Spoon and the Moon by Wickedly Sisters/Davis Studio, LLC

iNovel:  Spoon and the Moon

Authors:  Marie Davis and Margaret Hult

Developers:  Wickedly Sisters/Davis Studio, LLC

What would you think if I told you that the very first lead guitarist in a superstar band was a woman in a satin dress with a poufy updo?

“We didn't have any instruments,
so I had to use my guitar.”
— Mother Maybelle Carter

Mother Maybelle Carter is arguably the most important and influential guitar player in American music history. A self-taught musician, Mother Maybelle grabbed the attention of generations of guitarists with her trademark strumming—known as the Carter Scratch—which was faithfully played on her 1928 Gibson L-5 archtop acoustic guitar with f-holes until her death some fifty years later.

Her distinctive rhythm guitar style, where the melody is played on the bass strings, usually low E, A, and D while rhythm strumming continues above on the treble strings, high E, B, and G, was developed and refined during the years when African-American guitarist, Leslie Riddle, was collaborating with her brother-in-law, A.P. Carter.  While Mr. Riddle used an innovative form of strumming and sliding known as “alternative bass,” Mother Maybelle reversed the style and made it her own. In essence, introducing one guitar as both a melody and a rhythm instrument, and revolutionizing the modern music industry like no single person has done before or since.

Well heck, someone had to do it….

Spoon and the Moon by Wickedly Sisters/Davis Studio LLC is the world's first, full length, interactive, digital novel. Built by lesbians for and about the LGBT community, the iNovel and App is a groundbreaking confluence between the visual, musical, and literary arts. Based loosely on the English nursery rhyme, Hey Diddle Diddle, this full-length adult fairytale features a laugh-out-loud storyline that is decidedly crisp, cleaver, comical, and crafty. 

As the story begins, we’re introduced to a lactose-intolerant, moon-loving, obsessive-compulsive, yard-Nazi cow that lives next door to our heroine, Lil, who happens to love girls, power tools, ants, and ice cream (in exactly that order.) In the following pages the reader encounters a sociopathic dog named Bitty, a spoon with a mad crush, gabby ants, Johnny Two-Fingers, a murder of crows, thunderstorms, a violin-playing cat, a lascivious colander, flying ice cream sandwiches, a star with a crusty attitude, talking red gingham panties, a euphonium playing giant, a fabulous drag queen named Ambrosia, and more. Much, much more.

Trust me, it’s quirky but it works.

Showcasing an amazing soundtrack, each of the 21 chapters kicks off with a song written and performed by talented musicians from Europe and North America. In addition, the bold and brassy story, which is well written and decidedly cheeky, is chockfull of colorful, static illustrations (both linked and automatic) and whimsical pop-up animations, some of which are downright saucy.  The navigation is smooth, the artwork is superb, the layout is efficient and effective, and the interactive elements are simply fun.

And it's loaded with red hot hoochie coochie.

Much like Mother Maybelle in the world of music, Wickedly Sisters (a.k.a., Marie Davis and Margaret Hultz) have revolutionized lesbian literature with a product that is part iNovel and part App—their whimsy and imagination are refreshing, their story is unlike anything in print, and their vision is game changing. Each and every page of Spoon and the Moon offers wonderful surprises, and repeated visits to the App will surely result in the discovery of something new each and every time.

It’s kind of like the gift that keeps on giving.

Spoon and the Moon isn’t your father’s Oldsmobile, and much like graphic novels and comic books, it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. Because it’s an interactive application, it is only available for the iPad, Kindle Fire, and Android. Therefore, only readers embracing those technologies will get the opportunity to experience this rare and wonderful treat.  Still, I’m giving Spoon and the Moon a high and tight 5.2 on the Rainbow Scale, and I'm waiting with eager anticipation for the next iNovel to spring forth from the deliciously devious minds of Wickedly Sisters.

Click here to catch a sneak preview of "Spoon and the Moon."

If you have an iPad, Kindle Fire, or Android, Wickedly Sisters want to offer a free copy of Spoon and the Moon—either the app or an iBook—to the first 300 TRR readers who want to take it for a spin.  So, between March 7^th and 11^th you can send them an email with the subject “FREE BOOK” at spoonandthemoon@yahoo.com, and they will email you the details for receiving your free copy.  Tell them Salem sent you.