Open Road Media has reprinted this terrific anthology with a brand-new cover. "Both Sides Now," my story here, co-written with my wife, Tara Laskowski, was inspired by the song from Joni Mitchell's 1969 album Clouds, though there are certainly other versions of the song—so many, both by Mitchell and by others—which helped fuel our work here.
The Beat of Black Wings was edited by Josh Pachter and features 28 contributors, covering highlights from each of Mitchell’s 17 albums. Those stories and authors, broken down by album, include:
Song to a Seagull (1968)
“Marcie” by Ricki Thomas
“The Pirate of Penance,” by Marilyn Todd
Clouds (1969)
“The Gallery,” by Christine Poulson
“Both Sides, Now,” by Art Taylor and Tara Laskowski
Ladies of the Canyon (1970)
“The Priest,” by David Dean
“Big Yellow Taxi,” by Kathryn O’Sullivan
Blue (1971)
“River,” by Stacy Woodson
For the Roses (1972)
“Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire” by Donna Andrews
“Blonde in the Bleachers,” by Carol Anne Davis
Court and Spark (1974)
“Help Me,” by Abby Bardi
“Free Man in Paris,” by Brendan Dubois
The Hissing of Summer Lawns (1975)
“Shades of Scarlett Conquering,” by Adam Meyer
Hejira (1976)
“Blue Motel Room,” by Edith Maxwell
Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter (1977)
“Talk to Me,” by Emily Hockaday and Jackie Sherbow
“The Silky Veils of Ardor,” by Greg Herren
Mingus (1979)
“The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines,” by Amber Sparks
Wild Things Run Fast (1982)
“Man to Man,” by Barb Goffman
Dog Eat Dog (1985)
“Dog Eat Dog,” by Elaine Viets
Chalk Mark in a Rain Storm (1988)
“The Beat of Black Wings,” by Josh Pachter
Night Ride Home (1991)
“Cherokee Louise,” by Matthew Iden
“Ray’s Dad’s Cadillac,” by Michael Bracken
Turbulent Indigo (1994)
“Sex Kills,” by Alan Orloff
“Last Chance Lost,” by Sherry Harris
Taming the Tiger (1998)
“Harlem in Havana,” by Alison McMahan
“Taming the Tiger,” by Mindy Quigley
Shine (2007)
“Bad Dreams,” by John Floyd