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.
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 7th and 11th
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.
What a terrific idea and a generous offer. Good luck, Ladies!
ReplyDeleteThanks, TLD--good job.
Barrett
Ms. MacBean! Thanks for stopping by, I hope you get a kick out of SatM!
DeleteI'll be checking it out. Thank you and the Wickedly Sisters.
ReplyDeleteMary Anne
MAF, thanks for taking the time to stop by and sit a spell., Hope you enjoy your copy of SatM!
DeleteSounds delightfully delicious! Email has been sent!
ReplyDeleteWickedShell, meet Wickedly Sisters. Wickedly Sisters, meet WickedShell. Children and small monkeys everywhere should very afraid.....
DeleteThis is wonderful. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteHi Lee, thanks for stopping by TRR! Hope you have as much fun as I did!
DeleteAwesome! I just sent away for it! Wow, your brain, you're leaving it to science, right?
ReplyDeleteBax! Always love when you roll through! I offered my brain to science, but they said they'd prefer to have my Leatherman collection.
DeleteSounds really intriguing, looking forward to seeing this. Thanks for making it available!
ReplyDeleteHi Maire, thanks for coming in to sit a spell. Hope you love Spoon and the Moon, it's a tasty little treat.
DeleteGonna' have to get me an iPad.....Creative idea!
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, great to see you her at TRR again! SatM IS a creative idea, kind of like small-o-vision for the television, only not quite as scary.
Delete