music – Andrew Careaga

Friday Five: ‘Saints of the Asphalt’ author and ‘Bad Intentions’ editor Michael Downing

‘I’m interested in what happens when people find themselves at a crossroads and have to make difficult choices’

BREAKING: Bad Intentions is now available for pre-order. Be the first on your block to purchase it! A portion of proceeds will support Philadelphia-based nonprofit Philabundance.

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When I found out last December that Literary Garage was looking for crime stories for an anthology of crime stories inspired by the legendary musical master Warren Zevon, my heart sank like a stone. Because, even though I’m a longtime Zevon fan, I assumed poor, poor pitiful me would have no chance in landing a spot in that book, since I hadn’t written any sort of crime/noir fiction since a Perry Mason story I wrote, probably on a Big Chief tablet, in third grade. Even so, I gave it a shot, and now, as I’ve mentioned here before, my Zevon-inspired crime story is one of fifteen to make it into this anthology.

Through this process, I’ve gotten to know more about the guy put in charge of selecting the stories for this anthology (called Bad Intentions), Michael Downing. Originally from New Jersey (land of Springsteen, as Michael will proudly tell you) and now living in Georgia, Michael is an accomplished writer himself. His latest book, Saints of the Asphalt, published last year, is available online and at select bookstores. (Here’s an excerpt.) Over the past twenty years Michael has written plays, published several books, and has had short stories published in numerous literary publications. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three times, and his fiction appears in several anthologies, including Under the Thumb: Stories of Police Oppression (ed. S.A. Cosby), On Fire and Under Water: A Climate Change Anthology (ed. Curtis Ippolito), and Six Sentences Volumes II & III (ed. Rob McEvily).

A literacy advocate, Michael also is the founder and former creative director of StoryTellers, a community-based literacy organization in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and Rome, Georgia, dedicated to helping underserved teens and young adults develop confidence through creative writing and self-expression.

He now lives northeast of Atlanta with his wife Helen, but remains unmistakably New Jersey—attitude, edginess, and Springsteen songs (just not Bon Jovi). Read on to learn about his writing, his work with Bad Intentions, his literary advocacy, and his thoughts about the music of Warren Zevon.

Inspired by the music of Warren Zevon

Announcing my crime fiction debut in ‘Bad Intentions,’ coming this summer

Warren Zevon image — Warren Zevon. Image via Jesse’s Cafe Americain blog.

Strike up the band, Johnny! Now it can be told: one of my short stories will be included in an anthology of crime fiction inspired by the works of the legendary singer and songwriter Warren Zevon (1947-2003).

Am I an excitable boy? Hell yeah.

I am one of 15 writers to be included in this collection, called Bad Intentions. It’ll be published in July by the good folks at Literary Garage, a Philadelphia-based lit mag that defines itself as a place “for writing that’s a little off the beaten path.”

Essay: Joe Strummer, punk prophet

Reposting an old essay on the 23rd anniversary of The Clash front man’s death

NOTE: Soon after Joe Strummer’s death of an apparent heart attack on this date in 2002, I wrote about The Clash co-founder’s influence as a prophetic voice in the world of punk rock and beyond. My attempts to connect Strummer’s musicianship with Christian theology might be a stretch, but it was a fun thought experiment and I enjoyed exploring those tenuous connections on the page (or the screen). I offer it here as my tribute to Strummer, who, in my opinion, embodied the spirit of ’77 punk rock and infused it with global sounds and a politically progressive worldview that is as needed today as ever.

Earlier versions of the essay below were published in 2003 in the online Christian/emerging church publications RELEVANT and The Phantom Tollbooth.

New writing in Syncopation Literary Journal

Love the ’80s? Check out my latest music-inspired writing.

The latest issue of Syncopation Literary Journal just dropped, and I’m excited to have contributed two pieces to it. Syncopation is a music-focused litmag, and Volume 4, Issue 2 focuses on the music of the 1980s. As a product of that era — most of my favorite music and musical influences come from the rock, punk, and new wave sounds of the late ’70s and early ’80s — this theme is right in my wheelhouse.

Friday Five: Q&A with Natalie Welsh, editor of Syncopation Literary Journal

‘If we listen to each other’s stories—whether told through music, poetry or prose—we may realize that there is so much that connects humanity.’

Those who know me well know I have a deep affection for music. Many other writers share this interest. Natalie Welsh is one of them. She loves music and writing so much that she created a literary magazine that celebrates the fusion of music and storytelling called Syncopation Literary Journal.

Cover of the inaugural issue of Syncopation Literary Journal.

With a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and a Master of Arts in humanities from York University, Natalie brings a rich academic background to her editorial work. She’s also a multi-talented artist. Both writer and musician, she is proficient on piano and guitar, and has had her short fiction published in New Sociology: Journal of Critical Praxis, Indelible Literary Journal, and Duck Duck Mongoose Magazine. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Natalie launched Syncopation in 2021 as a platform for musicians and writers to explore the rhythmic interplay between sound and narrative. The first issue went live in January 2022. I was thrilled Natalie saw fit to include my essay “Not Fade Away” in volume 4, issue 1 of her journal, and I’m happy that a couple more pieces I wrote will appear in volume 4, issue 2, later this year.

In this Friday Five, on the final Friday of Women’s History Month, I’m happy to introduce readers to Natalie and her labor of love.