What I Learned From JK Rowling

I’m sure everyone has heard the news that JK Rowling is coming out with a new book. This time, she’s writing in a different genre—this book is geared toward adults. And I have to say that I’m impressed by her bravery.

Publishing this novel must be a terrifying thing. She’s writing in a new genre, with a new voice, and for a different audience. She knows that whatever she writes will inevitably be compared to the Harry Potter books, which is like comparing apples and oranges. The HP phenomena was the result her skills as writer combining with the perfect books and a ripening audience that was hungry for something new and different. Don’t get me wrong, I know it took a lot of hard work by her, her publishers, marketing people, etc. But market timing was critical. No one can fairly compare the success of this book with the HP books. But they will. And that’s why I think she’s brave. It’s like if Pat Benetar decided to sing opera. I picked Pat Benetar as an example because she’s one of the few pop/rock singers who was reputed to have the voice range and strength to sing opera. But making the transition from top forty singer to opera…wow. That’s what I think Rowling is doing.

Obviously, Rowling can’t be doing this for the money. She doesn’t need it. And she must know that there are some reviewer/critics waiting to diss her book. In spite of all that, she’s got a new book coming out. I suspect that she’s doing this because like the rest of writers, she loves to tell people a story. And that encourages me to be brave too.

A Notch in My Lipstick Case

After Luke and Ariel’s senior recital, lest you think I’m a music snob, let me assure you I’m an equal opportunity music lover. At another recital (given by professional musicians), I fell in love with Schoenberg. If you’ve never heard of Schoenberg, let’s just say his compositions are what would happen if music married math and gave birth to chaos. Only instead of being a train wreck, it’s a cool, geometric dissonance. Really.

Of course, my kids think I have little taste in music. They point to my playlist at playlist.com (it’s free), which consists of everyone from Martha Reeves and the Vandellas to the Beach Boys to the Cars to Sting to the Cranberries. When I click on my playlist, Luke shuts his bedroom door. Ariel says, “You’re listening to that?!” Okay, but in all fairness, she likes the Cranberries too. But, it seems to me that most music has a purpose. For example, I do my sit-ups to Pat Benetar. I can “go for the burn” when she sings about “putting another notch in her lipstick case.” And even Matthew, who was walking through our bedroom the other day when it was playing said, “Hey, that’s a cool guitar riff.” Yep, I can do twenty in that riff alone.