Memo to Marion: She seems to have disappeared from the Net, but if you're interested in women who write from history, see if you can track down the work of Rosalie Peppard. She's back in Nova Scotia now, but a few years ago she was living and playing in Toronto. Her oeuvre focuses on the lives and historical contexts of mostly unknown Canadian women. She wrote a song called Evangeline that is as good as any song I've heard.

Re Nashville. Lots of talented writers there for sure. Kevin Welch and Kieran Kane to name a couple.

My favourite writers today are Rick Speyer and Garth Douglas.