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Hi.

Welcome to This Awful/Awesome Life! My name is Frances Joyce. I am the publisher and editor of this magazine. We'll be exploring different topics each month to inform, entertain and inspire you. Meet new authors, sharpen your brain and pick up a few tips on life, love, entertaining and business. Enjoy and please share!

Next Month in This Awful Awesome Life - April 2024 by Fran Joyce

Thanks for reading the March 2024 issue of This Awful Awesome Life.

I hope you enjoy the Salsa Verde recipe in “The Twelve Months of Salsa.”

Previous issues are available to read on our website. Go to www.thisawfulawesomelife.com

and start scrolling or you can enter specific search criteria.

April is Fantasy month in This Awful Awesome Life. We have a Q&A with author J.V. Hilliard, and I’ll be reviewing his novel, The Last Keeper.

Orlando Bartro, and I will be back with interesting articles for you.

We’ll have another author birthday and our next salsa recipe because you need something tasty to snack on while you read the April issue.

We’re moving some of our regular features around to shake things up a bit and keep you on your toes.

I’ll have more streaming and reading recommendations. “What’s in a Word?” and “Dare to Believe,” will be back, but we’ll be alternating some of our content. We’ll continue the monthly quizzes to exercise our brains, and we’ll continue reviewing books.

I’ll have a short story for you based on our Fantasy theme. This is a new genre for me. I hope I’m up to the challenge.

Stay safe. Stay well. You are important, and you are loved. 

All my best, 

Fran  

 

Answers to the March 2024 Cover Me Quiz:

1.“Respect,” originally recorded by Otis Redding (1965) – covered by Aretha Franklin (1967).

2. “Proud Mary,” originally recorded by Credence Clearwater Revival covered by Ike and Tina Turner.

3. “All Along the Watchtower,” originally recorded by Bob Dylan covered by Jimi Hendrix.

4. “Live and Let Die,” originally recorded by Paul McCartney and Wings covered by Guns and Roses.

5.  “I Will Always Love You,” originally recorded by Dolly Parton covered by Whitney Houston.

6. “Killing Me Softly,” originally recorded by Roberta Flack covered by The Fugees.

7. “Hallelujah,” originally recorded by Leonard Cohen covered by Jeff Buckley (and hundreds of other artists).

8. “Hurt,” originally recorded by Nine Inch Nails covered by Johnny Cash.

9. “Me and Bobby Magee,” originally recorded by Roger Miller covered by Kris Kristofferson who wrote it, and by Janis Joplin.

10. “Sunday Morning Coming Down”  originally recorded by Kris Kristofferson covered by Johnny Cash.

11. “The Man Who Sold the World,” originally recorded by David Bowie covered by Nirvana.

12. “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” originally recorded by Robert Hazard covered by Cyndi Lauper.

13. “Take Me to the River,” originally recorded by Al Green covered by Talking Heads.

14. “Jolene,” originally recorded by Dolly Parton covered by the White Stripes.

15. “With a Little Help From my Friends,” originally recorded by the Beatles covered by Joe Cocker

16. “Tainted Love,” originally recorded by Gloria Jones covered by Soft Cell.

17. “I Fought the Law,” originally recorded by Bobby Fuller covered by The Clash.

18. “The Greatest Love of All” originally recorded by George Benson covered by Whitney Houston.

19. “Stand by Me,” originally recorded by Ben E. King covered by Otis Redding ( There have been over 400 recorded versions of this song including covers by Tracy Chapman, Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, The Kingsmen, Ike & Tina Turner, Mickey Gilley (used in the Urban Cowboy Soundtrack),  Florence + the Machine, The Drifters, and Lemmy Kilmister from Motorhead.

20. “Heard it Through the Grapevine,” originally recorded by The Miracles (aka Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) in 1966, but it was not released until 1968, a year after it was recorded and released by  Gladys Knight and the Pips, the band the song was written for. Covers of the song by Credence Clearwater Revival  and Marvin Gaye were also popular.

21. “Mad World,” originally recorded by Tears for Fears covered by Gary Jules

22. “Landslide,” originally recorded by Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac covered by The Chick (aka The Dixie Chicks) and Smashing Pumpkins.

23. “Angel from Montgomery,” originally recorded by John Prine covered by Bonnie Raitt.

24. “American Woman,” originally recorded by The Guess Who covered by Lennie Kravitz.

25. “Last Kiss,” originally recorded by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers covered by Pearl Jam.

26. “You’ve Got a Friend,” originally recorded by Carole King covered by James Taylor.

27. “It’s My Life,” originally recorded by Talk Talk covered by No Doubt.

28. “Walk This Way,” originally recorded by Aerosmith covered by Run-DMC.

29. “I Will Survive,” originally recorded by Gaynor covered by Cake.

30. “Sweet Jane,” originally recorded by The Velvet Underground covered by Cowboy Junkies and Mott the Hoople. 

March 2024 in Pictures by Fran Joyce

February 2024 in This Awful Awesome Life by Fran Joyce