“The Tumor in The Clay was drawn over several years of Covid Isolation, spent sketching panel after panel of surgical utensils, flowers blowing in the wind, buzzing cicada wings, with the pages of the book illuminating the late nights with a cool blue light, all while line after line was soundtracked to endless endless music”
“This soundtrack is like my brain – soft, loud, quiet, and cheerful. Pour yourself a cup of chai as you take a listen.”
“Assembled Audience is a book I wrote over four years from 2019 to 2024, about the ways people gather together: in celebration and in mourning, in public and private, in airports and on beaches, for leisure or to protest.”
“The book is definitely setting-dependent, so it made sense to create a playlist that draws on the rich musical traditions of Alabama and the Appalachian mountains.”
“I may not mention songs or cite catchy pop lyrics in the story, but the book references so many places specific to musical life in the Bay Area: venues, events, bars. Everywhere in the Bay music thrives.
So here is my article’s premise: you all should consider visiting these places when you travel to the Bay.”
“New Skin is so demented, and so is Mr. Bungle.”
“Music is core to this novel, and although I mostly listen to ambient music while writing, these are the songs that make up its DNA, freckled with nostalgia but facing the future.”
“Many traditional lullabies used scary elements to make sure children stayed safe and still in bed. It is an interesting combination of comforting and frightening.”
“What does madness sound like?”
“In putting together my playlist, I wanted to give a sample of some of my favorite ghostly music.”