Travelogue

Rather Fond of Green

S. J. — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:56:19 GMT

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/protest-against-the-june-2009-coup-detat-in-iran.html Other ways to help can be read here: http://emsenn.com/iran.php Fear kills. People are dying for what they believe in all over the world right now, and not just in Iran. Iran's government is clearly running scared, and their people have become expendable to them--their people who are free thinkers just like us, their students, their mothers, their internet-savvy rebels. Do what you can from where you are. Hold the light. Thank you.

New Song Available for Download Today!

S. J. — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:24:30 GMT

"Girl with the Lion's Tail (Lucia's Song)" awaits you. http://skinnywhitechick.bandcamp.com/track/girl-with-the-lions-tail-lucias-song Enjoy! I realize that my bias is severe, but even so, I hope you'll all agree with me: Tony Fabris (find him at http://www.geekhackfilk.com ) has done an amazing job, in his capacity as recording engineer, of helping me create and perfect this song as it sounded in my head, mixing each vocal and each instrument to my every specification, in addition to meeting his June 1st deadline for producing the entirety of our friend Brooke Lunderville's album. This will not be the only time we work together in the studio, he and I, I dearly hope. Betsy Tinney's cello contribution to this piece is, as usual, breathtaking. I don't know what I did before I had cello in my life. So much emotion is contained in those five strings (and that's not a misprint--Raven is a five-string cello, not a standard four-string). What amazed me most about the cello part that Betsy brought to this song is that from time to time, she not only evokes Lucia's emotions, but those of Lucia's husband Ludovico as well. The scene in Palimpsest which inspired this piece involves Lucia cutting her ties with her husband, and his not wanting to let her go. Particularly toward the end of the song, Betsy and her cutting, mournful cello work put me in mind of Ludo begging Lucia to come home with him. This is absolute magic, and I never would have expected it. Thank you, Betsy! Michelle "Vixy" Dockrey (find her at http://www.vixyandtony.com )played shaker on this track, as I was uncertain of my own ability to lay down a good, strong, steady shaker track myself. It was the least she could do, as she is a consummate musician and vocalist, but this tiny favor from her nevertheless has helped the dream of this song come true, and I love her for it. Thanks, always, to Cat, ( http://www.catherynnemvalente.com ) for inspiring me so. Our tour ends in a day, but I have yet more songs coming to accompany her delightful and sinful book. Keep checking the album page throughout the summer. I'm hoping to complete at least two more songs as part of the tie-in album. Tomorrow Cat and I perform the Palimpsest Road Show one more time, on the deck of a tall ship in the New York harbor. Location info is on my tour schedule page, http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/shows.php and the show is also listed as a Facebook Event. I hope you'll join us.

GBMojo CD Sale! Help out the Traveling Fates!

S. J. — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:52:56 GMT

Just got word from Ginger, so I'm spreading it. Go help my girls! If they don't get enough money for their tour, we might not get to meet up again as the Traveling Fates next month, and I will be a sad, sad Sooj. Hullo from GBmojo! We wanted to let you all know where we're at with the Summer Tour Fundraiser and Sale: An effort to raise the dough we need to hit the road this summer! OUR GOAL: Raise $1,000 by Saturday 5/23/09 OUR STRATEGY: Have a big ol' sale by offering you crazy savings on GBmojo Merchandise AND open up our Online Tip Jar for donations in ANY amount! (No really, any amount from $1 and up!) :) RAISED SO FAR: $200.00 (wahooo! THANK YOU!) STILL TO GO: $800.00 DAYS LEFT TO DO IT: 4!!!! To get your limited-time-discount merchandise, come see us at http://www.gbmojo.com/buymerch.cfm If you'd like to make a secure donation to our online tip jar (in ANY amount), you can do so by cutting and pasting the following link into your browser. Remember: many pebbles, big pile. Even a little goes a long way when you multiply it by the power of the people! https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=5580706 Thank you for all you do! We'll be looking for you soon out on the road. xoxoBekah&Ginger GBmojo

To all contributors, editors, supporters of the Ravens in the Library anthology

S. J. — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:03:00 GMT

Dear contributors, angels, saints, mischief-makers, miracle workers, Today marks exactly four months from my surgery. I am well, whole, and sane, largely because of you. I just finished a cross-country tour which I likely would not have been able to undertake at all, without the generosity of my amazing friends and benefactors, namely yourselves. Not only have I been surrounded by healing energy all this time, I have been freed from the shadow of my first terrifying grown-up debt. At every opportunity in my live performances since I got back on the road in late January, I have pointed out the unprecedented wonder which is the Ravens in the Library anthology. Obviously I can't describe all of the magic which makes up the book in my patter between songs on stage, but I give it my best. My fans will back me up on this, I hope. My one regret is that I cannot at this moment thank each of you in person, let you read in my eyes what it means to me that you came to my rescue when given the opportunity. I, small girl with guitar who runs around singing for her friends and stealthily making a living at it, deserve all of this magic, all of these wonders? Some would say no, but you have said yes. The fact is that this anthology is so incredible, so unbelievable, that I am still reminding myself here, now, in the spring, that it's real, that I can hold it and read it, as can everyone. And so, my words of gratitude can never be enough. What I can do, which I hope will add up to something like 'enough' one day, is keep singing, keep adding more interesting art to the world, just as each of you do. Wherever I go, I can keep telling the story of how I was once rescued not so very long ago, by an army of magicians and avengers and artists and wordsmiths, most of whom gave of their talents in spite of not knowing me at all. This in itself is an incredible tale, but at the end, I can always pull the actual, tangible book from under my bard's cloak, to prove it true. I fail horribly at 'damsel in distress', but hopefully I won't get a chance to practice it further. Thank you for all that you have done. With more gratitude than my body can hold, S. J. Tucker

Palimpsest Tour in Los Angeles

S. J. — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:16:04 GMT

Catherynne M. Valente and I are still searching for a place to host our Palimpsest road show in Los Angeles. Our target dates are April 25 and April 26 of this year. We need your help. Those of you who've come to our New York, Delaware, or Boston shows, you can help, too--especially if you have phamily out in California. What we've tried so far: Catherynne has fed me all of the L A bookstore suggestions she's received, and I have sent all of them booking inquiries. Dark Delicacies was willing to host a simple signing, but Cat prefers that we do our full show--readings, music, theatre, everything. I agree with her. Unfortunately, Sue at Dark Delicacies says her store is not equipped to host our full show, that they are only set up for author signings. All of the other bookstores I have contacted have completely ignored my emails. What I would love best of all is a warehouse or factory space that we could set up lights and stage space in, an empty church space, even a VFW hall if it's cheap to rent...a versatile space with room for dancing, no smoking no alcohol, basically a blank canvas that we can transform into a little piece of Palimpsest for just a little while. The Brooklyn Lyceum, where we performed on February 25 in NY, turned out to be the perfect space. If we could find a space like it in Los Angeles, with a minimum of money and fuss, that would make me so happy. Anybody know any un-busy blackbox theaters, any lofts, any galleries owned by friendly folk? A house concert would work just as well, if we can find a host. House concerts are simple, intimate, and fun, and we can translate Palimpsest into a house concert format very easily. Most of you who are reading this already know that I have a blast performing for house concert audiences. All we need is someone who's willing to let us take over their den, living room, or dining room for an evening of entertainment. All we need is a place to go. Help us find it. Stained glass windows are optional. (smile) Leave me a comment or email me here and I'll send you the write-up I've been sending out to prospective venues, which you may forward on or copy however you like, and I'll also give you our promo photo to pass along to anyone and everyone. Anything I can do to help you help us find a place to put on our show, I will do. Saturday April 25 and/or Sunday April 26 are the dates we want. This will be the Very Last Stop of the Palimpsest Tour. We do not want to give up on L. A. We want to bring all of our cities and all of our stories together there. We made this happen in New York City; we can make it happen in Los Angeles--with your help. Thank you. edit: If you find us a place to hold our show or if you put us in touch with someone who does, you get a free copy of my final, completed album, Quartered: Songs of Palimpsest, at the end of the tour. I will get it to you by mail, via download, however I need to.

New Album Available For Download Now - Quartered: Songs of Palimpsest

S. J. — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 15:37:43 GMT

Attention Citizens of Palimpsest! Let the music be your guide: http://skinnywhitechick.bandcamp.com Generally the party ends with Mardi Gras. Our party, which is a simultaneous book and album release, starts now. Palimpsest is the newest novel from Catherynne M. Valente, in stores 2/24/09. Quartered is its official companion album, and it will evolve and grow, a work in progress available via download only, as author and composer tour the United States together, across the season of Lent and beyond, from February 25 to April 30 2009. Check back with the album page linked above for new songs each week. Tour schedule here: http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/shows.php What if there was a place beyond terror, beyond passion, where your obsessions come to life? Where your secrets walk the streets? Where the only law is desire? What would you do to get there? Past the edge of the world lies a city of the mind and of the flesh: Palimpsest Catherynne, Dmitri, Kevin and I will be touring together in support of Palimpsest and Quartered through the end of April. I suspect I will be writing more new songs about the book during that time. The fact that this companion project is download-only gives me complete freedom to record and upload new material as I complete it. Considering that my medical adventures at the beginning of this year really set me back so far, compared to when I actually wanted to have the initial six songs completed, realizing that I had given myself all the time in the world was a great relief. I could fly on this happy thought: I don't have to stop writing about the book at all. If more songs come, they can join the rest as soon as I get them ready. Here's to living in the future. Please enjoy the new tracks (they're unmastered right now, but they won't be forever) and know that I appreciate hearing your thoughts. If you have any questions for me, those are wonderful, too. Most of this is entirely new territory for me, and I've never deliberately put myself into such a place before. Believe me when I say that your feedback is important There is even a track which features Cat herself–it won't be the last if I have my way. I will be performing all of these songs at the launch in NYC. I'll be performing as many of them as possible at our other performances across the nation. Check the album page for new songs each week as we travel.

our new location for February 25

S. J. — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:45:38 GMT

Wednesday February 25, 2009 — 7-11pm Palimpsest Ash Wednesday Book and Album Release Gala Brooklyn Lyceum 227 4th Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11215 (718) 857-4816 $10 Please join us. I'm immensely relieved and grateful that Nick and the Brooklyn Lyceum have come through for us in this. Current performances include burlesque, rope, music, and literature. We're currently figuring out what sort of goodies we'll have to give you, just for walking through the door....I will post when ticket sales go live. Soon. Thanks for all of your suggestions and referrals, everybody. You're the best.

Help Me Out.

S. J. — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 00:13:39 GMT

Galapagos Art Space in NYC, which was set to host our Palimpsest Release Gala Event on February 25th, just emailed Kevin and asked us to reschedule for March. It is now exactly 21 days until the event, 20 days until the book's official release. I have never had any venue do this to me in connection with any event, without giving a concrete reason, less than a month before the event was to take place. They will not tell us why, and they do not have to, but from our end, I cannot be objective about how royally fucked and needless this feels. Needless to say, I am in shock, and I am very, very angry. Even if we could reschedule, which we cannot because all of our other appearances in support of the book are very tightly scheduled, what would keep them from doing this to us a second time? Kevin asked them for contracts at least a month ago, and they ignored his request. The silver lining is the picture I have in my mind of the gorgeous, gigantic venue which will come to our rescue in this trying time. I know you know what and where it is, and that you'll tell me in comments. I love you, my miracle workers, and I need your help. A lot. We have belly dancers, burlesque dancers, amazing rope suspension artists on board for this, as well as the caliber of combined music and literature you've come to expect from [info]yuki_onna and myself in recent times. The circus needs a place to play, folks. Please, please help us. And if you'd like to pre-order Palimpsest once or twice, to ensure that it shoots to the top of every bestseller list in existence upon its release, to make it plain to these poor people just exactly whom and what they have fucked over, please do that as well: http://www.amazon.com/Palimpsest-Catherynne-Valente/dp/0553385763 It will no doubt provide more lasting and satisfying results than the thoughts of arson and homicide running through all of our brains.

The Traveling Fates Continue.

S. J. — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:33:21 GMT

In the Spirit of SOOJ… …The Traveling Fates continue! On Tuesday January 13th SJ Tucker of Skinny White Chick fame and one of the three Traveling Fates will undergo pelvic surgery. As a result she has had to cancel her appearances during the Florida portion of the Traveling Fates tour this winter. IN THE SPIRIT OF SOOJ the other two members of the Traveling Fates, Ginger Doss and Bekah Kelso, will continue the tour and collect what would have been SJ’s (Sooj’s) pay to bring back to her to help with climbing medical expenses. They will be collecting donations in her name and selling her CD’s and even performing some of her songs… These performances truly will be IN THE SPIRIT OF SOOJ and in her honor. Your attendance is greatly appreciated. Tour dates here: http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/shows.php Visit the Fates: http://www.travelingfates.com

Memphis Transgender Day of Remembrance

S. J. — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 17:24:09 GMT

Last I knew, Memphis was to mark its observance of the Transgender Day of Remembrance on this day, Nov 15 2008. I have never had a morning when I woke up not knowing who I was. Many people close to me have had mornings like that. Here's a toast to those who, as my fiddler says, 'are blowing a great big hole in everything' right now. May we all come to know ourselves so well, and may we celebrate each other.

Halloween-December Shows and News

S. J. — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 23:38:31 GMT

Kevin and I have landed safely back in the Pacific Northwest, where we'll spend the next few weeks. I've got a lot of news to report this month, and we have shows in Washington and Oregon up until Thanksgiving. My last show of the year is in Tennessee, and since it's the last official show of 2008 and the only December concert, I'm including it in this message to save us all an email. Ok, get your costumes on and climb aboard! Friday October 31, 2008 — 6:45pm and 8:30pm Halloween at the Hub - Pirates Welcome! Grays Harbor College 1620 Edward P Smith Dr Aberdeen, WA 98520 (360) 532-9020 Festivities begin at 5pm. Our sets will flank the costume contest, with the second set closing out the night. The entrance fee is a non-perishable food item. Happy Halloween, ye scalliwags! Betsy and I can't wait. Word is that a whole crew of Seattle folks are driving down for this, too--I love my pirate fans! Saturday November 01, 2008 — potluck at 6:30pm, concert at 7:30pm All Saints House Concert Hosted by Nicole and Dwight 195 NW 95th St Portland, OR 97229 Please call for RSVP and directions. The house has only 30 seats available, and using Google Maps can be tricky. 503-312-3399 $10-$15 donation, please. Drinks and dessert after the show - bring one or both to share. After this show, we'll stay in Portland to hang out for a day. After that, we head to the country to do some serious studio work on....yes....the Tricky Pixie album. Recording will cease briefly on election day so that we can all go back to Fae Hollow to watch CNN, eat popcorn, and throw things at the screen. Friday November 07, 2008 — 8pm Benefit Concert for Two Lost Girls EroSong 18305 57th Ave NE Kenmore, Wa 98028 EroSong is a dry household with three cats; smoking is allowed outside. (206) 313 7661 This evening's activities will include a raffle of many lovely things. Then we're off to Oregon again for more recording, and this time we'll bring Alec back up with us! Saturday November 15, 2008 — 7:00pm Tricky Pixie! SoulFood Books 15748 Redmond Way Redmond, WA 98052 (425) 881-5309 $6-$15 donation, please We have a few days off to play and relax, and then it's back to Oregon! Weekend of Nov 21-23 2008 Tricky Pixie at OryCon 30 Portland Marriott Waterfront 1401 SW Naito Parkway Portland, OR 97201 Our featured concert is at 8pm, shortly after the opening ceremony. Alec has his very own concert later in the weekend, and it's possible that we all do. We may not have details on that until we get there, so everybody look alive! On November 25, Kevin and I fly back to Arkansas to spend time with family throughout the holidays. We are taking a break from touring from Thanksgiving until the end of the year so that we can rest, work on video editing and recording, and prepare ourselves for 2009. The last official show of the year is in Tennessee: Saturday December 06, 2008 — evening Loki's YuleFest 2008 Chickasaw State Park 20 Cabin Lane Henderson, TN 38340 YuleFest will be S. J.'s last official performance of the year. For vending, registration, potluck, and other info, contact Shae Murphey: vsmurphey @ bellsouth . net Thanks, all of you, for a truly amazing year of shows and experiences. I hope it's been as magical for you as it has for me, and may the magic continue! Below is the rest of my good news; keep reading! NOVEMBER 8 2008 - SPECIAL EVENT IN ST LOUIS - BENEFIT AUCTION FOR BELTANA! Please go to this event and have a great time, since I can't be there. You may recall that this summer my dear friend and fellow singer Beltana of the groups SoNa and Bella*wyck contracted Guillain-Barre syndrome and was hospitalized for quite a while. Guillain-Barre is a neuro-muscular disorder which permanently impairs the immune system. It has no known cause or cure. Beltana has bravely battled back from being paralyzed from the neck down and is currently learning how to walk again. This will be a lifelong struggle, but if I know my girl, she's not gonna back down. Meanwhile, she still has a precious 3 year old daughter, Bela (my goddaughter), to raise. She is recovering with magical speed now, but the medical bills do not rest easily on her plate. You can help her out by attending this fun auction event in St. Louis. Food, live entertainment, and drawings for prizes await you, as well as amazing auction items, most of them created and donated by friends of mine. My own donation to the auction is two USB thumb drives, both of them packed with unreleased songs, new photos, and other goodies that you can't get anywhere else. You could win one for as little as $10, and all the money goes to help Beltana and her family, all of whom are dear to me. The event will be held from 7-11pm here: Iaff Local 73 union hall 4271 Delor St St. Louis, MO ONGOING: GINGER DOSS AND BEKAH KELSO CDs ON SALE, SPECIAL OFFER! I will be blessed to go on tour in early 2009 with my favorite recording engineer and her movie-star beautiful sweet heart. Together, the three of us will tour under the name The Traveling Fates. Two out of the three Fates just had to cancel their tour and go home to be with family--Ginger's father was hospitalized last week. In the absence of the revenue they would've enjoyed after the five shows they had to cancel, Ginger and Bekah are offering some sweet deals on their music. Read on. "As some of you know, our tour was cut short when Ginger received a phone call that her father was in serious condition in the hospital. We canceled the rest of our tour and drove to Houston. Answers concerning Ginger's father are few and far between and it is uncertain how long we will have to remain. Ginger's parents are still dealing with damage to their home from Hurricane Ike and Ginger along with her mother are trying to take over the business of repairs which had been handled entirely by her father up to this point. Many of you are wondering how you can help. Here are 3 ways you can do so right now: 1) You can keep Ginger and her whole family in your most positive thoughts and prayers. Prayers for her father: love, comfort, perfect rest, and regeneration of healthy cells and organ function. For the family: love, peace, strength, and clarity in figuring out all that needs to be sorted through. We are so deeply touched by all the prayers and love offered.... Thank you. 2) You can to to gbmojo.com today and purchase any of the following CD's. Not only will this mean you get some great new music (for you or as gifts to family and friends!), you also help us tremendously as we try to supplement the income lost from canceling the remainder of our tour. * Bekah Kelso's EP: A Prelude to Mud - $10 * Ginger Doss's EP: More to Me - $10 * Bekah and Ginger's Xmas CD: Holy Silent Bell in a Frosty Manger! - $10 The latter is a holiday CD we had a blast recording last December and features GBMOJO (Ginger and Bekah) versions of: 1. Silent Night 2. Jingle Bell Rock 3. Frosty the Snowman 4. Away in A Manger 5. O' Holy Night. ***SPECIAL OFFER!!!*** -- We want to say thank you for your support! Right now, for EVERY 2 CD's you buy (Bekah's, Ginger's, or XMAS - any 2 in any combination), we will send you one Christmas CD FREE! Yay! Buy 2, we send you 1 Christmas CD. Buy 4, we send you 2 Christmas CD's! And on... and on... and on! :) Every 2 purchased yields one holiday CD for free! These make great stocking stuffers for your friends and family! 3) If you choose not to buy CD's but would still like to help, you can go to either Bekah or Ginger's Myspace pages and click on the "Tip Kitty" to make a donation to our online tip jar. ANY amount (no really.... any :) is gratefully accepted. A few dollars spread out among many contributors can really make a huge impact, right? (Any way you can help is so appreciated but when you buy CD's, we get to give something back to you and we'd really like to do that!) Buy your CD's at: www.gbmojo.com Donate to the online tip jar by clicking on the "Tip Kitty" at: http://www.myspace.com/gingerdoss or http://www.myspace.com/bekahkelso Thank you a taking a moment to read this. We are taking it day by day and appreciate each and every one of you. We feel very blessed by all the love in our lives... We look forward to sending you some great music and thank you deeply for your support. May it return to you many times over. Peace and Blessings! Bekah & Ginger" ONGOING: YOU CAN BUY SOOJ'S BOOK NOW! 'RABBIT'S SONG' PRE-ORDERS ARRIVE IN TIME FOR GIFT-GIVING! I have now held my first published book in my own two hands, and folks, it is gorgeous! Lyon did an amazing job with the illustrations--everyone who has laid eyes upon this book is enchanted. Last week I told Trudy Herring, aka Mama Dragon my co-author, how proud my grandmother would be if she were here to see it--she always wanted me to write a children's book. And now it's real! http://magicalchildbooks.com/rabbits.html There's no way that the internet images can do 'Rabbit's Song' justice; you'll just have to purchase your copy, or one for the little ones in your life, and hold it in your hands to see just how beautiful a book it is. Lyon has already started delivering pre-orders, which means that if you order yours soon, you will definitely have it in time to wrap up for the holidays. I have just a few copies that I'm bringing to my shows this month, also. When you order online at the link above, your pre-order will get you a bonus story, too! Mama Dragon and I recorded another tale of Rabbit together, and when you pre-order 'Rabbit's Song,' you get to download an mp3 of us both telling you a story--this download isn't available anywhere else, for any other reason! It's also the start of Mama Dragon's recording career. *grin* The book's official release is in early 2009. Our goal is to sell 500 copies by then! Get yours now: http://magicalchildbooks.com/rabbits.html And if you don't have the song that started it all, you can download "Rabbit's Song" on iTunes, on CD Baby, or from many other online stores. Want to purchase the album on which the song appears? Go here: http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/merch.php May you all weather the winter in comfort and peace. Thank you for reading and for being such a crucial part of this amazing journey. Walk the Labyrinth in confidence and grace. Your Lady Vagabond, SJ Tucker

Some Love for my Song Sisters and Fellow Traveling Fates

S. J. — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:16:58 GMT

I'll be taking a tour in early 2009 with my favorite recording engineer and her movie-star beautiful sweet heart. Together, the three of us will tour under the name The Traveling Fates. Two out of the three Fates just had to cancel their tour and go home to be with family--Ginger's father is in the hospital. In the absence of the revenue they would've enjoyed after the five shows they would have had in Georgia this week, they're offering some sweet deals on their music. Read on. Bekah says: As some of you know, our tour was cut short when Ginger received a phone call that her father was in serious condition in the hospital. We canceled the rest of our tour and drove to Houston where we have been the past week with no end in the immediate future. Answers concerning Ginger's father are few and far between and it is uncertain how long we will have to remain. Ginger's parents are still dealing with damage to their home from Hurricane Ike and Ginger along with her mother are trying to take over the business of repairs which had been handled entirely by her father up to this point. Many of you are wondering how you can help. Here are 3 ways you can do so right now: 1) You can keep Ginger and her whole family in your most positive thoughts and prayers. Prayers for her father: love, comfort, perfect rest, and regeneration of healthy cells and organ function. For the family: love, peace, strength, and clarity in figuring out all that needs to be sorted through. We are so deeply touched by all the prayers and love offered.... Thank you. 2) You can to to gbmojo.com today and purchase any of the following CD's. Not only will this mean you get some great new music (for you or as gifts to family and friends!), you also help us tremendously as we try to supplement the income lost from canceling the remainder of our tour. * Bekah Kelso's EP: A Prelude to Mud - $10 * Ginger Doss's EP: More to Me - $10 * Bekah and Ginger's Xmas CD: Holy Silent Bell in a Frosty Manger! - $10 The latter is a holiday CD we had a blast recording last December and features GBMOJO (Ginger and Bekah) versions of: 1. Silent Night 2. Jingle Bell Rock 3. Frosty the Snowman 4. Away in A Manger 5. O' Holy Night. ***SPECIAL OFFER!!!*** -- We want to say thank you for your support! Right now, for EVERY 2 CD's you buy (Bekah's, Ginger's, or XMAS - any 2 in any combination), we will send you one Christmas CD FREE! Yay! Buy 2, we send you 1 Christmas CD. Buy 4, we send you 2 Christmas CD's! And on... and on... and on! :) Every 2 purchased yields one holiday CD for free! These make great stocking stuffers for your friends and family! 3) If you choose not to buy CD's but would still like to help, you can go to either Bekah or Ginger's Myspace pages and click on the "Tip Kitty" to make a donation to our online tip jar. ANY amount (no really.... any :) is gratefully accepted. A few dollars spread out among many contributors can really make a huge impact, right? (Any way you can help is so appreciated but when you buy CD's, we get to give something back to you and we'd really like to do that!) Buy your CD's at: www.gbmojo.com Donate to the online tip jar by clicking on the "Tip Kitty" at: http://www.myspace.com/gingerdoss or http://www.myspace.com/bekahkelso Thank you a taking a moment to read this. We are taking it day by day and appreciate each and every one of you. We feel very blessed by all the love in our lives... We look forward to sending you some great music and thank you deeply for your support. May it return to you many times over. Peace and Blessings! Bekah & Ginger

Help Out My Fiddler

S. J. — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:48:10 GMT

This is partly paraphrased from another post and partly straight from the gut. Tricky Pixie fans, read on. Our fiddler and friend Alec and his wife Kore are about to lose their beloved and inspiring 30 acre farm. They are facing the F-word: Foreclosure. They have this month (August) to cough up enough money to keep the land and to protect it. Alec and Kore's Farm, Fae Hollow, is one of the most amazing places we as a band have ever been. I can't imagine it belonging to anyone other than these two very special friends and colleagues of ours. Tricky Pixie is committed to keeping Fae Hollow in the family. Their home and land are not the only things on the line, here. We're also talking about emu (emus?), horses, cats, chickies, llamas, and a peacock, not to mention the finest, noblest, best Jack Russell Terrier ever (that precious puppy on the cover of Alec's new album, A Familiar Promise, is Taiko, Chief Executive Pup). That being the case, this is a really good time to buy any of Alec's or Heather Alexander's merchandise - in addition to the CDs, there's now a songbook of Heather's stuff. Tricky Pixie can certainly vouch for the top quality of the body of work that Alec and Heather share. Additionally, Alec is working on other projects to bring in funds - threatening an "Adopt a Faery" program, among other things. Check the websites below for information: http://www.faerietaleminstrel.com http://www.heatherlands.com Please pass the word on to those you think might want to know, and buy Heather or Alec CDs, and look for a new album, as well as other clever fundraising ideas.

August concerts and mischief

S. J. — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:45:44 GMT

The Tricky Pixie clan is just about recovered from last weekend's amazing time at Faerieworlds in Oregon. Thanks so much to everyone who volunteered to carry things for us, helped out with the fire show, took photos, fed us, gave me vitamin C, danced, sang, and cheered. If we had to do our fabulous job of making music and magic without you, it would be no fun at all. Betsy and I got our fabulous top hats from our friend Janice Tabor. Check out her eBay store here: http://stores.ebay.com/Gypsywitch-Designs Some of our other fabulous garb is courtesy of the sweethearts at Buddhaful clothing in Seattle: http://www.buddhaful.com/_/p/catalog/index.php I've got concerts exclusively in Washington state this month for the next two weeks, after which I head to Nevada on the train, to meet up with my sweetie and head out to Burning Man. Kevin and I will be working with the ARTery (the art placement team) before, during, and after the event. We have a new (to us) dome this year which I'm very excited to live in for a while. If you're planning to head to the desert yourself, let us know where you'll be camped! I do have one show scheduled at Burning Man, also, and I'm thrilled! Read on. Friday August 08, 2008 — 7pm PolyCamp Friday Creek Campground Friday Creek Road Bow, Washington Special thanks to Tree for setting this up at the last minute! I had a good time playing briefly at PolyCamp last year--the site is gorgeous, and the company is top-notch. Betsy and I will perform for an hour or so in the lodge, between dinner and movies. On August 9, our dear friend Kat Morrison is marrying her sweetie, in full Renaissance style and glory. We wish them both the very best, and we're very happy to add music to the festivities! Sunday August 10, 2008 — 3-5pm Afternoon Concert A Gathering Grove 2820 Oakes Ave. Suite C Everett, WA 98201 with Vixy & Tony! At least one new song will celebrate its debut today! I've been writing new stuff rapidly again, as always happens when I spend time in the northwest.. You wanna be there if you can, trust me. Also, Vixy & Tony are offering free goodies to fans who bring friends. Here's the low-down on that: * If you've been to a Vixy & Tony show before, and, * You come to this Sunday's show, and bring along two friends who have never been to a Vixy & Tony show before, then * Introduce them to us after the show, and you'll get one free copy of our CD, Thirteen, to distribute as you please. Perhaps gifting it to one of those two friends, just to watch them fight over it. But that's not all! * If you've been to a Vixy & Tony show before, and * You come to this Sunday's show, and bring along three friends who have never been to a Vixy & Tony show before, then * Introduce them to us after the show, and you'll get a copy of the album, as well as a special rare collector's item DVD, a video of our opening set at Horizon Temple last month. This DVD will not be sold anywhere, it's been made especially for the purpose of giving it as a gift to our fans, for bringing new people to our shows. At A Gathering Grove I will also be giving away free sampler discs containing two tracks each from myself and Australian song-sister Wendy Rule - Wendy and I will be performing together in Seattle on September 12th, for one night only. I have a few tickets left to sell which I will have with me at A Gathering Grove. If there's enough interest, maybe we'll raffle one off, too! Friday August 15, 2008 — food at 6:30pm, music at 8pm House Concert and Potluck House Cerulia 13630 4th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98125 look for the blue house on the east side of the street. Take the 130th St or 145th St Exit from I-5. please RSVP to our hostesses: ceruliahouse @ gmail.com Potluck is no fish, nuts, or peanuts. The Cerulia girls have done their best to make me feel at home while I'm in the Seattle area. This show is also something of a housewarming for them--the house is gorgeous. You'll love it! C'mon over! Saturday August 16, 2008 — 8pm Faerieworlds Decompression Concert & Frolic SidheHaven Retreat Center Rainier, WA RSVP to phoenix @ sidhefire . com for directions When the residents decide to build you a stage, how can you turn them down? Doors open for frolic activity and hot tubbing at 3pm, dinner at 6:30pm (bring food to share), and music at 8pm. This is my last official concert before I leave for Burning Man. Our hostess says "Suggested donation to the band is $6-$15. Costuming in your Faerieworlds bling or that Ren Faire outfit that you won't get to wear this year is highly encouraged! There will be space to dance. If you'd like to stay overnight, bring your tent." There's about a 20% chance this could become a Tricky Pixie show. If it turns out that way, I will alter the schedule accordingly. Keep your eyes peeled. On the morning of August 19, I will board the Coast Starlight at the Seattle Amtrak station and begin a beautiful ride to Reno, NV. I'm very much looking forward to the trip, the comfy seats, the quiet time, and the view. Onward, into the desert! Friday August 29, 2008 — 4:50pm-5:30pm Burning Man Center Cafe Stage Literally, the middle of town Black Rock City, NV Thanks to sleepless for setting this up! Come by for cool shade and tricky tunes with a shot of Sooj. This will likely be a half hour set. With any luck, all the loudest art cars and party buses will be elsewhere! I'll have my badass little carbon fibre guitar, and possibly lap top and loop station for this show. Of course, I'll have free discs to give away or trade, hugs, and a dose of musical mind-blowing for your Friday afternoon. Kevin and I will return from the desert around September 7th. We'll then start heading back to Seattle, where magical things will shortly occur: Friday September 12, 2008 — 8:00pm Skinny White Chick & Wendy Rule Little Red Studio 750 Harrison Street Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 328-4758 Tickets for this concert are $15 in advance and may be purchased at any of my concerts during July and August, or online at this link: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/39483 Many folks in the Pagan community know Wendy Rule's music well. If you've never heard her before, try this on for size: she's somewhere south of European torch singer, with the precision and power of a Native American song shaman, calling down Spirit from the clouds. Once you hear her, you never forget it--there's no voice out there quite like Wendy's. Her magic is true and it's evident in every note she sings. Skinny White Chick will take the stage first on this night. Not only will the fabulous Betsy Tinney be joining me, special guests Vixy & Tony will be in the band for our set, adding vocal yumminess and guitar sweetness. We're gonna make history, as well as magic, for certain. Again, I do have just a few advance tickets left to sell for this show, and you can pick them up at my merch table for as long as they last, at any of my concerts in the next two weeks. Otherwise, they'll be available online here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/39483 Wendy and I met in Denver in 2006 when we first did a show together. I've been blessed to see and perform with Wendy more this year than ever before. She and I will also perform together in Denver on September 23. Details, as always, are on the schedule page: http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/shows.php After returning to Seattle, K and I will head to Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs, Denver, and then home to the midsouth again for a while. We hope to see you and entertain you along the way.

World Hoop Day starts now. Go and celebrate!

S. J. — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 07:27:48 GMT

In honor of World Hoop Day, 8/8/08: in the first few minutes of sitting still, after figuring out how to use a hula hoop again for the first time in roughly twenty years, one doesn't really sit still. the world is still moving, and this is not so strange. everything dances to the left and back around, pulsing, but not really. the sense of the world, life, breath, the stars, moving in circles is heightened to the nth degree. lights pass smoothly before your closed eyes, and it is the movement of the ocean, of the earth dancing on orbit, the full moon above a bonfire singing along. your tribal, dancer's mind is awakened for good. and it's an easy, easy thing to forget you were ever less than free. http://www.worldhoopday.com

Washington Renaissance Faire - help!

S. J. — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:41:16 GMT

Hi, folks. You may or may not be aware that the Washington Renaissance and Fantasy Faire needs our help. My main reason for reposting this information today is to give you a head's up. If the Faire does not happen as planned, my tour schedule for the entire month of August will change drastically--and this would kill all of the performances I currently have scheduled in the state of Washington. It's now less than a month before the first weekend of the Faire, and they have not been able to secure permits for the event. Here's what Faire director Ronald Cleveland had to say this morning via email: From: Ronald Cleveland [mailto: RBCleveland@comcast.net] Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 3:31 AM Subject: Your assistance is needed Dear Friends: [On] July 15th Mason County Commissioners will be voting on the final approval for the temporary permit to allow us to run the Washington Renaissance Faire. Unfortunately the Commissioners have been hearing constantly from a small but passionate and very vocal few who oppose our event. We would like to ask that you contact the commissioners and respectfully voice your support so that when they vote, they know there is a very large majority of supporters. Tim Sheldon: Tims@co.mason.wa.us Ross Gallagher: rossg@co.mason.wa.us Linda Ring Erickson: lyndare@co.mason.wa.us Please pass this message to anyone who you believe may be interested in showing their support. Your help and support is deeply appreciated, we are down to the wire and we need this permit. Thank you. Ron <===>8 Why in the world would anyone want to oppose the Faire, you may be wondering. I asked myself the same thing. At this point, it would be next to impossible for most of the performers and vendors who've been hired and contracted by the Faire (that list includes myself and Alec, as well as dozens of others) to find other paying gigs that would treat them as well, pay them as well, and earn them as many sales and new fans as the Faire would do. My reasons are not entirely selfish, but there you are. Thanks to Sherry of Sidhehaven, we do have a little bit of insight into why the Faire is being opposed. "Most of the opposition seems to be about the possible congestion on the local roads and that the residents don't believe that the money generated by the Faire will trickle into the local economy: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/Jun/01/my-turn-road-improvements-needed-for-renaissance/ Here's some local news coverage: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/28/sixteenth-century-finds-a-home-in-belfair/ The Belfair Chamber is in support: http://www.northmasonchamber.com/x3332.xml Permitting process: http://www.co.mason.wa.us/permits/main.php?caseno=SPI2008-00040 " Thank you, Sherry, for tracking this information down. According to the Belfair Chamber link above, the Chamber of Commerce Board approved the following statement earlier this summer: "The purpose of the North Mason Chamber of Commerce is to encourage and promote business and tourism interests and activities throughout the North Mason community. The desire of the board of Trustees and our members is to be good neighbors and to contribute to a healthy, vibrant and growing business community. Our feeling is that if a business desires to locate in North Mason, and has complied with all the usual and customary permitting processes, then they should be welcomed and supported. Recently, the North Mason Chamber of Commerce surveyed its membership concerning the proposed Renaissance Faire. More than 84% of the surveys returned were strongly supportive of the event. This event, and business endeavors in general, has the promise of infusing dollars into the local economy. This adds to our quality of life because it contributes to our tax base and supports the businesses on which we all depend." As Sherry stated, the opposition is concerned about traffic problems created by the Faire, and they do not believe that all the folks coming to the Faire will benefit their local economy at all. According to Bonnie Davies in the Kitsap Sun online, one road into the area is down to one lane due to a winter landslide, and the only other one has what she describes as two dangerous hair-pin curves. In her article, she asks that the road be fixed before the Faire makes its new home near Belfair. I have to agree with Bonnie, that fixing the road would save everyone a lot of trouble. However, shouldn't folks be hammering away at the city and state highway departments for this, instead of trying to stop the Faire? My experience with the Faire as it was run in Gig Harbor is limited to one year: 2007. However, I took note of how much effort Faire staff, planners, and volunteers put into traffic control, signage, and general helpfulness. I have no reason to believe that the Faire staff won't do everything they can to help everything, especially traffic to and from the Faire, run smoothly--no matter the condition of any given road. In the interest of fairness, I'll report that Davies also claims residents of the area didn't have much chance to oppose the Faire in the first place. She says in her article that no one had any notice that the Faire was proposed until March 31st, and from that point it was "full throttle ahead" for preparations, with only a couple of meetings at which the public could voice their objections. I get the feeling, unfortunately, that even if several of us performers and vendors got together to attempt to placate the unhappy by scheduling concerts of some sort in Belfair itself, thereby bringing commerce and attention to the local economy, residents would still find something to complain about, such as traffic or noise. It has been suggested that the Faire should offer residents of the surrounding area free tickets as common courtesy. I think this is a fine idea, and I hope that, if it were to be put into action, it would be well received. Ultimately, I don't like being contracted to perform at an event to then have someone else give me the feeling that I'm not wanted. I will ask the same thing that Ron asked. If you want the Faire to go on as planned, please get in touch with Tim Sheldon, Ross Gallagher, and Linda Ring Erickson to let them know. I appreciate your effort, and I know that all the other performers do as well. Currently, I am scheduled to perform at the Faire on the second and third weekends, at 10am, 1pm, and 3:30pm each Saturday and Sunday. Alec and I are scheduled on top of each other a lot, but we'll be vending out of the same space and are going to try to hook up at his last show of the day.

Mallorie's Crossing Over this Sunday

S. J. — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:44:10 GMT

This Sunday, June 1st, from 3-7pm, Summerland Grove will hold a Crossing Over for Mallorie Gareis at the home of Rhyno in Bartlett. Bring a dish for potluck afterwards. My sweet heart, who turns 33 today, and I will be unable to attend. Instead, it is our hope to give a memorial fire dance in Mallorie's honor at Festival of Souls this October. If you plan to attend FOS in Memphis this year and you'd like to help out as a safety or be part of the performance, leave me a comment here. The hurting comes, and the hurting stays. The wheel's gonna turn and our hearts disobey. We will stand if we're the last ones standing, to send you on your way with love. I'll not make it home in time, not for the first time, not for the last time. But it's not about me. So it's all right. Instead, I'll stand from where I am, and I will sing all day. And I will do my tiny part to send you on your way with love. How I hope you know that we'll miss you when you go and how we'll hold you dear when you return. The wheel's gonna turn our hearts will disobey but for love of all who love you I will sing all day and sister you will go your way with love. Go gentle, as you've always gone.

Heartland Pagan Festival Concert Time Changed, and New Interview Online

S. J. — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:39:50 GMT

Thing one: just heard from brother Patrick that they've had to move my concert from 12 Noon to 11:00am at Heartland this coming Saturday. Please help me get the word out about the change, and if you know you'll be at the festival, please come if you can, in spite of the time change. Ginger and Bekah and Betsy will still be performing with me, in spite of the fact that we'll all have to crawl out of our tents a bit earlier. If we can do it, so can you. I promise you, we'll make it worth it! Thing two: I did a podcast interview with my friend Greg aka DJ Ravenwolf yesterday, on his show The Best Of Hair (he's a die-hard metal fan). I think I did ok. :D We certainly had a good time talking about songwriting and all sorts of things. If you miss the sound of my voice (slightly static-ridden, as I was on my cell phone) follow this link and go check the interview out: http://thebestofhair.podomatic.com/enclosure/2008-05-19T03_29_14-07_00.mp3 Greg's site for the show, with lots of other interviews, is here: http://thebestofhair.podomatic.com/ Enjoy!

It's not Myanmar or China, but it matters still.

S. J. — Tue, 13 May 2008 04:07:29 GMT

It is, in this case, two counties in my home state. It was, just a few days ago, an F5 tornado, which is no joke. Just as in the case of the two twisters that hit my home town last February, there were no deaths in Stuttgart. I will take a tornado with no deaths, if we have to have such an increasing number of tornadoes each year, as it seems. You can help, if you so choose, by following this link to KATV and the Neighbor in Need Fund: http://cfc.katv.com/external.cfm?p=neighbor&menu=marketplace The rivers are down, somewhat, here in Arkansas. I am home in the house of my childhood for a couple of days, recharging, and I am grateful for this time and this place. I hope that all of you are safe and well, yourselves.

New Linkies!

S. J. — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:50:52 GMT

As if there weren't enough networking site candy kicking around to rot your teeth...I've been creating new ones on the web. Please feel free to visit any one of them, as they're all different. I now have a page on Gaia.com: http://pixiebardsooj.gaia.com I like the way that Gaia seems to work--you can recommend books, post quotes that mean something to you, and share 'seeds' amongst people that you find on the site who seem to be rolling with the spirit of saying something worth saying, living their truth, etc. There's still more about it that I haven't had a chance to explore. A few fans alerted me to the existence of Paganspace.com, and it would be silly not to have a page there: http://www.paganspace.com/skinnywhitechick I don't have a lot of stuff up on Paganspace yet, but soon, soon I will send music in to 'paganradio' there, which seems to run on my profile automatically. Lastly, and this is the big announcement of sorts, I created last night a Myspace page for The Lost Girls Pirate Academy: http://www.myspace.com/lostgirlspirateacademy Next on my list is creating a Tribe for the academy here, but for now, Myspace will hold down the fort. It's our dream to launch lostgirlspirateacademy.com very soon, also--and all of the sites we create, Myspace or otherwise, will hopefully serve as a forum and as a trading post for fan art and fiction about Wendy, Green-eyed Sue, and their crew. We have a good bit of stuff to share already, but we want more! Know that you're welcome to share how the Wendy Trilogy has inspired you with me, especially as a comment or a story or drawing or other form of awesome creative output. If you're lost at sea about all this, I'll explain briefly: On my albums Sirens, which I released in 2006, I included three songs about what might have happened, had Wendy chosen to become a pirate instead of sticking with the Lost Boys and staying the proper little mother figure. The three songs take you through Wendy's difficult transition to pirate as Hook's adopted daughter--he double-crosses her, of course, but she catches him in the act and, with the help of Tink and Pan, she 'inherits' the ship and the crew. Gradually, Wendy replaces the crew with Lost Girls handpicked by Peter Pan. Green-eyed Sue is the first to arrive, and Mr. Smee is the last to go. There's more, of course. I'll post the songs themselves to the Lost Girls Pirate Academy Myspace page today so that you can hear them if you haven't heard them before. For now the Wendy Trilogy can be heard on Sirens or on the Tricky Pixie Live album. I plan, by the end of the year, to give the Trilogy its own single/EP, called Pirate Girls, which will also include the Academy's new Alma Mater (up on Myspace right now), and perhaps a few other choice nautical songs. The Wendy Trilogy is so beloved by so many people across the world at this point that I am quite happy to give it more attention, and to breathe new life into it by getting the Academy project going. We've got t-shirts, stickers, an official logo, exclusively commissioned art by Amy Brown depicting the Academy's two saucy founders, many many stories of how the songs have touched one person or another, and one rollicking bit of fan fiction so far. Please, if you want to be a part of this piratical adventure, do! Feel free to get in touch with me with your music, stories, and art.

Are You Happy?

S. J. — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:45:25 GMT

Last weekend, I had an amazing day-long visit with one of my best college friends, whom I hadn't seen in two years. We were both very grateful and thrilled to get to spend time with each other shopping, eating, having wonderful conversations, and laughing. Over lunch, she asked me, "Are you happy?" And she told me a story that I had forgotten. Seven years ago, she and I were in our senior year of college together, on a trip to Texas for a regional theater competition. One night during our time in Texas, she had held me in her arms in our motel room while I cried over a difficult choice I had to make. It was my 21st birthday. I was hopelessly infatuated with a friend who was not my boyfriend at the time. I was far from home, and I'd spent the week hearing difficult criticism from theater professors and 'experts'. Yet none of these things had to do with my emotional overflow. 'This is when I have to decide' I said to my friend, 'whether to continue with theater, or pursue my music instead.' "I've waited for years to ask you this," she said, back in the present, at our table. "Are you happy with the decision that you made?" I didn't even have to hesitate for a moment before I said "Yes!" The choices and the noise that we make are what clear the way for us to live our dreams. As far as living my dreams is concerned, I see no other choice. Four years ago, this very week, I threw a CD release party for my first album. Everyone came. Two days later was my last day at my horrid guitar store job. I wasn't making any money there as it was, so I had nothing to lose and everything to gain. In the months following, I went on my first tour as a full-time independent performing songwriter. Following your dreams is an act I find to be easy and smooth, once you get started. I have not once fallen on my face in the past four years. Only a couple of times have I worried that I would not make ends meet. I have written new songs steadily, made incredible friends all across the country who are happy to feed and house me when I'm in their area, and produced six studio albums of my own music, with minimal financial assistance. I am debt-free and healthy, and all of the details of my professional life fall into place with magical accuracy. Yes, I am happy. I don't have a day job, and I am happy. I don't have a permanent address, and I am happy. I am not married, and I am happy. I do not fit the conventional, generic, American assumption of what happy means, and I am happy. I get paid, by appreciative people, for being myself, each time I open my mouth to sing. I keep to my own standards of professionalism--which include turning down some shows and taking a break when I my body asks for one. I have several weekly opportunities, all across the country, to improve people's lives in my small way. I am even participating in my business field without playing games, and I am surviving at it while doing things my own way. Could I have done all of this with theater? Certainly. But I do not regret the path I have chosen for a moment. I'm just getting started, after all, and there's nowhere to go but up. I am happy. I am living my dream. It is, at the same time, the easiest and the most difficult thing I have ever done. Every moment, whether frustrating or full of laughter, is worth the work I put in. Therefore, I maintain that if you take the plunge and leave the job or circumstances you hate, if you refuse to settle for less than happiness, the way is made clear for you to make a living doing what you love, what you're good at, what feeds your soul. I have found my niche in this world, and if I can be an example to others, if I can encourage others to fight free of their own--yes--self-imposed shackles, then my work is twice as meaningful. The decision is there for you to make. The hardest part is figuring out what it is you want. Once you're there, all you have to do is say yes, and you're free!

NEW ALBUM - Solace & Sorrow Released Today!

S. J. — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 19:03:25 GMT

It's October 30th, and my newest plastic child is officially born. I am a proud mama. Album Solace & Sorrow - songs and readings in celebration of The Orphan's Tales: In the Cities of Coin and Spice, and book The Orphan's Tales hit the streets today, hand in hand. Honestly, I came into this project with few expectations. This album's big sister, For the Girl in the Garden, gave me plenty of chance to figure out how to pull off a tie-in album for a book of fairy tales last year, so there wasn't as much for me to figure out. I wasn't lazy, but I wasn't utterly focused and driven, either. It's been a driven year, certainly, but in many directions. This project was a calm one, in comparison with launching a new band, touring like crazy, etc. It started in February with Firebird's Child, which reappears on this disc along with the story that inspired it--which was, and yes I'm beyond flattered, inspired by me. The folk cycle lives. Over the past nine months, I've written a song here, a song there, never with any real plan for how they'd all fit together, or even which ones would be finished and which ones wouldn't, until the last possible moment. It has all fused so beautifully, and I can finally share it with you. For your listening pleasure, we have a second orphan ballad, a Gaselli gypsy romp, a manticore's lullabye, a djinn nursery rhyme, a blues tune for a city in decay, and a war song for a group of mice, as well as the already- beloved Firebird's Child. As with For the Girl in the Garden, I am including corresponding story bits between songs. The author is most assuredly involved in this project, and I have her blessing. Now, if I could just get funding from her publisher...;-] At least Catherynne and I have the ability and ample excuse to catch up on hangout time, now that her book and my corresponding album have hit the streets today. We have multimedia release events planned in New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia--the initial party in Cleveland was this past weekend. We have a combination book launch, concert, and art show with silent auction, and let me tell you, the book and the album are wildly amplified by the beautiful paintings, sculpture, and jewelry donated by nearly two-dozen artists--each piece inspired by a story from the book. All you writers and readers of tales, thank you. Without your words and talent, there really wouldn't be as much music in the world, at least in my case. Here's the tracklist for the new CD: 1. overture: Sorrow's Song (Child of Dying Stars) The Book of the Storm 2. Seven 3. City of Marrow 4. The Gaselli 5. Taglio! 6. Grotteschi the Red 7. Manticore's Lullabye The Book of the Scald 8. Scald 9. KashKash, a nursery rhyme 10. Of Dust 11. The Kingdom of Mice, a war song 12. Solace 13. Firebird's Child You can hear clips and view the lyrics on my website: http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/music.php You can also purchase it there (http://www.skinnywhitechick.com/merch.php), or on Amazon.com--on Amazon, you can get both Orphan's Tales books and both of the albums at the same time! here are the links for that: Album one: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Garden-Celebration-Catherynne-%2522Orphans/dp/B000QDEHA0/ref=sr_1_1/104-9574608-3373538?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1193719403&sr=8-1 Book one: http://www.amazon.com/Orphans-Tales-Night-Garden/dp/0553384031/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/104-9574608-3373538?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193767364&sr=1-2 Album two: http://www.amazon.com/Solace-Sorrow-Readings-Celebration-Orphans/dp/B000XULLR8/ref=sr_1_1/104-9574608-3373538?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1193719531&sr=1-1 Book two: http://www.amazon.com/Orphans-Tales-Cities-Coin-Spice/dp/055338404X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9574608-3373538?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193767470&sr=1-1 When you buy the books and albums together on Amazon, it helps both me and Catherynne--the more people who buy the books and albums together, the more likely they are to appear on each other's Amazon pages together, and the more people learn about both! Thanks for reading, everyone, and feel free to write reviews for Solace & Sorrow when you hear it at last.

Two Days Left to Make a Difference - Please read, please call

S. J. — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:33:38 GMT

Sorry to hammer this into the ground, but it looks like we weren't done... *sigh* grr. IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: CALL YOUR SENATORS AND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TODAY TO ASK THEM TO CO-SPONSOR AND BRING TO THE FLOOR FOR AN IMMEDIATE VOTE THE INTERNET RADIO EQUALITY ACT, S. 1353 IN THE SENATE AND H.R. 2060 IN THE HOUSE! http://www.savenetradio.org/ has a big link button that will take you to a page where you can enter your zip code and then be given phone numbers for your state representatives. Super, super easy to get the info you need. Please call today! Time and options are running out for Internet Radio. The emergency stay sought on behalf of webcasters, millions of listeners and the artists and music they support has been denied. UNLESS CONGRESS ACTS BY JULY 15th (that's Sunday folks), the new ruinous royalty rates will go into effect on Sunday, threatening the future of all Internet radio. This situation is grave, but that makes the message all the simpler and more serious. CALL YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES RIGHT AWAY and urge them to support the Internet Equality Act. If they already co-sponsor, thank them and ask them to fight to bring it to the floor for an immediate vote. There's a list of articles that explains what's up better than I could on savenetradio.org if you want to know more about what all this actually means. Thanks.

Independent Music Takes a Legal Hit - You Can Help!

S. J. — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:50:16 GMT

Reposting from a friend's blog - webcasting just got really expensive Please, everyone, don't let this be a quiet thing that slips in and takes hold. We were doing so well, reshaping the music industry. Here's the word from my friend Chris of http://www.gaiaconsort.com: Copyright Royalty Board Screws Indies Ok folks. The Copyright Royalty Board just tripled the cost to webcast music - for the little guys. The cost for commercial radio stations remain the same. What does this mean for indies getting their stuff oout on the web? It means that some people who have been broadcasting us and paying for it, will more than likely have to stop webcasting, period. One guy who has been breaking even, running servers out of his garage says that his costs will go from $200,000 a year to $600,000. Some musicians will view this as a raise, but it's not. It's bankruptcy for a lot of good folks who are spreading indy music around on the web and paying what it's worth. For once in my life, I'd really like to see the greedy stinking turd splash bastards from the RIAA and the major labels just give us a ****ing break. Don't even BEGIN to tell me that their only responsibility should be to the shareholders - there is such a thing as the commons and these sub-human parasites are KILLING the market for music. The letter writing has to start all over again, and from the lack of buzz going around on this one, I think it's going to be an uphill fight. Here's a couple of articles. http://blog.wired.com/music/2007/03/us_copyright_ro.html http://www.futureofmusic.org/news/webcastingrates07.cfm I'm really dissapointed that the Future of Music Coalition hasn't made a stronger statement - maybe they haven'y heard enough from emembers, or may Soundexchange is putting money into FMC. Do me and every other non-major label artist that you know a favor: 1) Write your Congresscritter and ask them to write the old fair rates back into law, and 2) BOYCOTT MAJOR LABELS. I still buy major label artists, I just wait for the cds to end up in the used bins. Used cds support local business and your money doesn't go to these... things. If I ever get to be king of the world, a lot of major label people will be digging ditches in cold climates. Hate is a mild word for what I feel about them.

Tracking for the next album finished today!

S. J. — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:56:34 GMT

I'm sitting with friend and engineer Ginger Doss in the nerve center of Eagle Audio right now, in Austin, Texas, and I couldn't be happier. We've completed tracking for my next album, to be released before Spring ends. This is the fourth project that Ginger has so graciously worked on with me, and it will be called Blessings. The tracklist features many songs that I've already been performing live this year. That said, Blessings may strike you as a little different. Blessings is the first album I've recorded on which every song deals directly with a spiritual theme or situation. Some of them are pretty silly, others somber and spooky, and they're all evocative of one stripe of Paganism or another. Many of you know by now that I spend a good chunk of the warmer months performing at Pagan festivals and gatherings. This new album is my way of giving back to that community. I've attempted to capture many of the experiences I've had, being loved and accepted at so many fire circles and in households all over this country. I've attempted to put a new spin on just a few of the gifts I've been given, and share them with the tribe. We'll enter into the realm of Blessings with a haunting invocation called For Love of All Who Gather. Sacred space thus established, we get down to the business of being silly with a song about April Fool's Day; the annual Looney Tunes ritual you may know from my song 'In the House of Mama Dragon' plays a starring role once again. My sweetheart says this song should've been on Fraggle Rock. Hot on the heels of April Fool's Day comes a calling of the Goddesses of Solace and Sorrow, children of the stars, called Firebird's Child. Hand in hand with her comes the Horned One, in Hymn to Herne--inspired by the lack of sexy God songs to balance out all of the sexy Goddess songs you can find in Pagan playlists. Next is Handfast Blessing, wherein priestesses honor those who pledge to love each other for a year and a day--and longer. The full-on rite of Witch's Rune follows--the lyrics this little rune is based upon were a gift from Scott Sumers, dear friend of mine and founding member of Summerland Grove Pagan Church. Next, our local Crone tells us the story of how Rabbit became the Trickster's favorite creature, in Rabbit's Song--based on a story and poem written at my request by Mama Dragon, herself. Now the Wheel of the Year has brought us to Samhain, and we Come to the Labyrinth, specifically the Festival of Souls candlelight labyrinth put together by many hands and walked by many folk each October in Memphis. Upon our exit, For Love of All Who Gather Reprise opens the circle, and after the instrumental walk home to Spirit Call, we are free to enjoy a night's revels In the Name of the Dance--incorporating a chant I wrote last summer with music for Kevin's and my recent fire shows in Colorado. Here is the album's very first review, courtesy of its best-loved advisor: "The most sacred, most highly evolved body of Pagan work I've ever experienced. S. J. walks her path, and it shows." -Ginger Doss, Eagle Audio; keyboardist/vocalist for Dreamtrybe and Velvet Hammer I can't give an actual release date yet. Feel free to keep in touch about it though, and to pester me.