LATINAS WRITE ROMANCE: A VALENTINE TANGO

  

It’s Valentine’s Day.

            Forget the chocolate and the flowers, instead, let’s Tango.

            The Tango started in Argentina and has conquered the world.  In Puerto Rico, we have boleros.  Slow dancing.  Partners come together; circle each other, while passion hovers around them.  Boleros are like a prelude.

            The Tango is action.  It’s both sensual and sexual.  It’s both ethereal and carnal.

            The Tango screams desire, passion. 

It screams SEX.

            The dancers come together in an open embrace.  The female’s hands are draped over the male’s shoulders.  His hands at her back to guide her, to establish the rhythm. 
He advances, she retreats.

            The footwork is fast and calculated.  The dancers invade each other’s space.

            Legs entangled. 

Hands caress.

There’s heat, friction, intensity, possession, and at last, surrender.

            Like love, the Tango captivates and mesmerizes both dancers and lovers.

            

Here are some of my favorite Tango scenes from some great movies:   

From “Take the Lead” with Antonio Banderas, click here.  

From “Scent of a Woman," click here.

From “Frida, The Movie,” click here.   
(This one is between Frida and Tina!)

From “Dirty Dancing," click here.  
(Love this Patrick!)

 

And if you want to try a few steps with your partner, click here for a quick lesson from Tango expert Jesus Reyes Ortiz.

Now that you've learned my passion for the Tango.  Check out what other Latinas are writing about on Valentine’s Day:

For Mercedes Cruz, click here.

For Vanessa Peters, click here.  
(Click on the "pencil" on the right for her blog.)

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Feliz Dia de los Enamorados!

May your Tango last forever!

SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR AUTHORS: BLOGGING

by Maria C. Ferrer

To blog or not to blog?

I say, YES! 

As I mentioned last month, editors and agents are looking and buying authors who are on the social networks.  Authors need to be seen and heard.  A blog is a perfect vehicle for both.  A blog is like a public journal that is always active and available.  A website is too, but I consider websites more of a PR kits, where readers can visit and check out your photo, bio; read some excerpts; browse your bibliography and oh-and-ah over the book covers.  Websites are “book marks” for your public face.

A blog, on the other hand, is a living, breathing journal.  A blog is where you write about yet another NYC snowstorm and how your slip in the middle of the Food Market inspired a short romance between a TV celebrity chef and “the milkmaid” selling her family’s dairy products.

(NOTE:  For those who don’t know much about blogging, think of a blog post as an article for the newsletter.  Only you are writing for your own personal newsletter aka blog.)

On your blog you can be as brief or as verbose as you want to be.  Or you can write nothing at all and just post pictures of frozen fountains, hanging icicles and red-cheeked boy-toys.  You can blog about anything and everything. And then you can link those blog posts to your website, Facebook and Twitter pages, etc.

Now the big question is – What do I blog about?!

Here’s a short list of blogging topics:

1)      Write about writing – the process, conferences, fantasy worlds you enjoy.

2)      Interview interesting people you meet – other writers, the dog walker or President Clinton (I met him last year. Got the photo to prove it!)

3)      Write about things you love – dogs, knitting, water towers, Indian captives, etc.

4)      Share quotes that inspire you or enrage you.

5)      Share a playlist or your TBR pile list.

The secret to a successful blog is to make it a fun and a provocative place for readers to visit.

For example, I have always loved Kwana’s blog (www.kwana.com) because she always includes a note about Jack, her dog.  I enjoy reading Nalini Singh’s blog and newsletter (www.nalinisingh.com) because she always adds a new excerpt or a free short story.  I am having fun reading Sylvia Baumgarten’s new blog (http://sylviahalliday.blogspot.com) because of its title, Life Lessons From An Old Bitch.  And, let’s not forget Elizabeth Mahon’s Scandalous Women blog (scandalouswoman.blogspot.com), which became a book!  I love reading about daring, fearless women who are not afraid to live life to the fullest.  (I want to be just like them!)

Visit some of these blogs.  Check out other blogs by your favorite authors /editors /agents /celebrities. And, of course, visit the RWA/NYC Chapter Blog, with hundreds of posts from numerous romance writers; plus, sexy book covers every Friday! Visit the blogs.  Study them. Ask yourself, what you like about them? What can you "borrpw" from them? And, also see what does NOT appeal to you and make sure you don’t do that.

Big question #2 –  Do I have to blog every day, every week?  

I say, NO!  

Study your personal and writing schedules.  Take a day, and write two, three or more articles on different topics, and then schedule them throughout the month.  And since you will have linked your blog to your social media pages, you are all set. Viola!

Are you ready to start blogging?!  Blogger (www.blogger.com) and WordPress (www.wordpress.com) are two free sites.  I use Blogger.  I find it simple to post and schedule my articles. Try it.

Start blogging today!  Remember, you want to be seen and heard.♥

  

LATINAS WRITE ROMANCE....with author Vanessa Peters

   

I am proud to introduce you to author and painter Vanessa Peters.  She is our Guest Blogger today and part of the Latinas Write Romance Blog Tour this month.  Welcome, Vanessa!

MY FAVORITE TYPE OF ROMANCE….FATED LOVE

by Vanessa Peters

There is an undercurrent to all romance stories that pulls the reader in.  Sure the sexy and steamy parts are a big draw, but what keeps our dear Constant Reader coming back again and again is the love story at the core of it all.   We all have our predilections towards a certain type of romance -- tragic love, unrequited love, first love….

But, what is it that attracts a reader to a particular type of love story?  Why is one tale of romance more alluring than another? 

As a teenager, I was drawn to any and all types of tragic romances, the darker the better.   But with age and experience, taste and tendencies change, now in my thirties I find I prefer a love story centered on…sigh…fated romance. 

There is a seed that is planted in the mind of our dear Constant Reader from every tale we weave of fated love.  It is a seed born of lost loves, old crushes and lovers of days past, which blooms at the end of each story.  Fantasies of what-ifs and a force greater than ourselves that could lead the love they lost at 18 to suddenly reappear.  Fate would weave a web of events and chance encounters that would bring that one great love back to them.

And then maybe they end up being a werewolf too…but that’s a story for another day.♥

Born and raised in New York, Vanessa Peters lives and works out of her apartment in Brooklyn.  A lover of art and self-professed romance junkie, she spends her free time, when not writing, reading and visiting galleries throughout the city. She is a true believer in love at first sight, and that the best stories come when opposites attract and sparks fly.  Vanessa is currently working on her first full length novel under the name Vita Perez.  Visit her at  www.vanessa-peters.com.  Twitter  @VPetersBKNY  Instagram  @vpetersbkny. And, visit Vita at www.vitapetezwrites.blogspot.com.  Twitter @VitaPerezWrites.

Visit the first stop on the Latinas Write Romance blog tour by clicking here.

  

SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR AUTHORS

by Maria C. Ferrer

You heard it all last year -- an author's presence on the social networks helps to sell books.

Yes, it's true! Your Facebook page, Twitter account and Pinterest files are being watched by editors and agents alike. In fact, the number of your friends, likes and retweets can guarantee you a sale. What does this mean to us authors?

It means that we need to be seen and heard on the social networks.

SEEN

Here are the basic four I recommend:

1. Website -- think of this as your "business card" on the web. This is a stationery location for all your data, including bio, photos, books or works in progress, links to your blog and social networks, excerpts, etc. Keep it updated.

2. Blog -- think of this as your soap box. Chat about your writing, your research, your opinion of the latest episode of Scandal, the runway in Paris, etc. You can even do interviews with editors, agents, other authors, etc. These are very popular.

3. Facebook -- great place to catch up with friends and authors and make connections.

4. Twitter -- another great place to chat and one that forces you to be witty in 140 characters or less.

Remember that you can link all your social networks to each other and your website and blog. This way your presence is everywhere.

HEARD

You need to be "heard" on the social networks. Here are some tips on being "heard:"

1. Start by commenting about a TV show. For example, while "Scandal" is on, thousands of fans are chatting online. Use the hashtag and join in on the "conversation."

2. Like and retweet comments from other writers, publishers, industry professionals, friends, etc.

3. Make comments of your own to what others are posting. You want to make your presence known.

4. Do interviews with editors, agents, authors and others. Post them on your blog and then promote on your social networks. Again, you want to get your name out there and people commenting on your posts.

Now before you run off and sign up for every social network in the universe, let's be realistic. Before catching up with all the social networks, let's look at our writing schedule.

Some people recommend posting at least five times a day; others recommend five times a week. I recommend studying YOUR writing schedule and THEN making the best choice for you. But note that even once a day, once a week is fine.♥

This article first appeared in the January 2015 issue of Keynotes, the newsletter for the Romance Writers of America/ New York City Chapter.     It will be a monthly column, which I will share here on my blog as well. 

  

THE BORINQUENEERS: WRITING MILITARY HEROES

 

Soldiers make the best romance heroes for their unselfish desire to protect, their undying loyalty to their country, and their firm bodies that can squeeze a lover ever so tightly.

Some of the best soldiers in US history are from Puerto Rico.  Did you know that Puerto Ricans have been fighting on behalf of this country since the American Revolution?  Puerto Rico did not become a US Territory until 1898 with the end of the Spanish American War, and did not organize an infantry until 1901.  But for the past century, Puerto Ricans have fought bravely for a land that still treats them as second class, and that often forgets that YES, Virginia, Puerto Ricans are US citizens.

            In 1950, the 65^th Infantry Regiment gave themselves the nickname of the Borinqueneers in honor of the island’s Taino name, Borinquen.  These brave men have distinguished themselves throughout WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Iraq and now Afghanistan.   This year, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade was dedicated to them.  To date, the Borinqueneers have earned 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, 250 Silver Stars, 600 Bronze Stars, 3,000 Purple Hearts, and finally, on June 10, President Obama awarded them Congressional Gold Medals.  A handful of the original soldiers were there to accept.

            It is this dedication to country and duty; it is their honor and bravery that make soldiers such good romance heroes whether they hail from Puerto Rico, New York, Texas, et al.

            Soldiers are a worthy subject of songs and stories.  You can write about the idealistic boy joining the army, the brave vet storming the beaches or the wounded hero returning home. All heroes, all ready to protect our lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness.  So now let’s honor them by writing them a happy ending full peace, harmony and above all love.♥

 

 

June 10, 2014-- Original Borinqueneers look on as President Obama awards them Congressional Gold Medals.

 

 

NEW YORK FRIDAYS: Farmer's Markets

I love Farmer's Markets.  The smells, the colors, the variety of fruits and vegetables; Plus, assorted jams and jellies, breads, meats, wines, etc.

Farmer's Markets are also great places to take photographs.  Here's my vegetable photo of the day -- onions.  I love their long lines and the jolly way they are leaning over each other, like someone told a good joke and they all fell over laughing.   (The writer in me sees stories everywhere!)

Happy Friday! ---m

 

 

 

WHAT TO BLOG ABOUT

  
Blogging is a great way to get name recognition, build an audience and promote yourself.  Here are some suggestions of what to blog about on your site:

1)      Your writing process.  Blog about where you got the inspiration for the story; your research; locations where you’ve set your story.  Blog about your characters; do interviews with them.  Blog about writer’s conferences/ workshops you attend.

2)      Showcase your writing.  Post scenes, dialogue, excerpts.  It wets the reader’s appetite for more of your work.  For example, author Diana Gabaldon used to post her work on the internet for readers to critique.  By the time her book was published, she had hundreds of people waiting for it.

3)      Use pictures.  All your blog posts should contain photos.  But photos can be blogs in and of themselves.  A picture is truly worth a 1000 words so share away.  For example, flowers, dogs/cats, locations, dresses, landmarks, oceans, et al.  Put up photos of what your characters look like; photos of locations/cities where you’ve set your book.  Your readers will love it.

4)      Do interviews.  Interview other authors, editors, agents, other bloggers, librarians, booksellers.  You can also interview people that are in the same profession as your characters.  These can be great learning experiences for you and other writers and readers.

5)      Hobbies/Pets.  Yes, hobbies and pets make good blog fodder.  They are fun ways to connect with readers.  For example, author K.M. Jackson has a great blog (www.kwanawrites.com) and she always adds snippets about her dog Jack.  Readers often ask about him, and keep going back to her to hear about the dog’s antics.  Another example, author Nalini Singh (www.nalinisingh.com) writes a leopards and wolves series.  She also posts photos of cubs and pubs on her blog, and now her readers are sending her photos for her blog.  That engagement with your readers is priceless, and is what all writers want to achieve.

6)      Tie-ins topics.  These are topics that touch upon the themes in your book.  For example, if you are writing a cop thriller, blog about cops, guns, bounty hunters, etc.  If you are writing paranormals, blog about zombies, vampires, shape shifters, ghosts, angels that are in your books.  If your main character is a baseball player, blog about baseball.  Etc. Etc.  You get the idea.

7)      Blog for others.  Volunteer to blog for other authors and other writer sites.  This will expose you to other readers and help build your brand.

 

 

Happy Blogging!

 

NEW YORK FRIDAYS: They're back!

The good thing about winter and all the snow was that someone took away the City Bikes.  But, now that the sun is out, they're back.  Yikes!

Yes, they are good for your health.  Yes, they make the city money.  But, they also cause me heartburn when I see bikers without helmets playing cat and mouse with oncoming traffic.

Happy Riding.  Happy Friday.--m

 

 

 

REASONS TO BLOG

 

Writing is a business.

 

Today, the publishing world is going social and digital, and writers need to do the same.  Editors are looking a writer’s social numbers – that’s the number of people who follow your blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.  Publicity and marketing is up to the author, and a cheap way to do both is through a blog.

 

 

REASONS TO BLOG

 

1)      Name recognition, also known as brand recognition.  YOU are the brand.   New writers –just as much as published writers -- need to make connections with readers, booksellers, book reviewers, editors, agents, et al.  

 

2)      Build an audience.  Family and friends help, but writers need a wider, far-reaching readership.  It takes time to find readers, and the sooner a writer starts the better.  This is especially true for unpublished writers.  Get your name out there now.

 

3)      Promotion.  Your blog is one of the few places where you can self-promote again and again without being obnoxious.   Post a countdown to your publication date.  Have the links to all the places your book is available for sale, et al.


Happy Blogging!
 

NEW YORK FRIDAYS: Spring IS really here!

Yes, it's true Spring is here.

 

The snow is gone. The sun is out, and the flowers are bursting forth. 

 

Happy Friday!

 

 

 

SELF-PUBLISHING IS NOT FOR THE LAZY

Writers Write.

 

Publishers do everything else, or at least they used to.

 

Today’s populace is seduced by the millions authors such as Sylvia Day have made on their self-published novels. But we must remember that those books were not mega sellers until they were bought by traditional publishing houses and distributed worldwide instead of just word of mouth.

 

Savvy authors doing their research know that the mad rush by editors to buy up self-published books is now grinding down to a halt. Unless a self-published author comes with at least 5000 followers, editors are wary. Don’t get me wrong, editors are buying self-published but they are looking hard at the author’s social numbers.

The big question for any author considering self-publishing is do you have the time, the cash, and the support system in place to get the job done well?

A self-published author has to be her own editor, designer, typesetter, proofreader, and printer. I am not going to mention marketer because all authors, whether published by traditional publishers or self published, have to do their own marketing.

So how many hats can you wear well?! Well being the operative word.

Of course, you can pay for others to do the editing, cover design, typesetting, et al. And, yes, there are small outfits that will help you self-published your book, even some agents are getting into the action, but the fees are hefty. Do you have enough money to pay someone else and will your investment be worth it?

Self published authors have to be prepared to do it all. You can’t be lazy.

If you publish with a traditional house, you have their expertise and all their connections immediately at your fingers tips. Self published authors may have to wait months, if not years, before making those kinds of con­tacts. But there are a few indie published author networks that are good sources of support and information.

However, none of that is going to help you if you are not writing. And, if you are not writing, there is noth­ing to sell to either a traditional publisher or to self publish.

My advice is for authors to be flexible. Research the market. Know your strengths. Manage your time. And, write, write, write.

Most experts will tell you that the best authors today are the hybrid authors – ones that are selling to tradi­tional houses and doing their own self publishing on the side. It’s all part of being a smart business person, and writing is a business. At the end of the day, you are the boss, whatever hat you want, but remember that your most important hat is that of writer.♥
  

LOVE IS….FINDING THE RIGHT WORD CHOICE

I was busy writing a scene which read:

…a blush stained her cheek…

The word stained stopped me for a second and I backtracked and crossed it out and wrote “colored” over it. Even as I wrote “stained” I knew that it was the wrong word. It didn’t convey the true meaning of what I wanted my heroine to feel or my reader to witness.

…a blush colored her cheek…

The imagery is much better with my new word choice. Plus, I didn’t want a negative connotation associated with any part of my heroine. Colored gave just the right image.

As writers we make these word choices intuitively. Sometimes we are not even aware that we are changing the words because we are in the zone. Then when we are editing and polishing, again we review our word choices and change some for dramatic effect.

We’ve shared some of our favorite words on the Craft Loop, like loathsome, perch, ethereal, whimsical. Each word choice carries its own meaning, its own identity. And it is those word choices that populate our novels. (FYI, I had colored our novels but changed it to populate our novels. More dramatic, no?) It is those word choices that will create our world, that motivate our characters, that move our reader.

Eliza Doolittle may have been sick of words, but they are an author’s bread and butter. The more words we know the better we can manipulate them and the better our writing.

Alice Orr has two pages of action-words she likes. Thea Devine has a little black book of sexy phrases she likes to refer to. How many of us don’t have “favorite” words somewhere, whether it’s jutted down in a note­book or filed away in our heads. By selecting the correct word, we can stir the five senses in our writing and in our readers, and that makes our job easier (hopefully!) and gets us fans for life (hopefully!).

How and where do we find these words? By reading everything – novels, maga­zines, newspapers, tweets, subway ads. By listening everywhere – at the coffee shop, on Pandora radio, other people’s conversations, TV shows, movies.

So next time you sit down to write or are writing down ideas, watch your word choices. Why did you pick that word over another? What does that word choice convey? Does it pack a punch? Does it delight the senses? Do you love it?###
 

PASSION COMES FIRST

   

 

For some strange reason, I have begun collecting quotes and sayings found around the streets on the sides of buses or ads on subway trains. The latest addition to my collection is from a Ketel One ad:

Exceptional Things Come

When Passion Comes First

That rang so true to me. I had to take a picture and make it my new opening backdrop.

It’s a New Year. Time for a new beginning. Time to start a new book, where "exceptional things (will) come." Why? Because "passion comes first."

Passion comes first for all writers. More than the fame and fortune --stop laughing! -- we writers are enamored of words, of settings, of characters. We can look at a picture and imagine a life. We can hear a word or a sentence and imagine the whole scene and its aftermath.

What marvelous powers we have! We can create worlds in numerous ages and times and colors. So as you start your New Year, maybe start a new novel, let’s all remember these five tips:

1) Write what you know

2) You can’t edit a blank page

3) Every word counts

4) Just do it

5) Passion comes first.


Happy New Year! Happy New Beginnings! ---mcf
  
 

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH BEGINS TODAY!

  

 

This is it -- November 1. The first day of National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. And the challenge is on – 50,000 words in 30 days.

The secret to winning this challenge is to write, write and write some more.

Don’t think.

Don’t edit.

Just write.

Write whatever comes into your head --- dialogue, narrative, lists, et al. If your character is thinking of a song, of a poem, of a blog post, then write it out. It will keep your writing juices flowing.

Remember that EVERY word counts.

Don’t cross out any words.

Don’t delete anything.

Just write.

And, don’t stop to do research or track down references. Make a note in your manuscript that you have to research this and that and keep writing. You can do the research later.

You want to write as many words as possible every day. The mathematical formula states that if you write 1666 words a day, you will reach your goal of 50,000 in 30 days. But let’s be realistic, some days you’ll write more than 1666 words, others you’ll write 66.

It doesn’t matter how many words you write per day. It only matters that you make the 50,000 by November 30.

So, don’t get discouraged.

Remember that every word counts.

And write, write and write some more.

Good luck. Happy Writing.♥



Maria Ferrer has entered NaNoWriMo four times and won twice. She is looking for a few good men and, oh yeah, her third NaNo win.

THINGS TO DO WHILE WAITING FOR “THE CALL”

 

You’ve finished your book and have submitted it to an editor or agent.  Hallelujah.  Congratulations! 

However, you just can’t sit around and wait around for “the call;” the wait will drive you crazy.  And drive others around you crazy as well with you checking your phone every other minute.  Here are some things to entertain yourself with during the wait:


1)      Greet the Family.  They may have grown while you’ve been in your writing cave.

2)      Treat everyone to dinner out.  They are probably tired of takeout food.   If you live alone, then treat yourself to a day at the spa or a long hot bubble bath and a good book.

3)      Clean the house, because you know they didn’t do it properly.  Of course, if you have the means, contact a cleaning service and just supervise. Cleanliness is good for the start of a new book.

4)      Catch up on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.  Maybe move up a couple of levels on Candy Crush.

5)      Pull out the outline for book number 2.  It’s time to flesh it out so you have something else to show when you get “the call.”


Good luck! ---mcf
  
  

DO IT ANYWAY!

  

 

 

Writing is like exercise. Sometimes you wake up eager to get out and stretch and write. Other times you wake up and you don‘t have energy even to get out of bed. That is when you have to say to yourself, Do It Anyway.

Do It Anyway. A wonderful motto I first heard from author/editor/agent Alice Orr. It was true ten years ago, as much as it is true today.

Your writing does not have to be perfect. Does not have to be vast. It just has to be. Like Nora Roberts has said at numerous conferences, she can fix a written page; she can‘t fix a blank one.

If you want to see results, you have to write.

If you want to sell a book, you have to write.

If you want to be a published author, you have to write.

Writing is not easy. We all have productive days; other days it‘s a struggle to squeeze out even one line. And, life too does not make things easy. There are distractions everywhere – family, friends, work, responsibilities, duties, et al.

Do It Anyway. Whether you write one sentence, one page, one chapter, just write. If you have to force yourself, then you know what? Force yourself to write. Every day or every week. Don‘t go more than a week without writing because, like in exercise, it will take much longer to warm up.

Writing is like a muscle. You have to keep using it and often. And on those days that nothing seems right, when the energy is at zero, Do It Anyway. You‘ll thank yourself in the end.♥
 

COSMO RED HOT READS FROM HARLEQUIN LAUNCHES TODAY!

  
 

Harlequin, one of the world’s leading publishers of books for women, and Cosmopolitan, the world’s largest women’s magazine, have formed a book publishing partnership to bring Cosmopolitan’s fun, fearless female sensibility to fiction readers everywhere. Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin will present independent, adventurous women in contemporary settings and feature fast-paced plots, great dialogue and compelling romance.

We asked Malle Vallik, Editorial Director of Harlequin’s Digital Editorial Initiatives, who heads this new line, how they planned to marry “Happily Ever After” and “Happy Right Now”?

MALLE: Great question! Most of our heroines will be in their twenties so I think Happy Right Now may lead to Happily Ever After. While I am a fan of the happily ever after story and read them all the time, I think these shorter (30,000) word stories featuring women living and loving and figuring out their lives and how to achieve the happily ever after can mean finding the great guy who may be the forever guy, but these books can also include plot lines where she realizes she is better off kicking him to the curb and considering his friend who didn’t lie or isn’t afraid of commitment. These stories will be truly current romances. Cosmo readers and romance novel readers will enjoy the HEA but I believe they will also be more than accepting of the heroine having a slightly untraditional HEA.

Sylvia Day, New York Times’ bestselling author and Romance Writers of America President, signed a seven-figure, two-book deal to launch the new series. AFTERBURN, will be released on August 15. The sequel, AFTERSHOCK, will follow on November 15. “I’m excited to share these sizzling new romances with readers, and to do so hand in hand with Harlequin and Cosmopolitan, beloved brands known for giving women exactly what they want,” commented Sylvia in a press release.

Congratulations to Harlequin, Cosmopolitan, Malle and Sylvia!♥

For the full interview, visit www.rwanycblogginginthebigapple.blogspot.com.

  

PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY -- AMSTER YARD

I found the most beautiful and picturesque courtyard in the city -- Amster Yard at the Instituto Cervantes, an institution that was founded by the Spanish government in 1991, to promote the Spanish language and Spanish and Hispanic-American culture.  The best place to learn Spanish in the Big Apple!

I could spend hours there ... reading, writing, dreaming.  Care to join me?

The Muse

The oasis

Comfy chairs

The view... Up!

PICTURE FRIDAY: I♥NY – GIBSON GUITARS

 
I♥NY.  As I mentioned before, I love discovering new things around and about my New York. I will share my findings and photos with you every Friday so stay tune!


Today, I have pictures of The Gibson-Baldwin Showroom, formerly known as The Hit Factory on 54th Street.

The Hit Factory is no more, and the Gibson-Baldwin Showroom is just that a showroom -- empty space for people or corporations looking to throw a party in a different kind of venue, and the Gibson-Baldwin Showroom is very different. It’s also a forgotten part of New York’s music legacy.

The Hit Factory was where Michael Jackson produced his album “Bad,” and where Steve Wonder recorded his mega hit album, “Songs in the Key of Life.” Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen and others also recorded there.

The original Live Room (where the band played) is still there with its double-pane sound-proof glass; the control room on the other side of the glass sits empty, its motherboard gone; and two isolation booths are on the sidelines. One was usually used for the singer, the other for a piano or drums. There’s a club in the basement where Michael perfected his moves, and a room filled with guitars, lots of guitars. There are the traditional acoustic guitars, the Les Pauls, bass guitars, electric guitars and even one with a double neck like the one Jimmy Page played with while on tour with Led Zeppelin.

I can’t play for beans, but my father and uncle did. They used to play acoustic guitars. Their signature song for me was “Las Mañanitas.” I love that song and still play it for each of my birthdays and on special occasions.

Happy Friday. May your life always be filled with good music! ---mcf