I’ve a soft spot for finding out what singers do during their long holidays/ break from the lime light. This is the ones that don’t spend most of their times pushing things up their nose or into their veins that God didn’t intend! Some write comics, some are involved in charities and other noble pursuits, but one of the tried and trusted roots is to knock out a novel and see if the world pays attention.

Of course there’s Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, who could have easily made it as writers, if their day job didn’t pan out, but there’s also a new generation of singers following suit.

Bill Callahan released a book a couple of years back called ‘Letters to Emma Bowlcut’ (I’m still waiting for your review of that one James!). Now Josh Ritter has released his first novel, in the form of Bright’s Passage:

“Henry Bright is newly returned to West Virginia from the battlefields of the First World War. Grief struck by the death of his young wife and unsure of how to care for the infant son she left behind, Bright is soon confronted by the destruction of the only home he’s ever known. His only hope for safety is the angel who has followed him to Appalachia from the trenches of France and who now promises to protect him and his son.”

He’s discussing his new work as part of the Dublin writer festival on Monday the 4th of June. Go see if you can.

I think this is my favorite song by him, and probably for the lyrics more than anything!