#finished an Actual Real Book I've started in february today and it left me in the mood to draw these two goofing around. the ending was

[copper-skulls]

fountain pen doodles i might color in on a rainy day someday. or not. we'll see.

[words-after-midnight]

15 years of Life in Black and White 🌙 (draft start date: June 7th, 2008)

In honor of the 15th anniversary of the day I started the draft of Life in Black and White (June 7th, 2008), I'm sharing some of the contents of "Annex C," my personal collection of "memorabilia" from my years spent writing the book of my heart - these include photos, journal entries (I kept a dedicated "novel diary" for Life in Black and White from 2008-2013), original concept art and notes, and other things. Hope you enjoy!

Here I am at age 20 (and, notably, pre-transition lol) in 2011, with the finished second drafts of both novels - the story was originally written as a duology totalling over 400K words, but the second drafts pictured here total about 370K. I believe Life in Black and White (then the first novel) was around 220K, and It's All Inside My Head (then the second novel) was around 150K.

More under the cut!

My tattoo appointment card + the actual tattoo I got for the novel on February 12th, 2013 (aka the two-year anniversary of the draft completion date). If it gets published, the publication date will most likely be added under the original completion date.

My original cover concepts for the two novels, designed in 2010. I kind of dislike these now, but I've kept them for posterity. Last name redacted because I was using my real last name at the time, which I'd rather not share!

Me (right) and a friend at her place on Thursday, February 10th, 2011 - two days before I completed the draft of Life in Black and White. I had about five chapters left to draft/finish drafting at this point. I was Very Tired.™

The original opening to Resolution, originally the second of three parts in the first novel, Life in Black and White. Today, Resolution is the first of two acts in the single novel, and Gabriel's story starts much later in his life. Note the third person narration.

Me with Saturday in 2013. In case you didn't know, she was named for Life in Black and White - specifically the draft completion date, although the draft start date was also a Saturday. I adopted her in October 2012 - she's going to be 11 in July!

Card from our community NaNoWriMo package from my first of three consecutive NaNoWriMos I spent drafting this story. I'm talking about the regular NaNoWriMo in November, to be clear - my first Camp NaNoWriMo was July 2013, during which I started the draft of The Dotted Line.

My first ever entry in my dedicated novel diary for Life in Black and White, exactly one month after I started drafting the novel. I was seventeen years old here, having just finished my junior year of high school. At this initial stage, I was so obsessed with the project that I barely left the house the entire summer of 2008. All I wanted to do was write this story. Side note: I had a prologue? I had a Part 4? At least I can rest with the knowledge that "Chapter One" (now "A Rush of Blood to the Head," I don't number my chapters) is still completely dysfunctional, despite being a completely different chapter and part of the story.

More evidence that all I did the entire summer of 2008 was write this novel.

Back when I still referred to Gabriel's relationship with Jeff as a "subplot" and decided officially to develop It's All Inside My Head (now Act II of the novel).

Date of the ending change, six days after I started drafting It's All Inside My Head. I no longer believe I was blindsided - it was more like a puzzle piece falling into place, a fragment of subconscious knowledge that finally found its way to the surface.

February 11th, 2011, re: composing the ending sequence and finishing the novel. My feelings haven't really changed as I approach the finalization/querying stage, tbh.

2012, re: second draft of trainwreck.

[randomprojectsbeforeidie]

29/01/2024

Hey y'all! Left you guys hanging again, right? I'm sorry, hahaha. This weekend was actually the one I chose to throw my birthday party, so things got a bit chaotic! I had a lot to do, and also a party to attend yesterday! It ended up being real nice, actually; all my friends together in a pool, eating pizza and cake.

But now I'm getting back to my routine! So, let's start, shall we?

Goal number 1: Study like Wade Watts

This is the first day I actually did 2 whole hours of studying! It was good, but I really do think this will be my maximum during work days. I can't fit much else when I work 8 hours a day.

So, that leaves me at 18/184 days studied, which is 9.78% of my goal. Hey, I think I might get to 10% of my goal tomorrow! Maybe I'll think of a little treat to celebrate that!

Here's how my little study flower is looking today:

Goal number 2: fight like a Bene Gesserit

Oh boy, measuring day is approaching... I do hope my work will show some results at the first of February!

Yesterday I didn't track my calories; it was my birthday party, and I chose to just not to think about this on that day. It was cool, I enjoyed the food and kept myself confortably full, without gorging myself.

Today I rucked for 30 minutes carrying 8kg. It was good, you know? I had somethings in my mind that I thought about it, some angry thoughts, and moving helped me think about them without feeling overwhelmed.

The stretch of the upper body later was also great; I've been feeling pain on my back, so stretching it actually made me feel way less pain. I'm actually anticipating my lower body stretch of tomorrow, my calves are tight and hurting!

Goal number 3: NOBA Project

I've been reading that book I talked about, "Bad News", by Rob Brotherton. I just finished a very interesting chapter about the speed of breaking news and how it's been steadily raising since the seventeenth century. I found it interesting the way people talked about how having to publish newspapers on a schedule diminished the value of news, since you had to find something to report, even if there was nothing really worthwhile to be reported. I'll try to share some of my highlights with you guys.

And that's it for today, my mates! See you tomorrow! Bye!

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

ALAN "CORDUROY" BROWN "LET ME KNOW" ALL ABOUT HIS MIRACULOUS 2021 AND THE ALBUM IT INSPIRED

The COVID-19 pandemic put undue stress on the music industry that we are just now starting to recover from. It's been a long, dark, and uncertain road for many--but unfortunately for some like musician Alan "Corduroy" Brown, lead singer and guitar player for the Huntington, West Virginia-based band Corduroy Brown, it was a true matter of life or death. In fact, Alan did succumb to the nightmare of COVID-19, just to be reborn with a new spark and outlook on life. Below is a transcribed interview between Hillbilly Hippie Music Review and Alan concerning his band’s upcoming album releasing on August 14th, "Let Me Know," and the personal experiences that influenced its conception.

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L: Hi, Alan! We’re so glad to have you join us at HHMR today for a chat to get to know ya a little better. How are you doing?

C: Honestly....pretty great! Live music is BACK and it’s so cool to see all my friends creating and showing off their talents again.

L: That’s great to hear—and I think we can all agree with you on that notion! So, a little birdie told me that there is new music on the horizon—but, before we discuss that, I want to touch on the life-altering experience you underwent in 2021 and how that altered your overall outlook on life after your literal rebirth.

C: Someone asked if I was now afraid of dying, but I’m afraid of not living. There are a lot of things you learn in a hospital bed. In February, I thought that I’d be in and out of an urgent care, but ended up on a ventilator, in a helicopter, then put on ECMO life support. Apparently I died some time in that period, so when I got to Morganton, I was actually dead. You know the whole “white light” thing people talk about? It’s completely real. I could write a novel on all of that, but really, I learned that we’ve got a lot to figure out still. Regret hits you heavily. I thought about all the time that I wasted being upset about something/someone , or anytime I’ve been mad about anything. Like, there is a time and a place to be upset, but we have ONE time on this earth to violently pursue our passions and to love each other, while experiencing everything we can.

L: Wow. I can't even fathom what you felt as you rode on that proverbial rollercoaster, but I am SO very happy that you are still with us and sharing your gifts with the world. Speaking of those passions, with your band’s eclectic brand of folk-pop infused indie rock tunes, you’re one of our favorites here at HHMR. We’ve dug the little teaser of your upcoming single with your longtime friend Arlo McKinley and it’s got us stoked for the record release in August! Can you tell us how “Secret War” came about and what that experience was like?

C: This album has a beginning, middle, and end. It fits right in the middle of the whole book. Secret War started as a song of just appreciating everything I have. The first verse says: “I’ve been chillin’ with my head held high, nothing wrong but these untied shoes.” Later on, it turns a bit saying “ lost the battle, war still going.” Arlo comes in on the second verse and layers in the ideas of the battle we are fighting with ourselves all the time. I think we both ended up singing about people who we’ve met in our life that couldn’t handle us at our worst times. It’s a dream to work with Arlo. He’s a genuine human and a loyal friend who was super stoked to be part of this whole thing.

L: Awesome!! As far as the record as a whole, the debut album for Corduroy Brown, is it a concept piece like a story from start to finish, or is it just a collection of some of your favorite songs written from your journey in life? Describe it for us.

C: It’s a story front to back. I included a lot of interludes in between the songs that contain voicemails that people have left me. There’s an interlude where you hear me walking while going to therapy, and the familiar sound of the elevator at the St. James building in Huntington. This album is my life captured from 2017 to now. I finally feel like I got it all off my chest. I honestly feel like I haven’t written my best stuff yet, but this album was necessary to let out everything I’ve let build up for a long time.

L: I love how you've incorporated those moments to create the interludes. Writing is quite cathartic and I imagine releasing your story out into the world like this can be a form of music therapy itself, not only for yourself but for others! In addition to the single with Arlo, are there any other collaborations on the record we can expect to hear?

C: Oh gosh. So many people made this happen. It’s as much mine as it is everyone else's. The album is called Let Me Know because so many people have always said “let me know” if you need anything, or “let me know” what I can do for it. -- Massing, The Dead Frets, from Huntington. A lot of my closest friends like my life mentor and his son are on the album. Jacob from Jewel City Barbershop. The list goes on for awhile, haha.

L: As I always say, "teamwork makes the dreamwork!" That is such a cool concept that you've seamlessly woven into the title and throughout the record, since at times "Let Me Know" seems to just be a cliché that people say. But you and the band have demonstrated how actions *can* match the words! Now, tell me. I've got to know—how did you come up with the name, “Corduroy Brown?” What does it mean to you?

C: Gosh, I can never answer this question. I need someone to figure out a cool story for this. I have no idea.

L: Haha—that's fair! It's a rad name, cool story or not! So for something you can describe, tell me about the music. Since your music is so eclectic and defies the bounds of any one genre, how would YOU describe it?

C: I think technically it’s Rock/Pop/Indie? I don’t know. I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, I love Paramore, and I listen to Miranda Lambert everyday. The sound is all over the place because some of these songs are as old as 2017. You grow up and you change. I think the music captured different parts of my life when these songs were born.

L: "You grow up and you change" is such a true statement. In terms of growing up, I want to backtrack for a moment for readers unfamiliar with you, Alan. Can you tell us a bit about your history and background in music, from childhood to the evolution of your band? Has your heart always been set on being a musician?

C: No one in my family is musical, haha. But in 2008, my mom bought me a Fender CD60 guitar. I wanted to be like the kids who played at school. I stepped into the music scene with a band called The Dividends. Kind of like a RnB/Rock group. We had a really good run, but hung it up in 2019. I think I’ve always wanted this, but now I KNOW that this is what I’m supposed to be doing. Corduroy is composed of some of the A Team of Huntington musicians. We’re good friends first, musicians second. That’s a great combination to make good tunes.

L: I certainly think you are where you're meant to be! Throughout your life, who were your biggest musical influences? Favorite band? Best show you’ve ever seen? Most influential music experience that stands out in your mind? How did all of these sounds and experiences shape you as an artist?

C: I’ve been a complete Paramore fan from their first album. Their “After Laughter” album in 2017 is on constant repeat in my car. I actually listen to a LOT of female artists. Paramore, Lights, Chrvches, Kasey Musgraves. The best show I’ve ever seen was Cage the Elephant. Some of the rowdier songs lean in that direction. The album is kind of all over the place sonically.....it’s not uncommon for a road trip playlist to go from Migos, [to] Chelsea Nolan, to Slipknot.

L: You know, an album always stands out in my mind if it is sonically diverse, giving listeners a true lyrical and musical portraiture of who the artist is. Being a songwriter myself and songwriting nerd, I’m always intrigued by the writer’s process. How did your songs for this project evolve—from conception of the idea to the finished product?

C: I think when I brought these songs to Jeffrey McClelland, I only had a couple finished ideas. They morphed a lot from the start to finish. It’s crazy listening to the original compositions now. Some songs just happen before you even know they’re happening. Some of them take a lot of love. It takes me forever to write songs because I want to make sure I mean every single word and every single note. I’m envious of people like Taylor Swift who can write so many songs from so many different perspectives. It just seems effortless for her.

L: Oh my goodness—same here! Taylor Swift is actually the reason I started writing over a decade ago, because at the time in country music it was so refreshing to have a young female coming into a male-dominated industry breaking down barriers, all the while writing her own stuff and controlling her musicality. Speaking of breaking down barriers, in your community, you’re a well-known activist for topics still clouded with societal stigmas today, such as mental health and LBGTQUIA rights. Why is it so important to you to incorporate these topics into your music and performances?

C: Therapy and medicine saved my life. Everyone should go to therapy whether they think so or not. Logic is so hard to come by when your headspace is burying you. Chemicals affect our thoughts, thoughts affect our actions, actions become habits. We have to get control of that chain of command [and] it’s 2021. It’s hard to imagine that there are still people opposed to LBGTQUIA anything. Life is so short. Love who you love. I can’t imagine being so upset with the way that someone else is happy [and] I will forever be an ally to everyone I can. Huntington’s Pride Fest is in October of this year and you best believe I will be there. Loud and proud.

L: You are such a good human, Alan, and the world is beyond blessed to exist at a time that you do! Love is power, no matter how you look at it. When you think about Let Me Know and the impact it can have on listeners and the music community as a whole, especially in reference to your journey earlier this year, what is the biggest takeaway you hope fans have after digesting the album? What legacy do you want to leave on the world?

C: We get in our own way so many times. Take every chance on yourself. The first person I could call when I got off of life support was my friend Chris (who plays bass in Corduroy) [and] I literally said “WE GET TO RELEASE THIS ALBUM.” I remember when I was doubting even playing music again after the Dividends.

Seriously, do everything. Hold back nothing. Pursue life with a violent passion. Don’t let your final days be filled with regret. Do it all. There’s a lot of fun in this album. Kind of like dancing, but maybe crying at the same time.

L: YES! I've got chills--that is so true, and what I try to make people realize. Our days are limited, so don't be afraid to live your truth out loud. Now for some more lighthearted questions—if you weren’t writing and playing music, what would you be doing with your life?

C: Shewwww. I have no idea! I would love to be a public speaker or a high school teacher maybe? I’ve really considered being a PTA. I love the chance to directly help people, face to face. Extroverted jobs suit me perfectly.

L: You definitely have a genuine smile and charismatic personality that draw folks to you like a moth to a flame, but HHMR is so glad you decided to pursue your passions in music. Are there hidden talents you have? If so what are the most useful, useless, or weird?

C: I’m literally not cool at all really. lol.

L: LIES! You're cooler than the flip side of our pillow, yo. Unfortunately, it's time to draw this lovely chat to a close with the final question. Last but not least, what is your spirit animal?

C: I took an online test real quick before answering this. I got a wolf. I can kind of see some of that with the leadership qualities I have, but I feel like a bear or elephant? Laid back, but also powerful.

L: Hmm....I can vibe with the the bear idea. Easy to love, gives great bear hugs, but will fight for what he cares about....perfect for you, Alan! Thank you so much for joining us today and letting us know all about you.

“Secret War,” the first single with Arlo McKinley will be available July 15th. The full debut album from Corduroy Brown is set to release August 14th. Pre-save the single at the link below:

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*This is an independent article. The Hillbilly Hippie Music Review was not compensated for this interview.

*The opinions expressed are solely that of the author(s).

*These images are not ours, nor do we claim them in any way. They are copyrighted by the artist and photographers.