Del was a rock singer. He was also the renegade son of the Ruby Dynasty, which made his career choice less than respectable, and gave him more to worry about than getting gigs and not getting cheated by recording companies, club owners, or his agent. For one thing, the Ruby Dynasty ruled the Skolian Imperialate, an interstellar Empire, which had recently had a war with another empire, the Eubian Concord. For another, Del was singing on Earth, which was part of a third interstellar civilization, and one which had an uneasy relationship with the Imperialate. Del undeniably had talent, and was rapidly rising from an unknown fringe artist to stardom. But, with his life entangled in the politics of three interstellar civilizations, whether he wanted that or not, talent might not be enough. And that factor might have much more effect than his music on the lives of trillions of people on the thousands of inhabited worlds across the galaxy.
Columbia based author Catherine Asaro is well known for her science fiction, fantasy and near-future suspense novels. What is truly unique about her upcoming May release, "Diamond Star," is that she learned to sing to complete the project.
Catherine has a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from Harvard. She's a ballerina and a winner of the coveted Nebula Award, for her novel "Quantum Rose." And now, along with the Baltimore band "Point Valid,' she's a musician. She has answered a few questions for The Examiner.
1) Your new book about the rock star sounds fascinating. What inspired you to write it ? How did the CD come about?
Well, I always knew this one character, Del, would end up as a rock singer. I wrote about him as a side character in my book, The Quantum Rose, and I've wanted for a long time to pick up his full story. So that's how the new book, Diamond Star, came about. As to what inspired that plot line, it's hard to say. I never really know where the stories come from; they just form in my mind while I'm relaxing or writing. It makes sense, though, that it involves music. I've always had a close connection to both rock and classical music. I make up the stories to music, and it inspires new ideas.
The lyrics to Del's songs ended up being more integral to the book than I initially expected. I wanted them to fit with music, but of course I didn't have any since they're original. So I tried composing a few songs. In 2007, I sent my lyrics and music to Hayim Ani, the front man for Point Valid, a rock band in Baltimore. We started with a song called Carnelians, one of the most important in the book. That collaboration grew into a full length CD performed by the band and the many talented musicians they brought into the studio.
Not all the lyrics were finished when we started recording. I was also having trouble with one song called "Emeralds." It was supposed to be done, but I didn't like what I had written. On the day Hayim did vocals for that song, I sat in the recording studio on the floor a few feet away and wrote while he sang. So I was literally doing the last rewrite of the lyrics as he recorded them. And finally, they flowed out. He was also able to look at them and make suggestions for phrasing that fit his music better. It was very satisfying for me as a writer to work that way, listening to him do the song while his music filled the studio.
2) What is your typical writing day like?
It varies so much. I often write late at night. I've been known to go to bed when the sun is coming up. Like right now. :-D This past year, I've mostly worked on the CD, but now I'm writing again. And I also coach math teams, as a volunteer, so during the day I'm often involved with that job. Yesterday I finished proctoring the USA Mathematical Olympiad for one of my students.
3) Among your books, who are your favorite hero and heroine?
That's hard to say. Soz would be one, certainly, as heroine. I just finished Diamond Star, so right now Del is my favorite hero.
4) Tell us more about the band and your music!
The guys were great. Point Valid currently consists of three people: Hayim Ani on lead vocals and guitar, Adam Leve on the drums, and Max Vidaver also on guitar. David Michelsohn helped found the band and played the bass on some of the songs. Dave Nachodsky, our recording engineer and co-producer did bass on most of the others.
Hayim and Point Valid wrote a lot of the music for the CD, and I wrote most of the lyrics, as well as music for three songs. Hayim also contributed three original compositions, both music and lyrics. He does the vocals on almost all the songs. I do sing a bit, a solo called "Rubies," and the female vocals on "In Paradisum," "The Sound of Silence," and "Sapphire Clouds." A fellow named Michael Belinkie did the vocals for the Carnelians Finale. And Hayim brought in a lot of his friends to do guest parts, either instrumental or backup vocals. They were all excellent. I like them all. If I had to pick one that stands out the most for me, I think it would be the violin solo by Dina Eagle in "Emeralds." It's haunting.
The CD has twelve songs: eleven originals and the cover of "The Sound of Silence." I suppose you could say it has thirteen if you count the Gregorian chant, "In Paradisum," as separate. But that's really part of the song "No Answers." There's also a "hidden" track. It's the instrumental version of the "Carnelians Finale" the ends the CD and is a pivotal song in the book.
To help me write the book, Diamond Star, I learned to sing. I enjoy it and plan to keep studying. In addition to taking voice lessons, I joined the Central Maryland Chorale last year as a first soprano. Among the shows we're doing this year, we'll be doing Rutter's Mass of the Children at Carnegie Hall. We're also performing in just a few weeks here in Maryland, doing Ein deutsches Requiem by Johannes Brahms. The chorale has a website at www.centralmarylandchorale.com.
As a soloist, I'm working now with a jazz pianist, Donald Wolcott, who accompanies me in concerts, both on pieces from the CD and covers of other songs. He does some gorgeous stuff. Our tour schedule is up at:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30435705&id=1262904650
My full book tour, including non-concert dates is at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Catherine-Asaro/33623623207?ref=ts#/pages/Catherine-Asaro/33623623207?v=info&viewas=1262904650
The songs from the CD as well as photos of the band scan be found at the Starflight web site:
http://www.starflight.com
And finally, four slideshow videos and one full video for songs from the CD are also up on You Tube.
FULL VIDEO:
Breathing Underwater
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKzs5DzCC_I&feature=channel
SLIDESHOWS
No Answers, with In Paradisum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qFmdFtDdKM
Diamond Star
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FesC7bN8D4
Carnelians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vro5XJuoDss
Carnelians Finale, instrumental version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2OTGvrMjno
5) Do you have any advice for aspiring novelists? Musicians?
Probably the most important advice I can give for either is to believe in yourself. There will always be people who try to say you can't do this or that. You have to tune out the naysayers. That doesn't mean not listening to constructive criticism: it's invaluable. No matter how much talent a person has, you still need to work at your craft, either writing or music. But you learn how to listen, to know when critiques are constructive. And always keep working, writing, composing. Practice, practice, practice. Do that, constantly honing your craft, and you'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.
Best regards,
"The Diamond Star project is a collaboration between author Catherine Asaro and Point Valid, an alternative rock band from Baltimore. The album is a soundtrack for Catherine's book, Diamond Star, due out from Baen/Simon&Schuster in May 2009. The CD, Diamond Star, by Point Valid with Catherine Asaro, will be released in April 2009 from Starflight Music."
Comments
I love your books! They are the absolute best! You're my favorite author & considering how much I read & how long I've been reading sci-fi/fantasy, that is saying a lot! I'm 65, been reading these books since the age of 8 & yours are the best. I've read your series at least twice & Diamond Star, well, I read it & then 2 weeks later read it again. You are at your best on the 'big' goosebumpy moments. Your development of character, personality, background--everything!!!--just superb! And then what do I find that just tops off the cake? You live in the same town as me. That's so wonderful! Please keep writing these wonderful books. I just love them! You are unsurpassed!!!
Oh, PS, I bought all your songs too & loved them so much that I bought the band's other album too. My favorites were Carnelians, No Answers & Emeralds. I'm almost as much a fanatic about music as I am about reading. I collect vast amounts of both. If you're ever looking for any musical inspiration & don't care whether you understand the words or not, here are some suggestions, all of which can be found on ITunes. Fei Yu-Ching (Chinese), Gesangmeiduo (Tibetan-this is the band's name-the singer's name is Kelsang Metok (she sings in Mandarin, Tibetan & Hindi), Googoosh (an Iranian singer), Aref (another Iranian), Teresa Deng (Chinese) & a player of Erhu (a stringed instrument) Cao Yu-rong. I know it's probably silly of me to give you these entertainers names but I figure anyone as intelligent as you & so interested in music, as well as writing, might like being exposed to something different.
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