Hilary Mantel, the author of the “Wolf Hall” novels which are now being adapted to the stage, was asked by the New York Times recently: How does it feel to see your characters come to life?
She responded by asking another question: When were the characters dead?
The car’s front visors were down as we squinted ahead on the German Autobahn. It was a gloriously bright and warm Sunday in late winter. Destination: Ludwigsburg and the Bauer Studios.
Stefan, Dani, and Anne converged from nearby Offenburg; Jamie, Krista, Marc, and Alari drove up from Basel; and Jakob took the fast train down from Hamburg. The purpose was to lay down the vocal tracks on one of Marc Storace’s solo numbers in TEST, the song “I Been Thinking A Lot.”
Two “p” words come to mind when you talk about creative tasks: passion and perseverance. Although the final call on success may be out of your hands, passion and perseverance are the way you set yourself up for the possibility of success.
Twins are great to have around, right? Double the fun at parties. Double the jokes when they’re on a roll. And cool two-part harmonies that seem to come from one voice. No mean trick, that.
You can flip the above, of course, and it’s double the tedium when the twins are feeling down. Double the duds when they’re not on a roll. And twice the effort when you want to have your distance. You get the picture.
Risk comes in all shapes and sizes. But risk-takers have common qualities: passion in abundance, a strong will, and no fear. Risk-takers love the thrill of adventure, and they’re itching to be first-movers in the next big thing. I’m pleased and honored to say that more than a dozen private investors have hitched their wagons to TEST to roll out across uncharted territory.
A good website grabs your attention, propels your interest, and gives you the information you need. It has to be well-designed and unique. It needs to be a place where you can have fun, too: watch a cool video clip or listen to some good music. On top of all that, it needs to be addictive.