Greetings and welcome to the April 2024 Folkbyte newsletter. I have news on the dissertation and The Storyteller's Guide to Folklore fronts, an excerpt from my preliminary research for The Songwriter's Guide to Folklore, and a monthly Folkbyte newsletter video to share. Onward!
Dispatches from the Word Mines
The Dissertation
The dissertation edits are back from all of my advisors, and I have about two weeks of work to do. (This is a conservative estimate. It's probably closer to a week of work.) When I'm finished with these edits, I'll apply to graduate and start working on my defence. It's possible I'll be permitted to defend from home via WebEx, but I might decide to defend in person anyway. It would be good to visit the university, drive out to Cape Spear with a mocha like I did when I needed a break, and eat dinner at the Peaceful Loft. It's been a long, strange trip, and I'd love to return to St. John's at the end of it.
The Storyteller's Guide to Folklore
Work on The Storyteller's Guide to Folklore is progressing at a decent clip, but now that the project is fully underway, I'm concerned it might not be ready for a 2024 release as planned. There are good reasons for this, and I'll keep you posted on them when I have more information.
The Songwriter's Guide to Folklore
I posted two audio updates for patrons last month. Bibliographies and More Black Metal: A Songwriter's Guide to Folklore Update covers my reading bibliography for the project and discusses a class on ideology in black metal I taught to ethnomusicology undergraduates when I was a PhD student. "A Cur Nan Gobhar:" A Songwriter's Guide to Folklore Update is a strathspey port-à-beul and proof positive I sing in Gáidhlig! You can listen to an excerpt of the first update at the link above, and the second is a private YouTube video you can access by becoming a patron.
Folkbytes for Storytellers
This month’s Folkbyte is about everyday places that come to be repurposed and valued as sacred and the ways you can use this information in your storytelling and world-building.
Conclusion
That's all for now. Thanks so much for your interest! I'll be back in your inbox next month.
Footnotes
Folklore & Fiction Facebook Group
Are you a storyteller with an interest in folklore? If so, the Folklore & Fiction Facebook group might interest you.