I’ll be back to blogging regularly tomorrow — I’m in the last stages of completing a draft of my novel to send to the publishers. The 80/20 rule has really applied here — 80% of the time I’ve spent on this book has been on less than 10,000 words of additions, but it’s practically done. No doubt there’ll be more changes to make, but I’m in the home stretch.
Anyway, 33 1/3 have announced an open call for submissions for their series of music books, and I’m considering sending in a proposal. Only considering, because I have plenty of books to write already, and I’m trying to move away from music writing once California Dreaming and Beach Boys 3 are done — and because I could make more money per book sold by self-publishing than by going through them. But on the other hand, they have a brand name and publicity that might help. So I’m thinking about it.
So the question is — if I were to write a short (30,000 word) book on one album, what album would you want to see me write about?
Sci-Ence! Justice Leak! 
Odessey and Oracle.
Cheers – I hope things are improving for you health-wise
Ooh, good one! I’m rather amazed they didn’t already have one on that, actually…
My health’s improved quite a bit. Still not great, but better, thanks.
Ooh, I’d like to see English Settlement or Nonsuch by XTC or Dirk Wears White Sox by Adam and the Ants. Not sure if they’d hit your sweet spot (or the publisher’s…) but there you go!
Ooh, no idea if these choices hit your sweet spot (or the publisher’s, for that matter) but I’d love to read a book about XTC’s English Settlement or Nonsuch or Dirk Wears White Sox by Adam and the Ants…
The editor of Burning With Optimism’s Flame suggesting those? I’m shocked ;)
All interesting ideas, actually — the XTC would probably be an easier sell for the 33 1/3 publishers, but there does seem to be a surprisingly vibrant Adam Ant fandom on Tumblr, too, and that’d be an interesting one for me (I think my first single was by Adam and the Ants, though I was about three when I got it…)
Grr! Bloody WordPress ate my reply, and insisted I log in, and as soon as I replied again, they both came up!
Andrew,
All your music book posts have been tremendous; but one of my favorites was for The Kink’s “Muswell Hillbillies” – beautifully written, very perceptive, I learned things about that album I hadn’t previously been aware of. That’s my vote; still hope you change your mind about a book on George Harrison’s solo output from “Wonderwall Music” onwards…
4 Symbols by Led Zeppelin?
Already been done. Seventeenth in the series.