Well, 2007, with its heartbreaks, nightmares, and yet its paradoxically beautiful and benchmark moments, has come and gone. Looking back through my files, I realized I had written a good amount of poetry this time last year. In fact, in contrast to this year, most of the writing I did last year was poetry. Now, 2008 is upon me, and there has been a shift to writing more fiction and nonfiction and to more music. I kept a reading diary, and I read 37 books last year, 3 less than 2006. My New Year’s Resolutions for 2008 are:

1. To read 52 books

2. To cut my current debt in half

3. T0 have eight books either published or under signed contract.

4. To obtain a literary agent.

I’ll probably think of some other resolutions, but I believe these should get me started. I do believe this will be MY year, the best year of my life, and I wish the same for you.

New Jed Marum Release: Lone Star Stout

My friend and favorite Irish/Confederate balladeer, Jed Marum, has a new CD. The LONESTAR STOUT song list is a collection of Irish favorites, plus a couple of the Americanized versions of some old Irish songs. The album is a No Frills, “Live-in-the-Studio” recording of simple arrangements. In addition to vocals, instruments used are guitar, octave mandolin, mandolin, banjo or banjola. Songs include:

1. Back Home in Derry

2 Risin’ of the Moon

3 Grace

4 Foggy Dew

5 Bard of Armaugh

6 Streets of Laredo

7 Saint James Infirmary

8 Red River Valley

9 Black Velvet Band

10 Wild Colonial Boy

11 Spancil Hill

12 Goodbye Mick

You can check out Jed’s CD and listen to samples of his music at this link. Do yourself a favor and get some of his music. http://cdbaby.com/cd/jedmarum7.