How Art Thou Cafe - Charleston, SC

Met some great people last night while enjoying How Art Thou Cafe in Charleston, SC. Thank you musician, Catherine Steele, for sharing the stage with me!

http://catherinesteelemusic.com/
http://www.howartthoucafe.com/ 

New Writing Publication - Open for Submissions

Kristen Solecki and I have been working on a new writing publication that hopes to bring short stories from independent writers and coffee shop-like venues together.

Sips Card will be launching in April and we are currently accepting submissions. We are looking for three stories for this first publication. Fresh new fiction of up to 3,000 words.

For more information on what Sips Card is and how to submit, visit www.sipscard.com.

Art/Writing collaboration

The combination of art and text can have a dramatic impression on viewers. We enjoy creating our own stories to the art we see or text we read, but sometimes, as an artist, the combination can bring new life to a piece. The text and art were inspired by Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary.

This featured selection includes the text from one of my songs called My Pennance. It wasn't until my text it was combined with the piece by Kristen Solecki that I really began to understand some of the hidden details of what I had written. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Farewell summer video

It has been too long since my last post; partially because I have been enjoying my summer to the full extent. With that enjoyment has come some work as you can see below. I spent some time recording the infamous 'Everyday' by the ever so missed Buddy Holly. Kristen Solecki (www.kristensolecki.com) was the idea force behind the video and direction.

Please enjoy my interpretation of Everyday, written by Buddy Holly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AM0L2bgTBI

Published in Origivation Magazine

Philadelphia's Origivation Magazine published one of my flash fiction pieces in their June 2011 edition. The story, A Sharp Smile, is about a Philadelphia rock band. The band is on tour in Illinois when they experience a problem with their bus. Their seemingly small problem soon escalates as two new characters are introduced into this short suspensful read.

To read the entire story please visit: http://www.origivation.com/features/june2011/bitter.php

Feel free to post any thoughts or comments below as to the outcome of the story.

Sweet & Shadowed Friends

I have recently finished a story that has been submitted to the Brooklyn Art Library's Fiction Project. Beginning in June, my handwritten story will travel across the U.S. among many other stories from other independent writers. Each Moleskine book can be checked out and read at the tour's current location.

For a list of tour dates please visit: http://www.arthousecoop.com/sketchbookproject2011

The cover spread and the first two pages of this story can be found at http://timlevanmiller.com/writings. All illustrations were done by Philadelphia artist, Kristen Solecki. The synopsis of Sweet & Shadowed Friends is as follows:

Hi, I'm Bill. This is a story about my attempts at a girl named Anna, two friends, and the changes the four of us faced as high school students.

If you live near one of the tour stops, feel free to stop by and browse through the touring selection. I will soon upload the story so it can be read electronically.

'My Penance' acoustic demo is now available

I have finally finished the music to my previous lyrical post, My Penance. An acoustic demo of the song is now available at www.myspace.com/timlevanmiller. Feel free to listen while re-reading the lyrics on my previous post.

The song was inspired by a recent visit to Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary. I was filled with different emotions after seeing the inside of the prison and hearing the various stories about the prison's history. My Penance is meant to be somber and reflective, mimicking the early visions the Eastern State Penitentiary architects had for their facility. The word Penitentiary was first used with Eastern State having been derived from the word Penance meaning 'one's feeling of remorse for one's wrongdoings.' I have tried to translate this emotional side of the word Penance with some of Eastern State's specific history into my song.

Enjoy.