The other interesting thing with the Child ballads is the notes about the provenance of different versions. To use “Henry Martyn” again, one variant was from a printed broadside, another from Yorkshire fishermen, corroborated by a very old woman who sung it ninety years ago, another from a “coal-heaver,” another “communicated by Mr. George M. Richardson, as learned by a lady in northern New Hampshire more than fifty years ago from an aged aunt.” That showed the way songs were changing as they moved to various communities, but also that the old versions were often still in living memory at the time he was doing his research. I love that they’re recognizably the same song, with some small differences and some larger ones.
Uncanny Magazine: You are both a musician and a writer, so I’m curious—did you create a melody to go with the lyrics? Have you (or might you in the future) performed/played this song?
Sarah Pinsker: I did! This one had to work as a song as well as a story. I almost always do write at least some lyrics and the melody for the songs in my stories, but I usually deliberately leave the lyrics out of my fiction, and this time they were the core of the story. There are an intimidating number of verses to memorize, but I’m thinking of recording one version for fun. I’ve sent it to a couple of friends for their versions as well.
Uncanny Magazine: Music is a recurring theme in your fiction, appearing prominently in both your short fiction and your longer works. What other things do you find yourself returning to repeatedly?
Sarah Pinsker: Hmm. I love exploring the places where music and fiction collide. I like exploring memory and nostalgia and history. I like looking at limitations of power and also ordinary people finding strength/power, even when it’s limited. Beyond that, this might be something for other people to look at in my work. I’m afraid if I self-analyze I’ll become too conscious of it.
Uncanny Magazine: What are you working on next?
Sarah Pinsker: My second novel, WE ARE SATELLITES, will be out on May 11 from Berkley. It’s a different near-future from A SONG FOR A NEW DAY, looking at a brain implant and how it affects the members of one particular family.
I don’t know if you’ve found this, but it’s been hard to concentrate on writing this year. I’ve particularly struggled to write anything near-future, which is usually my jam. Hence murder ballads and historical stuff. The other big project I have underway is a historical novel. I’m not ready to talk about it yet, but the research has been fascinating.
Uncanny Magazine: Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!
© 2021 Uncanny Magazine
Caroline M. Yoachim is a two-time Hugo and four-time Nebula Award finalist. Her short stories have been translated into several languages and reprinted in multiple best-of anthologies, including three times in Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. Yoachim’s short story collection Seven Wonders of a Once and Future World & Other Stories and the print chapbook of her novelette The Archronology of Love are available from Fairwood Press. For more, check out her website at carolineyoachim.com.
Thank You, Patreon Supporters!
by Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas
Uncanny Magazine would like to thank the following people for supporting us on Patreon. This magazine would not be possible without their support.
Space Unicorn Ranger Corps RECRUITS
ml cohen, Katie Rodante, Danielle, a pair of enchanted gloves, Titus Fortner, Mr. Robin White, Andrew Gregg, Nadine Noll, Anitra Heiberg Lykke, Andrew S. Fuller, Aleksi Stenberg, Karen, Damien Neil, Not_the_brain, james qualters, Gillian Daniels, Maria Schrater, Roy Ha, Leetmeister, Max Andrew Dubinsky, Kayti Burt, Hayley Klug, Amanda J. McGee, Dread Singles, Robin Hill, Liz Argall, S P, Ken Schneyer, Ryan Pennington, Neil Ottenstein, CathiBeaStevenson, Penny Richards, Josh Smift, Will Hindmarch, Jay Lofstead, Sidsel Pedersen, John Overholt, Annaliese Lemmon, fadeaccompli, Ai Lake, David Versace, Andrew and Kate Barton
Space Unicorn Ranger Corps ENSIGNS
Julia Pillard, Nicky Martin, Nicholas Davies, Monique Cuillerier, Thomas Faust, D. M. Baldwin, John Coxon, Kristina Saccone, Fabienne Schwizer, Greg Chapman, Eleanor, Khael, Lael Tucker, Colin, Kate Coe, Jaime McLeod, Jana W., Sofia G, Kathrin, Ross Williams, Andrew McIntosh, Alec Ross, Beth Myers, Karen Young, Simon Hoerder, Melanie Savransky, Ailbhe Leamy, Pete Kirkham, John Atom, Chris Gates, Kim Park, Christine McCullough, Shaun Garvie, Kim Meric, Felicia Jordan, Jessica Lee, Meg Pontecorvo, Tracey Thompson, Ryan V Thummel, Shannon H, Jenn Brissett, Brian J. Sanderson, Lisa Cox, Sonja Pieper, Kelly Quantrill, Kristi Chadwick, Aditya Dubey, Kari Keeling, Taylor Alcantar, Goetz Kruppa, Bonnie, Amit Gupta, Agnes, Peter Schmitt (Aragos), Douglas Dluzen, Hiu Gregg, Mary Brock, Chawin Narkruksa, Tuomas Pohto, Emily Goldman, Beth Hoffman, Alina Kanaski, Matthew Bennardo, Brad Preslar, Fiona Parker, Alison Gilder, Writer Markus Regius, Natalie Boon, Luke, Caroline Pinder, Vicente JM, Ben Hammerslag, Tina Skupin, Eris Young, Andres Guevara, Chessa Hickox, machine_person, John, Charlie Lindahl, Lauren Strenger, Carrie, Beth McMillan, Sarah Jansen, Emily Kvalheim, [email protected], Leanne Kathleen Daniele, Sadie Slater, Andrew Hickey, Julia Struthers-Jobin, Tim Campbell, Michael Jeffries, Melissa Brinks, Nick Mazzuca, Maria Haskins, Craig, Sarah Elkins, Victor Eijkhout, Melissa Martensen, Joe Iriarte, Selim Ulug, Jacqueline Rogoff, Sarah Bea, Amanda B Cook, Ellen Zemlin, Risa Wolf, John Cetrone, Cynthia Murrell, SB Divya, Gina, Tiffany M., Albert Bowes, Wordsmith Lynn, Leslie Ordal, Maria, Gene Breshears, Ysabet MacFarlane, Erik DeBill, Emily, Laura K, David Demers, Jeffrey, Ondrej Urban, John Klima, Emily Hogan, Paul Weimer, Renae Ensign, Marc Beyer, Lauren Vega, Rebecca
Space Unicorn Ranger Corps LIEUTENANTS
Christiane Knight, Salvatore Fabbiano, Kalina, Sarah Jackson, John Reynolds, Starr Hoffman, John Tobias, Kenneth Otani, Jacob Aldrich, Kyle DeVries, Matthew Montgomery, Jane Hinsenkamp, julianna zdunich, Koa Webster, Sarah Hale, Randall Beeman, Danielle Weaver, Nicola Wanless, Alena Geffner-Mihlsten, LInda Thompson, Ahsan A. Latif, David, Stephanie Novak, Rich Rubel, Sarah Trott, Haley N Cowans, A T-L, Margaret N. Oliver, Joan Combs Durso, Elan Samuel, Sarah Berriman, Rosier Cade, devorah hill, Josef D Prall, Sam Gawith, Kirby Li, Jeff Xilon, Declan Meenagh, Christi Clogston, Melissa Stahr, jenn northington, Gareth Morgan, Ravian Ruijs, Bee Buehring, E, David Dagg-Murry, Raphaelle, Emma Osborne, Sarah Biz, Max G, Matt, George Hetrick, Todd Honeycutt, Thomas Marks, Derek Smith, R. Mark Jones, Erin Bright, michael smith, Ariana Dawnhawk, tatere, Adrian, Kaylan McCanna, Elena Gaillard, Lorelei Kelly, medievalpoc, Anna Evans, heather payne, Katherine Wagner, Devin & Stephanie Ganger, Phil Margolies, Brandi Blackburn, Cait Greer, Jen Talley, Ian Radford, Brian McNatt, Adam Israel, Aaron Roberts, Jennifer Melchert, John M. Gamble, Sarah L., John Chu, Brooks Moses, Clarissa R., Deborah Levinson, Didi Chanoch, Michael Lee, Adam Leff
Space Unicorn Ranger Corps COMMANDERS
Gareth Jelley, Kelly Lester, Sally Pehrsson, Chip Roland, Camille Knepper, Lila Libby, Elizabeth Galliher, Mairin Holmes, Autumn, Justin, William T. McGeachin, Alex Eiser, Katherine Mead-Brewer, Alexander M Henderson, Scott Day, Emily Capettini, Crystal Huff, Kate O’Connor, Marzie Kaifer, Kevin Lyda, Edmund Schweppe, Nicole Fuschetti, Dain Unicorn, Jayme, Bliss Ehrlich, Daniel (a raven)
© 2021 Uncanny Magazine
Lynne and Michael are the Publishers/Editors-in-Chief for the four-time Hugo and Parsec Award-winning Uncanny Magazine.
Nine-time Hugo Award winner Lynne M. Thomas was the Editor-in-Chief of Apex Magazine (2011-2013). She co-edited the Hugo Award-winning Chicks Dig Time Lords (with Tara O’Shea) as well as Whedonistas (with Deborah Stanish) and Chicks Dig Comics (with Sigrid Ellis).
Along with being a six-time Hugo Award-winner, Michael Damian Thomas was the former Managing Editor of Apex Magazine (2012-2013), co-edited the Hugo-finalist Queers Dig Time Lords (with Sigrid Ellis), and co-edited Glitter & Mayhem (with John Klima and Lynne M. Thomas).
Together, they solve mysteries.
>
Uncanny Magazine Issue 39 Page 21