m not trying to go into the new year with a lot of expectations. I do have some goals though: </p><ul>
<li>To finish my novel </li>
<li>To read at least 25 books </li>
<li>To not spend as much time on social media </li>
<li>To express love and appreciation for my loved ones as much as possible </li>
<li>To do my best to put out positivity and love in the world </li>
<li>To be in the moment as much as possible and respond to whatever happens with grace </li>
</ul><p>But really, though, is<i> any </i>year quite what anyone expects? You can never predict what’s going to happen. All we can really do is try to respond to unexpected events in ways that are authentic to who we are, to who we want to be. That’s all I can hope for 2022. And I’m wishing the same for all of you.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/67701002021-10-08T14:19:28-04:002021-10-08T14:19:28-04:00An Autumn Update<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/635e0048776d2b148d9f38edaa3e5e054a4dbcd0/original/sara-crawford-multiverse.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Hey everyone! It's been a long time since I've written anything here, but things have been going really well for me!</p>
<p>I got a job writing web content for AT&T, which I absolutely love. And it's interesting how creative you can be when you're not stressed about paying bills. So I've slowly but surely been making my way through the first draft of FINDING BALANCE. This is my #ownvoices novel about a Broadway dancer whose spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) causes her to not be able to dance anymore, and she has to move back to Atlanta in with her parents that she's barely had a relationship with for the past five or so years. </p>
<p>I am really enjoying the writing process. I'm allowing myself to go a little slower this time. I've been writing at least 300 words a day and documenting my experience on <a contents="Twitter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/sara_crawford">Twitter</a>.</p>
<p>And next weekend, I'll be participating in <a contents="Multiverse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.multiversecon.org/">Multiverse</a> as an author. I'm really excited about geeking out with other science fiction and fantasy fans, connecting with other authors, and discovering new artists and stories. If you are a fan of science fiction or fantasy, check it out! (They are requiring proof of full vaccination.)</p>
<p>I've been taking a small break from the podcast since my retrospective show in August, but I will be back with new episodes starting October 28th. And I am continuing to crochet a rainbow blanket (which is coming along!) and paint for fun and volunteering to operate cameras for the stream at my church (<a contents="Unity North Atlanta Church" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unitynorth.org/">Unity North Atlanta Church</a>).</p>
<p>So that's what's going on with me. I hope everything is good in your world. </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/66084362021-04-19T16:22:54-04:002021-10-25T08:25:53-04:00Career, Identity, and Shifts in Perspective<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2eb820b259271011e607f2c341c73429334b1a70/original/art-collage.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />I remember when my mom took me to see <em>The Nutcracker </em>when I was five years old. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and from that moment on, I knew the purpose of my life was art. </p>
<p>This has taken on many forms throughout my life: dancing in ballet recitals, singing in the school chorus and church choir, writing little plays and having the neighborhood kids perform them on the driveway, taking acting classes, going to drama club, making student films, going to a performing arts high school for singing and then transferring back to my regular high school to start an all-girl rock band, performing in musicals like <em>Peter Pan </em>and <em>Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat</em>, getting a BA in English and then an MFA in Creative Writing, filling so many journals and notebooks with poems and stories and diary entries that I literally have boxes and boxes in my closet, going to see a production of <em>Hedwig and the Angry Inch </em>at Actor's Express over 30 times, jumping from band to band and performing at my favorite Atlanta venues and even some venues in Chicago and Asheville and Charleston, playing guitar in bars in Edinburgh and San Miguel de Allende, producing and directing my own plays, writing a short screenplay and doing everything from holding the boom mic to picking up pizza for the cast and crew to performing a cameo as the stoner guitar player, hosting open mic nights at Unity North Atlanta Church and Cool Beans, seeing my plays on professional stages like Horizon Theatre and Out of Box Theatre, booking bands and putting together benefit shows, writing books and pursuing traditional publishing, getting a literary agent, self-publishing, publishing with a small press, singing in trios and quartets and ensembles at church, decoupaging a table with my favorite albums, running through the Tabernacle crying as Morrissey sang "Now My Heart is Full", studying writing with New York Times Bestselling authors, and hosting a podcast about art and creativity.</p>
<p>I have had so many amazing experiences creating my own art, sharing other people's art, encouraging other artists, and teaching other artists what I know. I have collaborated with, bonded with, shared a stage with, and connected with so many other artists--from warming up backstage with other singers from other bands to being blown away by original songs at open mic nights to hanging out on the rooftops with other writers in Mexico to road trips crammed into small cars with other musicians to a telepathic form of communication that happens when jamming out with other musicians to making people laugh on stage when you're not supposed to and now interviewing so many thoughtful and inspiring creative people on the <a contents="Find Creative Expression podcast" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.findcreativeexpression.com/">Find Creative Expression podcast</a>. </p>
<p>And yet, I have not considered myself to be "successful" because while I have made some money on my books, plays, music, etc., I have never made enough money to not have to do other work to pay my bills. I have always thought of my "day job"--whether it's as an actual employee or a freelance writer and marketer--as something I was temporarily doing until I "made it" as an artist. Now, don't get me wrong, I never expected to be Stephen King or Taylor Swift. But there are tons of midlist authors, indie musicians, independent artists making a living on their art, and I always thought I would eventually be one of them. </p>
<p>Recently, though, I've realized the number of artists that can<em> actually </em>make enough to pay their bills strictly on books, music, theatre, or art and don't have to also do some kind of "day job"--even if it's something related like teaching, writing books in a popular genre that you wouldn't normally write, speaking, etc.--are few and far between. </p>
<p>But why is it that there are <em>so </em>many artists who I consider to be successful that also have to do other work? I realized this last week when I interviewed musician, <a contents="Kim Ware" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.findcreativeexpression.com/defining-success-on-your-own-terms-with-musician-and-songwriter-kim-ware/">Kim Ware</a>, on the podcast. Here is a songwriter and musician that I have always considered to be successful. She's had five albums, she ran an indie record label for ten years, and she opened for the freaking Indigo Girls. It never really even mattered to me if she worked a day job or did other work. I realized I never actually knew if she did or not until I interviewed her last week. (She <em>did </em>manage to do all of that while working a day job!)</p>
<p>So I'm letting go of the idea that my art will ever be the only thing that pays my bills.</p>
<p>This might sound like giving up, but it's not. I have zero intentions of stopping writing, creating, playing music, encouraging other artists, continuing the podcast and other content, etc. If anything, this gives me more freedom. I won't have to pressure myself to write in popular genres or create a ton of content every week to create a successful brand. I can create what I want and release it when I want to. Which means if I want to write <a contents="a book of poems about loss" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZSS65P2/">a book of poems about loss</a>, I can!</p>
<p>I have also realized lately that the ability to create and be artistic assumes a certain amount of privilege. I know I am extremely privileged but over the past few months as I've been trying to freelance, there have been phases where I've had a lot of work and phases where I haven't. When I haven't had a lot of work, I've also been Doordashing, which is fine, but doesn't pay nearly enough for my current lifestyle (which isn't even extravagant at all, but just living a "normal" American existence is expensive). I've realized that I've had to use so much creative energy to budget, juggle bills, figure out who I can delay paying, figure out who I can borrow money from, etc. that I haven't had much left over for my writing, creativity, or art. </p>
<p>So my heart goes out to everyone who is so busy struggling financially that they aren't able to be creative, and I hope eventually, I can get involved in outreach or helping somehow. I have dreams of opening up an artist colony where I could pay artists to come and create for a short period of time. Or if nothing else, I hope I can continue to offer my services to people for cheap or free as I have always done as much as I can. (I always try to take time to answer questions people have for me, I have always created a lot of free content for other artists, and I help people out with editing and graphic design and video editing and whatever else I can for affordable prices or bartering or whatever I can make work.)</p>
<p>I'm tired of doing the freelance hustle. I am looking for a new job. I'm looking for a long-term opportunity. I know I have a lot to offer in terms of marketing, creativity, and content creation, and I am open to whatever may come my way. In an ideal world, I would have a "day job" for an artistic organization or an organization that helps others in some way, but honestly, my main motivation right now is to cover all of my bills so that I have enough time and energy left over to do my real creative work. </p>
<p>This also got me thinking about identity. In America, there is this tendency to define ourselves solely based on what we do to make money. We go to a party, and people ask us what we do. "I'm an accountant." "I work in sales." "I manage a restaurant." But might the more <em>honest</em> answer to that question be "I'm a father," "I'm a birdwatcher," "I'm a baker," or "I'm a hiker"?</p>
<p>So the next time someone asks me what I do at a party, I can say confidently, I am a writer. I am an artist. I am a creator. And why does it matter what I get paid to do? </p>
<p>Now, a lot of people would probably tell me this is not something I should be admitting. This is not what people want to hear at job interviews. </p>
<p>"Why do you want to work here?" </p>
<p>"To pay my bills so I can do my <em>real </em>work." </p>
<p>But ironically, I think by finally being honest about what I am looking for in a job, I can actually honor the "day job" more than I have in the past. By admitting that my day job is not my identity, I can actually pursue a day job that means something to me. I feel that if I take the pressure off the "day job" to be my identity, I can actually find more meaningful work. </p>
<p>I don't know what the next chapter of my life is going to look like. I don't know what opportunities will present themselves to me. And that's kind of exciting. </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/65888732021-03-30T09:41:40-04:002023-04-07T13:15:41-04:00The Music Inside You Never Dies: My journey as a musician and a singer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d2b285e00ddb7ca91218098776d996cddb785b79/original/singing-collage.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p>My first memory of a piece of art moving me is The Nutcracker. My mom took me to see it when I was five. Since then, I’ve known with my entire being that my purpose in this life is to be an artist. Unfortunately, I’ve had a hard time since then deciding what kind of artist I was going to be. I have been a singer, a dancer, an actress, a director, a playwright, a screenwriter, a spotlight operator, an author, a poet, a keyboardist, a guitarist, and a songwriter. </p><p>Two of these things have been more consistent throughout my life, though: my love of music and my love of stories. Even when I was a ballet, tap, and jazz dancer as a kid, I always loved the music more than anything. I remember being in a school play of Little Red Riding Hood in fourth grade, and I played Red’s mother. I got to sing a solo, and that was the first time that I really thought that maybe I could actually be a singer and make some of the music I loved so much. </p><p>In middle school, I was a dorky kid, a loner. But in 8th grade, I got to be in chorus. I shyly tried out for the solo at the beginning of “White Christmas,” and from that moment on, I had an identity. I was “the girl who could sing.” I thought I was headed down the Broadway/choral singing path, and I was even accepted into the performing arts magnet high school as a vocal major. But after about a month, I decided it wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to sing choral songs and Broadway songs; I wanted to write my own songs. So I went back to the high school where all my friends from middle school were, worked at Schlotzsky’s for months to save up to buy my first guitar, and started an all-girl band with my friends. We called ourselves Population 2 even though there were four of us. It didn’t really matter that we didn’t entirely know how to play our instruments or write songs. We figured it out together.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/65bfef302d2acb96cb6072486804c7d135c7a308/original/pop2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><i>The four of us with our friend, Brandon, wearing a "Pop 2 Crew" t-shirt at our first gig</i></p><p>I remember watching Hole perform on a concert series they used to do on HBO with my bandmates, and we dreamed of the day that we could be on stage with our guitars, playing to thousands of people. And from about 2001 to 2013, that’s what I tried to do. Although I did continue to sing and perform in choral groups and musical theatre throughout the years, I mostly played solo singer/songwriter gigs and band gigs. After Population 2, I sang, played guitar, and played keyboard in the bands, Ruby, Novo Luna, Long Absent Friends, Sara Crawford and the Cult Following, and Pocket the Moon.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/94cfbfbebb620951f494f84f59ecaeed108b0f86/original/ruby-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><i>Ruby - I'm serious here, y'all. I'm in a graveyard.</i></p><p>I went through a lot of ups and downs with each of these bands, and each of these bands taught me something about who I was. I can remember so many great times playing with every single one of the people I played with. I remember the months Geoff, Brian, Adrian, and I tossed around ridiculous ideas for band names until we finally settled on Sara Crawford and the Cult Following. I remember Kylei, Michael, and I driving through ice and snow to play a Long Absent Friends acoustic show at Red Light Cafe. I remember playing at a gym with Novo Luna where we were followed by a belly dancer. I remember all of the conversations on porches during breaks at band practice. I remember all of the moments in each band when we communicated with each other without saying anything. You look at each other, and you just psychically know to play the last chorus or to go into the bridge or to switch to a G chord. I remember all of the songs we covered. To this day, any time any song I ever covered with any band comes on, I have to tell someone, “hey, I used to cover this song!”</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1809ed586571dd082f228f3183377f1279c85e40/original/novoluna2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><i>Novo Luna playing at a pizza place that I'm pretty sure no longer exists</i></p><p>During these years, I got to play so many great local Atlanta venues. Smith’s Olde Bar, The Earl, The Star Bar, The Drunken Unicorn, The Five Spot, Lenny’s. I got to release albums and EPs. I got to play in Nashville, Tennessee and Augusta, Georgia. I got to play a tequila bar in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and an open mic night at a bar in Edinburgh called Lebowski’s after I flew my guitar all the way to Scotland. I was voted Best Local Songwriter in the Best of Atlanta issue of Creative Loafing into 2010.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/829ab4f4203596cfc3be52a5db8ab258ea1d44d2/original/longabsentfriends.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><i>Long Absent Friends - the shortest-lived of all my bands. We really did become long-absent friends.</i></p><p>There were also a lot of disappointments. There were the shows I played for three people. There was the show I played on a tiny plywood stage at a festival in Piedmont Park where literally not one person listened to my set. There were dramatic arguments and encounters that only sensitive musicians can have with each other. There were all of the misogynistic assholes only female musicians have to deal with. And every time a band I was in broke up, it felt like a romantic break up. (And sometimes, they literally were romantic breakups.) And every night on stage, there was a vulnerable feeling that only comes with singing your heart out. Sometimes it was magical. Sometimes it was heartbreaking.</p><p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/cf4b383f71203b4063f276f7d0c2a6c2ab6d1124/original/fb-img-1535635461290-600x458.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><i>Sara Crawford and the Cult Following</i></p><p style="text-align:center;"><i><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3f336ceef7338e31b729f3b1bc359d471e851451/original/pocketthemoon-600x450.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Pocket the Moon - and look there's an actual moon behind us, y'all!</i></p><p>And then there was Pocket the Moon. Geoff Goodwin had a real talent for taking these raw songs I wrote and making them into something special. He really understood what I was trying to do musically, and he helped me achieve the exact sound I was going for. To this day, our self-titled album is still one of my proudest artistic accomplishments, and I know I wouldn’t be anywhere near as proud of it if he hadn’t arranged, co-written, played, recorded, and mixed it. (It's so hard to believe that album will be ten years old in June!)</p><p>And for a moment there, I really thought we could make it. I finally could see myself on that stage we used to dream about when we watched Courtney Love covered in glitter, her guitar attached to her like another limb on her body. </p><p>We even went on a little tour of sorts, piling an entire drum kit, a keyboard, two guitars, a bass, and maybe a PA (I can’t remember, but it was a lot) into Geoff’s Honda and playing actual gigs in Asheville, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; Charleston, South Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; and open mic nights in as many cities as we could along the way. </p><p>I remember so many nights when we had a gig, during the guitar solo of “Rooftops,”–a song about the healing power of art and coming together with other artists–I would just close my eyes, listen to the ethereal sounds of Geoff’s guitar solo that he used the electronic bow on, strum my simple A and E chords on my acoustic, and just feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DX17Y15R2fI" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>One of the best things about my time in Pocket the Moon, though, was how involved I got in the Atlanta music scene. I met so many amazing musicians that became good friends. We would all go see each other’s bands and support each other. I met touring musicians from all over. I traded CDs with so many people that to this day, there are still CDs scattered all over my house. </p><p>But eventually, we stopped playing, too. I played a couple more solo gigs in 2013, and on my 29th birthday in 2014, I played what I called “my last gig in that context” at Smith’s Olde Bar. I had Geoff and my friend, Noah, back me up on bass and drums, and I booked my friends, singer/songwriter, Juliana Finch, and indie band, Finster, to play with me. </p><p>At the end of my set, I covered an obscure Spiritualized song and got Geoff, Noah, Juliana, and Finster to sing the last chorus with me. “So long you pretty thing, God save your little soul/The music that you played so hard ain’t on your radio/And all your dreams and diamond rings and all that rock and roll can bring you/Sail on, so long.” I remember singing that verse and looking over at all of them and feeling so grateful for my time in the Atlanta music scene. And that obscure Spiritualized song that no one knew was a way for me to say goodbye.</p><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w7xGA2EZ1Z8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p><p>And that was it. I thought I was done with singing, with being a musician, with being in bands. I sang a little bit off and on at church, but I even stopped that eventually. And my keyboard and guitar collected dust in my room. </p><p>There was one day I was driving with my music on shuffle. “Tangled” by Pocket the Moon came on, and I heard myself singing, “you’ll miss them when they’re gone.” And then I started the album over, listened to the entire thing, drove around Marietta, and had one of the biggest emotional breakdowns I’ve ever had. I was mourning for a part of me I thought I had lost. I was mourning for a dream I thought I lost. (This moment later became the inspiration for a scene I wrote in the book, <i>Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming</i>.) </p><p>I didn’t think I could do it anymore. I didn’t think I would ever be able to play on that stage like Courtney Love so I didn’t see the point in trying. I thought I was getting too old to be in bands. All of my friends who used to come to my gigs were moving to other states, getting married, having kids, growing up. I didn’t think anyone would come see me sing anyway. And so I stopped singing. </p><p>I did still sing off and on at my church, but then life got complicated. I got married to someone with severe mental health and addiction issues, and during those years, I was just trying to get through each day. Eventually, I left him and after staying with my parents for the summer, I moved into my own apartment. </p><p>Shortly after I moved in, I became obsessed with the song "Pink Rabbits" by The National. One day I just decided to learn how to play it on guitar. And eventually, I expanded my daily guitar playing to include some of my old songs. </p><p>And then the pandemic hit. And we all had to readjust. </p><p>One of the things I started doing was writing little songs for my friends for their birthdays on my ukulele. As silly as they were, they made me want to keep writing songs. So in July of last year, I wrote my first song in seven years. </p><p>I never would have tried to play a gig at this point, but with everyone in quarantine, tons of musicians were doing live streams. I decided to play a set in my living room and live stream it. </p><p>Most of the people who watched were my friends and family, and I was definitely rusty, but I had a blast. And for possibly the first time, I wasn't playing my music with the idea of achieving some goal--"making it" as a musician--but I was just playing my songs for the sheer joy of it. I was just expressing myself, expecting nothing in return. </p><p>I was re-reading the first two books in my trilogy, <i>The Muse Chronicles</i> recently, and I realized that this trilogy is a bit of a love letter to music and musicians. In the acknowledgments of <i>We Own the Sky</i>, I wrote, “Thank you to all the musicians I have played with over the years, especially Geoff Goodwin, the other half of my former indie band, Pocket the Moon. Thank you to all of the Atlanta musicians who inspire me. I would never have been able to write this book if I hadn’t had all the experiences playing music with you all.” </p><p>And I realized there has been a reason for all of it, for every single up and down, for every single song I wrote, every single show I played, every single musician I played with or met or saw, even if I only interacted with them for one moment, one song. Because these musicians have been my inspiration, my Muses. And maybe it hasn’t been that I ended up singing on a stage with a band like I thought I would, and maybe I did stop singing for a time, but I never stopped creating. And even though I wasn’t singing, the music was coming out in other ways–in stories or in plays or even in the way I worked with other writers or artists. Sometimes even in the way I write blog posts on here, I think. </p><p>I've barely picked up my guitar since my living room set last August, but I’ve realized something important. Music is a part of me as much as breathing is or walking. And whether I’m singing at church, writing a story or play about music, or maybe eventually even venturing into an open mic night again, I can’t give singing up. And if you’re an artist or a creative person, you can’t give up your art either. The music inside you never dies. And it doesn’t matter if your audience is a thousand people, a hundred people, one person, or two cats, if there are songs inside of you, you have to sing them. If there are stories inside of you, you have to write them. If there are paintings inside of you, you have to paint them. </p><p>Because if art or creation is part of who you are–whether it’s singing karaoke or coloring in an adult coloring book or taking an improv class or writing poetry–you owe it to yourself and to the world to create. You won’t feel entirely right until you do.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/65822502021-03-23T08:44:04-04:002023-12-10T13:08:28-05:00Poetry Books Released Today!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/85878636d50dac624c1eab2cea8d449736292987/original/release-day.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My poetry books are out today!</p>
<p>You can download <a contents="Coiled and Swallowed" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/zd42ox">Coiled and Swallowed</a>, <a contents="Driving Downtown to the Show" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/9tejh5">Driving Downtown to the Show</a>, <a contents="Slip Away" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/29773d">Slip Away</a>, or <a contents="a bundle of all three ebooks" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/keoycp">a bundle of all three ebooks</a> on all major retailers. (They may not be up on Apple yet but should be by the end of the day.) You can also download any of these <a contents="here on the website." data-link-label="Poetry" data-link-type="page" href="/poetry">here on the website.</a> </p>
<p>The print versions should also be available by the end of the week, and stay tuned for information about the audio versions!</p>
<p>Also, I will be doing a brief reading mainly featuring poems from my new collection, Slip Away, tonight at 7:00 PM EST on <a contents="my Facebook page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/saracrawfordmusic">my Facebook page</a>. I hope to see you there!</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/65568112021-02-23T17:26:23-05:002021-07-13T21:06:41-04:00Coiled and Swallowed, Driving Downtown to the Show, and Slip Away<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1a0739830b780e34f49c33177d8d84b632134b43/original/poetry-promo.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.png" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /></p>
<p>I'd like to announce that on <strong>March 23, 2021, </strong>I will be releasing <em>Slip Away, </em>my new book of poems.</p>
<p>At the same time, I will also be re-releasing my book of poems, <em>Coiled and Swallowed </em>(2010) as well as my book of poems, <em>Driving Downtown to the Show </em>(2012) with these new covers.</p>
<p>All three books will be available in ebook and print on all book retailers. I will also be recording audiobooks though those won't come out until later this year.</p>
<p>A few weeks ago, I had to put my cat, Frank, to sleep. I was devastated, and the only thing that helped was writing poetry. The idea for <em>Slip Away </em>was born. It is a collection of poems about loss. Actual loss through death, yes, but also the loss of relationships, the loss of childhood, the loss of dreams. </p>
<p>I've been writing like crazy since then, and now I have a first draft of the entire collection. </p>
<p>I know what you're thinking. "Wow, that sounds depressing, Sara." But actually, if you stick with me until the end of the collection, it has an uplifting message by the end. </p>
<p>These poems are all very personal to me, and sharing them is giving everyone a peek into my soul, more so than my fiction or plays have.</p>
<p>For those of you wondering what's going on with my vampire trilogy, I've decided to shelf <em>Until the Night Falls </em>for the time being. I will definitely return to the trilogy at a later date, but my heart just isn't in it right now. Right now is not the time for me to write about vampires. </p>
<p>The ebook versions of my poetry books will all be $1.99, or there will be a $2.99 bundle with all three books. (The print versions will be $4.99.) </p>
<p>I am so excited to share these poems--both the old and the new--with you.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/65108212020-12-31T09:49:57-05:002020-12-31T09:49:57-05:00Thank you for making my 2020 better<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4d86ddde8397d90a74770d59e8ec74aa10abb048/original/new-year-l2a8zng.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Well, it's that time again. The last day of the year. </p>
<p>In normal times, I love New Year's Eve. I love reflecting back over the previous year and looking forward to the new one. But if 2020 was anything, it was definitely not normal. I'm cautiously optimistic about 2021: hoping for live performances to return, hoping to be able to hang out with my friends and family normally again, hoping to get a lot of writing done. </p>
<p>I usually set reading and writing goals. I usually try to read 50 books a year and I set some ambitious goal about writing 300 words a day or publishing four books. I'm not doing that this year. I was going to set my Goodreads Reading Challenge to 25 books and just put it out there that I will finish my <em>Shadow Vampires</em> trilogy in 2021. Anything above that will be a bonus. </p>
<p>2020 has definitely been difficult on a national (or even global) scale. There's been a lot of struggle. The pandemic, amplifying the fight for racial justice, the election. My heart goes out to anyone who has been sick or lost a loved one. </p>
<p>At the same time, artistically and creatively, it was a pretty good year for me. I started the <a contents="Find Creative Expression podcast" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.findcreativeexpression.com/">Find Creative Expression podcast</a>, which I actually really enjoy doing. I have had so much fun having conversations about art and creativity with artists of all kinds. I started playing music again. I wrote tons of "joke songs" and even a real song, and I played an acoustic set that I live streamed from my living room. I "went wide" with my indie books--making them available on book retailers like Apple, Barnes and Noble, and Google Play. I had a Bookbub Featured Deal, which led to a lot more readers of <em>We Own the Sky </em>and <em>The Muse Chronicles Trilogy. </em>I had my first book traditionally published with Parliament House Press, and I had my first audiobook. I quit my day job and started freelancing full-time. </p>
<p>Everything I was actually able to accomplish was due to your support. Whether you are a friend, family member, reader, podcast listener, or collaborator, <em>thank you so much. </em>Without you, I don't know that I would have made it through the year. Thank you so much for reading my work, for listening to my podcasts, for supporting my return to music, for every comment or like or share, for every review, for all of your support. It means the world to me. </p>
<p>And so I look forward to 2021. But I don't have any expectations. I don't know what's going to happen this year. I don't know what it will look like. But I do know your support will continue to mean everything to me.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/64884552020-11-30T13:38:48-05:002021-10-13T09:24:53-04:00There is no right way to be a writer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/10fdd77c1b9a976e7e79266b8dbe9fd459ecbd9a/original/luxurious-writing-tools-on-a-wooden-table-pjhpvja.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Well, it's the last day of November, which means lots of people are celebrating winning <a contents="National Novel Writing Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> - writing 50,000 words in 30 days. To all of those writers, I'd like to say congratulations!</p>
<p>I started out the month working on NaNoWriMo, but then I was so distracted by the election, I didn't get much done. I also committed to more freelance work than I actually should have and had to spend a lot of time doing that. And then I got to the point where I was desperately trying to finish my novel, <em>Until the Night Falls, </em>the sequel to <em>Into the Shadows</em>, my YA vampire paranormal romance. Revising everything I had already written became more important than writing and tracking new words, and I had the novel up for pre-order to be released on 12/29/2020. So I needed to send it to my editor, revise based on her feedback, and then have it proofread all by Christmas. So I ironically had to quit NaNoWriMo to finish my novel.</p>
<p>I spent most of the weekend trying to shape everything I had written into a somewhat cohesive novel, but at some point on Saturday, I realized it wasn't working, and I had to start completely over with a new document. (This isn't quite as dramatic as it sounds as I end up copy/pasting a lot of stuff I've already written but still.) I really wanted to avoid canceling my pre-order and postponing the release of the book as usually if you do that, Amazon won't let you use the pre-order feature for one year. It also felt like failing for me somehow. </p>
<p>That got me thinking. Why did it feel like a failure? Was it because I had been comparing myself to indie writers who release five or ten or even twelve novels in a year? Was it because I was getting emails from writing coaches and successful authors talking about everything you HAVE to do to be a successful writer?</p>
<p>All throughout my studies of creative writing, I have heard so many "rules." Write every day. Don't start a novel with dialogue. Don't have a prologue. You have to create an outline first and plan everything out. But I have discovered that these rules are crap. </p>
<p>Don't get me wrong, there are definitely rules for writing - the structure of storytelling, how to develop characters, how to show and not tell, etc. - just as there are for every art form. But every rule in writing can be broken. Sure, it means a lot more when you break the rules if you have a good understanding of them first, but when it comes to process, there are no rules. </p>
<p>Maybe I'm just never going to be like those indie authors who write ten books a year. Maybe some years, I will write five books, and some years, I will write none. Maybe I go through phases where I write every day, and then I go weeks without writing. (Well, creative writing. I absolutely do write <em>something </em>every day - whether it's a journal entry or web content about metal roofing equipment or a blog post about writing process.) </p>
<p>Maybe it's okay that I will have four or five different drafts before I even figure out the shape of the entire plot. Maybe it's okay that I always start with something that won't end up in the final version. Maybe that's just my process. </p>
<p>As it turns out, Amazon has temporarily suspended the rules about canceling pre-orders so I won't even suffer any consequences for canceling my pre-order, except of course the refunds Amazon will give to the people who have already ordered the book. And it has been so long since the first book came out (February 2019) that a few more months won't make a difference I think. I still plan to do some promotions with <em>Into the Shadows </em>right before I release <em>Until the Night Falls </em>that will hopefully get readers excited, but I was going to do that anyway. </p>
<p>So I just wanted to say to all the writers -- whether you won NaNoWriMo or didn't finish or didn't even do it at all this year -- whether you write every day or sometimes go entire months or even years without writing -- whether you are someone who flies by the seat of your pants and discovers the plot as you write or someone who meticulously plans and outlines beforehand -- whether you need silence to write or you have to write to music or the noise of crowds chattering (well, not during a pandemic, but in normal times) -- <strong>there is no right way to be a writer</strong>. Whatever works for you is what works for you.</p>
<p>Does that mean you should never try anything different or try to use a different writing process? No. Does that mean your process won't evolve and change? Of course not. But you also first need to accept where you are. Cut yourself some slack. Don't try to fit into someone else's box. Someone else's process is entirely theirs, and every writer is different. </p>
<p>Sometimes, life is going to get in the way of writing, too. So have some self-compassion, and give yourself permission to be the kind of writer you are. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/64733782020-11-09T10:35:58-05:002022-04-14T08:33:43-04:00The First Day of My New Life<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7c3182bd8f9152dac85b5e68da63d93d7d2e9efb/original/pexels-photo-556665.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Anything could happen at any moment. You could get laid off from the job you thought you could count on, you could go on a date with a stranger who you end up falling in love with, you could get into a tragic car accident, you could win a huge sum of money, you could put yourself out there at the interview or the audition or with a new book or album, you could lose everything, you could lose everything, you could gain everything. The universe is infinite, and everything is temporary. Certainty is (as my friend, <a contents="Brian Perry" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.findcreativeexpression.com/the-gift-of-creation-with-singer-songwriter-and-author-brian-perry/">Brian Perry</a> says) a myth. </p>
<p>This is always true, but most of the time, we at least have the <em>illusion </em>of certainty. If there's one thing 2020 has done, though, it's shatter that illusion. </p>
<p>Friday was my last day at my full-time day job. It seemed fitting that we were in this weird state of limbo as a nation last week, not knowing which way the election would go. It mirrored my own life, how I didn't exactly know what would happen next. </p>
<p>I am immensely grateful for my time in that job. I have learned a great deal and grown tremendously, both personally and professionally. But much like we are turning the page as a nation to step into a new era, it's time for a new chapter in my own life. </p>
<p>I have always known I wanted to be an artist, a storyteller, specifically a writer. I used to write plays when I was 7 years old and have the neighbors perform them on my driveway. I recently found boxes filled with notebooks and binders full of poetry, novels, stories, screenplays, and plays in the closet of my old bedroom at my parents' house. I have been writing <a contents="plays, novels, screenplays, songs, and poems" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://saracrawford.net/home/blog/how-do-you-write-like-you-re-running-out-of-time">plays, novels, screenplays, songs, and poems</a> for almost 30 years. </p>
<p>I have been seriously pursuing a career as an author since 2012 when I got my MFA in Creative Writing. Since that time, I have gone through many ups and downs: signing with a literary agent, seeing one of my plays on a professional stage, being on submission with the novel of my heart, studying with amazing NYT Bestselling authors, parting ways with my agent, becoming an indie author, and most recently, having a book published by a small press. I have been pursuing this career on the side of my other work, my day job. </p>
<p>A little over two weeks ago, I decided to leave my day job. It's time to pour everything into my author career. </p>
<p>This is a risk. While I have started making more money with my books over the last few months, I'm still not making "quit your day job" money, and I've lined up some freelance work to help me get by until I <em>am </em>making a living with my books. But I feel called to put my entire self into trying to be a successful author, a career author. And I believe I can do it 100%. </p>
<p>I don't expect to be J.K. Rowling or Stephen King, but there are a ton of independent authors making a decent living, and I know I can be one of them. </p>
<p>Will I have to work another day job in the future? Quite possibly. I have no idea what's going to happen. I do know one thing, though. I will never stop telling stories, and I will never stop pursuing a career as an author. No matter what happens.</p>
<p>No one knows what the future will hold. On New Year's Eve last year, I don't think <em>anyone </em>had an accurate idea of what 2020 would bring. But as I step into this new chapter, I am optomistic. I have hope. </p>
<p>There's a song I used to always sing with the worship team at <a contents="Unity North Atlanta" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://unitynorth.org/">Unity North Atlanta</a>: <em>I follow my vision, I follow it through. I change, I grow, I make myself new. And I follow my vision, I follow it through. </em></p>
<p>So I'm stepping into this new chapter with that song in my heart.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/64249212020-09-04T12:35:11-04:002020-09-04T12:35:11-04:00Book Lovers Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day 2020<p>September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. Authors, readers, and bloggers are uniting again his year to fight stigma, spread mental health awareness, and support the prevention of suicide. To encourage participation, we're giving away a $50 Amazon gift card and a Book Lovers Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day t-shirt to one lucky winner.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7ebba0b3749b7652fd0916eb227ff7dc8c80fa70/original/twitter-post-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Two kinds of stigma continue to persist: public stigma and self-stigma. Public stigma occurs when other people view a person with a mental illness in a negative way. Public stigma feeds into self-stigma when people with mental illness internalize the negative talk they hear from others. </p>
<p>Well-meaning people say things like, "Suck it up," "Choose to be happy," "Turn that frown upside down," or "Focus on your blessings," as if mental illness were a mood, a frame of mind, or an attitude that can simply be overcome at will. </p>
<p>Often, people who suffer from mental illness blame themselves instead of seeking help. Just as a diabetic needs insulin, a person with mental illness may need treatment. </p>
<p>People who contemplate suicide don't want to die; they just can't fathom how to live because they are so miserable. They can't see past their pain and misery, and they see no point in going on.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/56719179e35c79dda81d18aa785416939c9728ba/original/mental-health.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>According to the International Association for Suicide Prevention, "Every year, suicide is among the top 20 leading causes of death globally for people of all ages. It is responsible for over 800,000 deaths, which equates to one suicide every 40 seconds." </p>
<p>IASP explains that "[e]very life lost represents someone’s partner, child, parent, friend or colleague. For each suicide approximately 135 people suffer intense grief or are otherwise affected. This amounts to 108 million people per year who are profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviour. Suicidal behaviour includes suicide, and also encompases suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. For every suicide, 25 people make a suicide attempt and many more have serious thoughts of suicide." </p>
<p>If you're contemplating suicide, please don't do it! Instead, seek help. You might be suffering now, but you never know what tomorrow brings. Reach out to a friend or family member. See a doctor. If that doctor doesn't help, try another. Please don't give up. </p>
<p>If you're in crisis, please reach out to the toll-free hotline in your region. You can find your hotline here: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/. </p>
<p>If you are grieving the death of a victim of suicide and need help, here are resources that can help: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Postvention/National_Suicide_Survivor_Organizations/. </p>
<p>If you suspect that someone you know may be contemplating suicide, please reach out. We often hesitate because we're afraid we might make things worse by saying the wrong thing. According to IASP, "Evidence suggests that this is not the case. The offer of support and a listening ear are more likely to reduce distress, as opposed to exacerbating it." </p>
<p>Warning signs to look for include severe anxiety, agitation, hopelessness, rage, feelings of being trapped, a strong urge for vengeance, engaging in risky activities, excessive alcohol and/or drug use, withdrawing from people, trouble sleeping, and dramatic mood changes.</p>
<p><strong>My Story</strong></p>
<p>I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was about 12 or 13, and while I've never actually attempted suicide, there were definitely times when I was so depressed I didn't want to live.</p>
<p>My depression and anxiety is manageable now but only because I take psychiatric medication and see a therapist regularly. There is no shame in admitting that you need help.</p>
<p>If you struggle with mental illness, please reach out for help. There are so many resources that will allow you to get help if you are open to it.</p>
<p>No matter what's going on in your life, it's temporary. And suicide is permanent. There's nothing you can't overcome with the right help. So don't be afraid to ask for it.</p>
<p><strong>The Tour</strong></p>
<p>Book lovers from all over the world have joined together to share their stories and spread mental health awareness. Please follow this tour guide to find our posts and to enter our giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card and a Book Lovers Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 t-shirt: </p>
<p><a contents="P.D. Workman, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://pdworkman.com/">P.D. Workman, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Triple A Book Blog " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.facebook.com/triple.a.book.blog">Triple A Book Blog </a></p>
<p><a contents="Jessica Burkhart, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://jessicaburkhart.blogspot.com/">Jessica Burkhart, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Here Is What I Read Blog " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://hereiswhatireadblog.com/">Here Is What I Read Blog </a></p>
<p><a contents="Crossroad Reviews " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.crossroadreviews.com/">Crossroad Reviews </a></p>
<p><a contents="Jazzy Book Reviews " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.jazzybookreviews.com/">Jazzy Book Reviews </a></p>
<p><a contents="Book Corner News and Reviews " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bookcornernewsandreviews.com/">Book Corner News and Reviews </a></p>
<p><a contents="I Love Books and Stuff Blog " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ilovebooksandstuffblog.wordpress.com/">I Love Books and Stuff Blog </a></p>
<p><a contents="Luv Saving Money " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.luvsavingmoney.com/">Luv Saving Money </a></p>
<p><a contents="Debbie Manber Kupfer, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://debbiemanberkupfer.wordpress.com/">Debbie Manber Kupfer, Author</a></p>
<p><a contents="Ash Ineski, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://m.facebook.com/AshIneski/">Ash Ineski, Author</a></p>
<p><a contents="Allie Burton, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.allieburton.com/">Allie Burton, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Book Butterfly in Dreamland " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://purpleshadowhunter.blogspot.com/">Book Butterfly in Dreamland </a></p>
<p><a contents="Tawdra Kandle, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://tawdrakandle.com/blog/">Tawdra Kandle, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Quinn Loftis, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.quinnloftisbooks.com/">Quinn Loftis, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Kat's Indie Book Blog " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://katsindiebookblog.blogspot.co.nz/">Kat's Indie Book Blog </a></p>
<p><a contents="Day Leitao, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://dayleitao.com/blog">Day Leitao, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Steph Weston, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/stephwestonauthor">Steph Weston, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Lanie Bynum, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://layniebee.com/blog">Lanie Bynum, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="L.B. Carter, Author " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://facebook.com/lbcarterauthor">L.B. Carter, Author </a></p>
<p><a contents="Holly and Mistletoe " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd0J-z2jqxLygLDB1t8Py9Q">Holly and Mistletoe </a></p>
<p><a contents="Eva Pohler, Author" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.evapohler.com/news">Eva Pohler, Author</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Giveaway</strong></p>
<p>From September 1-10, enter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card and a Book Lovers Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day t-shirt. There are lots of ways to enter below--choose one or all. You can also tweet daily for extra entries. We'll email the winner by September 11th.</p>
<p><a contents="Enter the giveaway" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/72abbf8f39/?">Enter the giveaway</a></p>
<p><strong>Other Ways You Can Help</strong></p>
<p>1. On September 10th at 8 p.m. your time, light a candle to remember all those we have lost to suicide and to represent the hope of preventing suicide. People all over the world will be participating. You can send an ecard in 63 different languages to invite others to participate. <a contents="Find the ecards here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.iasp.info/wspd2019/light-a-candle/#postcard">Find the ecards here.</a> </p>
<p>2. Purchase a Book Lovers Unite for World Suicide Prevention Day 2020 for $20. For every shirt sold, five dollars is donated to the International Association for Suicide Prevention. <a contents="Order yours here. " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bonfire.com/dashboard/details/world-suicide-prevention-day-2020/">Order yours here. </a></p>
<p>3. Spread the word about this giveaway, to encourage more people to read our posts and tweet about overcoming stigma. Use the share buttons at the bottom of this post, and </p>
<p>Click to tweet: <a contents="#EntertoWin a $50 #giftcard and #Tshirt while fighting #stigma and spreading #mentalhealthawareness for #suicideprevention #WSPD." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ctt.ac/4_MD4">#EntertoWin a $50 #giftcard and #Tshirt while fighting #stigma and spreading #mentalhealthawareness for #suicideprevention #WSPD.</a></p>
<p><strong>Other Resources</strong></p>
<p>Here are videos on suicide and mental helath that I have found to be helpful: </p>
<p><a contents="The Bridge Between Suicide and Life " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/7CIq4mtiamY">The Bridge Between Suicide and Life </a></p>
<p><a contents="You're Still Here: Living After Suicide " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/R3FKQNSYoxw">You're Still Here: Living After Suicide </a></p>
<p><a contents="This Is for All of You in a Dark Place" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/b21zDVCyKWk">This Is for All of You in a Dark Place</a> </p>
<p><a contents="Suicide Is Preventable" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/37SrHYr8ZYo">Suicide Is Preventable</a></p>
<p>Also, I did a video several years ago about <a contents="Tips for Writers With Depression" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgVbCSdDnWw&t=153s">Tips for Writers With Depression</a></p>
<p><em>Special thanks to author, <a contents="Eva Pohler" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.evapohler.com/news">Eva Pohler</a>, for putting this together!</em></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/64175282020-08-28T09:00:00-04:002022-03-09T07:54:17-05:00The Shadow Vampires Trilogy<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b9e1ebe3bb57831b7f23d4b861dd877d33a66579/original/instagram-photo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In February of 2019, I published <em>Into the Shadows, </em>the first book in <em>The Shadow Vampires Trilogy. </em>Then my life blew up when I was in the middle of writing the second book. I was finally able to get back to it though, and I am thrilled to announce <strong>I will be releasing the sequel, <em>Until the Night Falls</em>, on December 29, 2020 </strong>and it is currently available for pre-order. I have also re-released <em>Into the Shadows </em>with a new cover--making it available on Barnes and Noble, Apple Books, Google Books, Kobo, and other retailers in addition to Amazon.</p>
<p><a contents="Download Into the Shadows from my website." data-link-label="Books" data-link-type="page" href="/books">Download <em>Into the Shadows </em>from my website.</a></p>
<p><a contents="Download Into the Shadows from your favorite retailer." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://books2read.com/u/bpD20J">Download <em>Into the Shadows </em>from your favorite retailer.</a></p>
<p><a contents="Pre-order Until the Night Falls from your favorite retailer." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://books2read.com/u/49M0QJ">Pre-order <em>Until the Night Falls </em>from your favorite retailer.</a></p>
<p>The third and final book in the trilogy, <em>Out of the Darkness, </em>will be released in Spring of 2021. Stay tuned for more information about that!</p>
<p>Ever since I read <em>Interview with the Vampire </em>by Anne Rice when I was 15, I have absolutely been in love with all things vampire. <em>Lost Boys, Dracula, True Blood, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries... </em>I love them all! So I have been super excited to finally tell my own vampire stories.</p>
<p>Here's the description for <em>Into the Shadows:</em></p>
<p><em>Chloe Chastain thought the mysterious stranger from the internet was just another obsessed fan of her favorite vampire books, and she grew close to him, letting him see into her soul. When she discovered that he was the actual dangerous vampire, Theodore Dupont, the protagonist of her favorite books, she vowed to forget him. </em></p>
<p><em>After an encounter with her childhood bully goes horribly wrong, she knows Theodore is the only one she can turn to for help, and she travels to New Orleans to find him. As she learns all about the world of the vampires and her role in it, she tries to resist her connection with Theodore, but she's not even sure if she wants to anymore. </em></p>
<p><em>When she finds out how much is at stake for not only Theodore and herself, but the entire New Orleans supernatural community, she's forced to make an impossible choice.</em></p>
<p>Readers have called it "fast-paced, can't put it down action and romance" and a "brilliant first book in a new series." I had a blast writing it, and I can't wait to be able to share the rest of Chloe and Theo's journey.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/64158202020-08-24T07:53:36-04:002020-08-24T07:53:36-04:00Thank you for a great release week!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/83a2809003fe7d56ce072fa1bfe4d57756f5f3ad/original/timeaftertimecover.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Last Tuesday, my first traditionally published book, <em>Time After Time, </em>was released from The Parliament House press. The release went really well, and I had so much fun writing <a contents="my guest post about ten 80s tunes I love" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.parliamenthousepress.com/post/sara-crawford-on-tour-the-ten-80s-tunes-that-transport-her-back-in-time">my guest post about ten 80s tunes I love</a> and also doing an <a contents="interview for The Parliament House's YouTube channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHgaWzqX7vI">interview for The Parliament House's YouTube channel</a>.</p>
<p>Thank you so much to everyone who bought a copy or shared about my book or just offered me your support. (Especially thanks to Julie Boniger who put together a surprise Zoom party to celebrate my book release!)</p>
<p>Here is the description for the book:</p>
<p><em>Megan Gallagher has only ever seen her mother as neurotic and overworked. </em></p>
<p><em>When a Whitney Houston song at the 80s dance sends Megan back to 1987, she discovers her teenage mom dressed in all black and sneaking liquor in the bathroom. After preventing her mom’s drunk car accident, Megan realizes she has one month to get her teenage parents to stop partying, and learn enough about her family's secret to get back home. Too bad the much cuter teenage version of her history teacher is such a distraction. With time running out and her future at stake, Megan must learn that, when it comes to family, you can't always get what you want, but you might just get what you need.</em></p>
<p><a contents="You can find the book at your favorite retailer here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://books2read.com/u/b6ZoBp">You can find the book at your favorite retailer here.</a></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/64035092020-08-06T10:40:45-04:002020-08-06T10:40:45-04:00Find Creative Expression Podcast Episode 1<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1ce6144fcc1de0b8025b4dcb44d3775bb67a03b2/original/fceactuallogo.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The first episode of the Find Creative Expression podcast has been released!</p>
<p>In it, I chat with New Orleans publisher and poet, Bill Lavender, about what it's like to run Lavender Ink, his background in poetry, the New Orleans Poetry Festival, and his creative process.</p>
<p><a contents="Check it out here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.findcreativeexpression.com/the-publishing-industry-and-creative-process-with-poet-and-publisher-bill-lavender/">Check it out here</a> or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, etc.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/63943022020-08-01T12:25:00-04:002020-08-01T12:40:01-04:00The Muse Chronicles trilogy is now available everywhere!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2c34a5f879b008ef74e3931aea1fb0fc9f8b1fdf/original/sara-group-cover.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Special thanks to Catherine Weed for the above image</em></p>
<p><em>The Muse Chronicles </em>trilogy is now available on all book retailers: Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple, etc.</p>
<p><strong>The first book in the trilogy, <em>We Own the Sky,</em> is now free! </strong>You can download it for free from your favorite retailer. If you like it, you can continue to <em>Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.</em> And if it's not your thing, no harm. I hope you enjoy the next book you read!</p>
<p>If you <em>have </em>read any of these books and enjoyed them, <strong>please take a moment to leave me a review. </strong>If you've already left a review on Amazon, please consider leaving a review on any of the other retailers if you shop there. Reviews help readers to find my book, and it helps them to determine whether or not they should give it a chance.</p>
<p>We Own the Sky on Apple</p>
<p>Hurry Up, We're Dreaming on Apple</p>
<p>You and the Night on Apple</p>
<p>And all three signed paperbacks and e-books are now available <a contents="on my site" data-link-label="Books" data-link-type="page" href="/books">on my site</a>.</p>
<p>And don't forget to check out the <a contents="playlists" data-link-label="The Muse Chronicles Playlists" data-link-type="page" href="/the-muse-chronicles-playlists">playlists</a> for each book!</p>
<p>(Note: It appears it will take a little extra time to get the books into the Google Play store, but they are coming!)</p>
<p>Thank you so much for all of your support!</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/63874572020-07-19T13:25:38-04:002020-07-19T13:25:38-04:00How do you write like you're running out of time?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/69f694caa275c2200268a50d668fc1d33273b57a/original/instagram1.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I decided recently to go over to my parents’ house and deal with all of the stuff I’ve had there for YEARS that my mom has been telling me to deal with for YEARS. </p>
<p>I knew I had a ton of journals I needed to get. I’ve been numbering my journals since I was 12, and I’m on #124 so… but I did not expect quite as much writing as I found. I found entire binders filled with handwritten poems I wrote when I was 12-14. (“I feel invisable” said one. With an “a”.) I found an entire (improperly formatted) screenplay I wrote when I was 19 or 20. I found several binders of handwritten stories between 60 and 100 pages written between ages 10 and 15. (One was called “Black Rose: The Return to Fernando.” Haha.) </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/79a864814fd862e78f7935316e24098c9ea680c7/original/instagram2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I found notebooks after notebooks with song lyrics and brainstorming for novels or plays. I found unfinished novels, unfinished plays. I found a binder with almost my entire livejournal printed out. I found notes for my album, Unsent Letters; I found notes from a rehearsal of Painted (“Everyone needs to learn their lines!”); and I found set lists from shows with Long Absent Friends or Novo Luna. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4a35de6e15343d280f00c90127a4bb85d394efa8/original/instagram4thespins.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>A first draft of my play, The Spins</em></p>
<p>One of the aspects I’ve always loved about the show, Hamilton, is how prolific he was. “How do you write like you’re running out of time?” And I realized I have always done this. Which I have known obviously, but seeing the evidence of this was a little overwhelming. But overwhelming in a good way. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2d523df34ac863a69b727ffb74c1caef51e6a8cc/original/instagram5cyclone.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>And it made me feel kind of good about myself. Because maybe 90% of this stuff is not great and maybe no one will ever read the vast majority of it. And maybe I haven’t always made the best decisions. But there’s something to be said about writing it all down. I have documented everything I’ve ever felt, thought, experienced. I have told story after story. Stories for the stage, the screen, the page. I truly do live for the written word. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/68e7c69d6c08137e40f031b7091686194ed3ad85/original/instagram6painted.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Notes from a Painted rehearsal</em></p>
<p>What have you learned about yourself going through old things?</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/63567112020-06-17T15:18:32-04:002020-06-17T15:18:32-04:00An update<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/881b81948118600ddc6999bf634805ec5e140ca9/original/natural-sunset-sunrise-bright-dramatic-sky-backgro-43gxcl8.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>It's hard to believe my last blog post was three months ago, and I'm still working remotely. People are attempting to go back to some kind of normal, but I haven't left my house much. </p>
<p>These are crazy times we're living in. Not only are we in the middle of this public health crisis, but now, there are protests and riots happening for racial justice. I have posted a few things on Facebook, and I did do a YouTube video explaining why <a contents="Black Lives Matter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDOD4iLB8YY&t=4s">Black Lives Matter</a>, but for the most part, I've been quietly doing things to become a better ally. I started to list those things here, but then I realized I don't need credit for trying to be a good ally. </p>
<p>What have I been up to? Quite a few things. </p>
<p>I've been gearing up for the release of my YA 1980s time travel novel, <a contents="Time After Time" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53209693-time-after-time"><em>Time After Time</em></a>, which is being published on August 18th. If you are interested in reading an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review, please email me at sara@saracrawford.net. </p>
<p>I've been working on my draft of <em>Until the Night Falls</em>, the sequel to my YA vampire novel, <a contents="Into the Shadows" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Into-Shadows-Paranormal-Vampire-Vampires-ebook/dp/B07P91XPB5/"><em>Into the Shadows</em></a>. I'll have some more news about that book coming soon. </p>
<p>I've actually been playing my acoustic songs, and I even uploaded my acoustic album, <a contents="Unsent Letters" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-cqq0cHrPPOuVwSgUkU3un_zdnVJiS3d"><em>Unsent Letters</em></a>, to YouTube as a well as <a contents="a video where I discuss the album" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJqVLnKcWwE&t=25s">a video where I discuss the album</a>. And I'm even planning to play an acoustic show in my living room that I will live stream on my <a contents="Facebook page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/saracrawfordmusic">Facebook page</a> in August. So stay tuned for more info about that. </p>
<p>And in other news, all three books in <em>The Muse Chronicles </em>will be available on all book retailers (Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple Books, etc.) in late July. So stay tuned about that as well! </p>
<p>So that's what's going on with me. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe and healthy.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/62589512020-03-23T09:46:05-04:002020-03-23T11:06:48-04:00The light is there if you're looking for it...<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/f0b9fd4a0ce803eed8df08e554d87415677ed619/original/helping-hands-or-begging-for-help-p4zdmfs.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>These are scary times we are living in. Business are closed, schools are closed, events are canceled, sports are canceled, those of us who are lucky enough to still be working are working from home. We don't know how long this is going to last. </p>
<p>So let me tell you what brings me hope and inspires me. </p>
<p>I love all the doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers who are on the front lines, working hard every day to help others. I love all the people who are still driving for Uber and Lyft and all the delivery services. The people who are brave enough to put themselves in harm's way so that they can deliver food and other necessary items to others. I love all the people working at grocery stores and pharmacies and gas stations, working hard to help everyone. </p>
<p>I love all the artists who have offered free art for everyone in this time of quarantine. All the free streaming performances, all the free museum tours, all the films released early, all the free books from authors. </p>
<p>I love the people making music together outside on their balconies. I love the women doing zumba classes on their front lawns together but still socially distant. </p>
<p>I love all the churches that are streaming their services, still helping people keep the faith and stay inspired. All the video chats that are happening. The virtual birthday party we had for my dad. </p>
<p>I love my boyfriend giving me toilet paper and continuing to show me Twin Peaks and reminding me that we're in this together. I love playing games on Marco Polo (a video messaging app) with my friends. I love chatting with my close friend in Washington. (We already have the socially distant friendship down.) I love that my family has a Crawford chat group. I love the group texts with my friends from high school. I love my kitties snuggling with me at night. I love that my co-workers and I all communicate so well. I love that a lot of our clients are doubling down on their marketing efforts while they don't have a lot going on. </p>
<p>I love how this has made us all come together and help each other. Even if that's not what you see when you turn on the news. </p>
<p>I have been as guilty as anyone at being on social media and watching the news obsessively and I don't think it's good for anyone's mental health. I think sometimes it's good to turn off the TV, turn off the computer, turn off your phone. Get still and learn how to just be. </p>
<p>You can use this time to write, to create, to make music, to improve your health, to learn how to cook, to spend time with your family or roommates or whoever you're quarantined with, to cuddle with your pets. Or you can use the time to rest, binge Netflix, meditate, just be. Don't feel like you have to be productive if you just can't. Maybe this is a time for you to reflect and rest. The point is you can use this time for whatever you need to do. </p>
<p>I know many of you have lost your job. Many of you are scared of contracting the virus, especially if you're in a more vulnerable group of people. Many of you are dealing with mental health issues that make this more difficult. </p>
<p>Please know that it's okay to ask for help, to ask for reassurance. It's okay to lean on each other even if we have to do so through a phone or computer screen. </p>
<p>And I just wanted to tell you all that I'm here for you, whatever you need. If anyone wants to talk or video chat or message me, please feel free to. Even if we haven't talked in a long time. If I can help you in any way, I will. </p>
<p>Even in these uncertain and scary times, there is a lot to be grateful for. And we will get through this. But only because we all came together.</p>
<p>(This was originally posted on my Facebook profile.)</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/62512352020-03-16T16:06:21-04:002020-03-16T16:54:14-04:00Stuck at home? Download a free e-book!<p>I hope you all are staying healthy and safe during this chaos!</p>
<p>Because everyone is stuck at home in the middle of this COVID-19 crisis, I have decided to make <strong>all of my ebooks </strong>free from tomorrow (3/17/20) (starting at midnight) through Saturday (3/21/20). That includes:</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Into-Shadows-Paranormal-Vampire-Vampires-ebook/dp/B07P91XPB5"><strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/6c18048ae279d2ab4bcf2e99d826ed7f118a6764/original/41n1kdth8fl.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></strong></a></p>
<p>When Chloe discovers her favorite fictional vampire, Theodore Dupont, is actually real, she travels to New Orleans to turn to him for help and gets swept up in the New Orleans supernatural community.</p>
<p>"Brilliant first book in a new series" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p>"Fast-Paced, Can't Put It Down Action & Romance...Vampire Style!" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073T2JK2L"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/abd38c725ea6704c62bcd0ec28e342904886da15/original/we-own-the-sky-6-15-c.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></a>Book 1 in <em>The Muse Chronicles</em>: A teenage musician falls in love with her Muse, a spiritual being who inspires art, even though no one else can see him.</p>
<p>"Subtly Got Under My Skin & Not Leaving Any Time Soon" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p>"If you love YA, mythology, and great music, this is the series for you!" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p>"<a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Hurry-Up-Were-Dreaming-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B077TL31HH/"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b791b8b97a95cf669d1d1f3358b82a83e3a25e44/original/hurry-up-were-dreaming-revise.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></a>Book 2 in <em>The Muse Chronicles</em></p>
<p><em>"</em>A beautiful and suspenseful follow-up" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p>"Wonderful book....this is a MUST read" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PHTRJ81"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/03ff1ed5b8f75b05b8b8bf3f3f49a9f7cc64684a/original/you-and-the-night-2-6-19-b.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></a>Book 3 in <em>The Muse Chronicles</em></p>
<p>"Great wrap-up to a very good series!" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p>"I loved picturing the artists having their muse with them, being inspired. It’s a beautiful concept!" - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p> </p>
<p>You can also download <em>The Muse Chronicles </em>as a single ebook</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RKKY1R6"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/56ca689648ff4a862df5aa7510e66f5742a31238/original/muse-chronicles-box-set-white.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Or if you feel like starting or enhancing your writing habit...</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KDKFPQ3"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/26331c946a8614776ba21785d962fc5bdad8def2/original/30daywritingchallengeebookcover.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_s justify_center border_" /></a>"I really loved this book. It's easily "digestible" and immediately usable." - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p>"Great exercises and ideas. Easy to follow." - Amazon Reviewer</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I know this is a scary time for everyone, but I thought I would at least offer what I could. </p>
<p>Happy reading everyone!</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/60527812019-12-31T08:10:19-05:002019-12-31T08:10:19-05:00The Last Day of 2019<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ef16372496c4cd461846cbfad39ca24397db51cb/original/happy-new-year-decoration-ornament-and-garland-p87tb7p.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My second blog post in two days! What’s happening? </p>
<p>On the last day of 2019, I can’t help but look back at the previous year. </p>
<p>On a personal level, this has been both one of the most difficult years I’ve ever experienced and one of the best. I discovered so much about who I am. I also discovered that we never stop growing and learning. I had to overcome so much this year. My world was turned upside down and all of the plans I had for the future were completely destroyed as I learned that you never really can plan for the future. But as I embraced that--as I learned to speak and live my truth and take care of myself--I began to attract positive, uplifting people into my life. I reconnected with old friends and connected with new ones. So many people helped me get through this year, and I am so grateful to all of them. </p>
<p>In terms of my career, a lot happened. I started a new day job as a Digital Content Strategist for <a contents="WT Digital Agency" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://wtmarketing.com/">WT Digital Agency</a>, a job I actually love. I published <a contents="You and the Night" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PHTRJ81/"><em>You and the Night</em></a>, the last book in my Muse Chronicles Trilogy and started a new vampire trilogy with <a contents="Into the Shadows" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1798275163/"><em>Into the Shadows</em></a>. I wrote the first play I’ve written in years, <em>Swipe Right</em>, a play about dating apps. (Okay, I’m not technically finished with that one, but almost!) During the last half of the year, I was dealing with so much personal life stuff that it was hard for me to get much writing done, but I’m ready to hit the ground running in 2020. </p>
<p>I read/saw/listened to/experienced a lot of great art this year. Here are some of my favorites: </p>
<p><strong>Favorite Book I Read in 2019 </strong>- <a contents="City of Girls" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/City-Girls-Novel-Elizabeth-Gilbert/dp/1594634734"><em>City of Girls</em></a> by Elizabeth Gilbert </p>
<p><strong>Favorite Album I Listened to in 2019</strong> - <em><a contents="Milo Greene" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd-E5nL9duE">Milo Greene</a></em> by Milo Greene </p>
<p><strong>Favorite Film I Watched in 2019</strong> - <a contents="A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3224458/"><em>A<em> </em>Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood</em></a></p>
<p><strong>Favorite TV Show I Watched in 2019</strong> - <a contents="Fleabag" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/Episode-1/dp/B01KW5KHJG"><em>Fleabag</em></a> - Amazon Prime </p>
<p><strong>Favorite Play I Saw in 2019</strong> - <em><a contents="Come From Away" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://comefromaway.com/">Come From Away</a> </em></p>
<p>What about you? How was your 2019? What were your favorite books, albums, plays, TV shows, films?</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/60513812019-12-30T16:30:00-05:002019-12-30T16:30:24-05:00Favorite Albums of the Decade<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c93dd760cc7e9fbdd5da9be1a243489c61f5133e/original/old-record-player-pjaghhg.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Recently, my little brother put together a list of his favorite albums from the decade. I was inspired to do the same! These are in no particular order. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>1. <em>Depression Cherry</em> - Beach House (2015) </p>
<p>2. <em>Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming </em>- M83 (2011) </p>
<p>3. <em>1989</em> - Taylor Swift (2014) </p>
<p>4. <em>Alvvays</em> - Alvvays (2014) </p>
<p>5. <em>Absolute Zero</em> - Little Green Cars (2013) </p>
<p>6. <em>The Lion’s Roar</em> - First AId Kit (2012) </p>
<p>7. <em>Slowdive</em> - Slowdive (2017) </p>
<p>8.<em> Love is Dead</em> - CHVRCHES (2018) </p>
<p>9.<em> In Bloom</em> - Beach House (2012) </p>
<p>10. <em>Remind Me Tomorrow </em>- Sharon Van Etten (2019) </p>
<p>11. <em>The North</em> - Stars (2012) </p>
<p>12. <em>The Rip Tide</em> - Beirut (2011) </p>
<p>13. <em>The Next Day </em>- David Bowie (2013) </p>
<p>14.<em> Vulnicura </em>- Bjork (2015) </p>
<p>15. <em>Singles</em> - Future Islands (2014) </p>
<p>16. <em>Teen Dream</em> - Beach House (2010) </p>
<p>17. <em>Penny Sparkle</em> - Blonde Redhead (2010) </p>
<p>18. <em>Shields </em>- Grizzly Bear (2012) </p>
<p>19. <em>Waiting for Something to Happen</em> - Veronica Falls (2013) </p>
<p>20. <em>Floating </em>- Sleep Party People (2014) </p>
<p>21. <em>Burn Your Fire for No Witness</em> - Angel Olsen (2014) </p>
<p>22.<em> Dopamine </em>- BORNS (2015) </p>
<p>23. <em>Every Open Eye</em> - CHVRCHES (2015) </p>
<p>24. <em>Soft Will</em> - Smith Westerns (2013) </p>
<p>25. <em>Trouble Will Find Me </em>- The National (2013) </p>
<p>26.<em> After Laughter</em> - Paramore (2017) </p>
<p>27.<em> Familiars</em> - The Antlers (2014) </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I’m sure I’m forgetting quite a few, but these are just off the top of my head. </p>
<p>How about you? What were your favorite albums of the decade?</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/58686262019-08-24T11:21:20-04:002019-08-25T09:46:22-04:00Time After Time<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/87eea7d4643402ec5327246cd58c8e4ce2239b09/original/unnamed.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>So most of you have seen this news on either my Facebook, Instagram, or my e-mail newsletter, but for those of you who didn't, I just wanted to announce that <a contents="Parliament House Press" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.parliamenthousepress.com/single-post/2019/08/14/New-2020-Acquisitions?fbclid=IwAR20Lbf3NYc6rV6YOPPNBQKNUPw_Mc6K_3M3mLVKsUHNChL-L2i-vEtQLS0">Parliament House Press</a> will be publishing my young adult 1980s time travel novel, <em>Time After Time, </em>in the fall of 2020!</p>
<p>What's the book about?</p>
<p><em>Megan Gallagher has only ever seen her mother as neurotic and overworked. When a Whitney Houston song at the 80s dance sends Megan back to 1987, she discovers her teenage mom dressed in all black and sneaking liquor in the bathroom. After preventing her mom’s drunk car accident, Megan realizes she has one month to get her teenage parents to stop partying, and learn enough about her family's secret to get back home. Too bad the much cuter teenage version of her history teacher is such a distraction. With time running out and her future at stake, Megan must learn that, when it comes to family, you can't always get what you want, but you might just get what you need.</em></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/58494912019-08-06T17:10:07-04:002019-08-06T17:13:16-04:00The Muse of Tragedy<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c0886ef4f77a5e75dbc8b3b34510c1c629b133b9/original/railroad-tracks-163518-1280.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Hey everyone! Long time, no see, right? <br><br>So for a while there I was posting ALL THE CONTENT. YouTube videos, blog posts for my <a contents="creativity blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.findcreativeexpression.com/">creativity blog</a>, daily <a contents="Instagram posts" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/saraecrawford/">Instagram posts</a>. And somehow, I was still managing to work on writing my books as well. And work! Not sure how I was getting all of that done. </p>
<p>A little over three months ago, I started working a new day job for a marketing agency. (A job I really love. Who knew you could love a day job?) About a month later, my life totally BLEW UP. I'll spare you all the gory details, but the basic gist is that my husband suffers from drug and alcohol addiction and mental health issues. And both addiction and mental illness are extremely difficult diseases. So he went to get the help he needs and I went to my parents' house for a couple of months. I just now moved into my own place--an adorable two-bedroom condo. </p>
<p>So no wonder I stopped all of my content. Over the course of three months, my life had completely changed. When I think back to where I was a year ago, so many things are different now. The only thing that has remained consistent is my drive to create.</p>
<p>Now that I'm settling into the next chapter of my life, I decided I could return to my content. Because I really do enjoy making the YouTube videos and writing the blog posts. Helping other creative people and artists find their own creative expression. Helping writers find their own voices. I'm bringing back the creativity interviews next Friday (I've got a good one to kick it off) and I'm even toying with the idea of doing the interviews in a podcast instead of just a blog. So I'm going to return to creating ALL THE CONTENT. Or at least some of it.</p>
<p>I could start beating myself up for not managing to keep up with all of my online content over the past few months. I do have a tendency to try to do EVERYTHING and then beat myself up when I can't. Or I could be really proud of myself for the writing and singing that I did manage to do during this trying time. I went to Starbucks after work and worked on <em>Until the Night Falls, </em>my newest vampire novel. I even started a new (unnamed) play about addiction. I haven't written a play in seven years so I was particularly proud of that one. And I have been singing at Unity North Atlanta with the Unitones--a previously-trio-but-lately-quartet of awesome ladies. </p>
<p>I know many people would not want to admit that they have been dealing with addiction and mental illness--even indirectly--because there is still such a stigma attached to both of these diseases. But I think it's important to be honest and tell you that these things have had an effect on my life. I don't actually know one person whose life hasn't been touched--either directly or indirectly--by addiction or mental illness. Maybe if more of us were honest about dealing with it, there would be less of a stigma. I'm not sure. </p>
<p>But. Let's bring it back to a Crawford subject. Creativity and art. The main point of this blog post is that even when your life blows up, you cannot let it stop you from being creative or making art. Don't be hard on yourself. Don't expect to write an award-winning novel or record the greatest album known to man, but still create. Express yourself. Sing karaoke. Crochet a scarf. Do <em>something </em>creative. And who knows? You might end up writing that award-winning novel. Often times, challenges and tragedy inspires the best art. I know this difficulty in my own life has been quite the muse for me. </p>
<p>So that's what's been going on in my life. I hope you'll come along with me--read some of my blog posts or watch one of my YouTube videos. But even if you don't, I hope that <em>you'll </em>find your own way to be creative. </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/56707132019-03-06T08:05:43-05:002019-04-27T23:12:22-04:00You and the Night cover reveal and book trailer<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/39d784c0e2fa0fda70b5bb756a56b11295d7a1cc/original/you-and-the-night-2-6-19-b.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Here's the cover for Book 3 of The Muse Chronicles. Designed by Caroline Teagle. Isn't it gorgeous? </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>You and the Night - Book 3 in The Muse Chronicles - Coming 4.30.2019</strong></span></p>
<p>She's designed all the covers for The Muse Chronicles, and they've all been gorgeous:</p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T2JK2L"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a63862daad2c837644295332ab731d4389af770e/original/51-3bvawvll.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077TL31HH"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/dd9df117840b273592aeb8bed6e0ea02012e64a2/original/huwd-small.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsInNtYWxsIl1d.jpg" class="size_s justify_left border_" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Of all the books in this trilogy, this one was by far the hardest to write. I started working on it in January of 2018. It doesn't usually take me over a year to finish a book. But I kept going back and re-writing the first 100 pages. It's in pretty good shape right now, but I'm about to send it off to some beta readers and critique partners. </p>
<p>I have grown a lot as an author in the writing of these three books. I know they definitely have their flaws, but I think the main theme of art belonging to everyone is evident. </p>
<p>It's going to be hard to say goodbye to Sylvia and Vincent. This is ultimately a love story, but Vincent represents art/music. So it's really just about a girl who falls in love with art. Do they have the healthiest of relationships? Clearly not. He's not even a real person technically. But every single artist I know has had an unhealthy obsession with art. We've all had times where we stayed up all night writing or playing guitar. We've had days when we forget to eat because we're so enraptured in our paintings. </p>
<p>Not everyone is going to get that, and that's okay. Every book is not for every reader. Art is so subjective. But then it speaks to so many people because all I did was personify my relationship with art in Sylvia and Vincent. </p>
<p>Some things surprised me as I kept writing. For example, I ended up absolutely loving Ryan, the bass player. He's portrayed as being a jerk, but there's just something lovable about him. We've all had friends like that--people we know are good people deep down, but act like a jackass to cover it up. Ryan is a side character, but I found myself really enjoying writing him. You can always count on Ryan to just say what he's thinking. Maybe it's that authenticity I love.</p>
<p>Vincent and Izabella came out of a play I wrote in 2006 called <em>Painted. </em>So I have literally been with some of these characters for over a decade. Maybe that's why I had such a difficult time with this third book. I knew it would all be over. </p>
<p>Sure, I might return to this universe in the future. There are some different ways I could go with that. But Sylvia and Vincent's story has come to a conclusion. I really love the way I ended the whole thing, and I hope readers do too.</p>
<p>So the book is coming out on 4.30.19. I have just put it up for pre-order. (It's in the review process so it's not showing up yet.) For now, I hope you enjoy this book trailer. I had so much fun making it. (And there really aren't any spoilers for the first two books in it.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xIGMAMolV4o" width="560"></iframe></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/56617012019-02-28T07:09:28-05:002019-03-03T18:02:32-05:00Into the Shadows<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/651ae1fa657f7c4d9603855ec9d5401cc7bfc075/original/its-md.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Surprise!</p>
<p>While I'm in the revision process with <em>You and the Night </em>(which is set to come out 4.30.19), I decided to release an e-book version of <em>Into the Shadows.</em></p>
<p>As some of you will recall, <em>Into the Shadows, </em>is a young adult vampire novel that I wrote over the summer for the mobile platform, Radish. I have taken it down from Radish, polished it up a bit, and released the book on Amazon. It's also available on Kindle Unlimited.</p>
<p>I had so much fun writing this novel, and I hope you all will have fun reading it as well. </p>
<p>The print version will be available in March.</p>
<p>Here's the description:</p>
<p><em><b>Is Chloe ready to travel into the shadows?</b> </em></p>
<p><em>Chloe Chastain thought the mysterious stranger from the internet was just another obsessed fan of her favorite vampire books, and she grew close to him, letting him see into her soul. When she discovered that he was the actual dangerous vampire, Theodore Dupont, from her favorite books, she vowed to forget him. </em></p>
<p><em>After an encounter with her childhood bully goes horribly wrong, she knows Theodore is the only one she can turn to for help, and she travels to New Orleans to find him. As she learns all about the world of the vampires and her role in it, she tries to resist her connection with Theodore, but she's not even sure if she wants to anymore. </em></p>
<p><em>When she finds out how much is at stake for not only Theodore and herself, but the entire New Orleans supernatural community, she's forced to make an impossible choice. </em></p>
<p><em><b>Fans of <i>The Vampire Diaries</i> and Anne Rice's <i>Vampire Chronicles</i> will love this Southern gothic young adult vampire romance.</b></em></p>
<p>The book is on sale for just $0.99 for the rest of the week! Then it will go up to $2.99. So take advantage of the sale!</p>
<p><a contents="You can download the book here." data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P91XPB5"><span class="font_large">You can download the book here.</span></a></p>
<p>Thank you so much for all of your support!</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/55099652018-11-13T11:47:10-05:002019-01-25T19:22:25-05:00The 30-Day Writing Challenge Re-launch<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/731700ba3287bc76788adc45061897c78571d8ce/original/30daywritingchallengeebookcover.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The second edition of my book, The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit is now available in both print and e-book versions on multiple retailers as well as my website.</p>
<p>In the second edition introduction, I write:</p>
<p><em>I originally wrote The 30-Day Writing Challenge in 2014. Since that time, I have become an adjunct professor for the online creative writing graduate program at Southern New Hampshire University, I have published two novels, and I have continued for four years of full-time work as a freelance writer. </em></p>
<p><em>I’ve also been through a lot of ups and down with my own publishing journey. I have been discouraged and broken down at many points. Whether you’re a traditionally published author or an indie author, publishing is hard. And there’s a lot of disappointment. </em></p>
<p><em>So much is out of your control: what the literary agents think about your writing, what the publishers think, your sales ranking on Amazon, how many reviews you have, etc. And sure, there are a ton of things you can do to increase your chances of having the agents read your manuscript or increasing your e-book sales. But as writers, the most important thing—the thing we always have control over no matter what—is the actual writing. The act of creation. </em></p>
<p><em>Writing is a practice and a discipline. The purpose of this book is to help you to begin a daily writing habit or enhance the daily writing habit you already have. </em></p>
<p><em>Whether you want to write the great American novel or write business e-books, if you are serious about being a writer, you need to practice writing every day. It’s just like being in good physical shape. You have to exercise your muscles a little bit every day to build strength. </em></p>
<p><em>It’s important to note that for some people, literally writing every day is not going to be possible. Many people have health issues that will prevent them from being able to write every day. I, myself, suffer from anxiety and depression, and there are definitely times when I’m not able to write creatively every day. (I don’t think a single day has gone by in the past 15 years when I haven’t written something, though—a journal entry, an e-mail, a blog post, web content, etc. I bring that up because if you do have mental health issues, keeping a journal is often a great way to get in some form of writing every day.) </em></p>
<p><em>There will also be times when life gets in the way, and writing every day isn’t possible. Don’t beat yourself up in these moments. The important thing is that writing becomes a regular and consistent part of your life if you want to be a writer.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Download the e-book now for just $0.99 or order a copy of the paperback for $6.99.</p>
<p><a contents="Amazon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KDKFPQ3">Amazon</a></p>
<p><a contents="Barnes and Noble" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-30-day-writing-challenge-sara-e-crawford/1129847243">Barnes and Noble</a></p>
<p><a contents="Scribd" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.scribd.com/book/392795614/The-30-Day-Writing-Challenge-Begin-or-Enhance-Your-Daily-Writing-Habit">Scribd</a></p>
<p><a contents="Playster" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://play.playster.com/books/10009781532393204">Playster</a></p>
<p><a contents="Kobo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-30-day-writing-challenge">Kobo</a></p>
<p><a contents="Holonis" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.holonis.com/saracrawford/i/the-30-day-writing-challenge-paperback">Holonis</a></p>
<p>Coming soon on Apple Books!</p>
<p>Or you can order directly from <a contents="my website" data-link-label="The 30-Day Writing Challenge" data-link-type="page" href="/the-30-day-writing-challenge">my website</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'm so excited to be able to help more people on their writing journey!</p>
<p> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/54898672018-10-29T08:29:29-04:002018-11-28T18:52:59-05:00My Content Detox<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/47f56c57a46e88aa0f142a8af31cfb9338a61426/original/beach.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>My view currently</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>One of the best ways to promote anything--your books, your business, your brand--is through content marketing. And I genuinely love to create and share content. Especially content that's going to help or inspire other artists and creative people. I've created a lot of content ever since I pretty much started using the internet, but for the past year or so, I've gotten especially ridiculous with the amount of content I create.</p>
<p>I've participated in <a contents="Instagram" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/saraecrawford/">Instagram</a> challenges. I started a new <a contents="creativity blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.findcreativeexpression.com">creativity blog</a> and creativity tips mailing list--which I updated Monday through Friday most weeks. I've had a <a contents="YouTube channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/saracrawford">YouTube channel</a>--posting two to five videos a month typically. I started a <a contents="holospace" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.holonis.com/saracrawford">holospace</a> on Holonis. I joined the mobile reading app, <a contents="Radish" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://radishfiction.com/stories/SJB7JMAI7">Radish</a>, and started a vampire novel there. I've tried to keep up my <a contents="Twitter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://twitter.com/sara_crawford">Twitter</a> and <a contents="Facebook" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/saracrawfordmusic/">Facebook</a>--personal page and author page. I've written guest posts for blogs like <a contents="The Creative Penn" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/09/07/5-reasons-this-is-the-best-time-to-be-a-creator/">The Creative Penn</a> and <a contents="The Digital Reader" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://the-digital-reader.com/2018/09/24/guest-post-7-reasons-authors-should-be-on-holonis/">The Digital Reader</a>. I made <a contents="quote pictures" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.findcreativeexpression.com/category/quotes/">quote pictures</a> and <a contents="book trailers" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukKuUbKaI70">book trailers</a> and <a contents="promotional photos for my books" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk2_xc6HxBj/?taken-by=saraecrawford">promotional photos for my books</a>. </p>
<p>And let's not forget this was on top of the freelance writing and marketing work I actually got paid to do. And teaching a creative writing graduate class for Southern New Hampshire University online. And trying to finish <em>You and the Night</em>--book 3 of <i>The Muse Chronicles</i>--which I've literally been working on all year. So needless to say, I've been putting way too much pressure on myself and working way too much.</p>
<p>I'm lucky in that my husband, <a contents="Peter" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.holonis.com/peter-lang">Peter</a>, and I both work from home. He does some of the same freelance marketing work I do, and he's also super ambitious with his social media and content creation. And he's always working hard and hustling like me. So a lot of this year has been the two of us working in our offices from 9 to 5 and then sitting next to each other on the couch with our laptops from 5 to 10. And sometimes, it has been a lot of fun. And I am blessed to have him in this with me. But I have also burnt myself out completely with all the work. I can't tell you how many work-induced breakdowns I've had this year.</p>
<p>A little over a week ago (10/19), I was forced to put all of this work on pause as Peter and I drove to Lake Oconee for my brother's wedding. With the rehearsal and dinner on Friday night, the professional hair and makeup appointment my mother was nice enough to gift me on Saturday morning, practicing my ceremony a few times (I got to officiate the wedding), and then the actual wedding on Saturday, I didn't have much time to work. </p>
<p>It was a beautiful wedding. I had a blast with my family. And watching my father do the prayer before we ate, watching my mother dance with my brother, watching my younger brother give a hilarious toast, dancing with my husband who looked so cute in his groomsman suit, and having the opportunity to join my older brother and the love of his life in marriage, I had never been happier for my family. </p>
<p>The Sunday after the wedding, Peter and I drove up to Oak Island in North Carolina. My parents have been renting a house on the quiet Caswell Beach in the off-season every year since 2014. Sometimes it's just been the two of them, and sometimes it's been the whole family. This is the third year I've gotten to tag along and the second year Peter has joined me. (The first time he came, though, he was sick for most of it and didn't really get to enjoy it.) I was excited to get to see my "new" aunt, uncle, and cousin--my mother's half-brother, half-sister, and her daughter who I've only just gotten to know over the past four or five years. I was looking forward to hanging out with my parents, my husband, and my other uncle (who I've known all my life -- we even share the same birthday). I am blessed to have such a great family. Even though we're all different, we all love each other and accept each other for who we are. </p>
<p>The first day I was here sitting out on the beach watching the waves, I felt called to take what I'm calling a "content detox." This is similar to social media detoxes I've done before except I did still read Twitter and Facebook occasionally. But with the exception of a couple of re-tweets and a post I shared about <em>Frankenstein </em>on Facebook and this picture I shared of my view, I didn't post anything. I didn't post on my blog. I didn't post on Holonis. I didn't post any videos or make quote pics. I didn't post any vampire chapters to Radish. I did have to work a few hours; there were some deadlines I couldn't escape. But for the most part, I sat on the beach, I watched TV with Peter, I took naps, I played with my parents' dog, I played card games and board games, I hung out with my family, and I ate a lot of delicious food. I've had a total reset, and it has been glorious.</p>
<p>I'm still here at the beach for most of this week. Peter and I drive home on Thursday. And I might have to do a little more work this week. And as I'm starting out the week with a blog post, I'd say my content detox is over. But from now on, things are going to be different.</p>
<p>I'm sure I will still work more than 40 hours a week. I'm sure I will still put out a lot of content. But after my husband, my family, and my work that pays the bills, my main priority will be my actual books. (Or plays or screenplays if I get back to writing those.) Any other content will be a bonus. I'll still do blog posts and videos and social media posts, but only because I <em>want </em>to, not because I feel like I <em>have </em>to. It won't be "every Friday, I have to post this, and every Tuesday, I have to post that."</p>
<p>And speaking of writing and books, I have some exciting things planned for 2018 and 2019. I've actually finished up my vampire story, but I'll be pulling it off of Radish, having it edited, and putting it up on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited in 2019. I'm using <a contents="National Novel Writing Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> next month to achieve my goal of finally finishing <em>You and the Night </em>with plans to publish that in early 2019. Because I'm scaling back the creativity mailing list, I'm going to put together 52 tips--most of which I've already written--and publish another non-fiction book in 2019 (on all retailers--Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Apple, etc.) I also will probably re-launch <em>The 30-Day Writing Challenge </em>with a new cover and make it available on all retailers. I'm planning to pull all three of <em>The Muse Chronicles </em>books out of Kindle Unlimited and make them available on all retailers in the second half of 2019. And I have an 80s time travel YA book called <em>Time After Time </em>which will be published in either 2019 or 2020 (whether that will be an indie release or a traditionally published release is still to be determined.) </p>
<p>That might all sound like a lot of work, and maybe it is. I've always been someone who's not afraid to work hard. And Peter still has a lot of things going on, too. I'm sure there will be a lot of evenings of sitting on the couch together with our laptops. But this reset has taught me that while it's good to have goals and ambitions, if I don't achieve them, it's not the end of the world. And I need to be a lot better about self-care and put a lot less pressure on myself. Working evenings is okay as long as I take one night a week to have a date night with my husband or I take Sundays off or I remember to eat healthy and take little ten-minute walks throughout the day. And I have to find time to sing, play guitar, read, crochet, watch TV, hang out with my family, etc.</p>
<p>So my content detox is mostly over. But I still have a few days left here. So if you need me, I'll be sitting in my chair on the sand, drinking peach tea and eating chocolate, watching the waves crash against the shore.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/54120792018-09-01T23:34:15-04:002019-12-30T07:38:13-05:00Fall 2018 Special!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7457b5b4dd38e2d766f047bcc29416d47baf2c2e/original/postcardfront.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I wanted to let you all know that I'm running a limited time special. You can order signed copies of both WE OWN THE SKY and HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING for just $18 when you use the code "Fall2018."</p>
<p><a contents="You can order the books here." data-link-label="We Own the Sky - Book 1 in The Muse Chronicles" data-link-type="page" href="/we-own-the-sky-book-1-in-the-muse-chronicles">You can order the books here.</a></p>
<p>I hope y'all are having a great Labor Day weekend!</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/52226182018-05-08T10:23:21-04:002019-11-27T04:00:31-05:00New Blog! Unleash Your Creativity<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ab8a4c2f428dc433f53eb6ff2c9004352aa7a712/original/untitled-design-4.png/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Hello everyone!</p>
<p>I just wanted to let you all know that I have a new blog called <a contents="Unleash Your Creativity" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.findcreativeexpression.com" target="_self">Unleash Your Creativity</a>. I'll still be updating this blog, but it's going to be strictly about new releases and things that are going on with my writing/art. I'll be moving all of my writing and creativity tips over to this new blog. I also have a mailing list where I will be sending out weekly creative writing tips starting Monday 5/14. <a contents="Click here to sign up" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://eepurl.com/dtMlL5" target="_self">Click here to sign up</a>.</p>
<p>I am also posting inspirational quotes about creativity, and starting this Friday, I will be doing weekly interviews with my favorite creatives about their process. Coming up this Friday, I have an interview with NYT bestselling author, Carrie Jones, to start us off so be sure to check back!</p>
<p>Thanks for your support!</p>
<p>Sara</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/50054192018-01-20T07:00:00-05:002023-12-10T13:43:58-05:00Download WE OWN THE SKY for free!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a63862daad2c837644295332ab731d4389af770e/medium/51-3bvawvll.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>WE OWN THE SKY - book 1 in THE MUSE CHRONICLES is FREE from 1/20 to 1/22.<br><br>In my last post, I gave you some tips on how to be more creative in 2018. WE OWN THE SKY is a fictional novel, but it's a love letter to Art in many ways. It personifies the way I think most artists feel about their art through the actual love story of young musician, Sylvia, and her Muse, Vincent. </p>
<p>Book 2 - HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING - is also out, and it's only $0.99. </p>
<p>To read more about the book or download the e-book for free, <a contents="click here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/b58t7f">click here</a>.</p>
<p> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/50053872018-01-04T10:05:00-05:002018-01-04T15:49:23-05:005 Ways to Be More Creative in 2018<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/51fefb44ba44848373c2b88114269b283d8f43f2/original/shutterstock-340030955.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Happy New Year everyone!</p>
<p>As we begin a new year, I'm sure a lot of you are working on your new year's resolutions. Maybe you want to be more healthy. Maybe you want to read more and watch less TV. Maybe you want to surround yourself with more positive people. Many people resolve to be more creative in the new year. This could mean you want to write more, paint more, sing more, dance more. It could mean you want to learn how to sew or start cooking more. It could mean you want to sing karaoke more often or take a poetry writing class. There are a million ways to be creative, but here are five tips on how you can be more creative in 2018. </p>
<p><strong>1. Give yourself the space and tools to create. </strong></p>
<p>Maybe you'll be able to be more productive with your writing if you go to the coffee shop or the library. Maybe you work best on the kitchen table in the midst of chaos. Find out where you are the most creative, and go there. If possible, make a space in your home dedicated to your creativity--whether it's a little corner of the garage you use to paint or a desk in your bedroom you use to write on or an entire room you use to write songs and play instruments. And make sure you have the tools you need. You'll be a lot more likely to paint if you buy yourself some paints and canvases. You'll be a lot more likely to play guitar if you download some tutorial videos about how to play guitar. Find out what you need to be creative, and make it happen.</p>
<p><strong>2. Surround yourself with other creative people. </strong></p>
<p>You will be a lot more likely to create if you are hanging out with other people who create. Going to the bar every weekend might be fun, but you're much more likely to be creative if you go to an open mic night or join a writing group. If your friends are also creating, you will be much more inspired to be creative yourself. Don't live in an area with a lot of people? There are many online groups you can join to discuss writing, music, theatre, film, etc. You just have to look for them.</p>
<p><strong>3. Experience art that inspires you. </strong></p>
<p>Don't you just want to paint more when you go to an art gallery or museum? Aren't you inspired to sing when you go to a concert? Aren't you inspired to write poetry when you read a great book of poems? Make time to experience art. Maybe that's watching a film on Netflix. Maybe that's going to a staged reading of a new play. Maybe that's just listening to one of your favorite albums. You know what inspires you the most.</p>
<p><strong>4. Don't listen to anyone who isn't supportive. </strong></p>
<p>If you're trying to improve your craft, of course listen to your teachers and people giving you feedback. But don't listen to haters. Don't listen to people who tell you you can't sing. If you love to sing, do it! Who cares what anyone else thinks? Don't listen to people who say coloring books aren't real art if you enjoy coloring and it makes you feel creative. This is easier to do if you surround yourself with other creative people and/or people who are going to be supportive.</p>
<p><strong>5. Make time to be creative and do it!</strong></p>
<p>You have to make being creative a priority in your life. The only way you're going to add more creativity to your life is just to do it! And I promise that you won't regret it. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>So let's all get out there, make some art, and have a very creative 2018!</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/49390312017-11-21T10:00:00-05:002018-01-19T22:12:40-05:00HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING Cover Reveal!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/dd9df117840b273592aeb8bed6e0ea02012e64a2/original/huwd-small.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Hey everyone!</p>
<p>So here is my cover for Book Two in THE MUSE CHRONICLES - HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING. This is the sequel to WE OWN THE SKY. Isn't it beautiful?</p>
<p>The cover was designed by Caroline Teagle Johnson who also designed the cover for WE OWN THE SKY. </p>
<p>I don't want to spoil WE OWN THE SKY for those of you who haven't read it yet but I will tell you that I am super proud of HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING. </p>
<p><strong>The e-book will be released on 11.30.17!</strong></p>
<p>The paperback and signed paperback will be available shortly after. I will keep you posted. (Both of these are available for pre-order as well as the two-book bundle. For more information, see the <a contents="books page" data-link-label="Books" data-link-type="page" href="/books">books page</a>.)</p>
<p>The WE OWN THE SKY e-book is also on sale right now for $0.99! So get a copy so you can read up before book two comes out!</p>
<p>Check out the cover reveal video I posted on my YouTube channel this morning.</p>
<p><a contents="https://youtu.be/jUFpYJ71b6w" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/jUFpYJ71b6w">https://youtu.be/jUFpYJ71b6w</a></p>
<p>So what do you think?</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/49304412017-11-13T11:55:06-05:002022-03-22T02:37:35-04:00Letting Your Novel Rest<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/446c8b8e7be0cf61477d7969bc63371d653f32cc/original/shutterstock-446852992.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>So you've finally finished your draft of your novel, play, screenplay, etc. Congrats! Maybe you've even gotten some feedback from a critique partner, professor, or editor. As soon as you get feedback, the wheels in your brain will most likely start turning with solutions to the problems your critique partner or editor pointed out. I know you want to open that file up on your computer and start working on it, but resist the urge!</p>
<p>You have to take some time and let a project rest. </p>
<p>This could be a year, a month, a week, a few days even. However long it takes for you to let the feedback stew and generally forget about the project. You can start on another novel if you want. You can work on some poetry or write some songs or be artistic in creative in another way. But your novel will greatly benefit from you putting it up and not thinking about it for a while.</p>
<p>When you return to the novel, you will do so with fresh eyes, a new perspective. I guarantee you this is something your novel definitely needs.</p>
<p>Now I know those of you racing to make your 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo don't want to think about resting. You have momentum. You're going! You're doing it! And that's completely fine. But when December 1st comes, you've finished that novel, and you so desperately want to go to Amazon and hit publish or start querying literary agents, instead, take a moment to breathe. </p>
<p>The point is there are different seasons with projects. There is a time to be drafting--when your creativity is limitless, when it's just about getting words on the page so you have something to work with. There is a time to be revising--this can be either on a big picture level (plot, characters, big chunks of the story) or a smaller scale (language, sentence structure, word choice, voice). And in between these two, there is a time to rest. This doesn't mean you can't draft another novel while resting with the novel you just finished, although even that doesn't work for some people. But it does mean that you should allow enough time for each season. </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/49208152017-11-06T12:13:46-05:002017-11-06T12:13:46-05:00Boil down your novel to one question<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/55edf3102cce61963f2c9f68d61a4fcfa176ded5/original/shutterstock-421356571.jpg?1509988167" class="size_l justify_center border_" />It's that time of year again! <a contents="National Novel Writing Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> (NaNoWriMo) is upon us! I am not participating this year as my main priority right now is revision and I'm not in a place to really work on something new, but good luck to everyone who is!</p>
<p>I was thinking about the years I did participate in NaNoWriMo. I always approached it as a "plantser"--a hybrid between a plotter and a pantser. I had some vague idea of the plot at the beginning--or sometimes I might even have a reasonably detailed outline--but it almost always changed as I was writing it.</p>
<p>One of the most challenging things about NaNoWriMo for me is figuring out plot. If you're anything like me, your plots can get a little complicated. Sometimes when you're in the middle of writing, you can get so bogged down that you don't even really know what the story is about anymore. If your a pantser, you figure it out after you write your first draft (or while you're writing it). If you're a plotter, you figure it out before. But at some point, you're going to need some plot structure. </p>
<p>There are tons of ways to think about structure. The three-act structure, the hero's journey, etc. Today I'm going to give you a really simple way to think about plot structure. If you could boil down your novel to one question, what would it be?</p>
<p>Every narrative arc in a novel, movie, TV show, etc. can be summed up in one main question. Will Dorothy make it back home to Kansas? (<em>The Wizard of Oz). </em>Will Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy end up together? (<em>Pride and Prejudice</em>). If you have a series of books, there may be one question driving the whole series (Will Harry defeat Voldemort?) But each book needs to ask it's own question.</p>
<p>I think this is a good way to think about plot when you're in the middle of drafting because it doesn't mean stopping to make a detailed outline. It just means taking a few minutes before you sit down to write to think about what is driving the plot of your book.</p>
<p>So this week, I encourage all of you--especially those of you who are in the middle of your NaNoWriMo projects--to take some time and see if you can boil the plot of your novel down to one question. If not, you may need to think about the plot structure and figure out which question should be driving the plot. Is it a question of characterization? Will your character learn or grow? Is it a question related to some journey or quest? Will your character achieve his or her goal? These are all some good things to think about as you power through. </p>
<p> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/49115562017-10-30T11:14:44-04:002017-10-30T11:39:46-04:00Write About the Things You're Obsessed With<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d2649404237cc4cf93385e414631dfff076934b2/original/shutterstock-550709194.jpg?1509375983" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>I was talking to a friend the other day about one of the most important pieces of creative writing advice I’ve ever heard: </p>
<p>Follow your obsessions. </p>
<p>I’m definitely a person who gets obsessed with things. If you’ve ever binged <em>Game of Thrones</em> for hours at a time or stayed up until 3:00 AM reading <em>Harry Potter</em> or had dreams about the characters on <em>Lost</em>,<em> </em>you know what I’m talking about. </p>
<p>There’s a lot of talk about fan fiction and whether or not it has any validity. I think fan fiction is great because it gives people a chance to follow their obsessions. If you loved a book, movie, or TV show but hated the ending, you can write your own alternative ending. If you're obsessed with a character, you can put them in a different universe just to write more about them. (Want to see Jack Skellington in modern day New York? Want to make Mr. Darcy go to college in Alabama?Want to see what would happen if Dracula started going to your gym? Write some fan fiction!) Often, fan fiction authors go on to write other original stories (<em>50 Shades of Grey</em> anyone? <em>The Mortal Instruments</em> series? Both of these came from fan fiction authors.) </p>
<p>Find what it is you are obsessed with and allow yourself to daydream. Allow yourself to fantasize. Start writing stories just for yourself. Because you’ve always loved your history teacher and sometimes you imagine what he was like as a teenager. Because you are obsessed with <em>Dark Side of the Moon </em>and you want to write a story that makes you feel what you feel when you listen to it. Whatever it is, figure it out, and go with it. </p>
<p>Do not judge or psychoanalyze your obsessions. Who knows why we are into the things we are into? In the world of creativity, there are no limits. Let yourself like what you like and give yourself the chance to write about it. </p>
<p>Do not worry about what other people will think. Let yourself write and tell yourself it’s just for you. If something really great comes out of it, then awesome! You can show people if you want to. But following your obsessions is just about finding what makes you excited, what makes you tick, what makes you want to create. </p>
<p>When I wrote the play, <em>Painted</em>, in undergrad, I became so obsessed with the Muse characters, Vincent and Izabella, that I found myself wanting to spend more time with them. I toyed around with other projects that I thought might be more “accessible” for a while but it wasn’t until I returned to Vincent and Izabella that I was able to complete a novel. Because I was obsessed. I couldn’t stop writing. I couldn’t let those characters and that story die inside of me. Ten years later, Vincent and Izabella still live in <em>We Own the Sky.</em></p>
<p>Find your obsessions and then just let yourself go. Let yourself dream. Let yourself fall down the rabbit hole. You might just find that it will lead you to the story you’ve always wanted to write.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/49073392017-10-26T11:48:30-04:002017-10-26T11:48:30-04:00Music in WE OWN THE SKY<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d701b8956126d056a0d4825e3f63d69d8a146fc4/original/shutterstock-524175043.jpg?1509031906" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>WE OWN THE SKY is in many ways a love letter to many of the songs that have inspired me. I have a tattoo on my leg of Morrissey, and underneath is the quote from The Smiths song "Rubber Ring" that says "Don't forget the songs that made you cry and the songs that saved your life." The songs mentioned in WE OWN THE SKY are songs that saved Sylvia's life. Some of them are autobiographical to me (pretty much any of the M83 songs mentioned), and some of them are songs that she loves more than I do. </p>
<p>It may seem weird to the normal reader that these songs are mentioned so much in WE OWN THE SKY. It may even get annoying by the end. "Okay, we get it! You love M83!" But the person who stays up until 3 in the morning when they are 17 listening to the same Radiohead song on repeat for hours will understand. The people who have goosebump moments to their favorite songs will get it. The people who get excited and yell when that obscure band they love comes on over the speakers at the coffee shop will get it. And to us--the music lovers--you can't play your favorite songs too many times. There are never too many mentions of the songs that saved our lives. </p>
<p>The entire MUSE CHRONICLES series is a love letter to music--the way songs inspire us, uplift us, move us, save us. And let's be honest, the majority of things I have written have been love letters to music. And I'm okay with that. Because as writers, we have to write what we know. What we love. Who we are. </p>
<p>I made playlists on three different platforms for WE OWN THE SKY, and I wanted to share that playlist with you today.</p>
<p>The WE OWN THE SKY playlist:</p>
<p>1. "We Own the Sky" - M83 <br>2. "Angel, Angel Down We Go Together" - Morrissey <br>3. "The Golden Age" - Beck <br>4. "Breathe (In the Air)" - Pink Floyd <br>5. "Young Guns" - Moonlight Bride <br>6. "Everybody Talks" - Neon Trees <br>7. "Lonely Boy" - The Black Keys <br>8. "Mojo Pin" - Jeff Buckley <br>9. "Love in the Dark" - Moonlight Bride <br>10. "Tonight, Tonight" - Smashing Pumpkins <br>11. "The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66-: Entr'acte" - Tchaikovsky <br>12. "Sing for Absolution" - Muse <br>13. "Karma Police" - Radiohead <br>14. "Wait" - M83 <br>15. "Violet" - Hole <br>16. "Blackout" - Muse <br>17. "Seasons of Love" - The cast of RENT <br>18. "Somebody that I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra)" - Gotye <br>19. "Untitled 4" - Sigur Ros</p>
<p><a contents="Listen on Spotify" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/k4xrht">Listen on Spotify</a></p>
<p><a contents="Listen on YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/kkmmps">Listen on YouTube</a></p>
<p><a contents="Listen on Amazon Music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hyperurl.co/vgbla7">Listen on Amazon Music</a></p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/49003532017-10-23T09:00:00-04:002017-10-23T09:00:43-04:00How to Write Better Dialogue<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/38ec4c17e02faa5658582340795b8cb657eff7ef/large/shutterstock-624464762.jpg?1508528745" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Hey everyone! So I used to have a writing blog where I wrote specifically about the craft of writing. As everyone is getting ready for <a contents="National Novel Writing Month" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month</a> next month, I thought it was a great time to bring that back here. So today I wanted to talk about something that comes up a lot in the screenwriting class I teach for Southern New Hampshire University: dialogue. </p>
<p>Dialogue is something I think about a lot. In college and grad school, my main focus was playwriting. Dialogue is your main tool in playwriting. You can’t constantly change locations like you can with film, and you don’t usually have access to the character’s thoughts and feelings like you do with fiction so the story is primarily told in the dialogue. </p>
<p>But you don’t have to be writing a play or a film to want to write great dialogue. Whatever you’re writing, dialogue is an excellent tool that reveals so much about the characters. Here are a few things to think about. </p>
<p><strong>Voice </strong></p>
<p>How does your character speak? How do they phrase things? What kind of words do they choose to use? Do they use a lot of slang? Do they curse a lot? How does your character’s education or cultural background inform the way they speak? </p>
<p>These are all important things to think about when you are thinking about a character’s voice. It’s also important that you give each of your characters a distinct voice. If you have a plethora of diverse characters with different backgrounds and different personalities, you don’t want them all to have the same voice. </p>
<p><strong>Subtext </strong></p>
<p>People rarely say what they mean. Understanding what a character really thinks or feels about a situation may help you to craft the actual conversation that takes place. An interesting exercise is to write a scene where only the honest and direct truth is spoken. Then go back and rewrite the same scene where the lines you wrote first are only subtext. </p>
<p>Whenever your character has a line of dialogue, it’s good to think about what the underlying feelings, thoughts, and motives are that cause the character to say the line. </p>
<p><strong>Purpose </strong></p>
<p>We want dialogue to sound natural and realistic, but we don’t need to go into every mundane detail that might be in a real conversation. Dialogue should have a purpose. It should either further the plot, reveal something about a character, or both. Look at your dialogue in a scene from a recent play, film, or story. Would the scene still make sense or reveal the necessary information about your character if the line were omitted? If so, leave it out. </p>
<p><strong>Exercises </strong></p>
<p>Here are a few exercises to help you work on your dialogue. </p>
<p><strong>Eavesdropping </strong></p>
<p>Go to a public place like a coffee shop or the mall. (Airports are GREAT for this!) Sit in one place and listen to the way people are speaking as opposed to what they are actually saying. Pay attention to dialect. Do they pronounce certain words differently? What can you infer about them just by listening to the way they speak? </p>
<p><strong>Playwriting 101 </strong></p>
<p>Try writing a short scene (2 - 4 pages) for the stage with two characters where each person wants something different from the other person. Don't use any stage directions. When you are finished, go back and write out the subtext of each line of dialogue. This exercise will be great for fiction writers, but even if you're an experienced playwright, it's always great to sharpen your tools. </p>
<p><strong>Get to the Point </strong></p>
<p>Pick a scene from your latest novel, play, or screenplay. Go through and cross out every line you don’t need. How does it change the scene? Is there a lot of extraneous information you’re getting rid of? With this new version of the scene in mind, put the lines back in that help to serve your story.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/48112522017-08-15T08:18:37-04:002019-10-02T09:26:46-04:00Release day! WE OWN THE SKY is now available!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d1c80f89226ee6efa5e17efcf87b66f5d0374cb3/original/we-own-the-sky-6-15-c.jpg?1497829409" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Today is the day! My debut YA urban fantasy, WE OWN THE SKY, is available! The e-book is on sale for just $0.99 on Amazon until 8/23! After that, it goes up to $2.99.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><br><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T2JK2L" target="_blank"><em>Order the e-book here.</em></a></p>
<p><br>The book is also available in paperback. It's just $10.00 on my website and $10.99 on Amazon. <em>(Note: The paperback version hasn't shown up yet on Amazon as of today, 8/15/17, but the paperback is available here on the website.)</em><br><br><strong>Be one of the first 50 people to order the paperback from my website and get a signed copy, a promotional bookmark, and a promotional button!</strong><br> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://saracrawford.net/books" target="_blank"><em>Order the paperback here.</em></a></p>
<p><strong>Book description:</strong></p>
<p><em><strong>What could you create if you fell in love with a Muse? </strong></em></p>
<p><em>16-year-old</em><em> musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been different. She's the only one who can see the "flickering people." When she sees a gorgeous flickering man named Vincent, she learns that they are Muses. </em></p>
<p><em>With his help, she finds herself creating exquisite songs that she loves almost as much as songs by her favorite bands--Radiohead, M83, and The Black Keys--and she is falling in love in a way she never knew was possible. While trying to maintain her newfound friendships and her band, she falls deeper into the world of the Muses. </em></p>
<p><em>When the original Greek Muses wake to find </em><em>a world</em><em> in which the internet has given everyone the tools to be an artist, a battle between traditional and new methods of creation ensues. As Sylvia discovers how she is connected to the world of the Muses, she learns that this war may put her music, her love, her very life at stake.</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<h3>Help spread the word!</h3>
<p>Help me get the word out about my book to the world! How can you do that?<br><br><strong>Tweet about it. </strong>Click the link below to Tweet about it. </p>
<p><a href="https://ctt.ec/c69Uc">Tweet: What would you create if you fell in love with a Muse? WE OWN THE SKY #YA fantasy available now! $0.99 on Amazon! https://ctt.ec/c69Uc+</a><br><br>Share a link to this post on my blog or grab any of the images on there to share to social media.<br><br><strong>Check out the book trailer, the Goodreads page, or the WOTS playlist.</strong><br><br><a href="http://hyperurl.co/ri2wfu" target="_blank">WOTS book trailer</a><br><a href="http://hyperurl.co/qhh33e" target="_blank">WOTS on Goodreads</a><br><a href="http://hyperurl.co/k4xrht" target="_blank">WOTS playlist on Spotify</a><br><a href="http://hyperurl.co/kkmmps" target="_blank">WOTS playlist on YouTube</a><br><a href="http://hyperurl.co/vgbla7" target="_blank">WOTS playlist on Amazon Music</a><br><br>Thank you SO MUCH everyone for all of your support! It means so much to me. I am so excited to finally share this book with you all.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Images for social media:</strong></p>
<p>Book cover (at beginning of the post)</p>
<p>Twitter Banner:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b201cd0f3dec25c93ece3d2b393e7c3f08c1ef6a/original/we-own-the-sky-twitter-banner.jpg?1502475088" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Facebook Banner:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2aec569362c1abd9c0161f577b24af2dfd42b0ac/original/we-own-the-sky-facebook-banner.jpg?1502475088" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Instagram:</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/74caf66f80d32455724d9fdf1755ca882640adfa/original/we-own-the-sky-instagram.jpg?1502475089" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47996302017-08-01T21:54:37-04:002017-08-01T21:54:37-04:00WE OWN THE SKY available for pre-order<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b44ace9e467c4da855222caa15be55f1482a7421/original/buttonsandbookmarks.jpg?1501638465" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>WE OWN THE SKY is now available for pre-order!</p>
<p>You can pre-order the e-book on Amazon. It's currently $0.99 as it will be for the first week! (On 8/23, it will go up to $2.99 so order now!)</p>
<p><a contents="Order the e-book here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073T2JK2L">Order the e-book here</a></p>
<p>You can also pre-order the paperback here on my site! It's only $10 here. (It will be $10.99 on Amazon.) The first 50 people to order a copy will get a signed copy, a bookmark, and a button! </p>
<p><a contents="Order the paperback here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://saracrawford.net/books">Order the paperback here</a></p>
<p>WE OWN THE SKY will be released on August 15, 2017.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47712502017-07-07T17:46:00-04:002017-07-07T17:46:00-04:00Book trailer for WE OWN THE SKY<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ukKuUbKaI70" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The book trailer for WE OWN THE SKY is here! You can watch it by clicking above. </p>
<p>Music by Fader Vixen<br>Voiceover by Melissa Maloney<br>Cover design by Caroline Teagle Johnson</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47491672017-06-22T10:32:28-04:002018-01-31T12:44:44-05:00WE OWN THE SKY cover reveal!<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d1c80f89226ee6efa5e17efcf87b66f5d0374cb3/original/we-own-the-sky-6-15-c.jpg?1497829409" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Check out my cover to WE OWN THE SKY! It was designed by Caroline Teagle, and I <em>love</em> it.</p>
<p>A bit about the book: </p>
<p>WE OWN THE SKY is a young adult urban fantasy that tells the story of 16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, who has always been able to see Muses--mysterious beings who give artists inspiration--though they seem to be invisible to everyone else. After a near suicide attempt, Sylvia manages to climb out of the darkness of her mind by exploring her own musical abilities with the help of Travis, inspirational guitarist and classmate, and Vincent, the alluring British Muse who becomes Sylvia’s obsession. As she travels further into the world of these immortal beings that influence art, she finds herself in the middle of an epic battle between the modern Earthly Muses and the Original Greek Muses—some of which want her life. </p>
<p>Set in suburban Atlanta in present day, Sylvia’s story is a journey of self-discovery told through the lens of a teenage girl finding herself through music and love. This novel includes thought-provoking themes such as the purpose of art, the negative effects of alcohol and drugs, and crippling depression all while remaining true to the teenage experience with tales of love triangles, high school chorus concerts, and anxiety over driving.</p>
<p>WE OWN THE SKY is book one in THE MUSE CHRONICLES, and it releases on August 15, 2017.</p>
<p>What do y'all think of the cover?</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47116642017-05-16T22:55:10-04:002017-05-16T22:55:12-04:00Art Belongs to Everyone<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/df4be55ddbe9ff9f3771f7b344aa13f3c717fda5/original/shutterstock-605839355.jpg?1494987231" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>My book was called THE MUSES for a long time. It always made sense to me. It was a book about muses--my idea of them. In the world of my novel, they are the mysterious spiritual beings that inspire artists. Modern day versions of the Ancient Greek Muses. In my novel, the main character (Sylvia) falls in love with her muse (Vincent). Eventually, my agent suggested the title was perhaps not the best representation of the book. </p>
<p>Titles are usually SUPER difficult for me. Everything I've ever written has been called WHATEVER THE TITLE IS until the last possible moment I needed a title. After some brainstorming, though, I looked to the musicians who inspired me to write the book. M83. Muse. Beach House. I landed on WE OWN THE SKY, which is also the title of an amazing M83 song.</p>
<p>The song itself is important in the book. It reminds me so much of the muses and Sylvia's journey. But there is a whole other meaning to it. So what does it mean to me then?</p>
<p>Everyone is an artist. There are the more obvious artists--musicians, writers, painters--but then there are those who aren't so obvious. Each one of us has a spark of creativity within. I believe each one of us has a spark of divinity within--a connection to God (or Spirit or the Universe or whatever word works for you). We are most like this part of ourselves when we are creative. So whether you write a book or draw a picture or sing karaoke in the shower or crochet a scarf or unwind by coloring, everyone has a way to creatively express themselves.</p>
<p>Art belongs to all of us--the creation of it and the experience of it. It belongs to all of us, but it also belongs to none of us.</p>
<p>Artists used to be on the same playing field. Sure, you had your famous poets and painters, but you also had a ton of artisans creating elaborate pottery, young people who sang and played piano to entertain their families, people who wrote poetry day in and day out. These people were not famous. Most of them did not make a living on their art. And yet, they were still artists.</p>
<p>Technology created the celebrity artist: the radio star, the movie star, the musicians being played on MTV. But now, technology is helping us return to a place where all artists are on the same playing field again. Anyone can create books, music, photography, and anyone can share it. </p>
<p>Some professional artists seem to have an elitist school of thought. To them, self-published books aren't <em>really</em> published. Local music shows aren't <em>real </em>shows. Community theatre isn't <em>real </em>theatre. You're not a <em>real </em>artist until you can quit your day job, until you are winning awards, until you're on TV. </p>
<p>This is wrong. Art belongs to everyone. Creative expression is for all of us. We are all creative beings, all children of God.</p>
<p>You look at the sky. You see all of the stars. You wonder how the universe could be so vast, and you feel small. And you <em>are</em> small. You are a spec, a dot in the universe. And yet, you <em>are</em> the universe. Matter cannot be created or destroyed, only changed. We are the stars in the sky, and at the same time, we own the sky. </p>
<p>So what does <em>we own the sky </em>mean? The vast and expansive sky represents the mystical force that is art and creation. So art belongs to everyone and no one. </p>
<p>We own the sky.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47052972017-05-11T17:01:27-04:002017-05-11T17:01:27-04:00New website, revamping the mailing list, and more!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/441af4ebaae58c8e872625771bc610327d26feea/original/shutterstock-622320317.jpg?1494532647" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Hello everyone!<br><br>After having an amazing birthday celebration with my husband, I've been gearing up to have an incredibly productive summer.<br><br>I decided it was time to revamp my website. When I started this website, I was primarily a musician. As you know, my career has shifted, and now writing is my main focus, but I'm sure I will continue to fluctuate between writing fiction and plays and films and songs because above all things, I am an artist. To me, the creation of art is the highest expression of love: love for each other, love for God/Spirit/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, and love for the Universe. That is one of the themes I explore in most of the things that I write, but more about that later.<br><br>I simplified the website to reflect that mission, and I am in the process of merging my Crawford Writing Blog with this blog so that all of my blogging will be in one place. I also am restarting the mailing list, and I will be sharing sneak peaks and extras with everyone on my mailing list. (For example, you will get to see cover reveals before anyone else, exclusive stories, and music tracks.) So be sure to sign up for the mailing list if you'd like to stay up to date on what's happening with me and if you'd like access to that kind of stuff. And don't forget to subscribe to my <a contents="YouTube channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/saracrawford">YouTube channel</a> for cool vlogs, writing videos, and videos about my favorite books and music.<br><br>Also, I wanted to say thank you to all of you for supporting me in all of my endeavors. Many of you have been supporting me for over ten years--coming to see my plays, coming to see my acoustic shows or band shows, buying my books, etc. I couldn't be more grateful to all of you. Art is nothing without an audience, and you all have given me an opportunity to share my stories and songs with you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/46736652017-04-17T10:37:22-04:002017-04-17T10:37:22-04:00Why I've Decided to Self-Publish my Young Adult Novel<p>Hi everyone! I haven't posted on here in a while, but I wanted to let you know that I'm reviving the writing blog! And I wanted to start by sharing my most recent video in which I tell you why I've decided to self-publish my young adult novel, WE OWN THE SKY. </p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OrDJHtPNOjM" width="560"></iframe> </p>
<p>So the Cliff's notes in case you didn't want to watch the video: </p>
<p>For those of you who don't know what the book is about, the basic elevator pitch is: A teenage musician falls in love with her Muse, a spiritual being who inspires art, even though no one else can see him. </p>
<p>Those of you who have been following the blog for a while know that I have been on quite a journey with this novel. I started working on it in the fall of 2012, and I was querying literary agents by March of 2013. After I queried basically every literary agent in America that represented young adult fiction, 12ish requests for my full manuscript, and three offers of representation, I decided to go with literary agent, Marie Brown. She really connected with the book, and I think she really understood me as a writer and the vision I had for my career. While I am still pursuing traditional publishing (we are about to go on submission with a second young adult novel), I have decided to self-publish WE OWN THE SKY. </p>
<p>I've gotten a lot of positive feedback from both agents and publishers as well as beta readers and critique partners, but a lot of publishers said things like "I just didn't love this enough" or "I don't know how to sell this". Publishing is hard. You have to REALLY love a book to be able to put all of your energy into publishing it--whether you publish traditionally or independently. All of the self-publishing success stories I've heard started with a book that publishers didn't know how to sell or a book that only the author, agent, or beta readers really loved enough to see it through the whole publishing process. So after I thought about it for a while, I realized WE OWN THE SKY fell into that category. </p>
<p>After I've sat with this decision for a while, I feel really good about it. So the book will be released on <strong>September 19, 2017, </strong>and by the time it is published, it will be five years since I started it. Waiting this amount of time and getting feedback from so many people has ultimately been really good for the book. It's much stronger than it was. The story is a much more accurate depiction of the story in my head. </p>
<p>I am very excited about this whole process, and I intend to keep posting vlogs about my self-publishing journey. So subscribe to my YouTube channel if you'd like to stay up to date on those! Ultimately, though, I feel great about this decision, and I'm so excited to finally be able to share my book with everyone!</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/46625492017-04-07T16:13:23-04:002017-04-07T16:15:15-04:00What's Going On?<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/fda99cacb87211650055aac939722b3a5be389f3/original/17015936-10102753740938113-4833243227743969032-o.jpg?1491591769" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><p>Hey everyone! I know, I know. It's been a long time since I've written anything here. There has been a ton of stuff going on with me this year. I moved into an amazing new place, and I got MARRIED. (This is crazy.) I never ever thought that I would get married, but that all changed completely when I met Peter, and now we couldn't be happier.<br><br>I have been crazy busy with all of the huge life changes as well as my freelance internet marketing work. I am also still teaching in the graduate creative writing program at Southern New Hampshire University, which I love. (So far, I have taught screenwriting and a class on editing.) But somehow in all of that, I also managed to complete a draft of my latest young adult novel. It's a time travel novel about a 17-year-old girl who travels back in time from 2015 to 1987 to discover that her mother (the best-selling author of business books/MBA professor) is actually a gothy teenager drinking out of a flask in the bathroom. It was such a fun book to write. My agent is currently reading it, and hopefully, we are about to submit that one to publishers. I'll keep you posted. <br><br>I've sort of been sitting on my novel, WE OWN THE SKY, for a while (formerly THE MUSES). While it was strong enough to land my a literary agent who absolutely adores it, and it will always be the book of my heart, it has had a hard time finding a traditional publisher. It has gotten some good response from publishers that it has been submitted to, but no one wanted to take it on. They weren't sure how to market it. I have been wrestling with the decision to self-publish because I know how much extra work that entails, but the more I think about it, I actually think WE OWN THE SKY is a book that would really benefit from self-publishing. <br><br>So I am proud to announce that I will be publishing WE OWN THE SKY on Tuesday, September 19, 2017! I will be sure to keep you all posted on the publication process. <br><br>In other news, Peter and I have started working on some electronica music (think M83 meets Beach House meets Massive Attack). I'm not really sure where it's going, but we're having a ton of fun. Also, I will be making an appearance at 500 Songs for Kids at Smith's Olde Bar on April 14. I haven't played this since 2014 so I'm pretty excited.<br><br>I will be updating my mailing list and sending out some goodies there in a bit so stay tuned!<br><br>And that's all for now. Thank you, everyone, for always supporting me in all of my creative endeavors. I really appreciate it. :-)</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47050552017-01-03T13:50:00-05:002017-05-11T13:55:57-04:006 Ways to Pump Up Your Writing in 2017<span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c3122f35c8fe23580d5275ec2a6b541d8f17aa37/original/blog1.jpg?1494525336" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Happy New Year, everyone!<br><br>I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I do make goals for the year. One of my goals for 2017 is to resurrect the writing blog! Sure, I make writing videos on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuw2gobxDLEuhVp1aXSWWsw">my YouTube channel</a> pretty regularly, but I do miss the blog. I'm back today with some suggestions on how you might want to increase your writing in the new year.<br><br><strong>1. Track your daily word count - </strong>The first time I participated in <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a> (National Novel Writing Month), I discovered how satisfying it is after a productive session to look back at the number of words I had written. And even on days that weren't so productive, I could say, "well, at least I did write 200 words today", which made me feel better about writing every day, even if some days I could only write for 20 minutes. You can just use an Excel spreadsheet or you can get fancy and use <a href="http://www.tracylucas.net/13-free-writing-tools-meter-tracker-word-counter-widget/606">one of the tracker tools</a> on the internet.<br><br><strong>2. Try a writing challenge - </strong>Speaking of NaNoWriMo, you should give it a shot this year. Or if you don't want to wait for November, check out <a href="https://campnanowrimo.org/sign_in">Camp NaNoWriMo</a> in April and July. If writing a novel in a month isn't your thing, try the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/30dpc/">30-Day Poetry Challenge</a> in April, or <a href="http://storyaday.org/">StoryADay</a> in May. Or if you don't want to wait until April or May, you can try the <a href="http://30daychallengearchive.tumblr.com/post/832610035/writing-prompt-30-day-challenge">30-Day Writing Prompt Challenge</a> or the <a href="http://heckyeahtumblrchallenges.tumblr.com/post/69973312277/writers-block-challenge">Writer's Block Challenge</a> at any time. (And you can always pick up my e-book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/30-Day-Writing-Challenge-Begin-Enhance-ebook/dp/B00IADP1K8">The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit</a>.)<br><br><strong>3.Try writing via voice recorder - </strong>Do you have a long commute to your job or to school? Do you like to think out loud? Try using a voice recorder to record ideas, dialogue, poetry, whatever. You can find a recorder on most phones or pick up an actual mp3 recorder. (Or go old school and get a tape recorder.)<br><br><strong>4. Join a writing community - </strong>Go to <a href="https://www.meetup.com">Meetup.com</a> and find writer's groups in your area. If there aren't any, join and online writing community like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/writestuffchat/">#writestuff</a>,<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/authortubers/"> AuthorTube</a>, or <a href="http://www.critiquecircle.com/">Critique Circle</a>.<br><br><strong>5. Find an accountability partner - </strong>This could be another writer like a critique partner, but it doesn't have to be. Find someone who will hold you accountable, and check in with each other once a week or even once a day to discuss your goals and the steps you plan to take to achieve them.<br><br><strong>6. Give yourself monthly writing goals - </strong>Speaking of goals, you are more likely to achieve them if you have them. Start each month with a specific and defined writing goal. That way you can turn vague resolutions like "I want to write a book someday" into specific things like "I will write two short stories in July." Specific goals are more likely to be met.</span><br><br> Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/47050562016-10-21T13:55:00-04:002017-05-11T14:01:09-04:005 Tips to Survive National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d261cbae9365a213808c319968446ebfaf4b0128/original/blog2.jpg?1494525627" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Well, folks, it's that time of year again! <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/">National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)</a> starts in November. This is the magical time where so many of us writers will try to achieve the lofty goal of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. I've got five tips for y'all that will help you survive.<br><br><strong>1. Let yourself be creative.</strong> You are not going to get words written if you are constantly second guessing yourself. If you are a planner, don't be afraid to veer off course. If your story starts taking a turn you didn't expect, just go with it! Let your imagination run wild. This is a time to really revel in the joy that comes with the creative process. It's easy to get caught up in word counts and publishing goals, but don't forget why you love writing in the first place.<br><br><strong>2. Turn off the voice of the critic.</strong> Everyone has an editor or critic voice in their head. This is the voice that constantly says things like "this is boring" or "all of your characters sound the same" or "is this too much like TWILIGHT?". NaNoWriMo is not the time for that voice. So tell her, "thank you for your input" but don't listen to her. Put her away in a little box and when November is over, put away your draft for a month or so, and then take her back out when it's time to start revising.<br><br><strong>3. Find some inspiration.</strong> You want to keep yourself in the zone where you feel excited about your characters, your world, your story. Make a Pinterest board with images that remind you of your characters or your settings. Make a Spotify playlist of music that gets you in the mood to write. Watch movies with the same themes. Keep yourself inspired and in that creative mind frame.<br><br><strong>4. Stay healthy.</strong> Don't skip out on sleep because you need to stay up to get that word count in. Don't skip meals or trips to the gym because you need to write. I promise you the writing will go a lot better if you are keeping yourself healthy. Even if you can't manage to get to the gym, make sure you take little walking breaks here and there or try using an extender that allows you to stand up when you write. Have healthy snacks handy like fruit, nuts, granola bars, yogurt, etc. And don't forget to drink lots of water!<br><br><strong>5. Don't be too hard on yourself.</strong> If you get to the end of November and you've only written 30,000 words, you may feel like a failure. But you have still written 30,000 words!! 30,000 words you may not have otherwise written. Don't feel like a loser because you didn't "win" NaNoWriMo. Anyone who writes anything at all for NaNoWriMo is already a winner in my book. So celebrate every word you have managed to get down and keep writing!<br><br>For more tips on NaNoWriMo, check out the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxyvwx_R_i3dbolhAomYcQ8tmrzQ0CwPI">#ProjectWriteTube 2016 playlist</a>. #ProjectWriteTube is a video series put together by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/pimptwoo">Tamara Woods</a> where a bunch of us WriteTubers create videos with tips about writing and NaNoWriMo to get everyone pumped up. I did a video last week about <a href="https://youtu.be/eOeLMXrav1Y">whether or not NaNoWriMo-ers are real writers</a>. (Spoiler alert - they totally are.) Check that out, and check out the whole playlist! There are some really great videos on there. Speaking of WriteTube, I know it's been a while, but I recently updated <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/write-tube-youtubers-who-make-videos-about-writing/">my WriteTube list</a> so check that out too!Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/39905202016-01-15T12:15:51-05:002017-01-13T08:53:13-05:00THE SPINS: Living on through music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/5309d6abca0d10cf6cfb0d3b4f74f1b92a385a45/original/the-spins-promo.jpg?1452877818" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>As all of you have probably heard by now, David Bowie passed earlier this week. His death has really affected me in a way that no other celebrity death has. (I don't really see it as just a "celebrity" death, even.) David Bowie is one of the artists whose music has shaped who I am, whose music was the soundtrack to some significant chapters of my life. @ElusiveJ posted <a contents=" the perfect Tweet " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.vox.com/2016/1/12/10755600/celebrity-death-grief">the perfect Tweet</a> about this recently: "Thinking about how we mourn artists we've never met. We don't cry because we knew them, we cry because they helped us know ourselves." </p>
<p>I attended rehearsal for my play, THE SPINS, shortly after finding out about David Bowie. The timing seemed significant. In my play, a young musician named Lynn deals with the death of her brother as well as the more recent loss of a romantic relationship. In a drunken haze, a dead musician she idolizes spins her through dreams and memories (as represented by Dream Lynn) helping her to see how music can allow us to transcend loss, grief, sadness... even death. One of the major themes of my play is the way we all live on through our art. This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately: how David Bowie will live on through his music, how Alan Rickman will live on through his films, or even people you wouldn't think of as being artists will live on through the things they have created. Everyone creates something that will allow them to live on in other people's hearts and imaginations. I found myself thinking a lot about David Bowie and how much his music meant to me as I watched the actors rehearse. </p>
<p>I wrote the play in 2009 under the mentorship of Addae Moon and the Horizon Theatre Apprentice Company. (Shout out to my fellow playwrights, Tommy Jamerson and Josh Julian!) At times, revisiting the script has felt like looking at something someone else wrote. I suppose I was a different person in 2009 so maybe that's not an inaccurate way to look at it. But unlike other things I've written that I've looked back on years later, THE SPINS still seems to have a great deal that speaks to the truth of who I am, at all ages. Although the majority of the play is not autobiographical, the emotions of the characters definitely are, and it still feels like a very personal play. </p>
<p>Ever since I graduated from the University of New Orleans with my MFA in Playwriting in late 2012, I have been writing young adult fiction. (I can never just stick to one thing, you know. I'm always jumping in between plays, films, performing, music, novels, poetry, even sometimes painting--though not very well.) But attending rehearsals for THE SPINS has reminded me of a certain kind of magic that is found only in theatre. It's been such a treat to watch how Julian Verner has directed this incredibly talented cast, how they have all added their own unique interpretations of these characters, and how the rest of the team has worked so diligently to create something really special. I am so blessed that Carolyn Choe and the Out of Box team chose to add my play to their season. I adore everything I've seen there. And although I am feeling nervous and vulnerable in a way that is exclusive to playwrights, I think, I can't wait to see how everything comes together next week. </p>
<p>THE SPINS opens on Friday, January 22 and runs through Sunday, January 31, and I hope all of you who are in the Atlanta area will come see it. It means a great deal to me to be able to share these messages with others. For tickets, please visit the <a contents="Out of Box website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.outofboxtheatre.com/">Out of Box website</a>.</p>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/39297052015-11-22T13:39:27-05:002017-01-13T08:53:13-05:00The Girl Who Writes about Music<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/772d75e4eec4a5f2d3354a8189ff4e6184fee23b/original/create.jpg?1448215904" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>Last week, I went to <a contents="The Writing Barn" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.thewritingbarn.com/">The Writing Barn</a> for a writing residency for young adult and middle grade authors with <a contents="Nova Ren Suma" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://distraction99.com/2015/11/18/the-teaching-the-inspiration-the-chupacabra-the-not-writing/">Nova Ren Suma</a>. I had an amazing experience. I got to work with nine other young adult/middle grade writers (all of which were very talented and lovely people in general), attend several craft lectures given by other authors where we talked about everything from world building to writing great openings to character development. The atmosphere at the Writing Barn was incredible. It was so quiet and peaceful, there were lots of places to sit outside and write, there were even four or five deer always scampering around. I wrote about 12,000 words total last week, and I basically spent every moment writing, talking about writing, talking to other writers. It was amazing. <br><br>My work in progress is a time travel story that focuses a lot on a mother/daughter relationship. Music plays a big part in the novel. None of the characters are musicians, but they all have a unique love for music that ties in with their ability to time travel, and one of the themes of the novel is the importance of embracing who you really are. In my first version of the story, though, I shied away from making music an important part of my novel. <br><br>Everything I write is about music in some way, it seems. My play, THE SPINS, is about a musician. My debut young adult novel, WE OWN THE SKY, is about a musician. I was afraid people would get sick of it, and I was trying to tone down the music in my current work in progress because of that. <br><br>It's funny how the things we write mirror what is going on in our own lives. One of my characters needs to embrace who she is, and I need to embrace who <em>I</em> am. I decided that I <em>shouldn't </em>shy away from making music an important part of this novel. Maybe it's okay that music is such an important part of everything I write because music is an important part of <em>who I am</em>. I might not be an active musician who plays shows these days, but I still<em> think</em> in terms of music. I'm still the person who is secretly identifying the song and the artist every time there is background music playing in a restaurant. I'm still the person whose understands other people better when I know what their favorite albums, songs, or musicians are. I'm still the person who started a <a contents="YouTube channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuw2gobxDLEuhVp1aXSWWsw">YouTube channel</a> to talk about books and writing and had to squeeze <a contents="a weekly video series about music&nbsp;in there" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://thefridayfivemusic.tumblr.com/">a weekly video series about music in there</a>. I'm still the person who listens to music in the shower and makes playlists every day.<br><br>It's true that not everyone wants to read about music or musicians. Not everyone will connect with that kind of story. But this is true of <em>any </em>story or subject matter. Some authors like to write about vampires. Some authors like to write about witches. Some authors like to write about romance. We all write about the things that matter to us. And some people will connect with our stories, and some won't. And that's okay! The beautiful thing about books is that there will definitely be at least one story out there that speaks to every person in this world. So why can't I be an author who likes to write about music and the different ways it affects us?<br><br>One of the best things I learned last week was that I need to shift my focus back to the actual <em>work. </em>So much of being an artist--whether you are a writer, a musician, an actor, a painter--is about luck, being in the right place at the right time, knowing the right people. Over the past couple of years, I've had so much focus on getting my book published. There is so much in the world of publishing that is beyond my control. But I do have control over the work itself. Writing. Creating. At the end of the week, we painted rocks and wrote a word on our rocks that symbolized what we gained from the residency. (My rock is pictured above. My word was <em>create.</em>) But it's when we embrace who we are and what kinds of things we like to paint or write or sing that we can truly be creative. So that's what I've been trying to do. And maybe I don't have a book traditionally published yet, and maybe I didn't ever "make it" with my band, and maybe I will always have to do other work to make a living, but you know what? I'll always be writing. No matter what. And there's a good chance that someone in my stories will have a guitar.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/37304362015-06-05T12:15:53-04:002017-01-13T08:53:13-05:00COMING HOME cover reveal and release date news!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e566fbae538c5c6e26bfd6119299c4e7c858f83a/medium/e-book-cover.jpg?1433520771" class="size_m justify_center border_" /><br>As some of you may know, I have been editing a collection of stories and poems from the congregation of <a contents="Unity North Atlanta Church" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.unitynorth.org">Unity North Atlanta Church</a>, and I'm happy to tell you that the book has a release date! COMING HOME: A COLLECTION OF INSPIRATIONAL STORIES AND POEMS FROM UNITY NORTH ATLANTA CHURCH will be officially released on Sunday, July 12th! We will be having a little book release party after second service in the Holy Grounds Cafe at Unity North Atlanta Church on July 12th. Come enjoy some refreshments and pick up your copy! <br><br>The book will be available in print and in e-book formats, and it will be on sale at Unity North Atlanta Church as well as on Amazon. We will also be selling pre-orders after second service starting this Sunday (6/7) so come by the Holy Grounds Cafe and pre-order your copy. (That is the only way you will for sure have a copy in your hands on the release date as we certainly might sell out that day.)<br><br>I'm really excited to get this book to our congregation and out into the world. It's a very heartwarming and touching collection of stories and poems that will be sure to uplift and inspire! I can't wait for you to be able to read it!<br> Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/36148002015-03-20T21:55:00-04:002017-01-13T08:53:12-05:00Updates: novels and plays and blogs, OH MY!<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/f00418024b0065f22dc64f74dc7e7107ff4bf617/large/painted.jpg?1426895304" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">
<em>We're just going to ignore the fact that this picture is, like, 8 years old. I've been writing too much lately to stop and take pictures of myself. But I thought it was appropriate for this post!</em><br> </div>
<div>Hello, blogosphere! It's been a while! What have I been up to?<br><br>Writing, writing, and more writing. Oh, and then some freelance editing for other writers, reading books, and making some <a contents="videos about writing" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5JLDb4lzHg&list=PL-cqq0cHrPPPOlbqXsASp__WnTAvWihUR">videos about writing</a>. And then more writing. It's an exciting life!<br><br>I had some great news recently when <a contents="Out of Box Theatre" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.outofboxtheatre.com/">Out of Box Theatre</a> in Marietta, Georgia announced they will be performing my play, THE SPINS, in January 2016! I am very, very excited about this. I wrote THE SPINS in 2009 during my apprenticeship at Horizon Theatre. It was then a finalist in The Essential Theatre Playwriting Contest in 2011, and it had a staged reading as part of the Essential Theatre Festival that summer. So it's been a long time coming. I have loved every play I've seen at Out of Box, and I especially love how they produce so many plays by Georgia playwrights so I can't wait to see what they do with it. <br><br>Update on my young adult novel series: I have changed the name of the first book from THE MUSES to WE OWN THE SKY, Book One in THE MUSE CHRONICLES. My agent is still working hard to find the best publisher for the book, and it has gone through a lot of edits and revisions since I first started writing it in the fall of 2012. I am confident that my agent, Marie, will find the perfect home for the trilogy in the right and perfect time. I wrote 50,000 words of the first draft of the second book in November for <a contents="NaNoWriMo" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://nanowrimo.org/">NaNoWriMo</a>, and I am working hard to shape that into a presentable complete draft that I can show to my critique partners and beta readers. (I'm actually looking for a new critique partner or two. E-mail me at sara@saracrawford.net if you are interested!) The second book is called HURRY UP, WE'RE DREAMING. (You music freaks will probably recognize the allusions to M83 here. This is on purpose!) <br><br>Other than that, I've been blogging for websites like <a contents="HelloGiggles" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://hellogiggles.com/embrace-rejection">HelloGiggles</a>, <a contents="PickTheBrain" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/7-ways-overcome-winter-blues/">PickTheBrain</a>, and <a contents="LifeHack" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/author/sara-crawford">LifeHack</a> as well as maintaining my own <a contents="writing blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/">writing blog</a>. Speaking of the writing blog, I've decided to only use that blog for posts about writing. I'll be saving all of the posts about my own writing journey and my artistic career for this blog (which means I'll actually be using this blog regularly again!). <br><br>For those of you who are writers, you may be interested in the new mailing list I have started, The Daily Writer. Subscribers of this mailing list receive daily writing inspiration in the form of tips, prompts, thoughts, inspirational quotes, interesting reads, and more! <a contents="Subscribe and join in the fun" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/the-daily-writer/">Subscribe and join in the fun</a>. Subscribers also get a free copy of my e-book, THE 30-DAY WRITING CHALLENGE: BEGIN OR ENHANCE YOUR DAILY WRITING HABIT. Make sure you subscribe to my <a contents="YouTube channel " data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/user/saracrawford">YouTube channel</a> as well. I'm actually making videos again!<br><br>That's all for now. I'll be updating this thing more often from now on! Stay tuned!<br> </div>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/34828972015-01-23T16:05:49-05:002017-01-13T08:53:12-05:00Thoughts on Bjork and How Female Artists are Represented<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/39c2e10cfbf2e2f9d36e972a7ea46fad4d89372b/medium/bjork.jpg?1422047090" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br>I was not alone in my joy earlier this week when Bjork decided to surprise us all by releasing her new album,<em> Vulnicura</em>, on iTunes, and I've been listening to the album on repeat ever since. Unlike 2011's <em>Biophilia,</em> <em>Vulnicura</em> is a deeply personal journey through heartbreak and ultimately, liberation. The album sounds like something of a musical diary where Bjork explores pain and heartache, motherhood and family, as well as finding clarity.<br> <br>Co-producing the album with Arca and Haxan Cloak, Bjork was integral to much of the instrumentation on <em>Vulnicura</em>. She wrote and arranged all of the string parts for the album and collaborated with Arca to produce the record, adding Haxan Cloak to mix the album. When news first broke that Bjork would be releasing the album, though, it was misreported that Arca was the sole producer. Arca insisted on clearing up the matter on Twitter, when he tweeted, “just to clarify! rather than ‘sole producing,’ Bjork and I are co-producing music together!”<br> <br>This isn't the first time this has happened to Bjork either. In a recent <a href="http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/9582-the-invisible-woman-a-conversation-with-bjork/">interview with Pitchfork</a>, she explained, "I did 80% of the beats on <em>Vespertine</em> and it took me three years to work on that album, because it was all microbeats—it was like doing a huge embroidery piece. Matmos came in the last two weeks and added percussion on top of the songs, but they didn’t do any of the main parts, and they are credited everywhere as having done the whole album."<br> <br>This reflects a larger problem in the music industry: female musicians are not valued or credited the way male musicians are. Examples of this can be found throughout the industry from <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-festivals/11016441/Where-are-all-the-women-headlining-music-festivals.html">female musicians being majorly underrepresented in music festivals</a> to <a href="http://www.alligator.org/the_avenue/music/article_04ef59da-f778-11e3-bab0-0019bb2963f4.html">female DJs being largely overlooked in electronica</a>. This is yet another industry where female artists are not being valued as we all saw recently when the <a href="http://hellogiggles.com/oscar-nominees">Oscar nominations were announced</a> and there were zero women in the writing, directing, or cinematography categories.<br> <br>Being a female musician, writer, and artist, this is an issue that is very personal to me. I have experienced sexism in the music industry—from the sound technician who would only talk to my male bandmates during sound check to the house manager who informed me “girlfriends weren’t allowed backstage” not realizing that I was one of the performers. And I can’t even count the number of shows I’ve played where I was the only female on the bill.<br> <br>The good news is that this is an issue that is being brought to the forefront and more female musicians are refusing to be erased. Bjork went on to tell Pitchfork, "I didn’t want to talk about that kind of thing for 10 years, but then I thought, 'You’re a coward if you don’t stand up. Not for you, but for women. Say something.'" Speaking out about the need for female artists to be respected and credited the way male artists are is the first step towards progress. It gives me hope to see popular artists like Taylor Swift and Beyonce speaking out for gender equality and feminism.<br> <br>Bjork closes out the interview by saying, “I definitely can feel the third or fourth feminist wave in the air, so maybe this is a good time to open that Pandora’s box a little bit and air it out.” We can only hope that the next generation of female artists will follow in Bjork’s footsteps.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/34229122014-12-20T17:48:31-05:002017-01-13T08:53:12-05:00My Favorite 14 Albums of 2014One of the best things about this time of year is making my "best of" year-end lists! It's time for my favorite 14 albums of 2014! This year was a great year for music. There were so many albums that I absolutely loved, and I saw a number of really great shows. So, let's get started with the list!<br><br><strong>14. Pe'ahi by The Raveonettes<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/680b8c6b3ad5566db7304808924c11451ee94bb5/medium/homepage-large-e9f43a1f.jpg?1419104515" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xa7JfWsMxgs" width="560"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "Sisters"</em><br><br>I first heard this Danish indie rock duo in 2011 so I was excited to see a new release from them this year, and <em>Pe'ahi </em>definitely didn't disappoint. In addition to their usual melodic, distorted guitar sounds and ambient, haunting vocals, they've added complex instrumentation to their sound on this album. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Slowdive, The Jesus and Mary Chain<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"Sisters," "Killer in the Streets," "Summer Ends"<br><br><strong>13. Floating by Sleep Party People<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/88f60ca182576f0171afa3af8dd50dfa3846dc3d/medium/floating.jpg?1419104679" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pENjJnlRXZE" width="560"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "Floating Blood of Mine"</em><br><br>This album is basically the definition of dream pop for me. The whole thing sounds like a dream. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Sigur Ros, My Bloody Valentine<br><strong>Favorite tracks:</strong> "Floating Blood of Mine," "Scattered Glass"<br><br><strong>12. Leisure Cruise by Leisure Cruise</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3c2dc0e839dfecd3966890f17dc594695c3e2284/medium/leisure-cruise-pack-shot-web-400.jpg?1419104979" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Q2ZnLjwxbpY" width="420"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "Sailing"</em><br><br>This synth-pop duo's debut album is one you can listen to on the treadmill at the gym. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Goldfrapp, M83<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"Sailing," "Believer," "Ragged Dawn"<br><br><strong>11. Dialects by Snowmine</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c9fff301f1f4eef4cca7a71553834837db398329/medium/dialects.jpg?1419105749" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0H4vYi7ZkUw" width="420"></iframe><em>Listen to "You Want Everything"</em><br><br>This Brooklyn-based indie rock band is a nod back to the alternative bands of the 90s that I used to love so much. <br><br><strong>For fans of:</strong> Interpol, Wild Nothing<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"You Want Everything," "Columbus,"<br><br><strong>10. So Long, See You Tomorrow by Bombay Bicycle Club<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ed18071952267bf6bf8e1b57853a23b9997c98f9/medium/bombay-bicycle-club.jpg?1419106813" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GXNxPRniwRg" width="560"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "Come To"</em><br><br>I've been a fan of this English indie rock band for a while, but this album is my favorite by them. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Two Door Cinema Club, Wild Beasts<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"Come To," "Overdone"<br><br><strong>9. Burn Your Fire for No Witness by Angel Olsen</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/49dd9dbe705260db26d46bd2b9871edc90cf2d1f/medium/burnyourfire.jpg?1419107432" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DouPf-UDY4c" width="420"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "unfucktheworld"</em><br><br>This haunting indie singer/songwriter is kind of like a modern day Joni Mitchell.<br><br><strong>For fans of:</strong> St. Vincent, Twin Sister<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"unfucktheworld," "Lights Out"<br><br><strong>8. Elite Lines by Faces on Film<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d889eac876248d9fd42587d1ff7dbb05c687fb05/medium/elitelines.jpg?1419108505" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zPAF7YN3xBI" width="560"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "The Rule" </em><br><br>I discovered this indie rock band on WRAS Album 88 (FU GPB) and they seriously rock.<br><br><strong>For fans of:</strong> Modest Mouse, The Walkmen<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"The Rule," "Your Old One," "Daytime Nowhere"<br><br><strong>7. Awake by Tycho</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b103c83a7f1a09f501f7f564d7f8c42f3ccdee46/medium/tycho.jpg?1419109178" class="size_m justify_left border_" /> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QX5XKFn7Ngo" width="560"></iframe><em>Listen to "Montana" </em><br><br>I am a huge fan of this ambient musician (also known as Scott Hansen) and this album did not disappoint. This is the best "chill out" album of the year. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Washed Out, Boards of Canada<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"Montana," "Spectre," "Awake"<br><br><strong>6. Stay Gold by First Aid Kit</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1d31d0ab574eabf8d545a7b76a0219b9ddb5d2da/medium/staygold.jpg?1419109840" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DKL4X0PZz7M" width="560"></iframe><em>Listen to "Silver Lining" </em><br><br>This duo of Swedish sisters are amazing folk/country singer/songwriters, and this album is full of well-crafted songs with heartfelt lyrics and gorgeous harmonies. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Fleet Foxes, Wye Oak<br><strong>Favorite tracks:</strong> "Silver Lining," "Stay Gold," "Heaven Knows"<br><br><strong>5. Lost in the Dream by The War on Drugs</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/72fbb93d31806a67c08019743147e301d082ba97/medium/warondrugs.jpg?1419110824" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/bsoqmFL1vlU" width="560"></iframe><em>Listen to "Red Eyes"</em><br><br>This album from this indie rock band is full of passion and awesomeness the whole way through. I hear Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen influences in this modern rock alternative album. <br><br><strong>For fans of:</strong> Delta Spirit, Grizzly Bear<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"Red Eyes," "Under the Pressure," "Eyes to the Wind"<br><br><strong>4. Morning Phase by Beck</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/34349c8f8e61fd4c4e1b6533dd9a5089350252ab/medium/beck-morning-phase.jpg?1419112434" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/WIWbgR4vYiw" width="560"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "Blue Moon"</em><br><br>If you know anything about me, you know how much I love Beck's <em>Sea Change </em>from 2002. <em>Morning Phase </em>sounds like the sequel to <i>Sea Change. </i>It's basically amazing. I don't think I need to say anything else because Beck.<br><br>For fans of: Beck <br>Favorite tracks: "Blue Moon," "Morning," "Unforgiven"<br><br><strong>3. Until the Colours Run by Lanterns on the Lake</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2035a4f1dc0821fb9256a532ee5ab816dafb3f0c/medium/colours.jpg?1419113734" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HriCw6aIk0U" width="560"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "The Buffalo Days"</em><br><br>This is a lovely release from the British indie rockers full of melodic and complex instrumentation, soothing vocals, intelligent lyrics, and heartfelt emotion.<br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Slowdive, Beach House, Feist<br><strong>Favorite Tracks: </strong>"The Buffalo Days," "Green and Gold," "You Soon Learn"<br><br><strong>2. Familiars by The Antlers<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e662fca5e4c3bb8ff548ace8bcda30180e4e1fa3/medium/antlers.jpg?1419114360" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/7IA1Qucq20Y" width="420"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "Parade"</em><br><br>Peter Silberman has one of the best voices of our time. His vocal control is absolutely amazing. The way he goes from his head voice to chest voice/belt is flawless. Be prepared to get completely lost in the instrumentation and the layers of sound on this record. The songwriting is also quite superb. <br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Grizzly Bear, Real Estate, Beach House<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"Intruders," "Hotel," "Parade," "Palace"<br><br><strong>1. Alvvays by Alvvays</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e2a53feeb9180d1be7ff1147923ae16c6b47dc6a/medium/alvvays.jpg?1419114560" class="size_m justify_left border_" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/QqV-_7Ms92o" width="420"></iframe><br><em>Listen to "The Ones Who Love You"</em><br><br>If you follow me on any social media, it's probably not a shock that this Canadian indie pop band has my favorite album of 2014. This album has a mix of fun and upbeat rock songs you can dance around to and deep, emotional, nostalgic ballads. Songs like "Party Police" will break your heart while songs like "Archie, Marry Me" will have you jumping up and down singing along.<br><br><strong>For fans of: </strong>Beach House, Best Coast, Stars<br><strong>Favorite tracks: </strong>"The Ones Who Love You," "Archie, Marry Me," "Party Police," "Next of Kin"<br><br>So there you have it. My favorite albums from 2014. Yes, there are a lot of albums on this list that fans of Slowdive, Beach House, and M83 would like. But what do you expect? Those are literally three of my favorite bands. I do recognize there were a lot of killer releases this year in other genres (Prince, Skrillex, D'Angelo... hey even that Taylor Swift album was pretty legit) but these are the ones that I listened to the most. These were the albums that made up the soundtrack to my 2014. Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/32140002014-10-02T11:12:10-04:002017-01-13T08:53:12-05:00STORYBOARDS, my young adult novella is now available! <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/storyboards_med.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/storyboards_med-187x300.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="storyboards_med" height="300" width="187" /></a><br><br>STORYBOARDS, my young adult contemporary novella is now available as an e-book on Amazon for just $0.99!<br><br>Here's the description:<br><br><em><span style="color: #000000;">Teenage filmmaker, Paige Lawson--also known as an “unintentional matchmaker”-- is making her first short film for her college admissions portfolio when her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend starts dating the lead actress in her movie. She is forced to overcome the personal difficulties the relationship brings up for her in an attempt to complete her film, but she's not sure if she is strong enough to do what needs to be done.</span></em><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMO2EJG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00NMO2EJG&linkCode=as2&tag=crawwritblog-20&linkId=IDEVH2FZVBPJFI37">Click here to download a copy!</a>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/30417022014-06-26T11:39:54-04:002017-01-13T08:53:12-05:00A Letter to Georgia State University regarding WRAS Album 88<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ec3c83e9d3683a2ce7027f5879c3cf2b1a48c523/original/140626-113546.jpg?1403797147" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Unless you've been living in a hole (or outside of Atlanta), you probably know that the iconic Georgia State University radio station Album 88 WRAS is in danger. A couple of months ago, it was announced that Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) would be taking over WRAS between the hours of 5:00 AM and 7:00 PM and the college students would broadcast online during those hours. <br><br>Naturally, people all over Atlanta are upset about this, especially given that most of the programming GPB plans to play is either already on the air on WABE 90.1 (Atlanta's NPR station) or available to stream online. This takeover was supposed to happen on June 2nd but was delayed to June 29th. So in a last-ditch effort to stop this, the <a contents="Save WRAS Facebook page" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/savemywras">Save WRAS Facebook page</a> asked people to:<br><br>Email the following individuals demanding the GPB contract be canceled in favor of the stronger Album 88 Alumni proposal:<br>Mark Becker <br>GSU President<br>MBecker@gsu.edu<br><br>Douglass Covey<br>GSU VP Student Affairs<br>DCovey@gsu.edu<br><br>Teya Ryan<br>GPB CEO<br>TRyan@gpb.org<br><br>Please cc WRAStrong@gmail.com with all your correspondence.<br><br>Please Tweet, FB, Instagram and email friends to support the Album 88 Alumni proposal to keep WRAS-Atlanta student-run and over the airwaves. Use #SaveWRAS & #WRAStrong<br><br>So I composed a letter, and I thought I would share it with you here. <br><br><br>Dear Mark Becker, Douglass Covey, and Teya Ryan:<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My name is Sara Crawford. I am a 29-year-old singer/songwriter and author living in Marietta. I never attended Georgia State University, but Album 88 WRAS was a very big part of my college experience. I remember all of the times I drove to my classes at Kennesaw State University, listening to the exciting new music on Album 88. In a landscape of bland commercial radio stations in Atlanta that play the same 50 songs over and over again, Album 88 is extremely refreshing. It is the only radio station a metro Atlanta resident can turn to to hear new music, a wide variety of music, local music from fellow Georgians, and a student-run iconic radio station that has lasted 40 years. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">As someone who has been active in the Atlanta music scene, there is a special place in my heart for Album 88. I will never forget how it felt to turn on the Georgia Music Show and hear my song "Cyclone" on the radio for the very first time. It's getting harder and harder for independent musicians to get their music out there, and without stations like Album 88, it would be so much more difficult. This station has been an integral part of the whole music scene in Atlanta. It has helped launch many different careers throughout the past four decades--both of musicians and radio personalities alike. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I have discovered SO many bands on Album 88. Bands like Stars, Dark Dark Dark, Faces on Film, Laura Reed and Deep Pocket, Freelance Whales...I could go on. These bands have meant the world to me. They have been there for me in difficult times. There is a certain kind of magic when you are driving around as an adolescent, having a really horrible day, and you hear that perfect song at the perfect time on the radio. That never happens on 105.7 or 94.1 or 98.5 or any of the other stations in Atlanta because every time I turn them on, it's that same song from 1999 that we've all heard 1800 times and has no meaning anymore.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sure, there are a lot of other outlets for music these days. Spotify, Last FM, Pandora. And I use these sometimes. But there is still a place for analog radio--especially in the car. I can't tell you how many memories I have of driving around listening to Album 88 or driving out of town and listening until it fades away (which usually takes a while). </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I understand that this deal would still allow GSU students to play music at night time on Album 88 and stream online. However, this is not enough. The prime radio times are the commute to and from work, and WRAS should be available during those times! The online streaming is great, but when Album 88 is only available online, it is in direct competition with Spotify, Pandora, etc. and will lose listeners. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Furthermore, WE ALREADY HAVE an outlet for NEWS and NPR in ATLANTA. 90.1 WABE is a great radio station that I listen to often. It is my understanding that a lot of the programming you are planning to play on GPB/WRAS is ALREADY BEING PLAYED on 90.1. We don't need two radio stations playing the exact same thing in Atlanta! No one wants this. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Lastly, I truly believe that Album 88 WRAS as it stands right now is much more beneficial for students who want to learn about radio, be a part of an iconic radio station, and participate in everything that makes the Atlanta music scene great. Shouldn't you be doing what is best for the students of Georgia State University? If you took a poll, I guarantee you 99.9% of Georgia State Students would not be in favor of this plan. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">If you take away WRAS, you are taking away one of the most special things about Atlanta culture. You are taking away the last remaining decent outlet for new music in Atlanta radio. You are depriving Atlanta residents from being able to discover new, independent bands, and you are depriving the musicians of one precious outlet to reach people with their music. Please cancel the contract.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The Album 88 Alumni have created a well-written proposal that would be a much better compromise and a much better solution for the future of WRAS. Please read it and re-consider. <a href="http://savewras.com/proposal/" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">http://savewras.<wbr></wbr>com/proposal/</a>
</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Thank you,</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div dir="ltr">Sara Crawford<br><br><br>Please e-mail, tweet, FB, instagram, all of the above! Use the hashtag #SaveWRAS and #WRAStrong<br><br>It's not too late!</div></div>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/29209692014-05-05T14:04:08-04:002017-01-13T08:53:12-05:00My "Last Music Show in this Context" - What That Really Means<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4c6dcaf8be70a6f1ea1ccbe8b480e9db8285cee8/medium/birthdayshow.jpg?1399311084" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br><br>On Friday, I am playing a show at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room. Friday is also my 29th birthday. Geoff Goodwin (my former bandmate from <a contents="Pocket the Moon" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://pocketthemoon.bandcamp.com/">Pocket the Moon</a>) and Noah Dennis are joining me on drums and bass, I will have other guests artists joining me, there will be cupcakes, and it will generally be a great time! <a contents="Juliana Finch" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://julianafinch.com/">Juliana Finch</a> is playing before me, and <a contents="Aaron Edward" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://aaronedward.bandcamp.com/">Aaron Edward</a> will close out the night. Come at 8:00 pm for Juliana Finch, I'm playing at 9:00 pm, and stick around for Aaron Edward at 10:00. <br><br>I keep telling people this will be "my last show in this context." What does that mean? <br><br>Last year, around this time, I talked about how I was <a contents="going to focus on my writing and take the focus off of music" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/taking-an-indefinite-break-from-music">going to focus on my writing and take the focus off of music</a>. I think this was definitely a wise decision, but I have <em>really </em>struggled with it. Being a "musician" became such a deeply ingrained part of my identity, and when I started saying things like, "well, I <em>used </em>to be a musician" or "I'm not really doing the music thing anymore," that created a lot of pain for me. There was so much sadness in this idea of "giving up" music. I felt like I <i>had </i>given up--like I had been defeated. I was driving to the gym one day, and I randomly turned on the first track of <em>Pocket the Moon</em>, the 2011 album that Geoff and I wrote and performed. I ended up driving around Marietta for an hour, listening to the whole album, and having an emotional breakdown. It was like post-breakup sobbing. And I was weeping for a loss in a way. I was weeping for a lost part of myself. <br><br>I used to have these dreams that one day, I would "make it" as an indie singer/musician. I never wanted to be selling out Phillips Arena or anything, but I thought that maybe one day if I worked hard enough, I could sell out the Variety Playhouse. But show after show to 10 or 12 people at Smith's Olde Bar or The Earl or other random venues in the Atlanta area--it all wore me down. I was having all of this success as a writer and I wasn't seeing much success as a musician. So I decided that I needed to focus on my writing and think of music as sort of a hobby. And there was a <em>lot </em>of pain for me in this decision because it felt like I was giving up. It felt like no one appreciated the sad songs that I wrote so I was just going to stop writing them and singing them. I realized, though, that that is not the way I should be looking at it. "Making it" as any type of artist requires <em>a lot </em>of passion, energy, hard work, and dedication. I was trying to "make it" as a writer<em> and</em> a musician, and I didn't have enough energy to spend on both things. It's like Ron Swanson says on <em>Parks and Recreation: </em>"Never half ass two things. Whole ass one thing." And I felt like that's what I needed to do with my writing.<br><br>So. I may still sing at Unity or write songs or share covers on YouTube. I may still participate in things like 500 Songs for Kids or play at a friend's wedding. I may even write or put out another album in the future. And I might even play another show at some point if someone just asks me to play a set to a crowd that will already be there and I don't have to do any of my own marketing or expect to "bring a crowd." But this is the last time I will be playing a show like this--in this context. This is the last time I will be playing at Smith's Olde Bar (or a venue like it) in Atlanta--putting together the bill, inviting my friends and family, doing all of my own promotion/marketing, etc. This may be the last time that I play the songs from <em>Unsent Letters </em>and <em>Pocket the Moon</em> live. <br><br>But the truth is that even if no one else does appreciate my music, <em>I am proud</em> of the songs I have written, and I love them. And I know that there <em>are</em> other people who love them, too. I have had people tell me that certain songs I have written really helped them through difficult periods in their lives. I have had people tell me that they were incredibly touched by songs that I have written. Sometimes, it's just hard to hang onto those comments. When you write quiet or reflective music, it's often the quiet and reflective people that are touched by your songs. Just because you don't <em>see</em> how they affect or inspire people doesn't mean that they aren't.<br><br>It's like this poetry exercise I did recently where we were supposed to write an inspiring or uplifting poem and leave it in some random place for a stranger to find. I did so. Now, this poem could have ended up in the trash--read by no one--or it could have stopped someone from committing suicide. I have no way of knowing. But the point was that I put it out into the world, and it was beautiful. And that is how I think of my music these days. And that is what I will be celebrating on Friday--along with my birthday. And I hope that you will join me. <br><br>Not to be pretentious and quote my own lyrics, here, but it really <em>is </em>like the end of "Rooftops."<br><br><i>It's all a dream to me if we just leave it behind.<br>I hope that you will help me to remember it all.</i><br><br> Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/27323052014-03-12T09:57:42-04:002017-01-13T08:53:11-05:00Reaching Out To Musicians Who Inspire Me: Lanterns on the Lake<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1f9f46a13712a17025224d82e0c371a23db7cd23/original/lanternsonthelake.jpg?1394632299" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Lanterns on the Lake</em><br> </div>
<div>I decided to start reaching out to bands whose songs I have *moments* with while driving around. I sent the following e-mail to Lanterns on the Lake the other day:<br><br><br><em>Hello,<br><br>My name is Sara Crawford. I stumbled across your album somehow. (I think I just saw it on the Metacritic list of new releases and listened to it on Spotify, and then I purchased it on iTunes). First of all, let me just say I have basically been listening to it obsessively since I discovered it in January. <br><br>I love all of the tracks, but "The Buffalo Days," "Until the Colours Run," "You Soon Learn," and "Another Tale from Another English Town" are among my favorites. My absolute favorite song, though, is "Green and Gold." I love the lyrics, I love the somber piano, I love the vocal melody. I love how the emotion is practically dripping onto the notes that are being sung. I love heartbreaking songs, and this is an incredibly emotional song for me.<br><br>I really relate to the lyrics on a personal level. This has been my favorite sad song lately. I have been going through a very difficult time recently, and sad music really helps me in times like these. One of the most therapeutic things for me to do is drive around and blast a really emotional song. Over the past few months, "Green and Gold" has been that song for me. I put it on repeat, and when it gets to the "I live along, but I'm still doing the music" line, I almost always tear up. These drives and moments with songs like your's are really important to my emotional process though, and it's the only way I can start to heal. And when I feel all cried out, I let it go to the next song, "You Soon Learn." The guitar that begins that song is brilliant. It's as if you knew some chick would be having an emotional breakdown to "Green and Gold" and really need an uplifting guitar part that said "everything will be okay." <br><br>I am also a musician, and I write a lot of sad and mellow songs. I have gotten really discouraged because it has felt like people don't really appreciate my music. When you write music that doesn't exactly inspire strangers to dance around and party at the local dive bar music venues in Atlanta, it can make you feel like that. But the other day, I was driving around having one of these moments to "Green and Gold" and I thought "these people have no idea that someone in Georgia is driving around listening to their song on repeat and having a moment to their song." And then I thought what if somewhere, someone is driving around having a moment to one of my songs and I just don't know? And that thought made me feel a little better. <br><br>And I really felt compelled to reach out to you and let you know how your album (but especially that song) has affected me. And how I think sad songs are really important, and the people that write them often don't get much appreciation. But I really, really appreciate "Green and Gold." And I appreciate the entire album!<br><br>It looks like you're mainly touring in Europe, but I hope that you make it to the US at some point, and I really hope you play a show in Atlanta. I guarantee you I will be in the audience singing along to your songs. <br><br>Thank you for making music. <br><br>Sara</em><br><br><br>Today, I got a response from them. It was a great way to start my day.<br><br><br><em>Dear Sara,<br><br>Thank you for taking the time out to write to us. It means a great deal to receive your email and hear that there are people out there who find something for themselves/of themselves in our music. <br><br>We hope to play in Atlanta sometime. We have just returned from our first US tour actually and we had a great time. We played New York, Chicago, Boston and Washington DC. New York was my favourite. We are desperate to go back and play the cities we didn't get to this time around. Hopefully Atlanta will be one of those cities and we can say 'hello' in person.<br><br>All the best with your songwriting, even if it doesn't inspire people to sing and dance in mindless fun it will connect with someone somewhere on a different level. Charles Baudelaire once said "I can barely conceive of a type of beauty in which there is no melancholy".<br><br>Keep the faith,<br>Hazel</em><br><br>Check out their tunes below and go buy their album:</div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/mkq-AttwThc" width="560"></iframe><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pEKBQ9oUtSU" width="560"></iframe><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/vaQ9KCzJMhQ" width="560"></iframe>)<br> </div></div>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/26895052014-03-04T21:47:17-05:002014-03-05T14:16:58-05:00Singing "Rooftops" in My Spiritual Home... I'm Excited!This Sunday, I am going to be the featured musician at my spiritual home, <a contents="Unity North Atlanta" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://unitynorth.org">Unity North Atlanta</a>. This may not be a big deal to a lot of people, but it's a big deal to me, and I couldn't be more excited.<br><br>The first time I came to Unity was in 2003 when a friend of mine was singing. I grew up Southern Baptist so let's just say I had a very different idea of what church was supposed to be. I remember thinking <em>what the hell is this?</em> about most of the church service. There was hand holding, there was hugging, there were happy people talking about love. Where was the guilt and judgment? Where were all of the people telling me I needed to be saved? Where were the people judging me for breaking the rules?<br><br>I was maybe a little weirded out by the "new age" vibe, but I went back in 2006, and I had to admit, I really loved the sense of acceptance I got as soon as I walked in the door. I liked their way of looking at things. I liked their saying, "One God, many paths." I liked the idea of visualizing and manifesting and attracting positive people and situations into your life. I liked the idea of appreciating everything and making gratitude lists. Every time I went there, the spiritual leaders gave inspiring talks, the singers sang uplifting and moving songs, and it just felt like a place I wanted to be. I liked the idea of church being a celebration, a love fest. I liked the idea that everyone there could have their own unique experience of spirituality and God, and there wasn't a "wrong" way to worship.<br><br>I attended on and off and I joined a few groups here and there in an attempt to get to know people, but I didn't really get involved until I was cast in their production of <em>Godspell</em> last year. That led to me singing in the choir, the worship team, ensembles, and generally being a very active volunteer in the music ministry. I even started hosting an open mic night in January to give other people the opportunity to express themselves. <br><br>Of course, I always <em>wanted </em>to be the featured musician--it seemed like something I would do, right? But I always felt that I had to keep my <em>own</em> music separate for some reason. How could I be both the Sara that sang uplifting positive songs on Sunday mornings and the Sara that poured all of the sadness and anger in the world out into unrequited love songs in music venues? How could I sing "I Am So Blessed," <em>and </em>"Peter's Lament"? It felt like two different aspects of myself that I needed to keep separate. I was also insecure about whether or not anyone at Unity would want to hear my mellow indie folk songs or whatever.<br><br>Then I realized that living the Unity principles does not mean I have to be happy all of the time. It doesn't mean I can't sing sad songs. And it sure doesn't mean that I shouldn't share that side of myself with the people I have come to know and love there. If I've learned one thing from my time at Unity, it's that <em>all </em>of the emotions and experiences in this life--both positive and negative--are beautiful. And having a spiritual experience doesn't mean we should completely ignore everything that makes us human. If anything we should celebrate it. And the Unity principles have taught me that I need to <i>accept myself--</i>sad songs and all.<br><br>This also is a big deal for me because not only am I singing an original song, but I'm singing "Rooftops." In 2010, I was going through a <em>horrible </em>breakup, and I was <em>depressed. </em>I mean, collapsing and screaming at the moon depressed. I got to go to Mexico that summer to start grad school, and it was coming together with all of the other writers there and celebrating our creativity that got me to the point where I knew things were going to be okay--where I could start to see the beauty in life again. When I got home, I wrote "Rooftops" largely about this experience--especially how we would sit on the rooftop of our hostel and all read our writing out loud to each other--but it has come to represent something larger.<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/DX17Y15R2fI" width="560"></iframe><br><br>"Rooftops" is a song about taking fear and sadness and using them to create something beautiful. It's about how we can create something new when we come together. It's about how when we see that we are all connected, we become <em>infinite. </em>And then we never die because we all live inside of each other. We are all one.<br><br>It means a lot to me that I get to sing this song at Unity because it almost mirrors everything I have learned on my spiritual journey. And Unity has played a <em>major </em>role in that journey. <br><br>Not only that, but Geoff Goodwin will be joining me along with the Unity band and even some of my favorite singers doing background vocals! We're even going to have an organ. Pocket the Moon and then some! It's going to be the most epic version of "Rooftops" ever. (I get to sing another song, too, which is a cover that I won't give away, but let's just say you will probably need to clap along.)<br><br>For those of you who are in the Atlanta area, I hope you will join us at 11:15 AM this Sunday. If you don't live in the area, they actually broadcast the service live on the internet so check it out at <a contents="http://unitynorth.org" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://unitynorth.org">http://unitynorth.org</a>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25676572014-02-12T12:40:21-05:002017-01-13T08:53:11-05:00Last Day of the 30 Day Challenge!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b62a31136554496353699faca309c0bbc8ba5096/medium/finish.jpg?1392225564" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" />Well, there you go. 30 consecutive days of blogging!<br><br>This 30-day blog challenge was a lot of fun for me, and there were definitely days that it was a *real challenge*. I wrote about a number of things--lots of literary topics and music posts. I even got a little bit personal with my posts about <a contents="being awkward" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/being-comfortable-with-being-awkward">being awkward</a> and sometimes <a contents="feeling like crap as an artist" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/being-an-artist-even-when-it-makes-you-feel-like-crap">feeling like crap as an artist</a>. I even revealed to the world which <a contents="5 fictional characters whose fictional babies I would have" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/my-new-e-book-the-30-day-writing-challenge/">5 fictional characters whose fictional babies I would have</a>. (Fictional babies: the only kind of babies I will EVER be having!)<br><br>Most importantly, though, this challenge kept me blogging for 30 days and it kept me thinking about what kind of content I want to post on my blogs. I acquired some new readers (hi!) because of some of these posts, I was more engaged with the online community as a whole, and it gave me a chance to practice what I preach, which is important to me--especially when I just released an <a contents="e-book asking participants to write for 30 days" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IADP1K8/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IADP1K8&linkCode=as2&tag=crawwritblog-20">e-book asking participants to write for 30 days</a>. <br><br>So thank you for following along with my 30 days of blogging! Below, I have included a list of all 30 days and links to the post for each day. (I split up my posts between this blog and my <a contents="writing blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com">writing blog</a>.) I have even bolded the best posts so for those of you who didn't get to read all of them, those are the best ones! <br><br>Day 1 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/30-day-blog-challenge-day-1-re-connecting-with-music/">Reconnecting with Music</a><br><strong>Day 2 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/is-there-a-wrong-way-to-cover-a-song">Is There a Wrong Way to Cover a Song?</a> </strong><br>Day 3 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/go-experience-some-art/">Go Experience Some ART!</a><br>Day 4 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/empathy-and-point-of-view-stepping-outside-of-your-cultural-identity-as-a-writer/">Empathy and Point of View – Stepping Outside of Your Cultural Identity as a Writer </a><br><strong>Day 5 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/being-comfortable-with-being-awkward">Being Comfortable With Being Awkward</a> </strong><br>Day 6 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/5-places-that-make-marietta-georgia-awesome">5 Places That Make Marietta, Georgia Awesome</a><br>Day 7 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/celebrating-our-social-progress-on-mlk-day">Celebrating Our Social Progress on MLK Day</a><br><strong>Day 8 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/to-self-promote-or-not-to-self-promote-marketing-tips-for-writers-and-artists/">To Self-Promote or Not To Self-Promote? Marketing Tips For Writers and Artists</a></strong><br>Day 9 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/four-ways-an-english-degree-will-help-you-in-any-job/">Four Ways an English Degree Will Help You In Any Job</a><br>Day 10 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/the-art-of-doing-nothing">The Art of Doing Nothing</a><br><strong>Day 11 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/thoughts-on-self-publishing-where-do-you-stand/">Thoughts on Self-Publishing: Where Do You Stand?</a></strong><br>Day 12 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/it-s-effing-cold-mixy">It's Effing Cold Mixy</a><br>Day 13 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/enthusiasm-for-young-adult-literature/">Enthusiasm for Young Adult Literature</a><br>Day 14 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/5-of-my-favorite-well-written-tv-shows/">5 of My Favorite Well-Written TV Shows</a><br>Day 15 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/things-i-learned-from-my-parents">Things I Learned From My Parents</a><br>Day 16 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/snowjam-2014-grateful-for-all-the-helpers">SnowJam 2014 - Grateful For All The Helpers</a><br>Day 17 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/cabin-fever-writing-prompts/">Cabin Fever Writing Prompts</a><br><strong>Day 18 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/10-signs-you-are-meant-to-be-a-writer/">10 Signs You Are Meant To Be a Writer</a> </strong><br>Day 19 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/5-young-adult-books-i-want-to-read-in-2014/">5 Young Adult Books I Want To Read in 2014</a><br>Day 20 - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/stream-of-consciousness/">stream of consciousness</a><br><strong>Day 21 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/being-an-artist-even-when-it-makes-you-feel-like-crap">Being an Artist Even When It Makes You Feel Like Crap</a> </strong><br>Day 22 - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/open-mic-night-finding-your-voice">Open Mic Night: Finding Your Voice</a><br>Day 23 - <a contents="A List of Things I Could Write About" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/a-list-of-things-i-could-write-about-summing-up-30-day-blog-challenge-so-far/">A List of Things I Could Write About</a><br>Day 24 - <a contents="Why Do You Write?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/why-do-you-write/">Why Do You Write?</a><br>Day 25 - <a contents="My New E-book: The 30-Day Writing Challenge" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/my-new-e-book-the-30-day-writing-challenge/">My New E-book: The 30-Day Writing Challenge</a><br><strong>Day 26 - </strong><a contents="My Top 5 Literary Crushes" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/my-new-e-book-the-30-day-writing-challenge/"><strong>My Top 5 Literary Crushes</strong></a><br>Day 27 - <a contents="4 Blogs You Should Check Out" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/4-blogs-you-should-check-out/">4 Blogs You Should Check Out</a><br><strong>Day 28 - <a contents="My 10 Favorite Songs (Currently)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/my-10-favorite-songs-currently">My 10 Favorite Songs (Currently)</a></strong><br><strong>Day 29 - <a contents="The Ultimate Self-Promotional List of Art I Have Created So Far" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/the-ultimate-self-promotional-list-of-art-i-have-created-so-far">The Ultimate Self-Promotional List of Art I Have Created So Far</a></strong><br>Day 30 - Last Day of the 30 Day Challenge!<br><br> Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25592892014-02-11T12:56:09-05:002017-02-03T12:38:03-05:00The Ultimate Self-Promotional List of Art I Have Created (So Far)<em>30 day blog challenge - day 29</em><br><br>Alright, here is the ultimate self-promotional blog.<br><br>I tend to get a lot of comments like "I didn't know you had a poetry book!" and "Wait, you have a CD?" so I figured I'd talk about all of my projects to date on one blog post. And I needed something to blog about today. Why not make an artistic resume blog post?<br><br><strong><span class="font_large">Painted (play) - 2007</span></strong>
<div> </div><strong><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/74bb503dcc386762cbf55ca2fd3b1cf72b3068a3/medium/PaintedCastPhotos38.jpg?1362279318" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></span></strong>
<div>
<br><strong>The Story: </strong>In 2006, I wrote a play for my undergraduate playwriting class at Kennesaw State University. In spite of MANY obstacles, I produced and directed a production of the play at The Art Place<em> </em>with the help of The KSU Underground Theatre and Film Movement. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I created the characters, Vincent and Izabella, who I am still writing about today.<br><br><strong>Synopsis: </strong>In Los Angeles, California, the famous actor, Matthew Morris, lives with his sister, Amber Morris, a famous painter. Amber has been in the same room for ten years painting portraits of the muses she has created, Izabella and Vincent. Matthew brings over his friends Brandon Thompson, the beer-guzzling drummer of a famous pop-punk band, and a coke-sniffing stripper named Mercedes. When Brandon invites his lead singer, Ian Mason, over to Matthew's, Ian sneaks into Amber's room, and her world is completely shaken.<br><br><b>The Status Now: </b><a contents="All in All Productions" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.mti-music.com/SERVICES.HTML">All in All Productions</a> filmed the original production along with a short documentary about our experience putting it on. You can watch the documentary <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8hDVQQC2dE">here</a>, and I believe All in All Productions still has DVDs featuring the play, the documentary, and even commentary from myself and Rachel Marshall (which is pretty ridiculous and funny). <br><br>The play has only been produced once so far. There was supposed to be a second production in Augusta a few years ago, but that didn't end up happening. The script is still available for productions.<br><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Leapfrog (film) - 2009</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e3e5f78cc405f1a5f3f9c840494e187b253cf24c/medium/LeapfrogTitle.jpg?1362279303" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><span class="font_small"><strong>The Story: </strong>I wrote a screenplay for a short film. Michael Tillman directed it, and we pulled together a tiny cast and crew. (Everyone was involved. I was the screenwriter, and I held lights in some scenes. We all helped where we could.) We had a blast making this film in the summer of 2008. It ended up being screened at a few film festivals, including the Macon Film and Video Festival, and it was featured on Atlanta Shorts on PBS. <br><br><strong>Synopsis: </strong></span></span>Cameron, a young man who has just graduated from high school, ditches a job interview his Dad set up for him to climb a mountain and write. While there, Lacey, his old best friend, calls him and they decide to spend the day together. Much to his dismay, he learns that she has drastically changed during her time away at college. They spend the afternoon catching up and things start to turn out okay, but then she takes him to a college party and his world comes crashing down around him. Leapfrog is a poignant look at the bittersweet pain of growing up, asking just how much we have to leave behind and what we can take with us.<br><br><strong>The Status: </strong>I am no longer officially selling this film. (There is a bunch of music in the film that we never legally obtained the rights to. I was the Music Supervisor so I will take the fall for that one!) So I don't think it's a good idea to sell it. However, if anyone is interested in seeing it, I have a ton of copies. A scene from the film is also available <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://youtu.be/xq_VJUQ35s0">here</a>.<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Unsent Letters (solo album) - 2009</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3dbe1c9e3f8e63657cc6fda618f1b3285f0ca38f/medium/cover-final2.jpg?1362247308" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /> <strong>The Story: </strong>I had been writing and playing songs since 2004. In 2009, I decided it was finally time to record some of them. So I busted out my lap top, got my best microphones, and I made an album. It's very low fi, obviously, but I am still proud of it in many ways. It features songs like "Cyclone," "Rainwater," and of course the title track, "Unsent Letters." It has been featured on many internet radio stations and college radio stations. <br><br><strong>The Status: </strong>Well, I used a company to produce these CDs that has since gone out of business. Which means that it is only available in digital form on my website for now. (And I still have a few copies left.) I am hoping to re-release a re-mastered (or... you know, mastered for the first time!) version of this album that will then be available on Spotify and iTunes. For now, though, you can listen to it/download it <a contents="on my music page" data-link-label="Musician" data-link-type="page" href="/musician">on my music page</a>.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><strong><span class="font_large">Coiled and Swallowed (poetry book) - 2010</span></strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/96c00d16a11dc01d28035aa5b30db8fb3ebea783/medium/SaraCrawfordCoiledandSwallowedFront.jpg?1362211178" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><strong>The Story:</strong> In 2009, I assembled a collection of my best poems, and submitted it to Virgogray Press. They decided to release it as a chapbook in 2010. It has since been <a contents="reviewed by Black Heart Magazine" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://blackheartmagazine.com/2011/05/11/coiled-and-swallowed-by-sara-crawford/">reviewed by Black Heart Magazine</a>.<br><br><strong>Synopsis: </strong>Though Coiled and Swallowed by Sara Crawford begins with a poem anxious and questioning in “Spinning,” readers will find this collection of poetry by Sara Crawford to be honest and even light-hearted, a contrast represented dutifully by the second poem in the book, “Ode to Carpet.” As the book progresses we begin to see the personal and personable experiences whether in regards to love or excesses, adorations or musings; these poems seem to be questions and answers within themselves. <br><br><b>The Status: </b>I only have a few copies left of the original printing. I don't seem to be able to get anymore copies from Virgogray Press and the owner of that small publishing house has not been in touch with me when I have tried to contact him. I also didn't sign any contracts or anything so I am planning on doing a re-release of this one as well with photographs to accompany some of the poems. I will hopefully release this in print and e-book formats.<br><br><br><br><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Pocket the Moon (album w/band) - 2011</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4e436c9f0404461e0ed937a822cf2ed035af3c4d/medium/pocketcover2.jpg?1361803226" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /> <strong>The Story:</strong> In 2010, I was in a project called Sara Crawford and the Cult Following. It was basically a backing band for my solo songs. When two of the members of that project left, it left Geoff and I to re-group and Pocket the Moon was formed. We collaborated to produce the self-titled album in summer of 2011. Geoff and I wrote all of the songs, played all of the instruments, and he recorded and mixed the album. This was an indie release to the max. With songs like "Rooftops," "Victoria," "Tangled," and "August," this album easily represents my best work as a musician and as a songwriter.<br><br>The album has since been played by many internet and college radio stations, and it has been featured in a few indie films. Geoff and I played all of my favorite Atlanta venues, and we even went on tour. We also made <a contents="a music video" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX17Y15R2fI">a music video</a> for "Rooftops."<br><br><strong>The Status:</strong> Pocket the Moon is available on iTunes, CD Baby, and Spotify. You can hear it in its entirety and download it (you name the price) at <a contents="Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://pocketthemoon.bandcamp.com/">Bandcamp</a>.<br><br><br><br><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Driving Downtown to the Show (poetry book) - 2012</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e77cd20c1645c01733182df3b722750dc7ae8cbc/medium/drivingdowntown.jpg?1361793227" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /> <strong>The Story: </strong>Driving Downtown to the Show is a project that came out of a poetry writing workshop I took in my MFA Low Residency program at the University of New Orleans. Our professor, Bill Lavender, had us come up with a poetry writing procedure, consisting of rules that we would set for ourselves which would determine our writing schedules and content. We were to decide on a title before writing any poems, and the goal was to have a cohesive collection of poems by the time the semester was over. Because I was taking this class at a time when my main creative focus was my music career, I decided to use music as an inspiration for my procedure, particularly the Atlanta music scene.<br><br><strong>The Status:</strong> This book is available for sale on my website and Lulu. I am hoping to release an e-book version soon.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><strong><span class="font_large">The Snow Globe (play) - 2013</span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/da53ccbd22b63f31f3fbc64210a1d8136f83b14a/medium/snow-globe.jpg?1392132159" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" />The Story: </strong>I started working on <em>The Snow Globe, </em>the play that would eventually become my thesis play, in Scotland the summer of 2012. I worked really hard on it all fall semester 2012 to make it good enough to argue that I deserved a Master's degree as a playwright. Luckily, I succeeded and finished my MFA in December 2012, thanks to this play. I then submitted it to YouthPlays, and it was published in 2013. <br><br><strong>The Synopsis: </strong>When a young girl, Tabatha, finds a snow globe in the woods, she soon discovers that a witch named Lavetta has enchanted the snow globe, created her own world inside with talking dolls, her snarky Cat, and an honorable crow. Tabatha enters the snow globe to find a neighborhood boy, Ethan, trapped inside. Together, they have to overcome obstacles to find a way out of the snow globe.<br><br><strong>The Status: </strong>Although this play has not yet been produced, I am hoping that I will be able to self-produce it this year or next year. I am also hoping it will be picked up by other theatres. It is available via <a contents="YouthPlays" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://youthplays.com/play_details.php?play_id=282">YouthPlays</a>. I also made a <a contents="video where I talked about my writing process with the play" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG9T2UVPL9Q">video where I talked about my writing process with the play</a>.<br><br><br><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit (creative writing e-book) - 2014</strong></span><br> </div><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/babf1a546a0fedd47cd7358d56c23d522dea66df/original/sara-crawford2.jpg?1392132778" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /> <strong>The Story:</strong> I literally just released this last week! It came out of some of the writing exercises and prompts I was writing for <a contents="my writing blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/">my writing blog</a>. I was getting a lot of traffic from those, and people seemed to be enjoying them. People are also frequently asking me writing questions. So I have answered a number of them in this book. :-)<br><br><strong>The Synopsis: </strong>The 30-Day Writing Challenge encourages beginner and advanced writers alike to stretch their writing muscles and create or enhance a daily writing habit. Each day, a new writing exercise/prompt is presented in an inventive collection that focuses on technique, inspiration, and craft by taking a comprehensive look across multiple forms and genres of writing.<br><br><strong>The Status: </strong><a contents="The 30-Day Writing Challenge is available on e-book for $2.99 from Amazon.&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IADP1K8/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IADP1K8&linkCode=as2&tag=crawwritblog-20">The 30-Day Writing Challenge is available on e-book for $2.99 from Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>The Muses (young adult novel, part 1 of a trilogy) - 2015?</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/dff3499632cb775c98eb470d979f3b137cdbe3db/medium/izabella.jpg?1392140772" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><strong>The Story: </strong><em>The Muses </em>is a young adult novel I have been working on since fall 2012. In August 2013, the novel landed me a literary agent, who is in the long, arduous process of trying to secure me a book deal. <em>The Muses </em>is essentially a <em>Painted </em>spin-off, including Vincent, Izabella, and a few other characters from my original play. I have written a longer blog entry <a contents="on my journey with&nbsp;The Muses" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/my-journey-with-the-muses-so-far/">on my journey with </a><em><a contents="on my journey with&nbsp;The Muses" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/my-journey-with-the-muses-so-far/">The Muses</a> </em>if you are interested.<br><br><strong>The Synopsis: </strong>16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been able to see Muses—mysterious beings who give artists inspiration—though they seem to be invisible to everyone else. After a near suicide attempt, Sylvia manages to climb out of the darkness of her mind by exploring her own musical abilities with the help of Travis, inspirational guitarist and classmate, and Vincent, the alluring British Muse who becomes Sylvia’s obsession. As she travels further into the world of these immortal beings that influence art, she finds herself in the middle of an epic battle between the modern Earthly Muses and the Original Greek Muses—some of which want her life. <br><br>Set in suburban Atlanta in present day, Sylvia’s story is a journey of self-discovery told through the lens of a teenage girl finding herself through music and love. This <em>Twilight</em> meets <em>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</em> novel includes thought-provoking themes such as the purpose of art, the negative effects of alcohol and drugs, and crippling depression all while remaining true to the teenage experience with tales of love triangles, high school chorus concerts, and anxiety over driving.<br><br><strong>The Status: </strong>I'm going to go ahead and be optimistic and say you can look for my book to be released by Scholastic in the fall of 2015! ;-)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25568012014-02-10T22:33:57-05:002017-01-13T08:53:11-05:00My 10 Favorite Songs (Currently)<em>30 day blog challenge - day 28<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/cabd74c2c821d412c910d0775cf7ab6dc5d32c6e/original/headphones.jpg?1392088824" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em><br><br>It's been a while since I've done a post like this.<br><br>Most of the time, I'm listening to new music these days. I try to keep new albums in the rotation. I like to listen to music that doesn't remind me of anything. But there are still songs that stick with me and have an affect on me - songs I can't shake. Here they are. <br><br>(The majority of them would be considered "sad" by most of you. But I don't think they are.)<br><br>In no particular order:<br><br><strong>Mayonaise - The Smashing Pumpkins<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xOvJSHjA1O4" width="420"></iframe></strong><br><br><strong>747 - Kent</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Qq2uukNdfVA" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>Wait - M83</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lAwYodrBr2Q" width="560"></iframe><br><br><strong>Sing for Absolution - Muse<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6Ck6Hcg2cjk" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>No Surprises - Radiohead</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/u5CVsCnxyXg" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>Silver Soul - Beach House</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xIGvqxN--aY" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>There Is a Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/n-cD4oLk_D0" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>Hyperballad - Bjork</strong><br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/-SDWFvsN2lw" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in space - Spiritualized</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/iB7E1D_3Na4" width="420"></iframe><br><br><strong>When the Sun Hits - Slowdive</strong><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2INLBsRYVBs" width="560"></iframe></strong>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25389182014-02-07T10:29:35-05:002017-01-13T08:53:11-05:00My new e-book: The 30-Day Writing Challenge<em>30 day blog challenge - day 25</em><br><br><a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Sara-Crawford2.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Sara-Crawford2-200x300.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Sara Crawford2" height="300" width="200" /></a> <br><br>The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit, my new creative writing e-book is now live on Amazon for only $2.99! If you are a writer or have ever wanted to try writing, this book is for you! Please check it out and share with friends.<br><br><a data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IADP1K8/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00IADP1K8&linkCode=as2&tag=crawwritblog-20">The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit on Amazon</a><br><br>More info on the book: The 30-Day Writing Challenge encourages beginner and advanced writers alike to stretch their writing muscles and create or enhance a daily writing habit. Each day, a new writing exercise/prompt is presented in an inventive collection that focuses on technique, inspiration, and craft by taking a comprehensive look across multiple forms and genres of writing.<br><br>I use everything I have learned while getting my BA in English, my MFA in Creative Writing, my playwriting apprenticeship at Horizon Theatre, and my years of experience with writing, publishing, and producing my work. At the end of 30 days, you will have a much better idea of the type of writing you should be doing and how to write better than you've ever written before. :-)<br><br>Special thanks to Shaunnon Drake, Arlen Crawford, and Melanie Stephens for editing help and A.D. Sams for designing the cover.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25299702014-02-05T21:24:51-05:002017-01-13T08:53:11-05:00A List of Things I Could Write About & Summing Up 30-Day Blog Challenge So Far<a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/scratchthehead.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/scratchthehead-300x187.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="scratchthehead" height="187" width="300" /></a><br>Alright, I have to admit that I am struggling with the blog challenge today. Coming up with an interesting blog topic 30 days in a row? Tough.<br><br>While I was trying to figure out what to write about today, here's a list of ideas I came up with:<br>1. Why do actors keep overdosing on heroin? (RIP PSH)<br>2. E-books or paper?<br>3. February is my least favorite month.<br>4. Dealing with change and how I think I've gotten better at it since I was a teenager, but probably not.<br>5. Are we all hypochondriacs in America?<br>6. I can't really spell without spell check.<br>7. Working out at the gym always makes me feel better.<br>8. <em>The Vampire Diaries</em> is my guilty pleasure teeny bopper show. (It's like <em>Dawson's Creek</em> with vampires. I mean, come on!)<br>9. Who are these people who are constantly saying ridiculously stupid things on Twitter? I don't know them. Do you?<br>10. My obsessive list-making habit: OCD or quirky?<br>11. Getting nostalgic for things that happened, like, two months ago.<br>12. I wish all of winter would be a snowpocalypse and Atlanta would remain shut down for the whole winter and then when the snow melted and it got warm outside we could all emerge and get back to real life.<br>13. Who are these guys that hit on girls at the gas station? When has that ever worked? "Oh, let me tell you kids about when I met your grandfather at the Chevron. It was love at first sight!"<br>14. I thought I might make a list of all of the blogs I've done so far and maybe that would count as an entry.<br>15. I have seen all of the episodes of <em>Friends</em> so many time that I have an appropriate <em>Friends</em> quote for nearly every situation.<br><br>Alright, well. I may as well make a list of the blog entries I've done so far.<br><br><strong>Day 1</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/30-day-blog-challenge-day-1-re-connecting-with-music/">Reconnecting with Music</a><br><strong>Day 2</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/is-there-a-wrong-way-to-cover-a-song">Is There a Wrong Way to Cover a Song?</a> *<br><strong>Day 3</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/go-experience-some-art/">Go Experience Some ART!</a><br><strong>Day 4</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/empathy-and-point-of-view-stepping-outside-of-your-cultural-identity-as-a-writer/">Empathy and Point of View – Stepping Outside of Your Cultural Identity as a Writer </a><br><strong>Day 5</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/being-comfortable-with-being-awkward">Being Comfortable With Being Awkward</a> *<br><strong>Day 6</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/5-places-that-make-marietta-georgia-awesome">5 Places That Make Marietta, Georgia Awesome</a><br><strong>Day 7</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/celebrating-our-social-progress-on-mlk-day">Celebrating Our Social Progress on MLK Day</a><br><strong>Day 8</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/to-self-promote-or-not-to-self-promote-marketing-tips-for-writers-and-artists/">To Self-Promote or Not To Self-Promote? Marketing Tips For Writers and Artists</a><br><strong>Day 9</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/four-ways-an-english-degree-will-help-you-in-any-job/">Four Ways an English Degree Will Help You In Any Job</a><br><strong>Day 10</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/the-art-of-doing-nothing">The Art of Doing Nothing</a><br><strong>Day 11</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/thoughts-on-self-publishing-where-do-you-stand/">Thoughts on Self-Publishing: Where Do You Stand?</a><br><strong>Day 12</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/it-s-effing-cold-mixy">It's Effing Cold Mixy</a><br><strong>Day 13</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/enthusiasm-for-young-adult-literature/">Enthusiasm for Young Adult Literature</a><br><strong>Day 14</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/5-of-my-favorite-well-written-tv-shows/">5 of My Favorite Well-Written TV Shows</a><br><strong>Day 15</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/things-i-learned-from-my-parents">Things I Learned From My Parents</a><br><strong>Day 16</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/snowjam-2014-grateful-for-all-the-helpers">SnowJam 2014 - Grateful For All The Helpers</a><br><strong>Day 17</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/cabin-fever-writing-prompts/">Cabin Fever Writing Prompts</a><br><strong>Day 18</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/10-signs-you-are-meant-to-be-a-writer/">10 Signs You Are Meant To Be a Writer</a> *<br><strong>Day 19</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/5-young-adult-books-i-want-to-read-in-2014/">5 Young Adult Books I Want To Read in 2014</a><br><strong>Day 20</strong> - <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/stream-of-consciousness/">stream of consciousness</a><br><strong>Day 21</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/being-an-artist-even-when-it-makes-you-feel-like-crap">Being an Artist Even When It Makes You Feel Like Crap</a> *<br><strong>Day 22</strong> - <a href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/open-mic-night-finding-your-voice">Open Mic Night: Finding Your Voice</a><br><strong>Day 23</strong> - A List of Things I Could Write About<br><br><em>* These are my favorites so far.</em>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25227652014-02-04T20:44:13-05:002017-01-13T08:53:11-05:00Open Mic Night: Finding Your Voice<em>30 day blog challenge - day 22</em><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/148c749b68299c1f521e0e2facd2ef95adf89e28/large/mic.jpg?1391564511" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" /><br>I love open mic nights.<br><br>When I was first getting started as a musician, open mic nights gave me a place to get some experience performing, which was great. They also gave me a place to meet other artists. And I found that every time I went to an open mic night, I left feeling inspired, often with ideas for poems and songs. <br><br>I started hosting open mic night at my favorite coffee shop, Cool Beans, in early 2012, and they were SO much fun. We had some really cool moments there. And when I heard stories from artists who had NEVER performed before, I really felt like I was giving people the opportunity to explore their art and gain performance experience, and that made me feel good. Like I was passing the open mic night torch.<br><br>I have started hosting open mic night again at Unity North, my church. So far, I've only hosted one, and it was a great experience with a wide variety of acts. (It also gave me a chance to play some of my songs--something I hadn't done in nearly a year.) As I am gearing up for the February open mic night there, I was just thinking about how appropriate it is to have open mic night at Unity.<br><br>So many of the talks on Sunday mornings at Unity are about finding your voice and expressing whatever it is about you that needs to be expressed. Open mic night is the perfect manifestation of this idea of self-expression. I am so grateful to have a loving, open, and accepting community where everyone is encouraged to speak their truths, and my open mic night feels like a nice way to give back--even if just a little. :-)<br><br>February's open mic night will be on <strong>Friday, February 28th</strong> at <strong>7:30</strong> (come at 7:00 pm to sign up). Unity North is located at 4255 Sandy Plains Rd, Marietta, GA 30066. The event will be free with a suggested $5 donation that goes to Unity North. And this month, we will also be raising money for the new Family Promise ministry. Family Promise is an organization of volunteers that help homeless and low-income families achieve lasting independence.<br><br>I hope those of you in the Atlanta area will join us for open mic this month. :-)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/25159942014-02-03T20:45:40-05:002021-05-20T04:33:10-04:00Being an Artist Even When It Makes You Feel Like Crap<em>30 day blog challenge - day 21</em><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/fee3304d3631fc1b8e04acf2c7620a344907f611/original/icecream.jpg?1391478884" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Almost every artist I know goes through an almost cycle of mood swings. We all have seasons.<br><br>There are times when it feels like we are totally rockin'. When we get standing ovations or it's 3 am and we've just finished that last round of revisions on the novel or we're singing our hearts out in our apartments or someone says "I heard your band on college radio and I had to come see you play!" or someone else says, "your play made me cry," or when we get a fat check or sell a bunch of CDs or when <em>we just feel like artists</em>. <br><br>Then there are times when we play shows for 2 people or when we get rejection letter after rejection letter or when we have to sit through a half-hour talk back where every person in the audience tells us how much our play sucked or when not even our own playwriting professor wants to produce our plays or when some pretentious asshole guy tells us our poems are too "didactic" or when we go in crazy debt to get degrees we can never practically use for employment or when <em>we just feel like artists</em>. <br><br>I go through these ups and downs so often as an artist, I'm sure it drives everyone who knows me insane. I was having a "down" day today, and then I thought I would turn it around and write a blog for my fellow artists. <br><br>So what do you do when you're having a "down" day? When you can't figure out why the hell you are still writing or singing or acting or painting or creating art? When you just feel like giving up? <br><br><strong>Allow yourself the meltdowns.</strong><br><br>There is no easy answer for this. It's not going to magically go away. Let yourself have a good cry and write down all of the reasons you hate life in your journal. Half of the time, when I'm feeling down, if I just let myself write out all of the bad thoughts--even though I know half of them have no basis in reality and are probably not true at all--I will almost always feel better. So have some ice cream. Listen to Morrissey. Give yourself 20 minutes to cry and write and cry again. And then take a deep breath and remember why all of the things you wrote in your journal aren't true.<br><br><strong>Just keep swimming. </strong><br><br>Once you've had your meltdown and taken a deep breath, all you can do is just keep doing what you're doing. Just keep writing. Keep singing. Keep painting. Keep creating. Don't let anyone get you down, don't let anyone convince you to stop, and above all, <em>to thine own self be true.</em> You are an artist. This is what you know, this is what you do, and this is what you are.<br><br><strong>You're going to do it anyway.</strong><br><br>Even if no one ever wants to hear your songs, are you <em>really</em> going to stop singing them? Even if you keep getting rejected, are you really going to stop writing? There is always someone who will appreciate your art. You will always have a reason to create art. And if it really is in you, you will keep doing it in spite of what anyone says or how miserable it sometimes makes you. Because at the end of the day, <em>you are an artist.</em><br><br>So chin up. <br><br>(And I'm writing this blog to myself more so than anyone else.)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24856582014-01-29T09:44:37-05:002017-01-13T08:53:10-05:00SnowJam 2014 - Grateful For All The Helpers30 day blog challenge - day 16<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b790670965107c04a055bac927b93d0838217bf3/original/atlanta.jpg?1391006508" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><em>Photo from the AJC</em><br><br>As most of you probably know by now, the entire metro Atlanta area is experiencing a Snow Jam. It's snowmageddon out there. Now, it's true that we only got 2.6" of snow yesterday, which may seem like nothing to you Northerners. However, let's also keep in mind that we pretty much have NO preparations in place to deal with this in Atlanta because it doesn't happen often enough for it to make financial sense for us to invest in these things. Also, yesterday morning, everything was normal so many people went to their jobs. School wasn't cancelled either. (There was, however, snow in the forecast, but no one was predicting it would be this bad.)<br><br>When the snow started coming down and roads started icing over yesterday afternoon, everyone left work and school at the same time. This resulted in many vehicles not being able to get around on the icy roads and other major highways and roads being completely JAMMED UP with traffic and stalled vehicles for HOURS. I have heard horror stories of people taking 8, 10, even 16 hours to get home in commutes that typically take 30 minutes to an hour. My dad was one of the lucky ones. His commute usually takes him around an hour with normal rush hour traffic, and he got home in 4 hours. I was even luckier in that yesterday happened to be one of my freelance from home days. (I have a "day job" three days a week, and the other two days, I do freelance work.) <br><br>After hearing all of the horror stories of people who were stranded at gas stations or grocery stores all night, students and teachers who were stranded at schools where busses were unable to take them home, and motorists stuck in their cars in the traffic ALL NIGHT (some of which are STILL on the road), I couldn't help but be grateful for the fact that I was safe in my parents' house with my parents, my brother, and my cats. As I was scrolling through my social media, I also couldn't help but be touched by all of the stories I was seeing.<br><br>Nearly everyone on my friends page was offering their home as shelter to those who were stranded near them. My church, <a contents="Unity North" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://unitynorth.org">Unity North</a>, was open to motorists, and they were serving coffee, food, and giving people a place to wait it out. My dad told me how people were all helping each other push vehicles so they could get past the hills. There were even people in our neighborhood going door to door collecting hot chocolate and other helpful items to give to stranded drivers. <br><br>So I just wanted to take a second to write about my gratitude. I am grateful to live in a city where people are willing to help each other. (Although, I think that people in any city would have done the same. You always hear these types of stories in situations like these.) And to anyone still stranded, I hope that you eventually get home safely! Hopefully, next time this happens, we will err on the side of caution and not expect our students and employees to go to work and school!Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24811092014-01-28T15:21:58-05:002017-01-13T08:53:10-05:00Things I Learned From My Parents<em>30 day blog challenge - day 15</em><br><br>Well, I have officially made it to the halfway point in my self-imposed 30 day blog challenge. Go me!<br><br>I do have to say that posting fresh content every day either here or on my writing blog has been a good thing for me. I have been attracting more readers and more web traffic. So thank you for reading!!<br><br>A friend of mine is now doing a similar writing/blogging challenge and posted some prompts today for the other participants. I decided to get a little personal (something I don't normally do on my blog here) and write a post today answering one of my friend's prompt questions:<br><br><strong>What positive, useful thing did you learn from your parent(s)/caretaker(s)?</strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/63d3667c6d5dccdacc3e340b7b4bd2164730682d/original/family.jpg?1390940189" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><em>Me, my parents, my brothers, and my younger brother's girlfriend at Christmas</em><br><br>My family is pretty close. When I hear about some of my friends who talk to their parents or siblings "every now and then," I realize just how close we are. We all speak on a regular basis--my parents and my two brothers--and I see them at least once a week. (They were kind enough to let me and my cats crash on the couch during the current Atlanta "snowmageddon" we are having because the space heaters in my bohemian apartment just don't cut it when it gets below 30 degrees. So I am actually writing this blog post from their dining room table.)<br><br>What positive, useful thing have I learned from my parents? <br><br>Well, there are really too many to list, but I will discuss three of the most important things.<br><br><strong>My parents taught me to always go for my dreams.</strong><br><br>When I was a kid, my parents encouraged both me and my brothers to participate in different types of activities, and they gave us multiple opportunities to do so. Once we each zoned in on our unique interests, though, they allowed us to pursue them freely. They gave me the opportunity to take dance classes, participate in theatre, sing with in the choir at church and the school chorus, etc. And they came to every dance recital, every chorus performance, and basically everything I ever did. (This trend has continued to this day, even when my band was playing in dive bars like Lenny's or I was in <em>Hedwig and the Angry Inch </em>in Augusta, Georgia, which is roughly four hours away.) When I told them I wanted to be an English major in college and when I told them I wanted to go to grad school to get an MFA in creative writing, they encouraged me and supported me. They believe in me as a writer, and they have given me countless opportunities that have made me the artist that I am today.<br><br><strong>My parents gave me a love for the arts.</strong><br><br>My parents are as obsessive and geeky about books/movies/TV shows/music/etc. as I am. They have always been this way, and that's obviously where I get it from. Sometimes, we obsess over the same things (like when we all geek out and watch a million episodes of <em>Game of Thrones </em>in a row). Sometimes, we obsess over different things. But my dad will listen to the same song over and over again on repeat because he loves it so much, and my mom has re-read the same books over and over again because she loves them so much. My obsessive geekiness is a huge part of who I am, and I either inherited or learned that from my parents. (Maybe a little of both.)<br><br><strong>My parents taught me how to love.</strong><br><br>We are all vastly different people in my family, but we all appreciate and respect each other as individuals. We can always be open and honest about our thoughts and opinions and what's going on in our lives, and we still love each other. I think I am a caring and loving person, and there is no doubt that that comes from my parents. My parents have been together for 34 years, and they gave me a great example of love to look up to. My parents are the most selfless and loving people that I know, and there is nothing they wouldn't do for their friends and family.<br><br>Not only have I learned many positive and useful things from my parents, but I am incredibly grateful to have such wonderful parents and to be part of such a great family.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24667052014-01-25T17:27:19-05:002017-02-03T09:48:42-05:00It's Effing Cold Mixy<em>30 day blog challenge - day 12<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/28b530b59f93d29589dfde4f7c5bc8a563ee3c4d/original/winter.jpg?1390688596" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em><br><br>I thought I would share my "It's Effing Cold Mixy" with you today.<br><br>I like to make mix CDs (or playlists) that I call "mixies." I make these for different moods, for different writing projects, and of course for different seasons. I always make a "Scent of Autumn" mixy every year. We've been having a REALLY COLD winter here in Georgia (as most of the US has, I'm sure), and this inspired me to make a mixy called "It's Effing Cold." <br><br>These are all songs that make me think of winter or being cold. Enjoy!<br><br><strong>1. Winter - Tori Amos </strong>This is pretty self-explanatory.<br><strong>2. Tether - CHVRCHES</strong> There is just something about the way her spacey vocals float over the guitar that makes me think of really cold, grey days.<br><strong>3. Bored Games - Wild Nothing</strong> Okay, ever since I saw these guys put on one of the WORST shows I have ever seen, I haven't listened to them much. But this song still reminds me of the Snowpocalypse of 2011 so I had to put it on here.<br><strong>4. The North - Stars</strong> <em>It's so cold in this country. You can never get warm.</em><br><strong>5. My Plants Are Dead - Blonde Redhead </strong>This is another one that makes me think of winter because I listened to it so much in the winter of 2010/2011.<br><strong>6. Frosti - Bjork </strong>You can almost just <em>see </em>the snowflakes dancing when you close your eyes.<br><strong>7. In the Hearts of Men - First Aid Kit </strong>This song is melancholy in a way that winter is melancholy for me.<br><strong>8. In the Pines - Widowspeak </strong>This song reminds me of the cabin fever boredom feeling you get when you have been inside so long because it's EFFING COLD.<br><strong>9. Open Waters - Moonlight Bride </strong>This song just <em>sounds </em>like winter.<br><strong>10. The Sound of Silence - Simon and Garfunkel </strong>I thought of going outside when it snows and it's so <em>quiet</em>, you can hear everything. The sound of silence.<br><strong>11. No Surprises - Antoine Coercy (</strong><strong>Radiohead cover)</strong> This instrumental version of my favorite Radiohead song is quiet and somber and makes me think of drinking hot chocolate and falling asleep in front of the fire.<br><strong>12. Child I Will Hurt You - Crystal Castles </strong>I think this song is beautiful, and it also sounds like winter.<br><strong>13. Bluer Than Midnight - The The </strong>A great soulful ballad to warm your melancholy winter night.<br><br><a contents="Spotify playlist" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://open.spotify.com/user/121100534/playlist/0dej7lo5VHjTULSXlmR7Vl">Spotify playlist</a><br><a contents="Youtube playlist " data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-IsiAfjhck&list=PL-cqq0cHrPPOhVRzOqJsQN0DZVumqbRoR&feature=mh_lolz">Youtube playlist</a> (this one's a little different because not all of these versions were on YouTube)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24574642014-01-23T20:55:35-05:002017-01-13T08:53:10-05:00The Art of Doing Nothing<em>30 day blog challenge - day 10<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/54d6410f5984d75d7af4b95acc9c0a8a0899798f/large/lazy.jpg?1390528350" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" style="margin: 5px;" /></em><br><br>I spent the majority of my time from 2003 to 2012 being BUSY AS HELL. I was almost always in school of some kind, working a job of some kind, and involved in some artistic project of some kind whether it was being in a band, making a film, producing a play, acting in a play, writing plays or poems or novels, or whatever other project I thought up. Sometimes I was participating in more than one artistic project at once! If I dated people during this time, it was usually someone who was either involved in school or the artistic projects with me. (Otherwise, how would I ever see them?)<br><br>There were a few breaks in between there where I was less productive, but I never really had a lot of "free time." At one point senior year of college, I had five classes, I was working a part-time job, I was doing an internship two days a week, AND I was writing plays on top of that. <br><br>Needless to say, when I graduated from grad school in December 2012, I wasn't really sure what to do with having so much "free time." I was still working a full-time job, but that wasn't enough apparently. So I participated in a musical. When that was over, though, it took me a long time to get used to having time to just do nothing. <br><br>At first, I would feel guilty any time I was just sitting around in my pajamas watching <em>Friends</em> episodes on DVD (all of which I have seen 900 times). But I have since discovered that taking the time to rest and "do nothing" is essential. Especially for creative people. Often, if I am stuck on a scene I'm writing, I usually have some epiphany about it following a day of sleeping and eating ice cream and then sleeping some more and then watching <em>Top Chef</em>.<br><br>Your body <em>needs </em>inactive periods to survive (i.e. sleep). Your mind does, too. Sometimes you <em>need </em>to watch mindless television. There's a reason it's called mindless, but it gives your mind a break, which can be entirely productive in the long run. Sure, there are healthier ways to give your mind a break like meditation or exercise or being in nature, but whatever it is, make sure you take the time to rest and relax. You can't be creative if you are constantly busy and/or stressing yourself out. <br><br>So don't feel bad about doing nothing. You don't want to let it get out of hand and be stagnant or apathetic, but only you can know how much time you need to rest and re-charge your batteries. <br><br>Now excuse me while I go sit around and make up songs about my cats.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24326382014-01-20T10:42:15-05:002017-01-13T08:53:10-05:00Celebrating Our Social Progress on MLK day<em>30 day blog challenge - day 7</em><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2758e22dc62088b7a1386c40ab108bc7f5d4a39b/original/mlk.jpg?1390232396" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>On this day we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and I thought it would be appropriate to write about gratitude for how far we have come.<br><br>There are so many activists who focus mainly on the problems of racism, sexism, homophobia, social injustice, etc. that still exist in this country. I definitely think we still have a ways to go to be an equalist society, and we<em> need</em> to stand up and fight for these issues. However, in focusing so much on the injustice in the world, we often forget how far we have come.<br><br>I look at our country and I see a nation that is wonderfully diverse, arguably the most diverse nation in the world. I look around and I see the freedom to have political arguments on Facebook. I see many states finally taking a stand for marriage equality. <br><br>I am grateful to live in a country where I can work and write and have tattoos and drive and vote and I don't have to cover myself or have a male chaperone at all times. I am grateful to live in a country of abundance. I am grateful to attend a church that focuses on the unity of all people of all different religions, races, nationalities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, etc. etc. <br><br>Yes, there is still a long way to go, and there is still much work to be done, especially in other parts of the world that haven't come as far as we have. But I think as we are fighting for equality, we should also stop and be grateful for the changes we have made, the success we have seen, the difference we have made. Just as we celebrate the life of a remarkable man who made such a difference in the fight for equality, we should also take a moment to celebrate the positive changes we have made as a society.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24298902014-01-19T20:01:21-05:002017-03-03T18:13:00-05:005 Places That Make Marietta, Georgia Awesome<em>30 day blog challenge - day 6</em><br><br>I don't talk much about where I live much so I decided to rectify that today.<br><br>I live in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia called Marietta. I grew up in Kennesaw, the suburb that is right next to Marietta, and I've basically lived in this north-of-Atlanta suburban area my entire life. <br><br>In Atlanta, there is a perimeter (285) that divides the metro area into "ITP" (inside the perimeter) and "OTP" (outside the perimeter). There are a lot of what I call "ITP snobs" (i.e. people who grew up in the suburbs, moved downtown when they turned 22 or whatever, and now act like they are way too cool for school) who constantly criticize everything outside the perimeter saying that all we have are Wal-Marts and Taco Bells, etc. etc. <br><br>I disagree, though. I moved to "downtown Marietta" about a year ago, and I love living in Marietta. There are a lot of really cool places within walking distance of me, and I thought I'd write about some of my favorites:<br><br><strong><span class="font_large">The Strand Theater </span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/cdc4ba8e975837cdc54035a34c636f4469eaadb0/large/strand.jpg?1390178890" class="size_l justify_center border_none" alt="" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" /></strong><br><br>This 1935 Art Deco theater was a music venue when I was a teenager, but then it closed down for almost a decade. It was renovated and reopened in 2009, and since then, I have seen many cool movies, plays, and bands in this awesome theater. They even have Brew with a View on the roof with live music and drinks when it's warmer. I played a Brew with a View with my band, Pocket the Moon, and I also hosted my <em>Driving Downtown to the Show</em> poetry book release party there. We also used the rooftop as the setting for our <a contents='"Rooftops" video in Pocket the Moon.' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX17Y15R2fI">"Rooftops" video in Pocket the Moon.</a> Needless to say, I have an artistic connection with this place. <br><br><strong><span class="font_large">Marietta Pizza Company</span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/26b5bbf66ec9f8bde98700a5631cffddfbb3e4be/original/mpc.jpg?1390179215" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></strong><br><br>I would argue the pizza from MPC is some of the best pizza in the metro Atlanta area. Aaammmaaazinnng. The atmosphere is great, the people who work there are friendly and offer great service, and did I mention the AMAZING pizza?<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Miss Mamie's Cupcakes</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/511266bf12bbd773a98fa3a803ffa78000557289/original/cupcakes.jpg?1390179369" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br>THESE CUPCAKES. GUYS. FOR REAL.<br><br><strong><span class="font_large">MacCrackens<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/6da2e4d4718f90c5bc5f9250b89f4dc324749ab6/original/maccrackens.jpg?1390179535" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></strong><br><br>This Celtic pub is always a great time. They host talented musicians on the weekends including many of my favorite songwriter friends. They used to have one of my favorite open mic nights in town. (Sadly, that is no more.) They have a really cool back patio area with a bonfire! They feature a divey side of the bar and a classier non-smoking side so you will have a great time no matter what kind of evening you're seeking.<br><br><span class="font_large"><strong>Cool Beans</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/9a4f6719ea7ebd488c15007979ddf0602e9d6faf/original/coolbeans.jpg?1390179540" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Anyone who has known me at all in the last 10 years will tell you that I love Cool Beans. I am a Cool Beans regular. When I only worked from home, I used to go to Cool Beans every single day to do my work, and it has played a major role in my studies (both undergrad and graduate scool). I have written the majority of most of my plays and the majority of my novel at Cool Beans, and the coffee shop is featured in a number of my poems. They roast their own coffee, and it's DELICIOUS. (WAY better than Starbucks!) The outside patio area is probably the best place to hang out in Marietta. <br><br>I also have sentimental connections to Cool Beans as I played my very first acoustic show there as a solo musician, I have played shows there with most of my bands, I used to host open mic night there, and many of my friends have worked there.<br><br><br>So there you go. Five reasons to hang out in Marietta.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24254362014-01-18T16:11:30-05:002017-01-13T08:53:10-05:00Being Comfortable with Being Awkward <em>30 day blog challenge - day 5<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a9d41a269315b4d6f0981c5e734d93d239328f84/medium/kyleawkward.jpg?1390077984" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" /></em>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em>What?</em></div><br>I'm a self-proclaimed awkward person.<br><br>I have always been an awkward person. Maybe it's because I'm naturally a very shy, introverted person, but I often put myself in situations that require me to be extroverted (performing, experiencing new art, trying new things, etc.) If you have ever seen one of my shows, you will know what I mean by my ridiculous stage banter. When I am on stage, basically anything could come out of my mouth. You just don't know. Sometimes <em>I</em> don't even know what the hell I'm saying on stage. <br><br>I'm also awkward because I have balance problems that cause me to do things like fall off of stationary motorcycles and stumble into walls and trip over things. I drop stuff all of the time, I'm clumsy, I often don't know what to do with my hands, I often feel extremely uncomfortable around new people, and sometimes my brain makes turning thoughts into verbally spoken words slightly impossible unless I'm given time to write it down first or I am talking to someone I know extremely well. Whenever I dance, it's weird and asymmetrical. I never know what to do in photographs which is why only the most talented photographers or people who know me really well ever take decent pictures of me and why I'm always making this face:<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e08216e97740899abe37bdacb9d35081650596b6/medium/prosebefore.jpg?1390078632" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Prose before hos!</em></div><br>So, yeah. I'm awkward. <br><br>But you know what? A lot of people are awkward. And over the years, I have somehow learned to be comfortable with my awkwardness. <br><br>This may sound like a contradiction, but I don't think that it is. Being comfortable with your awkwardness means being able to laugh at yourself when you say something really dumb. Being comfortable with your awkwardness means being able to turn tripping and almost falling into a dance. Being comfortable with your awkwardness means being true to yourself. <br><br>Because everyone has moments of insecurity and uncertainty and people who are "awkward" aren't afraid to be honest about that. There are some people who always seem so graceful, so confident. These people seem to handle every situation flawlessly, to always say the perfect things, to always look the perfect way. This is an illusion. Many times, these people are overcompensating for their own insecurities. Often, these overly confident people are actually more insecure than people who don't seem as confident. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/499aaef578e501d2e79da143b0cf60b566bea776/medium/june-cleaver-cleaning.jpg?1390079117" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I'm happy all of the time!</em></div><br>And it is possible to be awkward and confident at the same time. Look at Ellen. Her entire stand-up routine is basically about being awkward, but she clearly does what she does with confidence, self-love, and love for others. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/77d17c25b0fbe192e15250252f81a311b87c4940/medium/ellen.jpg?1390079348" class="size_m justify_center border_none" alt="" style="margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px;" /><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I'm Ellen!</em></div>
<div>(Ellen is sort of my hero.) <br><br>So, to my awkward sisters and brothers, I salute you. And I say embrace your awkwardness. Stand up and fall down and laugh and stand up again and say, "Well, you know." </div>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/24035032014-01-15T10:46:10-05:002017-02-03T07:50:20-05:00Is There a Wrong Way to Cover a Song?<em>30 day blog challenge - Day 2<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/dd39c36eac7daf0f6d217bcd99af29df271c0d1c/original/fallon.jpg?1389800833" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em><br><br>People are always telling me how I should and shouldn't be covering songs. "Well, in the original, the chords are actually different than the ones you're playing." "Actually, he never sang that line that way in the original." "Oh, well the vocal phrasing should be different there." Etc. etc. (Oh, and don't get me started on the brilliant criticism from the skilled virtuosos that are YouTube commenters.) <br><br>I know some people want to basically hear "Freebird" exactly the way Lynyrd Skynyrd plays it when that cover band starts up at the bar. I, however, do not. If I did, I could just stay home and turn the record on. Because no one is going to do Skynyrd the way that Skynyrd does Skynyrd. So why would you try to do a cover exactly the same as an original? You are probably not Bob Dylan or Tom Petty or Kurt Cobain. (If you are, please tell me how you came across my blog!) So why not make it your own? <br><br>I think the great thing about cover songs is that you can take a song you love and re-interpret it or re-discover it in a way that only YOU can. Turn it into a different experience for the listener. All of my favorite covers do this. Tori Amos took <a contents='"Smells Like Teen Spirit"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcHNZVrxEts">"Smells Like Teen Spirit"</a> and COMPLETELY reinterpreted it. Jonny Cash gave <a contents='"Hurt"' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go">"Hurt"</a> a completely new meaning. Laura Jansen made me like <a contents="a Kings of Leon song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBzcOUOY5YY">a Kings of Leon song</a>. Oh, and the <a contents="Jimmy Fallon doing Neil Young covering Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" with Bruce Springsteen" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/neil-young-and-bruce-springsteen-whip-my-hair/n16435/">Jimmy Fallon doing Neil Young covering Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair" with Bruce Springsteen</a> not only cracks me up but is actually (in my opinion) an amazing cover.<br><br>So next time you leave a comment on someone's YouTube covers, just tell them the truth, which is really only one of two things. "I like this interpretation" or "I don't like this interpretation." Not "you're doing the song wrong." Because, really, there is no wrong way to cover a song.<br><br>I will leave you with my oh-so-controversial cover of Florence and the Machine's "Shake it Out" which inspired such YouTube comments as "You have a lovely voice, though not for Florence and the Machine. I'd suggest Norah Jones," "you have a very pretty voice :) I would have liked it to be a little quicker. it seemed really slow, and boring almost. you're voice sounds like it'd work well with country songs. just a suggestion(:," and of course, the brilliant advice, "you have a nice voice but its like your off toon or something with a little practice or something i think it would be better."<br><br> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/71XY8J1_uBg" width="560"></iframe>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/23993962014-01-14T18:26:17-05:002017-01-13T08:53:10-05:0030 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1 - Re-connecting With MusicI like the idea of the 30-day whatever challenge. Remember those 30-day music challenges that were going around a few years ago on Facebook? Every day you had to post a song. Then there's the <a contents="30-day poetry challenge" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.facebook.com/30dpc">30-day poetry challenge</a>, which I have been participating in every year since it started in 2011, but I only actually wrote 30 poems last year. (The first two years, I gave up around day 5 or 6, I think.) Once, I decided for 30 days, I would have to submit something a poem, story, song, etc. for publicaition every day and post about it on my Livejournal (yes, I still have a Livejournal. I've had it since 2001!). These challenges actually force me to quit talking and do some of the things I'm always talking about. I'd like to be more active in the blogosphere so I decided that I would post a blog every day for the next 30 days. (I will split up the blogs between my personal blog, here. and my <a contents="writing blog" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com">writing blog</a> so that I don't post a lot of stuff that's not writing related on my writing blog.)<br><br>Anyway. So today, I'd like to write about how I've reconnected with my love of music.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/874a2193fc10c3e4026c776308ab6bd73d1ed41b/original/421130-3298913269018-1566453018-n-copy.jpg?1389741619" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><br><br>Many of you may have read my little <a contents=""I'm giving up music" post" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/taking-an-indefinite-break-from-music">"I'm giving up music" post</a> that I wrote last June. In it, I said that I was taking an indefinite break from music to pursue my writing career. While this was true, the part that I didn't really expand on was that I was just burnt out with music. I had gotten to a point where I felt incredibly disconnected from my songs and from my audience. I felt like no one wanted to hear my music, no one cared about my songs, my songs were too sad, etc. etc. And the thought of playing my music in front of people again filled me with so much anxiety. I just couldn't do it anymore. <br><br>Honestly, I was feeling pretty depressed about it. I just didn't want to sing anymore. Because it made me think of how I essentially failed at music. (Or at least, that's how I saw it.) <br><br>Ironically, I poured all of my energy into my novel, <em>The Muses</em>, which is <em>all about music</em>. Sylvia (the protagonist) is a musician, her father is a musician, her boyfriend is a musician. She is obsessed with music and music shapes how she sees much of the world. So I was taking a break from music, and yet, I wasn't at all. Because music is as much a part of me as it is Sylvia (that aspect of the novel is very autobiographical). <br><br>But it wasn't really writing about music that made me re-discover my own voice as a musician. A couple of days ago, I sang in a women's trio at my spiritual home, <a contents="Unity North Atlanta" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.unitynorth.org/">Unity North Atlanta</a>. I often sing in the worship team there, which is always fun, but something was different this time. I also started going to ukulele class at Unity and learning to play the uke, which led to my friend, Julie (the worship team leader at Unity) and me to write a chant called "God is Here" on our ukuleles. We performed it before service on Sunday, and it was <em>so much fun</em>. Then, we sang two songs in our women's trio with some really fun harmonies, and I was feeling so <em>joyful</em> the whole service. <br><br>I'm not sure if it was playing a new instrument, writing a fun chant, singing complex harmonies with two incredibly talented singers, or my determination to be more positive in 2014, but I am feeling <em>good </em>about singing again, about playing music. And when I was singing on Sunday, it was just about the <em>joy of singing</em>, connecting with the audience, and expressing something bigger than myself through music... which is what singing used to be about for me. I feel like I was missing that for a while, but it has come back. <br><br>One of the songs we sang on Sunday was "I Won't Give Up" by Jason Mraz. While the song is typically interpreted to be about a romantic relationship, Julie remarked that for her, it was about not giving up on her inner child... not giving up on herself. For me, as I was singing, I found myself thinking about not giving up on myself as a musician--on myself as an artist.<br><br>One of the joys of being an artist/musician/writer, though, for me is how amazing it is when my attitude towards art changes--when I learn something or grow as artist and how that often leads to my growth as a person. But then, I'm not sure how to separate the two. Sara, the person and Sara, the artist are one in the same.<br><br>Well, I guarantee you not all of my blogs for the next 30 days will be this long or this deep, but I thought it was a good way to start. I will leave you with a poem from my collection of poems, <em>Driving Downtown to the Show</em> (2012). This poem is a demonstration of not only my love for music but my love for writing about music.<br><br><strong>Ghost Party</strong><br><br>What are you doing Saturday night?<br>Cancel your plans!<br>You need to go to the abandoned<br>house on North Booth Road<br>for the ghost party.<br>It starts around 10,<br>I heard about it from Sherman after the Bitter End show.<br>Bring your own booze.<br><br>Janis will pull a harpoon<br>out of her dirty red bandanna.<br>Jim will show you<br>the way to the next<br>whiskey bar - don't ask why.<br>John will take you down<br>when he's going to<br>strawberry fields. Jimi will give you<br>that purple haze - all in your brain.<br>George will be there, too, while<br>his guitar gently weeps.<br>Johnny will be there, but he'll<br>still miss someone. Freddy<br>will tell you that nothing really matters. (Anyone<br>can see.) Sid will try to start<br>anarchy in the UK.<br>Michael will be avoiding<br>Billie Jean who can't stop<br>telling everyone he's the one.<br>Bob will be jammin' of course.<br>(I hope you like jammin' too.)<br>Kurt will get so high, he'll scratch<br>til he bleeds.<br>And Jeff will whisper to you his last<br>goodbye.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/21999432013-12-09T22:27:29-05:002013-12-09T22:28:54-05:00Top 10 Most Ridiculous Things That Happened in 2013(While I'm making end-of-the-year lists)<br style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">10. The amount of strawberry margaritas that were consumed</span><br style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">9. When the sound completely went out for 10 minutes during the Muse show at Centennial Park</span><br style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">8. Surviving a Georgia summer without central air</span><br style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">7. George R.R. Martin</span><br style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">6. When I fell off a stationary motorcycle and sprained my ank</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; color: rgb(55, 64, 78); font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">le<br>5. Michael Tillman sitting in as a guest artist with me on "Hipster Haircut" - the angry break up song I once wrote about him<br>4. The Village People performing at KSU<br>3. Saying "I wish I had a job within walking distance" one day and getting a job within walking distance in a week<br>2. When Morrissey cancelled like 1800 concerts<br>1. Anything Kanye West said</span>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/21915782013-12-08T12:16:06-05:002017-02-03T00:39:47-05:0010 Albums I Loved in 2013It's that time of year that all of us compulsive list makers absolutely love. I already made a list of my <a contents="5 Favorite Young Adult Books of 2013" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/five-young-adult-books-i-loved-in-2013/">5 Favorite Young Adult Books of 2013</a> over on my writing blog. <br><br>I have a grand tradition on this blog of posting my favorite albums of every year (here are my favorites from <a contents="2009" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/top-10-favorite-albums-of-2009">2009</a> - <a contents="2010" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/music-i-fell-in-love-with-in-2010">2010</a> - <a contents="2011" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/my-favorites-from-2011-part-2">2011</a> - <a contents="2012" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://saracrawford.net/blog/blog/seven-albums-i-fell-in-love-with-in-2012-even-though-two-of-them-are-eps">2012</a>), and I'm definitely not quitting anytime soon. There were <em>a lot </em>of great albums this year, and it was hard for me to narrow it down to just ten! <br><br>Spoiler alert: This is one best of 2013 list that Kanye West is not on. Because eww.<br><br>These are not in any order. It's hard for me to "rank" my favorites. I'll just say these are 10 albums I absolutely loved that came out this year.<br><br><strong><span class="font_large"><a contents="White Lies - Big TV" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://whitelies.com/">White Lies</a> - Big TV</span><br><br><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3d37d26c4d4276ee0366ad927a76a3537f7fc983/medium/whitelies.jpg?1386518961" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></span></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>For fans of Interpol, The Naked and Famous, The Cure<br><br><a contents='Listen to "Change" - my favorite track from this album' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trZrAKsBX30">Listen to "Change" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>This album reminds me of everything I love about 80s music with a modern twist. While "Change" is my favorite track, most of the album is actually pretty upbeat. (Of course, the sad song is my favorite.)<br><br><br><span class="font_large"><strong><a contents="Veronica Falls" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://veronicafalls.com/">Veronica Falls</a> - Waiting For Something To Happen</strong></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ef7181cb89b8cdbaa72bdef4f8d1c394dfb0ca14/medium/veronicafalls.jpg?1386519328" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>For fans of Wild Nothing, Twin Shadow, Slowdive <br><br><a contents='Listen to "Teenage" - my favorite track from the album' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A8yRqDIrBw">Listen to "Teenage" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>There is not a bad track on this album. It reminds me of <em>The Perks of Being a Wallflower </em>by Stephen Chbosky. Everything good reminds me of <em>The Perks of Being a Wallflower.</em><br><br><br><strong><a contents="Freelance Whales" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.freelancewhales.com/stream/"><span class="font_large">Freelance Whales</span></a><span class="font_large"> - Diluvia</span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/abfe2f9557e8a8178a950cb85fdb4ee38c90e6dc/medium/freelancewhales.jpg?1386519644" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>For fans of Givers, Stars<br><br><a contents='Listen to "Follow Through" - my favorite track from that album' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyeMCkRVRvQ">Listen to "Follow Through" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>This album will bring up the FEELS. At least for me. But I'm a sap. <br><br><br><strong><a contents="City and Colour" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://www.cityandcolour.com/"><span class="font_large">City and Colour</span></a><span class="font_large"> - The Hurry and the Harm</span></strong><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/5b968950ef06bef7be25ba477b04b929d00615a8/medium/citycolouralbum.jpg?1386519911" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>For fans of Bon Iver, Death Cab for Cutie<br><br><a contents='Listen to "Paradise" - my favorite track from that album' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqLj-TJDwoE">Listen to "Paradise" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>This album features some really great, great, great songwriting with lyrics that will hit you. Unless you don't have a heart. (OH!)<br><br><br><strong><span class="font_large"><a contents="Little Green Cars" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://littlegreencars.co.uk/">Little Green Cars</a> - Absolute Zero</span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7e67d1758dde15b03e255c3abbf1bc71524069d0/original/littlegreen.jpg?1386520477" class="size_m justify_left border_none" alt="" /></strong><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br>For fans of Band of Horses, Cranberries, Lumineers<br><br><a contents='Listen to "The John Wayne" - my favorite track from that album' data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJEVkuNsEi0">Listen to "The John Wayne" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>If you want to hear some AMAZING harmonies, unique and soulful vocals, and kickass songwriting, this album is for you.<br><br><br><strong><a contents="Guards" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://inguardswetrust.com/"><span class="font_large">Guards</span></a><span class="font_large"> - In Guards We Trust</span></strong><br><br> <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/guards.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/guards-300x300.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="guards" height="300" width="300" /></a> For fans of Best Coast, The Raveonettes, Girls<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmqTGCdgRBw">Listen to "Not Supposed To" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>When I got my hands on this album in February of last year, I had it on non-stop for about a month. I couldn't stop listening to it. Seriously, guys, it's SO GOOD.<br><br><br><strong><span class="font_large"><a href="http://www.smithwesternsmusic.com/">Smith Westerns</a> - Soft Will</span></strong><span class="font_large"> </span><br><br><a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/smithwesterns.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/smithwesterns.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="smithwesterns" height="300" width="300" /></a> <br>For fans of Cults, Deerhunter<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00xQOzrvV2E">Listen to "Idol" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>These guys are SO young. Seriously, they're like 12. And they're incredibly talented. This album was another one I couldn't stop playing.<br><br><br><strong><span class="font_large"><a href="http://www.editorsofficial.com/">Editors</a> - The Weight of Your Love</span></strong><br><br><a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/editors.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/editors.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="editors" height="300" width="300" /></a> <br>For fans of Echo and the Bunnymen, Interpol, The Killers<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC8e0-praSI">Listen to "Honesty" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>This album is amazing. Period. Recommended for fans of British whiny rock. (i.e. Morrissey)<p style="text-align: left;"><br><strong><a href="http://www.savoiradore.com/"><span class="font_large">Savoir Adore</span></a><span class="font_large"> - Our Nature</span></strong></p><a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/savoiradore.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/savoiradore-300x300.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="savoiradore" height="300" width="300" /></a> <br><br>For fans of Slowdive, Beach House, Stars, M83<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8HoCdn2z20">Listen to "At The Same Time" - my favorite track from this album</a><br><br>There is really nothing I can say that will explain how much I love this album so just click the track, people! (I know, I'm supposed to be a writer.)<br><br><strong><span class="font_large"><a href="http://www.shoutoutlouds.com/">Shout Out Louds</a> - Optica</span></strong><br><br><a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/optica.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/optica.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="optica" height="300" width="300" /></a> <br><br>For fans of The Cure, Peter Bjorn and John, New Order<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alDz_NCha34">Listen to "14th of July" </a><br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45YSGFctLws">Listen to "Illusions"</a><br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWJ--3Vfw9E">Listen to "Where You Come In"</a><br><br>I loved this album so much, I couldn't even pick one favorite track. If there was one album I listened to more than any other album, it was this one. I started annoying my friends, I was playing this so much. So there you have it. 10 albums I LOVED in 2013. It was a good year :-)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/18386012013-10-11T18:50:23-04:002017-01-13T08:53:09-05:00My play, The Snow Globe, has been published via YouthPlays <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/catandcrow-1.jpg"><img src="//crawfordwritingblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/catandcrow-1.jpg?w=298" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="catandcrow (1)" height="300" width="298" /></a><br><em>Photo by Nick Cittadino </em><br><br>My play, <em>The Snow Globe</em>, has been published via YouthPlays and is available on their website: <a contents="http://youthplays.com/play_details.php?play_id=282" data-link-label="" data-link-type="" href="http://youthplays.com/play_details.php?play_id=282">http://youthplays.com/play_details.php?play_id=282</a> The photo above is from a performance of one of the scenes that was done in Edinburgh at the University of New Orleans Creative Writing Workshop when I was studying abroad in the summer of 2012 in grad school. I made a little video where I talk a little bit about the play:<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sG9T2UVPL9Q" width="420"></iframe><br><br>Another thing I will add is that this play really means a lot to me. It's not just a fun <em>Harry Potter</em>-esque fantasy, but it's a play about self-acceptance, really. I love plays and stories where the protagonist gets to escape into a very different world and learns something about herself in the process, and that is the kind of play that I set out to write.<br><br>I hope that people will check out the play and that there will be productions in the future :-)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/14197652013-08-16T03:40:00-04:002013-08-23T23:35:23-04:00Writing BlogAre you looking for my recent post on writing tips? <br><br>
This has moved over to my writing blog at <a href="http://crawfordwritingblog.com">http://crawfordwritingblog.com</a> where I will be discussing some of my writing process, some writing tips, and giving some writing exercises.<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/10474682013-07-01T05:11:03-04:002017-01-13T08:53:08-05:00Taking an indefinite break from music<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e0392d581ffbfff88c5e9617848f16da3ad1b220/original/DrunkenUnicorn15.jpg?1372687869" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="488" width="477" /><br><br>
It seems like every time I go out these days, I run into someone who asks me when I'm going to play another gig. This is probably because I have always been in bands, always gigged a lot, especially during 2010, 2011, and most of 2012. I even booked a last minute gig this weekend. I ended up having to cancel the gig. The logical reasons were that I just had too much stuff to do this weekend--including some freelance work--and I was just overly stressed. But I think, also, it was more than that.<br><br>
It felt as though I had already closed that chapter of my life: the Atlanta musician chapter. And I realized that I just couldn't play anymore shows. At least, not right now. And when I thought about the show I just played at the Drunken Unicorn, it felt kind of like me saying goodbye. Goodbye to the Atlanta music scene. Goodbye to Pocket the Moon, to Novo Luna, to Long Absent Friends, to the Cult Following, to Ruby, even to Population 2. Goodbye to Katrina, Ben, and Riley. Goodbye to "rage against the ex-boyfriend" songs and "you broke my heart" songs and unrequited love songs and the occasional "we can transcend all of this shit through art" songs. Goodbye to the empty shows I played at the Earl. Goodbye to the Atlanta music critics who wouldn't bother reviewing our album. Goodbye to the beer at band practice and the jamming out when it's storming outside and "why weren't we recording that i hope someone remembers that was so awesome!!!" and me singing songs about skeletons in the closet because I couldn't think of any other lyrics. Goodbye to the bandmates I dated and the ones I didn't date and the ones who wanted to date me but didn't and the ones I wanted to date but didn't. Goodbye to doing shots of lemon juice and cayenne pepper and carrying around a dry erase board so I wouldn't have to talk when I was trying to get my voice back before the gig. Goodbye to everyone who told me my songs sounded the same. Goodbye to the cheers from friends when I held that long note on "August" or sang "And I will not be denied and doomed..." Goodbye to looking at the ceiling, thinking of David or Brandon, before singing "Too Late" or "For Brandon." Goodbye to Smith's Olde Bar, to the Star Bar, to the Earl, to Wonderroot, to Mulligans!, to the BeAtlanta house parties, to the Drunken Unicorn. Goodbye to white girls covering Eminem. Goodbye to condescending bloggers. Goodbye to the dancing guy who always held up his arms and yelled "BA BA BA BA" every time we played "Victoria." Goodbye to drunken guitarists falling over during guitar solos and going on with it anyway at jam parties. Goodbye to the countless other musicians I played with--the ones who inspired me, the ones who made me rock out, the ones who made me ask if that song was about oral sex, the ones who gave me headaches, the ones who made me dance, the ones who made me cry, the ones who made me sing along. Goodbye to <i>driving downtown to the show</i>. <br><br>
And on one hand, I was really sad about it. Because it felt like Atlanta wore me down. It felt like I was giving up because no one cared about all of my sad songs anymore. It felt like I was giving up on something that had always been a huge dream of mine. I felt like I had thrown in the towel, like I had been defeated.<br><br>
But then I thought some more about it, and it really isn't that I gave up. Music has always been a huge part of my life, but writing is an even bigger part of my life. I have been filling journals since i was 7 or 8. (I'm on journal #90 right now, and I've only been numbering them since I was about 12 or 13.) I have been writing stories and plays and poems since a very young age, too. I used to write plays and have the neighbors perform them in our driveway when I was only 8 or 9. And even in my songwriting, I always felt that above all, I was a story teller. And now here I am having just completed my MFA in Creative Writing, having just published my play, <i>The Snow Globe</i>, and with my young adult novel, <i>The Muses</i>, completed, which is--I think--the best thing I have ever written and I feel that I'm really, really close to getting a literary agent. I have always tried to do it all--music, writing, school, work. At times, I have focused more on one or two of these things than the others, but I have always been a person who is involved in multiple projects. I feel I really need to shift my focus, though, and put everything I can into writing--into getting this novel out there for the world to see. Into getting my plays on stage again. Into getting my poems published. And this is why I've decided to take an indefinite break from music. <br><br>
This doesn't mean that I won't ever write songs if I feel inspired or that I won't ever pick up a guitar at parties or jam with friends. This doesn't even mean I won't play open mic night at MacCrackens every now and then when I feel like bumming out the bar. (I mean, it is<i> right</i> down the streeet from me...) This doesn't mean that I won't post covers on YouTube sometimes if I feel like it. And you know, someday, I really want to be in another band, make another album, play more shows. I really, really do. And I'm certain that I will do these things again someday. But now is not the time for that, and it's not where my energy is. And I've been fighting that, but I think it's just time to accept it and not feel guilty about it anymore.<br><br>
It's ironic, though, because a large percentage of <i>The Muses</i> is about music. Would I have been able to write this novel if I weren't obsessed with music--listening to it 24/7, always scouring the internet trying to hear the latest releases from new bands or going back to old records I'll always be in love with? Would I have been able to write this novel if I hadn't had all of those experiences as a musician in Atlanta? In all of those bands, as a solo performer? No, I definitely wouldn't have been able to write this novel, at least not the way that it turned out. And I think one of the reasons that it will (hopefully) speak to people is because my passion for music is coursing through the novel on every single page. At least... that's what I hope.<br><br>
But as I am pressing the pause button on this aspect of my life, I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you to all of those people who have played music with me over the last 10 years. Thank you to everyone who has come to see any of my shows, to anyone who ever listened to my albums, to anyone who ever watched my videos on YouTube or listened to my music on iTunes or Spotify or Last FM, to anyone who ever played my CD in a bar or a coffee shop, to anyone who ever put my music in a film, to anyone who ever booked me at a gig, to anyone who ever invited me to a jam party, to other musicians who played shows with me and inspired me with their music, to the bloggers who were nice and the bloggers who weren't, to the critics, to the pretentious indie snobs, to the hipsters, to the real music lovers, to the people who just learned how to play guitar to get laid, to the techno geeks, to the rock n' rollers, to the angry metalheads, to the really nice metalheads, to the Christian rockers, to the country folk songwriters, to the experimental noisemakers, to the college and internet radio stations, to all of you. <br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/6386502013-04-30T04:01:28-04:002017-01-13T08:53:08-05:0030 Day Poetry Challenge - A Few Poems <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b6af9ae1a42bc401238942d4d358344a32077dfb/original/poetrystuff.jpg?1367326526" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="225" width="225" /><br><br>
So I just wrote my final poem for the 30 Day Poetry Challenge, and I thought that I would share some of my poems from this process with you. I was proud of myself for actually sticking with it and writing 30 poems in 30 days!<br><br><br><b>Free</b><br><br>
She's the kind of girl no one really knows--dancing<br>
alone at weddings with violets <br>
in her hair.<br>
She's everyone's friend<br>
and no one's <br>
as she presses a cigarette<br>
to her chapped lips<br>
and looks right through <br>
all of them.<br><br>
She's always a tourist, the permanent<br>
visitor--collecting them all like souvenirs.<br>
She keeps a shrine of red plastic cups<br>
in her pick-up truck<br>
to remember a life that was once hers.<br><br>
All of the boys think they're in love with her,<br>
but no one can be sure.<br>
No one can be sure.<br><br><br><br><br><b>Untitled Limerick </b><br><br>
There once was a man in MacCrackens,<br>
Whose tact was severely lacking.<br>
He sat on my knee,<br>
And whispered to me,<br>
“You’re hot, but you could use a smacking.”<br><br><br><br><b>Sleight of Hand</b><br><br>
He flips through the deck of cards, flings his colored scarf.<br>
I’m singing for absolution, getting lost in a Muse song.<br>
He would know what this meant if he paid attention. <br>
“Dream about me,” he whispers. My defenses are up.<br><br>
I’m singing for absolution, getting lost in a Muse song.<br>
He’s painting false visions in the air for his audience.<br>
“Dream about me,” he whispers. My defenses are falling.<br>
I see the white dove fly into the distance.<br><br>
He’s painting false visions on a canvas. I am his audience.<br>
They’ve tried to impress me before. I never fell for illusions.<br>
I see the white dove fly into the distance.<br>
I hold my breath, counting stars in the sky.<br><br>
I know this is an illusion, but I can’t make myself see it.<br>
The colors are changing, the shades are shifting.<br>
I’m shutting my eyes tight, counting stars in my mind.<br>
I’m getting dizzy. I can’t remain standing.<br><br>
The shades are shifting, the colors are changing.<br>
I would know the truth if I paid attention.<br>
I’m getting dizzy, can’t remain standing.<br>
Fling your colored scarf at me, let me pick a card.<br><br><br><b>Conversations With the Sky</b><br><br>
The violet petals flew in the wind,<br>
late into the day<br>
when the sun was beginning<br>
to make its way to the other <br>
side of the world.<br>
We are so egocentric, I thought.<br>
In the silent mist of evening, <br>
I sat on my porch, staring <br>
at the overwhelming sky<br>
in all of its spacious longing.<br>
Wait for me, I thought. I can be<br>
a little slow sometimes but I promise<br>
to remain still if you help me<br>
stay protected. <br>
The teal sky faded into <br>
tranquil darkness, the cautious stars<br>
making an appearance, winking at me.<br>
And for once, I was calm.<br><br><br><br><b>Carpe Diem</b><br><br>
In a crowd of strangers,<br>
you caught my eye.<br>
I remember that now<br>
even though it makes me<br>
cringe to know how it<br>
ends<br>
Carpe diem<br>
is being able to say<br>
“I’ll do it anyway.”<br><br><br type="_moz"><b>Sparks</b><br><br>
The Virgo lighter<br>
sits on my coffee table<br>
(even though I'm not a Virgo, <br>
not even a little bit.) <br><br>
It's running out of lighter<br>
fluid. When I try to ignite<br>
the flame, it half-heartedly<br>
attempts to form sparks.<br><br>
It looks like a normal<br>
cigarette lighter that<br>
you might hold up<br>
during the epic hair band love song,<br>
with your drunken arm<br>
around your girl<br>
pretending you'll still be together<br>
when the song ends.<br><br>
Once the flame was burning as brightly<br>
as the power chords that played<br>
while the lead singer wailed<br>
with his wild hair in all different directions<br>
smearing his eyeliner with beads of sweat.<br><br>
But now, it's just a shell, a memory<br>
that tries so hard to produce sparks<br>
but can't. <br><br><br><b>Sundown</b><br><br>
The sun sneaks out from behind feather clouds, shining shyly. Its radiance doesn't touch my skin and I pull my silver sweater over my chest. It's full of holes, I notice with a sigh. I hear the neighbors hiss at each other through hushed whispers on the patio and somehow I still miss someone, a stranger I've never known. When I close my eyes, I can still hear his voice speaking softly in a foreign tongue, whispering words of wisdom I can't yet understand. If I searched the smoky spring sky, damp with disappointment of half-hearted promises from the night before, would I find him sulking in the corner or shining with a vibrant spirit I've never seen before? The sun sinks down behind the feather clouds, dimly fading into a star-soaked evening, leaving me shivering, still searching.<br><br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/4932642013-04-09T07:50:00-04:002017-01-13T08:53:07-05:00My artistic process - the 30 Day Poetry Challenge <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/fb73fcbb6da5b97346bb14ab28c8aa27088a716a/original/poetry.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="0" width="0" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/fb73fcbb6da5b97346bb14ab28c8aa27088a716a/original/poetry.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="214" width="713" /><br><br>
I’ve been in a bit of a “waiting for something to happen” phase lately, mainly because of my novel. I just finished another round of revisions, and I am waiting for responses from literary agents--some of which are actually reading my full manuscript. I wanted to wait until I got feedback from them/the second round of beta readers before I started on more revisions so I'm not actively working on a larger writing project at the moment. <br><br>
I’ve also learned that I think I really need to be involved in two projects at once: one writing project, and one artistic project that is collaborative in some way, like a band or a play. This is really how it’s always been, but I’ve realized how anti-social I get when I am just writing, and I don’t think that’s healthy. I need the inspiration from being around other artists. I need inspiration from just being around other people in general. Everyone is beautiful and everyone inspires me in some way. <br><br>
I think this is one of the big reasons I did <i>Godspell</i>. I was really burnt out on the Atlanta music scene so I didn’t want to be in a band, and then my church just happened to be doing this musical that I loved. I had an amazing experience, and it has inspired me to do more theatre. I’ve actually even been going on auditions again. (Well, just one so far, but we’ll see how it goes.) Theatre is the perfect thing to do while I am in limbo with my novel. It gives me the opportunity to be artistic, creative, and collaborative, but it doesn’t take quite as much out of me as writing all of my “rage against the ex-boyfriend songs.” (And anyway, I’m really in a pretty positive place which means I haven’t even been writing many songs lately -- I guess I only write songs when I’m upset about something.) <br><br>
Luckily, while I'm sort of in limbo with other artistic projects, the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/30dpc?fref=ts">30 Day Poetry Challenge</a> on Facebook has started back up. It was started by a few of my fellow grad students from the University of New Orleans (all poetry majors), and this is the third year. To celebrate National Poetry Month (which is of course April), the idea is to write a poem every day based on prompts posted on the Facebook page. Poets are encouraged to post their poems on their own Facebook pages or the 30 Day Poetry Challenge page, but it’s not required. I have participated in this the past two years, but I never got through all 30 days. (A poem I wrote is actually even appearing in an Anthology of the first two years of poems.) So far, we’re on day 9, and I have written a poem every single day. I’m hoping I actually get to Day 30 this year. (And I'll be sure to post the favorite poems I've written in the challenge this year here on the website when the month is over so stay tuned for that.)<br><br>
Not every poem every day is going to be golden, but that’s not really the point. I love exercises and challenges like this. It reminds me a little of the writing marathons I used to do. In those, you get prompts and you HAVE to write for 5, 10, 20, or even 30 minute intervals. The point is just to write. You might not get anything usable out of the whole day, but you will exercise your writing muscles. And sometimes you have to write 18 pages to get to one really great sentence. But it’s all worth it, because in the end it’s not really even about the sentence. It’s about the process. And that’s how I feel about the 30 Day Poetry Challenge. It’s a challenge in the truest sense of the word. It is forcing me to step outside of my normal writing habits by making me do things I wouldn’t normally do. <br><br>
The most important part of writing (or any art form really) is just to do it. If you want to be a writer, write every day, even if it’s just two pages in your journal about how you stubbed your toe. Who knows? The emotion from that might lead to a poem or a short story. You never know where you will end up if you don’t start somewhere. Put the pen to the paper. Type on your keyboard. Write anything. Don’t care if it’s good or if people will enjoy it. Write for yourself. You can always edit and revise later if you want to make something more structured. Just get it down on the page. That is the best writing advice I’ve ever been given, and I think that is what sets those who want to write apart from those people who have writing inside of their blood. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/cbd8041747e2d0a69e4694dd1ef4d4dc6988c4c5/original/product_thumbnail.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="320" width="212" /><br type="_moz"><br><a href="http://www.lulu.com/shop/danielle-blasko-and-amelia-cook/ready-for-consumption/paperback/product-20943880.html">Click here to purchase <i>Ready For Consumption: An Anthology of Poems from the 30 Day Poetry Challenge</i></a><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/4130672013-03-26T08:43:32-04:002017-01-13T08:53:07-05:00Reflecting on Godspell - spirituality, theatre, community<i><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/44779f596d72257a408c0f9b463a026e0d6cec64/medium/godspellme.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="339" width="300" /><br><br>
A photo my fellow cast member, Liz, snapped of me last night at dress rehearsal</i><br><br>
As many of you know, I'm doing a production of <i>Godspell</i> this weekend at my church, Unity North Atlanta. <br><br>
I did <i>Godspell</i> ten years ago with Cobb Children's Theatre when I was a senior in high school. I have always loved the music and the overall energy of the show, though it is a little chaotic and random at times. (It's kind of like <i>Hair</i>. With Jesus. And without the nudity.) <br><br>
I haven't done a musical in so long, unless you count <i>Hedwig and the Angry Inch</i>. (I thought of the<i> Hedwig</i> experience, though, as more of a "band" experience than a "theatrical" one though--probably because I had a guitar strapped to me throughout the whole show.) Mostly, the past ten years of my life have been more focused on playwriting or writing in general and performing my own music, whether in bands or as a solo artist. <br><br>
So when I saw that Unity was having auditions for a production of <i>Godspell</i>--which is also the first theatrical production of this scale being performed at Unity--I knew I had to audition. I had literally just finished grad school, I was still taking a break from playing my own music in the Atlanta music venues, and I wasn’t working on anything artistic aside from novel. Also, I thought it was too coincidental that the production was going on literally ten years after I last did it. <br><br>
I don't plan on going to my ten-year high school reunion, really, but in many ways this production has made me more reflective about the last ten years than any reunion could. I keep remembering the CCT production of <i>Godspell</i>, and I keep thinking about how different I was then. <br><br>
The thing I have noticed the most was that my motivations for performing have changed. As a teenager, acting/singing and being in musicals is very much about finding yourself and finding your own voice. I think CCT was so important because so many of us essentially grew up in that organization--we discovered who we were underneath the lights of the Jennie T. Anderson theatre. So much of being a teenager and coming of age is feeling insecure and wanting people to acknowledge you, and when we performed in these shows, we got just that. We discovered who we were by pretending to be other people.<br><br>
Ten years later, after hundreds of performances in smoky dive bars and music venues and the vulnerability that comes with having my own words being performed on stage by different actors, I am able to approach acting and singing (and even dancing) in a totally different way. I'm no longer an insecure 17-year-old. I don't need people to tell me that I can sing or that I have artistic talent because I at least believe in myself enough to know that much now. I'm no longer going into a show thinking "I hope people walk out of this going 'Wow, Sara did a great job!'" I want people to walk out feeling inspired. I want people to walk out feeling a sense of joy, a sense of community. I want this show to resonate with people in whatever way they experience spirituality. And my personal goal is that I can add my voice and my talents to that. It’s no longer about my personal performance and my ego. It’s about the collective experience, the community. And that is one of the best things I have gotten out of my own spiritual journey that began when I started going to Unity regularly and reading Eckhart Tolle and meditating and beginning my own spiritual practice. <br><br>
My favorite part of <i>Godspell </i>(and maybe even the Bible) is when he talks about how you should store up your treasures in Heaven. I interpret this as saying "don't seek fulfillment on the level of the ego--in material possessions or in other people's opinions of you--because these things are fleeting and inpermanent. Instead, seek fulfillment on the level of the Spirit where we are all One because this is permanent." And for me, my whole experience with <i>Godspell</i> this time around has been a practice at doing just that.<br><br>
I think <i>Godspell</i> is all about building a community and coming together, and I feel like that's my main motivation for doing this show this time around. And I was thinking about how I have had some questions about doing such a Biblical show at Unity where we don't exactly have a literal interpretation of the Bible or even reference the Bible as often as traditional Christian churches. But then I thought about it in a new perspective. I feel like one of the main goals of Unity is to bring everyone together and create a community of love and celebrating God in whatever way is right for you. (I especially saw this a few weekends ago when they did the inter-faith revival and had speakers from the Muslim faith, the Hindu faith, the Buddhist faith, the Jewish faith, and the Christian faith all speaking about what revival meant to them.) <i>Of course</i> we should do this show at Unity because even though it <i>is</i> so Biblical, it is a perfect example of building a community of love and the celebration of God.<br><br>
I noticed the other day that life has also mirrored art, as it usually does. Julie, one of the cast members, was singing “Beautiful City” (one of my favorite songs in the show). It’s a song all about how we can come together essentially and build something beautiful and new together. And I think that is what we have done as a cast and crew. We are all incredibly different—the age range alone of the cast members is expansive. We have cast members in their 20s and cast members in their 70s and everything in between. Some of us are Unity members, some of us are members of Roswell United Methodist Church, and some of us are just members of the community. And just as Jesus has special hand signals with each cast member in the show to represent his relationships with them, every single person in the cast has inspired me in some unique way, and I have learned something from every person. As different as we all are, we are coming together and creating something new and beautiful. I think that is one of the things that I love so much about theatre—how collaborative it is. But it seems to have new meaning for me doing this particular production in this particular church. <br><br><i>Godspell will be performed Thursday, March 28th, Friday, March 29th, and Saturday, March 30th at Unity North Atlanta in Marietta - all productions are at 7:30 - tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors. Ticket information and other information available at </i><a href="http://unitynorth.org"><i>http://unitynorth.org</i></a><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411592013-03-06T16:20:00-05:002017-01-13T08:53:04-05:00Confession: I respect Stephenie Meyer<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/15706d79958a668f3c1ef9f82b54555c5bc38c13/original/forks.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="540" width="720" /><br><br>
This is a picture of me holding an apple in front of the Forks sign when my friend Lauryn and I stopped in this town on our way to the Hoh Rainforest. I thought it was appropriate for this post.<br><br>
I've been completely engrossed in the world of young adult fiction lately, working on my novel. I started describing my novel as <i>Twilight </i>meets <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i>, and it occured to me that that was actually pretty accurate. I felt like making a blog post about <i>Twilight</i>.<br><br>
Confession time. I like <i>Twilight</i>, and I respect Stephenie Meyer.<br><br>
Okay. Before you start disowning me (I'm looking at you literary snob friends), let me explain. First of all, when a close friend of mine gave me the first <i>Twilight</i> book to read, I knew nothing about it. It so happened that I was going through a really depressing and challenging breakup, and when I started reading, I was so wrapped up in the novel that I didn't think about my personal life. It was a complete escape for me. Being a huge fan of the Pacific Northwest, I could easily lose myself in a fantasy that had the magical forests of Washington as its backdrop. I felt this way as I read the rest of the series, too. I wanted to know what happened. I was engrossed in the plot. This is one reason I love stories. They can provide a complete escape from reality.<br><br>
Alright, I'll admit that the whole series does have serious problems from a feminist point of view. Bella is not a very strong female character. She has no aspirations of her own, really, and her entire world revolves around these men, etc. etc. And yes, it is also true that the series has issues from a literary standpoint, especially if you break down the actual structure of the book or if you start dissecting it. And sure, the whole "Jacob imprinting on the baby" thing still creeps me out, and I have issues with some of the religious messages that come across. Yes, I also think these novels may send a negative message to young girls about co-dependency. These are all true things and why most people dislike the series. <br><br>
The reason I respect Stephenie Meyer is that she created a story that she loved, a story she was passionate about, characters she obviously loved, and an entire world that millions of others wanted to escape into. Any true literary fan has to respect that much at least. There are a lot of younger people (mostly girls) who may have gotten into reading in general because of <i>Twilight</i>, and that is an amazing thing. And I don't think she consciously set out to be overly religious or anti-feminist or anything else. I think she just wrote a story that she fell in love with, and all of those other things subconsciously came through because of who she is and the things that she believes. And that is why I respect her. <br><br>
Spending two and a half years in classes with some pretentious students who were ALWAYS trying to impress everyone else with how witty or intelligent they could be in their writing, it was so refreshing to go back and re-read<i> Twilight</i>. Here is a book that a woman wrote simply for the sheer joy of storytelling, and that is definitely evident when you read it. She didn't care what people thought about it. She didn't care about all of these "literary rules." She just wanted to write a story about these characters she had a dream about and thought were interesting. <br><br>
Also, I am sick of negativity and criticism in general. Just let people like what they like. If<i> Twilight </i>makes someone happy, why is that a bad thing? And I think <i>Twilight </i>fans get more hate than usual because it is mostly females in the fandom. Other books/movies/TV shows that are predominately enjoyed by males are not criticized nearly as much, though they may be just as "low brow." <br><br>
So I was trying to capture everything I loved about the experiece of first reading <i>Twilight</i>--before I analyzed it from a literary standpoint and was simply engrossed in the plot--when I wrote my novel. I just wanted to write a story that was important to me. I just wanted to write a story about characters I had grown to fall in love with. And hopefully, other people will enjoy it the way I have. And maybe someday it will give someone else a much-needed escape from a bad breakup. And that's all I ever really want with my art anyway. <br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411282013-02-12T06:10:00-05:002013-02-12T06:10:00-05:00Finishing my MFA, rehearsing for Godspell, finishing my young adult novelI thought I'd update a little blog to tell you guys what's going on with my artistic projects! <br><br>
As most of you know, I graduated with my MFA in Creative Writing in December. (Yay!) My thesis play was <i>The Snow Globe</i>, a children's fantasy play about a boy who's inside of a snow globe. I also have a (very different!) romantic comedy one act called <i>Two Lesbians Stuck Inside of a Closet. </i>It's funny. I spent all of this time in grad school working on these plays, and yet, I haven't done much to get them on stage this whole time. Now that grad school is over, I'm going to make more of an effort to get my plays out there. I'm hoping to self-produce<i> Two Lesbians Stuck Inside of a Closet</i> at some point this year. We'll see!<br><br>
Also, I'm doing a MUSICAL! I haven't done a traditional musical like this in probably 9 years. (I don't think <i>Hedwig</i> counts--that's more of a rock show!) I'm going to be in <i>Godspell</i> at Unity North Atlanta March 28-30, and I'm really excited about it. I did <i>Godspell</i> ten years ago (wow, I feel old) with Cobb Childrens Theatre my senior year in high school, and I really love this show. It's also great to be involved with a production at Unity in particular, which is one of my favorite places to be. Speaking of, I'm finally becoming a member of Unity North on February 24th. I've been going there off and on for like 7 years and I'm just now becoming a member! I love Unity though because I feel like they really honor everyone's idividual spiritual path, and I'm excited to "make it official." Haha<br><br>
I haven't been very active with music lately at all. The last show I played was in August. I have a show on the horizon, though, at Drunken Unicorn in April. So I will keep you posted about that. I'm also hoping to start recording YouTube covers again soon. I have a bunch of "happy songs that I've made depressing." Haha. I call it Morrissey-izing a song. <br><br>
Some of my songs have been added to the EAV roster, though, so that's exciting! EAV is East Atlanta Village radio, the new online radio station from some of the Dave FM people. <a href="http://www.eavradio.com/">Check it out here</a>!<br><br>
The reason I haven't been very active with music is because I have been working on a young adult novel called <i>The Muses</i>. I just finished the first complete draft, and I've bene revising. The novel is basically a spin-off of my play, <i>Painted</i>, featuring Vincent and Izabella, the Muses from <i>Painted</i>. Here's the summary:<br><br>
16-year-old musician, Sylvia Baker, has always been able to see Muses—mysterious beings who give artists inspiration—though they seem to be invisible to everyone else. After a near suicide attempt, Sylvia manages to climb out of the darkness of her mind by exploring her own musical abilities with the help of Travis, inspirational guitarist and classmate, and Vincent, the alluring British Muse who becomes Sylvia’s obsession. As she travels further into the world of these immortal beings that influence art, she finds herself in the middle of an epic battle between the modern Earthly Muses and the Original Greek Muses—some of which want her life. <br><br>
I've been sending out queries to literary agents as I revise, and I'm hopeful. Even if I don't get it published in the traditional way, I will definitely be self-publishing. So either way, it will be out there for people to read soon enough. :)<br><br>
On top of everything else, I've been moving to a little apartment off of the Marietta Square. Because I apparently wasn't hanging out at Cool Beans or MacCrackens enough. Haha.<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411412013-01-09T05:55:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:14-05:00Seven Albums I Fell in Love With in 2012 (even though two of them are EPs) Well, even though we’re almost 10 days into 2013, I felt the need to write about my seven favorite albums from 2012.<br><br><b>Muse – 2nd Law</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2a456aa4a0a39801cef55e404c15f4427e3f6cdf/medium/2012albumMuse.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br>Everyone knows that I love Muse so I expected to love this album. While it’s still not my favorite Muse album, I really appreciate the way they experimented with dubstep in a way that was not annoying. Also, there are a few stand-out tracks that will really knock you on your ass, like the single, “Madness.”<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ek0SgwWmF9w" width="560"></iframe><br><br><br><b>First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/f51600c6dfb592b61d651d683cc4e121dc236570/medium/2012albumFirstAidKi.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br>This folk duo consists of two Swedish sisters, Johanna and Klara Söderberg. With their amazing vocal melodies and complementing harmonies and absolutely beautifully constructed songs with powerful storytelling lyrics, this album will take you on a journey.<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PC57z-oDPLs" width="560"></iframe><br><br><br><b>Beach House – Bloom</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1f18babc50e511bbf7e87cb1f1c165e0800722a2/medium/2012albumBeachHouse.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="277" width="300" /><br><br>This album is amazing. Everything Beach House has ever done is amazing. I want to have Victoria LeGrand’s babies. (Let’s just forget about the fact that that is biologically impossible and I don’t even want babies.)<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BfzFVbkutFE" width="560"></iframe><br><br><b>Moonlight Bride – Twin Lakes, Moonlight Bride – Dead Language</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4f2cb1dcb14d4af0cc6e0269e0d8e28b8e2777b7/medium/2012albumMoonlightTwin.jpeg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /> <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/141de9bb782774cc813bc38013baad9368d986d9/medium/2012albumMoonlightDead.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br>Technically, these are two EPs, but I like to listen to them back to back and think of them as one album. Really, I think of Dead Language as the sequel to Twin Lakes. Moonlight Bride is a Tennessee band that has seriously not gotten enough attention. These two EPs are filled with catchy songs like “Lemonade” that have some pretty solid hooks to heartbreaking songs like “Open Waters.” I can’t wait to hear what Moonlight Bride will do next.<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KuH6BNYTfMo" width="560"></iframe><br><br><br><b>Stars – The North</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/030f48e073ca9bae8011c29331b0a7e4007d3931/medium/2012albumStars.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br>Here’s another band I love. I must admit, though, I was a little disappointed with 2010’s The Five Ghosts so when I heard this album, I immediately fell in love. “Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It” is probably my favorite song of the entire year. This album has all of the great songwriting that made me fall in love with Stars.<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_9PYiIGAsM8" width="420"></iframe><br><br><br><b>Grizzly Bear – Shields</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c7c56e378eaad72c509347004293ad501fc72be3/medium/2012albumGrizzlyBear.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br>This was another highly anticipated album for me that certainly did not disappoint. If you liked the complex, mellow Veckatimest, you will love this album. Tracks like “Sleeping Ute” and “Yet Again” stand out for me. This album has a very nostalgic quality that makes me think of classic rock bands from the 1970s.<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hk3tURx8a2Q" width="560"></iframe><br><br><br><b>Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2b106d19b13380f0f0ca5cb1ce2227fdd932d800/medium/2012albumTwoDoor.jpg?1381154689" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><br>This was a new band I discovered in 2012. On the surface, this is a really catchy pop rock album. But when you listen more closely, you’ll discover deep, meaningful lyrics that point to themes of spirituality, especially on tracks like “The World is Watching” and “Remember My Name.” But “Sleep Alone” is probably my second favorite song from 2012.<br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YNXybY2DtwM" width="560"></iframe>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411472012-12-10T10:59:28-05:002022-01-10T02:59:28-05:00My TattoosIt's not often that I get personal on here. But I thought that I would post a blog about all of my tattoos and what they mean to me. <br><lj-cut text="Pictures and explainations"><br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000f9rr/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000f9rr/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>
This is the first one. (It's on my lower back.) I got it for my 20th birthday in 2005. It was mainly just to represent my love of music and the fact that I have soul and passion in everything that I create. That is the one thing that is probably the most important to me. I think you need technique in any art form, but more importantly, you need soul. You need emotion, you need passion, you need something that you believe in strongly. Ideally, a good song/play/film/painting/poem/etc. will be the perfect combination of craft/technique and passion/soul/emotion. But this tattoo was basically me saying that while I may sometimes lack craft/technique, I will never, ever lack soul. Even beyond art, though, it's just about my passion for life, which is most apparent in music and the way that I experience/share/play/create/listen to it. <br><br>
Then in the summer of 2006, I got sort of a trilogy of tattoos, representing the three bands/musicians that have meant the most to me.<br><br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000gp55/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000gp55/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>
This is a very subtle reference to "Mayonaise" by the Smashing Pumpkins - When I can, I will - along with the bull symbol on the back of my neck because I am a Taurus. It's really a tattoo that describes my determination. If there's any possible way for me to do something I want to do, I will. I'm not a HUGE believer in astrology, but I do like the idea of "the bull" and the Taurus having more perserverence and determination. This idea of the bull during the bullfight - bleeding and dying and yet he still charges on until the very end. This tattoo is also a symbol of everything I feel when I hear "Mayonaise" - there's so much pain and sadness in that song and yet somehow - in spite of all of that - there's acceptance. (The picture isn't great because I tried to take it of myself. Haha.)<br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000hrgk/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000hrgk/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>
The next tattoo that I got that summer was this Radiohead bear, and the lyrics, "Immerse your soul in love" (which are of course Radiohead lyrics.) Not only does this tattoo represent my love for Radiohead, but it reminds me to do just that, immerse my soul in love.&nbsp;Choose love instead of fear.&nbsp;I got this one facing me so that I could easily read the lyrics as it was really a message to myself. (In a way, you could say that all of my tattoos are a message to myself or reminding me of something I need to remember.)<br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000pqky/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000pqky/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="255" /></a><br><br>
The next tattoo is a picture of Morrissey on my leg. Underneath him, it says, "Don't forget the songs that made you cry and the songs that saved your life." Morrissey/The Smiths were that for me. When I was younger (19 or 20), whenever I was feeling incredibly depressed and alone, I would listen to Morrissey or The Smiths and <i>know</i> that I wasn't. Someone else understood, somewhere. And while it seems like we're all isolated, we're all going through these things together, we're all feeling the same emotions. And in our seeming isolation, we're actually connected.<br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000q8zb/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000q8zb/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>
I got this tattoo in October 2006 shortly after I began a new relationship. I am a Taurus with a Cancer rising, and he was a Cancer with a Taurus rising, so we each got this symbol. Matching tattoos. Underneath his, he has my lyrics, "Please just let me try to consume you," (from "Let Me Try" which I sang with Ruby), and underneath mine, it said "Come fly away with me tonight," which is from the My Brightest Diamond song, "Dragonfly." While our relationship didn't work out, I don't regret getting the tattoo because it was what I was feeling at the time, and it was something I went through. Something that made me who I am.<br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000rkh6/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000rkh6/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br>
In the summer of 2010, I got this tattoo. It's from<i> Hedwig and the Angry Inch</i> and the lyric is from the end of "Midnight Radio." I had just played Yitzhak in the play, and the play/film has been such a huge part of my life. (In the summer of 2003, my friends and I went to see the performance of <i>Hedwig</i> at Actor's Express at least 30 times! We were officially the show groupies.) But the main reason that I got this tattoo and that I got those lyrics is because, like Hedwig at the end of the film/play, I have learned that I don't need an "other half" to be complete. I am complete in myself. "Lift up your hands," is a celebration. I'm celebrating being who I am, like Yitzhak who finally gets to be who s/he is at the end of the play. I'm celebrating life. I'm celebrating wholeness.<br><br><a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000s95a/"><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/theindiequeen/pic/0000s95a/s320x240" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="320" /></a><br><br></lj-cut>Also in the summer of 2010, just before I went to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico to start graduate school, I got this tattoo. It's a quill (obviously) with the line, "And I must borrow every changing shape to find expression." Not only is that one of my favorite lines from T.S. Eliot, a line that was also referenced in <i>Painted, </i> my first produced play, but it is so symbolic of everything in my life. I had wanted this tattoo for quite a while since I've always been obsessed with writing, but I felt that a few days before I left for Mexico to start work on my creative writing MFA was the appropriate time. Even more perfectly, this tattoo now covers the zodiac tattoo that represented a failed relationship. Because out of love and heartbreak and pain comes creation. You must use every experience - borrow every changing shape - to learn and grow and create. I don't think of this as "covering up a mistake" - I think of it as a "rebirth" of the tattoo. I can still see the outline of the symbol from the previous tattoo. I know that underneath it's still there. Because underneath any work of art, there is pain and heartbreak and emotion.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/127bf0693c55f8da250bab0ab4f259d8f358d04a/medium/thereisalight1.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="162" width="300" /><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/0c5784b7a2c879cc4817d73b7766d3d0ca05a055/medium/thereisalight2.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="126" width="300" /><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/39f19f5faff16e1b33a84058b1fa54ad4ea69044/medium/thereisalight3.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="128" width="300" /><br><br>
So just as I got a tattoo when I began grad school, I got another tattoo last weekend now that I have finished my Master's degree. It was sort of a present to myself. <br><br>
There is a light that never goes out. This could mean so many things. There's a quote from Morrissey where he says, "When you’re a teenager and in your early twenties it seems desperately eternal and excruciatingly painful. Whereas as you grow older you realise that most things are excruciatingly painful and that is the human condition. Most of us continue to survive because we’re convinced that somewhere along the line, with grit and determination and perseverance, we will end up in some magical union with somebody. It’s a fallacy, of course, but it’s a form of religion. You have to believe. There is a light that never goes out and it’s called hope." So based on this, I think the song is about the hope that one day you will fall in love -- or someone will fall in love with you or both. The hope for love. That is light that never goes out. In another way, though, I see hope in general as being the light that never goes out. No matter how bad things get, no matter how dark it is, there is hope that tomorrow will be better. There is a light that never goes out.<br><br>
Of course, I have always loved this song -- I even cover it sometimes -- and the tattoo is a symbol of my love for not only song but my love for art in general (as all of my tattos are in some form), but it's also a reminder that there is always hope - there is always love - there is always art. <br><br>
You could also take it one step further and say that there is something eternal in all living things that never dies and that is the light that never goes out. There is a way to metaphysically read anything! <br><br>
And really, you can kind of say "we are all isolated and yet connected through art" is the theme of all of my tattoos. This is also why I was so obsessed with "The Waste Land" when I finally understood how that poem more effectively expressed that theme than any other piece of art I know. <br><br>
So those are my tattoos. Clearly, I'm a big fan of tattoos (much to the dismay of my parents), and all of mine really mean a lot to me. I have clear patterns and themes with all of my tattoos - they all reference some kind of art or an aspect of art - they all have words - they're all in black ink (with the exception of the quill which has "red ink" spilling out of the ink bottle). And they're all pieces of me. The most appealing thing to me about tattoos is that they give you an opportunity to reflect your values, your personality, and the things that are important to you in your appearance. And there's something romantic to me about having all of this music and art etched into my skin.<br><br><br type="_moz"><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411422012-10-10T13:57:04-04:002017-01-13T08:53:01-05:00Updates (Sara, where the hell have you been?)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a2e7bc68949f942e778fc90e57b78d08257e8597/medium/mozzy.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="325" width="300" /><br><br>
It's been a while since I've posted anything on here so I decided to start this with a picture of Morrissey. Because, why not? I think we all need a little Morrissey in our lives.<br><br>
I've been super busy trying to finish up my MFA--I've got my big comprehensive exam coming up and my thesis defense. (My thesis is my play <i>The Snow Globe, </i>which I'm feeling pretty good about.) This is why I have sort of fallen off the face of the Earth. (Unless you come to Cool Beans, where I will probably be reading or writing.) I also started working on a young adult novel. I was so in love with the Muses from my play <i>Painted</i>, Vincent and Izabella, I wanted to keep writing about them. And I felt like the young adult format was a good place to do that. Because really, have I ever grown up past the age of 17? Um, probably not. (Have I grown up past the age of 8, some people might ask. I do have a Peter Pan complex. As anyone who saw my short film, <i>Leapfrog</i>, or heard my song, "Peter's Lament" knows. But shhh.) So anyway. I feel like maybe I have found my niche. <i>The Snow Globe</i> is a children's play, I'm working on a new young adult novel, and well, maybe I just like being immature. <br><br>
Things are looking up for me, though. I am starting to see the light at the end of the grad school tunnel, I got a new job today where I will be able to learn and grow in the field of internet marketing/SEO, which is a great thing for a writer to get into. (There's a lot of writing web content involved.) And I'm hoping that I will be able to get back into music--playing shows and recording songs--when I graduate and all of that settles down. I have a lot of new songs (well..."new" as in they aren't on my solo album or the Pocket the Moon album...) and I'm hoping to record another solo album (but this time with backing musicians!) some time in the next year or two...I have a lot of ideas kicking around. But you know me, I always have 8 million things going on. <br><br>
One of the great things I have enjoyed about taking some time off with music is that it has given me more time to enjoy and support other artists. Here's one you should check out!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d1df76b8644882d3c15ebf5cbb5dab727a6b90de/large/VOB.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="399" width="600" /><br><br>
My friends over at Verge of Bliss recently released an EP and it will rock your face off. Seriously. I feel like there is a raw, pure "rock" quality that Verge of Bliss has that is unique in the local Atlanta scene. <a href="http://vergeofbliss.bandcamp.com/">Check out their EP here</a>. <br><br>
You can catch Verge of Bliss at Star Bar in November. They'll also be touring Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, so check out their dates if you live in those states. <br><br><a href="http://vergeofbliss.com">Official Verge of Bliss Website</a><br><br>
I'm going to try to post some YouTube covers in the next few weeks. I need to stay sharp even though I'm not playing shows right now, and that will definitely help! Plus I have a few cool covers I've been playing lately that I'd like to share with you guys.<br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411562012-09-04T13:35:00-04:002017-01-13T08:53:03-05:00Creative Writing Classes: Poetry and Playwriting - ages 12 - 17 <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7b66bdf73cd00b6a8b2844cbc4f42f4c3abfefaf/original/Writing_by_dybern.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="922" width="600" /><br><br><a href="http://dybern.deviantart.com/art/Writing-72700456"><i>Writing</i> by dybern from DeviantArt</a><br type="_moz"><br>
Hello blog readers!<br><br>
I will be teaching creative writing classes at Arts of Cobb for students ages 12 - 17 starting September 27th. <br><br>
Here's the complete information. Please pass this along to any students who may be interested!<br><br>
Also, actors - if you are interested in being in the staged readings at the end of the playwriting class, please e-mail me at sara@saracrawford.net <br><br><br>
Creative Writing Classes <br>
Arts of Cobb<br>
19 Powder Springs St<br>
Marietta, GA 30064<br>
Located on the Marietta Square<br><br>
Taught by Sara Crawford <br>
Ages 12 – 17 <br><br><b>Poetry Writing - 6 weeks - $99</b><br>
Thursdays 7:00 - 8:00 pm <br>
September 27th - November 1st<br><br>
Students will learn techniques of poetry writing, share their poetry with fellow students and get feedback on poems, and learn about poetry publication opportunities and how to submit work for publication. This 6-week course will end in the students sharing their work in a poetry reading performance. <br><br><b>Playwriting - 6 weeks - $99</b><br>
Mondays 7:00 - 8:00 pm <br>
November 8th - December 20th (no class on Thanksgiving)<br><br>
Students will learn techniques of playwriting, share their plays with fellow students and get feedback on plays, learn about playwriting opportunities, playwriting contests and festivals for students, and learn how to submit work for production and publication. This 6-week course will end with a staged reading performance of short plays written by students.<br><br>
Sign up for one class for $99 or both classes for $189. <br>
E-mail info@artsofcobb.com or call 770-425-9660 to sign up<br><br>
About the teacher:<br><br>
Sara Crawford is a published poet and produced playwright. She has two chapbooks of poems, <i>Coiled and Swallowed </i>and <i>Driving Downtown to the Show</i>, currently published, and she has published many individual poems in publications such as <i>Aries: a journal from Texas Wesleyan University, Illogical Muse</i>, and <i>Ceremony</i>. Her plays have been performed throughout the Atlanta area, and in 2011, her play, <i>The Spins</i>, was a finalist in the Essential Theatre's Playwriting Contest. She has a BA in English from Kennesaw State University, and she is currently in her last semester of her graduate program, pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Playwriting in the University of New Orleans Low Residency program.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411522012-08-12T13:20:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:15-05:00Albums I love: Halfway Down the Sky - Splender (1999) <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/70865c3bb46d5abb2259084029528353fa3ddef9/original/Splender-FRONT.1999.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="500" width="500" /><br><br>
I feel like I have relationships with albums. Actual relationships, I mean. It's not some fictional relationship I have created in my mind with the artists themselves, but it's an actual relationship with the <i>songs </i>if that makes sense. I can completely be in love with someone's music but think they are an asshole in real life. (Like Billy Corgan?) (Even though I don't actually <i>know </i>him in real life. But anyway.) <br><br>
So I decided to start a new blog series called Albums I Love where I can basically go on about some of these albums and my relationships to them for anyone who may be interested. I don't usually get too "personal" here in the SaraCrawford.net blog, but I feel like sharing my relationships with these albums with you all is even more personal than if I were to discuss my relationships with actual people. <br><br>
Today, it's <i>Halfway Down the Sky</i> by Splender.<br><br>
I was obsessed with this album back in 1999/2000 when I was 14/15. It wasn't one of the particularly popular albums of 1999. My friends and I heard "Yeah, Whatever" (the single) on the radio a couple of times. But this is one of those late 90s one-two hit wonders whose album I TOTALLY fell in love with. (Like Semisonic, Ours, VAST, etc.) (Not that I would necessarily call VAST or Ours one hit wonders, but I think they only had one single each on mainstream radio--I won't even call them "hits" as I'd say the "majority" of people didn't actually hear them.) <br><br>
I re-discovered this album today as I was driving home from North Carolina. It was like seeing an old friend after a long time and being reminded of parts of myself I had completely forgotten about. And yet, at the same time, it was a different album.<br><br>
That's the sign of a good album. You can listen to it 13 years later, and not only is it still good, but you hear different things in the songs. These are the albums you can re-visit time and time again.<br><br>
The thing I love most about this album is the raw emotion. Singer/songwriter, Waymon Boone, sings with such unadulterated honesty and passion from the very first track on the album, "I Don't Understand." He sings, "suppose the feelings real/you'd never know/suppose it's what you feel/you'll never know/that's what I don't understand/that's what I don't know" with such simplicity and frustration. The fierce, yet simple alternative rock guitar and the thumping drums back him up, and it's not hard to see where a 14-year-old could relate to this song. <br><br>
The songs are well constructed, well played, yet simple. The lyrics are the same. Completely relatable, but simple. Some of the songs can almost be interpreted any way you want to interpret them. (Like "Cigarette" or "London.") Yet in the midst of all of these well-constructed, simple pop rock songs, Boone's intense passion shines through. Is it the way he belts soulfully with incredibly strong vocals? Is it more than that? I don't know, but it's <i>something.</i><br><br>
When I was 14, my favorite tracks on the album were the tracks like "I Don't Understand," "Yeah, Whatever," "I Think God Can Explain," and "Wallflower." "I Don't Understand" and "Yeah, Whatever" mirrored my own teen angst, I think. 14 going into 15 is a difficult time. You're trying to figure out where the hell you fit in, you feel like you're an adult who knows everything but you actually haven't a clue what you're doing. There's a lot of emotions going on. The ups and downs of this album mirrored that perfectly. "Wallflower" was my theme song. Being a wallflower myself, I would crank up the volume on my CD player and sing along with Boone, "Nobody understands/wallflower/Nobody gives a damn/wallflower." Isn't that the crux of being a teenager? Feeling like no one completely understands you? Well, this album always understood me in those moments.<br><br>
"I Think God Can Explain" is of course the love song/ballad that is required for any late 90s somewhat commercially successful pop rock album. When I was 14 and in love with the idea of love (without actually understanding what it meant at all), I loved this song because, to me, it <i>sounded</i> like how someone might actually feel if they were in love. Boone sings, "It's alright, I'm okay/I think God can explain/I believe I'm the same/I get carried away," while melodic guitars and vocal harmonies carry the listener away. <br><br>
Listening to this album today, though, I had a different experience. I still loved all of the songs I used to love. "Yeah, Whatever" and "Wallflower" reminded me of that 14-year-old trying to figure out where she fit in. And yet, some of the songs I never really "got" before really spoke to me this time, like "Supernatural." <br><br><i>Beautiful feather hovering overground</i><br><i>We're similar<br>
We're both being pushed by the wind<br>
Through the air <br>
To wherever<br><br></i>This song, to me, is about how we're all connected - with each other, with nature, with all life. This is a very "new age" idea that I didn't actually get into until much later when I started checking out the New Thought movement. In the song, the speaker reflects on how he's similar to a feather floating in the air, the words lying in the grass, and then he belts out:<br><br><i>And the sun is my best friend<br>
And the earth opened up to me<br>
We've been separate for so long<br>
So long...<br><br>
We fell far from this tree<br>
For so long<br>
We crawled out of this stream<br>
For so long<br><br>
What's become of you?<br>
What's become of me?<br>
It's okay, it's okay<br>
It's part of everything</i><br><br>
Here the speaker is reflecting on the illusion that everything is separate and reassuring the listener that it's actually alright because we're all connected. The sun is his best friend. It's all part of everything. Everything has its place. I never would have interpreted this song that way in 1999, but I couldn't hear it any other way today. <br><br>
And when I listened to "I Think God Can Explain" today, I heard it entirely differently. The speaker is overwhelmed and confused and in love and perhaps conflicted about the fact that he's in love. There's no logical way to explain anything that's happening to him, and so he says "I think God can explain." There's no possible way that he will be able to understand what he's feeling, but maybe God/The Universe can. And the song <i>does </i>still sound like "falling in love", but today, I heard a lot more of how it mirrors the emotional roller coaster that comes along with that. <br><br>
Here are some YouTube links so you can hear some of these songs, though I encourage you to listen to the whole album so you can get the whole emotional arch. You will most certainly not have the same experience with these songs as I do, but maybe you will hear something else. That's the beauty of music and art. It teaches us all something different. <br><br><br><br type="_moz"><br type="_moz"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fw0GiDHX6Q0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OUeUB0hTfus" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jFtspGmnrcc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411502012-07-22T04:55:00-04:002012-07-22T04:55:00-04:00There's a strange feeling I get when riding on a bus in another countrySo, I should be working on my paper for my Scottish Lit class, but naturally, I decided writing a blog was more important…or I’m procrastinating. Or maybe a little of both.<br><br>
I was sitting on the bus to Inverness on Friday, and I ended up writing nearly 20 pages in my journal. This was partially because I hadn’t written in my journal in three days, and three days here is like a month in “real life.” (I keep referring to life in Atlanta as “real life.” Example: “Oh, I wouldn't do this in real life!”) These study abroad programs are like a month-long dream. Filled with writing and art and celebrating and connecting and seeing and experiencing and living. Ideally, every day should be like that, I think, and I feel like maybe at one point it was for me. I feel like in the months before I came here, though, it definitely wasn’t. I felt lonely and depressed. I wasn’t inspired to create nearly as much as I normally am. My freelance work slowed down so much so that I had to break my lease and move out of my apartment. There were a lot of “I need to get it together” moments. It was a lot of feeling like a loser, sitting on the couch, eating Cheetos. (Okay, I never literally ate Cheetos, but you get the idea.)<br><br>
Coming to Scotland for this study abroad writing workshop was the absolute best thing I could have done. I feel completely refreshed as a writer and as a person in general. I feel more like myself now. I laugh and have inside jokes. I take risks. I’m more positive, more open. I’m more accepting of myself. Yes, I write sad songs, and they make me feel happy. And some people aren’t into that, and that’s really okay. Because Morrissey writes sad songs and some people hate Morrissey. But then there are people like me who have Morrissey tattoos and see the beauty in his songs. And they aren’t even sad songs to me. They’re love songs. And really, all of my songs and plays and poems are just love songs at heart. It may be unrequited love or “I want to stab myself in the face” love, but it’s love nonetheless. <br><br>
So getting back to the bus ride to Inverness. It was nice to have a little time to reflect and process everything that has happened so far on this trip, which was mostly what I was doing in my journal. There is a strange feeling that I get when I’m riding on a bus in another country. (Alright, this has only happened in one other country—Mexico—but still.) I look out at the passing fields and mountains and sheep and rivers and lakes (or lochs!) and every place is unique, and yet, it’s all the same. It’s all underneath the same sky, the same sun and moon and stars. It reminds me of how we’re all connected. Everyone is simultaneously isolated and connected—like in “The Waste Land”—and it’s beautiful.<br><br>
I truly believe that every person who ends up in your life—whether it’s for decades or an hour—is there to teach you something in one way or another. And vice versa. We’re all carrying around pieces to everyone else’s puzzles. I feel like coming to Scotland and interacting with all of these amazing writers from many different places has reminded me of that. I’ve really been inspired by people here, even if they don’t know about it. <br><br>
I think the main thing I need to try to do is keep all of this positive energy and openness and take it back with me to Georgia. I’m getting my MFA in December, and then I have absolutely no idea where life will bring me. I’ve been thinking about moving—I was toying with the idea of going to Nashville, TN or Asheville, SC or New Orleans or somewhere else…I have been thinking about teaching English overseas…who knows? It will depend on what opportunities come my way. But instead of being scarred or worried that I “don’t know what I’m doing with my life,” I’m now able to see it differently. It’s not that I don’t know where I’m going, it’s just that I am open to many different possibilities. Anything could happen, and that’s exciting.<br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411432012-07-06T05:04:55-04:002017-01-13T08:53:01-05:00A blog from Edinburgh! <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/60217e24e46d00111f0a97bc2bd8767b1fc5eeb7/large/022.JPG?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="450" width="600" /><br><br>
Sara, here, blogging from Scotland!<br><br>
As most of you know, I'm getting my MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Playwriting from the University of New Orleans. That means fall and spring semesters, I take online classes, and then I get to do these cool study abroad programs in the summer. In the summer of 2010, I started the program by going to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, and now I'm finishing it out in Edinburgh. Very exciting! (Technically, my last semester will be this fall, but this is my last study abroad.)<br><br>
I'm having an absolute blast in my classes this semester. I'm in a playwriting class and an acting class that really work together in a lot of ways. In the acting class, we are learning different acting styles, but we are also helping to develop the work of the playwrights. So as I'm writing my play, I get to have actors help me out with it, which is awesome. I think it helps plays to be more alive when you are working on them with actors and not just writing them alone in your apartment and then handing them off to a theatre later.<br><br>
So I'm working on a piece that will eventually be my thesis about a boy who is stuck inside of a snow globe. It's a childrens/fantasy play. I feel like somehow it is very appropriate to work on it in Scotland. At some point, I want to go to the Elephant House here in Edinburgh (where J.K. Rowling wrote some of the first Harry Potter book) and just sit there and wait for inspiration to come. Haha.<br><br>
I did get to play an open mic night here at Lebowski's on Wednesday! (The dude abides.) I was really excited about that. And I've got a new acoustic cover that I'm working on. If I have extra time, I might just record it from here in the dorms, but we'll see. I'm hoping to post more touristy pictures on Facebook sometime next week. I've mainly been doing school stuff so far and I haven't had a ton of time to do the touristy things, but I did get to check out the National Portrait Gallery yesterday, which I enjoyed, and we randomly got to see the Queen, the Prince, and Kate Middleton driving by on The Royal Mile! How many times in your life are you going to say "I saw The Queen today!"? (Drag queens do not count. That's practically an every day occurence in Atlanta. Especially if you hang around theatre people. Haha.) <br><br>
Tonight, I'm going to a ceilidh (pronounced kay-lay) or traditional Scottish dance. Haha. Watch out, Scotland! But first, I've got to get in some writing time. I am in a Writers Workshop afterall. <br><br>
Much love!<br><br>
Sara<br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411462012-05-25T11:17:22-04:002017-02-01T14:37:14-05:00New acoustic cover! Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space by Spiritualized"Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space" by Spiritualized is one of my favorite songs ever in life. If there was a Church of Sara Crawford, it would be in the Hymn Book. I recently got to play the song for 500 Songs For Kids at Smith's Olde Bar, which I was SO EXCITED about. 500 Songs for Kids is one of my favorite events to participate in every year, and getting to play one of my favorite songs EVER in LIFE? Yes, please. <br><br>
I also got to see Spiritualized when they came to Variety Playhouse earlier this month. They put on an AMAZING show and hearing this song live, especially, will easily go in my list of top 10 moments of 2012. (Yes, I have a list of top 10 moments of the year. Yes, I'm a dork. Shut up.)<br><br>
Anyway. So here's my cover. Hope you enjoy!<br><br><br type="_moz"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/79OCaFE6ZZU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411572012-05-06T06:36:45-04:002022-05-09T04:56:01-04:00New live songs and videos are up! Hey everyone,<br><br>
So I've had a lot going on lately - I've gotten to play two out of town shows in the past month - one at Cafe Coco in Nashville, TN and one at the Be Heard Speakeasy in Dahlonega, GA. For now, I'm just working on writing some new songs. Hopefully, I'll be able to do some more traveling in May and June. <br><br>
My open mic night at Cool Beans has a new Facebook page! I'm also no longer doing this every Friday so the next three will be 5/11, 6/1, and 6/15. Like us on Facebook to stay updated - <a href="http://facebook.com/openmicatcoolbeans">http://facebook.com/openmicatcoolbeans</a><br><br>
Spencer Durham was nice enough to record the set in Dahlonega, and James Hughey (see his band page <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CFkQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fallofhertwitch.bandcamp.com%2F&ei=pZimT5jMHOfg2wXOq6mnAg&usg=AFQjCNHgowXwPnpKaKvw7d70qxU5aVec3Q&sig2=af98AHHwogSeyVRJ4aZRRQ">AllofHerTwitch</a>!) recorded some videos of my set in Nashville! The videos are posted below, you can hear one of the live tracks (La-De-Da) here in this blog, and the rest are up on my <a href="./music.cfm">music page</a>. Enjoy!<br><br>
Sara Crawford<br type="_moz"><br><br><br type="_moz"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7yN-ydspfVg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
Here's me doing "Ghost Party" a poem from my new book, <i>Driving Downtown to the Show<br><br><br><br type="_moz"></i><br type="_moz"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qwEwatebE18" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
My Bjork cover<br><br><br><br type="_moz"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vXpXlJGwY28" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
Me doing a solo version of "Rooftops"<br><br><br><br type="_moz"><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W4fD5pptvYc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
I have since titled this song "Don't Walk Away"<br><br type="_moz">3:52Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411542012-03-29T07:21:00-04:002012-03-29T07:21:00-04:00Upcoming events! Acoustic shows, a poetry book release, the 24 hour plays...Hey everyone!<br><br>
I have a few things coming up that I wanted to tell y'all about. (Yes, I just said y'all. I'm from the South!) <br><br><b>Saturday, March 31st - </b> I will be playing an acoustic set at KSU for the <b>KSU Peace Project</b>. They are having a fun day where they will break the world record for the largest human peace sign! The event is free, and it will be an awesome day of peace, love, and music. <b>Finster</b> and <b>Emmanuel Jal</b> will also be performing. I'm playing at 1:30 so stop on by! I'm also making a ton of Atlanta musician mix CDs to give away for FREE! <br><br><b>Sunday, April 1st</b> - I'll be participating in the 24-hour plays again this year with <b>Working Title Playwrights</b>, where we will collectively be writing and producing short plays over the course of 24 hours! I'll be co-writing something (though I won't know what until I start working on it Saturday night!) and they will be performed<b> Sunday at 8 pm</b> at <b>Onstage Atlanta</b>. Come check out this evening of craziness and support one of my favorite theatrical organizations in Atlanta!<br><br><b>Saturday, April 7th</b> - The <b><i>Driving Downtown to the Show</i></b> book release party! This will be FREE on the roof of the <b>Strand Theatre</b> in Marietta, GA for Brew with a View. There will be poetry performances from me (I'll be doing poems from the book), and music performances from <b>nerdkween</b>, <b>Juliana Finch</b>, and <b>Low UFO</b>. Come out and support! And you will also be able to get a copy of my new book of poems, <i>Driving Downtown to the Show</i>!<br><br><b>Monday, April 16th</b> - I'll be returning to Nashville to play an acoustic set at Cafe Coco!<br><br><b>Saturday, April 21st </b>- I'll be playing a solo show at <b>The Drunken Unicorn</b> with <b>Corner Kid</b> and <b>Sleep Dance</b>. I'm planning on having some guest artists so you definitely don't want to miss it! I'll be playing some new songs, also!<br><br><b>Every Friday from 8 to 11 pm</b>, I am now hosting an open mic night at Cool Beans in the Marietta Square. Come out and play a song, read a poem, be creative and express yourself! Or just have a cup of coffee and support the artists. :) We have some great talent!<br><br>
So that's what's been going on with me lately. :)<br><br>
Also stay tune for some more YouTube covers in the next few weeks!<br><br>
Sara Crawford<br><br><br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411532012-02-02T05:12:10-05:002017-02-01T14:37:16-05:00New cover! And an old one from my solo/acoustic album. I posted a new acoustic cover! I've been obsessing over Florence and the Machine lately so I thought I'd do my take on "Shake It Out." Have a listen!<br><br><br type="_moz"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/71XY8J1_uBg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br><br>
Also, I have been playing my solo tunes more lately. I miss some of them! And I don't get to play them very often with Pocket the Moon. I've actually been trying to go out to more open mic nights - I'm even hosting an open mic night on Fridays now at my favorite coffee shop, Cool Beans, in Marietta. And I think I may be playing some solo gigs in the near future. We will see!<br><br>
Anyway, I decided to post one of my favorite songs from my solo album - the title track, "Unsent Letters."<br><br><br><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rD9ExvjhYBc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411202012-01-27T02:15:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:59-05:00Driving Downtown to the Show - a new book of poems coming spring 2012 <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7383bda75487d6492960e1eb74d995a8b016feb6/large/DrivingDowntownToTheShowFrontcover-copy.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="906" width="600" /><br><br><i>Driving Downtown to the Show </i>is a book of poems that came out of a grad school poetry workshop I took in spring 2011. Our professor had us come up with a poetry writing procedure, which would consist of ―rules that we would set for ourselves which would determine our writing schedules and content. We were to decide on a title before writing any poems, and the goal was to have a cohesive collection of poems by the time the semester was over. Because I was taking this class at a time when my main creative focus was my music career, I decided to use music as an inspiration for my procedure, particularly the Atlanta music scene. <br><br>
Being in a local Atlanta band myself, with a long history of performing and enjoying many local shows in Atlanta’s many wonderful and unique music venues, I was greatly inspired and I wanted to harness that energy. Our city has such a wide variety of musicians and performers, and on any given night, there are at least three or four excellent local shows to go see. I wanted to do a collection of poems that celebrated the musician and celebrated the entire metro Atlanta area.<br><br>
I scheduled my writing time for after band practice, and I decided each poem must contain a band name. When I sat down to write a poem, I would look up the bands that were playing at some of my favorite Atlanta music venues, The Earl, the Drunken Unicorn, and the Star Bar, and I would incorporate one of those band names into my poem. I also would put my iPod on random, and whichever song played would determine the length of the poem based on how many lines the lyrics had or how long the song was if it was an instrumental song. (I also decided, just for fun, to slip in all of the band names of bands I’ve been in.) <br><br>
I will be self-publishing this book in the spring. Stay tuned for news of a book release/reading event! <br><br><br>
For now, enjoy one of the poems from my collection. In this poem, the band name I used was Wild Nothing. (They are not at Atlanta band, but they happened to be playing at the Drunken Unicorn the day I wrote this poem.)<br><br><b>Driving Mixy #1: The 'Songs That Actually Mention Driving' Mixy<br></b><br>
That night, you got into <br>
a shopping cart, <br>
and I pushed you <br>
around the Pizza <br>
Hut where we worked – <br>
in the rain - laughing - we were <br>
wild. Nothing <br>
ever stood in between <br>
you and I and adventure. <br><br>
We'd sneak out of our slumber <br>
party bedroom windows<br>
to hop in my white Chevy Malibu, <br>
alternating drivers, drinking <br>
vanilla coke, <br>
bitching about the boys <br>
who dumped us both at the same time <br>
("Those fuckers!"), <br>
listening to the Driving Mixy – <br><i> All I want to do is to thank you <br>
even though I don't know who you are <br>
you let me change lanes <br>
when I was driving in my car </i><br><br>
Accelerating without a care <br>
through the strip malls and chain restaurants <br>
in the town <br>
where we once covered <br>
the church playground in sidewalk chalk – <br>
happy faces and song lyrics – <br>
until the cops caught us <br>
and told us to go home, <br>
but we were.<br><br><br><br><br><br><br type="_moz"><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411512011-12-23T19:21:01-05:002017-02-01T14:37:15-05:00New cover! Hyperballad by Bjork <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xra0yXS8yN0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
Here's a new acoustic cover for you guys. "Hyperballad" by Bjork. This is one of my favorite songs, and I've been doing this acoustic cover for a while so I thought I'd put it up for you guys. <br><br>
Ignore the weird focus/blurry issues I was having with my webcam! <br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411232011-12-23T12:55:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:10-05:00My favorites from 2011 - part 2So I'm continuing my end-of-year favorites! In this blog, I'm going to talk about my 5 favorite albums of the year (in no particular order) and some of the favorite shows that I saw. <br><br><span style="font-size: medium; "><u><b>My Favorite Shows in 2011</b></u></span><br><br>Well, I went to <i>a lot</i> of shows this year - more than I've gone to any other year, probably, but most of them were on a smaller scale. So it was a lot of Drunken Unicorn, Wonderroot, Eastside Lounge, The Earl, Star Bar, Masquerade kind of shows. The "biggest" shows I went to this year were <b>M83</b> at The Masquerade and <b>Beirut</b> at the Variety Playhouse - both of which were completely amazing. (But I love both of these bands A LOT - see below - so that's really not surprising.) <br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C4_hViSct8o" width="560"></iframe><br><br>Many of the local bands that I saw this year, though, put on amazing shows. A few of my favorites were the <b><a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun">Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun</a></b> CD release show where <b><a href="http://moonlightbride.tumblr.com">Moonlight Bride</a></b> and <b><a href="http://sealionsmusic.com/">Sealions</a></b> played with them at The Earl. I originally went to the show mainly to see Moonlight Bride with a vague sense of liking Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun but not really remembering what they sounded like. The entire bill was spot on that night, and I truly loved everyone's performances. And I left there with a great new record from Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun. All in all, it was a win. I then caught Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun again last week at The Earl where they played their whole album Wildfire, start to finish, at the Atlanta Music Roundtable show. Amazing set.<br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PdF7g_bq1G0" width="420"></iframe><br><br>I made it out to quite a few <b><a href="http://vergeofbliss.com">Verge of Bliss</a></b> shows this year. Not only are these guys great people, but they are seriously everything that a rock band should be. They have a high energy level on stage, Virginia's vocals are powerful and soulful with just the right amount of grit mixed in, and the instrumentation from the whole group is solid, together, and in your face. And yet, they will break your heart with songs like "Dreaming on the Eve" and "Photographs." It's really cool to see a band grow and develop, and I can't wait until they put out their album in 2012. (And shotout to Trey Bliss for being the most supportive Atlanta musician there is. Seriously, this guy is out supporting Atlanta musicians practically every night of the week it seems. You can always count on Trey to be at the show!) <br><br><br><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4iVUHG2x8P4" width="560"></iframe><br><br>On the folksy singer/songwriter side, it was all about the ladies this year for me. I was impressed by the wonderful songwriting abilities of people like <b><a href="http://julianafinch.com">Juliana Finch</a></b>, <b><a href="http://mollyparden.com/">Molly Parden</a></b>, <b><a href="http://rebeccaloebe.com">Rebecca Loebe</a>,</b> and <b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/SydneyEloiseMusic">Sydney Eloise</a></b>. I had the opportunity to see all four of these ladies throughout the year (some of them more than once! and some of them I even got to play with!) They all write very sincere and honest songs with such skill that you can't help but be a little bit awed. They are also all huge inspirations to me. I definitely had "moments" to each of their songs when I was at their shows this year. Definitely check them out. <br><br>Other local and/or indie shows that I really enjoyed this year: <a href="http://www.cinetrope.net">Cinetrope</a>, <a href="http://siberiamysweet.com/">Siberia My Sweet</a>, <a href="http://www.soursoul.com/">Sour Soul</a>, <a href="http://wowserbowser.bandcamp.com/">Wowser Bowser</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/calmwhitenoise">Calm White Noise</a>, <a href="http://railbirdband.com/">Railbird</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/1880s-Dance-Party/137973542889519">1880s Dance Party</a>, and <a href="http://nerdkween.com">nerdkween</a>.<br><br><br><br><span style="font-size: medium; "><u><b>5 Albums I Fell In Love With in 2011</b></u></span><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a9aa852db1d5a29471fbd8f17ff1541ca48c424d/medium/Beirut-The-Riptide.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><br><b>Beirut - The Rip Tide</b><br><br>It's no surprise that I would love this album given the fact that I've been in love with everything that Zachary Condon has done, but <i>The Rip Tide </i>really combines all of the elements that I loved about Beirut's previous albums. There are some songs that you can dance around to, there are some songs that will break your heart, there are great melodies all the way through and great arrangements. And as always, this guy's level of talent blows me away.<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2b365a2a3c13fbfbab5e8bad99cfa17744f05a6b/medium/Foster-The-People-Torches-album-artwork.jpeg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><b>Foster the People - Torches</b><br><br>This is an album that I wouldn't have expected would make my favorites list, but it was definitely one of the albums that came out this year that just makes me happy every time I pop it in. Of course, it's catchy as hell and certainly poppy with a very mainstream appeal, but once you actually listen to the lyrics and hear what they're saying underneath all of the catchy melodies, there's actually quite a lot of meaningful substance here. So whether you just want some music you can dance mindlessly too or you want music that makes you think, Foster the People manages to do both here, which isn't always easy.<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b9a1ce0f425b006379e751238e0797613dd19416/medium/Radiohead-The-King-Of-Limbs-Gear-Patrol.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><b>Radiohead - The King of Limbs</b><br><br>This album almost didn't make my list. If I were making a "favorite Radiohead albums" list, it would be on the bottom. But even my least favorite Radiohead album is still one of my favorite albums of 2011. Although the initial few times I listened to it, I wasn't completely blown away (like I was with <i>In Rainbows</i>), I quickly found that songs like "Separator" and "Lotus Flower" were some of my favorite tracks from any band this whole year.<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/344d77075906f7841cf9d0b43c4d784d5f2e78d1/medium/the-kills.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><b>The Kills - Blood Pressures</b><br><br>This is a great "straight up rock" album. Straight up rock is a new genre name I've invented (well, I'm sure many other people have used it before!) because with SO much music these days and SO many sub-genres that get grouped into the "rock" category, you can sometimes forget what a real rock n' roll album sounds like until an album like this comes along. "Future Starts Slow" wins the award for "best song to drive around and feel like a badass" to. "The Last Goodbye" will break your heart. "Heart is a Beating Drum" will make you dance around like an idiot. All-in-all, this album is a great experience.<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/cc9d92f903adbea150f839bfdce2375e1d958035/medium/m83.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><b>M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming</b><br><br>This "list" is not numbered, but if I had an absolute favorite album of 2011, this would definitely be it. This 2-disc album really and truly takes you on a journey. From songs like "Midnight City" that will make you dance like crazy to heartbreaking nostalgic ballads like "Wait" to incredibly trippy songs like "Raconte-Moi Histoire" to incredibly epic songs like "Outro," this album has everything. Every album M83 has put out has been progressively better than the previous one (in my opinion), and considering how much I loved Saturdays = Youth, I was bound to love this album. One of the great things about Hurry Up, We're Dreaming, though, is that the whole album comes across as one epic, emotional dream.<br><br><br><br>So those are my favorites from 2011!<br><br>Definitely go and check these out, especially the locals! There are a ton of links for you to click on. Go to their pages, listen to their tunes. If you're in Atlanta, catch a show in 2012! Going to see a local show is always a great thing to do. It's cheap (and sometimes free!) live music! Typically in a place where you can drink BEER. And you never know what kind of free shit you will get - moon pies, stickers, free CDs, free beer! Who knows? And if you go support a local band, I guarantee your presence will be appreciated. Everybody wins :)<br><br><br> Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411582011-12-07T10:35:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:16-05:00My favorites from 2011 - part 1Well, it's that time of year when obsessive dorks like me start making lists. This is great for people like me who obsessively document everything. I journal every day, I make silly lists (10 things I'm grateful for today, books I've read this year, shows I've played this year, etc.) on my computer. I have tons of notebooks filled with other things that don't exactly fit into either category. Okay, I know what you're thinking. "Wow, Sara, that sounds very OCD of you!" but considering how completely laid back I am in every other aspect of my life, I'm quite accepting of this one aspect of obsessive behavior.<br><br>
So most of the music blogs out there are making "best of 2011" lists, but I don't like the word "best" because it implies that there is an objective way to determine which albums are better than others, and as I always say, all art is subjective. (I should get that tattooed. That's become my battle cry.) So, instead, I'm going to share with you 5 albums that I fell in love with in 2011, my 5 favorite shows that I went to in 2011, 3 albums I fell in love with in 2011 (that weren't actually released in 2011), and 3 local Atlanta albums I fell in love with in 2011. And if you really don't care about all of that, just skip down to the fun YouTube videos so you can listen for yourself!<br><br>
2011 was an odd sort of year. At this time last year, I thought that there were going to be tons of releases from some of my favorite artists that I would absolutely love. Radiohead, Bjork, Lykke Li, Devotchka, Bon Iver, etc. For the most part, though, most of these releases left me with that "meh" feeling, which is definitely not what I was expecting from these artists.<br><br>
One of the great things about 2011, though, was how involved I got to be in the Atlanta music scene. I played around 25 Atlanta shows with <b><a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a></b>, and I made it out to around 20 (mostly local) shows in addition to that. Seeing and playing all of these shows allowed me to see some really great bands, both local and touring, and I also got the opportunity to meet some really cool people. As much as I often bitch about certain aspects of the Atlanta music scene (*cough*hipsters*cough*), there is a lot to appreciate about it also. This past year, I have met so many incredibly talented musicians who are (*gasp*) ALSO supportive of OTHER musicians!! <br><br>
Everything that Geoff and I have gotten to do as <b><a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a></b>--release an album, go on tour, play some really great shows, make a music video, get voted "Best New Music Act" and "Best Folk Act" in Creative Loafing--would NOT have been possible without all of our friends and supporters. I cannot say thank you enough to all of you for that. <br><br>
Anyway. Onward. Let's see the lists!<br><br>
I'm going to save my "5 albums I Fell In Love With in 2011" list and my "5 favorite shows I went to in 2011" list for next time. But here's the first half of my obsessive list making!<br><br><span style="font-size: medium; "><b>3 albums I Fell in Love With in 2011 (that weren't actually released in 2011)</b></span><br><br>
I think it's important to include these sorts of albums in these kinds of lists, especially with music the way that it is today. There is SO MUCH indie music out there to be discovered that sometimes you won't find out about an album until way after it is released. There is no shame in this! While you won't typically see most indie music bloggers actually admitting that there was an album they didn't know about until a year later, I'm not a "typical" indie music blogger. (In fact, I'm not a typical anything blogger. I just write whatever the hell I feel like writing whenever I feel like writing it.) <br><br>
Anyway, I wanted to write about these three albums because even though they were released before 2011, to me, they were very much 2011 albums because that is when I obsessed over them.<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/86110fbebc9a174a5dd6c67f057207d4e2737c45/medium/Angus-and-Julia-Stone-Down-The-Way.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RUDc1frz22E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><b><br></b><span style="font-size: medium; "><b>Angus and Julia Stone - Down the Way (2010)</b></span><br><br>
I actually loved this album more than most of the albums on my main favorites from 2011 list. While the atmospheric track "Hold On," the haunting "For You," the catchy "Big Jet Plane," and folksy "And The Boys" are definitely my favorite tracks on this album, there really isn't a track that I dislike. These songs are full of soul, passion, emotion. The lyrics are deep and meaningful, the vocals of Angus and Julia really blend well together, the arrangements and the melodies are superb. The whole album is a winner.<br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/211f8c7b2bbaea0a45ab527ee030fc831263a364/medium/Passive-Me-Aggressive-You-Cover-art-the-naked-and-famous-500x500.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><br><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0YuSg4mts9E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium; ">The Naked and Famous - Passive Me, Aggressive You (2010)</span></b><br><br>
This upbeat and catchy album reminds me of everything that I love about bands like MGMT, Foster the People, Moonlight Bride. Not that The Naked and Famous necessarily sounds like those bands, but they have some of the same elements. This track, "Young Blood" is my favorite. Some of the vocals remind me a little of M83, too, which is probably another reason I love it. <br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/5cf9fb428be4a2678b4ccbb113b9ee6899b391f8/medium/51BrS9GYTpL_SL500_AA300.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e2XPDP6KkkE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium; ">James Vincent McMorrow - Early in the Morning (2010)<br></span></b> <br>
This folksy and soulful solo artist reminds me a lot of Bon Iver or Edward Sharpe. His songs are very catchy and yet full of meaning. There are a lot of great and almost haunting harmonies on this album. It's perfect for rainy days like today. You should definitely have a listen if you haven't heard him before.<br><br><br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium; ">3 Local Atlanta Albums That I Fell In Love With in 2011 </span></b><br><br>
(aside from self-titled by Pocket the Moon...)<br>
(kidding, kidding)<br>
(no but seriously, <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com/music">listen to our album</a>.)<br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/38eb01113c50e278c17b2c5b61e5363cfb1e4fa0/medium/places.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><b><span style="font-size: medium; ">Places - The Future<br></span></b> <br>
Tracks like "Dark Fear, "No More Lies," and "At Least It's A Beautiful Day" are great examples of why I love this dreamy, nostalgic album. It reminds me a little bit of Wild Nothing meets Slowdive (and comparing a local band to Slowdive is something I never thought I'd do). Definitely check them out. You can hear the whole album at the Bandcamp page and pay what you want. <br><br><a href="http://places.bandcamp.com/">Places on Bandcamp</a><br><a href="http://www.facebook.com/plxxces">Places on Facebook</a><br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/58eca61ecb3a3356e6a120154e502cd3755f4eca/medium/wildfire.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="265" width="300" /><br><br><iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0AQDx25A13Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><br><span style="font-size: medium; "><b>Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun - W I L D F I R E</b></span><br><br>
When this album came out in May, I think it spent a good month on repeat in my CD player (or at least a few weeks...I don't have a great concept of time). This album may as easily have been on my main list of favorite albums from 2011, but they just happen to be local so they go here! "Old Monster," "We Were Wild," and "With My Good Eye" are definitely my favorite tracks. (They remind me a lot of Metric.) I also think this band is definitely an inspiration for all of us Atlanta musicians. (Plus, they donated a free album to my raffle for the Red Cross benefit show I organized at Kavarna earlier this year so kudos to them!)<br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/bc387ad3f6c2225e500f518ab037fc1449df3454/original/molly-parden.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="298" width="300" /><br><br><br><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hNEmaYJO5rw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><br><span style="font-size: medium; "><b>Molly Parden - Time is Medicine<br></b></span> <br>
Ever since I saw her set at Drunken Unicorn this June when she played at our CD release show, I have been a big fan of her's. She's one of those genuine folk singers that I love because her songs are very honest. My favorite tracks from this album are the title tract and "A Song For My Mother." <br><br><br>
So check out these artists, go see their shows (if they're local!), buy their music, be supportive!<br><br>
And stay tuned for part 2 of my favorites from 2011. :)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411552011-11-21T21:12:57-05:002017-08-02T03:14:03-04:00Random thoughts about The Four Agreements, opinions, and constructive criticism (at 3 AM)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c60a788e2af732d26144cb5364ab049cdeabc265/large/fall.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="401" width="600" /><br><i>photo by Beverly Crawford</i><br><br>
Hey everyone.<br><br>
I decided I wanted to start blogging more. I guess 3 in the morning is as good of a time as any to start, right?<br><br>
I went to bed pretty early tonight and then I woke up randomly at 1 and couldn’t go back to sleep. I started reading <i>The Four Agreements </i>by Don Miguel Ruiz, a book I’ve been meaning to read for quite some time, but just recently borrowed from a friend at Unity (my “new agey/hippie” church, as I call it).<br><br>
The first two agreements are very much connected. <i>Be impeccable with your word</i> and <i>don’t take anything personally</i>. Being impeccable with your word means not to say anything that goes against the truth of who you are. This means not having negative self-talk and not saying negative things about others. Not taking anything personally is a realization that whenever a person has an opinion about another person, it has much more to do with the person who holds the opinion than the person who the opinion is supposedly about. <br><br>
I was thinking about this, and I was thinking about how our entire society is built around negative opinions. You can see this on a personal level—the person who complains about their co-workers, the person who calls up a sibling to talk shit about their parents, the person who spreads negative gossip around—or on a national or even international level. Turn on the TV. It’s full of pundits and politicians criticizing each other. It’s full of reality shows with judges giving negative opinions. “She can’t cook because of this.” “He can’t dance because of this.” “She can’t sing because of this.” You can’t even check your Facebook or Twitter without seeing one negative opinion after another. I am just as guilty of this as anyone else, though I try not to be.<br><br>
Now, I’m not saying that you should never have a negative opinion. I think this is virtually impossible for the majority of humans. (Maybe Jesus pulled it off. But even he went off on people in the Bible from time to time.) I think the important thing, though, is that when we do have a negative opinion, we realize that we’re actually expressing a fear that we hold. When you do have a negative opinion, stop and ask yourself, "what does this say about me and how I feel?" And we also need to be aware that when another person expresses a negative opinion about us, it really has nothing to do with us.<br><br>
When someone says, “she’s ugly,” it’s probably because that person has a fear that he or she is actually ugly. When a person says, “you are wrong” (which is basically what all political discourse can be boiled down to), it is really just because that is the only way that person can feel that he or she is “right.” <br><br>
I was thinking about this in terms of art, and I realized that also applies. When a music critic says, “this album is boring,” it is telling us a lot more about the critic than it is the artist. It could be that the critic fears he or she is boring. It could be that the critic is afraid to be still and therefore enjoys music that is busier. It could be a number of things. <br><br>
Positive opinions work the same way. If I really connect with an album and think it is great, that says a lot more about me and the things that I like about myself and my own life than it does the artist who created the album. <br><br>
This is why all art is subjective. Because it depends entirely on the opinions of others. <br><br>
Sure, each form of art has its own “rules” and techniques. And if someone masters those techniques, you could accurately say that that person is a skilled artist. But this is not the same as being a “good” or a “bad” artist because being “good” or “bad” assumes that someone has an opinion that that artist is “good” or “bad.” And I guarantee you that for every artist out there, you will find people who believe that he or she is “good,” and you will find people that believe that he or she is “bad.” <br><br>
So. All art is subjective. I say this all of the time. Because I think it’s really important. This is one reason I really am opposed to reality shows where any work of art (whether it’s music, visual art, culinary arts, dancing, etc.) is being judged. Now, I'm not saying that these shows aren't fun to watch. I actually enjoy watching shows like <i>Top Chef</i> and <i>Work of Art: The Next Great Artist</i>, because I love seeing what people create in time constraints and given certain prompts. But I think everyone who watches these shows needs to realize that it's all subjective. You just can’t objectively judge art. I don’t personally care for the music of Justin Bieber, but there are a ton of people who connect with his music the way I connect with Radiohead. I’ll say it again because it's that important. <i>All art is subjective</i>.<br><br>
So, I was thinking about this idea of all art being subjective and also thinking about the first two agreements. One thing I struggle with is how to reconcile these ideas (“all art is subjective,” “don’t take anything personally”) with constructive criticism. I’m working on my MFA in creative writing. I’m also a musician. I’m constantly putting my art out there. If I don’t “take criticism personally,” how can I improve as an artist?<br><br>
Then I realized that it’s not about improvement. It’s about growth. A flower is no “better” or “worse” than a seed. It’s just two different things. That’s how artists are.<br><br>
We create art that speaks to who we are at a particular time based on what we have experienced, what we have learned, what we feel, etc. These unique circumstances are the “tools” we have to work with. As time goes on, we grow and change as people. We learn more. We experience more. We develop more tools. This does not mean the art we once created was “bad” and now we are “good.” To put it in Radiohead terms, <i>Pablo Honey </i>is no better or worse than <i>In Rainbows</i>. Some people may connect with one more than the other, but the truth of the matter is that they are simply two different albums created in two different time periods by artists who had different sets of tools.<br><br>
So going back to this idea of the workshop and constructive criticism, I think the best approach for any artist to take is to make sure that you are fully aware before you get feedback that this is someone’s opinion and has much more to do with that person than you or your art. It could be that the feedback genuinely has to do with what that person has learned about technique. Ideally, it should be, especially in a workshop or class setting. So keep that in mind first of all. Really don’t take it personally. (As the Dude would say, “That’s just, like, your opinion, man.”) Then, you should only use criticisms that inspire you to change the piece. For example, if my playwriting professor were to say “this part of the scene feels a little static” and this idea gets me thinking about and excited about all of the ways in which I can make it dynamic, I will ultimately use the criticism. Because it inspired growth and change in the piece. That growth and change didn’t come out of a negative idea (i.e. “I’m a horrible writer”) but a positive one (“I can do something different here because I have more tools now.”).<br><br>
Take the “negative” opinions and use them in a positive way. If there’s a negative opinion that you can’t use to grow or change your piece, simply disregard it. I think this is a good way to think about constructive criticism, and I know I’m going to try to do this from now on.<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411492011-07-25T05:35:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:15-05:00YouTube Covers - Atlanta musician edition - Marvelous 3 and Jennifer Nettles BandTWO COVERS IN ONE DAY!? What is happening?<br><br>
Okay, so I decided to do a little mini-series in my YouTube covers. Here are a couple of tunes from some of my favorite Atlanta musicians who were a huge part of my coming of age, both as a musician and as a person.<br><br><iframe width="425" height="349" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JRH38qRezqU" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
First up, I decided to cover "Indie Queen" by Marvelous 3. <br><br>
Alright, when I was about 15, most of the girls my age were obsessing over the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. But me, I was obsessed with local rockers, Marvelous 3! (Even at 15, I was so indie!) Now, they weren't really simply "local" rockers, especially after their release of <i>Hey! Album</i> and their success with "Freak of the Week" on the national level, but I still thought of them very much as an Atlanta band. When you went to a Marv 3 show in Atlanta, there was a feeling of "this is one of <i>our </i>bands!" Maybe this is my equivalent to cheering on a local sports team, I don't know.<br><br>
Since the first time I heard <i>Hey! Album</i>, though, I was OBSESSED. And I do mean OBSESSED. I took all of that teeny bopper energy that is just inherent in teenage girls (especially those who are artistically inclined...or maybe just those who tend to be obsessive and dorky about things) and poured it into this band. I had a Marvelous 3 wall, I had Marvelous 3 PANTS (I took an old pair of jeans and decorated them with Marv 3 lyrics in sharpies), I caught a guitar pick at one of their shows and wore it on a necklace, I went and saw them live everytime they played in Atlanta and made signs to hold ("PLAY KATRINA!") and jumped around and screamed and rocked out like a crazy person. I even got to meet the band a few times and got Butch Walker to sign my first guitar (which I appropriately named Katrina). When Jayce, the bass player, came into the Schlotzsky's where I worked, I NEARLY FREAKED OUT. I tried to keep it together externally but once he noticed my guitar pick necklace, it was all over. I even named the table where he sat the OHMYGODJAYCEFROMMARVELOUS3 table. One time at an in-store performance and signing at Best Buy, Jessie, Kyndal, Bre, and I actually gave Butch Walker a tape of our all-15-year-old-girl band, Population 2. (Dear God, I hope he never listened to that! Although it did have some of our more profound songs on it like "Bitchy Whore in a Little Skirt.") <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/df69c93412bcaa3820228a4b0d5242b8444f5d55/original/meandbutch.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="564" width="600" /><br><i>Me and Butch Walker - I was 14 or 15 in this picture (and probably trying not to PASS OUT)</i><br><br>
"Indie Queen" was always my favorite song on the album, though, and is still one of my favorite songs in life. At 15, I was convinced it was my anthem. (I even used "theindiequeen" as my livejournal user name.) Now, of course, Butch Walker has gone on to be much more than an "Atlanta musician." He's one of my idols as a songwriter, as a performer, as a musician in general. And I have certainly mellowed out and dialed down the teeny bopper obsession (I would hope so now that I'm 26!), but every time I hear <i>Hey! Album</i>, a small part of me still goes back to that 15-year-old girl jumping around in a packed crowd at The Tabernacle staring up at these musicians in total awe of their music, their performance, their energy...it was truly too much rock for one hand.<br><br><br><iframe width="425" height="349" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IxKjQsd8aH0"></iframe><br><br>
My next cover is a song called "Story of Your Bones" by Jennifer Nettles Band. This was Jennifer Nettles's project before Sugarland. Another great example of someone who transcended the Atlanta music scene to gain recognition at the national level. There was a moment when I was watching her sing at Presidet Obama's inauguration on TV when I thought "I used to go see her at the Variety Playhouse...she used to play venues that I'm playing now like Smith's Olde Bar, and she's actually <i>singing for the President of the United States." </i>It made me feel proud of Atlanta. We turn out some great musicians here. <br><br>
I first saw the Jennifer Nettles Band on the Locals Only stage at Music Midtown. (Or was it Big Day Out? I can't remember. One of those 99X things.) I was immediately floored. If Marvelous 3 were too much rock for one hand, Jennifer Nettles was too much<i> soul </i>for one hand. I was completely in awe of her songwriting, her amazing vocals, her ability to play many different instruments. She was practically overflowing with musical talent. I was particularly in love with this song, "Story of Your Bones." Everytime she sang it live, it was so powerful, it brought me to tears. <br><br>
I've never done an acapella cover on YouTube before. And while it's slightly terrifying for me to not have a guitar or a keyboard, I decided to do it this way for a couple of different reasons. First of all, I've decided to audition for <i>The Voice</i> (which I'm doing on Friday in Nashville - Geoff and I will be on tour with <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a> when they come to Atlanta) and you <i>have</i> to sing acapella for the first auditions. I've decided to sing this song for auditions so I thought that doing it for YouTube would be good practice. Secondly, since I was already paying tribute to my teenage years and the musicians that inspired me in the Atlanta music scene, I thought I would also pay tribute to one of the moments in which I realized how important singing was to me.<br><br>
I was always kind of a shy and quiet kid. When I was forcing myself to be social, it always came out in an awkward and dorky way. (I'm still awkward and dorky, but I'm a lot more comfortable with my awkwardness!) I never really felt like I could really <i>connect</i> with people in my age group. Anyway, so one weekend in 10th grade, our high school chorus was taking a trip to Six Flags. On the bus ride, everyone was singing various songs, and eventually some of my friends asked me to sing one. The only thing I could think to sing (probably because I was obsessing over this album at the moment) was "Story of Your Bones." So I just opened my mouth and this acapella version of this song came out. And in that moment, there was something about the way my friends were smiling at me that made me know that I was <i>supposed </i>to be a singer. Through that song, I was able to connect with them in a way I had never been able to before. There were so many songs that had <i>helped </i>me through so much of the difficult things about coming of age, so many songs that made me feel like I wasn't alone, ("Don't forget the songs that made you cry and the songs that saved your life," as Morrissey would say), and that was the first time that I actually believed that maybe one day, I could be that for other people. Maybe someday, I could create music that would help someone get through life, the way so many musicians have done for me.<br><br>
So I thought I'd pay tribute to two bands that <i>definitely</i> helped me get through high school with these YouTube covers. Hope you enjoy!<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411482011-07-20T07:25:40-04:002011-07-20T07:25:40-04:00Pocket the Moon shows - staged reading of my play, The SpinsFirst of all, thank you SO MUCH for all of the support with the release of our debut self-titled album with Pocket the Moon! The album is available on CD Baby and iTunes as well as <a href="./contactstore.cfm">here on my website</a> and on the <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com/store">Pocket the Moon website</a>. We have already gotten some positive reviews of the album from local music blogs The Silver Tongue and Latest Disgrace, and they have been playing tracks from the album on the Georgia Music Show on Album 88 (88.5 FM WRAS) Wednesday nights from 8:00 to 10:00 PM. So tune in, and give them a call to request our tunes!<br><br>
We've got one more Atlanta show before we hit the road in August for our mini-tour!<br><br>
Upcoming Pocket the Moon Shows:
<ul>
<li>
<b>July 31 - Sunday - </b><b>The Music Room -</b> Atlanta, GA - FREE! - with nerdkween - send off show before we hit the road</li>
<li>
<b>August 3 - </b><b>Wednesday - Tin Roof - </b>Charleston, SC</li>
<li>
<b>August 5 - Friday - The Boiler Room - </b>Asheville, NC</li>
<li>
<b>August 8 - Monday - The Elbo Room - </b>Chicago, IL</li>
<li>
<b>August 13 - Saturday - The Edge - </b>Big Stone Gap, VA with Savannah Shoulders</li>
<li>
<b>August 23 - Tuesday</b> - Smith's Olde Bar (upstairs) - Atlanta, GA</li>
</ul>
We are still trying to pick up some extra shows in between August 8th (Chicago) and August 13th (Virginia) so if any of you musicians or Midwesterners have booking suggestions or would like to play with us, let us know!<br><br><br>
In other news, my one-act play, <b>The Spins,</b> was a finalist in the Essential Theatre Playwriting Contest and will have a staged reading on <b>Wednesday, July 27th</b> at <b>7:30 PM </b>at <b>Actor's Express</b> as part of <b>The Essential Theatre Bare Essentials Reading Series. </b>This event will be FREE (with a $5 suggested donation), it is going to be directed by Curtis Krick, and it will feature many incredibly talented actors and musicians from the Atlanta area including <b>Rachel Kemp</b> (<i>Painted, Leapfrog)</i>. I'd love to see everyone out and hear your thoughts about this play! I'm hoping this reading will lead to a production sometime in the near future. <br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411452011-07-03T09:41:42-04:002017-01-13T08:53:02-05:00Vote for Pocket the Moon for Best New Local Act in the Creative Loafing Best of Atlanta survey!<img src="//content.bandzoogle.com/users/pocketthemoonf/images/content/cl_boa-vote.png" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="209" width="216" /><br><br>
Click here:<br><br><a href="http://posting.clatl.com/atlanta/Survey?survey=3283373">http://posting.clatl.com/atlanta/Survey?survey=3283373</a><br><br>
You have to sign up to take the survey, but it takes two seconds. Once you're in the survey, go to the third page, "After Dark", write "Pocket the Moon" in for "Local New Music Act" (the second one), and then scroll down and click "Save and Exit." (Or you can fill out the rest of the survey if you want but for those of you who don't live in Atlanta, you probably won't want to!)<br><br>
Last year, I was voted "Best Local Songwriter" and it has really helped me to get better venues and get more attention from local press! So if you could take five seconds and fill this out, we'd GREATLY appreciate it :-)<br><br>
Also, if you want to share this with other people, that would be great, too! The more votes we get, the better :-)<br><br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411332011-06-16T07:25:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:12-05:00Home cover series - There is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths <iframe width="425" height="349" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xvoyPiYgROs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
"There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" is probably my favorite Smiths song (which is saying a lot considering how much I love Morrissey and The Smiths). <br><br><i>The Queen is Dead</i> is one of my all-time favorite albums. Just listen to it once all the way through, and you will understand.<br><br>
If you've ever read <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i>, this is always the song I picture on that drive where Charlie feels "infinite." I think this song perfectly captures the way it feels to be a teenager falling in love for the first time or even just exploring friendship or the freedom that comes with driving. It's that moment when you're 15 or 16, and you go out with a friend just driving and listening to music and in spite of all of the awkwardness and insecurity that comes with being a teenager, because you're driving around and listening to music - you suddenly feel alive, feel like you <i>belong, </i>like nothing could ruin the experience, you feel infinite. And even if a ten-ton truck crashes into you, well, that's okay. <i>To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die.</i><br><br>
I think so many teenagers can relate to The Smiths and Morrissey for that reason. His lyrics speak to so much of the teenage/young adult experience - loneliness, unrequited love, wanting to feel connected to other people. When I was about 19 or 20, I really thought that Morrissey was the only person in the world who "understood" me. That's why I got the Morrissey tattoo. (No, people, it's not Elvis, it's not Johnny Cash, it's not James Dean, it's DEFINITELY not John Mayer -- someone seriously asked me if it was John Mayer once.) Because during some of the really hard times that coming of age forces you to face, I could always turn to Morrissey. And even though I don't listen to Morrissey or The Smiths as obsessively as I once did, as my tattoo says, I'll never forget the songs that made me cry or the songs that saved my life. <br><br><br type="_moz"><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411382011-06-10T07:30:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:13-05:00New acoustic YouTube cover, new Pocket the Moon album, new staged reading of one of my plays!Hey everyone!<br><br>
First of all, I got another acoustic cover up on YouTube (finally). This is me doing a version of Anna Domino's "Summer" as requested by one of my Kickstarter donors. I'm hoping to start getting these covers on YouTube on a weekly (or at least every other week) basis! So if you have any requests, leave me a comment!<br><br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sKaMDGYRHrg" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br><br><br>
Secondly, I'm sure you've all heard about the new <b>Pocket the Moon </b>release. In case you haven't checked the blog in a long time, Pocket the Moon is the indie/folk duo that Geoff Goodwin and I are in. We've been playing around town in places like Drunken Unicorn, The Earl, Wonderroot, Smith's Olde Bar, and Highland Inn Ballroom. <br><br>
We are releasing our debut self-titled ten-track album on <b>June 24th.</b> We will be playing a <b>CD release show</b> at The Drunken Unicorn on <b>Friday, June 24th</b> along with <b>Molly Parden </b>and <b>Richard Parsons. </b>It's only 5 bucks, and I'm making cookies. That's right FREE COOKIES and live music! I hope you can join us!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d96ccdb1b65b8edfbe4ec61f7922fb74cb959b28/original/PTMCD06.24.11web.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="599" width="471" /><br><br>
If you don't live in the Atlanta area but still want to be a part of the experience, Drunken Unicorn is now doing live streaming of their shows on the internet! So the show will be streamed live at <a href="http://www.livestream.com/drunkenunicorn">www.livestream.com/drunkenunicorn</a>. If you can't watch it live, it will still be up there for quite a while afterwards so definitely be sure to check it out!<br><br>
You can also pre-order a copy of the album on the <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com/store">Pocket the Moon website</a> or in my <a href="./contactstore.cfm">store</a> if you aren't able to make it out to the CD release show but still want an album.<br><br>
What people are saying about the album so far:<br><br><i>"Pocket the Moon is using this record as a tool to prove themselves as a band, not a duo, and to exemplify some of the rules (or lack thereof, actually) of songwriting as a band of multi-instrumentalists. Crawford’s easy-listening voice spills tales that are tonally matter-of-fact, and that helps drive Pocket the Moon away from folk and towards something, musically, more transgressional. Atlanta doesn’t need another distraught artist becoming one with his or her Taylor to deliver us C-to-D-to-Am flops about lost love and inner redemption. I think Crawford and Goodwin are telling us, with this record, that they agree.</i>" - J.Criss of The Silver Tongue - <a href="http://thesilvertongueonline.com/?p=28616">Click here to read the full review</a><br><br><br><br>
Also, The Essential Theatre will be doing a staged reading of a play that I wrote called The Spins as it was a finalist in their playwriting competition! The staged reading will take place <b>Wednesday, July 27th</b> at <b>Actor's Express</b> and you're all invited. :-) For more information on this reading series, <a href="http://essentialtheatre.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-bare-essentials-reading-series.html">click here.</a> <br><br>
And that's what's going on with me. I hope you all are doing well!!<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411442011-05-19T10:50:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:14-05:00Pocket the Moon, Driving Downtown to the Show, upcoming projects, and five things I'm diggin'Hey everyone! It's been a while since I've updated. I've got quite a few things going on right now, so I thought I'd let you know about them! <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e77cd20c1645c01733182df3b722750dc7ae8cbc/original/drivingdowntown.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 436px; height: 508px;" /><br><br>
First of all, I just finished a new book of poems called <i>Driving Downtown to the Show</i> for a poetry writing workshop I was taking for grad school. As you may recall, this is the project where I had to use the name of a band playing at The Earl, the Star Bar, or the Drunken Unicorn in each poem. I'm really happy with the way it turned out, and I'm planning on going the self-publishing route with this one and releasing it sometime in August or September. So stay on the look out for that!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4e436c9f0404461e0ed937a822cf2ed035af3c4d/original/pocketcover2.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 494px; height: 494px;" /><br><br>
Also, my band, <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a>, has been super busy. We are hard at work getting ready to release our debut self-titled 10-track album. We also have a couple of really cool shows/events coming up that I hope you will join us for:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>Pocket the Moon Benefit Show at Kavarna - All proceeds go towards the American Red Cross and Tornado/Disaster relief - Saturday, May 28th </b>-Come join us for this great night of music! Pocket the Moon, Divine Isis, and additional artists will be playing! It's only 5 bucks to get in, the money goes to a great cause, and we will be having a raffle with some really great prizes!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Pocket the Moon CD RELEASE SHOW at Drunken Unicorn!</b> - 5 bucks - 21+ Come out and support us as we release our debut album!!</li>
</ul>
We are also continuing to book shows for our August 2011 tour! A complete list of tour dates will be announced soon!<br><br>
And stay tuned to the website for more of my YouTube cover series and the Poem of the Week, both of which are returning next week!<br><br>
I'll leave you now with:<br><br><b>Five Things I'm Diggin'</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/53772e7c7ceec5764cce5fcf749afd9067aa4b32/original/todaythemoon.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 474px; height: 316px;" /><br><br>
The new album from <a href="http://www.myspace.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun">Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun</a> - W I L D F I R E - Definitely check it out!!<br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/flDwfjP7PAE" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br>
The video for <a href="http://vergeofbliss.com">Verge of Bliss</a>'s "Dreaming on the Eve" - this is one of my favorite songs that they do <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c334ed23bb4b807b6d0c038b214f7736c1d1af52/medium/DSCF1823.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="300" /><br><br>
Decoupage! I took an old acoustic that I had just laying around and made it a Pocket the Moon guitar! I'm planning on giving it away in the raffle at the 5/28 American Red Cross Benefit Show!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2eaaff47e1dda249689ade3e2e0fc5c41a336ed4/medium/AveQ_Postcard_FINALforweb.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="194" width="300" /><br><br>
The fact that Avenue Q is playing at <a href="http://www.horizontheatre.com/">Horizon Theatre</a> starting tomorrow, May 20th! Check it out everyone!<br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="640" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yeV5GTtNxXs"></iframe><br><br>
Carolina Wallin Perez - Anyone who has known me for longer than a year probably knows about my obsession with Swedish band, Kent. I just discovered this artist who has AN ENTIRE CD OF KENT COVERS which are AMAZING. And that makes me excited :)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411402011-03-21T08:55:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:13-05:00Home cover series! First up, "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Bob DylanHey guys!<br><br>
I always love listening to people doing covers of songs that I love on YouTube. You can hear so many great interpretations of songs that you love! <br><br>
I decided to start a "home cover series" on YouTube. I'm planning on taking requests and learning some new covers. (I already have a few that I'm going to do from my last round of requests on Facebook as well as my Kickstarter page.) YouTube is a great place to play covers also because it gives me a chance to do songs that I wouldn't normally play out. (I don't really do a lot of covers at shows normally, and when I do, I want to make sure they're songs that everyone knows.) But here, I get a chance to share my versions of some more obscure songs. I'll also be posting quite a bit of "mainstream" covers though as well because I'm pretty open minded when it comes to music, and I like a LOT of different things. I might even do songs that I don't necessarily like. (Sometimes I think it's really fun to play acoustic versions of songs that I think are ridiculous. I did promise my friend, Tommy, a Katy Perry cover even!) <br><br>
I like learning and playing covers, though. I like paying tribute to other artists, and I like challenging myself to make someone else's song my own. Plus, covers are just fun. :)<br><br>
If you have any requests for future covers, leave a comment here!<br><br>
But I'd like to start this whole thing of with one of my favorite covers. It's a song that everyone knows, a song that everyone has covered, and one of the first covers that I learned! I've been playing this song since I was 14, and it still hasn't gotten old to me.<br><br>
So I hope you enjoy!<br><br><b>An acoustic cover of Knockin' on Heavens Door by Bob Dylan</b><br><br><br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="480" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Iq3ckfzaWI" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411272011-03-09T08:47:46-05:002017-01-13T08:53:00-05:00Pocket the Moon on Facebook and Twitter! Win awesome stuff!<div style="text-align: left;"><img src="//content.bandzoogle.com/users/pocketthemoonf/images/content/184602_145603378835909_130546320341615_271795_941931_n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 507px; height: 440px;" /></div>
<br><br><span style="font-size: larger;">Please go "like" us on </span><a href="http://facebook.com/pocketthemoon"><span style="font-size: larger;">Facebook</span></a><span style="font-size: larger;"> and/or follow us on </span><a href="http://twitter.com/pocketthemoon"><span style="font-size: larger;">Twitter</span></a><span style="font-size: larger;">!</span><br><br>
You can stay tuned about our upcoming shows, CD release, music videos, AND we do lots of fun things like giveaways! (We just gave away some Pocket the Moon unicorns...seriously!)<br><br><img src="//content.bandzoogle.com/users/pocketthemoonf/images/content/unicorns.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 469px; height: 351px;" /><br><i>The kinds of things you can win by being a fan on Facebook or following us on Twitter</i><br><br>
When we reach 500 Facebook fans, we're going to do another giveaway. It's going to be a Pocket the Moon decoupage something like my album cover table!<br><br><img src="//content.bandzoogle.com/users/pocketthemoonf/images/content/table-300.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="225" width="300" /><br><i>Isn't that awesome? Don't you want a Pocket the Moon decoupage lamp or something?</i><br><br>
Anyway, help us out :) We'll <3 you forever.<br><br><a href="http://facebook.com/pocketthemoon">http://facebook.com/pocketthemoon</a><br><a href="http://twitter.com/pocketthemoon"><br>
http://twitter.com/pocketthemoon</a><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411392011-02-24T05:00:00-05:002017-01-13T08:53:01-05:00A poetry project - Driving Downtown to The Show<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/16abda772d8892a52265c400a3697cc0009b55ef/large/downtown.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="418" width="600" /><br><br><i>Atlanta by </i><a href="http://jkelley1.deviantart.com/"><i>jkelley1</i></a><i> on deviantart</i><br><br>
As many of you know, I've always been one of those artists who must be doing multiple things at once. Writing plays, writing songs, playing music, sometimes acting, writing screenplays, sometimes film making, writing poems, decoupaging tables...there's really nothing I won't at least try when it comes to art. I've decided lately, though, to kind of put everything on the back burner and focus on music, specifically <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a>. I spend most of my time promoting, booking, writing music, practicing, recording, etc. (Well, Geoff's really doing most of the work on recordings. I just show up and play/sing. He's the one who makes it sound badass.)<br><br>
I am still doing my grad school program, though. I'm pursuing my MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Playwriting. And while I'm sort of taking a break from writing plays specifically to really concentrate on Pocket the Moon, I am still working on poetry for my poetry writing workshop.<br><br>
My professor in this class, though, wanted us to come up with these incredibly elaborate procedures. We are basically writing enough poems over the course of the semester to have a chapbook of poems at the end, and he wanted us to come up with "rules" that decide the content, length, and writing schedule. He also wanted us to come up with a title for our books.<br><br>
I decided that since I am focusing so much on music right now, not just my own music, but also being a part of the Atlanta music scene that my procedure (and my book title) would incorporate this theme.<br><br>
Here’s my procedure:<br><br><i>Writing schedule: Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, I will write a poem after band practice.<br><br>
Content: I will look up the bands on the bill of a certain music venue, and in my poem I will have to use one of those band names in the first five lines of my poem. (Tuesdays - The Earl, Thursdays - Star Bar, Sundays - Drunken Unicorn - because those are probably my favorite venues.)<br><br>
Length: When I sit down to write, I will put my iPod on shuffle. Whatever song plays, I will look up the lines of lyrics and that is how many lines my poem will be. If it is an instrumental song, the length will determine my line count. (i.e. a song that’s 4:57 would be 57 lines in 4 stanzas.)<br><br>
Title: Driving Downtown to the Show</i><br><br>
This is obviously not how I usually write poems. I might start with a particular form in mind or even a writing prompt, but never something as elaborate as this. But so far, I am really loving the work that is coming out of it. And having to write three poems a week after coming out of a period where I haven’t written any poems for at least two years was definitely a challenge at first. But now, I’m right back into the swing of things.<br><br>
These are some of the band names I’ve used so far:<br>
Hip to Death<br>
Wild Nothing<br>
How I Became the Bomb<br>
Dead Rabbits<br>
Quiet Life<br>
The Future of Airports<br><br>
Another reason I'm loving this project is because it further reinforces the idea that all of the artistic projects I am involved in are connected. I can never just be a poet, playwright, musician. I am always all of the above. My poetry is greatly influenced by music, my music is greatly influenced by theatre, my plays are greatly influenced by poetry, it's all connected!<br><br>
I’ll leave you with one of the poems I’ve written for this project. The band name I had to use that day was Siberia My Sweet (which is also one of my favorite local bands ironically.) <br><br><br><b>Frozen Tundra</b><br><br>
Last August, when the salty, suffocating air<br>
nearly strangled us<br><br>
as we crept through the Deep South<br>
you took my hand and said,<br><br>
"Let's travel to Siberia, my sweet<br>
and become one with the frozen tundra.<br><br>
We can become snowmen with<br>
little black hats, and at least we'll<br><br>
know that we'll never melt away,<br>
our hands frozen together<br><br>
in miles of ice and snow." You smiled<br>
at me and kissed my cheek.<br><br>
I untangled my fingers from yours<br>
and kissed the night air of the Deep South.<br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411372011-02-07T07:35:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:13-05:00Five things I'm diggin'1. The new <a href="http://www.adele.tv/">Adele</a> album!<br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="640" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rYEDA3JcQqw" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br><br><br>
2. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Faux-Toe-Images/175244619167282">Faux Toe Images</a><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b071e82624a5032ac52d5f675a7e481114833ff0/original/fauxtoes.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><br>
3. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/wildnothing">WIld Nothing</a> - who I'm going to see at Drunken Unicorn tomorrow!<br><br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="480" allowfullscreen="" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wNdqU3fP5TI" title="YouTube video player"></iframe><br><br><br><br>
4. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/cinetrope">Cinetrope</a> - a local band who I just discovered a few weekends ago when I saw them at Drunken Unicorn (maybe I spend too much time at Drunken Unicorn! but there is good music there!)<br><br><iframe height="390" frameborder="0" width="480" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nAxbOVJuG1U" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br><br><br><br>
5. <a href="http://www.hbo.com/six-feet-under/index.html">Six Feet Under</a> (okay, so I'm a few years late on this one, but I just watched the series, and it's pretty brilliant!)<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e4f13ac4fe8a875d8e3df6e50f1abdc191d5bfdd/original/six_feet_under-show.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="250" width="333" /><br><br><br><br>
And there's a new <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a> track up <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com/music">here</a>!<br><br>
Have a good week, everyone!<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411362011-02-02T08:43:19-05:002017-01-13T08:53:01-05:00From the Pocket the Moon blog<i>From the <a href="http://htttp://pocketthemoon.com/blog">Pocket the Moon blog</a></i><br><img src="//content.bandzoogle.com/users/pocketthemoonf/images/content/flyer3.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 517px; height: 668px;" /><br><br>
Hey everyone! <br><br>
Thanks for coming by the Pocket the Moon website/blog.<br><br>
First of all, we have our first official show as Pocket the Moon on S<b>aturday, February 5th</b> at <b>Drunken Unicorn</b>. We played a few shows in December with the new set-up, but those were more like preview shows for our new sound. Well, now we are geared up and ready to go. We're really excited about the show on Saturday, and we're really excited to hear Athens-based <a href="http://www.myspace.com/brennanjohnsonmusic"><b>Audiophile</b></a> featuring Brennan Johnson as well as members of Dubconscious, Collective Efforts, and Entropy and our friends in <a href="http://www.etheroverdrive.com/"><b>Ether Overdrive</b></a>, which features musicians that both Geoff and I have played with in various projects (Goodland, Nigh Eve, Novo Luna, to name a few). <br><br>
We've been working extremely hard on recording our full-length album. (Well, Geoff has been working extremely hard, really. He's doing most of the recording, mixing, arranging, etc. etc. All I do is show up and play/sing.) The album has a tentative release date of <b>May 17, 2011</b>. For now, you can hear two preview tracks on our <a href="./music.cfm">music page</a> and if you come to the show on Saturday, we will be giving away free sampler CDs with a few preview tracks as well.<br><br>
As many of you know, I raised money in December on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">Kickstarter</a> to go on tour this summer. Originally, I was planning on going solo/acoustic in June, but now that we are both going together as Pocket the Moon, we will be going in mid-August. We're both really excited about putting out the album and hitting the road! <br><br>
Check out our new band photos taken by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Oberonia-and-kg-photography/175244619167282">Oberonia and KG photography</a> on our photos/videos page!<br><br>
We've got a few really exciting shows planned for the spring as well. We'll be playing with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sydneyeloiseward">Sydney Eloise</a> in March and <a href="http://nerdkween.com/default.aspx">Nerdkween</a> in April (<a href="http://nerdkween.com/Fundraising.aspx">Help her get to South by Southwest by buying her homemade pet treats here</a>!). We're continuing to book shows as well, so check back to stay updated.<br><br>
Also, you can follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/pocketthemoon">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://facebook.com/pocketthemoon">Facebook</a> or you can sign our mailing list! <br><br>
We really appreciate how supportive everyone has been so far! Thank you so much, everyone. Your support means the world to us! We'll see you on Saturday!<br><br>
Sara<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411132011-01-13T08:00:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:08-05:00Surviving the Atlanta snowpocalypse, Pocket the Moon news, five things I'm diggin'<br><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/patrickduffy8/5345828432/" title="Jan11 083 by krizutch, on Flickr"><img src="//farm6.static.flickr.com/5286/5345828432_7b9cca7217.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="Jan11 083" height="500" width="335" /><br><i><br>
Photo by Patrick Duffy</i><br></a> <br><br>
Well, we've been in the middle of a snowpocalypse here in Atlanta all week. It seems like the entire metro area has basically been shut down since Monday. <br><br>
Fortunately, though, Geoff and I have still been able to make some progress with <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon</a>, and I have some updates for you on the project!<br><br>
You can now check out the <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">Pocket the Moon website</a> to hear a preview track and see what we've been up to! <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com/music">Click here</a> to listen to "Bridge." This is a song Geoff and I have been doing together since the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/novolunamusic">Novo Luna</a> days, but I'm really excited about the Pocket the Moon version. <br><br>
You can also find Pocket the Moon on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pocket-the-Moon/130546320341615">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/pocketthemoon">Reverb Nation</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/pocketthemoon">Twitter</a>. So add us on there! We may be giving away promotional tickets to shows on Facebook and Twitter, so you could get FREE stuff!<br><br>
Pocket the Moon website - <a href="http://pocketthemoon.com">http://pocketthemoon.com</a><br>
Pocket the Moon on Facebook - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pocket-the-Moon/130546320341615">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pocket-the-Moon/130546320341615</a><br>
Pocket the Moon on Twitter - <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/pocketthemoon">http://twitter.com/#!/pocketthemoon</a><br>
Pocket the Moon on Reverb Nation - <a href="https://www.reverbnation.com/pocketthemoon">https://www.reverbnation.com/pocketthemoon</a><br><br>
We managed to squeeze in a photo shoot with <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/belenen/">Belenen</a> before the ice storm hit on Sunday night, so those photos will be coming soon! We're also planning a photo shoot with <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/adgaspard">Alisha Gaspard</a> (I'm ending the "every time a band I'm in gets awesome photos from Alisha, we break up right afterwards" curse). Haha. We're excited to be working with such talented photographers, and we're excited to see what comes from it!<br><br>
Also, we have our first official show on <b>Saturday, February 5th</b> at <b><a href="http://www.thedrunkenunicorn.net/">Drunken Unicorn</a>.</b> We will be playing with <a href="http://etheroverdrive.com"><b>Ether Overdrive</b></a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/brennanjohnsonmusic"><b>Audiophile</b></a> with Brennan Johnson, featuring members from Dubconscious, Collective Efforts and Entropy. This is sure to be an awesome night of music and for just <b>five bucks</b> to see three bands, you won't want to miss it! So bring your friends!<br><br>
In the spring of 2011, you can expect a full album release from <b>Pocket the Moon</b>, and you can also expect to see us play shows with the incredibly talented <a href="http://nerdkween.com/default.aspx"><b>Nerdkween </b></a>(<a href="http://nerdkween.com/Fundraising.aspx">who is actually going to play South by Southwest</a>!) and the also incredibly talented <a href="http://www.myspace.com/sydneyeloiseward"><b>Sydney Eloise</b></a> (who some of you may have seen at The Star Bar when we played there last month). <br><br>
Speaking of the Star Bar, you can check out a few of our songs from that set in this video, thanks to <a href="http://www.dominantsound.com/"><b>Dominant Sound</b></a>.<br><br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/cqccIO_U7og?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/cqccIO_U7og?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br><br>
So make sure you "like" us on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pocket-the-Moon/130546320341615">Facebook</a>, follow us on <a href="http://twitter.com/pocketthemoon">Twitter</a>, and come see us play at the Drunken Unicorn! And thank you so much for your support!!<br><br><br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/_4GwNjclmn8?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/_4GwNjclmn8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br><br><i>Shortwave Society </i><br><br>
If you're looking for some new things to check out this weekend once the ice thaws, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/1880s-Dance-Party/137973542889519">1880's Dance Party</a> will be playing with <a href="http://Pink%20Pompeii">Pink Pompeii</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shortwave-Society/57525476206">Shortwave Society</a> at Drunken Unicorn on <b>Friday, January 14th</b>. It's only 5 bucks, and it will definitely be an amazing night of music you don't want to miss. I will definitely be there so throw on your coat, scarf, and gloves, and come hang out with me and hear some great live music. For cheaper than the price of a movie!<br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/nsTXcPrUxJ8?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/nsTXcPrUxJ8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br><i>The Head<br></i><br>
Also, <a href="http://theheadmusic.com/">The Head</a> will be having an EP release show at Vinyl with <a href="http://theyoungorchids.com/">Young Orchids</a>. I'm definitely going to that show as well. I got the opportunity to see The Head at Star Bar last month, and these guys have a really solid sound. Check it out!<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c94654a0d019d0b19685b1f7ed3d9e57b1d4f37e/large/rabbit.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="600" /><br>
If you're looking for something a little more visual and you missed the Ponce Crush art crawl last weekend, <a href="http://youngbloodgallery.com/">Young Blood Gallery</a>, <a href="http://www.kibbeegallery.com/index.html">Kibbee Gallery</a>, and <a href="http://www.beepbeepgallery.com/">Beep Beep Gallery</a> are still running their exhibits<i> - Anima/Animus</i> at Young Blood, <i>Picturing the Beast: Animal Imagery in Contemporary Prints</i> at Kibbee, and <i>Year of the Rabbit</i> at Beep Beep - featuring some of the cities most talented local artists. <i>Anima/Animus</i> and <i>Picturing the Beast</i> run through January 29th, and <i>Year of the Rabbit </i>runs through February 3rd. Check it out!<br><br>
There are so many artists doing amazing things in Atlanta, so get out there and support them. Most of the time it's pretty cheap, and it's great to be a part of the community and see what kind of work local artists are creating (in all mediums!). Plus, you can get cheap beer at most music venues, theatres, art galleries, etc. And who doesn't love that?<br><br>
So I'll end this blog post with a new segment called <b>five things I'm diggin'</b>:<br><br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/IdU9Z7N_EVM?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/IdU9Z7N_EVM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br><br><br>
1. <a href="http://www.jakeshimabukuro.com/">Jake Shimabukuro</a>'s version of "Hallelujah" on <i>Peace Love Ukulele</i><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4cc54edbf6d8112554e19a5e04ed5eeff7f519e8/original/kelly.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="774" width="450" /><br><br><br><br>
2. This piece by <a href="http://www.kellymckernan.com/">Kelly McKernan</a>, local artist, entitled <i>Hit Me</i><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c68a0de4bd4ac626a16524034c8c413ecbeb7026/medium/domesticationfail.JPG?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="62" width="300" /><br><br><br><br>
3. My friend's blog <a href="http://domesticationfail.blogspot.com/">domesticationfail.com</a> - I'm pretty much the opposite of domestic, but it's really fun to read about her domestic adventures! <br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/db0c5b46f65f552b6af2c8fed420b51bebe822ac/original/hoth.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="400" /><br><br><br>
4. These <a href="http://hothlanta.com/">hothlanta t-shirts</a><br><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7fb400bc8168eb56d32ad51b0d390a781c7c1344/medium/meandkev.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="225" width="300" /><br><br><br><br>
5. My <a href="http://elephantmusictalk.blogspot.com/">little brother</a>'s writing for <a href="http://www.deadjournalist.com/DJdc/2011/01/06/album-review-snow-caps/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=album-review-snow-caps">DeadJournalist.com</a> now! (Hey, Kev, think you can hook Pocket of the Moon up with a solid review? Kidding, kidding.)<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411352010-12-28T08:46:39-05:002010-12-28T08:46:39-05:00THANK YOU, YOU AWESOME PEOPLE!I realize I'm starting to sound like a broken record here, but I don't think you can ever say thank you enough. I sent an e-mail out to everyone on my mailing list thanking them for all of their support this year, and I thought I would echo that sentiment here, especially as I have <b>reached my goal on Kickstarter and I will be going on tour in 2011!!</b> I could NOT have done that without you!<br><br>
I have had so much support from so many people this year. You helped me to get better gigs at better venues in Atlanta, you all supported my debut album, <i>Unsent Letters</i>, you came to see me rock out with my backing band, <b>The Cult Following</b>, you voted me <b>Best Local Songwriter in Creative Loafing's Best of 2010</b> issue, and most recently, you have helped me achieve my goal on Kickstarter - <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011</a> - so that I will now be going on tour in June 2011! I cannot even begin to thank you all enough for your continued support.<br><br>
So I'll just say it over and over again. Thank you for coming to my shows, thank you for listening to my music, thank you for reading my poetry book, thank you for reading my blog, thank you for commenting on my Facebook, thank you for signing up for my mailing list, thank you for supporting this independent artist and many others! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! You are all very much appreciated!<br><br>
And I'm very excited about the upcoming year. Here's what you can expect from me in 2011:<br><br>
- Geoff and I have re-grouped and formed a two-person band, using both my songs and his songs, called <b>Pocket the Moon</b>. We are still doing many of the songs from Sara Crawford and the Cult Following. He is playing drums, bass, guitar, trumpet, bells, keyboard. I'm playing keyboard, guitar, bass. We do a lot of musical chairs on the instruments. We have some songs where we play with backing tracks. We're doing a lot of interesting things! We're currently recording and we're expecting to release a CD in <b>spring of 2011</b>, and play many, many shows around Atlanta, so look for that!<br><br>
- Thanks to my Kickstarter fund, I will be going on <b>tour in June 2011</b>! This is going to be mostly an East Coast/Midwest tour that will last two to three weeks. Geoff will also be coming with me, so it's now going to be a <b>Pocket the Moon</b> tour as opposed to just an acoustic tour. This is going to be a great thing, though, because this will allow us to book more venues and sell more merch. Stay tuned for details on that!<br><br>
- I am continuing to work on plays and poetry, as I've just released my first book of poems, <b>Coiled and Swallowed</b>, in September, and I'm currently working on my MFA in Creative Writing (with an emphasis in Playwriting). You can expect some kind of theatrical production and/or staged reading from me in 2011. Also, I'm working with several other incredibly talented playwrights and screenwriters in Atlanta, and I'm hoping to help them with their future projects as well. Furthermore, there is talk of a theatre company in Georgia doing a production of my play, <b>Painted</b>, this year. I'll be sure to keep you posted on that!<br><br>
Once again, thank you so much for everything you do. You have no idea how much your support means to me!<br><br>
I hope you all have a wonderful New Year! :-)<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411342010-12-27T11:30:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:12-05:00Music I fell in love with in 2010...Alright, I know everyone is all listed out by now with all of the "Best of 2010" lists floating around. Also, I thought about it, and for me it's really hard to "rank" music. How can I compare one album to a completely different album? It's like saying "Which is the better fruit? Bananas or oranges?" Neither one can objectively be "better" although we may each have different favorites. So I thought instead of doing a countdown, I would just tell you about some of the albums that I fell in love with this year.<br><br><b>Beach House - <i>Teen Dream</i></b><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teen-Dream-DVD-Beach-House/dp/B002ZIAC26"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/983a1ed8eea3adbea50a4a09b87afbc4d50eb8e6/original/beach-house.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /></a><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teen-Dream-DVD-Beach-House/dp/B002ZIAC26">Teen Dream on Amazon.com</a><br><br><a href="http://www.beachhousebaltimore.com/">Beach House's website</a><br> <br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic">Beach House on myspace</a><br><br>Of course, I have to mention this album. How could I not? Especially after I saw them live twice this year. (Ironically, neither show was in Atlanta. The first one was in Asheville, NC in late April. I drove up there to see them when their Atlanta show was sold out. The second time I saw them was in Athens at the 40 Watt.)<br><br>The first time I listened to this album all the way through, it was like magic. I completely fell in love with Victoria Legrand and her captivating vocal melodies, especially paired with Alex Scally's guitar, which weaves together with the organ so beautifully. This album took me somewhere, every time.<br><br><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/xIGvqxN--aY?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/xIGvqxN--aY?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"></embed></object><br><br><br><b>Arcade Fire - </b><i><b>The Suburbs</b></i><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Suburbs/dp/B003X73QA8"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/d2c54504f990f955c6032a03ff14a4208d6089c2/original/suburbs.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="280" width="280" /></a><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Suburbs/dp/B003X73QA8">The Suburbs on Amazon</a><br><br><a href="http://www.arcadefire.com/">Arcade Fire's website</a><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/arcadefireofficial">Arcade Fire on myspace</a><br><br>I've been a huge fan of Arcade Fire ever since <i>Funeral</i> came out in 2005. I was a little obsessed with <i>Funeral </i>and <i>Neon Bible, </i>actually. So I was really excited about their 2010 release. But when I listened to the first few times, I was a little disappointed. It wasn't what I expected it to be. It didn't make me feel the way that those first two albums did, especially <i>Funeral </i>with it's longing and joy and childhood nostalgia. <br><br>And then one day, I just sat down and listened to the whole thing, and I had a <i>moment.</i> I got <i>it.</i> It captures that suburban-9-to-5-sitting-in-traffic-this-is-almost-like-being-in-jail-but-we-don't-notice-because-we're-too-busy-drinking-lattes-and-playing-on-our-iphones feeling <i>extremely well</i>. But it still slightly irritates me because Arcade Fire doesn't have to punch the clock or work 9 to 5 day jobs. They get to play music for a living. I'm sure at one point, they understood the frustration, living in the sprawl, feeling trapped, but I feel like this album is really coming from an outside perspective. I still have mixed feelings about it in that regard. Nonetheless, I've come to absolutely love the music. Especially this song, which I've definitely listened to non-stop, on repeat, for at least a day or two.<br><br><br><br><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/rH_7_XRfTMs?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/rH_7_XRfTMs?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"></embed></object><br><br><br><b>Blonde Redhead - </b><b><i>Penny Sparkle</i></b><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Sparkle-Blonde-Redhead/dp/B003UDBSVE"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/67ccae114a62f50a9b09810ba735ee3e009670b2/original/penny-sparkle.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /></a><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Sparkle-Blonde-Redhead/dp/B003UDBSVE">Penny Sparkle on Amazon</a><br><br><a href="http://www.blonde-redhead.com/%20">Blonde Redhead's website</a><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/blonderedhead">Blonde Redhead on myspace</a><br><br>This is an album I haven't seen mentioned a lot on the various best of 2010 lists, and I really don't know why. This album is amazing! The airy vocals and dreamy guitars will send you into another world as well. They remind me of Slowdive meets the Cocteau Twins. If you like shoegaze or dreamy music, you should definitely check out this band. I am really hoping they make it to Atlanta sometime soon so that I can catch them live.<br><br><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/Nw5I2Nv6BzU?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/Nw5I2Nv6BzU?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640"></embed></object><br><br><b>UNKLE - </b><i><b>Where Did the Night Fall</b></i><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Did-Night-Fall-Unkle/dp/B003E1QBY6"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/67541ad5df12cb1e887720291089b0ca77093e9b/original/unkle.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /></a><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-Did-Night-Fall-Unkle/dp/B003E1QBY6">Where Did the Night Fall on Amazon</a><br><br><a href="http://www.unkle.com/">UNKLE's website</a><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/unkle">UNKLE on myspace</a><br><br>This is another album I haven't seen mentioned much, which I also think is weird. I became completely obsessed with this album when I was in Mexico. I've been a fan of UNKLE for a while, but it was really listening to this album that made me pay attention. I especially love the tracks that UNKLE does with The Black Angels (there's one on this album and one on the <i>Twilight Saga: Eclipse</i> soundtrack, which is actually a great soundtrack.)<br><br>Check it out!<br><br><br><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/Yry2C5VWUoA?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/Yry2C5VWUoA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640"></embed></object><br><br><b>Dark Dark Dark - </b><i><b>Bright Bright Bright</b></i><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bright/dp/B0038W3VJ4"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1a4bc05c0a8a642de048c0f7a7dac44c0146a77d/original/brightbrightbright.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="280" width="280" /></a><br><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bright/dp/B0038W3VJ4">Bright Bright Bright on Amazon</a><br><br><a href="http://www.brightbrightbright.com">Dark Dark Dark's website</a><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/darkdarkdarkband%20">Dark Dark Dark on myspace</a><br><br>If you like Regina Spektor or My Brightest Diamond, you <i>must</i> listen to Dark Dark Dark. This EP goes from eerie to nostalgic to passionate to elated to longing all within the span of six songs. After I saw the band live at The Five Spot in October, I was hooked. Their live show was amazing as well. They had an incredible presence. (And who doesn't love accordions?)<br><br><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/dSONOy7y7Fc?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/dSONOy7y7Fc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480"></embed></object><br><br>So there we have it. Five releases that I absolutely fell in love with in 2010.<br><br>Releases I'm excited to hear in 2011 so far? Well, PJ Harvey, Lykke Li, Devotchka, and Adele are all supposed to have albums coming out in 2011. I have a good feeling about this upcoming year. :-)Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411322010-12-13T10:55:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:12-05:00Updates - Tour fund is almost at goal - upcoming shows<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c46039cecab12a8a5738cf7861c49e5eb9426e05/original/2ab3850a8a48fb1b6be81194eeb24257.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="534" width="800" /><br><br><i>Christmas by <a href="http://kiiw.deviantart.com/">kiiw</a> from <a href="http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=christmas#/d1qpxh0">Deviant Art</a></i><br><br>
Well, we're officially in the thick of the Holiday season, which is always a fun and exciting time.<br><br>
There are a lot of exciting things going on with me musically right now!<br><br>
First of all, thanks to everyone who came out to the Smith's Olde Bar show, which was the first show Geoff and I played with the new two-person band set-up. It went over really well, and I was told by many people that they absolutely loved the new sound, that the songs sounded a lot more stripped down with the perfect amount of instrumental accompaniment. I’m really excited about the new sound, and Geoff and I are hard at work writing/arranging new songs (both songs I’ve written, songs he’s written, songs we’re working on together, etc.), recording our songs, and preparing for upcoming shows! Also, we got the opportunity to play with 1880s Dance Party and the Sarah Mac Band, who were both absolutely incredible. Check them out!<br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/1880sdanceparty">1880s Dance Party on Myspace</a><br><br><br><br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/FNyYzpSN080?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/FNyYzpSN080?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object> <a href="http://sarahmacband.com/"><br>
Sarah Mac Band's website</a><br><br>
Geoff and I have decided on a new band name, <b>Pocket the Moon</b>. Be on the look out for new photos, songs, a new website, etc. We’re currently working on an album, which we’re planning on releasing in the spring of 2011.<br><br>
We have a couple of upcoming shows as well!<br><br><b>December 18th - </b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/uptownloft">Uptown Loft </a>- 9700 Medlock Bridge Rd. Ste 120 Johns Creek, GA - We will be playing with <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ravens-Wolves/168666753173890">Ravens and Wolves</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Part-Of-The-Problem/142743084476">Part of the Problem</a> - <b>FREE show!</b><br><b><br>
December 23rd - </b><a href="http://4thwardheroes.com">4th Ward Heroes</a> and <a href="http://www.mixtapeatlanta.com/">Mixtape Atlanta</a> present an Industry Holiday Soiree at the <a href="http://www.starbar.net/">Star Bar</a> - 437 Moreland Avenue Northeast Atlanta, GA 30307 - <b>FREE show!</b><br><br><br>
Also, I am so close to my goal for my tour fund on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">Kickstarter</a>, and there are just 18 days left to donate! Please stop by and donate what you can (even a dollar!) or re-post the link to help me reach my goal!<br><br>
I hope everyone is staying warm and having a wonderful Holiday season so far!<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411312010-12-09T07:39:29-05:002010-12-09T07:39:29-05:00Only 22 more days to donate to help me go on tour!First of all, I'd like to say thank you so much to those of you who have already donated! I am so close to reaching my goal and actually making this dream a reality!<br><br>
Geoff is now planning on going on tour with me, so we'll be going as the new two-piece unnamed band...(we're trying to come up with a name!) This is a good thing, though, because we'll be able to book more indie music venues as opposed to the more typical acoustic places. (If you'd like to see us in the new set up, we'll be playing Uptown Loft on December 18th and a short set at Star Bar on December 23rd). We're also working on recording an album, which we're hoping to have out sometime in the spring of 2011.<br><br>
Anyway, I'm already up to $738 on <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">Kickstarter</a> of my $1100 goal for the tour fund. The way it works on kickstarter is they give you a certain amount of time to reach your goal, and if you don't meet your goal by the deadline, no one is charged anything and the artist doesn't get any of the donations. My deadline is December 31st, 2010. So there are still 22 days left to donate!<br><br>
So please take a second and stop by my kickstarter page. <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011</a> - Even if you can only donate a dollar, it's still helpful! Also, if you prefer to donate using paypal, you can do that, too as I've set up a donation account on kickstarter for cash donations. To donate this way, please visit my website <a href="./home.cfm">http://saracrawford.net/</a> - scroll to the bottom and click "make a donation." If you have already donated, you can help out by re-posting the link on your facebook, twitter, etc. and getting the word out there!<br><br>
So support the independent artists this Christmas, and help me get my music out there!<br><br>
Please re-post to help me get the word out!<br><br>
Thank you so much for all of your support!<br><br>
My kickstarter page - <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011</a><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411302010-11-29T14:05:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:11-05:00I'm in a new band...sort of - news with the 2011 tour - thank you for making 2010 amazing!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/341c7777c60e4cfadbe82ba493f684afe0555eb1/original/002z7hxy.jpeg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="416" width="555" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/belenen/">Belenen</a> </i><br><br><br>
I can’t believe 2010 is almost over! I mean, seriously?<br><br>
The Cult Following is no longer around (at least not in the form that it was). Adrian Rhetts and Brian Teague are no longer playing with us full-time. There's no hard feelings and I have nothing but respect for both of them as people and as musicians. And please check out <a href="http://www.myspace.com/eatthesunmusic">Eat the Sun</a>, Brian's electronic project, which I’ve always been a huge fan of, and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Electric-Duane/96395999775">Electric Duane</a>, who Adrian is now playing guitar with. (Electric Duane also features Matt Bradshaw and Monica Nicole - two of my friends and incredible musicians as well.) So you never know when they’ll make a musical appearance, but for the moment, bass player, Geoff Goodwin, and I are re-booting the project.<br><br>
We’ve decided to form a two-person band using both my songs and songs that Geoff has written. We’re currently working on recording and expect to release a CD in early 2011. I’m really excited about where it’s going! This band will feature Geoff on drums, guitar, bass, bells, trumpet, piano, and I’ll be playing guitar, piano, maybe even a little bass myself! You can definitely look for some of the Cult Following favorites like “Tangled,” “Hipster Haircut,” and “August” on the upcoming release, and I’m sure Geoff and I will continue to play some of the tunes from <i>Unsent Letters</i> at the shows.<br><br>
To see a preview of the new arrangements and where the music is going, you can come out to <b>Smith’s Olde Bar</b> -<b> The Atlanta Room </b>on <b>Saturday, December 4th</b>. We’ll be playing at 10:00 pm. This show will also feature other special guests such as Kyle Weisse (from Long Absent Friends) on violin. You definitely don’t want to miss it! It’s going to be completely different than any of the shows I’ve played so far this year, and with all of the focus on recordings, it’s likely to be my last show for a while. Also, we'll be playing with <a href="http://sarahmacband.com/">Sarah Mac Band</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/1880sdanceparty">1880's Dance Party</a>!<br><br>
Also, things are speeding along in full force on my <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">Kickstarter page</a> where I am raising money to go on tour in June 2011. So far, I have reached 60% of my goal! There are still 32 days left to donate so please check it out and donate what you can to help! (Every dollar counts!) If I don’t reach my goal by December 31st, I won’t receive any of the funds that I’ve raised on there so far, so <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">please help me to reach my goal</a> so I can make this dream a reality and share my music with the country! I had originally planned to make this an acoustic tour, but now it looks like it may be including “the whole band” (AKA Geoff). This is very exciting because now I can try to book the more indie music oriented venues as opposed to just acoustic coffee shop type places. Also, throw the little bro, Kevin Crawford, into the mix, and who knows what kind of shenanigans will ensue. Video blogs from the road, perhaps? A documentary about trying to make it as an indie band? Who knows? So many possibilities!<br><br><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">Sara Crawford Acoustic Tour June 2011 on Kickstarter - click here to donate!</a><br><br>
Lastly, I just wanted to say thank you so much to everyone for making my 2010 so amazing. Thank you to The Cult Following for being the most fun band I’ve ever played with. Thank you to all of the booking people at the various venues for giving me the opportunity to play. I’ve played so many incredible places this year! MINT Gallery, Drunken Unicorn, Smith’s, Lenny’s, Red Light Cafe, Five Spot, Grant Park Summer Shade Festival, the Beatlanta house, Cool Beans...oh, and let’s not forget that tequila bar in Mexico...and playing two songs totally counts as a “show.” :-p Thanks to everyone who has come out to the shows and shown support. Thanks to everyone who has supported me by buying a copy of my CD or my poetry book. Thanks to everyone who has donated to my tour fund on Kickstarter. Thanks to all of the amazing musicians who I have had the opportunity to play with this year - <a href="http://www.wadeintherhythm.com/">Wade in the Rhythm</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/callers">Callers</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/ladylazarusintheory">Lady Lazarus</a>, <a href="http://www.beforethesolstice.net/">Before the Solstice</a>, CMAC... just to name a few. (And if you haven’t heard those bands, check them out! They’re well worth it.) Thank you to everyone who voted me Best Songwriter in Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta issue! Thank you all so much for everything you do. You don’t know how much it really means to me.<br><br>
Check back later this week for an events posting and restarting of the Poem of the Week!<br><br>
Thanks for reading!<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411082010-11-01T19:20:58-04:002010-11-01T19:20:58-04:00Making progress with Kickstarter and upcoming shows with The Cult Following(Copied from my Kickstarter page)<br><br><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011</a><br><br>
Hey everyone. I just wanted to say thanks so much for all of the support just in the first few days of the fundraising project! I'm so incredibly grateful for all of the support you all have shown me so far, and I'm very hopeful about reaching my goal in time. I've already started making lists of possible venues and open mic nights to play in each of the various cities.<br><br>
Here's my possible tour schedule so far:<br><br>
June 9, 2011 - Charleston, SC<br>
June 12, 2011 - Philadelphia, PA<br>
June 13, 2011 - New York, NY<br>
June 15, 2011 - Cincinnati, OH<br>
June 17, 2011 - Chicago, IL<br>
June 19, 2011 - Madison, WI<br>
June 21, 2011 - Kansas City, MO<br>
June 23, 2011 - Nashville, TN<br><br>
Again, this is subject to change depending on how much money I am able to raise/save. I would also love to go out and play in New Orleans, Utah, Colorado, and Los Angeles (all of which are places where I also have friends!). It may be do-able to include those places, but this is my realistic plan as of now.<br><br>
Just want to remind all of my generous backers that you won't be receiving your rewards until after December 31st (assuming I reach my goal) when the project is completed. At that point, I will contact you to either get your mailing address so I can send you your CDs, photos, poetry books, etc. or I will be contacting you to get more information on the types of poems and songs you'd like me to write for/about you. (Although, if you have selected those rewards, you can always e-mail me at sara@saracrawford.net to give me a head start on what kinds of songs/poems I should be working on!)<br><br>
If you haven't donated yet, you can donate just one dollar (that's less than a latte at Starbucks, people!) Or you can help out by sharing the link to the project. :-)<br><br>
And for those of you in Atlanta, don't forget to check out me and my band, The Cult Following! Here are our upcoming shows:<br><br>
Wednesday, November 3 - Drunken Unicorn (opening for Callers from New York)<br>
Friday, November 19 - The Five Spot (opening for Bodega Roja and Wade in the Rhythm)<br>
Saturday, December 4 - Smith's Olde Bar - The Atlanta Room<br><br>
Thanks so much, everyone! Let's keep it rollin'!<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411112010-10-26T09:23:29-04:002010-10-26T09:23:29-04:00Help me go on tour!Well, I did it. I made a kickstarter page to raise money for my solo/acoustic tour that I'm planning for June 2010.<br><br><a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1449794038/sara-crawford-acoustic-tour-june-2011">Sara Crawford on Kickstarter</a><br><br>
I am going on an acoustic/solo tour in June 2011. I'm going to go to as many cities as I possibly can and play acoustic gigs at music venues, coffee shops, open mic nights, etc. I'm also planning on bringing my CDs and my poetry books to sell, and possibly getting some other merch (T-shirts, stickers, keychains, etc.) to help spread the music!<br><br>
At this point, my tour will consist of nine cities and be two weeks long. I will need 1,100 dollars (in addition to the money I am saving) to go on my tour. If I raise more money, though, I will be able to extend the tour and visit more cities.<br><br>
I will be raising money on here until December 31, 2010. Any donations you make will not be charged to you until that time, and if I don't reach my goal by that point, you won't be charged anything.<br><br><b>Even if you just donate one dollar or pass this link along to your friends, I would greatly appreciate it!!</b><br><br><br>
Check out these rewards:<br><br><br>
Pledge $1 or more - You will receive a special thanks on my website.<br><br>
Pledge $4 or more - I will make you a mix CD!<br><br>
Pledge $5 or more - I will write you a poem.<br><br>
Pledge $6 or more - Receive a copy of my book of poems, Coiled and Swallowed.<br><br>
Pledge $7 or more - Receive a copy of my CD, Unsent Letters.<br><br>
Pledge $10 or more - Receive both my CD, Unsent Letters, and my book of poems, Coiled and Swallowed.<br><br>
Pledge $12 or more - Receive a signed copy of Unsent Letters along with a signed photo<br><br>
Pledge $15 or more - Give me a list of three songs you'd like to see me cover, and I will pick at least one and either record a video of me playing the song and put it on YouTube or I will play the song at a show for you.<br><br>
Pledge $25 or more - I will write a song about/for you and either put it up on YouTube or play the song at a show for you. (It can be about you or anything you want me to write a song about.)<br><br>
Pledge $50 or more - I will play one set (45 minutes) of music for your party/wedding/event, including covers of your choice. (I will also use my own PA system and I would need at least two weeks' notice prior to the event.)<br><br>
Pledge $75 or more - I will play two sets (1 hour, 15 minutes) of music for your party/wedding/event, including covers of your choice. (I will also use my own PA system and I would need at least two weeks' notice prior to the event.)<br><br>
Pledge $100 or more - Receive a copy of my CD, Unsent Letters, along with a custom painting from artist, Leah Hayes, inspired by my music.<br><br><br><br><br><br><b>Thank you so much for supporting independent artists!</b><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411292010-10-22T11:18:38-04:002017-01-13T08:53:00-05:00News<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4245348fac0a2a382953a47b78dcd8679ed263c1/original/drunkenunicornflyer.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="792" width="612" /><br><br><br><i>Flyer made by Amanda McCormick</i><br><br>
I have totally been slacking off on the blog lately. Sorry about that! I'm planning on returning to my events postings soon, which is a good thing because there is so much going on artistically!<br><br>
Thank you so much for your support with the release of my poetry book, <i>Coiled and Swallowed.</i> I have sold quite a few copies, and I'm incredibly grateful for all of the support that I have received with it. If you haven't picked up a copy yet, they are available for purchase <a href="./poetry.cfm">here.</a><br><br>
The band and I have a lot of exciting things in the works. We are currently working on recording, and we hope to have a release out soon. I'll be sure to keep you updated as we finalize dates. Also, we recently did a photoshoot with Oberonia and KG photography. You can check out our new photos on the <a href="./photosandvideos.cfm">photos/videos</a> page!<br><br>
In other news, our next show is <b>November 3rd </b>at the <b>Drunken Unicorn</b> where we will be opening for Callers, from New York. They have a really interesting sound, and I'm so excited to be opening for them in their Atlanta performance on their international tour. Check out their music here! We'll also be playing with Lady Lazarus, from California.<br><br>
Please come out and support us and these wonderful touring musicians! Tickets are only 5 dollars in advance, or 8 dollars at the door. Tickets are available at <a href="http://www.ticketalternative.com/Venues/21.aspx">TicketAlternative.com</a>, <a href="http://www.criminalatl.com/">Criminal Records</a>, <a href="http://www.decaturcd.blogspot.com/">Decatur CD</a>, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/fantasyland-records-atlanta">Fantasy Land Records</a>, and the following <a href="http://www.cdwarehouse.com/">CD Warehouse</a> locations: Buford, Duluth, Kennesaw, Lawrenceville and Roswell. We hope to see you there!<br><br>
Other ideas in the works include an acoustic tour in spring 2011 and acoustic covers on YouTube. Stay tuned for info on those things!<br><br>
Once again, thank you so much for your continued support. I appreciate all of you so much!<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411262010-09-02T11:35:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:10-05:00Happy September!!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1b6f394b25b3a32ee7972696b4051562f36b5627/original/alisha.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="500" width="375" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/adgaspard/4922692694/">A.D. Gaspard</a></i><br><br>
September is here! And there are a lot of great things going on!<br><br>
First of all, I have some upcoming events:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>Friday, September 3rd - Sara Crawford and the Cult Following at Smith's Olde Bar - The Atlanta Room - 9:00 PM - 21+ - $8 -</b> My band and I will be playing a set at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room. Also, our good friend Kayesha Belnap is moving back to Utah, so we're making this a send-off show! She's going to sing a song with us, too. :-)</li>
<li>
<b>Saturday, September 4th 1:00 AM, Sunday September 5th midnight - The short film I wrote, <i>Leapfrog</i>, will air on Atlanta Shorts on PBA 30, Atlanta's PBS Station - </b>Tune in and check it out!</li>
<li><b>Tuesday, September 7th - My chapbook of poems, <i>Coiled and Swallowed</i>, will be released. It will be available here on my website or through Virgogray Press</b></li>
<li><b>Friday, September 24th - Sara Crawford and the Cult Following at MINT Gallery - 10:00 PM - $4 </b></li>
</ul>
There are a ton of really great events going on this month that I'm excited about! Here are a few:<br><br><br><b><u>MUSIC<br></u></b>
<ul>
<li><b>Tonight! September 2nd - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theapostlesmusic">The Apostles</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=86272019261">Ogya</a>, and <a href="http://www.3052dubcollective.com/">3052 Dub Collective</a> at <a href="http://www.fivespot-atl.com">The Five Spot</a> - 8:00 PM - 21+ - $5<br><u><br></u><br></b></li>
<li>
<b>Wednesday, September 8th - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/harveymilk">Harvey Milk</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/hawksisaband">Hawks</a> at <a href="http://www.529atl.com/">529</a> - 9:00 PM - 21+ - $12</b><br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Thursday, September 9th - <a href="http://www.elteneleven.com/">El Ten Eleven</a>, </b><b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/bathsmusic">Baths</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/nigredomusic">Nigredo</a> at <a href="http://www.thedrunkenunicorn.net/">The Drunken Unicorn</a> - 9:00 PM - 18+ - $12</b><br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Tuesday, September 14th - <a href="http://www.juliegribble.com/home.html">Julie Gribble</a> and <a href="http://www.bobschneidermusic.com/">Bob Schneider</a> at <a href="http://www.smithsoldebar.com">Smith's Olde Bar</a> - 8:00 PM - 21+ - $20</b><br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Wednesday, September 15th - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/giversmusic">GIVERS</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/adriennemccann">Adron</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/littletybee">Little Tybee</a> at <a href="http://www.badearl.com/">The Earl</a> - 8:30 PM -21+ - $10</b><br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Monday, September 27th - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/teramelos%20">Tera Melos</a>, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/vegancoke">Vegan Coke</a> at <a href="http://www.wonderroot.org/">Wonderroot</a> - 8:00 PM</b><br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Thursday, September 30th - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/nobodysdarlingsmusic">Nobody's Darlings</a> CD Release show at <a href="http://www.starbar.net">The Star Bar</a> - 9:00 PM - 21+ - FREE</b><br><br>
</li>
</ul><b><u>THEATER<br></u></b>
<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/05fc5a56f5f6613274bb3153b83377a796bf9577/original/confederacy.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" width="120" /></div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>A Confederacy of Dunces - </i>Theatrical Outfit - Running until September 12th - </b><i>A World Premiere Stage Adaptation by Tom Key based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning Novel by John Kennedy Toole - Directed by Richard Garner - Like Shakespeare’s Falstaff, Ignatius Reilly of A Confederacy of Dunces has the bombastic comic power to subvert reality and his madcap adventures in the 1960s French Quarter of New Orleans prove to be as laugh out loud hilarious as they are brilliantly revelatory of the human condition. It is a tumultuous story, filled with the truly rendered accents and dialects of New Orleans rebels. Two voices, however, dominate: a sharp-eyed omniscient narrator and the sometimes hapless and self-destructive Ignatius J. Reilly. Despite those tendencies, Reilly composes brilliant sketches of his adversaries and dramatizes a set of restrained values that contrasts dramatically with the world in which he moves, through various insignificant jobs and sometimes slapstick mishaps. These are dramatically played off against the equally untidy lives of a host of supporting characters, including his comically oppressed mother, a radicalized girlfriend who taunts him from New York, a strip-bar operator, a pants factory owner, and a Keystonian New Orleans policeman. Richard Garner, Producing Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Georgia Shakespeare Festival, directs. </i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4d71d72c2e7254b02babdc2fba1cde1b59ca212b/original/BeckyShaw.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" width="120" />
</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">
<b><i>Becky Shaw - </i>Actor's Express - Running through September 25th - </b> <i>Playwright: Gina Gionfriddo - Director: Freddie Ashley - ATLANTA PREMIERE - "Gina Gionfriddo is some kind of genius! Devastatingly funny. Sends little shockwaves of delight through the house." - Newlywed Suzanna fixes her best friend Max up with her husband's beautiful but odd co-worker Becky Shaw. The blind date ignites a fuse that will soon set Becky off in the midst of Suzanna's family. The resulting blast of dysfunctional hilarity has everyone scrambling for cover, but finding none.</i><br><br><br>
<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2a23e7d893f9eac690be1d44cb303f078272e4c9/original/the-nerd.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" width="120" />
</li>
<li>
<b><i>The Nerd - </i>Kudzu Playhouse - Running through September 19th - </b><i>By Larry Shue - Directed by Wally Hinds - This extraordinarily inventive, side-splitting comedy is one of the funniest plays ever written. The action centers on the hilarious dilemma of a young architect who is visited by a man he's never met but who saved his life in Vietnam—the visitor turning out to be an incredibly inept, hopelessly stupid "nerd" who outstays his welcome with a vengeance. "Shue delivers a neatly crafted package that uses some classic comic forms to bring the audience to its knees, laughing."</i>
</li>
</ul><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br>
VISUAL ARTS</span><u>/OTHER</u></b><br><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c0aaa879a8876ed024cb074b59d6e0e87ea0c3f4/original/hanson_necklace_jpg-magnum.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="135" width="100" /></div>
<ul>
<li>
<b> D. Lammie Hanson - art and music - Friday, September 3rd - 6:00 PM - <a href="http://www.aviscafineart.com/">Avisca Fine Art Gallery</a> - </b>Multi-disciplinary artist D. Lammie Hanson debuts new artwork from her 4 Elements series and perform music she created in conjunction with the art project . Free <br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>LUCKY STAR: An Evening of Art & Burlesque inspired by Madonna - </b><a href="http://www.doogallery.com/index.htm"><b>dooGallery</b></a><b> - September 25 - 8:00 PM</b> - $10 donation - <i>Madonna’s unfettered spirit of individuality will be used to benefit The Rainbow Center, an Atlanta-based organization who serves the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered (GLBTQ), those questioning their sexual orientation and gender, their families and friends. The Rainbow Center is a community resource and support center for social, therapeutic, spiritual, educational or volunteer pursuits.</i><br>
</li>
</ul><b><u>CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS</u></b><br><ul>
<li>
<b>QuickSylver Productions seeking short films for </b><i><b>SylverReel: A Night of Shorts</b></i> - The event will be held at the Midtown Arts Cinema. Built in 1987, operated by Landmark since 2003, and located in the Midtown Promenade Center (at 8th & Monroe), the Midtown Art Cinema is quickly becoming the premier home for independent, foreign language and documentary films in the heart of in-town Atlanta. <a href="http://www.quicksylverproductions.com/gpage3.html">Click here for submission info.</a>
</li>
</ul><br>
Thanks for reading, everyone! Hope you all have a wonderful fall, and I hope you all get out there and support local and independent artists!Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411252010-08-26T17:10:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:10-05:00NEW songs, Leapfrog on TV, upcoming shows, upcoming poetry book release!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/f2dff2ea20a4bee4c58d91cac33f4d5f426915be/original/Orgin.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="437" width="291" /><br><br><i>Origin </i>by <a href="http://manamiart.com/">Manami</a><br><br>
I have a lot going on recently, so I thought I'd post a blog about it :-)<br><br>
Recently, I got the opportunity to play an acoustic set with <a href="http://beatlanta.com"><b>Be Atlanta</b></a>. First of all, these guys are freaking awesome. They're doing all of the things I love(d) about groups like Have You Heard, Atlanta Guardian, and 4th Ward Heroes, promoting local music. They host local music shows, they promote local bands, they're constantly posting videos, songs, show listings, etc. Even at their shows, in between sets, they play a playlist of local music. Definitely check out their website - <a href="http://www.beatlanta.com/">http://beatlanta.com</a> - And check out their shows, too. They have another show tomorrow - <b>Friday, August 27th - </b>with <a href="http://www.myspace.com/beforethesolstice">Before the Solstice</a> and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/wearecapibara">Capibara</a>. <br><br>
They posted a <a href="http://www.beatlanta.com/beatlanta/2010/8/25/sara-crawford-michael-jefts-and-chris-mcdonald-for-a-beatlan.html">blog</a> about the acoustic show I played the other night, and they even included a couple of videos of some new songs I've been working on:<br><br><br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/rdhiw5N3eQg?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/rdhiw5N3eQg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br><br>
This one is called "Don't Try So Hard." (Ironically, I was trying way too hard to remember the whole song. It's that new, people!)<br><br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/3j9iZahsutw?fs=1&hl=en_US">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/3j9iZahsutw?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br><br>
And here's "Rooftops." It's about my experience in Mexico. <br><br>
In other news, my band and I have been trucking along, working on a new EP that we're hoping to release in October. The EP will feature the songs, "You Told Me," "Irresponsible," "Tangled," and the crowd favorite, "Hipster Haircut." Have I also mentioned that my band is ridiculously awesome? These guys amaze me every day with their versitility and talent. I have so much fun practicing with them, and I can't wait for our next show!!<br><br>
Speaking of shows, I have a few coming up:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>Acoustic set at the <a href="http://gpconservancy.org/node/25">Grant Park Summer Shade Festival</a> - </b><b>Saturday, August 28th - 12:30 -</b> <b>Historic Bandstand Stage - </b><b>FREE - All ages - </b>I will be playing an acoustic set this Saturday at 12:30. I am so, so, SO excited to be playing the same event as so many incredible Atlanta musicians! (Like <b>Wade in the Rhythm, The Goldest, </b>and <b>Lindsay Apple </b>to name a few!) I will be hanging out all day after my set checking out the music, so come out to this FREE festival and enjoy some great bands!</li>
<li>
<b>Sara Crawford and the Cult Following at <a href="http://www.smithsoldebar.com/">Smith's Olde Bar</a> - Atlanta Room - Friday, September 3rd - 9:00 PM - $8 - 21+ - </b>My band and I will be returning to one of my favorite venues, Smith's Olde Bar, to rock your face off. Come check it out!</li>
<li>
<b>Sara Crawford and the Cult Following at <a href="http://mintgallery.blogspot.com/">MINT Gallery</a> - Friday, September 24th - 10:00 PM - $4 - All ages - </b>This is part of the Rock Science Revival music series! A lot of great bands have been playing these shows recently, and I'm really excited to be joining them!</li>
</ul>
In other non-music happenings, I recently got some very exciting news about <b>Leapfrog</b>, the short film that I wrote, directed by Michael Tillman. On <b>September 4th at 1:00 AM </b>and <b>September 5th at midnight</b>, Leapfrog will air with some other short films created by Atlanta filmmakers on the show, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlanta-Shorts/111645525519013?ref=ts">Atlanta Shorts</a>. The show airs on PBA 30, Atlanta's PBS station. So make sure you tune in for that!<br><br>
Also, my chapbook of poems, <b>Coiled and Swallowed, </b>will be released through <a href="http://virgograypress.wordpress.com/">Virgogray Press </a>on September 7th. I will be having a poetry book release night at Cool Beans in the Marietta Square. The date is TBA, but it will be in mid-September! The first half of the evening will be a poetry open mic night, and then I will read a few poems from the book and have copies available for people to purchase. So all of you poets out there, definitely come and join us for this! Read a few poems, bring copies of your books, and we'll have a night celebrating poetry! <br><br>
Once again, I just want to say thank you all so much for your continued support of my artistic projects! I hope you will all also continue to support other local and independent artists in Atlanta and all around the world. Trust me, we all need your support! (And I will be posting a blog soon with my September artistic event recommendations, so send me those if you have any you'd like me to include!) <br><br>
And now I'm off to the <b>Star Bar</b> for an awesome FREE night of music brought to you by <b><a href="http://4thwardheroes.com/">4th Ward Heroes</a> </b>and <b><a href="http://www.mixtapeatlanta.com/">Mixtape Atlanta</a> </b>featuring <a href="http://www.tylerlyle.com/">Tyler Lyle</a>, <a href="http://littlehornmusic.com/">Little Horn</a>, and <a href="http://www.myspace.com/richardsherfey">Richard Sherfey</a>!<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411242010-08-21T20:35:00-04:002010-08-21T20:35:00-04:00Another rant about artMusic is not a competition. Art is not a competition. All musicians have something to offer. Whatever music, theatre, film, literature, art that you're putting out there, someone, somewhere likes it. All art has value. Even if you don’t want it to. The second you write a song, create a piece of art, it has life outside of you. You don’t have any control over it. It’s like giving birth. You created it, but now it’s something else. It’s organic. It grows and changes, and you just get to watch and see what happens.<br><br>
I’m so incredibly lucky to be in this town, to be around these people, to be here, now. No, I’m not famous. No, I’m not making enough money from music/writing to support myself. Yes, I still have a day job. (But even my day job is awesome, and I’m so grateful to have it! It’s the kind of job that allows me the flexibility to play music, to write plays, to be in a graduate school program for writing, to travel to Mexico for a month, to hang out at The Star Bar or The Earl on week nights and see amazing musicians...you get the picture.) But none of that matters. As long as I can write songs and sing them (along the side of extremely talented musicians, even!), as long as I can write plays and poems and stories, as long as I can go see other plays and other musicians and go to art museums and poetry readings, as long as I can share, experience, support, and create ART, I’m happy. And that’s what I do. So I’m happy.<br><br>
Hey, artists. Let’s celebrate and support each other. We all have different songs to sing. (Sometimes, we can even harmonize with each other.) We all have different stories to tell. And let’s all just take a second and realize how good we have it, how fortunate we are. <br><br>
:- )<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411222010-07-23T06:22:51-04:002017-01-13T08:52:59-05:00More from Mexico, my upcoming events, and a night of poetry you shouldn't miss<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/5f27c60101ac447c497807df3fdca4e31492a82c/large/DSCF0832.JPG?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Photo by me from Guanajuato, Mexico</i><br><br>
Hey everyone. I'm still in Mexico! Coming into the last week here. I can't believe it! I will be happy to come home to Atlanta, but sad to leave San Miguel. It's really beautiful here. And I'm definitely changing and growing. As a writer, as a person. I'm finding myself. Finding myself on the rooftops and the terraces with the mountains on the horizon, among the mariachi bands in the Jardin of San Miguel, in the silence of the Catholic churches, in the cleansing waters of the hot springs, climbing the pyramids, in the dancers on the streets of Guanajuato, in my Form and Idea class where our final project involves plaster elbows, listening to the other students read their work, in late night chats at the hostel - drinking wine on the terrace, in the workshops of my playwriting class, in the margaritas at La Cucaracha, on the buses to excursions riding through the rural parts of Mexico, in the markets where a language I don't know buzzes all around me...This has truly been an amazing experience. I've met so many incredible people, so many talented poets, playwrights, screenwriters, non-fiction, and fiction writers. I've learned so much about writing, about art, about another culture, about myself. And I'm incredibly grateful for that. <br><br>
Well, I'm definitely going to be jumping right back into my crazy busy life when I get home, and I'm really excited about that! I have a lot of exciting upcoming events:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>Wednesday, August 4th - solo/acoustic show at Actor's Express - A night of theatre and music!</b> - <a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com/">Working Title Playwrights</a> presents Essential Shorts - new short plays written by WTP affiliates presented in concert readings - as part of Essential Theatre's Festival of Plays! I will be playing an acoustic set after the show. See both for just a five dollar donation! The show starts at <b>7:30 pm</b> - 887 W Marietta St NW # J107, Atlanta, GA 30318<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Sunday, August 22nd - </b><b>solo/acoustic show - <a href="http://www.beatlanta.com/">Be Atlanta's</a> Acoustic Sundays -</b> 10:00 pm - FREE - all ages - 197 Howell Dr. SE, Atlanta, GA <br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Saturday, August 28th - solo/acoustic show - <a href="http://www.gpconservancy.org/node/25">Grant Park Summer Shade Festival</a> - </b>Historic Bandstand stage - 12:30 pm<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Friday, September 3rd</b> - <b>Sara Crawford and the Cult Following - Smith's Olde Bar - The Atlanta Room - </b>9:00 pm - $8 - 21+<br>
</li>
<li><b>Tuesday, September 7th - Release of my chapbook of poems, <i>Coiled and Swallowed, </i>through <a href="http://virgograypress.wordpress.com/">Virgogray Press</a></b></li>
</ul><br>
So that's what's going on with me. I hope all of you back in Atlanta are having a great summer full of good times and wonderful art of all kinds! :-)<br><br>
And I thought I'd pass this onto you, from Kyle McCord (who was featured in my <a href="./poetry.cfm">Poem of the Week</a> back in September). For those of you in Atlanta, you should definitely check it out!<br><br><b><i>Sunday, July 25th </i></b><i>come hear Dream Horse Press authors <b>Kyle McCord </b>and <b>Keith Montesano</b> read from their recently released books. They will be joined by special guest Kara Candito. The event will be at <b>6:00 p.m.</b> at <b>Beep Beep Gallery </b>at<b> 696 Charles Allen Drive, Atlanta</b>. The event is part of the DHP First Book Tour, with readings in seventeen different locations across fourteen states. For any questions about times or directions, contact: kfmccord@gmail.com, or find us on Facebook.<br><br>
Kyle McCord's book, Galley of the Beloved in Torment, was the winner of the 2008 Orphic Prize. He’s received awards or grants from the Academy of American Poets, the Vermont Studio Center, and the Iowa Poetry Society. He has work forthcoming or published from Boston Review, Cimarron Review, Columbia: a Journal of Art and Literature, Cream City Review, Gulf Coast, Volt and elsewhere. He currently lives and teaches in Des Moines, Iowa.<br><br>
Keith Montesano’s, Ghost Lights, was published this year by Dream Horse Press. Other poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Hayden’s Ferry Review, American Literary Review, Third Coast, River Styx, Crab Orchard Review, Sonora Review, Ninth Letter, and elsewhere. He currently lives with his wife in New York, where he is a PhD Candidate in English and Creative Writing at Binghamton University. <br><br>
Kara Candito is the author of Taste of Cherry (University of Nebraska Press), winner of the 2008 Prairie Schooner Book Prize. Her poems and reviews have appeared or will appear in such journals as Blackbird, AGNI, Prairie Schooner, The Kenyon Review, Gulf Coast, Sycamore Review, Nimrod, Contrary Magazine, The Rumpus, Best New Poets 2007, Diode, New South, and The Florida Review. She has received awards for her poetry, including an Academy of American Poets Prize and scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.</i><br><br>
So there you go. Make sure you check that out! It should be a great event. <br><br>
I hope all is well back in the USA. <br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411212010-07-11T12:56:25-04:002017-01-13T08:52:59-05:00Update from San Miguel de Allende<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e53a66c5090ed2301d4ad2623ef6d2252141b182/large/043-Copy.JPG?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="450" width="600" /><br><br>
Hola!<br><br>
I'm writing from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico! (I thought I'd take a break from school work to update my blog!) I'm here for my first semester of my MFA Low Residency Program in Playwriting. I am completely loving this town. Everything is so beautiful here! This is my first time traveling out of the country (aside from Canada), and it's been an incredible experience so far. San Miguel is such an interesting town. It was founded in 1542, and there are so many old buildings and churches everywhere. The streets are all cobblestone, and the town is so vibrant, colorful, and <i>alive.</i> It's such an inspirational place to be for me as an artist. My head is exploding with ideas for songs and poems and plays. <br><br>
It's great to be around so many other writers, too. I've met so many incredible people and artists here, and all of the work that I've read or heard so far from the other students has been unique and thought-provoking. Our faculty all has pretty impressive resumes as well. They all have books published or films that were produced based on their work. I'm really grateful to be in a program with so many talented students and teachers. I have already learned so much, and I've only been here for a week!<br><br>
I've had many incredible spiritual experiences since I've been here as well. The other day, I wandered around town by myself and ended up in the big Catholic church (the one in the photo above). I just sat in the church and meditated, absorbing the spiritual energy. I'm not Catholic by any means, but I appreciate all religions, and it was a very moving experience. Also, I got to see the pyramids at Teotihuacan last Friday, and I even got to climb some of them. That was undescribable. They say they were built sometime around 200 BC. I don't think I've ever seen a structure that old in my life. It was a little overwhelming.<br><br>
I'm having a blast here! Artistically and personally. And I can't wait to see how my art grows and changes from this whole experience! <br><br>
I hope everything is well back in the USA! :-)<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411192010-06-13T07:45:00-04:002019-02-01T05:49:57-05:00June/July events!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/45b85fb4d5a65e3524547cdff4274ec335364950/original/summer-painting.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="650" width="650" /><br><br><a href="http://bisat.deviantart.com/art/Summer-74726451"><i>Summer</i></a> - Oil on canvas - by <a href="http://bisat.deviantart.com/">Bisat from DeviantArt</a><br><br>
It's summertime! Oh, how I love Georgia summers. :-) <br><br>
So, if you are a new reader to my blog/website, here's the story. A few years ago, I started a Facebook group called <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=11902972395&ref=ts">Atlanta Bohemians</a>, a group for any and all kinds of artists in the Atlanta metro area to promote their events, post about auditions/calls for entries, or where art supporters can find information about independent and local musicians, actors, playwrights, screenwriters, film makers, painters, sculptors, poets, authors, and any other kind of artist you can think of. I started sending out monthly lists of different artistic events around the city, and I got a great response. <br><br>
When I started this website, I thought I would move those lists over to my blog. Because I wanted the website to not only be about me promoting my own artistic projects, but I also wanted to promote and support other local and/or independent artists. I try to do that in other ways too, sharing poetry that I like in my <a href="./poetry.cfm">"Poem of the Week,"</a> posting photography and art pieces from independent artists on my blog entries, posting music sharing podcasts where I share independent music, etc. I just love art so much. And I think there is nothing more powerful than going to that show where the band plays a song that <i>reaches out</i> to you or going to a play that just completely speaks to you or hearing a poem that just sucks you in or staring at a painting and being incredibly overwhelmed by the complex beauty in life. Art is a reflection of life, art helps us appreciate life, the good, the bad, everything becomes beautiful. I know nothing has helped me more in my own life to really be in the moment, to have real spiritual experiences, to really feel a universal love for everyone and everything than a perfect piece of art at the perfect time. And actually, you don't have to sit in the audience of a hugely popular Broadway musical or go see paintings by artists who have been dead for centuries or turn on the radio to find this art. It's everywhere. It's all around you. And there are tons of living, breathing artists who are writing songs, painting paintings, taking photographs, writing screenplays, making films, performing spoken word, etc. in spite of their 9 to 5 day jobs or their waitressing jobs or their bartending jobs or their low-paying non-profit jobs. And these artists truly inspire me. Working at places like The Georgia Ballet or Horizon Theatre and seeing these people work 60 hours a week for very little pay just because <i>they love art. </i>And if I can inspire one person to go out there and see an original, new play or see a local, unknown band or see an art exhibit from a living Atlanta artist or see an independent film made by a local filmmaker, then it's completely worth it to me. <br><br>
SO! With that in mind, here are a bunch of awesome things you can do in June and July to support the local artists! And of course, if I have forgotten anything, please leave a comment. <br><br><b><u>Visual Arts</u></b><br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/6eb838f0182477d4fae016af8f0ddbc610281c95/medium/youngblood.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 221px; height: 377px;" /><br><br><u><b>June 5th - 27th</b></u> - <a href="http://www.youngbloodgallery.com/"><b>Young Blood Gallery</b></a> - "Interior/Posterior" with 6 women artists Megan Kimber, Merrilee Challis, Daisy Winfrey, Chrystal Chan, Jennifer Davis & Lesley Reppeteaux<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4198a31a053dd022898c466c69eb351927f034f2/medium/beepbeep.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="200" width="300" /><br><br><u><b>June 12th - July 4th</b></u> - <a href="http://beepbeepgallery.com/"><b>Beep Beep Gallery</b></a> - "The Big Bang" a solo exhibit of new work by Matt Relkin<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/0315bc8bba59f019d013908862fc85856d655789/medium/ASI.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 215px; height: 415px;" /><br><br><u><b>Friday, June 18th</b></u><b> - </b><u><b><a href="http://www.artspaceatl.com/Futureexhibition.html">ASI Gallery</a></b></u> - works by Laura Rubio - Opening reception June 18 , 2010 - 7 - 9:30pm - Free admission - Exhibition will run from June 18 - July 18, 2010<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/9cc1b01985e2db94dc6f5e732b23c08c6e13b6d6/medium/atlanta-contemporary.JPG?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="171" width="300" /><br><br><u><b>July 9th - September 19th</b></u> - <a href="http://www.thecontemporary.org/exhibitions/amy-myers-feminine-space/"><b>Atlanta Contemporary Art Center</b></a> - Amy Myers: Feminine Space<br><br><u><b>Friday, July 16th</b></u><b> - <a href="http://www.dooGallery.com">Art Party.</a></b> 30+ artists showing. No theme. Its an art show that morphs into a party with Bands & DJs. Free drinks, $10 donation. 21+. More artists are always welcome. Visit <a href="http://www.dooGallery.com">www.dooGallery.com</a> for more information.<br><br><br><br><u><b>Music</b></u><br><br><br><u><b>Saturday, June 19th</b></u><b> - <a href="http://www.fivespot-atl.com/">Five Spot</a></b> - Wade in the Rhythm, Cloudeater, Dan Marshall Project with special guests including Dre-Money - 21+ - 9PM - Advanced Tickets: 7$<br><br><u><b>Saturday, June 26th</b></u> - <a href="http://www.starbar.net/"><b>Star Bar</b></a> - Howlies - Coathangers - Balkans - Mermaids - 21+ - 8$ - 9 PM<br><br><b><u>Thursday, July 1st</u></b> - <b><a href="http://www.starbar.net/">Star Bar</a> -</b> FREE THURSDAY SHOW! - Abby GoGo - Carnivores - Grenadines - 21+ - FREE - 9PM<br><br><b><u>Wednesday, July 7th</u></b> - <a href="http://www.smithsoldebar.com/"><b>Smith's Olde Bar</b></a> - James David Carter- Glen Pridgen Band - Brandon Perry - 21+ - 8PM<br><br><b><u>Saturday, July 10th</u></b> - <a href="http://www.wonderroot.org/"><b>Wonderroot</b></a> - Littlefoot, Cloudmouth, Revo - 9PM<br><br><b><u>Saturday, July 17th</u> - <a href="http://www.starbar.net/">Star Bar</a> - </b>The Selmanaires - with special guest, Adron - 21+ - 8$ - 9PM<br><br><br><b><u><br>
Theatre </u></b><br><br><br><b><u>Tuesday, June 15th</u></b> - <a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com/"><b>WORKING TITLE PLAYWRIGHTS</b></a> Presents Theroun D'arcy Patterson's SEMBLANCES - Staged Reading - Academy Theatre 119 Center St., Avondale Estates, Ga. - 7:30 PM - FREE to WTP members / $5 suggested donation all others at door.<br><br><u><b>June 12th and 13th</b></u> - <a href="http://www.onionmanproductions.com"><b>Harvest 2010 The Backyard Plays</b></a> - Onion Man Productions - A new collection of nine 10-Minute plays by local playwrights!<br><br><u><b>June 11th - June 27th</b></u> - <b>A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum</b> - <a href="http://atlantalyrictheatre.com"><b>Atlanta Lyric Theatre </b></a><br><b><br><u>June 9th - June 27th</u></b> - <b>Reasons to be pretty by Neil LaBute -</b><b> <a href="http://www.pnotheatre.com">Pinch n' Ouch Theatre</a> </b><br><br><u><b>July 7th - August 7th</b></u> - <a href="http://www.essentialtheatre.com"><b>12th Annual Essential Play Festival</b></a> - Featuring three plays, <i>Qualities of Starlight</i> by Gabriel Jason Dean, directed by Peter Hardy, <i>Darker Face of the Earth</i> by Rita Dove, directed by Betty Hart, <i>S</i><i>ally and Glen at the Palace</i> by Peter Hardy, directed by Ellen McQueen<br><br><br><br><b><u>Call for Entries/Submissions<br><br></u></b><b>Seeking bands and artists!</b> Children's Restoration Network is trying to break the Guinness World Record for the longest concert by multiple artists at the Red Rabbit in Johns Creek. They are still looking for bands and artists who want to participate, people who want to volunteer to be witnesses, and just people who want to come out and enjoy it all. It will take place from July 10th - July 24th. Learn more at <a href="http://www.worldslongestconcert.com">www.worldslongestconcert.com</a> or email Richie Tyre at <a href="mailto:richie@childrn.org">richie@childrn.org</a>.<br><br><br><br><b><u>Other</u></b><br><a href="http://www.javamonkeydecatur.com/"><br></a><b><a href="http://www.javamonkeydecatur.com/">Java Monkey Speaks</a> -</b> Open Mic Poetry - Every Sunday at 8:00 pm - Java Monkey coffee shop - Decatur<br><u><br><b>Friday, July 2nd</b></u><b> - </b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=110097825703592&ref=mf"><b>DODEKAPUS PRESENTS: CARNIVAL FUNDRAISER FOR LIVING WALLS</b></a> - A carnival themed event with games, prizes, food, booze, bands, kiddi pools, a kissing booth, tarot booth, giant twister, screenprinting on site, and much much more - 5:00 PM<br><br><br><br>
There you go, guys. Lots of awesome events to make your summer fun :-)<br><br>
And I'll leave you with a poem. It's sort of my ode to summers in Georgia.<br><br><br><b>Georgia June Outside of a Coffee Shop</b><br><br>
by Sara Crawford<br><br><br>
Thursday night in Georgia June,<br>
outside sitting,<br>
sipping on hot coffee, <br>
with a splash of hazelnut.<br>
Everyone around me sweats bullets, slurping <br>
on smoothies and iced lattes.<br>
To me, the night air is a warm<br>
blanket covered<br>
in stars and fireflies that twinkle<br>
through the sheets.<br><br>
My bones are growing as we all rotate<br>
through space, but I don’t feel<br>
any older <br>
than the teenager sitting next to me,<br>
her bare feet propped on the chair <br>
in front of her,<br>
toenails painted neon green, her flip-flops (practically made<br>
of straw) are scattered<br>
lazily on the ground beside her.<br>
She laughs, and I laugh with her as if <br>
I am a part of the conversation, <br>
peering at her feet from behind<br>
my magazine.<br><br>
A couple exits the coffee shop,<br>
opening the door<br>
behind me.<br>
The air conditioning escapes <br>
from inside, whispers to my skin. <br>
Goosebumps rising, I shiver.<br>
The door closes.<br>
I sigh with relief and wrap myself<br>
up in the night, sinking into<br>
Georgia June.<br><br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411182010-06-09T06:05:00-04:002019-05-25T00:25:09-04:00A music blogI'd like to share these awesome songs with you. <br><br>
(My events blog is coming soon!)<br><br><br><b>"Lately" by The Helio Sequence </b>(this song kind of makes me cry)<br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/t9eWowko2Fc&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/t9eWowko2Fc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <br><br><br><br><b>"Bright Bright Bright" by Dark Dark Dark</b> (I'm in love with her voice)<br><br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/dSONOy7y7Fc&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/dSONOy7y7Fc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> <br><br><b><br><br>
"Postcards from Italy" by Beirut </b><br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/RjzVbXeD_8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/RjzVbXeD_8E&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br><br><br><br>
"<b>Midnight Radio" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch</b> (written by Stephen Trask) (this is my favorite song in the whole show)<br><br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/7mnrwmmhkCI&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/7mnrwmmhkCI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411172010-06-08T12:15:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:09-05:00New videos from my first show with The Cult Following at Lenny's Bar - 5.14.10 All videos by Chris Fuller<br><br>
"Hipster Haircut"<br><br><lj-embed id="5"><object width="480" height="385"><param value="https://www.youtube.com/v/jv5fydFqz9A&hl=en_US&fs=1&" name="movie">
<param value="true" name="allowFullScreen">
<embed width="480" height="385" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/jv5fydFqz9A&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></embed></object></lj-embed><br><br><br><br>
"You Told Me"<br><br><br><br><lj-embed id="6"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/fmpoGLWJu2g&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<embed width="480" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/fmpoGLWJu2g&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></lj-embed><br><br><br><br>
"Victoria"<br><br><lj-embed id="7"><object width="480" height="385"><param value="https://www.youtube.com/v/3XK_hVyK6N8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" name="movie">
<param value="true" name="allowFullScreen">
<embed width="480" height="385" allowfullscreen="true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/3XK_hVyK6N8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></embed></object></lj-embed><br><br><br><br>
"Tangled"<br><br><lj-embed id="8"><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/ipioi0S-LwM&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<embed width="480" height="385" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/ipioi0S-LwM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></lj-embed><br><br><br>
Pass them along if you like them! <br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411162010-06-06T13:10:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:08-05:00Hedwig and the Angry Inch, June shows with the Cult Following, preparing for grad school!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/9d69d5d1540ddc0749da505d0e1d3b02dca22dde/large/turtle-party.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Turtle Party </i>by Beverly Crawford<br><br>
(Look at the turtles!)<br><br>
Well, I have a TON of stuff going on right now, and it's getting all crazy! I'm going to try to write a blog in a few days listing all of the awesome artistic events going on in June and July. I know there is a lot going on and a lot of artists who need your support :-) (I decided to combine the two months since I will be in Mexico in July.) Here's what's going on with me!<br><br><b>Hedwig and the Angry Inch - </b>I'm playing Yitzhak in my favorite play ever, <i>Hedwig and the Angry Inch</i>, and I've been rehearsing like crazy lately with the band! They are all really awesome, though! We've got Valerie Pool on piano, Monica Nicole on lead guitar, Colin Freeman on bass, and Jason Sokṓlic on drums. As Yitzhak, I'm mostly singing backup and playing a little rhythm guitar. The show is shaping up to be a really good one, especially with Matthew Gordon as Hedwig. If you are in the Augusta area, June 18th and 19th, stop by Sky City and check out the show! Here is a little commercial! :-)<br><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/xG889rVdyUw&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/xG889rVdyUw&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object> <br><br><b>The Cult Following</b> - We're just trucking along in the band, and I'm having the best time with these guys. They are really incredible musicians and just awesome guys to be around. We have a couple of shows coming up in June!
<ul>
<li>
<b>Saturday, June 12th at Cool Beans in the Marietta Square - 8:30 - FREE - All ages - </b>I will be playing a few acoustic songs solo, and then we'll be playing a full set outside of Cool Beans. So come get some coffee and rock out with us :-)</li>
<li>
<b>Friday, June 25th - Red Light Cafe - 8:30 - 7$ - All ages - </b>This will be our last show until mid-August as I'll be in Mexico for all of July, so you won't want to miss it! Plus, our good buddies <b>Goodland</b> is playing at 7:30, so get there early. You don't want to miss them, either!</li>
</ul>
I have put up a couple of live tracks from our last two shows on my <a href="./music.cfm">music page</a>, so check it out!<br><br>
Other than that, I'm getting ready to begin the University of New Orleans Low Residency MFA in Playwriting in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico! I'm so incredibly excited about this! First of all, I'm really starting to miss being in school. It will nice to have classes again. I'm taking a Playwriting Workshop and a class called Form and Idea. I've already started on the reading, and they both seem like they will be really interesting classes. And I'm excited to get back into playwright mode after taking a few months off. Also, we have all of these really amazing excursions planned (like going to see the pyramids!), and there are tango classes, film screenings, student readings, and a ton of other awesome activities planned. Now I just need to work on my Spanish, which is severely lacking for the time being. Haha.<br><br>
So I may be sort of inactive here on the website while I'm San Miguel, but I'm sure I'll post a few travel-related blogs. And I'm definitely going to be involved in a lot of artistic activities in Mexico, so I'm sure I'll write about those, too. :-)<br><br>
I'm hoping to be much more involved in playwriting and theatre when I get back from Mexico. I'm sure that I will as I'll be writing a lot for my grad school classes (which I will be doing online in the fall). I'd like to be more involved with <b>Working Title Playwrights</b>, for example, as they have had a lot of really exciting events going on recently. There are just so many incredible things going on in the Atlanta theatre scene, the Atlanta music scene, the Atlanta visual arts scene...it's hard to get to everything! That's the best problem you can have, though, I think. Having so many incredible opportunities to share, create, and experience art that you simply can't cram them all into your life. Haha. But as always, I will try! Maybe if I cut out other things like sleep. Who needs that, right? Music/theatre/art is so much more important! :-p<br><br>
I hope everyone is having an amazing summer so far! I know I am! It's really busy, but I absolutely love everything that I'm doing, so I can't complain. :-)<br><br>
Well, I'm off to Java Monkey for poetry night! <br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411152010-05-21T12:50:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:08-05:00Thank you for the support with the new backing band! And with life, in general. :-)<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/32b1c34e3ae4798a48cecaa109737a4803323765/original/29472_432522960235_623810235_5956034_130941_n.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="405" width="720" /><br><br><i>Sara Crawford and the Cult Following...and the ZomB Nation...5.20.10 Smith's Olde Bar - photo by Kyndal Foshee<br></i><br><br>
Hey everyone!!<br><br>
First of all, thank you SOOO much for all of the awesome support for the first two shows with my new backing band, the Cult Following. Both the show at Lenny's last weekend and the show last night at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room were definitely successful, and we all had a blast!! I am so grateful to have so many people in my life who are so supportive of new and local music. I try really hard to thank everyone individually for coming to the show, but there is always so much going on at shows that sometimes I miss people. And I'm really sorry for that! I never do it intentionally. So if you're at one of my shows, make sure you come say hi to me if I don't say hi to you! I'm not trying to ignore anyone. I just get REALLY distracted by everything that I have to do at shows, and sometimes I need people to be like "HEY! SARA! I'M HERE!" for me to notice them. Haha. I'm slow, what can I say? Anyway, though, I just want to say thank you so, so, so much to all of you who take the time to make it out to my shows. I appreciate that more than any of you will ever know. It's not easy to be a local original musician sometimes, and we definitely need all of the support we can get. So thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. One day I will make cookies for all of you! (Haha. And special thanks to the ZomB Nation. ZOM-BIES! ZOM-BIES! ZOM-BIES!)<br><br>
I put photos up from both shows on the <a href="./photosvideos.cfm">photos/videos</a> page for those of you who want to check those out. (Photos taken by the awesome Kyndal Foshee.) Also, there are three tracks from the Smith's show (courtesy of Z-Man!) on my <a href="./music.cfm">music</a> page if you want to check those out! And there will be a couple of videos up in the near future as well so stay tuned for that. Also, if you haven't gotten a chance to see us, we will be be playing another show at <b>Cool Beans</b> in the Marietta Square, <b>Saturday, May 29th at 9:00 pm.</b> This show is FREE, all ages, and <b>Goodland</b> and <b>Strangelove</b> will be playing as well! Music starts at 7:00 so get there early, drink some coffee, and have a fun night :-)<br><br>
I have a lot going on lately! I recently got some news about some upcoming poetry publications! My poem "Coffee Roaster" will be in the fall issue of <i>Aries</i>, the literary journal from Texas Wesleyan University, and my poems "For Frank" and "Visiting" will be in the fall issue of <i>Illogical Muse.</i> This is very exciting to me, especially with my first ever book of poems, <i>Coiled and Swallowed,</i> coming out on September 7, 2010 from Virgogray Press. I'm also thinking about doing some sort of poetry night event at Cool Beans or somewhere for my book release. Have the first half of the evening be "open mic" with various poets reading their work, and then I'd read some of my poems from the book and have copies available. And also, I'd encourage all of my awesome poet friends to bring their books, too. <br><br>
In other news, I was listening to this Wayne Dyer tape the other day, and he was talking about how one day, he received two letters from two different readers talking about one of his books. The first guy was just going on and on about how great it was and how it saved his life. The second guy told him it was the worst book he ever read and he wanted his money back. So he mailed the positive letter to the negative guy and the negative letter to the positive guy and just wrote them both back with, "You might be right." I really loved that story. Because other people's opinions are just other people's opinions. That's definitely something you should be fully aware of as an artist. I'm faced with harsh criticism and rejection quite often, but I'm also showered with compliments and have quite a bit of artistic success. It's completely subjective. <br><br>
I've been told that sometimes I "beat my readers over the head" with my message, but I just think it's <i>so </i>important! And it's worth repeating. Create art, express yourself! And support other artists! Or even just support other people in their endeavors. Even for non-artists, I just think it's really, really important to believe in yourself. I think it's important to not let your music die inside of you. Everyone is here for a reason. You all have some gift, some talent, something to offer to the world. So find it and do it! That's really all I'm trying to say. I just want to encourage people to live the lives that they've always wanted to live, ecourage people to be kind to each other, encourage people to be happy. It's a message of love. And I'll say it over and over and over again and use 18,000 exclamation points because I'm just so passionate about love and life and happiness and art!!!! And if other people have a different opinion, well, that's just their opinion. They own that, not me. And often, criticism/judgments have far more to do with the person criticizing that the person receiving the criticism. That's a good thing to remember, too. <br><br>
I feel like I'm just at a point in my life where I'm really growing spiritually, and I'm really figuring things out. It's a constant journey, and obviously, there's still a lot I don't know, there are still many mistakes that I've made along the way. But I try to own up to my mistakes and learn from them. Even negative situations, feelings, thoughts, etc. have within them something you can learn. Every situation offers personal growth if only you can see it! And I guess I'm just really excited about my own journey and the growth that I've been experiencing. I've gone through a lot so far this year, with the ending of a very long relationship, shifting of artistic projects, getting ready to begin grad school, and I feel like it's caused this huge shift in my perception, in the way I think about things. And once again, I am SO grateful for all of the people around me who encourage that growth, people who support me and love me no matter what crazy mistakes I make. I can never tell you how much I appreciate you. And I think that's worth repeating myself over and over again! Because I love you guys. Everyone who is reading this. I love you!<br><br>
Now, here, listen to some Tom Petty!<br><br><br><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/nvlTJrNJ5lA&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/nvlTJrNJ5lA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411142010-05-07T09:10:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:08-05:00Hippie rants!<i><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/813ec523c4a450f224c1c27c71d84adfafa718a6/large/out.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="600" /><br><br>
Out</i> by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29646404@N06/sets/72157607937865384/">Beverly Crawford</a><br><br>
So I needed to write a blog. ( And you're thinking, "Oh, God, here comes Sara gushing about all of the AWESOME music again!") Haha. And...that is true.<br><br>
My life is overflowing with good music. Right here in Atlanta! First of all, Monday night, I went to play at the <b>Open Mic Night </b>at <b>Eddie's Attic.</b> Now, typically, I'm not really a fan of making music a competition, and the Eddie's Attic Open Mic is a competitive event. At the end of the night, there is a top 3, and they all get to play an extra song. Then one person wins, and there's prize money, and they get to go on to the big Open Mic tournament they have twice a year. Usually, when music becomes a competition, I feel like the atmosphere is a lot more judgmental and critical, and there's not as much support for your fellow musician, but I think Eddie's Attic is just the opposite. Yes, it's a competition, but I think all of the musicians are really supportive of each other. Everyone actually <i>listens</i> to you while you're playing there, which is not true of many other venues. And I think they've done a great job at setting up a really cool atmosphere where musicians can really share their art. <br><br>
I saw tons of great artists Monday night! The most memorable for me was a group called <b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/momentaryprophets">Momentary Prophets</a>.</b> You should definitely check out their music! I really loved their whole energy and their songs are very well-crafted. <br><br>
Then, Wednesday, I went out to <b>Smith's Olde Bar</b> for the <b>500 Songs for Kids</b> benefit. What a great show! They spend a week counting down the 500 greatest era-defining songs, with 500 artists covering each song! And all of the money goes towards the <a href="http://www.songsforkidsfoundation.org/"><b>Songs for Kids Foundation</b></a>, which is a really, really great cause. Check out some of the things they do on their website! <b>500 Songs for Kids </b>is still going on tonight and tomorrow night, so make it out if you can! Or just stop by the <a href="http://www.songsforkidsfoundation.org/">website</a> and donate! I saw some really great musicians on Wednesday! <b>Drivin' N' Cryin' </b>actually stopped by to ROCK out Tom Petty's "American Girl." There were tons of other amazing musicians playing that night, all coming together to support a great cause. It was actually really cool. And I thought my cover of Dolly's "9 to 5" went really well. I might even break that one out at future shows sometime!<br><br>
There is just SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC! Everywhere!!! On the internet, on independent and college radio stations, in local venues and bars, everywhere!! It's so exciting! Sometimes I feel like I'm going to explode, like I'm just going to bubble over from all of the SPECTACULAR music! I think I'm going to post another music sharing podcast coming up, too! Mostly local music, I think. So look for that! You'll see more of what I'm talking about when you can listen to it!<br><br>
There are a lot of really great things going on in my life right now. First of all, I'm completely STOKED about the backing band!! We finally have a new name by the way, Sara Crawford and the Cult Following. Our set for the Lenny's show is sounding awesome! We're playing the full band versions of a bunch of my <i>Unsent Letters</i> songs, bringing back a few of my favorite Novo Luna songs (I sang with both Adrian and Geoff in Novo Luna), playing some new songs (I have a new 50's-sounding piano tune called "Hipster Haircut" which I'm particularly excited about) and a kickass cover! And <b>Goodland, Strangelove, </b>and <b>Wade in the Rhythm </b>will all be playing, too! I can't WAIT!<br><br>
Also, I'm turning 25 this Sunday! I'm pretty excited. 24 was cool, but I am really looking forward to 25. I love New Years and birthdays! It feels like you get a chance to start over. I mean, you get a chance to start over every single day, really, but those two holidays seem to be symbolic of that. If you feel like getting me a birthday present, all I really want is for you to come see me and the backing band on <b>May 14th at Lennys</b>, <b>May 20th at Smith's Olde Bar, </b>and/or <b>May 29th at Cool Beans! </b>:-)<br><br>
And I'm gearing up for two really exciting things. <b>Hedwig and the Angry Inch </b>and my first semester of graduate school in <b>San Miguel de Allende, Mexico</b>! As most of you know, I'm starting graduate school this summer. I'm doing the University of New Orlean's low residency MFA in creative writing with a focus in playwriting. I opted to do this program because summer semesters are in person doing a study abroad, and fall/spring semesters are online. I thought it'd be ideal because I can travel and have new experiences but also stay in Atlanta and continue to be a part of the wonderful music and theatre scenes that are here, which I've fallen in love with. So, this July, I'll be starting the grad school experience! I'll be in Mexico from July 3rd to July 31st, and I could not be more PSYCHED ! <br><br>
I feel like everything is just flowing effortlessly. I made some health decisions recently, and I've been surrounding myself with amazing, positive, loving people. Sometimes I'm just completely giddy. I'll just go on random laughing fits over seemingly nothing because there's just so much joy! I've also been doing a lot of self-work, spiritually and otherwise, making a lot of self-discoveries. I feel like I'm starting to find the love within myself, which makes it so much easier to love others because it's a more pure love, it's not a love based on needing approval or co-dependency. It's a constant journey though, a process! I just feel like finally my eyes have been opened and I can actually appreciate and <i>see</i> my growth, my journey, the lessons I am learning, and that's a really amazing thing. It definitely helps to have so many incredible people in my life who inspire me every day. <br><br>
Now that I've gone on a total hippie rant. Haha. It's okay. I can accept my hippiness. I still have a job and take showers, so I'm not a COMPLETE hippie, right?<br><br>
Well, guys, the weather outside is gorgeous, everything is beautiful, and on any given day, there are at least ten incredible things to do here in Atlanta. Go see a play! Go to an art gallery! Go see a band! Go see an independent film! Go try a new beer! Go for a walk in the park! Go read a book of poems! Go tell someone you appreciate then! Go make a mixy for someone! Draw someone a picture! Drive around aimlessly just to listen to good music! There is SO much to do, so much beauty in the world, so much love, so much to be happy about! So go be happy. :-)<br><br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411122010-05-02T21:00:00-04:002017-01-13T08:52:58-05:00Asheville, SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC, shows with my new backing band, other May events!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e22deea48a3324d54ec6fcd33bb122412311b193/original/wadeintherhythmposter.png?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><br><br><br>
MAY IS HERE!!! May is always one of my favorite months of the year (and not just because my birthday is May 9th!).<br><br>
I have had the opportunity to see SO many incredible musicians live recently! I recently saw Beach House (who I'm currently totally obsessing over) in Asheville, North Carolina. What a wonderful experience! First of all, I'm totally in love with Asheville. It's a beautiful town in the middle of the mountains, there are tons of really friendly, laid back people, and the music/arts scene is completely thriving. Thursday night, my little brother and I went up to check out an open mic night at the <a href="http://www.ashevillecourtyard.com">Courtyard Gallery</a>. That was one of the most diverse and unique open mic nights I've ever been to! I had a great time. Afterwards, we just wandered around Asheville where TONS of bands were playing in several different bars/venues. We finally stumbled across a bluegrass band called The Blooms. They were totally ROCKING IT OUT! They had so much energy and passion! It was contagious! People were dancing and having a great time.<br><br>
Needless to say, the Beach House show was completely amazing, totally worth driving four hours. (They actually played in Atlanta at The Earl the night before they played Asheville, but that show sold out in like five minutes and I couldn't get a ticket! And besides. Any excuse for a road trip!) I just love everything about them, their stage presence, the way Alex Scally's guitar parts intertwine with the organ and the vocals so well, Victoria Legrande's passionate vocals, the overwhelming longing and emotion in every single note. They played every song from their latest album, Teen Dream, which I was thrilled about because I'm completely in love with the album.<br><br>
I loved being in Asheville. The whole town just seemed to be in love with music the way that I am and everyone seemed so supportive of local and independent musicians. I would love to live in a place like Asheville someday. And I plan on going back and playing a show there sometime in the near future, hopefully with my backing band.<br><br>
Speaking of the backing band and my music, May is going to be a HUGE month for me/us.<br><br>
- <b>Monday, May 3rd - 7:00 pm - I will be playing Open Mic Night at Eddie's Attic in Decatur.</b> This is a pretty big Open Mic Night. It's a competition, and the winners win prizes and get a chance to compete in the Open Mic Tournament! Musicians come from all around to play here. You have to sign up for it months in advance! One of the judging criteria is audience response so if you aren't doing anything tomorrow night (er...tonight?), come down and cheer me on :-)<br><br>
- <b>Wednesday, May 5th - 11:00 pm</b> - I will be playing "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton for <a href="http://www.songsforkidsfoundation.org">500 Songs for Kids</a> at Smith's Olde Bar. This should be SO much fun!! And it's for a great cause. 500 Songs for Kids is going on all week, so check it out at some point!<br><br>
- <b>Friday, May 14th - 9:00 pm - Lenny's Bar - FIRST SHOW WITH BACKING BAND</b> - First of all, I'm ecstatic to be playing with these guys. I always leave band practice with a huge smile on my face. They're giving my solo songs so much ENERGY! And they're all such solid musicians. I absolutely love playing music with these guys. And I'm REALLY excited about the Lenny's show because <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Goodland/244867926255?ref=ts">Goodland</a> and <a href="http://wadeintherhythm.com">Wade in the Rhythm</a> will be joining us!! So make sure you come check that out!<br><br>
- <b>Thursday, May 20th - 10:00 pm - Smith's Olde Bar - Atlanta Room</b> - We are playing another show (me and the backing band). The Atlanta Room is one of my favorite places to play, and I'm just so excited to be getting out there with the new band!!! So come out and support local music :-)<br><br>
- <b>Saturday, May 29th - 7:00 pm - Cool Beans - Marietta, GA</b> - We'll be playing outside of Cool Beans, my favorite coffee shop ever. This show is free and all ages, so for those of you who can't get into Lenny's or Smith's, make sure you come check this show out!!!<br><br>
Of course, we all know this blog definitely isn't just about me and my artistic projects. I just want to share art with people!!! I can't say that enough. I'm just so excited about it all!<br><br>
So here are a few really cool events coming up in May where you can support local/independent artists!!!<br><br><b>MUSIC</b><br><br>
- <b>May 5 - Krog Jam </b>- Electric Duane - The Ruination - Invisible Circus<br><br>
- <b>May 15 - Star Bar </b>- A Fight to the Death (CD release) - Adron<br><br>
- <b>May 21-22 - Freedom Fest at The Lake Claire Community Land Trust </b>- Wade in the Rhythm - Selmanaires - Charlie Wooten Project - Carnivores - The Nice Guise - The Jason Allbright Band - Invisible Circus - Abby GoGo and many, many more!<br><br>
- <b>May 25 - The Earl </b>- Tealights - The Sour Notes - Little Tybee<br><br><br><br><b>THEATRE</b><br><br>
- <b><i>Jitney</i> - True Colors Theatre Company - May 2 - 30</b> - <i>A boisterous gypsy cab station offers a poetic thrill ride look into the vitality of life in Pittsburgh’s Hill District in 1977. A son returns home after twenty years imprisoned to face his father whose station is threatened with demolition. Battling the forces of urban redevelopment, the motley crew of drivers plan, dream and muse in this rich blooded humorous testament to August Wilson’s enduring legacy.</i><br><br>
- <i><b>The Nerd</b></i><b> - The Rosewater Theatre - April 23 - May 22</b> - <i>One of the funniest plays ever written, this extraordinarily inventive, side-splitting comedy was first presented by the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, then produced in Great Britain, then went on to Broadway. The action centers on the hilarious dilemma of a young architect who is visited by a man he's never met but who saved his life in Vietnam—the visitor turning out to be an incredibly inept, hopelessly stupid "nerd" who outstays his welcome with a vengeance.</i><br><br><br><b>VISUAL ARTS</b><br><br>
- <b>Disaster Planning - May 1 - 30 - Young Blood Gallery</b> - with Atlanta artists Steven Dixey, Stenvik Mostrom, & Kenn TwoFour<br><br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411102010-04-02T10:50:00-04:002017-01-13T08:52:58-05:00We're bloggin' and I hope you like bloggin' too...<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/85b24fc5e3258f3676c3e583cdbf7e255e42ee4b/large/hedwig.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="369" width="600" /><br><br><i>Hedwig logo by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/melanieavitaphoto?ref=ts">Melanie Rivera</a></i><br><br>
Well, ladies and gentleman (whether you like it or not), I've been cast as Yitzhak in my absolute favorite play ever, <a href="http://www.wix.com/melanieavita/Augusta-Hedwig?experiment_id=empty&partner_id=WMGs4POB1ko-a&wsess=fE6qEVqcx1azcz0P%2BlU3anQiZ5xjJWOlHFsjqFr2up0tPGQqBdqatz8IJHPOkyGeJRrRdAT42dtaLSG9qx12SA%3D%3D&wixComputerID=C5oCvvhhEmjNNaqBUJKN1KMurWBMgHZnnZyEroE0UODisjJzSrkoCF6LP3YRHq+6tlB7uc019vqxNjzRMsT+AQ==&gu_id=44dcf16a-4029-46aa-a58a-ef773e74467f&orgDocID=Bo;_Hz_ExUM-a"><i>Hedwig and the Angry Inch</i></a>. I'm so, so, SO excited. I have such a history with this play! When they did the play in 2003 at Actor's Express a couple of my friends and I were the official groupies for the show. I think we saw it like 30 times. We'd dress up and make signs and virtually be a part of the show. I've always absolutely loved this play and the film. John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask are totally brilliant. (Especially Stephen Trask! I love the music!) I could talk forever about the show, but I won't....right now...<br><br>
I also booked another gig at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room recently! I'll be playing there <b>Thursday, May 20th</b>. Hopefully with my new backing band! So far, the backing band consists of Geoff Goodwin on bass (of Novo Luna, Night Eve, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Goodland/244867926255?ref=ts">Goodland</a>, 18,000 other bands that have played around Atlanta - haha) and Brian Teague on drums (check out his solo stuff, <a href="http://www.myspace.com/eatthesunmusic">Eat the Sun</a> - it's badass), and we're adding Adrian Rhetts on lead guitar (Novo Luna, The Dali Standard). I'm really, really excited! These guys are all really solid musicians but laid back and fun to be around and play music with. So far, it's been really fun, and I love adding a fuller sound to my songs!<br><br>
Speaking of awesome, I've realized lately how many friends I have that are creating incredible art, whether it's visual, theatre, music, film, literature, etc. I know I sound like a broken record with that, but it really makes me happy! So stay tuned. I plan on doing more promoting other people's art in the near future, in any way that I can!<br><br>
Looking forward to an awesome weekend! Tonight, it's off to the con for Rocky Horror! Tomorrow, show hopping at Smith's Olde Bar and the Five Spot! And Sunday, Easter with my awesome family followed by practice with the groovy backing band. Plus, it has returned to FLIP FLOP WEATHER.<br><br>
Life is good, people.<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411092010-03-31T09:10:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:07-05:00April events!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/98900b009e574e7e4e02da7731e521ef69e870b1/large/flowers.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="400" width="600" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29646404@N06/sets/72157607937865384/">Beverly Crawford</a></i><br><br>
SPRING IS FINALLY HERE! I couldn't be more excited. I always feel like spring is the most hopeful time of the year. For me, anyway.<br><br>
So. I was at <a href="http://www.lennysbar.com/">Lenny's</a> last night seeing <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thejudies">The Judies</a>, and I was thinking (as I do often), "Wow, there is <i>so much good music</i> going on in Atlanta! I'm so glad to be here right now." Seriously, guys. You can go to any venue in Atlanta virtually any time of the week and see incredible musicians. They're everywhere! And there's music for everyone! The Atlanta music scene is such a great one. You guys should all go take advantage of that!<br><br>
On that note, there are a lot of great things going on in April, and I thought I'd share my picks for the month with you so you can go check them out! :-)<br><br><span style="font-size: larger;"><u><b>MUSIC</b></u></span><br><ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.judichicago.com/">Judi Chicago CD release</a> - Friday, April 2nd - 9:00 pm - <a href="http://www.lennysbar.com/">Lenny's Bar</a> - 21+ 10$<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://marclawsonmusic.com/Home.aspx">Marc Lawson</a> - Geisha Hit Squad - Saturday, April 3rd - 9:00 pm - <a href="http://www.smithsoldebar.com/">Smith's Olde Bar</a> in the Atlanta Room - 21+ - 8$<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/secretarmy">Secret Army</a> -<a href="http://www.myspace.com/itstheinvisiblecircus"> Invisible Circus</a>- <a href="http://www.myspace.com/bobbyleerodgers">Bobby Lee Rogers</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/somnfierce">Danny Bedrosian</a> - Saturday, April 3rd - <a href="http://www.fivespot-atl.com/">The Five Spot</a> - 21+ - 10$<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.thetempertrap.net/Home/">The Temper Trap</a> - Friday, April 9th - 9:00 pm - <a href="http://www.theloftatl.com/index.asp?showID=1955">The Loft </a>- $15 - All ages<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/theecrucials">Thee Crucials</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/doomstarmusic">Doomstar</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thesylvans">The Sylvans</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/thekooties">The Kooties</a> - Saturday, April 10th - <a href="http://www.thedrunkenunicorn.net/#">Drunken Unicorn</a> - 21+ - 5$<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.sweetwater420fest.com/">Sweetwater 420 Fest</a> - April 17 - 18 - Candler Park<br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.owenpalletteternal.com/">Owen Pallett</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/snowblink">Snowblink</a> - Tuesday, April 27 - <a href="http://www.badearl.com/">The Earl</a> - 21+ - 15$<br>
</li>
</ul><span style="font-size: larger;"><u><b>THEATRE</b></u></span>
<ul>
<li>
<b>Lookingglass Alice at the <a href="http://www.alliancetheatre.org/">Alliance Theatre</a></b> - 3/31/10 - 5/2/10 - Defy logic – and gravity – in a topsy-turvy, timeless tale of a little girl who journeys through the looking glass to become a queen. Marvel as Alice floats, falls, and flies overhead in a radically reconfigured Alliance Stage. It’s a dizzyingly playful feat of ingenious wonder, peppered with playful acrobatics certain to awaken the kid in all of us. Once you pass through this looking glass, you may never want to come back out!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>THE SHOW! - <a href="http://www.outofhandtheater.com/">Out of Hand Theatre</a></b> - at Horizon Theatre - 4/2/10 - 6/18/10 - A 60 minute late-night Freak Show, Out of Hand style. The Show! is never the same twice because the audience runs The Show. A ridiculously interactive Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Event, The Show! is wild, big fun!!!!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>100 Saints You Should Know - <a href="http://www.actors-express.com/cgi-bin/MySQLdb?VIEW=/view2.txt">Actor's Express</a> - </b>3/18/10 - 4/17/10 - The lives of five people collide in this emotionally charged drama about unraveling faith and the redemptive power of human connection. While Matthew is on an enforced furlough from the priesthood, he seeks refuge at the home of his curious and devout mother. He is followed by Theresa, the rectory’s cleaning lady, who is desperately searching for meaning and completion while trying her best to raise her unruly teenage daughter alone. Through vividly poignant character sketches, we find sometimes that God really is in the details – even when those details get messy. Featuring Carolyn Cook.</li>
</ul><br><span style="font-size: larger;"><u><b>VISUAL ARTS</b></u></span><br><ul>
<li>
<b>Fight or Flight - New work by <a href="http://kellymckernan.com/home.html">Kelly McKernan</a> - </b><a href="http://www.beepbeepgallery.com/">Beep Beep Gallery</a> - Opening Saturday, April 10th 8:00 pm through May 2nd - In this newest body of work, Kelly McKernan continues to explore her psychological responses to the stresses and struggles of reality. While much of her previous work commented on the consequences of using idealism as a coping mechanism, “Fight or Flight” takes a more direct and personal approach by addressing these responses in terms of biological survival tactics.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Cartoon Madness 5 - The Lunchbox Show - </b><a href="http://www.alcovearts.com/alcove/section_events.html">Alcove Arts Gallery</a> - Opening Saturday, April 10th 8:00 pm - For thirty-five years, metal lunch boxes were a critical accessory for school kids. Starting with the Hopalong Cassidy model in 1951, a lunch box could be a child's most personal statement. While the exterior let everyone know what was the coolest new TV show or pop music group, the interior neatly housed a meal of your choosing (with help from Mom).<br>
</li>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.conormcgrady.com/">Conor McGrady</a> - On Foreign Soil</b> - <a href="http://www.saltworksgallery.com/exhibitions.html">Saltworks Gallery</a> - March 19 through April 24 - SALTWORKS is pleased to present On Foreign Soil, featuring new works on paper by New York-based artist Conor McGrady. The exhibition will be on view from March 19, 2010 through April 24, 2010. This is the third solo exhibition on McGrady's work at the gallery.</li>
</ul><br><br><span style="font-size: larger;"><u><b>OTHER EVENTS</b></u></span>
<ul>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.dodekapus.org/">Collective Conscious Art Show</a> - </b>Friday, April 9th - 8:00 pm <b>-</b> 431 Fair St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30313<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Extremity Experiment - Open Mic Night - </b>Saturday, April 24 - 6:00 pm - <a href="http://www.thecontemporary.org/">Atlanta Contemporary Art Center</a> - As always, we welcome singers, poets and musicians to bless the mic and those looking to network. This experiment will be sure to enlighten and entertain all of your senses.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Rocky Horror Picture Show at Frolicon - </b>For all of you convention goers out there, make sure you check out Rocky Horror Friday, April 2nd at Midnight (Technically Saturday...). I'll be playing Janet this year and it's carnival themed! Should be a lot of fun!!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Talking Back to the Muse - </b>Saturday, April 17th - 8:00 pm - <a href="http://www.compositiongallery.com/">Composition Gallery</a> - Poetry Atlanta and Composition Gallery in Candler Park team up for this special evening to celebrate National Poetry Month on Saturday, April 17, 8 p.m. Favorite Atlanta poets will be reading a classic poem followed by a response, rebuttal or rant of their own. It's sure to be a unique evening of poetry.<br>
</li>
</ul><br>
There you go, guys! Lots of incredibly awesome things to check out. I'm definitely going to be at several of those events! So get out there and support your local and independent artists! Share the art! You never know what you'll experience. You could go to a show and the band could play that perfect song that you <i>need </i>to hear, you could see a painting that really touches you, you could see a play that makes you laugh your ass off. There is all kinds of wonderful art going on in Atlanta, so get out there and <i>experience </i>it!<br><br>
If I missed an event that you'd like to share, make sure you leave a comment here on the blog!<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411072010-03-23T09:45:00-04:002017-01-13T08:52:57-05:00Healing - The show this Friday at Hearth Atlanta - a few March events<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/6282b30dd9349717907e6881d85e192a328ba4d9/original/HearthAtlanta.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br>
Thanks for all of the support and well wishes from everyone recently! I really have appreciated that. I am so blessed to have so many awesome, wonderful, loving people in my life. (And I'm also really glad that I have so many diverse people in my life of all different ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and with all completely different political and religious beliefs - as was further solidified in the massive healthcare debate that exploded on my Facebook today. Haha. It really keeps things interesting for me, and I just love being around all different kinds of people!) <br><br>
I'm doing much better. On top of everything else, I randomly got some kind of stomach flu over the weekend that my mom also had, which made for a pretty miserable past couple of days. But today, my flu is gone, I'm on the painkillers for my endometriosis, and I made an appointment with a new doctor for Thursday. So I'm feeling pretty good about things. I feel like it's all a part of a huge shift that I'm going through, even me getting sick and having these endometriosis issues. I can't really explain it, but I feel like something important is happening and there's a huge shift in my life, my attitude, my way of thinking, etc. I feel really good about it, though.<br><br>
So. As you can see above, I'm playing a show on Friday! It's at the new <b>Hearth Atlanta</b> in Little Five Points, which I'm really excited to check out. I hear it's an awesome new venue. The address is <b>317 Nelms Avenue, Atlanta, GA.</b> I'll be starting off the show at 8:00 pm. I'll be playing some new songs, some old songs, a new cover or two. And I'm really excited because the night is going to be such an incredible and diverse night of Atlanta music! Headlining the show is one of my absolute favorite Atlanta bands, <b>Wade in the Rhythm.</b> I've gotten a chance to see them a few times and even play with them (as Long Absent Friends), and they always, always put on an awesome show. They're a reggae band comprised of incredibly talented musicians, and I love how positive and spiritual their lyrics are and how they always have the whole crowd dancing. Even if you can't make it for my set on Friday, they are definitely worth checking out! This show is actually all ages! (For once!) And it's BYOB. 7 bucks at the door, 5 bucks in advance. I'd absolutely love to see you there! It's going to be such a fun night! And it will give me a chance to make up for the show I had to cancel last weekend, too! Here's the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=362003451880&ref=ts">facebook event</a>. <br><br>
Sorry I didn't get my March events posting up, but here are some awesome things that are going on the remainder of the month:<br><br><b>Music - Shearwater - Wye Oak - Hospital Ships</b> - <a href="http://www.badearl.com/">The Earl</a> - Wedneday, March 24th - 8:30 pm - 12 dollars - 21+<br><br><b>Film - <a href="http://www.wifta.org/events?eventId=138970&EventViewMode=EventDetails">5th Annual Women in Film and Television International Short Film Showcase</a> - </b>Midtown Art Cinemas - Thursday, March 25th - 7:00 - 9:30 pm - 15 dollars<br><br><b>Music - Sara Crawford, Wade in the Rhythm, Dre Money, and others at Hearth Atlanta! - </b>Hearth Atlanta - Friday, March 26th - 8:00 pm - 5$ in advance, 7$ at the door - BYOB - All ages - See above<br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Theatre - <i>The Annunciation...Sort Of: Mary Says "No" </i>by Celeste Miller</span> - <a href="http://www.7stages.org">7 Stages Theatre</a> - March 25 - March 28 - <i>Featuring Celeste Miller’s own famous talking dance in rare form, this lively, collaborative piece presents a different outlook on what might have happened if the world’s most beloved religious mother, Mary, had said “NO”. This world premiere is a combination of dance, live music, spoken text, and video, and draws its content from the Gospel of Luke and Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species.</i><br><br><b>Theatre - <i>Fuddy Meers </i>by David Lindsay-Abaire - </b><a href="http://www.onstageatlanta.com/b_currentproduction.htm">Onstage Atlanta</a> - March 19 - April 10 - <i>It’s just another day for Claire... she wakes up and has no idea who or where she is. Her husband greets her with a cup of coffee and her book of memories. But on this morning, a man appears from under the bed and convinces her to go on a journey to find out who she truly is.</i><br><br>
(Sorry. I don't have that many event listings for March, but all of these things are definitely worth checking out! Send me your events for April!)<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411062010-03-19T19:55:00-04:002010-03-19T19:55:00-04:00Can't sleep - why I had to cancel the show.Well, I had to cancel my Smith's show tonight.<br><br>
I have endometriosis, which has pretty much given me hell over the past three or so years. So, last night I started having severe pelvic and abdominal pain. I didn’t get much sleep at all. And I woke up this morning throwing up because I was in so much pain. I couldn’t even stand up for longer than two minutes, I could barely move. So of course there was no way I was going to get through a 45-minute set in that condition. I assumed I had a ruptured ovarian cyst because last time I had pain this severe, it was due to ovarian cysts and this was so much worse. I went to the doctor, though, and the ultrasound was normal. She said it was probably just my endometriosis acting up, but she didn’t seem to have any solutions. I’m already on the Depo shot, which is supposed to help the condition, and it has. But in my experience, after being on the shot for about a year, I start having pain again. Last time that happened, I just went off of the shot for a few months, went back on, and that seemed to help. But now the pain is back and it’s so much more severe than it’s ever been. I’m going to another doctor on Monday or Tuesday that has more of a specialty in endometriosis. She’ll probably suggest going on a stronger shot (basically medically induced menopause) or surgery. <br><br>
So I came home, took some low-dose pain medication, and some old nausea medicine we had lying around, and I passed out around 7. And now I’m awake and I can’t go back to sleep. As long as I stay lying or sitting down with the heating pad, the pain is at least tolerable enough to where I’m not crying or throwing up.<br><br>
It’s just frustrating because there really is no cure for endometriosis, and any treatment that you do is only effective for around one to five years, depending on what it is. So I’m essentially going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life, and it doesn’t matter how much I exercise or how healthy I am. And I get the feeling that some doctors don’t believe that I'm in pain (even though my file clearly says I have endometriosis, which causes severe pain at times) and they just think I’m some young person trying to get pain medication. But it’s not just in my head. I’d never cancel a show if I was in any way, shape, or form capable of playing it. <br><br>
I realize this is pretty “personal” stuff to be posting on the internet, but I guess I just wanted to explain why I had to cancel the show. And besides, my life is basically an open book. I put so much of myself in my songs, poems, and plays, which automatically makes you open, honest, and vulnerable. But I’ve always been really honest and open with anyone who cares to know about me. Sometimes it freaks people out, but I can’t be any different than who I am.<br><br>
I guess it’s like that saying, “when it rains, it pours.” I’ve been going through so much emotional pain lately, and now there’s physical pain on top of that. But I have faith that things will turn around, that I’ll come out of it stronger and happier than I’ve ever been. And I have so much loving support from those around me. I was so touched by all of the messages I received today and how much my family was there for me. I can’t express my gratitude for all of the wonderful people that I have in my life.<br><br>
I’m still scheduled to play a set next Friday, the 26th, opening for Wade in the Rhythm, one of my favorite local bands, at the new venue in Little Five Points, Hearth Atlanta. I’m really excited about that one. It will be my make-up show. Hehe. I’ll post more details about it. I’m just going to take it easy this week, go to the second doctor, do a lot of lying around with my heating pad, taking pain medication, and resting up. And hopefully, I’ll be in much better shape for the show on the 26th.<br><br>
Just wanted to say thank you all so much for all of the support, prayers, thoughts, wishes, positive comments, etc. It really means a lot to me, and I’m so blessed to have so many loving people in my life.Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411052010-03-16T09:04:36-04:002017-01-13T08:52:57-05:00Something to be gained<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/9214c35de25a72d3f23d2f3472101bd1fcd1109b/large/Symphony_of_Light_by_pitchblacknight.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="413" width="600" /><br><br><i>Symphony of Light </i>by <a href="http://pitchblacknight.deviantart.com/">Florian Kehrer </a><br><br>
I decided to actually write a somewhat personal blog. It's not something I do often, but sometimes I feel like sharing more than my art. <br><br>
So. I was watching the episode of Oprah where Ellen was on, and she was talking about how after she came out on her show, she didn't work for three years. And she was depressed and going through a difficult time, but then she said that's when you really do your soul searching and kind of figure out who you are. It was really kind of inspirational for me, because I feel like that's where I am right now. And Ellen seems like such a genuinely loving and happy person now (I absolutely love her show), and I don't think she would be if she hadn't had that difficult time. (Yes, I am aware that this is a celebrity on television that I don't know. But I really think her happiness and love for people is sincere. You'd have to be pretty...ridiculous to fake that for so many years.)<br><br>
Anyway. So here I am, coming out of a three and half year long relationship (off and on, but still), and I'm having to kind of start all over. I'm at a point where I have to do a lot of soul searching, myself, and sort of rebuild myself. I think I'm doing well so far. I started seeing a spiritual counselor. I've only seen her once, but so far it is <i>really</i> helping. She pointed out things that I wasn't even aware of about myself, and she's really helping me to figure out ways to get rid of the things that aren't working for me. Along those lines, I've been reading helpful spiritual books (first <i>The Power of Now</i> by Eckhart Tolle and now <i>The Proof</i> by James Twyman - my counselor let me borrow her autographed copy!), I've been practicing meditation and affirmations, and I've been doing my best to try to completely accept my emotions and thoughts, who I am, and what I'm going through right now. I know it's all an important part of my journey. Also, I've been keeping up with exercising, walking more outside now that it's slowly but surely getting warmer, hanging out with lots of supportive and loving friends and family, keeping myself incredibly busy with playwriting, music, and work, going to support other artists, etc. I'm still going through an extremely difficult time. Some moments, I feel like screaming. And there's a lot of anger and sadness and hurt. But I think this time, I am at least able to appreciate those things because I know they're teaching me something.<br><br>
What I'm saying is, I know now that I am important and that I have a purpose. We all are. You are important. You're here for a reason. I'm here for a reason. And maybe I don't quite know it yet. I really hope that my purpose is to be someone's Billy Corgan, someone's Morrissey, someone's Radiohead, someone's Stephen Chbosky, someone's Sarah Ruhl. The songs that save someone else's life. To give someone else a moment of pure artistic magic, like so many artists have done for me. <br><br>
I guess I wanted to share that for those of you who may be going through difficult times. It's important to keep in mind that there is always something to be gained in a situation. There's always something to be learned, an opportunity for growth. And I hope you won't forget that. I hope I won't forget it, either.<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411042010-03-14T16:16:05-04:002017-01-13T08:52:57-05:00A poem - Watercolor Saturday<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1791afa09c9652962ffaa8aa090a652c07cbf025/original/After_rain_by_petiteartiste666.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>After Rain </i>by <a href="http://petiteartiste666.deviantart.com/">Aneta Anna Saks </a><br><br>
I rarely post my own poetry on here. I wrote a poem on Saturday, though, and I thought I'd share it with you because I liked it.<br><br><b>Watercolor Saturday </b><br><br>
It’s a vibrant sky.<br>
One minute,<br>
the clouds are blinding<br>
brush strokes, so white<br>
they leave neon green<br>
orbs when you close<br>
your eyes,<br>
trickling down slowly<br>
like the purple smiley face<br>
stamp on your hand<br>
from last night<br>
at the reggae bar<br>
(where you danced<br>
like it was the end of the world)<br>
washing off of your skin<br>
in the scalding shower.<br>
The next minute,<br>
the clouds shift into darker<br>
shades of grey, like<br>
a black and white film<br>
dripping down hopeful, heavy<br>
rain drops<br>
that slide<br>
down<br>
the<br>
windowpanes<br>
as the bare trees<br>
rush by in a<br>
watercolor blur<br>
of a Saturday<br>
from the backseat<br>
of your grandmother’s car.<br>
It’s a shame you<br>
don’t still believe it can fly<br>
when she asks it to.<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411032010-03-07T09:19:32-05:002017-01-13T08:52:57-05:00Podcast - Music sharing March 2010<b>1. "Skyscrapers" - OK GO - from the album </b><i><b>Of the Blue Colour Of the Sky</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/9334386de7099c82d1c966d4a963cf70c0b07ecc/original/OKGO.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="280" width="280" /><br><br><a href="http://www.okgo.net/">OK Go Website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Colour-Sky-OK-Go/dp/B002VT4UDG">Buy the Album on Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><b>2. "Pray for Rain" - Massive Attack - from the album </b><i><b>Heligoland</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/b44b3a7908412ecdc19242cc0ea8ca3d3b98afaa/original/massive-attack.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><a href="http://massiveattack.com/%20">Massive Attack website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heligoland-Massive-Attack/dp/B002ZPIC1M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267987086&sr=1-1">Buy the album on Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><b>3. "Soldier of Love" - Sade - from the album </b><i><b>Soldier of Love</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a7f158b71e1da28baadca3430a9800d822f56095/original/sade.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><a href="http://www.sade.com/">Sade website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soldier-Love-Sade/dp/B002YIHO7I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267987145&sr=1-1">Buy the album on Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><b>4. "Young Guns" - Moonlight Bride - from the album </b><i><b>Myths</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c9849b6c95bf4f6a7f46856a4683f00818953854/original/moonlight.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 277px; height: 277px;" /><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/moonlightbride">Moonlight Bride website</a><br><a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/myths/id347503321%20">Buy the album on iTunes</a><br><br><br><br><b>5. "Silver Soul" - Beach House - from the album </b><i><b>Teen Dream</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/983a1ed8eea3adbea50a4a09b87afbc4d50eb8e6/original/beach-house.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/beachhousemusic%20">Beach House website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Teen-Dream-DVD-Beach-House/dp/B002ZIAC26/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267987266&sr=1-1">Buy the album on Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><b>6. "Lately" - The Helio Sequence - from the album </b><i><b>Keep Your Eyes Ahead</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/21a485d793a140fe603c488c5924456b9d500cbe/original/helio.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/theheliosequence%20">Helio Sequence website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Your-Ahead-Helio-Sequence/dp/B00109TG8C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267987335&sr=1-1">Buy the album on Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><br><b>7. "July Flame" - Laura Veirs - from the album </b><i><b>July Flame</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/1ea90ced309bc97bdbcc563876514ee5fada80ab/original/laurav.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="300" width="300" /><br><a href="http://www.lauraveirs.com/%20">Laura Veirs website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/July-Flame-Laura-Veirs/dp/B002W1HBIE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267987386&sr=1-1">Buy the album on Amazon</a><br><br><br><br><b>8. "Slow Down Town" - Headlights - from the album </b><i><b>Wildlife</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/50fc82416abcd9223dd7d6fafffb0396780fb788/original/headlights.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="280" width="280" /><br><br><a href="http://www.headlightsmusic.com/">Headlights website</a><br><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wildlife-Dig-Headlights/dp/B002M9FYDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1267987427&sr=1-1">Buy the album on Amazon</a><br type="_moz">46:00Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411022010-03-03T08:15:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:05-05:00No longer singing with Long Absent Friends<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/7fa255cc02109d896af1089aa56cb3fa55db086d/original/LAF11.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="500" width="333" /><br><br><i>Photo by </i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Atlanta-GA/Oberonia-Photography/122106864142?ref=ts#!/?ref=home"><i>Alisha Gaspard</i></a><br><br>
I'm no longer singing with Long Absent Friends. It's really a shame that right after Alisha takes all of these badass photos, the band basically falls apart. (Or at least my part in the band.) In all of the bands that I've been in, I've never been in a band with someone that I've dated, until Long Absent Friends. And now that the relationship has ended, I just think it would be way too hard for me to continue with the band. I don't want to go the Fleetwood Mac or No Doubt route. It would be different if we were about to get signed or go on tour or something. I might troop it out in that case. But as it is, I have enough on my plate. <br><br>
So, I'm basically going through two break ups at once. It's one of the hardest things that I've experienced in my life. Last time I went through a break up this bad, I had Novo Luna (previous band) and my apprenticeship with Horizon. I wrote <i>The Spins, </i>one of my favorite plays that I've written, and I sung my heart out with the guys in Novo Luna. It's a little harder now. But I still have my solo music. I still have playwriting. I am starting up the MFA program this summer, and I'm excited to beginning working on new plays. <br><br>
I don't know if the guys are going to continue the band or not. If so, they'll probably change names and go in a different direction. I wish them the absolute best of luck. Truly, these are some of the most talented musicians I have ever played with, and I really think they could go far. Also, I have included all of the photos from the photoshoot with Alisha on my <a href="./photosvideos.cfm">photos/videos</a> page for those of you who want to see.<br><br>
I'll never forget the emotional roller coaster that was Long Absent Friends, though. I've learned a lot by being in the band. I've grown as an artist. Every experience offers growth and development and has something for you to gain. I'm going to miss the songs, though. Music seems to be the most fleeting art. Especially if you don't record your songs. We wrote all of these songs, some of them were truly the most beautiful songs I've ever sang or been a part of in any band, and now they're just gone. I feel like the whole theme of the band was always very fleeting, though. The name Long Absent Friends. Referring to the friendships that come and go. Nostalgic looks back at the past. Even in one of our songs, "Gone," I sang, "What's gone may haunt us, but not define us, whatever leaves must return." The idea was that even though there are a lot of people that you have lost, fleeting moments that have come and gone, the people that you love and the moments that you share never really leave. They become a part of you, deep in your blood. And I believe there's something bigger that connects all of us. So we're never really alone. <br><br>
It's hard, though, to see all of that in the middle of so much loss. I'm trying to think of this more as change than loss. A new beginning. A new opportunity for growth and new experiences. I'm trying my best to think positively, to appreciate what's happened, and not to be sad about it all. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's <i>really</i> hard. Sometimes it's nearly impossible. But even all of this despair is worth something. It's giving me something. An experience, a feeling, growth. <br><br>
I'll leave you with a video montage of Long Absent Friends from a Haiti benifit show that we played in January, filmed/edited by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Atlanta-GA/Change-Before-Going-Productions/90646985861?ref=ts">Change Before Going Productions</a>:<br><br><br><br><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/XZ1nBMeja-Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/XZ1nBMeja-Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411012010-02-26T06:25:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:57-05:00Random thoughts - Music, theatre, and awesomeness<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/8e329abaf469a113b49c0f100b558f4e07086850/original/athens.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="500" width="333" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Atlanta-GA/Oberonia-Photography/122106864142?v=photos&ref=nf#!/pages/North-Atlanta-GA/Oberonia-Photography/122106864142">Oberonia Photography</a></i><br><br>
I thought I'd just write a random blog. <br><br>
Blog. Isn't that word funny? Say it twenty times. It's kind of funny, isn't it?<br><br>
I'm listening to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at the moment, and it's making me feel rather optimistic, I must say. There has been a lot of great music that I've been listening to lately. I promise I will have my music sharing podcast ready by next week. So, I was watching an abbreviated version of American Idol the other day (abbreviated as in recorded on the DVR and fast fowarded through most of it). I don't really know why. All that show is is a glorified karaoke contest. And then even when there's someone on there that I actually like (it does happen sometimes...like Bo Bice) when they get off the show and make an album, they make them sing these really shitty pop songs, which of course they didn't write. Why can't we have American Open Mic Night? Where we get original artists on there to do their original songs? I guess no one would watch that. People don't want to hear new music. But that can't be totally true, can it? They play new music on the radio. They used to play new music on MTV back when they actually played music videos. So let's get some new original music on American Idol. Let's have American Open Mic Night! (Yeah, that will still probably never happen.)<br><br>
There are a lot of live shows that I'm excited about. Recently, I got to see Laura Veirs at the Star Bar. She and her backing band (the Hall of Flames) played a really killer set. I still think the Star Bar is a weird venue for her, though, and I would have liked to see her at Eddie's Attic or somewhere like that. There's always tons of trendy people just being loud and obnoxious in the Star Bar. Usually the bands are so loud there, though, that it doesn't really matter. And people who want to listen to the music can, and people who want to be loud and obnoxious can, and it works out for everyone! Laura Veirs, though, had a more mellow set than any other band I've ever seen there, and at times it was hard to listen. I swear, there was this girl standing behind me who did not stop talking the entire set! It would have been hillarious if I weren't trying to listen to Laura Veirs. It was getting ridiculous. The viola player (Alex Guy) would be in the middle of a really amazing part, and the girl behind me would just be rambling on..."You know, I played violin in high school, and I was really bad! I just never practiced, you know? I was like the 15th chair! They had 14 chairs on stage and they shoved me off stage halfway in the curtain! It was awful! I just didn't care about it, though. And then it wasn't until later that I was like 'Oh, man, I really should have practiced!'" Meanwhile, we're all thinking, "Hey, why don't you shut up so we can listen to someone who <i>can</i> play?" It was still a really great show though, and I'm really loving her new album<span style="font-style: italic;">, <i>July Flame.</i> </span>I almost bought it on vinyl when I was at the show, but it was 20 bucks, and I was broke. (I don't really know what I was expecting...hehe.) <br><br>
I have this new obsession with listening to vinyl records. It feels like a much more tangible music listening experience than listening to songs on an MP3 player or even a CD. My vinyl collection so far is pretty tiny, but I just added <i>Siamese Dream </i>by the Smashing Pumpkins and <i>Teen Dream </i>by Beach House to it. One of my old favorites and one of my new favorites. Speaking of Beach House, I'm so incredibly in love with <i>Teen Dream.</i> If you haven't listened to it, I recommend doing that!<br><br>
(But I'm foreshadowing my music sharing podcast now!)<br><br>
In other news, I got to see <i>The Tales of Edgar Allan Poe </i>at The Center for Puppetry Arts last weekend. I hadn't seen a show there since I was a kid, and I had never been to their museum. They have so many cool things in there! Pieces from <i>The Labyrinth</i> and all of these Jim Henson puppets and <i>Fraggle Rock</i> stuff and other really interesting puppets. I feel like CGI kind of killed the art of the puppet, at least in movies. Anyway, I really loved how they wove all of the Edgar Allan Poe stories together, all of the interesting musical instruments that the musical accompanist was playing, and of course the actual puppets themselves. The puppets and the set were very innovative and creepy. And seeing a number of Poe's stories back to back like that reminds you of how disturbing they all are. But the whole show was very well done. I definitely plan on going to see another show there sometime soon.<br><br>
Tomorrow is a good day for me both in terms of theatre and music. During the day, I'm having my first read-through of <i>Community Service,</i> the play that I'm working on for the Horizon Theatre Apprentice Company. So this year's apprentices will get to see it for the first time tomorrow. I really hope they like it! It's a completely ridiculous comedy filled with art made out of PBR cans (P-B-Art if you will), gender neutral pronouns, Jeopardy! questions, and slightly gay rednecks. Anyway, after that, I'm heading over to the Gwinnett Center to see Muse and the Silversun Pickups with my little brother, who got tickets for Christmas, and is taking me! (Because he rocks. <a href="http://elephantmusictalk.blogspot.com/">Read his music blog</a>.) Then on Sunday, we're doing a Long Absent Friends photoshoot with Alisha Gaspard, who if you'll recall took all of the badass <i>Painted</i> cast photos (and the photo above!). So, this weekend is looking pretty exciting for me, in spite of it being the LONGEST WINTER EVER.<br><br>
In other news, I have found that there are some people out there who are always going to do whatever they can to bring you down. This is something that a lot of people I care about have been having issues with lately, something I've been having issues with lately. And I'm not just talking about in the artistic community, either. This applies to life in general. I'd just like to say, though, than nine times out of ten, these people are just really insecure and unhappy with their own lives, and the only way they know to try to be happy is to make other people unhappy. Or instead of outwardly projecting how insecure they are, they outwardly project condescending arrogance and act like they're better than other people. I'm trying really hard not to be judgmental, here. I don't think most of these people are consciously aware of what they're doing. But I think it's important to just try to do the best you can for who you are and not worry about other people who appear to be unsupportive or negative towards you. For every unsupportive bitchy person I have in my life, there are at least ten other people who <i>are</i> supportive and understand that I'm doing the best I can with what I've got. Just some food for thought. I guess the moral of this story is "Some people are bitches, but don't let them get you down." (Didn't I say that at one of my shows recently? I feel like that's becoming a slogan. Haha.)<br><br>
But February is almost over, spring is almost here! and there are so many awesome things to be excited about right now. There's Girl Scout cookies, Beach House shows, people around me getting married and having babies and being very excited about the new stages in their lives, hillarious theatre, pool games, cheap beer, Bad Cat calendars, crafty glittery projects, Rocky Horror, old books, Radiohead, live music, dancing, being goofy, crying for no reason, life. There are so many wonderful people doing wonderful things all around me, so much to laugh about and dance around to and learn from and love. <br><br>
(Yes, I'm being a hippy. It's okay, though, because I still take showers and have a job. :-p)<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/411002010-02-20T08:40:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:05-05:00Help me get my music out there!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/af726ca2d8fef423e4d2b45016546202da97adb8/original/musicsupport.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vina55a/3865881938/">Vina55a on Flickr</a></i><br><br>
First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone who reads this! I am completely blessed to have the most supportive people in my life, and I'm grateful for that every day. I've had a few people mention lately that they want to help me get my music out there, so I thought I'd let you know what you can do if you want to help. :-)<br><br>
Recently, WRAS 88.5 FM in Atlanta (Album 88 - Georgia State University's student-run radio) has been playing tracks from <i>Unsent Letters</i> on the Georgia Music Show. The CD was then moved to Mighty Aphrodite, the female vocalists show on Thursday nights from 10:00 pm to midnight. So be sure to listen to the show and check it out!<br><br>
If you'd like to help me get on the radio more, you can call up the following radio stations (all of which have a copy of my CD) and request my music!<br><br>
* <b>WRAS 88.5 Atlanta, GA</b> - Georgia State University - 404-413-9727<br>
* <b>WUOG 90.5 Athens, GA</b> - University of Georgia - 706-542-4567<br>
* <b>WVVS 90.9 Valdosta, GA</b> - Valdosta State University - 229 -333-5661<br>
* <b>KSU Owl Radio (online) </b>- <a href="http://ksuradio.com/">http://ksuradio.com/</a> - Kennesaw State University - 678-797-2665<br>
* <b>WKNC 88.1 Raleigh, NC</b> - NC State University - 919-860-0881<br>
* <b>KLSU 91.1 Baton Rouge, LA</b> - Louisiana State University - 225-578-5578<br>
* <b>F</b><b>AU Owl Radio (online)</b> - <a href="http://owlradio.fau.edu/">http://owlradio.fau.edu/</a> - Florida Atlantic University - 561 - 297-2842<br>
* <b>WEGL 91.1 Auburn University, AL</b> - Auburn University - 334-844-9345<br>
* <b>WTUL 91.5 New Orleans, LA</b> -Tulane University- 504.865.5885<br>
* <b>WUTS 91.3 Sewanee, TN </b>- University of the South - 931-598-1112<br><br>
Also, if you use <a href="http://www.last.fm/%20">Last FM</a>, be sure to add me to your library. <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Sara%20Crawford">Sara Crawford on Last FM</a>. If you don't use Last FM, you should really check it out! It's a personalized online radio, and it's helped me find loads of new bands and artists that I really, really love. Definitely worth checking out!<br><br>
Other ways you can help:
<ul>
<li>Go to my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unsent-Letters-Sara-Crawford/dp/B0035GG2DU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1264390451&sr=8-1">listing on Amazon</a> and reviewing my album (good review, bad review, however you felt about it! No press is bad press, or whatever they say. Haha.)</li>
<li>Rate my album on <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sara-crawford/id350283949">iTunes</a>
</li>
<li>Help me get on <a href="http://www.pandora.com/">Pandora</a> by writing an e-mail to suggest-music@pandora.com saying "I'd like to suggest that you add Sara Crawford to your music library." (My submission to Pandora is still pending review.)</li>
<li>Help me get more fans on Facebook - Just go to my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sara-Crawford-musicianwriter/199042851086?ref=ts">Facebook page</a> and click "Suggest to Friends"</li>
</ul>
Once again, I just want to say thank you for how awesome and supportive you all are. :-) It really makes me happy to be in a community of artists and people who all support each other. <br><br>
Stay tuned! My next blog post will include a music sharing podcast because there is SO MUCH great music I've been listening to lately, and I really, really need to share it with everyone!!!<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410962010-02-02T10:55:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:04-05:00Cool stuff to do in February!!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ae46d9f4ff9be9a736e1c2021c2633dbba5070fa/original/waterfall.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Waterfall at Roswell Mill </i>by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cleanwaterart/">Gareth Botha</a><br><br><br>
Well February is here! Time for Valentine's Day, wishing it was warmer outside, getting really sick of the whole winter thing, birthdays for Aquarians, all of that crap! <br><br>
If you've got the "I'm sick of winter" blues, here is a bunch of really cool artistic stuff for you to do! Lots of choices, so don't ever say I didn't tell you about anything cool to do! <span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><b><br><br><br>
Music</b><br><br>
- <b>TONIGHT! February 2nd - My band, <a href="http://myspace.com/longabsentfriends">Long Absent Friends</a>, will be playing at <a href="http://www.lennysbar.com">Lenny's Bar</a> along with Goodland, Transloader, and Aftermath. </b>(Goodland features Geoff Goodwin and Chase Adkinson, who I played with in Novo Luna.) Goodland will be on at 9:00 PM, Long Absent Friends at 10:00 PM. The cover is 6 dollars - 21+ - Lenny's Bar - 486 Decatur Street Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30312<br><br>
- <b>February 4th</b> - <b>Nobody's Darlings, Ordain, The Mitch Hansen Band, and The Issues</b> - 9:00 pm - 6 bucks - 21+ <a href="http://www.lennysbar.com">Lenny's Bar</a> - 486 Decatur Street Southeast, Atlanta, GA 30312 <br><br>
- <b>February 4th - Lindsay Appel, Lexi Street & Soul Shakers</b> - <a href="http://www.badearl.com">The EARL</a>! - 9:00 pm - 7 bucks - 21+<br><br>
-<b> February 4th - Haji Basim</b> - <a href="http://www.librarycoffeeco.com">Library Coffee Company</a> - 2523 Caldwell Rd NE - Atlanta, GA<br><br>
- <b>February 19th - Trances Arc, The Modern Society, The Biters</b> - <a href="http://www.badearl.com">The Earl</a> - Atlanta, GA - 9:00 pm - 7 bucks<br><br>
- <b>February 20th - Elliott Rubin</b> - 8:00 PM at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/uptownloft">The Uptown Loft</a>, Johns Creek, Georgia - Cost: $5<br><br>
- <b>February 20th - Laura Veirs & The Hall Of Flames, Cataldo, The Old Believers</b> - <a href="http://www.starbar.net">Star Bar</a> - 9:00 pm - 12 dollars<br><br>
- <b>February 26th - Kim Boekbinder of Vermillion Lies, Adron, Rita of Helen Keller's Ukulele</b> - <a href="http://www.thedrunkenunicorn.net">The Drunken Unicorn</a> - $5 for 21+, $7 for 18+<br><br>
- <b>February 27th - Blair Crimmins & The Hookers, A Fight to the Death</b> - <a href="http://www.starbar.net">Star Bar</a> - 9:00 pm - 8 dollars<br><br><br><br><br><b>Theatre/Dance</b><br><br>
- <b>February 13th - The Voodoo Revue: A Mardi Gras Masquerade! </b>Come and enjoy a night of mayhem and excitement as The Collective transports you back to a time of voodoo magic and old New Orleans. This is event is a fundraiser for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Collective/164902147377">The Collective</a> and our newest work Rising Sons performing at 7 Stages February 18th-21st. - We will have three amazing bands performing, including Skylights and H.M.S. Disco. Also, enjoy comedy, magic, and other acts from Collective performers! - The cover is $10 (cash only, please!) and the event is BYOB (must be 21 to drink!) Doors open at 8pm and the show starts at 9pm. - Don't forget your mask and your dancing shoes! It is sure to be a fantastic time!<br><br>
- <b>January 22 - February 7 - <a href="http://www.relapsecomedy.com">Relapse Theatre</a> presents Clive Barker's "A History of the Devil,"</b> running January 22 through February 7, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30, Sunday performances at 5:00. Tickets are $10 at the door, First Come, First Serve!<br><br>
- <b>February 5th and 6th, 2010</b> - doors at 7:00 p.m. - Spectrum: Mythos at <a href="http://www.georgiaballet.org">The Georgia Ballet Studios</a> - Join The Georgia Ballet for an incredible evening of extraordinary performances that showcase the company in contemporary and inventive new choreography! Spectrum: Mythos, An Evening of New Works will include a one hour dance showcase performance, live music, food and drink, and a silent auction with fun and exciting items for everyone. <br><br><b>- February 12 - March 14 - Shooting Star by Steven Dietz at <a href="http://www.horizontheatre.com">Horizon Theatre</a> </b>- Sparks fly and snowflakes fall as two old flames meet by chance in a blizzard bound airport. Reed, a suit-and-tie with Blackberry, and Elana, a bohemian with rain stick, were once idealistic college lovers. Here they reconnect and share stories deep into the night. Humor, heartache, secrets, and snow. When morning comes and all flights are cleared for departure – what’s the final destination for these two? A delicious, bittersweet comedy with heart and bite.<br><br>
- <b>Jan 29 - Feb 21 - </b><a href="http://www.alliancetheatre.org/">Alliance Theatre</a> - <b>Tennis in Nablus, A World Premiere by Ismail Khalidi</b> - Palestine. 1939. Allegiances… and identities… are never what they seem. Under British colonial rule, two nations buckle under conflicting claims to their rightful land. And as the world explodes around them, one divided family seeks to achieve the delicate balance between peace and freedom. <br><br><br><br><br><b>Visual arts</b><br><br>
- <b>February 4</b> - <a href="http://www.eyedrum.org/">Eyedrum</a> - <b>Ayed Hallim: Instrumentalities</b> - Opening reception for a Small Gallery show of new assemblage works by Atlanta bricoleur Ayed Hallim. Hallim, the pseudonymous alter ego of a former local arts journalist, creates works in found metal, spent packaging, and other repurposed materials. After the reception, Hallim performs during Open Improv on some of the "perjunction" instruments included in the exhibition. Exhibition on view through February 21.<br><br><b>- February 5 - "Columns, Stacks, Heaps, and Piles" by Justin Richel </b>- <a href="http://www.youngbloodgallery.com">Young Blood Gallery</a> - Starting Friday, February 5th, YBG will be displaying a series of small-scale works on paper by Justin Richel. This series will focus on small and affordable works from the "Sweets" series.<br><br><b>- February 6</b> - <a href="http://www.artpapers.org/auction/">Art Papers 11th Annual Art Auction</a> - 7:00 to 10:00 pm - Mason Murer Fine Art <br><br><b>- February 13 - March 7 - </b><a href="http://beepbeepgallery.com">Beep Beep Gallery</a><b> - Material </b>- "Material" is a group sculpture featuring five artists working in a variety of media. Artists include: Lucha Rodriguez, Romy Maloon, Crystal Wagner, Chase Folsom, Jessica Orlowski<br><br><br><br>
There you go! Tons of awesome artists to go out and support! :-) <br><br>
As always, leave a comment if I've left something out. <br><br>
Stay tuned for another podcast full of music sharing and awesomeness. (Like a mixy but with me talking in between songs so it's legal!)<br><br><br><br><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410992010-01-26T06:40:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:04-05:00Various updates!<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3b2755a92557000e51daeb7da88d2a298294f3f9/original/amanda.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 531px; height: 708px;" /><br><br><i>One Day by Carmen Lamarium</i><br><br><br>
Here's what's going on with me lately:<br><br><ul>
<li>
<b><i>Unsent Letters </i> promotion - </b>First of all, thanks so much to everyone for being so supportive of me and this album. I have sold more CDs than I ever could have imagined, and everyone has been awesome about helping me get it out there. The CD is now up on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fartist%252Fsara-crawford%252Fid350283949&h=9f9ebbec648097a2dea82e3b5b77018c&ref=mf">iTunes</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.amazon.com%252FUnsent-Letters-Sara-Crawford%252Fdp%252FB0035GG2DU%252Fref%253Dsr_1_1%253Fie%253DUTF8%2526s%253Dmusic%2526qid%253D1264390451%2526sr%253D8-1&h=9f9ebbec648097a2dea82e3b5b77018c&ref=mf">Amazon.com</a>! I am also on <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.last.fm%2Fmusic%2FSara%2BCrawford&ei=UhtfS7jYO86WtgfkpKz8Cw&usg=AFQjCNFhh6760X7mgwx7RvNJFVU49SBs2g&sig2=E0HeHGjvzPrfG5QcUhNaaQ">Last FM</a>, and I'm working hard on getting my music on <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAsQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pandora.com%2F&ei=ZxtfS9LfGouWtgfQ87SBDA&usg=AFQjCNHNuigWUpz3mGty_51_VqqsPf5STA&sig2=ko7hN85HJ3TGk3rdtYC49A">Pandora.com</a>. (Thanks to everyone who sent e-mails to them by the way! It really made a difference as they're actually paying attention, now!) Also, I have sent copies of the CD out to several college radio stations, including the Georgia Music Show on <a href="http://www2.gsu.edu/~www885/index.html">Album 88</a>, which comes on Wednesdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. So all of you Atlantans (Atlantians? Atlantans? I don't know...people who live in Atlanta!) tune into that, call up the station (404-413-9727), and request one of my tunes!<b><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></b><br>
</li>
<li>
<b>New music</b><span style="font-weight: bold;">, photos, and </span><b>videos up on the website! - </b>I put up a bunch of free new songs on my <a href="./music.cfm">music</a> page! There's a live version of "Wait" from open mic night at Ragamuffin, a Slowdive cover that I did, an acoustic version of a Long Absent Friends song, an old Ruby song, and an old Novo Luna song! You can download them for free, <a href="./music.cfm">here.</a> Also, my friend Amanda (aka Carmen Lamarium) put up a couple of videos on YouTube from my CD release show at Smith's. I've put those on my <a href="./photosvideos.cfm">photos/videos</a> page, or you can go to YouTube. Here's a link for me playing my acoustic version of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt6qq17JlhY">"Bridge"</a> (actually a Novo Luna song), and here's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QoZBEsW8yc">"Rainwater."</a> Also, I put up some new <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Long-Absent-Friends/183253067554?ref=ts">Long Absent Friends</a> pictures on my <a href="./photosvideos.cfm">photos/videos</a> page, so check that out!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Upcoming play production</b>, <i><b>Community Service - </b></i>My one act play, <i>Community Service </i>(working title), will be staged and performed by the Horizon Theatre Apprentice Company this May! Recently, I got to see this year's Apprentice Company in the 2010 Joint Stock Project, and I have to say, I was very impressed! I'm looking forward to working with these actors and the wonderful people at Horizon Theatre again. :-) More details to come about this show!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Upcoming music shows:<br>
- </b>Long Absent Friends will be playing at Lenny's with Goodland (featuring Geoff Goodwin and Chase Adkinson, who I played with in Novo Luna) - Tuesday, February 2nd. The show starts at 9:00 pm, it's 21+, and the cover is 6 bucks. I hope to see you all there!<br>
- I will have another solo show at Smith's Olde Bar (in the Atlanta Room) on Friday, March 19th at 10:00 pm, so mark your calendars! Let's pack the place out again like we did in December! That was such a blast.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Send me your events! </b> I'll be updating my "events" blog for February pretty soon, so if you have any upcoming plays, music shows, poetry/literature events, visual arts events, dance events, etc., please send them my way! You can e-mail them to me at sara@saracrawford.net. (I'll also put them on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=atlanta+bohemians&init=quick#/group.php?gid=11902972395&ref=ss">Atlanta Bohemians</a> group on Facebook.) And I will try to make it out if I can! I absolutely love supporting local, new, and independent artists, and I love being exposed to new and interesting works. There is so much going on, and Atlanta has such a thriving artistic scene. I'm so excited to be a part of it! (I know I've said all of that before, but I'm just so excited, I have to repeat myself!) <br>
</li>
<li>
<b>All of my links</b> <b>in one place</b><b>:</b> A bunch of people have asked me recently for various links to my various pages around the web, so here you go!<br>
- <a href="http://myspace.com/secrawford">Sara Crawford on Myspace</a><br>
- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sara-Crawford-musicianwriter/199042851086?ref=ts">Sara Crawford on Facebook</a><br>
- <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Sara+Crawford">Sara Crawford on Last FM</a><br>
- <a href="http://www.sonicbids.com/epk/epk.asp?epk_id=215310">Sara Crawford EPK on Sonicbids</a><br>
- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fitunes.apple.com%252Fus%252Fartist%252Fsara-crawford%252Fid350283949&h=9f9ebbec648097a2dea82e3b5b77018c&ref=mf">Sara Crawford on iTunes</a><br>
- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.amazon.com%252FUnsent-Letters-Sara-Crawford%252Fdp%252FB0035GG2DU%252Fref%253Dsr_1_1%253Fie%253DUTF8%2526s%253Dmusic%2526qid%253D1264390451%2526sr%253D8-1&h=9f9ebbec648097a2dea82e3b5b77018c&ref=mf">Sara Crawford on Amazon</a><br>
- <a href="http://myspace.com/longabsentfriends">Long Absent Friends on Myspace</a><br>
- <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Long-Absent-Friends/183253067554?ref=ts">Long Absent Friends on Facebook</a>
</li>
</ul>
Thanks again to everyone! I have absolutely the most supportive and awesome friends/fans, and I'm finally at a place in my life where I feel like I'm really getting my art out there and people are appreciating it. I definitely would not be in that place without all of you. So to everyone who actually takes the time to listen to my music, read my writing, come to my shows, come see my plays, or even read my blog on my website, I am extremely grateful. (I know, I've said all of this before, too, but you really can't say things like that enough, I don't think.) So, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for supporting me and my artistic projects. :-) :-)<br><br>
I will leave you with a live version of "Wait" from the open mic night I recently played at Ragamuffin. Enjoy!<br type="_moz">4:43Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410982010-01-16T12:00:51-05:002017-02-01T14:37:04-05:00Random thoughts - why I'm not a music critic, Horizon Theatre rocks, other ramblings about art<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/86f80bed85c9ffe609b627cd63788449260299fd/original/music.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="375" width="500" /><br><br><i>For the Love of Music </i>by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/pagillet/2126543565/">pa gillet</a> on flickr<br><br>
I feel like updating a totally random blog. (Because that's really what I should be doing right now...But I seem to be the queen of procrastinating by distracting myself with totally useless activities on the internet. "OH! I need to take this 'Which Literary Movement Are You?' Quiz on Facebook!")<br><br>
I'm currently listening to The Killers. Say what you want, but I love The Killers. This is why no one can call me a music snob. Because, sure, I may listen to totally obscure bands who no one has ever heard of (except maybe their roommates when they're playing really loud in the apartment), but I also love The Killers, Michael Jackson, Lady Antebellum, and Hanson. Yes, Hanson. I said it! Those kids were like 13 when they first came out, and they all played instruments and wrote their own songs, which is more than you can say for most of the Disney-channel teen pop stars of today. And you know, in an mmm-bop, it really <i>is</i> all gone, people.<br><br>
I have some super exciting things coming up that I'm, well, excited about. Playing a benefit show for Haiti with Long Absent Friends, my upcoming poetry book, upcoming play production. (The Apprentice Company at Horizon Theatre will be performing one of my plays in May.) (I'd tell you more about the play, but it's still in development...*cough*.) (That's the procrastinating playwright's way of saying "I'm still writing it.") Anyway, I'm really excited to be working with Horizon again. They're just a really great theatre company with great people. The building feels a little bit like home to me. Ever since my time in the Young Playwrights Festival in the summer of 2008, I've felt really comfortable there, like I can just write and express myself as an artist and grow and develop. The workshops I've been through there, whether it was at the YPF or during my time as a playwriting apprentice last year, have been the most helpful workshops ever. No one was snooty or pretentious, but they told me how it was. I heart Horizon Theatre. They're supportive of new works and local playwrights, and they just put on really great plays. <br><br>
You know, on a totally different subject, I had a lot of fun during my time being an album reviewer for Have You Heard and Atlanta Guardian, and I learned a lot, but I don't think being a critic is for me. Ultimately, I feel like all art has value (yes, even Rebecca Martin's album that I totally trashed on Have You Heard). Because while I might fall asleep when listening to Rebecca Martin, someone else somewhere could pop that CD in and be in tears, thinking it's the most beautiful thing they've ever heard. All art is subjective, all art has value, and I don't really think that there's much value in comparing art. For example, how can you compare Bob Dylan to Radiohead and say which one is "better"? Sure, there are some technical standards in any art form. But does being able to play the guitar better than any other person make you a better artist? There are some paintings that I've seen where you could tell the artist was extremely talented, but they didn't make me feel anything. There was no emotion in them. And I was watching <i>American Idol </i>the other night (I don't know why!) and I was thinking a lot of my absolute favorite singers would be crucified if they went on that show as unknown musicians (Billy Corgan, Thom Yorke, Bob Dylan, Victoria Legrand, etc.). Every person is approaching art from a different perspective, every one values art for different reasons. It's completely subjective. So, yes, the blank canvas that someone just hung on the wall and called it "emptiness" <i>is</i> art, I think. You might not get anything out of it. Maybe it didn't even take any talent to create. But it's still art because it's the meaningful expression of something. So, basically what I'm saying is screw the critics. Sure, it can be fun to read reviews. Sometimes it's even fun to write them. But I think I'd rather focus on the positive aspects of a piece of art and try to get something out of the art that I come across. (I'm not saying criticism isn't valid or other people shouldn't be picky about their art, but I'm just saying. It's not for me. And everyone, artists, critics, and audience members alike, should always keep in mind that all art <i>is</i> subjective and opinions are simply just opinions.)<br><br>
I feel like I rant about that a lot. I guess it just bothers me when people make fun of other people for liking certain things, like The Killers or <i>Twilight.</i> Sure, <i>Twilight</i> is not a great classic work of literature, but it makes a lot of people happy to read it. So, basically, I'm sick of people who have this "I'm better than you because the art that I read/watch/observe/listen to is better and more intelligent that the art that you read/watch/observe/listen to." No, it's not. There is no quantifyable to way to argue that <i>War and Peace </i>is better than <i>Twilight,</i> even if most scholars would agree that it is. Basically, I think people should just let other people be happy and stop bitching about it. That's really what I'm tired of, I guess. Bitching. (And when I say bitching I don't mean "poking fun at" or "being sarcastic.") I'm not even saying that I don't bitch about things (because I certainly do), but I guess I just wish that people on a whole would be more positive about things, maybe myself included, or at least that's what I'm trying to do.<br><br>
I'm not preaching or anything like that. I'm simply just rambling. Writing down my thoughts. I mean, I don't really know anymore than anyone else does. <br><br>
Recently, my parents got me a record player for Christmas. My record collection is somewhat limited at the moment. (Probably due to the fact that I didn't have a record player before.) It consists of a Lou Reed record I bought for 3 dollars in Canada, two David Bowie records, The Boggles LIVE at the Star Bar in 2000, and two Beatles records that aren't technically mine (but I've been trying to get them back to their owner for a while and she seems to have forgotten about them...so does that make them mine? Or am I just holding them? Either way.) So, I've been listening to a record every night. It's sort of my bedtime ritual. I'll sit down, put a record on, and write in my journal. I'm quickly running out of records to listen to, though, so I'll soon have to dip into my parents' extensive collection. I've decided I'm just going to listen to all of them, even though I know some of them I probably won't like. It's good to give new things a shot, though. <br><br>
The new Beach House album (which...isn't...technically out yet) is absolutely <i>amazing.</i> I can't stop listening to it. It's in my car, it's in my room, it's on my iTunes work playlist. It's just...incredible. I'm completely in love with it. I can't even explain to you why. Maybe that's why I can't be a CD reviewer, because I feel like words don't do music justice. Sometimes I just want to write a play where a character walks on stage and just plays a really amazing album and just sits in a chair and makes the audience listen to it. Somehow, I think I'd have a hard time getting a theatre to pick that one up, though. Haha. <br><br>
Songs that were playing while I wrote this:<br>
1. Read My Mind - The Killers<br>
2. Rhinoceros - Smashing Pumpkins<br>
3. Real Love - Beach House<br>
4. Hail Mary - Pomplamoose<br>
5. Phonytown - Rogue Wave<br>
6. Like Treasure - Editors<br>
7. Better Times - Beach House<br>
8. One Love - Bob Marley<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410972010-01-14T17:05:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:56-05:00Upcoming Long Absent Friends show - Haiti benefit<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/0147ef3dd388e4cb365fb77bcef933bc8650248a/original/lennys.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 618px; height: 716px;" /><br><br><br>
On Tuesday, my band, <a href="http://myspace.com/longabsentfriends">Long Absent Friends</a> will be opening for The Movement, Wade in the Rhythm, and other awesome bands at Lenny's! <a href="http://myspace.com/longabsentfriends">Long Absent Friends</a> will be playing at <b>7:00 pm.</b><br><br>
This is a benefit concert for the Haitian relief. The organizers of the show are collaborating with transformhaiti.org, UnitedForJamaica.Org and caribcentral.com. So come out on Tuesday, hear some diverse and awesome bands, have a beer, and most importantly, support a good cause!<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410952010-01-05T12:05:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:03-05:002010 is looking awesome so far - January artistic events in the Atlanta area<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3bdbc4e047db5fc4a964b051a908a5e0917e09b7/original/4226211215_895b83f7a9.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="500" width="333" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wisemantis/">Andrew Zucker</a></i><br><br>
Hey everyone! First of all, Thanks for listening to my podcast! I got a lot of positive feedback on it so I'm definitely going to try to do more of those in the upcoming year. I'm thinking more podcasts in the whole "mix CD" format. They'll probably just be essentially me sharing awesome music with everyone.<br><br>
Secondly, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, and I hope 2010 is treating you well so far. I rang in the New Year having an awesome time jamming out to the <a href="http://www.sealionsmusic.com">Sealions</a> at the Highland Inn, and I am really looking forward to everything this year has in store.<br><br>
10 reasons I am excited about 2010:<br><br>
1. I'll be playing a lot of open mic nights, solo shows, and shows with my band, Long Absent Friends. I already have two solo shows lined up and two band shows.<br>
2. THE 7TH HARRY POTTER MOVIE IS COMING OUT. (That's right.)<br>
3. I'll be writing a play for the Horizon Theatre Apprentice Company to perform this spring.<br>
4. New albums from Arcade Fire, Beach House, Massive Attack, the list goes on!<br>
5. Due to my little brother being awesome, I will be going to see MUSE and the SILVERSUN PICKUPS in February!<br>
6. My poetry book, <i>Coiled and Swallowed</i>, will be published from VergoGray Press sometime this summer or fall.<br>
7. The final season of <i>Lost</i>. Maybe all of our questions will finally be answered. <br>
8. I have gotten a book called<i> The Daily Writer</i> with writing exercises for every day. I've been doing them every day so far, and I really love them. It gives me a chance to stretch my writing muscles for a little bit every day.<br>
9. I'll be starting graduate school with University of New Orleans Low Residency program (MFA in Playwriting) and traveling to Mexico for my first semester this summer!<br>
10. Did I mention THE 7TH HARRY POTTER MOVIE?<br><br><br>
There are a lot of things coming up in January in the Atlanta area that are worth checking out. So, let's get started.<br><br><b>My Events</b><br><ul>
<li>
<b>Long Absent Friends </b> show - come check out my new band at the <b>Red Light Cafe</b> - 553 Amsterdam Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30306 - <b>Friday, January 8 - </b>8:30 pm - ALL AGES - 7 dollar cover - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/longabsentfriends">Long Absent Friends on myspace</a> - <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Long-Absent-Friends/183253067554?ref=ts">Long Absent Friends on facebook</a>
</li>
</ul><b>In the Atlanta area...<br><br>
MUSIC:<br></b>Here are some shows that you should check out.<br><ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=1&ved=0CAkQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blaircrimminsandthehookers.com%2F&ei=kLlDS8OpFpCXtgfg1L2WCQ&usg=AFQjCNHbx2SjGhbkCWnvmW0cKIF2UHpp_w&sig2=sGS4ZVndzh2CpgN4vZsVtg">Blair Crimmins and the Hookers</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jeffreybutzer">Jeffrey Butzer</a> <b>- </b>Oryx and Crake - <b>Saturday, January </b><b>9th - </b>The Earl - 9:00 pm - 7 dollars</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/thymightycontract">Thy Mighty Contract</a> - <a href="http://www.myspace.com/clubawesome">Club Awesome </a>- <b>Friday, January 15th</b> - The Highland Inn - 8:30 pm - 5 dollars</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.groovestain.com">Groove Stain</a> - <b>Thursday, January 14th</b> - Smith's Olde Bar - 8:00 pm</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/elliottrubin">Elliot Rubin</a> - <b>Thursday, January 21st - </b>Sweetwater Live in Duluth - 8:00 pm<br>
</li>
</ul><b>OPEN MIC NIGHTS:<br></b>I've been compiling a list of open mic nights that I'm planning on going out to. Open mic nights are great for meeting other musicians, hearing some new voices, or just having a good time. A lot of people have asked me to share my liste of open mic nights that I'm going to check out, so here's what I have so far.<br><ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.johnniemaccrackens.com"><b>Maccrackens</b></a> – <b>Mondays - 9:00 pm - Marietta</b>- I've been to this one before. Maccrackens is a really fun bar. Also, on the first Tuesday of every month (at 7:30 pm) The Play Pen has another open mic night there for not just musicians but also writers as well! (I'll be checking out that one tonight!)</li>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.eddiesattic.com/">Eddie's Attic</a> - Mondays - 7:30 - Decatur </b>- National and local acts perform 2 songs each, with 3 finalists returning for a third song at the end of the evening for a chance to win a cash prize and a spot in the bi-annual, nationally acclaimed Open Mic Shootout. - Musicians - You have to sign up for this months in advance, but it's always a fun thing to do on Monday nights. I'll be playing in May of this year!</li>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.ragamuffinmusic.com">Ragamuffin</a> - Thursdays - 8:00</b><b> - Roswell </b>- I've never been to this open mic night before, but I've heard from other musicians that it's really cool. Actually, Michael (guitarist), Kyle (violinist), and I from <b>Long Absent Friends </b>will be going this Thursday, <b>January 7, </b>to play a short acoustic set. Come check it out!</li>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.redlightcafe.com">Red Light Cafe</a> - Wednesdays - 8:00 - Atlanta</b> - I haven't been to the open mic night at this venue, but I've played a lot of shows there, and it's one of my favorite venues.</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.revcoffee.com"><b>Rev Coffee</b></a><b> – Wednesdays – 8:00 pm – Smyrna </b>- This one is also new to me, but I've heard good things.</li>
</ul>
Let me know if you have any additional open mic nights for me to add to the list!<br><br><br><b>THEATRE: </b><br>
Here are some cool shows that I'm hoping to check out.<br><ul>
<li>
<b>The Cantebury Tales - <a href="http://www.shakespearetavern.com">The New American Shakespeare Tavern</a></b> - January 1 - January 31 - <i>Join us for a medieval romp through boisterous and bawdy olde England. Drawing on the Celtic British influences of Geoffrey Chaucer's writing, this hilarious adaptation reintroduces the tales in forms ranging from classical to spaghetti Western! We've got two new tales to tickle your fancy!</i>
</li>
<li>
<b>Good Boys and True</b> - <a href="http://www.actors-express.com"><b>Actor's Express</b></a> - Jan 14 - Feb 13 - <i>It’s the 1980s and the boys at St. Joe’s Prep School are clean cut, well bred, Ivy League-bound – and having a lot of sex. When a scandal involving one little videotape threatens to grow beyond closed-door whispers to engulf the entire school, the ugly underpinnings of an elite machine threaten to give way. As one mother struggles to glean fact from fiction, she finds herself face to face with truths about her perfect son and their privileged existence. From one of the writers of the HBO hit “Big Love.”</i>
</li>
<li>
<b>Tranced - <a href="http://%09http://www.auroratheatre.com">Aurora Theatre</a> </b>- Jan 14 - Feb 7 - <i>A Regional Premiere by Bob Clyman Directed by Susan Reid This suspenseful drama is a twisting tale of recovered memories and political intrigue.</i>
</li>
<li>
<b>On-Demand Reading of A THOUSAND CIRCLETS</b> by Theroun D'arcy Patterson - Working Title Playwrights - Tuesday, Jan. 12 - Academy Theatre, 119 Center St., Avondale Estates, Ga. FREE to WTP members. $5 at-door suggested donation all others.</li>
</ul><br><br><b>OTHER EVENTS:</b><br><ul>
<li>
<b>January 23</b> - High Museum, <a href="http://hcdt.org/hcdt.org/Performances.html">Harper Dance Continuum Theatre</a> presents 2 artists, 1 dancer and DJ Tabone. 8 pm in the atrium. - Artists Vickie Martin and Lance Carlson will paint with "HIGH allowed" material while Tracey Perkinson moves between two canvases of spandex - choreographed by Heather Harper</li>
</ul><br>
That's all I have so far. Feel free to add comments to the blog if I left anything out! <br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410942009-12-29T04:45:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:56-05:00Top 10 favorite albums of 2009For more info on these albums and to hear a sample track from each album, listen to the podcast! (It's my first podcast.)<br><br><b>Honorable mention -</b><i><b> The Twilight Saga: New Moon Soundtrack</b></i><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/8fa2688c8b6c3ae750ee0b6c55066d8c772ce583/original/new-moon.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><br><b>10. <i>Swoon - </i>Silversun Pickups</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/12953f3212f0ae722cfb5e40afe023b837075768/original/swoon.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><a href="http://www.silversunpickups.com/">Silversun Pickups Website</a><br><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=3&ved=0CCUQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fsilversunpickups&ei=7x86S76jLIWVtgeo7Pn7CA&usg=AFQjCNHrrP8gKrehg7HmF98r22U-f9dM5A&sig2=LZZ7JMs8224OLks6oXL08Q">Silversun Pickups Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>9. <i>Lost Channels - </i>Great Lake Swimmers<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/cebe5743a874aa3c822f1778286a4bfabdd392f2/original/lost-channels.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /></b><br><br><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CBwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.greatlakeswimmers.com%2F&ei=HiE6S86DBYO1tgej3p2SCQ&usg=AFQjCNFln_fxjS9E_TtUlHtF4YQcYtGf8w&sig2=QwM1fkYW_UhLbRCqqTGW7w">Great Lake Swimmers Website</a><br><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=3&ved=0CCUQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fgreatlakeswimmers&ei=HiE6S86DBYO1tgej3p2SCQ&usg=AFQjCNGzla2Za7jj-uZLP_px1f5H40s8Iw&sig2=cZ6rYSOuUP0wjxqqCPi2tQ">Great Lake Swimmers Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>8. </b><i><b>Ain't Too Bright - </b></i><b>Electric Owls</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ab464db7e198078d5d93bb9e8a47bba0c492a3af/original/electric-owls.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=3&ved=0CCEQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.electricowls.com%2F&ei=YSE6S8Rd05e2B6rPgYEJ&usg=AFQjCNGMWbfCgnt7FeOdtRsd_BQvEqhlHA&sig2=X_M90OhNZeKPIdZZCsIQqg">Electric Owls Website</a><br><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CB0QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Felectricowls&ei=YSE6S8Rd05e2B6rPgYEJ&usg=AFQjCNFOJlcIpNJqkL2DbkLmYXroQyjNcw&sig2=ycH_qFQ82w-5s1Syc0vebQ">Electric Owls Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>7. <i>Fantasies - </i>Metric<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/edc2021aa5066bbdce42551d830db03b32a0b6bc/original/metric.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /></b><br><br><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CBEQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ilovemetric.com%2F&ei=vCE6S5HaGZGQtgeo88GFCQ&usg=AFQjCNGJYKgIgWmC4C_lAGS5NODcyTBCNg&sig2=PQNDB-ddEr_xnr0UTghOqQ">Metric Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/metric">Metric Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>6. <i>Elvis Perkins in Dearland - </i>Elvis Perkins in Dearland</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/40402580534b5b51298253df3d43cbadbc6ddbf4/original/elvis-perkins.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://www.elvisperkinsindearland.com">Elvis Perkins in Dearland Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/elvisperkinsindearland">Elvis Perkins in Dearland Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>5. <i>The Resistance - </i>Muse</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/63e1f74e7cc423ea922a25c7d1288886278e471a/original/muse.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://muse.mu">Muse Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/muse">Muse Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>4. <i>Far - </i>Regina Spektor</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3a111fdd7160d7f9a1176b4f0a527a1384e837d6/original/far.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://reginasplash.warnerreprise.com">Regina Spektor Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/reginaspektor">Regina Spektor Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>3. <i>Veckatimist - </i>Grizzly Bear</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/65b9a5e21fe0a8af2f455cb6c1425cfbd3080a30/original/grizzly-bear.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://www.grizzly-bear.net">Grizzly Bear Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear">Grizzly Bear Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>2. <i>Up from Below - </i>Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/571707c810ab7c9e81a3799cecfb5f7eebf38260/original/edward-sharpe.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com">Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/edwardsharpe">Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros Myspace</a><br><br><br><b>1. <i>Conditions - </i>The Temper Trap</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/e4a4304f66c5c248d9fca88e1f22698c3bcd4df6/original/temper-trap.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="240" width="240" /><br><br><a href="http://www.thetempertrap.net">The Temper Trap Website</a><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/thetempertrap">The Temper Trap Myspace</a><br> 57:12Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410922009-12-24T07:30:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:55-05:00Reflecting on my musical projectsFirst of all, thank you SO much to everyone for all of the support with my CD release! I was almost in tears at the end of the CD release show last Friday because I just simply couldn't believe how many people were there, how enthusiastic the audience was, and how excited everyone was to pick up a copy of <i>Unsent Letters.</i> I think it was the best solo show I've had, and I really appreciate the fact that there are so many people in my life who are <i>so </i>supportive of me and my music.<br><br>
Recently, I saw a picture of a band that I was in in high school called Population 2. <br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3c02241f9f104f45bc39f285cb386acacd90a694/large/pop-2.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="418" width="600" /><br><br>
There we all are, Kyndal Foshee (who played guitar and sang), Brandon Rich (who wasn't actually in the band but...as you can see from his shirt...was our "crew"), Jessie Gayhart (who played drums), me (I played guitar and sang), and Bre Hicks (who played bass). I realized that the date on that picture was August 13th, 2000, which means I've technically been a musical performer for nearly a decade. It doesn't seem like it's been that long!<br><br>
Population 2 was a great experience! We were all really young (14 when we started!), and most of us were still learning how to play our instruments, really. But we wrote really fun songs, expressed ourselves, and actually played shows! I've performed in some way (chorus, dancing, theatre, etc.) ever since I was five years old, but this was my first experience with being in a band, writing songs on guitar, working with other musicians. <br><br>
After Pop 2 broke up, I wasn't in another band again until I was just out of high school. Ruby.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/f62c09e5cf6d41617ddf8e7cfda9dcf357db1477/original/ruby.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="397" width="572" /><br><br>
This band was definitely a great experience for me. I got the opportunity to play real gigs in real music venues downtown, and I worked really hard to fine tune my craft, learning how to become a better musical performer and how to write better vocal melodies. I sang with Ruby off and on from 2004 to late 2006. I think in that time, I grew enormously as a songwriter and a performer, and I learned a lot about working with other musicians. <br><br>
In 2009, I joined up with Novo Luna.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/ef01035a8090c38cc7d30ad50f2acb43f78efb41/original/ashnv2.JPG?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="450" width="600" /><br><br>
I had so much fun with these guys, and I really, really loved the vocal melodies that I came up with to their music. I sang my heart out in this band! Every now and then I will still hum the songs to myself. And all of the guys in Novo Luna are incredibly talented! I'm really excited to see what kind of music they put out next as we've all gone our separate ways and started new projects.<br><br>
So I'm looking back and sort of reflecting, and I've realized that bands are a lot like relationships. Each band has taught me so much, I've had so many unique experienced with all of these bands. The music was very different in all of them. Population 2 was a mix of alternative, rock, and just extreme silliness. Ruby was mostly classic rock sounding. Novo Luna was a mix of blues, funk, and alternative.<br><br>
I'm so glad that I got the chance to perform with all of these people, though, and have all of these experiences. Each band brings some new lesson, each time you work with a new musician (or any artist, really) you give something to each other. Even negative experiences I've had have taught me more about myself as a musician and sometimes even as a person. <br><br>
And now, I'm going on a "new journey," if you will, with a new band. <a href="http://www.myspace.com/longabsentfriends">Long Absent Friends</a>.<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/11a0f4bdcb5e7dd348af097fac277d7fb0f494e8/original/LAF.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="402" width="604" /><br><br>
I'm really excited about this band because it's more along the lines of the music I frequently listen to (i.e. Stars, Smashing Pumpkins, Broken Social Scene, Slowdive, Arcade Fire, etc.). I love all kinds of music, but most of the time you will find indie/alternative in my CD player. Also, I have the opportunity to play piano in this band on almost every song, which is new and very exciting for me. So we have some upcoming first shows:<br><ul>
<li><b>Sunday, December 27th - 10:00 pm - Smith's Olde Bar - The Atlanta Room - 21+ - 5 dollars</b></li>
<li><b>Friday, January 8th - 8:00 pm - Red Light Cafe - all ages - 7 dollars</b></li>
</ul>
I'm really looking forward to these shows! I'm excited to play all of these songs that we've been working really hard on over the past few months for everyone. This band is completely different from bands I've been in previously, and it's very different from my solo stuff as well, but I really like the way the music is developing. We even have a violinist (Kyle Weisse). I've never played with a violinist before so it's really interesting! Michael Tillman is playing guitar and singing. (I've always wanted to be in a band that had male and female singers.) His guitar work is a mix of heartbreaking emotion, catchy hooks, and an interesting manipulation of sounds. To top it all off, we have a really tight rhythm section with Kyle Hilkin (from the popular Incubus tribute band, Human Magic Marker) on drums and Ben Hopper on bass. It's just enthralling to be able to write music and play with such talented musicians. Also, for the first show, we're covering two of my absolute favorite songs, "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire and "Tonight, Tonight," by the Smashing Pumpkins. <br><br>
Anyway, I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who supports me. I feel like a lot of you have been on this crazy ride with me, always coming out to share and experience my various musical projects. The CD release show really hit me hard with that fact, and I just wanted to tell all of you how much that means to me. It's very difficult to be an artist, especially an unknown artist. There are many times when you put your entire self out there in your art just to be crushed up and spit on, and with all of the rejection and criticism, it's really nice when you have a group of people who will always support you and appreciate the art that you create. So to everyone who has ever come to see one of my shows, bought one of my CDs, played music with me, booked me for a show, taken the time to listen to my music, I just wanted to say thank you. <br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410932009-12-14T12:25:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:55-05:00Unsent Letters <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/3dbe1c9e3f8e63657cc6fda618f1b3285f0ca38f/large/cover-final2.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Unsent Letters album cover<br>
Photography by Belenen<br>
Cover design by Adrian Rhetts</i><br><br>
Well, I'm releasing my album, <i>Unsent Letters, </i>and people have been asking me questions about it lately, so I thought that I'd write a little blog about it. My friend, Amanda, came up with a list of questions as well that sort of summed up all of the questions I've been getting lately. So, here they are.<br><br><b>How long did Unsent letters take, from start to finish?</b> Well, that's sort of a complicated answer because some of these songs were written four or five years ago. So from that perspective, the album took four or five years! Heh. I've had the idea to make a solo album for years, but I kept thinking I needed backing musicians or to pay for time in a studio. I could never find the right musicians to help me with something like this, and I've somehow managed to always be pretty much broke. (Us English majors/artist types aren't so good with money.) I decided earlier this year (probably in March or April) that I should just go ahead and do whatever it takes to make the solo album happen. So what if I didn't have loads of money for studio time? I'd just figure out how to produce and record the album myself. I've been writing songs, really, since I was about 14, and I just decided it was time to get some of these songs down in a cohesive, tangible unit. I didn't start actively working on recording the album until probably August, so I guess the recording process took about four months, give or take. Of course, I also have a job, so I wasn't able to work on it every day. <br><br><b>Is there a message behind the album?</b> Yes. I think every track on <i>Unsent Letters</i> is about the expression of an emotion right there in the moment. Most of them are love songs in one way or another. I think the underlying message though throughout the whole album is to just be true to yourself and true to what you feel. I tried to say that, I think, by creating an album that was really raw and honest. Each of these tracks are very in the the moment, and they're all very <i>me.</i> I'm a big fan of "writing what you know." When I'm singing these songs, I pour all of my emotions, my experiences, and myself into the songs, and I hope that someone somewhere will have the same experience that I have when I listen to Radiohead, the Smashing Pumpkins, or Morrissey. That "OH MY GOD! S/HE KNOWS! S/HE JUST **KNOWS**!!!!"<br><br><b>What was the most difficult part of making Unsent Letters?</b> The actual recording process was difficult. I don't have much experience in that area. So I would spend hours fixing tiny little things or figuring out how to do things that a more experienced audio engineer would have been able to fly right through. Ultimately, I decided that even if I haven't gone to school to be an audio engineer or a producer or anything, I still know what sounds good and what doesn't . If there's one thing I do have experience in, it's listening to music. I know that an <i>actual </i>audio engineer would probably be able to find many flaws with the album, but in the end, I got the sound that I wanted, and I think that people who like my songs will enjoy it.<br><br><b>Are you planning other albums for the future?</b> Definitely. I'll always write music. My next album might take me a few years, just because I'm the kind of person who likes to constantly be involved in many artistic projects. I'm always going to be doing something, rather it's writing music with other people, writing music by myself, writing plays, writing fiction or poetry, etc. My next big projects on the horizon are Long Absent Friends (the new band I'm singing/playing piano with), the publication of my poetry book (<i>Coiled and Swallowed), </i>and hopefully at some point in 2010, I'd like to get <i>The Spins, </i>a play that I wrote, on stage. But there will definitely be more albums from me in the future!<br><br><b>Do you have a favorite track on the album?</b> That's really hard to say, because I have sort of a relationship with each song on the album, especially the older songs. I've been through so much with these songs, really. They've evolved and grown, and they're all just such a huge part of me. I think my favorite songs in terms of the album are "Cyclone" and "Wait," though. I wrote both of these songs around the same time, and they sort of feel like they fit together. I kind of think of "Wait" as sort of the sequel to "Cyclone" in a lot of ways. In terms of performance, though, my favorite song to sing is "Denied and Doomed." It's sort of like my anthem. A song about refusing to let go of people. <br><br><b>Can you explain the meaning behind the name "<i>Unsent Letters</i>"?</b> The album name comes from the track, "Unsent Letters." I wrote that song like sort of a story. This person is just writing these letters to this other person, completely on the outside. I sort of used the song to write my own unsent letters. At the time that I wrote the song, I was singing about very specific people that I had strong emotions for that I just couldn't communicate for whatever reason. I decided to name the album that because in a way, each of these songs is like an unsent letter to someone, stashed away in my closet.<br><br><br>
Once again, <b><i>Unsent Letters, </i></b>my debut solo CD, will be available here on the website, tomorrow, December 15th! It will be $5.00 for a digital copy (mp3s), $7.00 for a physical copy to be mailed to you. Also, I am playing a <b>CD release show </b>this <b>Friday, December 18th at 11:00 at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room.</b> I will be selling copies at the show for just $5.00! I'd love to see everyone there!<br><br><i>Unsent Letters </i>will be available for purchase <a href="./music.cfm">here!</a><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410782009-12-08T05:50:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:54-05:00Holidays, Atlanta events, good times.<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c77f4eeb53e90cf4291b000485f0aff17b15a00f/original/reticent.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 632px; height: 395px;" /><br><br><i>Reticent </i>by <a href="http://www.evisceral.com/">Gareth Botha</a><br><br><br>
Well, December is upon us and there is a lot going on!<br><br>
First of all, I have several announcements/upcoming events:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>UNSENT LETTERS CD release - December 15th - </b>On December 15th, I will release my debut album! It will be available here on the website for digital download for 5 dollars or you can order a physical copy for 7 dollars.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Unsent Letters CD release show at <a href="http://www.smithsoldebar.com/">Smith's Olde Bar</a> in the Atlanta Room - Friday, December 18th - 11:00 pm - 8 dollars - 21+ - </b>Come out to Smith's Olde Bar where I will be playing a set and selling my CD (for just 5 dollars!). Come shoot some pool, drink some beer, and hear some music! I would absolutely love to see all of you there!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>New <a target="_new" href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Sara-Crawford-musicianwriter/199042851086?ref=ts">Facebook Page</a> - </b>I have a new artist <a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Sara-Crawford-musicianwriter/199042851086?ref=ts">page</a> on Facebook. So if you are on Facebook, be sure to become a fan for all of the updates, and suggest me to your friends!<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>Long Absent Friends shows - </b>I am in a new band called <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Long-Absent-Friends/183253067554?ref=search&sid=23204447.351979671..1">Long Absent Friends</a>, and we are playing our first shows ever coming up! We will be playing on <b>December 27th at 10:00 pm at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room </b>and <b>January 8th at 8:30 pm at Red Light Cafe</b>. Come check it out! Especially if you are a fan of the Smashing Pumkins, Stars, Arcade Fire, and/or Broken Social Scene.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>New links - </b>Check out my <a href="./linkscalendar.cfm">links</a> page for a couple of new things. For example, my brother, Kevin, has a new <a href="http://elephantmusictalk.blogspot.com/">music blog</a> which is pretty sweet.</li>
</ul><br><u><span style="font-weight: bold;">THEATRE <br></span></u><br>
December is a time for theatres to do Holiday shows! Actually, for a lot of theatres in Atlanta, a great portion of their ticket sales comes from these shows. (See this interesting article from <a href="http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-holiday-guide/holiday-shows-help-fill-216997.html">Access Atlanta</a>.) So make theatre part of your Holiday traditions!<br><br>
Some of my favorites:<br><ul>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.atlantaballet.com/">Atlanta Ballet</a>'s <i>Nutcracker</i> - December 11 - 27 - </b><i>Nutcracker </i>has always been a Holiday tradition for me, and I absolutely love this production. (And not just because I played a toy soldier in it when I was 12! Haha.) Combine the beautiful dancing with the gorgeous costumes and set and the imaginative coreography...not to mention Tchaikovsky's classic and beautiful score...and it's really hard to go wrong.<br>
</li>
<li>
<b><i>A Christmas Carol - </i><a href="http://www.alliancetheatre.org/">The Alliance Theatre</a> </b>- <b>Nov 27 - Dec 24 - </b>What is Christmas without a little Dickens? Alliance has always done an excellent job of staging this Holiday classic, and it's really just a fun show. <br><br>
</li>
<li>
<b><i>Santaland Diaries </i>by David Sedaris - <a href="http://www.horizontheatre.com/">Horizon Theatre</a> - Nov 27- Jan 3</b> - I have a personal relationship with this hillarious holiday show about an out-of-work 30-something writer who takes a job as an elf at Macy's. Last year, when I was working as an apprentice at Horizon, I did my crew/volunteer hours on this show, and I ran the spotlight. Even though I saw the show literally 30 something times, it was still funny. So check it out!</li>
</ul>
For more Holiday show listings, check out <a href="http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-holiday-guide/holiday-shows-help-fill-216997.html">Access Atlanta</a> or <a href="http://www.atlantaperforms.com">Atlanta Performs</a>.<br><br><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br><b><u>STAGED READINGS </u></b><br><br></span></span>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></li>
<li>
<i><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=199559717376&ref=ts">Turning Pastoral</a></b></i><b><a href="http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=199559717376&ref=ts"> by Matthew Katis</a> - Saturday, December 12th - 7:00 pm - Kennesaw State University - FREE - </b>Come out to this staged reading of CMU grad student, Matthew Katis's, new play. <br>
</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com/"><b>Working Title Playwrights</b></a><b> presents The Scrapbook: A Modern Christmas Carol by Raymond Fast</b> - <b>Monday, December 14th - 7:30 pm - <a href="http://www.academytheatre.org/">Academy Theatre</a> - </b>"You can't buy happiness. Nice thought - until you're money's gone. Since Gary's heart attack, he and wife Micki have lost their business, home, and savings. Now Gary thinks their kids and grandkids would be happier not traveling across country to visit them for Christmas. Can the memories awakened by a scrapbook remind Gary that love has no price tag, needs no trappings, and is worth more than anything money can buy?"</li>
</ul>
Come help these playwrights develop their new works! Your feedback is the most important thing for playwrights!<br><br><br><b><u>MUSIC<br><br></u></b>Three shows that I'm hoping to catch!<br><ul>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/tealightstheband">Tealights</a> / This Piano Plays Itself / Venice is Sinking</b> - <a href="http://www.badearl.com/">The Earl</a> - Wednesday, December 9 - 8:30 PM - 10 dollars<br>
</li>
<li>
<b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun">Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun</a> / Gift Horse / Hammer no More the Fingers </b>- <a href="http://www.starbar.net/">The Star Bar </a>- Friday, December 11 - 9:00 pm<br>
</li>
<li>
<b>The Yonrico Scott Band / <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CBwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laurareedanddeeppocket.com%2F&ei=toMeS9D8Nca0tgf6nfmxCg&usg=AFQjCNH68RYF1sv2Izr2Gy-KWXzN5vSfeQ&sig2=FxbB1dIWV5GdLmBmgVDjNw">Laura Reed</a></b> - <a href="http://www.fivespot-atl.com/calendar/view_entry.php?id=292&date=20091231">The Five Spot</a> - Thursday, December 31 - 9:00 pm - 20 dollars</li>
</ul><br>
Well, that's it for me. If there are any December events that you'd like to mention, be sure to leave a comment here on the blog so that all of my readers can hear about it. :-)<br><br>
Stay tunes for my Top 10 Albums of 2009. I'm thinking of doing this in a podcast as opposed to a blog so I can actually play some tracks for you. :-)<br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410892009-11-25T10:25:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:02-05:00Thanksgiving, Working Title Playwrights, Levi Weaver<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/c60a788e2af732d26144cb5364ab049cdeabc265/original/fall.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/adgaspard/4029460958/in/set-72157622620779362/">Fall Kiss</a> by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/adgaspard/">A.D. Gaspard</a></i><br><br><br>
Well, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which is really one of my favorite days of the year. It seems like everyone (myself included) does a <i>lot </i>of complaining these days, and it's nice to be able to take a day and try to focus on gratitude. I know I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. I have the most amazing family and friends, who are always supportive of me, and every day, there are countless opportunities to share, experience, or create art! <br><br>
And on that note, there are a couple of things that you should definitely check out! <br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/46b17768bbfc9632f2265fe152b89f43cbc8c9b2/original/wtp.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="69" width="200" /><br><a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com/"><br></a><b><a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com/">Working Title Playwrights</a> - </b>This is an organization in Atlanta dedicated to helping playwrights develop new works and get them on stage. They are constantly having writing workshops, critiques, staged readings, and other events to help keep new works alive. If you've never been to check out one of their readings, I highly recommend it. As a playwright, one of the most valuable things is having the opportunity to hear your work aloud and get audience feedback. They really are an amazing group, and one of my New Years resolutions is to be more involved with them next year. Check out their <a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com/">website</a> for more info or to get involved!<br><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/a6fa59075cd8b1fbe01ea64e2318959173920fe0/original/levi.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 344px; height: 515px;" /><br><i>Photo from Levi Weaver's website</i><br><br><a href="http://leviweaver.com/"><b>Levi Weaver (musician)</b></a> - Last week, my friend, Bel, invited me to go see <a href="http://www.katehavnevik.com/">Kate Havnevik </a>at the Red Light Cafe. Obviously, she's an amazing performer, and her songs were incredible. Levi Weaver was also touring with her, and I had not heard his music before. Usually singer/songwriters have a tendency to get overlooked (I should know!), which even I am guilty of sometimes. It's hard to sound "full" when it's just one person and a guitar. Weaver, though, was quite the opposite. He used loop pedals and live effects to give his acoustic set more of a full band sound, which was definitely cool, but as he kept playing, I realized that he didn't even need any of that. His songs were good enough to stand on their own with just stripped down acoustic guitar and vocals. His lyrics were so poetic and sincere, and he had so much raw passion. It's musicians like him that remind me why I want to be a musician. (And of course it helped that he threw in an AMAZING cover of "Idioteque" by Radiohead!!) So go visit his <a href="http://leviweaver.com">website</a> or his <a href="http://www.myspace.com/leviweaver">myspace</a> and give his music a listen. <br><br>
(I think it's important that we support independent musicians...especially after accidently watching the American Music Awards the other night. I mean, really, is that what <i>popular music</i> is these days!?! But that's a rant for another time. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'll just say I'm thankful that there <i>are </i>independent musicians who make good music so I don't have to listen to that crap.)<br><br>
So, there you are everyone. Support new plays, check out some new (awesome) music, support independent musicians, and have an awesome Thanksgiving filled with lots of turkey (or tofurkey), good times, and people you love. :-)<br><br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410912009-11-17T11:05:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:02-05:00To my fellow artists<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/de5d5734d3f68970c9c3046464dfe1d25fbafdaf/large/live-oaks-bok-sanctuary-florida.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="450" width="600" /><br><br><i>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29646404@N06/sets/72157607937865384/">Beverly Crawford</a></i><br><br>
There is always going to be someone somewhere who doesn't like your art. There's always going to be some asshole who says that all of your songs sound the same and they're bored out of their mind when listening to them. There's always going to be the poetry editor who calls your poems "trite" and "cliche" and "amateur." There's always going to be the film festival who doesn't accept your film. There's always going to be the director who doesn't want to cast you in the play because they don't like the way you performed that one scene. There's always going to be the people who scoff at your paintings and turn up their noses. For every single piece of art that you put out there, whether your a singer/songwriter playing a show for five people at a coffee shop or Steven Spielberg releasing a new blockbuster film, <i>someone</i> somewhere is going to think that it's shit. (I have even been this person before! I've definitely been harshly honest about art I haven't liked before. But I said those things only after giving a disclaimer that the artists should take my opinion with a grain of salt.) That's because all art is completely subjective.<br><br>
And for those of us who haven't had a "breakthrough" yet, for those of us who are unknown by most people, there are going to be <i>way more</i> rejections and criticisms than there are selections and praise. The trick is getting rejected over and over and over again and not caring. The trick is to keep going, to keep creating art, to stay true to yourself and your vision, no matter what anyone might say. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter if you're famous. It doesn't matter if that breakthrough moment ever comes. You do it because it's who you are. It's what you love to do. I can't say I've gotten there completely. Every now and then I'll get a criticism or rejection that still stings. But I could never, ever stop writing or playing music or creating, no matter what anyone thinks.<br><br>
There are moments, though, that make it all worth it. Standing ovations, getting an acceptance letter for once, when one person tells you that <i>your song</i> helped them in a way that so many songs have helped <i>you.</i> And I just wanted to say that even if no one reads this silly little blog of mine, I think it's important. Because there are so many artists that have helped <i>me</i> and inspired<i> me</i> over the years. And not just big artists like Radiohead and Neil Labute and Morrissey and Stephen Chbosky, but local playwrights and actors and theatre groups, local bands and musicians, local painters and photographers. There have been many moments, here in Atlanta, sitting at open mic nights at coffee shops and bars, watching bands at The Earl or The Star Bar or the Red Light Cafe, looking at art on the walls in Octane, sitting in the audience at Actor's Express or the Horizon Theatre, moments when art has inspired, touched, moved me, changed my perspective. Many local, independent, and unknown artists have caused these moments for me--too many to even name.<br><br>
And I just wanted to say that. If you are an artist of any kind, and you're reading this, and you ever have those bad days filled with rejection letters and criticisms just keep in mind that probably somewhere someone had one of those life-changing moment with <i>your work.</i> And don't stop making your art. Don't get discouraged. Because there is a place for it. And you are someone's Morrissey, whether or not you know it. <br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410902009-11-13T07:25:00-05:002017-02-01T14:37:02-05:00ART sharing - New play project - photo shoot with Belenen<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/4cc54edbf6d8112554e19a5e04ed5eeff7f519e8/original/kelly.jpg?1381154687" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="480" width="393" /><br><i>Suspension by </i><a href="http://kellymckernan.com/home.html"><i>Kelly McKernan</i></a><i><br>
Watercolor and String<br>
2009</i><br><br>
I thought it'd be a good idea to start adding images that I like (art, photography, etc.) to my blog entries. It's another way to share art AND it makes my blogs more interesting/entertaining :-) Kelly McKernan is a local artist. I really love her work, and the above piece of her's is one of my favorites. Plus, she's designing the album cover for <i>Unsent Letters</i> (which I'm really excited about) so check out her <a href="http://kellymckernan.com/home.html">website</a>.<br><br>
My website/blog is about a lot more than just promoting my art. I want to share other people's art with everyone, too, especially artists who are new, independent, local, etc. Artists of all mediums! Visual artists, musicians, filmmakers, poets, authors, playwrights, theatre groups, all of it. There is just <i>so much great art</i> out there, and a lot of it goes unnoticed sadly. I want to do my part to change that. Even if I just get 5 or 10 people to check out a new band, I think it's worth it. Because every day, I am immensely inspired, touched, motivated by great music, stories, images, <i>art.</i> I was just born to share, experience, and create art.<br><br>
Speaking of art sharing, I have a new idea. <br><br><b>The Audio Play Project</b>: I've had a thing for audio books lately. And one day I was thinking about how they should really do more audio book versions of plays. The best way to experience a play, obviously, is to see one. But I think hearing a play would be the next best thing. Almost like a recording of a staged reading, in a way. So. My idea is next year (2010) to record one full-length or longer one-act play a month and put it up in audio book/mp3 format for people to download on my website. Obviously, they wouldn't all be my plays. I'd probably have the first one and maybe the last one be mine, and in between it would be works by other local and/or unknown playwrights. I think it would be a good thing, though. New/unknown playwrights get exposure, the actors get voice over experience, and people get to hear new works! I think putting it in an mp3 format and making it free and available on the internet will give people who don't necessarily go see a lot of theatre the opportunity to experience new plays as well, and then maybe if they liked it, they'd get out there and see new works, too!<br><br>
What do you guys think? Is this something you'd like to see in the future?<br><br>
In other news, earlier this week I had a photo shoot with Belenen. I needed some new photos/portraits for my website, my various music press kits, and I wanted to put a photo of me somewhere on <i>Unsent Letters</i> (even though Kelly McKernan is designing the cover. I thought I could put it on the inside sleeve.) Typically, I'm ridiculously awkward in photos, but I thought these turned out great!! I couldn't be happier! Belenen just has a way of really capturing people the way that they are, and taking photos that are so bright, full of color, full of live! I feel like I look like myself in these. If that makes sense. <br><br>
You can check out some of Belenen's photos on her Flickr page, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/belenen/">here.</a><br><br>
Here are some of the photos from the shoot. For the rest, check out my <a href="./photosvideos.cfm">Photos/Videos</a> page.<br><br><br><br><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/belenen/pic/003qt0sh" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 300px; height: 225px;" /><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/belenen/pic/003qq3e8" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 340px; height: 255px;" /><img src="//pics.livejournal.com/belenen/pic/003qffss" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" style="width: 277px; height: 370px;" />Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410822009-11-07T12:00:00-05:002022-04-24T00:07:59-04:00My music news and five Atlanta bands that everyone should check out!There is definitely a lot going on right now for me musically!<br><br>
First of all, I posted five tracks from <i>Unsent Letters</i> on the <a href="./music.cfm">music</a> page along with lyrics. These tracks are "Excommunicated," "Flames," "Cyclone," "Wait," and "Irresponsible," and these are the newest versions of these songs, which will be on <b><i>Unsent Letters</i></b>, of course, which will be released here, <b>Tuesday, December 15th.</b> I have also put these tracks on my <a href="http://www.myspace.com/secrawford">Myspace</a> page and my <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Sara+Crawford">Last FM</a> page. (If I get more listeners on Last FM, I could possibly be played on their radio stations, so go listen to me there! And add me to your library, if you have a Last FM account. That would rock!)<br><br>
Secondly, I will be back on Story with Amie Flanagan on <a href="http://ksuradio.com">KSU Owl Radio</a> Monday, December 7th 10:00 - 11:00 am. I had so much fun the last time, and I'm excited to go back! Amie's show is very entertaining! I'll bring my guitar along and play some more live songs, so tune in!<br><br>
Also, I am officially in a new band called <b>Long Absent Friend</b>. I am playing piano and singing in this project along with Michael Tillman, who is on guitar/backup vocals, Kyle Weiss on violin, Ben Hopper on bass, and Kyle Hilkin on drums. I really like the music we're playing so far. It sounds a little bit like Arcade Fire meets Broken Social Scene meets Smashing Pumpkins. We have a gig booked already, and we'll be playing our first show at the <a href="http://www.redlightcafe.com">Red Light Cafe</a> on<b> Friday, January 8th</b>, so stay tuned for updates and news on this project, including tracks, shows, and a myspace page.<br><br>
I think there are really a lot of awesome things going on in the Atlanta music scene right now. I like to try to get out there and see local bands as much as I can, and I have found that there is a huge amount of talent in the Atlanta scene. Here are some of my favorite bands/musicians that I have seen playing around town. You guys should all visit their websites, check out their tunes, purchase their music or go see them play if you like what you hear. In my opinion, they all put on great shows.<br><br><b>Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/53772e7c7ceec5764cce5fcf749afd9067aa4b32/large/todaythemoon.jpg?1381154688" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="423" width="600" /><br><br></b><a href="http://www.myspace.com/todaythemoontomorrowthesun">Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun on Myspace</a><br><br><i>Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun is about the collaborative. It’s about the connections between sound and people. It’s about the heart and the head. It’s for mistakes and triumphs, and against arrogance and underconfidence. Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun is about sharing the ideas that are created by four friends in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s all for sharing much further than there, penniless or plentiful. - </i>From their myspace page.<br><br><br><b>A Fight to the Death</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/f0dad600c1e6f2dcde95b4834d010c14e1bf5d9d/original/asfight.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="333" width="500" /><br><br><br><a href="http://www.afighttothedeath.com/index/?page_id=2">A Fight to the Death website</a><br><br><i>Instead of the usual boring band bio, we’ll just tell you that A Fight to the Death is Avant-Western-Americana-Gypsy music built with Latin and Mediterranean rhythms, surf twang, and melodies fit for lonely midnight drives through the desert.</i> - from their website<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br><br><b><br><br>
Billions and Billions<br></b><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/41b1eea0679d77117cd5af669c1e0b246bd54c0d/original/billions.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="398" width="600" /><br><br><a href="http://www.myspace.com/billi0nsandbilli0ns">Billions and Billions on Myspace</a><br><br><i>We are committed to the progression of music. Most of our songs are written on the spot and we feel that is the way to keep improving our sound. Maybe it's a hit. Maybe it's a miss. But you can bet, whatever it is, it's going to be like nothing you've ever heard before.</i> - from their myspace<br><br><br><b>Siberia My Sweet</b><br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/0324bc912260b5299e788247161b308b67f0fbcf/original/siberia.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="800" width="531" /><br><br><a href="http://siberiamysweet.com">Siberia My Sweet's Website</a><br><br><i>Siberia My Sweet is an Atlanta based project with a goal to expand the landscape for new wave alternative rock by combining ambient subtlety with a melodic, yet more abrasive, core than the current standard. Forging a harmonious blend of opposites, the music creates a unique beauty that combines both the hard with the soft. Formed in the fall of 2005 by vocalist Kelly Andrews, Siberia My Sweet saw the addition of Luci Harrell (guitar) in 2006 and Erin Sellers (keys) in 2008. Currently showcasing in the southeastern region, Siberia My Sweet is well on its way to making an impact that won’t go unnoticed. </i><i>- </i>from their myspace page<br><br><br><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sealions<br><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/739b46085e9ee8e3563c6a981e7b3d5e8756c38c/original/sealions.jpg?1381154686" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="600" width="600" /></span><br><br><a href="http://sealionsmusic.com">Sealions Website</a><br><br><i>"This three piece has a lot of potential and I’m thrilled about the prospect of their first full length album dropping sometime this year." -</i>Davy Minor on <a href="http://ohmpark.com/photos/corndogorama-2009-saturday-day-1/">Ohmpark</a><br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410882009-11-03T04:10:00-05:002017-01-13T08:52:55-05:00Pride <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/6959272eb02104976edd1dd83a25c26a5992325f/original/atlanta-pride.JPG?1381154685" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Atlanta Pride Parade 2009, Picture from <a href="http://atlanta.creativeloafing.com/gyrobase/atlanta_pride_2009/Content?oid=1157874">Creative Loafing</a></i><br><br>
Well, I had loads of fun at Pride on Sunday. (Originally, I planned to make it out on Saturday and play guitar for a little bit, but it was all cold and rainy...so instead, I went Sunday for the parade.) I did end up giving out all of the sampler CDs that I made. Some people seemed pretty excited that I was just giving out my music to random people. Taking self-promotion to the streets, I called it. (Oh, and if you happened to get one of my CDs and that led you to this website, drop me a comment!)<br><br>
Anyway, one of my favorite things about Pride is seeing parents supporting their gay daughters or sons, seeing churches that don't condemn people for their sexual orientation, seeing politicians who actually support the LGBT community. I just love seeing all of the acceptance, open love, and support. <br><br>
I suppose the main reason that I go to Pride every year is because I don't see gender when I look at people. In fact, I don't really even believe in gender. I think there should be a word for that. Gender-free maybe? (Although I've only heard one other person use that. So maybe I should give this person credit? Though I'm not sure she coined the phrase? I'll get back to you on that. Haha.) Sure, there is biology. There is such a thing as biological sex. But sex (like ethnicity) does <i>not</i> define anything about a person. I'm not saying everyone is completely alike, and there are no differences. But I think the main differences are <i>individual</i> and not based on biological sex, ethnicity, etc. It's a whole slew of things, really. Background, culture, family, genetics. Gender is a social construct. (So is race, really.) And when I look at a person, I don't want to see a black person, a white person, a man, a woman, I just want to see <i>the perso</i>n and get to know s/he for who s/he is, regardless of that person's sex, race, or biology. I realize that this is sometimes impossible, based on the way we as humans feel the need to classify and label things in our minds. Even our language is very "gendered." There is no gender-neutral pronoun, which makes us further have to put everyone in these strict categories. "Boy" or "girl." "He" or "she." I have some friends who use gender-neutral pronouns like "ze," "zir," "zirself," etc. I think that's an excellent idea, really. Maybe I'll start trying that.<br><br>
And with that belief, I think that love happens without regard to sex, race, or biology, too. When I see a homosexual couple, I don't really even think to myself "oh, it's a gay couple." It's more like "Oh, it's a couple. Two people." I don't even necessarily like labels like "gay," "straight," "bisexual," etc., though I do understand why they might be necessary for some people. But basically, what I'm trying to say is, I go to Pride because I am proud to be gender-free.<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410872009-10-30T11:55:00-04:002017-01-13T08:52:55-05:00Podcast is up<br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/2c36913d492effd28cbe853f80515f1ccf59fe0c/original/stationlogo.jpg?1381154685" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" height="155" width="276" /><br><br><br>
The podcast is up from my interview with Amie Flanagan on KSU Owl Radio! Check it out <a href="http://ksuradio.com/2009/10/30/sara-crawford-on-story-with-amie/">here.</a><br><br>
And don't forget to listen to Story every Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 - 11:00 AM. She's having Glen Burns as a guest next time! How cool is that?<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410862009-10-29T17:45:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:01-05:00In a bloggy mood...<img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/58945/8a1310440f76aa270f7b8d7d359797c025f79711/large/3081618548_3c3b4c4c83_b.jpg?1381154685" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" alt="" /><br><br><i>Photo by Beverly Crawford.</i><br><br>
Yes, as in my mom took that photo. I really like her photography. It's mostly nature shots, but I think they're all really full of life. You might even see one of her photos on my poetry book cover, <i>Coiled and Swallowed,</i> when it comes out next summer or fall.<br><br>
Well, it's autumn, and I'm listening to the Cockteau Twins, and I'm in a rather bloggy mood. That should be a new word. Bloggy. <br><br>
Things have been going <i>really </i>well for me lately. I'm getting a lot done artistically, I'm being a pretty productive employee, I have been reading a lot more this year, exercising more, being a healthier person, and most importantly, I have the most supportive and awesome family and friends. Everyone in my life has really been there for me lately, even my friends who have moved to other states, and I really, really appreciate it. More than any of you probably know. I'm just really <i>grateful.</i> There's so much negativity on the internet these days (I'm definitely not excluded from that!), but I just wanted to take a second and say that I genuinely appreciate everyone in my life. Even if the contact we have seems insignificant. Even if it's just a facebook comment every now and then. I still really appreciate it. So many people have supported me, especially in my artistic efforts, and I really just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for coming to my shows, thank you for listening to my music or reading my poetry, thank you for coming to see my plays, thank you for reading my random blogs. Haha. Really. I can't even begin to express how much that means to me. And you're awesome. <br><br>
Speaking of being positive, I made a bunch of "sampler CDs" to take with me to Pride this Saturday. I was planning on handing them out to promote my new CD. They have three tracks, "Excommunicated," "Cyclone," and "Wait," all of which will be on <i>Unsent Letters.</i> I decided it'd be cool if I decorated the CDs myself with sharpies. Different colored sharpies! Most of them just say "Sara Crawford" and list the names of the tracks, but on some of them I put random little positive messages like, "Thanks for supporting local music!" or "Sara Crawford (thinks you're awesome)" or "I love people who listen to new music! You just made my day!" I put all of the CDs in little (multicolored) sleeves with a little (multicolored) piece of paper that has printed information about my CD, so from the outside of the sleeve, you can't see what's written on the actual CD. I just know that if I picked up a CD from someone at a festival and got home and opened it up to a message like "Yeah! You're awesome!" it would definitely make me smile. So hopefully, I'll get to spread some love on Saturday. (But not in an obnoxious way? Haha.) I was thinking maybe some time next month, I'll make some more sampler CDs with happy messages and put them in random coffee shops and places around town where people will pick them up. <br><br>
Anyway. That's all for tonight. Thanks for listening...er...reading, rather.<br><br>
Songs listened to while I typed this: <br>
1. Lorelei - Cocteau Twins<br>
2. Dancing - Elisa<br>
3. Morning Bell/Amnesiac - Radiohead<br>
4. She's Got You High - Mumm-Ra<br>
5. Soldier On - The Temper Trap<br>
6. Light My Fire - The Doors<br><br>
And you should listen, too:<br><br><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/tZs0_r3ROjg&hl=en&fs=1&">
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true">
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always">
<embed src="https://www.youtube.com/v/tZs0_r3ROjg&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410852009-10-27T05:45:00-04:002017-02-01T14:37:01-05:00KSU radio interview, my love for the Neil Labute and the New Moon soundtrack, daily Radiohead fixI had a really awesome time at <a href="http://ksuradio.com">KSU Owl Radio</a> on Story with Amie Flanagan. It was kind of weird to be back on campus at KSU but not as a student. I actually parked in visitor parking, which made me feel odd. Or maybe "old" is a better word. Haha. Either way, I had a lot of fun on the show. We talked about <i>Unsent Letters,</i> my old bands, <i>Pain</i><i>ted</i> and playwriting, how I hate it when people spell my name with an "h", other random things. I played "Cyclone" and "You Told Me" on air. Amie is a lot of fun, so everyone listen to her show! It comes on Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:00 am. She asked me if I wanted to come back sometime soon, so be on the lookout for that! Also, hopefully, I'll have a copy of the interview that I can put up here as a podcast file so you guys can listen if you didn't catch it yesterday.<br><br>
Also, over the weekend, I went and saw <i>This is How it Goes,</i> a play by Neil Labute from <a href="http://www.relapsecomedy.com/coup-de-theatre">Coup de Theatre Atlanta</a>. It's a shame I waited until closing night to go see this play because I would have definitely recommended that everyone go check it out! It was just an excellent play. First of all, Neil Labute may be one of my favorite playwrights (<i>The Shape of Things, Reasons to be Pretty)</i>. His plays are controversial, filled with unique structures and narratives, well constructed, and extremely thought-provoking. His characters are just so <i>real</i> and often extremely messed up. I really liked <i>This is How it Goes</i> for all of these reasons, but I think Coup de Theatre did an excellent job staging the brilliantly-written play. It was just well directed, well cast, well acted, well done. So good job, Coup de Theatre! This was the first show I've seen from them, and I'll definitely be checking out more as you all should, too. (PLUS, Radiohead playing at the beginning and/or end of a play or movie is always a great idea.)<br><br>
Alright, I don't care what you<i> Twilight</i>-haters have to say, the <i>Twilight Saga: New Moon</i> soundtrack is out, and it is <i>awesome.</i> Highlights for me inclue Thom Yorke's mysterious "Hearing Damage," Lykke Li's poignant "Possibiliy", the sincere track, "Satellite Heart" by Anya Marina, "I Belong to You (New Moon Remix)" by Muse (which was also awesome on <i>The Resistance</i>, but I really like the remix), "Roslyn" by Bon Iver and St. Vincent whose voices blend <i>perfectly</i> together, and of course "Slow Life" by Grizzly Bear featuring Victoria Legrand (from Beach House). I was lucky enough to see Grizzly Bear and Beach House here in Atlanta a few weeks ago, and during Grizzly Bear's set, Victoria Legrand came back onstage to do "Slow Life" with them, which was an incredibly moving performance. So, there you go. We all know that the <i>Twilight</i> books are not going to be taught in literature classes in colleges or anything, and we all know Kristen Stewart is maybe the worst actress ever, but you just can't hate on a movie with <i>that</i> good of a soundtrack, people! (Even though it's not out yet.) (The <i>Twilight </i>books/movies are a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, though, I must admit and I'm very excited that this movie will combine my love for vampire books AND obscure indie bands. Who would have thought it?)<br><br>
I've decided I should start posting more videos and photos in my blogs/on my website to make it more entertaining. I've had this song stuck in my head ever since they played it before <i>This is How it Goes </i>the other night. (Good choice, once again, Coup de Theatre!) So here is the "Song of the Day" I suppose. <br><br><font size="undefined" href="http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9RTBOSEN5VnFGT2M=" style="font-size: smaller; font-weight: normal;">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0NHCyVqFOc</font>
<div><object width="425" height="344" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="never">
<param name="allowNetworking" value="internal">
<param name="movie" value="https://www.youtube.com/v/E0NHCyVqFOc&hl=en&fs=1">
<param name="wmode" value="transparent">
<embed width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="never" allownetworking="internal" src="https://www.youtube.com/v/E0NHCyVqFOc&hl=en&fs=1" wmode="transparent"></embed></object></div>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410842009-10-23T09:45:00-04:002009-10-23T09:45:00-04:00Upcoming events - CD release show, KSU Radio interview, etc.First of all, I've had to push back the release of my debut solo album, Unsent Letters, but only by two weeks. And now, it coincides with the CD release show, too! So I have a lot of cool things coming up:<br><br><b>-Monday, October 26th - 10:00 AM - KSU Radio</b> - I will be on Amie Flanagan's show on KSU Owl Radio, talking about my upcoming CD release and playing a few tunes. So tune in! You can listen at http://ksuradio.com<br><br><b>-Saturday, October 31st - Atlanta Pride</b> - Planning on going out to Atlanta Pride during the day at Piedmont Park and being a "street musician" (street musician? park musician? pride musician?). I'll also be giving out some free sampler CDs so stop by and see me if you're there!<br><br><b>-Tuesday, December 15th - Album release</b> - I will be releasing Unsent Letters, my first solo album, on my website. It will be 7 dollars, and you can either download it on the website or order a physical copy. It's only 5 dollars for people on my mailing list, though, so sign up for my mailing list at http://saracrawford.net<br><br><b>-Friday, December 18th - 11:00 PM - CD release show at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room - 8 dollars - 21+</b> - I'll be playing a solo/acoustic set and selling copies of my CD! You also get the special price of 5 dollars if you buy a copy at the CD release show. 5 bucks! What a bargain!<br><br>
Hope to see all of you at the show!<br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410832009-10-14T07:05:00-04:002009-10-14T07:05:00-04:00Poetry news, music news, Scent of Autumn mixyLots of things going on right now! <br><br>
First of all, Virgogray Press will be publishing my poetry chapbook, <i>Coiled and Swallowed, </i>in the summer or fall of 2010! I just found out about this last week, and I'm pretty stoked. They have some really great chapbooks so check them out! <br><br>
Secondly, I'm hard at work on <i>Unsent Letter</i><i>s</i> (my album), and I will be releasing that here on December 1st. It will be available for download, or you can order a physical copy. I should be playing some sort of CD release show around that time, too. I'm not sure where that will be yet, but I will keep you posted.<br><br>
Also, Novo Luna is no longer playing shows. We've all sort of gone our separate ways musically, I suppose. I will always be grateful for the time I spent singing with those guys, though, and I will never forget the songs! I really learned a lot singing with them, and I definitely had a blast. I definitely plan to support all of them in their future artistic projects as well.<br><br>
In other news, my new unnamed musical project is quickly picking up speed. We have Michael Tillman on guitar/vocals, myself on keys/vocals, and now, Kyle Weisse on violin. We've jammed out with a couple of drummers, and we're still putting together the entire ensemble, but stay tuned! We should be out playing shows within the next few months. The first couple of shows may be just me, Michael, and Kyle, but we're planning on getting out there soon.<br><br>
AND it's that time of year again! Autumn. Every autumn, I made a mix CD called "The Scent of Autumn." It's usually a mix of songs that feel nostalgic, songs you can drive around and feel reflective to, and songs that I happen to be particularly into that year. So here is this year's scent of autumn mixy!<br><br><b>Scent of Autumn</b><br>
1. Under the Milky Way - The Church<br>
2. Before it All Ends - Kent<br>
3. Special Needs - Placebo<br>
4. Heart of Chambers - Beach House<br>
5. Possibly Maybe - Bjork<br>
6. When No One Calls (It Will Be Alright) - Starflyer 59<br>
7. That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore - The Smiths<br>
8. Master of None - Beach House<br>
9. Soldier On - The Temper Trap<br>
10. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) - The Arcade Fire<br>
11. Bubble - Red House Painters<br>
12. Shiva - The Antlers<br>
13. Cheerleader - Grizzly Bear<br>
14. No Surprises - String Quartet<br><br>
So, in honor of the Scent of Autumn, and in light of my poetry news, I'll leave you with a poem from <i>Coiled and Swallowed</i> and a song from my Scent of Autumn mixy - 2009 edition.<br><br><br><b>Cement Steps </b><br><br>
a poem by Sara Crawford<br><br>
Sometimes I wish you would take me back<br>
to that scene<br>
where little girls jump on cement steps<br>
and young men wear sunglasses,<br>
blowing the smoke from their<br>
personally-rolled cigarettes,<br>
watching it swirl away<br>
into the strategically placed trees,<br>
and the wind blows<br>
wrinkled, old pages<br>
from the woman’s notebook.<br>
She struggles to pick them up,<br>
scared to lose the moments she preserved<br>
before she picked up her cup of green tea<br>
to take a sip. <br><br>
I miss being light enough<br>
to be scared of a breeze,<br>
bracing myself on something<br>
that’s weighed down,<br>
occasionally letting go,<br>
out of curious anxiety.<br><br>4:27Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410812009-09-29T18:55:00-04:002009-09-29T18:55:00-04:00A mixy for the decade: Songs that define me from 2000 - 2009Today was one of the first days that it actually felt like autumn, and autumn is such a time of nostalgia and reflection, at least for me. I thought it’d be nice to do a reflective post about music I have loved over the past decade.<br><br>
There was this note floating around on Facebook where you were supposed to name ten albums that you loved, one for each year of this decade (2000-2009). I really enjoyed reading my friends’ various choices. And then one night, Michael and I were sitting at Highlands, and we decided it would be fun to take this concept and make a mixy (“mixy” is my word for mix CD…incase you couldn’t figure that out) with one song from each album. But not just one song that you loved, but one song that defined the whole year for you, who you were, what you were doing, etc. <br><br>
I had so much fun that I though I would write about my mixy. (Note: I did this not based on what albums came out that year, but what I was listening to. When I was a teenager, I wasn’t as up to date on what albums were coming out as I am now, and sometimes I wouldn’t find out about an album until a year or two after it came out.)<br><br><b>1. 2000 - “Indie Queen” by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvelous_3">Marvelous 3</a> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Album-Marvelous-3/dp/B00000HY5K"><i>HEY! Album (1998)</i></a> </b>– This song was my anthem. I was completely OBSESSED with Marvelous 3 from the ages of…I’d say 13 to 17. (And even now, at 24, I love to pop in <i>HEY! Album</i>, turn it up all the way, and dance around like an idiot.) In 2000, I was 14 for half of the year, 15 for the other half. I think every 15-year-old needs an anthem, a song that makes he or she go “THIS IS MY SONG! IT WAS WRITTEN SPECIFICALLY FOR ME! AND NO ONE ELSE GETS IT!” This was completely that for me. And even though Butch Walker was probably singing about something WAY different than a slightly artistic/dorky/eccentric 15-year-old suburban white girl, I will forever think he’s singing to me when he says, <i>“How do you feel about that? How do you like it when they touch your face and turn the page and make you feel like a waste of space?”</i><br><br><b>2. 2001 - “Maybe Someday” by <a href="http://www.thecure.com/">The Cure</a> from </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bloodflowers-Cure/dp/B00004GOVO"><i><b>Bloodflowers (2000)</b></i></a> – I remember when I was in 10th grade, I had this really cool English teacher who wore all black and often mentioned bands like The Cure and The Smiths that I had heard of but had never really listened to, aside from “Asleep” by The Smiths, which was mentioned in my favorite book, <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i>. One day, I was I watching MTV (back when they played music), taping some music videos on my VCR, and a commercial came on for The Cure’s new album, <i>Bloodflowers</i>. They played a snippet of “Maybe Someday” on the commercial. I kept rewinding the tape to watch it over and over, until I could get someone to take me to Media Play to grab a copy. I was completely in awe when I listened to it. The album sounded like who I was that year, 16, overly emotional, learning about love and loss for the first time (really), finding my place…I was in love. This is one of those albums that I always go back to, time and time again, and it always makes me feel like I’m 16, discovering it for the first time. And yet, each time I listen to it, it has something new to tell me. <br><b><br>
3. 2002 - “In Repair” by <a href="http://www.ourladypeace.com/">Our Lady Peace</a> from </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Machines-Our-Lady-Peace/dp/B00005A8H0"><i><b>Spiritual Machines (2001) </b></i></a>– So, I was 16 and 17 in 2002 and starting to feel a little upset that certain people I had crushes on (or…crazy obsessions with, either way) thought I was way too intense and emotional. I took refuge in CCT, a theatre group that was beginning to become like a family to me, and my friendship with Amanda. The two of us would just drive around endlessly in my Malibu. One day, we were driving, and she showed me this album, <i>Spiritual Machines</i>. I remember all of the countless times I drove down Sewell Mill Road to <i>West Side Story </i>rehearsals, blasting this album, with my windows rolled down. Just as my friendship with Amanda and my various experiences with CCT made me feel like it was okay to be who I was, intense and emotional and all, this album made me feel exactly the same way. It’s the kind of album that takes you somewhere, that tells a story. And Raine Maida has such an unconventional, unique voice. It really grabbed me. This album was a mix of great songwriting, passion, and solid’ rock music with a unique twist. I can still go back to it, particularly this track, “In Repair,” and it always makes me feel better.<br><br><b>4. 2003 – “Kevlar Soul” by <a href="http://www.kentjunkie.com/">Kent</a> from</b><i><b> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hagnesta-Hill-Kent/dp/B00004SD0C">Hagnesta Hill (2000)</a></b> </i>– I discovered Kent at Music Midtown in 1999 when my friend Kyndal and I were walking around, and they played “If You Were Here.” Kyndal grabbed me and said, “Wait! I know this song!” and we stuck around to listen to them. It turned out, they were actually awesome. I bought <i>Isola</i>, their first English album. Then, randomly, in 2003, I searched online to see what they were up to and I discovered they had made another English album. I ordered it immediately, and as soon as I played it, I was completely giddy. I listened to this album over and over and over, completely obsessed over it. This song in particular sticks out in my head, though, because I remember driving around with Kayesha in Atlanta, listening to it, happy I could share this obscure Swedish band with someone, and we’d sing together, <i>“I have time on my side/Making diamonds of coal/She put a hole, through my kevlar soul.”</i><br><br><b>5. 2004 – “The World is Full of Crashing Bores” by <a href="http://www.itsmorrisseysworld.com/">Morrissey</a> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Quarry-Jewel-Case/dp/B0001WAO5S"><i>You Are the Quarry (2004)</i></a></b> My knowledge of Morrissey consisted of listening to “Asleep” by The Smiths because it was mentioned in <i>The Perks of Being a Wallflower</i>, and the couple of times I had heard their self-titled album in Adam’s car, but I never paid much attention. When You Are the Quarry came out, though, Adam bought a copy, and he was listening to it when Kayesha and I were in the car. I remember when “I Have Forgiven Jesus” came on, I could hardly breathe. I rushed out and got a copy the next day. I listened to this album over and over and over, every single song. This is the album that started the Morrissey obsession, particularly this song, which became another one of my anthems. Because even when I was having super emotional, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, “no one understands me” days, Morrissey was always there for me, singing “<i>This world, I am afraid is designed for crashing bores/I am not one, I am not one, you don’t understand, you don’t understand/And yet you can take me in your arms and love me, love me.” </i>This is one of the reasons I have a Morrissey tattoo with the lyrics, “<i>Don’t forget the songs that made you cry/And the songs that saved your life.” </i>And I will never, ever forget the first moment I fell in love with <i>You Are the Quarry.</i><br><br><b>6. 2005 – “Wake Up” by <a href="http://www.arcadefire.com/">Arcade Fire</a> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Funeral-Arcade-Fire/dp/B0002IVN9W">Funeral (2004)</a></b>– 2005 was sort of a tough year for me, full of transitions. I was having a seriously hard time adjusting to the changes that life was bringing. Nothing else better summed this up than <i>Funeral</i>, particularly “Wake Up.” Even now, I get a little choked up every time I hear vocalist Win Butler sing, <i>“If the children don't grow up,/our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up./We're just a million little gods causin' rain storms turnin' every good thing to rust./I guess we'll just have to adjust.”</i> (And oh my God, now it’s in the <i>Where the Wild Things Are</i> trailer and I seriously almost cry every time I see it. Nostalgia and childhood and one of my favorite childhood books AND this song? It’s too much!) (But in a good way!)<br><br><b>7. 2006 – “Dragonfly” by <a href="http://www.mybrightestdiamond.com/">My Brightest Diamond</a> from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bring-Me-Workhorse-Brightest-Diamond/dp/B000GET09W">Bring Me the Workhorse (2006)</a></b> – 2006 was probably one of the best years of my life. I turned 21, had amazing times hanging out with some completely amazing people. And when two of my old friends from high school died, I realized how important it was to let people know that you appreciate them. I reconnected with my old high school friends because of this, and out of tragedy, we all grew closer. Some amazing things happened to me that year though. I started taking my English major classes at KSU, including classes with my favorite professors, I was in a really great writing group, I started a new, amazing relationship, and I started writing <i>Painted</i> towards the end of the year. This song, for me, really represents that whole year. My friend, Lauryn, showed me this album, and that was another I-can’t-breathe-this-is-so-good moment. Between Shara Worden’s completely breathtakingly flawless voice and the interesting almost orchestral music underneath her, I was almost in shock. I played Bring Me the Workhorse nonstop. And this song is very symbolic for me. It’s a song about recognizing the risks involved in loving and doing it anyway. It’s song about being “afraid of flying” but doing it anyway. <br><br><b>8. 2007 – “Bodysnatchers” by <a href="http://www.radiohead.com/deadairspace/">Radiohead</a> from </b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rainbows-Radiohead/dp/B000YXMMAE"><i><b>In Rainbows (2007) </b></i></a>– OHMYGODRADIOHEAD. Okay, first of all, I had been waiting for a new Radiohead album for what seemed like forever. And soon, they announced that they were essentially giving it away for free on their website. I think I paid 5 bucks (better than nothing!) and this was another album that I was completely in love with from the moment that I listened to it. At first, I would have told you that “Bodysnatchers” was fun but not my favorite track on the album, but after a few listens, I became completely obsessed. I remember one night just sitting in my room writing almost an essay in my journal on how <i>In Rainbows</i> was an album that took you on a “personal journey” (which led to Darcie’s obsession with that phrase in my short play “The Economist”), and I think this track “Bodysnatchers,” is the track where I realized that it was, indeed, a personal journey. It’s the moment where the song completely changes and takes you somewhere you had no idea you were going, when Thom York sings <i>“Has the light gone out for you?/Because the light's gone for me.”</i> And then somehow, it builds and builds and builds and spits you right back out where you were. OH THE BRILLIANCE! This is also relevant to 2007 because basically the entire year of 2007 was centered around <i>Painted</i>. I started working on the play late 2006, and I continued working on it, revising and editing, having a small reading in February(ish), having my formal staged reading in June, and of course producing the play in late September/early October. (God, I can’t believe that was two years ago.) <i>Painted </i>was very much a personal journey for me, and right when the play was over, <i>In Rainbows </i>came out. It all felt very symbolic. One personal journey to another. Theatre to music and then somehow back to theatre and back to music and literature and it’s all just one huge cycle of art and life and love and “personal journeys” for me.<br><b><br>
9. 2008 – “Open Book” by <a href="http://www.edharcourt.com/">Ed Harcourt</a> from </b><a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=ed+harcourt+strangers&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a"><i><b>Strangers (2005)</b></i></a> – 2008 was a difficult year for me for many reasons. I graduated from college in May, it was a time of huge transitions, a lot of my really close friends had moved across the country or were in the process of moving, lots of relationship drama. One of the things that really got me through this year was my discovery of Ed Harcourt, particularly this album, <i>Strangers</i>. Another “personal journey” album, I remember driving around listening to the haunting piano and heartbreaking vocals/lyrics on this track, “Open Book,” over and over. And I sang along with him, <i>“As children make their way to class/I sit and raise another glass/Cause you don’t dwell much on the past when it keeps haunting you…Well my life keeps on spinnin’/It’s this drunken procession/I can’t learn my lessons.”</i> In feeling heartbroken, nostalgic, and grief, the only thing that makes me feel better is a song that expresses all of those things and makes me realize that even though I’m immersed in all of those emotions, so is someone else. And Ed Harcourt gets it, which makes me feel connected to him, and then it turns out, we’re not isolated. We’re all connected through art and the human experience. It’s like “The Waste Land.” <br><br><b>10. 2009 – “40 Day Dream” by <a href="http://www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/">Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros </a>from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Below-Edward-Sharpe-Magnetic-Zeros/dp/B002AOWXQ8"><i>Up from Below (2009)</i></a> </b>– On a much happier note, 2009 has been a much happier year, and that’s why I picked this song/album for 2009. First of all, I love the album because the whole thing is like a dream, a story. It’s completely crazy. Parts of it will make you think you’re in the 1960s, parts of it will make you feel the way a really good shoegaze album makes you feel, parts of it will make you think you’re in a Western, parts of it will make you think you might be listening to a less cult-y version of the Polyphonic Spree. And while there have been a lot of albums that I feel in love with in 2009, I remember popping in Up from Below, and “40 Day Dream” came on, and within seconds, I was grinning from cheek to cheek. I love that giddy feeling you get the first time you listen to a really great CD that you know is going to make you happy for a very long time, and that’s how I felt the very first time I listened to this song. “I been sleepin for 60 days and/Nobody better pinch me/Bitch I swear I’ll go crazy/She got jumper cable lips/She got sunset on her breath now/I inhaled just a little bit /Now I got no fear of death.”<br><br>
So, there are my ten albums/songs that define me from 2000 to 2009. How about you? What are your's?<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410802009-09-14T08:19:35-04:002009-09-14T08:19:35-04:00Muuuuuussssiiiic!Thanks to everyone who came out to the Novo Luna show at Cool Beans on Saturday! We definitely all had a lot of fun playing :)<br><br>
A lot of stuff going on for me musically right now! <br><br>
First of all, I'm hard at work at my solo/acoustic album, <i>Unsent Letters, </i>which will be available for download on the website and/or to order physical copies on <b>December 1, 2009.</b> I'm taking my sweet time with it, really. I'm really excited about it, though, because I've had all of these songs just sort of floating around for four or five years, and I've done some simple acoustic demos, but it will be really good to get the best of these songs (in my opinion) all on one cohesive CD. <br><br>
In addition to my solo work, I'm continuing to play shows with Novo Luna, and we are also working on an EP, which should be released sometime soon. And, I've started up a new project with Michael Tillman. We're trying to bring a shoegaze/post-rock/alternative band to the Atlanta music scene, i.e. Sigur Ros, Slowdive, Smashing Pumpkins, Stars, Broken Social Scene, Hammock, etc. We've written several songs, and we're currently looking for a drummer. (And we'll be looking for a bass player shortly after that.) If you'd like to hear a sample, I've got three songs that we've written together on my website at the <a href="./newmusicproject.cfm">New Music Project</a> page. (Also, if you know any drummers and/or bass players who are into that sort of music, send them my way!)<br><br>
And I have a few upcomming shows as well:
<ul>
<li>September 24th - 10:00 pm - Solo show at Smith's Olde Bar in the Atlanta Room - Atlanta, GA - 5 dollars - 21+</li>
<li>October 10th - 7:30 pm - Novo Luna show at Cool Beans - Atlanta, GA - FREE - all ages</li>
</ul>
Other than that, I've been floating around town trying to check out new Open Mic nights so I can meet some new musicians, hear some new songs, share my songs. You know, lovely, exciting, musical nights of sharing and awesomeness. Haha. And of course, I like to promote other people's art on this website, so if you have any shows coming up in the metro Atlanta area or have any tracks I can post on here and share with people, let me know! And here are a few albums that I've been obsessing over lately. You should definitely check them out!<br><ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/">Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros</a> - Up From Below (this album will make you think you're in the 1960s, but it's very original, creative, and relevant. Basically, it makes me happy.)</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/500-Days-Summer-Music-Motion-Picture/dp/B002BAODSC">500 Days of Summer Soundtrack</a> (so not "technically" an album, but INCREDIBLY AWESOME nonetheless)</li>
<li>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cant-Go-Back-Papercuts/dp/B000KQF71Q">Papercuts - Can't Go Back</a> (this came out in 2007, but I'm a little slow sometimes)</li>
</ul>
What have you been listening to?<br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410792009-08-19T06:50:00-04:002009-08-19T06:50:00-04:00Just because summer is winding down doesn't mean there aren't cool things to do!Well, summer is winding down, students are all going back to school, and I'm taking advantage of the fact that I deferred my graduate school admission until next year and using the time to work on my various artistic projects! (Oh, and to save money. Which is sort of essential to the whole grad school plan anyway.) I have a lot going on right now! First of all, I have another solo/acoustic show at <b>Smith's Olde Bar</b> in <b>the Atlanta Room</b> on <b>Thursday, September 24th</b> at <b>10:00 pm.</b> (Special thanks to everyone who came out to my last show!) Also, I'm hard at work on my acoustic/solo album, which I'm hoping to release in mid-November. In other news, I'm still singing with Novo Luna, and we're hoping to play live in the next month or so and release our EP. Stay tuned for info on that! And, Michael Tillman and I have started a new musical project. We're in the process of recording our songs before we start the search for a bass player and a drummer, so be on the look out for a lot of new music, new projects, and shows coming up! <br><br>
And just because summer is coming to a close does not mean that there aren't a lot of awesome things going on! Did you miss out on those summer music festivals? If so, don't worry. There are lots of cool music festivals/events coming up in Atlanta that you can check out! I'm definitely going to try to get out to most of these shows. And they're all free or at least pretty cheap!<br><ul>
<li>
<b>NOPHEST Summer Music Festival - August 28-30 at Wonderroot - </b>982 Memorial Drive - Atlanta, GA - featuring 20+ Atlanta bands! - Tickets are $5 per day or $10 for a weekend pass. For more info, visit <a href="http://nophest.blogspot.com/">http://nophest.blogspot.com/</a>
</li>
<li>
<b>Grant Park Summer Shade Festival - August 29-30 in Grant Park</b> - For the performance schedule, go <a href="http://www.gpconservancy.org/node/138">here </a>
</li>
<li>
<b>Little Five Points Other Sound Festival - September 19th in Little Five Points - </b>Featuring multiple bands on multiple stages, at the Star Bar, an outdoors Little Five Points stage, and Criminal Records - For performance schedule, go <a href="http://ohmpark.com/festival-coverage/the-other-sound-festival-2009-tentative-schedule/">here</a>
</li>
<li>And, this one's not exactly a festival, but it's still kickass and FREE - <b>Atlanta Guardian Showcase Night at the Star Bar - August 27th - </b>Featuring Abby GoGo, Ghostfinger, Cockfight, and Small Reactions - For more, info visit <a href="http://www.atlantaguardian.com">Atlanta Guardian<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></a>
</li>
</ul>
But don't think I forgot about you theatre folks. Here are some really cool plays that I'm excited to check out in the upcoming months:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>Grey Gardens </b>- <b>Actor's Express - 8/27 through 10/10 - </b><i>Actor's Express is pleased to bring you the Atlanta Premiere of Grey Gardens, the hit Broadway musical based on the acclaimed film that documents the lives of Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis’ flamboyantly eccentric aunt Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter “Little Edie.” Mother and daughter cling to each other through hysteria, happiness and heartbreak as the beautiful home around them falls into ruin. Indulge in the lush music, mysterious glamour and “The Revolutionary Costume for Today” inside the dilapidated, 28-room mansion called Grey Gardens.</i> For more information, visit <a href="http://www.actors-express.com/">Actor's Express.</a>
</li>
<li>
<b>Hair - 7 Stages - 9/11 - 10/10</b> - The American Tribal Love Rock Musical - Because who really doesn't love hippies dancing and singing? For more information, visit <a href="http://www.7stages.org/cgi-bin/MySQLdb?VIEW=/plays/viewone.txt&myplay=337">7 Stages</a>.</li>
<li>
<b>The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) - The New American Shakespeare Tavern - 8/8 - 9/6 - </b> I saw this last year, and it's absolutley hillarious, especially for us Shakespeare geeks. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.shakespearetavern.com/">The New American Shakespeare Tavern</a>.</li>
<li>
<b>Pippin - Cobb Children's Theatre at the Cobb Civic Center </b>- <b>August 21 - 23 -</b> I had to throw this one in because when I was in high school, I did quite a few shows with CCT, and I don't think my life would be the same now if I hadn't. CCT is really a great organization, and they do so much good for the community. I really believe that putting high school kids in a theatrical production like this is a great thing to do for society. It gave us a sense of community, family, and taught us an incredible amount about theatre, art, and life, and CCT continues to do that for teenagers today. Pippin is their Summer Stock production, featuring high school and college students. (And for those of you OTPers who don't like to drive ITP, you can still see theatre!) For more information, visit <a href="http://www.cobbchildrenstheatre.org/">CCT</a>.</li>
<li>
<b>Third by </b><b>Wendy Wasserstein</b> - <b>Horizon Theatre - 9/11 through 10/11</b> - <i>The final play of Horizon's 25th Season from celebrated, award-winning playwright Wendy Wasserstein (The Heidi Chronicles). A liberal college professor and an articulate and conservative student jock nick-named Third face off over politics, ethics, and values. A bold accusation and mid-life changes unexpectedly throw Laurie Jameson�s well-ordered world into disarray. With her trademark smart dialogue, crackling wit, and intelligence, Wasserstein looks at the challenge of re-imagining ourselves in the third act of life.</i> For more information, visit <a href="http://www.horizontheatre.com/season.htm">Horizon Theatre.</a>
</li>
</ul>
And here are a couple of other cool events coming up:<br><ul>
<li>
<b>MIXT - Mint Gallery - 684 John Wesley Dobbs Ave, Unit B - Atlanta, GA -</b> <b>August 22 - 8:00 - 11:00 </b>- <i>The 3rd annual mixtape exhibit featuring work from numerous Atlanta artists including Bean Summer, Jason Kofke, Kelly McKernan, Chris Hamer, GutterPOP, Jason Travis, Sergio Garzon, Travis Thatcher, and more. Each artist will create a mixtape to be played alongside their artwork. Come and enjoy the music and have a drink. </i>Visit <a href="http://mintgallery.org/">MINT gallery.</a>
</li>
<li>
<b>Atlanta Underground Film Festival - Various venues around town - August 26 - 30 -</b> For schedule and more information, visit <a href="http://auff.org/home.html">Atlanta Underground Film Festival</a>
</li>
</ul>
So, there you go. Lots of cool things coming up! Music events, theatre events, various artistic events. Free things, cheap things, even an OTP event. So stop being lame, and get out and support some local artists! We always appreciate it. <br><br>
Do you have any events you'd like me to check out? Calls for submissions? Anything? Send me an e-mail at <a href="mailto:events@saracrawford.net">events@saracrawford.net</a><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410772009-07-07T21:02:43-04:002009-07-07T21:02:43-04:00July events: Theatre, music, and more!There are a lot of awesome things happening in July, and I wanted to share them with you!<br><br>
First of all, I have a couple of events going on. On <b>Wednesday, July 29th</b>, I will be playing an acoustic set at <b>Smith's Olde Bar </b>(1578 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA)<b> </b> in the Atlanta Room (downstairs) at 8:00 pm. This is part of the Songsmith’s Songwriter Showcase, and it's a 21+ show. The cover is only five dollars. This is my first acoustic show in over a year so come out to hear the old songs, some new songs, and a wacky cover or two.<br><br>
Also, I will be participating in the <b>24-hour Plays</b> which will be showing on <b>Sunday, July 26th </b>at <b>8:00 pm</b> at <b>The Academy Theatre</b> (21 N Avondale Plz, Avondale Estates, GA). On Saturday, July 25, 2009, 16 writers will meet at 10pm at The Academy Theatre. Paired randomly, they will have until dawn to come up with eight 12-minute scripts. Eight directors come in at 9am and cast their plays from sixty headshots submitted by our brave thespians. Then it’s a marathon day of rehearsing, staging, costuming, and setting tech for an 8:00 p.m. curtain on Sunday, July 26th. The show ends at 10pm, exactly 24 hours after the writers first convened! This is a fundraiser for the <a href="http://www.workingtitleplaywrights.com">Working Title Playwrights</a>, and I will be one of the writers in this madness so come out and see!<br><br>
Here are some other great events coming up that you should check out:<br><br><b><u>Music</u></b><br><ul>
<li>
<b>Benefit for PASTE Magazine, Friday, July 10, 8:00 pm at The Earl, 488 Flat Shoals Ave, East Atlanta, GA </b>featuring A Fight to the Death, Nicholas (from YOU), Attractive Eighties Women, Richard Parsons</li>
<li>
<b>Atlanta Guardian Showcase at the Star Bar (FREE SHOW) Thursday, July 23rd 8:00 pm</b>. Featuring Today the Moon, Tomorrow the Sun, The Middle Men, Brain Box, and Tasty Beverage. These shows are always a lot of fun, and the bands are really great. Plus, it's FREE.</li>
<li>
<b>GoGirls Showcase at </b>Uptown Loft 9700 Medlock Bridge Road John's Creek (Duluth area) Friday July 10th. 8pm - featuring Cornerstone, Green bracelet, Electricsoul, and Cell Fehrenbach!</li>
</ul><b><u>Music/Film</u></b><br><ul>
<li>
<b>Tripple Indie Night: Two bands and a film! Wednesday, July 8th 7:30 pm at The Strand, 117 North Park Square, Marietta, GA. </b>Triple Feature Indie Night: Misfortune 500 (Band) @ 7:30 PM; Nowhere In Africa (Oscar-Winning Flick: A German Jewish refugee family moves to and adjusts to a farm life in 1930’s Kenya) @ 8 PM; Thy Mighty Contract (Headlining Band). Doors open at 7 PM. Ages 18+. Tickets are $8 in advance. $10 at the door. Strand Box Office: 770.293.0080 or www.EarlSmithStrand.org.</li>
<li>
<b>Tripple Indie Night: Two bands and a film! Wednesday, July 22nd 7:30 pm at The Strand, 117 North Park Square, Marietta, GA. </b>Triple Feature Indie Night: Tealights (Band) @ 7:30 PM; Food, Inc. (film) @ 8 PM; A Fight to the Death (Headlining Band). Doors open at 7 PM. Ages 18+. Tickets are $8 in advance. $10 at the door. Strand Box Office: 770.293.0080 or www.EarlSmithStrand.org</li>
</ul><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></b><br><b><u>Theatre</u></b>
<ul>
<li>
<b>The Essential Theatre Power Plays: </b><b>Food for Fish, a play by Adam Szymkowic; Jim Crow and the Rhythm Darlings, a play by Vynnie Mel; and Ice Glen, a play by Joan Ackermann. </b>Check out these great new works at Actor's Express. For more information please visit <a href="http://www.essentialtheatre.com">http://www.essentialtheatre.com</a>. </li>
<li>
<b>Measure for Measure (FREE PLAY!) </b><b>July 10th and 11th at 8:00 PM </b> <b>Seney Stovall Chapel, 201 North Milledge Avenue, Athens, GA. </b><a href="http://www.classiccityarts.com">Classic City Arts</a> brings you a FREE production of Measure for Measure. Check it out!</li>
<li>
<b>A Cool Drink of Water, a play by Thomas W. Jones II, July 10 - August 23 at Horizon Theatre</b>. Hopes and dreams brew as a family searches for their “cool drink a water” in this provocative and contemporary twist on A Raisin in the Sun. Newly “retired” from his good job, Walt is dreaming new schemes. Wife Ruthie’s nest is almost empty, but wannabe rapper son Trane won’t move out and get a job. And Benita and Asa move back from Africa with baggage and secrets. Is that Mama Lee haunting the house? A powerful and funny update to a classic story. For ticket information, see <a href="http://www.horizontheatre.com">Horizon Theatre.</a>
</li>
</ul><b><u>Visual Arts<br></u></b>
<ul>
<li>
<b>Big Tuna at Alcove Arts Gallery - July 10th - 7:00 pm at Alcove Arts Gallery, 2852 East College Avenue, Decatur, GA. </b>A tribute to the genius of DAVID LYNCH. Featuring new work from nearly 30 nationally reknown & emerging artists under the influence of this artist's work: Chet Zar, Amy Botello, Dan May, Leslie Ditto, Danni Shinya Luo, Aaron Nather, Silvia Ortiz, Aunia Kahn, Aeron Alfrey, Brian Colin, Bryan Cunningham, Patrick “Star 27” Deignan, Dave MacDowell, Ashley Surber, Apricot Mantle, Mark Henderson, Cory Benhatzel, Joe Peery, Justin Kauffmann, James Burns, Macsorro, Matt Sesow, Kelly McKernan, Shaun Thurston, Brent Houzenga, and H.C. Warner ...to name a few.</li>
</ul><b><u>A Call to Artists</u></b>
<ul>
<li>
<a href="http://www.ourhousega.org">Our House</a> in a non-profit agency that helps women find childcare and support as they try to work their way off from Welfare. They are looking for some Atlanta artists to donate some artwork (such as paintings, sculpture, handmade jewelry) that they can use to sell in our Silent Auction called Fall Fantasy. Fall Fantasy will be held at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on October 24, 2009, this year. The event will feature a silent and live auction along with dinner and dancing. As in the past, all proceeds will be used to support Our House programming.<br><br>
If you're interested in submitting art for this, please contact Marie McMenamin at <a href="mailto:mccannon17@yahoo.com">mccannon17@yahoo.com</a>.</li>
</ul><br>
That's it for July. If you are interested in these events, you can find more information and helpful links on my <a href="./linkscalendar.cfm">Calendar</a> page. Again, if you have any recommendations or announcements you'd like me to post on here (or in the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/s.php?ref=search&sid=e3eec68ba5b1b380ee08eb0637ba204a&init=q&q=atlanta%20bohemians#/group.php?gid=11902972395&ref=ts">Atlanta Bohemians</a> group on Facebook).<br><br>
I'm really looking forward to all of the great artistic events going on in the Atlanta area in July! <br><b><u><br></u></b>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410762009-07-01T07:55:00-04:002009-07-01T07:55:00-04:00Sexism in musicWhy is it that bands who have female vocalists are bands with a "token chick singer" while bands who have male vocalists are just regular bands? Why is it that in music reviews, (male) critics can talk purely about the quality of a band's music and performance if they have all male members, but if a band has a female member, often times the critic MUST make a comment on the attractiveness of said member, irregardless of her musical abilities? Why is it that some males don't want to listen to bands with female vocalists (even the ones who try to be "heavier" and thus "more masculine") because they think that it's "gay" or it will make them look like "pussies"? And why is it that women who bring up these issues are just being "bitches" who get "offended" too easily?<br><br>
Thoughts?<br><br type="_moz">Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410752009-06-23T14:20:00-04:002009-06-23T14:20:00-04:00Fun weekend of music: Free show at Star Bar on Thursday, Corndogarama on Saturday and Sunday!In case you haven't heard, <a href="http://www.atlantaguardian.com">Atlanta Guardian</a> is hosting a free night of awesome music this Thursday, June 25th at The Star Bar! Lindsey Appel, A Fight to the Death, Royal Bangs, and Adron will all be playing. Here's a little info on these bands: <br><br><i>Atlanta Guardian is thrilled to be able to fly Adron in from New York to her hometown to give you all an unforgettable performance. She only plays with her full band in Atlanta once every six months so don't forget to catch her all-star cast including Mario and Tommy from the Selmanaires plus Chris Case (Samadha, Cadillac Jones) at what's sure to be one of the best concerts all year.<br><br>
According to Spin magazine, the best band at Bonnaroo '08 was Royal Bangs. Originally from Knoxville, they've been touring the country all summer. This is an amazing chance to see one of the best emerging bands in the country.<br><br>
If you've never seen A Fight to the Death play live, imagine being on a haunted carnival ride in an old west saloon. If you can't visualize that, you should just come to the show. One of Atlanta's favorite bands, they get their audiences moving every time.<br><br>
Lindsey Appel is an up and coming singer / songwriter. She was voted best singer/songwriter in Atlanta in 2008. She will be starting off this incredible night of music, so make sure to get their on time!</i><br><br>
Also, this weekend is CORNDOGARAMA in East Atlanta! Corndogarama is a two-day Atlanta music festival that will include things like tricycle races, BEER, stunts, MUSIC, eating contest (of course) and tons of other totally entertaining human tricks. You can check out the schedule <a href="http://www.corndogorama.com/bands.html">here</a>. There are several bands that I'm really excited to check out and lots of bands that I'm excited to see for a second or third time!<br><br>
I feel like there is just a lot going on right now in the Atlanta music scene, and I'm so excited to be a part of it in whatever way that I can! Whether it's playing a couple of acoustic tunes at Eddie's Attic open mic night or singing with Novo Luna at the Red Light Cafe, rockin' out to Attractive Eighties Women or A Fight to the Death at The Earl or the Star Bar, checking out upcoming and new bands at these great venues, or hanging out with the guys at Atlanta Guardian. Right now is a very exciting time in music, especially in Atlanta. I think everyone should go out and support new, independent, and local music. There is some really great talent out there! (And we all know you can't really rely on MTV or mainstream radio to find new, good music anymore.) <br><br>
In the meantime, I'm busy recording my acoustic album. Tomorrow, I'm working on the title track, "Unsent Letters." I'm really very excited about this. These songs have all been with me for three to five years, and it's really time to put them all on a cohesive album. I'll feel really great about it when it's finished. It's going to be simple, raw. Just me and my guitar, maybe some percussion, piano, and harmonies. We'll see. <br><br>
Anyway, let me know if there are any shows coming up that you'd like me to mention on here! I always love to support new music. Oh and sign up for my <a href="./contact.cfm">mailing list</a> to stay up-to-date! <br><br>
Sara<br><br>Sara Crawfordtag:saracrawford.net,2005:Post/410742009-06-19T06:20:00-04:002021-09-17T04:21:47-04:00Website launchHey, everyone! Thanks for checking out my website! <br><br>
On this blog, I'll be talking about random things, albums I think you should check out, plays and concerts to go see (if you live around Atlanta), films that I like, how I feel about neosporin (okay, maybe not that), whatever! I'm all about promoting artistic projects and not just my own. Obviously, if you're trying to be successful as any sort of artist, you have to get all of your work out there, which is something this website is helping me do, but I would also like to be able to recommend other artists to check out. Musicians, poets, filmmakers, painters, actors, directors, writers, you name it. I just <i>love</i> art. Of all kinds. <br><br>
So. Check out my calendar/links page for a list of recommended upcoming events and links to arts-related websites that I love, check out my poetry site to read the poem of the week, and stop back here at the blog to listen to the song of the day! <br><br>
Thank you SO much for supporting new and upcoming artists!!<br><br>
And here you have it. The song of the day! Bon Iver - "Blood Bank." I recently saw this show at Variety Playhouse, and it was <i>amazing.</i> The best show I have seen in a very long time. So enjoy! (This video isn't an "official" video for this song, but I thought it was cool.)<br><br><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-BZ0D92mtU">www.youtube.com/watch</a><br><br>
Sara<br type="_moz">Sara Crawford