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Like all of the Silver Sphere Novellas, “Return of the Visitor” opens with a life-threatening event. The sixth book in the series finds Amy and Jacob Casell joined by their alien and android friends, attempting to evade a swarm of supersonic fighter jets determined to blow their Starship out of the sky unless the crew can identify themselves adequately.   The situation is grimly ironic because Silenna, an extraterrestrial from a survivor colony called New Aneleya, is returning to Earth to fulfill a humanitarian promise she made after an interruption to save an Analeyan crew of survivors marooned in deep space. The reason for the imminent danger is a breach of communication and a Starship that looks nothing like the one Silenna arrived in five years ago.   Arcon, a super intelligent AI who lives in a silver sphere, is in charge of telepathic communication. With an incompatible radio frequency between the Starship, the jet pilots, and the base, telepathy is the only means of communication. With Arcon’s unprecedented breakdown, the crew cannot communicate their peaceful intentions, leaving their odds of survival dwindling by the minute.   “Return of the Visitor” is a fast-paced, multi-layered Sci-Fi adventure that will keep you surprised and entertained from beginning to end. Although it is the sixth novella in the series, the author has included enough background information to make it a stand-alone story, perfect for new recruits and veterans alike. #AlienTechnology #AlienHealingTechnology  #Femaleheroes #MysteryScienceFiction #PoliticalScienceFiction #FemaleStarshipCaptain #FBIScienceFictionStories #ConspiracyScienceFictionStories #TheAlienAndThePresident #OuterSpaceBattles

In this song, Cat Stevens is singing to a woman he yearns for in a Human form. On another level, he may be singing, aware or unaware, to the Divine Feminine. In either case, the object of Stevens’ love is unattainable in the present. Yet, I believe, the admirer (Stevens) continues to yearn for his beloved in the hope that he will, one day, meet his perfect love, in either or both Human and Divine forms. There are many interpretations of “How Can I Tell You.” In my view, the song is hopeful rather than despairing. However one interprets “How Can I Tell you,” I feel the song is filled with incredible beauty that cannot help but shine through. Stevens first met Alun Davies as a backup musician in a recording session. He liked what he heard. After another session, Stevens recognized that Davies was an exceptional talent. In a following private session, Stevens played something like fifty of his original songs for Davies, whereupon Davies decided Cat was also an exceptional talent. He agreed to accompany Stevens on an upcoming tour. After the tour, Davies became Stevens’ permanent 2nd guitar until Stevens stopped playing music with his conversion to Islam in 1977. When Stevens began performing again in 2003, the two artists reunited. Here is a new version of “How Can I Tell You” with me playing and singing Davies’ now famous second guitar part.

Have you heard of Steve Gillette?  If you were alive in the 1960s and liked folk music, there’s a chance the name rings a bell. Gillette never reached the top of the charts, but he’s a very talented singer/songwriter. Many of his songs have been performed by artists you have heard of ,  including John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot , Ian and Sylvia , Nanci Griffith , and Linda Ronstadt. "The Bells in the Evening" appears on Gillette’s debut album, released in 1967. The album, simply titled “Steve Gillette,” stands as one of Steve’s finest recordings. “The Bells” is a bittersweet (actually sweet-bitter) song of love blossoming in the spring and fading away in the fall. I find the melody and lyrics deeply moving. Perhaps you will, too. The song is also replete with imagery. When you listen, what images come to your mind? I’ve revisited “The Bells of the Evening,” adding a new background track by Giovanni Egusquista. Here’s my cover.

A movie studio commissioned a composer to write "Everything I Do" for Kevin Costner's Film, "Prince of Thieves." Bryan Adams, with his producer Mutt Lange, wrote the lyrics, bridge, arrangement, and outro. Adams used a line from the movie for the song title. The studio did not like the instrumentation in the finished product. They buried it midway in the credits, not anticipating what a huge hit the song would become. "Everything I Do" is one of the most successful singles of all time, selling over 3 million copies. It was #1 for 16 weeks in England and seven weeks in the United States. Please enjoy my cover with background instrumentation by Giovanni Egusquiza.

Here’s another song, written by Paul Kennerly and made famous by Emmylou Harris, called “Heaven Only Knows.” The song was released on Emmylou’s 1989 album, “Bluebird.” The song reached #16 on the Hot Country Music Chart. Since I’m a newcomer to the Country Music Scene, I’d never heard of Paul Kennerly before. He’s an Englishman who has written 30 published Country Music songs. (I guess there are stranger things that abound in our world). I don’t recall Kennerly’s name being mentioned in connection with any of the songs I’ve covered here. Be that as it may, he has written two powerful songs that Emmylou Harris has brought to my attention. I covered the other song, “ Born to Run,” in my previous blog. “Heaven Only Knows,” as performed by Emmylou and her band, features a driving beat, compelling lyrics, and the recording artist’s beautiful, singular voice. Here’s my cover:

While searching for a video of Bruce Springsteen playing his iconic hit “Born to Run,” I stumbled upon a video of Emmylou Harris  singing “Born to Run.” Now, here’s the fascinating surprise: Emmylou is singing an entirely different song written by Paul Kennerly. And this song really rocks. Released in 1982 as the second single from Harris’ album Cimarron, “Born to Run” reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. Emmylou Harris sings like an Angel. She is a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee. I added Emmylou to my Hall of Fame alongside other Angels, including Eva Cassidy , Nanci Griffith , Linda Ronstadt , and Kate Wolf . Here’s my cover of Paul Kennerly’s “Born to Run.”

An entertaining glimpse into the future of AI captured in a riveting story across space and time. World Book Awards Gold Medalist—Science Fiction: Crime & Mystery World Book Awards Gold Medalist—Science Fiction: Romance The AndroBiotica Adventures chronicles the futuristic life and times of Derrick Faulk, an agent, investigator, and explorer surrounded by a rare breed of extraordinary friends and associates. Consider this your invitation to slip into enthralling, imaginary worlds and experience dangerous missions of the utmost importance. The novel combines the first two books in the series in an upgraded format to keep readers immersed from the beginning to the shattering climax. Start your journey today. “Replete with engrossing subjects and considerations that make it highly recommended  for sci-fi readers.” Diane Donovan—Senior eBook Editor—Midwest Book Review “David Gittlin’s ANDROBIOTICA 2: Journey in Time offers an intriguing and timely tale of artificial intelligence and corporate intrigue. The novella  is a fun read with an interesting take on the mechanics of time travel—something very difficult to accomplish these days.” Kara Dennison for IndieReader “David Gittlin takes sci-fi to a new level!” Courtnee Turner Hoyle—Readers’ Favorite Available in eBook, Paperback, and AudioBook formats on or about August 25, 2025

This song is about a man who gives up his dreams to live a life of routine monotony due to the crushing necessity of earning a living. In a 1997 interview with  Mojo  magazine, Browne said of this song: “I’m a big fan of ambiguity and its bountiful rewards, and ‘The Pretender’ is two things at once. It’s that person in all of us that has a higher ideal, and the part that has settled for compromise, like Truffaut says, there’s the movie you set out to make, and there’s the one you settle for. But in a more serious sense, ‘The Pretender’ is about 1960s idealism —the idea that life is about love, brotherhood, justice, social change, and enlightenment. These concepts were prevalent as our generation reached its stride, and later, we settled for something quite different. So when I say ‘Say a prayer for The Pretender,’ I’m talking about those people who are trying to convince themselves that there really was nothing to that idealism.” (excerpt from an article by SongFacts.com ) The boldface type is about a lyric in the song I could relate to most, since I lived through that period: “I want to know what became of the changes we waited for love to bring. Were they only the fitful dreams of some greater awakening?” Here’s my cover of “The Pretender.

Jackson Browne’s guitar techniques, lyrics, and melodies stand apart from the crowd. What he says through his music is sometimes searing, sad, and occasionally, happy. However, all of Browne’s songs have something in common: an incredible sensitivity and beauty. Browne wrote “These Days” when he was only sixteen years old. Despite his youth, Browne demonstrated a keen sense of heartbreak. I’m not sure how a sixteen-year-old could feel the depth of emotion and remorse expressed in this song. If we assume Jackson experienced and gave voice to the words and tone of “These Days,” then he was wise beyond his years and deeply rooted in himself from early on. The song had its first release when a protégé of Andy Warhol named Nico picked it up on her “Chelsea Girl” album. Brown played acoustic guitar in the background. “These Days” gained wider recognition when several artists subsequently covered it. Brown eventually released his version of the song in 1973 on the album “For Everyman.” He rewrote “These Days” to make it more optimistic. In his own words, Jackson remembers, “Over the rest of my teenage years and into my 20s, I developed a kind of optimism, a kind of resoluteness, so I changed [one verse] to: ‘I’ll keep on moving, keep improving.’ That’s more to me what life is made of, the idea that I’ll get through this, I’ll continue looking.” I’ve always wanted to play this song the way Jackson Browne does. Thanks to my friend Jerry Lambert , I can now do it. Here’s my cover.

The Newest Addition to the Silver Sphere Series Writer and adventurer Jacob Casell,  his lovely Astronomer wife Amy, and their brilliant but moody AI friend, Arcon, are at it again. Joined by new crew members, the trio embarks on a training mission in preparation to chauffeur a group of world leaders around the solar system to impart perspective and promote peace. As is often the case, their intentions are honorable, but the results are disastrous. While parked in orbit around the swirling clouds of Jupiter, four alien freighters appear to siphon off enough of the planet’s gaseous atmosphere to cause a gravity imbalance. The intrepid Aneleyan Starcruiser, which Amy and Jacob have named ‘the Dauntless,’ will be devoured and crushed by Jupiter’s gravity unless the crew can escape orbit. Find out what happens next in this extraordinary adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very end. Although Return to Aneleya is the fifth book in the Silver Sphere Series, there is enough background included in the story to orient new readers and allow them to enjoy the novella as a stand-alone offering, and arouse enough curiosity to pick up the earlier editions. Return to Aneleya is available in eBook and AudioBook editions on Amazon.com and Quality Online Retailers Worldwide.

Is Marc Cohn a one-hit wonder? The answer, in a word, is “yes.” That being said, Walking in Memphis is a noteworthy accomplishment for a man who has spent most of his career steadfastly under the radar. To his credit, Marc won a Golden Globe Award in 1991 for Best New Artist. Now, well into his fifties, Cohn is still touring with an ambitious schedule ahead in 2023. Working on this song made me wonder: What made Elvis Presley so popular? In case you may be wondering too, here's an article that helps to explain it . Here’s my cover of "Walking in Memphis."

The songs that stay in our minds the longest don’t always have the most profound lyrics or melodies, nor are they performed by the best singers. These elements are, of course, important. But in the final analysis, it’s often the songs that perceptively explore the emotions and situations of the human condition that live on after their writers are gone. There is one song that has been covered by major musicians and vocalists of the past two generations, and it played a pivotal role in helping its writer forge a career as a performing artist as well as a writer. Tom Paxton released "The Last Thing On My Mind" in 1964 on his album, "Ramblin' Boy." The inspiration came from blues virtuoso Dave Van Ronk's version of "He Was A Friend of Mine." This lost love ballad became one of Paxton's biggest hits. He is also remembered for his protest songs against the Vietnam War. Here's my cover. #songwriting #lostlovesongs # breakups #lookingbackonlove #Acousticguitarwithvocal #hitfolksongs #sixtiesmusic