Rock on! What Song would YOU Choose?

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: The  link between music and mystery is marvelously universal. It's storytelling, isn’t it? For a good story you need a character you care about. A problem that needs to be solved. You need a good guy and a bad guy. You need emotion. You need to lure the reader along until the irresistible end. Just like in a song.

How many stories are written as songs? From the doomed love of Greensleeves (Alas, my love, you have done me wrong) to Miss Otis Regrets (She pulled a gun and shot her lover down, madam); to Frankie and Johnny, when Frankie walks into the bar room, and pulls out her old .44. The Ode to Billy Joe, when Billy Joe McAllister throws something off the Tallahatchie Bridge. In the Cher classic Bang Bang, it’s all about murder. (Isn’t it?) Oh, and in the sprightly Copacabana, right? A murder mystery (and psychological thriller) in three verses and three choruses. And, in my teenage years at least, we learned you won’t come back from Dead Man’s Curve, and understood that if you dated The Leader of the Pack, it would not end well. And poor Teen Angel.

And if you are laughing now, and singing in recognition, that’s exactly the point. No matter when and where we grew up, it was the music that brought us together. And it still does.

That’s why I was so delighted (and incredibly honored) to be asked to write the introduction to the Triangle Chapter of SIsters in Crime’s new short story anthology. It’s about–well… Here's the wonderful Karen Pullen to give you the scoop. 

Rock, Roll, and Ruin Makes Three

by Karen Pullen

A loooong time ago (2014), the Triangle chapter of Sisters in Crime produced our first short story anthology, Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing. Our sex-themed collection. I had the honor of editing it, and even wrote a Jungle Red post about our anthology journey. (Ever notice how every activity is a “journey” these days?) I swore I’d never do it again because it was a lot of work and I am lazy.

In 2017 we produced a second anthology, Need, Greed, and Dirty Deeds (the drugs collection), edited by Nora Gaskin Esthimer, but I stayed out of the fray for that one.

Fast forward a few years, and certain Triangle chapter members (I won’t name them) pestered asked me to do it again. The chapter had, after all, promised a trilogy of anthologies around the three themes of sex, drugs, and rock & roll. I caved; it was now time for our musically-themed anthology.

Write a crime story about rock and roll. That was the guidance we gave to prospective authors, either chapter members or Sisters in Crime members who live in the Carolinas. The rock & roll theme was to be interpreted loosely and could include any form of music. Music is so significant in our lives. It can raise your mood, contribute to relaxation or excitement. It can provide an escape, or increase tension, as in a movie. Most importantly, music like lullabies or romantic ballads or the rock & roll of your teen years will trigger memorable emotions. Music truly is the soundtrack to our lives.

Dozens of writers submitted original, never-before-published stories around a musical theme. A blind judging selected the finalists, and then the fun began: the back-and-forth of revisions. The final result? A collection of twenty-seven musically-themed crime stories around situations as unique as your fingerprints. Carolina Crimes: Rock, Roll, and Ruin, edited by me, with an introduction from the inimitable Hank Phillippi Ryan, published by Down & Out Books on October 3, 2022.

 I wish I had room in this post to include each author’s name, title, and logline. Let me just say that the musical score to murder, malice, and mayhem includes Elvis, church music, tribal drumming, a Broadway show tune, bluegrass, opera, the Stones, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, and, of course, the Beatles.

Why does a SinC chapter undertake such a project? For some chapters, it might result in revenue. For ours, an anthology offers a publishing credit and opportunities for fledgling writers. We are particularly proud of three who were brave enough to submit their good work, resulting in their first-ever stories in print:  Pamela Raymond, James Michael McGuffey, and David Goldston. Remember their names!

Tell me in the comments about your first published short story—whether in an anthology, online, or in a journal or magazine. Was it fun to write it, easy to work with an editor, thrilling to see it in print?

In one week, a lucky commenter’s name will be drawn at random, to win a copy of Carolina Crimes: Rock, Roll, and Ruin.

HANK: Or an alternative question: What  song is your anthem? What song changed your life? What song would YOU like to write a short story about? (You don't have to write it, even better!) Right now, I’m going  with Defying Gravity. But wait, that's not rock ‘n roll. Okay–how about–The Waiting?

How about you, Reds and readers?

 

Karen Pullen is a proud founder of the Triangle chapter of Sisters in Crime, celebrating ten years in 2022. She edited the Anthony-nominated Carolina Crimes: 19 Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing. Her first story in print won a Derringer award; her story collection Restless Dreams was published by Bedazzled Ink. She has also published two mystery novels, Cold Feet and Cold Heart. She lives in Chapel Hill, NC.

I hear Music but there's..

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN:  Okay, am I old? I mean, I'm not old. I worked for Rolling Stone Magazine in the 70's, and yes it was the political unit, not the music unit, but hey, I knew ALL about music. At that time, I swore I would always stay current with the latest "hits" (are they still called that?) But alas, that did not happen.

We just got a new car, and the salesperson said--let me pre-set your radio stations. What stations do you listen to?  I said, uh, well, NPR, whatever that is. And uh, um, well. (Jonathan and don't really listen to the radio, we talk to each other. When I'm driving by myself, I look at it as a time to think in silence. I didn't tell the salesperson that.).

 No problem, she said. Here's your satellite radio. What music programs do you want? Um, I said. Is there a Paul Simon Station?

Then she said--there's a wonderful station with music from the forties.

Ah. Oh dear.

So the other night we were watching the Grammys. Some of it was terrific, even though I'd never heard a lot of the songs before--are they still called songs? Talent is talent, and there was a lot of that there.

Questions I have: Was Pink actually singing while she was doing that act? Was Beyonce actually singing while she was doing that act? Taylor Swift's dress was fabulous, but can she sing without doing that with her hair? How come the men all had on lots of clothes, but the women didn't?

I confess we turned it off to watch Downton Abbey, then turned back at 11 (in time to see the robots and the guy in the hat) because we knew we'd fall asleep in Sherlock and will watch that today.

::Shaking head.::  Something's happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear...  (Please tell me you get that allusion.)

How about you, Reds? Music? Grammys? Radio?

HALLIE EPHRON: Oh, Hank, I am so happy to hear you say this. Pink??? I do know who Beyonce is. Ditto Taylor Swift. But that's how big they have to be to penetrate my consciousness.

Our radio is tuned to 3 NPR stations -- 2 that are mostly talk and news and wonderful weekend game shows (Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!) and the other one is classical music. That is IT. When, in desperation and I need something to listen to, I find a country and western station or even folk. I never know who I'm listening to but I love bopping around in the driver's seat.

SUSAN ELIA MACNEAL: Am I the only Red who listens to Pandora radio? That's how I discover great new stuff. And you can choose any "station" -- so it's Pink for the gym, Tom Waits for brooding, Cole Porter for cooking dinner....

What's great about Pandora is they use an algorithm from songs you like/don't like to play songs from new artists or artists you might not otherwise know. That's how I first heard my current musical obsession, Sara Bariles -- who was at this year's Grammy Awards.

Highly recommend, and if you pay a small fee, you can rid yourself of the commercials.

HANK: Oh, Susan, we have Pandora in the house! We love it. We have Paul Simon station, and Judy Collins station, and Cole Porter station, and one I named Lido Shuffle. And lots more. That'd be good for the car!  Wonder how we could make a "stuff I should know about" station?

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I do Spotify when I listen on my computer. My thirteen-year-old recommended it, so either I'm even hipper than you Pandora folks, or I'm hopelessly mired in something only middle-schoolers use. Don't tell anyone, but my playlist is 90% Kings College Choir. 

Our car radio is a real amalgam of stations and styles: NPR, of course, and Ross's sports-talk station ("The Big JAB!") and Youngest's two pop and hip-hop stations. Also WBACH, for my classical music, one country and one oldies. Ross and I don't have Sirius - like you, Hank, we generally prefer to talk to each other or, when I'm alone, to have silence - but we've enjoyed having it in rental cars over the years.

 One trip that stands out in family lore was the time we got upgraded to a very posh SUV (we have to fit five, remember) that not only had some sort of super-Sirius system, it was VOICE ACTIVATED.  Once the teens discovered that, it was all over. One would ask for "urban hip-hip" only to be immediately overruled by another shouting "modern jazz!" Evidently, too many voice commands confused the machine, because when Ross finally got them quieted down and asked Sirius for "Local sports" the machine responded, "Seeking...Detroit Metal Crunk." Then blasting the most godawful stuff you could imagine. We went back to poking its buttons after that.

RHYS: I'm a Pandora fan too--often it's the SPA selection and therefore relaxing when I'm rushing around. But here in Phoenix there is a great radio station called KAHM (as in calm) and they play all soothing background music.  So it's either that or NPR.

On long trips I play selections from my iPhone... Mama Mia or the Beatles when I need to stay awake and can sing along, comedy to make me laugh, or even audio books.

I'm sounding like an old fuddy duddy but pop music for the past ten years or more has left me cold. It's boring, repetitive and I hate the screeching that is now applauded as singing.

HANK: Yeah, and I often agree, Rhys, but what worries me is that's what my mother used to say about the Beatles. Just saying.

DEBORAH CROMBIE:  I put Downton and Sherlock on record and watch the entire Grammy show, which I thought was fabulous. (Although I do agree I'm getting tired of female singers as pole-dancers costumes.  And the Beyonce and Jay-Z opening number was definitely not my fave.  So funny--Rick didn't bat an eye at Beyonce in her skimpy-dominatrix outfit, but later on, when she was wearing the white sort of see-through dress, he kept saying, "Wow, she looks great." Sometimes less is not more, girls.

Because for the last couple of years I've been writing about a character (Andy Monahan) who is a rock guitarist, and is now in a duo with a female singer, I do try to keep up with the music scene.  And although I am not a big fan of hip-hop or heavy metal, there is a lot that I LOVE.  I do like Daft Punk (the robots) by the way--they crack me up.  And I think Lorde is very weird and interesting. And Pharrell Williams, in spite of the weird Lone Ranger hat, is really talented.

At least one of my favorite performances from the Grammys was Miranda Lambert and Billy Joe Armstrong's tribute to the Everly Brothers. Here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmkZCSK3YOM

(In case you don't have any idea who they are, Miranda Lambert is a huge country star and is married to Blake Shelton, and Billy Joe Armstrong is the lead singer for Greenday.)

I do listen to Pandora, but also lots of my own CDs or downloads.  Funnily enough, I don't usually listen to music when I drive, because I find it too distracting in our heavy Dallas traffic.

But for those of you who think music has gone to the dogs since 1965, you might want to expand your horizons:-)

HANK: Debs, whoa. You are so hip! Maybe you can do a blog on what we should hear? Our own personal Pandora!  And yeah, I agree The Everly Brothers tribute was not the best--so sad, because they had some amazing songs.

LUCY BURDETTE: Yeah, not only is Debs hip, she's scolding us old farts LOL. I'm with the Paul Simon and NPR fans, plus I love the music on the TV show Nashville. Have bought all the CD's. We listen to that and music by Teddy Thompson and Alison Kraus on the way down to Florida. It's funny, I don't like to listen to the radio much when riding with John, but I like the company when alone.

HANK: Wait, wait, don’t tell me. Reds readers, can you be our Pandoras? (In a radio way, not a “letting all the bad stuff out” way.) What should we be listening to? 

(And because we're all about audio--I'll give the fabulous Macmillan audio version (on CD) of THE WRONG GIRL to one lucky commenter!)