Serena’s Articles at Savvy Verse & Wit, Page 317

Clover, Bee & Reverie: A Poetry Challenge

January 27, 2010 by Serena

Regular Rumination is hosting another poetry reading challenge, Clover, Bee & Reverie: A Poetry Challenge, which will run between now and the end of the year. Additionally, participants are not restricted by time period and can read any poetry from Emily Dickinson to more contemporary poetry from the likes of John Amen.

What will I be reading? Not sure yet, but I do have 3-4 must-read contemporary collections in mind for this challenge. You’ll just have to wait and see what else I come with as time goes on.

1. The Wrong Miracle by Liz Gallagher
2. The Guilt Gene by Diana Raab
3. Your Ten Favorite Words by Reb Livingston, which will be the book club selection for my stint on Linus’s Blanket’s That’s How I Blog! on Tuesday, April 13, 2010. I hope you will join us.
4. Questions of Fire by Gregg Mosson

Consider joining in the fun, expanding your poetry reading horizons!

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title links or images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary.

Filed Under: 2010 Clover Bee and Reverie Poetry Challenge, challenges

Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum

January 26, 2010 by Serena

Ryan Mecum’s Zombie Haiku is another fun volume of loose-form haiku, like his recent publication Vampire Haiku (click for my review). In the initial pages, readers learn that the journal is that of Chris Lynch, and the initial haiku spotlight the beauty of nature coupled with Polaroid images and are interspersed with comments from Lynch about his impending death and transformation.

The bird flew away
with more than just my bread crumbs.
He took my sorrow. (Page 2)

Readers see first hand the spread of the zombies throughout the city and how they stagger after their latest victims. Finally, Lynch is attacked himself, bleeding to death from a hole in his neck, before turning into the beings he sees taking over the human race. Struggling with his transformation, he writes haiku about his love for his mother, and the strength he feels even as he withers and becomes a cannibal.

My lungs slow and stop
and I can’t find my heartbeat
but I’m still hungry. (Page 30)

With his jaw snapped off
he can’t bite into people,
which means more for me. (Page 66)

Readers may find that some haiku are not as well formed as others, but that may be because zombies have a mostly one-track mind — brains or eating brains. Overall, Zombie Haiku is not as engaging as Vampire Haiku was, though in small doses the haiku can be amusing.

I’m counting this as my 12th book for the poetry reading challenge.

FTC Disclosure: I purchased my copy of Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum. Clicking on title links or images will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary.

Filed Under: 2009-10 Valparaiso Poetry Review, poetry, purchased, Read in 2010, reviews Tagged With: Ryan Mecum, Zombie Haiku

Mailbox Monday #66

January 25, 2010 by Serena

Marcia at The Printed Page and Kristi of The Story Siren both sponsor memes in which bloggers share what books they’ve received in the past week. I’m going to continue calling these Mailbox Mondays, but The Story Siren also has In My Mailbox.

1. Beatles Rock Band for Wii! I won this at Presenting Lenore; if you haven’t checked out her blog, you should. Pictures are forthcoming…

2. Venom by Joan Brady, which I received from Book Chick City as a participant in her 2010 Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge and it is a U.K. title.

3. City of Refuge by Tom Piazza, which I received from Jen at Devourer of Books for her Feb. 16 appearance on That’s How I Blog, which will feature a 20 minute book club discussion of this book!

4. Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann, which is for TLC Book Tour in May.

And two holdovers from the last mailbox; both I purchased with gift card money:

5. Zombie Haiku by Ryan Mecum

6. Birthing House (audio) by Christopher Ransom, this is the latest book club selection.

What did you get in your mailbox?

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

Filed Under: mailbox monday

29th Virtual Poetry Circle

January 23, 2010 by Serena

It’s the 29th Virtual Poetry Circle, and it’s time to revisit a classic poet, but before we do that, I wanted to thank everyone who has participated in this project thus far. Feel free to spread the word.

Additionally, you should start noticing some small changes here on the blog, including possible article suggests at the end of my posts (Thanks Bloggiesta for calling this widget to my attention) and some share buttons, which I’m not overly thrilled with, but they’ll do for now.

I would also love to get a new three-column template that meshes better with my header, so if anyone would like to volunteer, please email me.

OK, Here’s a poem up for reactions, interaction, and–dare I say it–analysis:

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

Why Should a Foolish Marriage Vow
by John Dryden

Why should a foolish marriage vow, 
  Which long ago was made,
Oblige us to each other now
  When passion is decay'd?
We loved, and we loved, as long as we could,
  Till our love was loved out in us both:
But our marriage is dead, when the pleasure is fled:
  'Twas pleasure first made it an oath.

If I have pleasures for a friend,
  And farther love in store,
What wrong has he whose joys did end,
  And who could give no more?
'Tis a madness that he should be jealous of me,
Or that I should bar him of another:
For all we can gain is to give our selves pain,
When neither can hinder the other.

Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions. Let’s have
a great discussion…pick a line, pick an image, pick a sentence.

I’ve you missed the other Virtual Poetry Circles, check them out here. It’s never too late to join the discussion.

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle

Tainted by Brooke Morgan

January 22, 2010 by Serena

Brooke Morgan’s debut novel, Tainted, is a thrill ride in a small, shoreline town in Massachusetts — Shoreham — as Holly Barrett meets the man of her dreams on a bus. Jack Dane is dashing, charming, and British — an accent to die for — but there is something below the surface that is not so inviting.

“Tell your heart lies enough times and it will fashion them into the truth.” (Page 34)

Holly’s had a tough youth from getting pregnant at a young age to losing her parents and struggling as a single parent. Jack swoops in and casts a spell that she is unwilling to break, despite the objections of her family and friends and only knowing him for about three weeks. Morgan’s writing is upfront and engaging, though at times chapters shift from the point of view of Holly, her five-year old daughter, her grandfather, and others.

“‘Jesus, Holl. You’re traveling faster than the speed of love.'” (Page 106)

Readers will eat up these pages, trying to uncover Jack’s dark secrets, while at the same time wishing they could shake Holly into her right mind. At times, Holly is very naive about Jack and moves too quickly into a relationship, which can be attributed to her inexperience with men and her self-imposed isolation. However, there are a number of occasions where Holly sees clear red flags in Jack’s behavior and chooses to ignore them, reminiscent of abused women. Morgan’s debut novel is a solid thriller with many twists and turns that will have some readers guessing until the very end.

To enter this INTERNATIONAL giveaway for 1 copy of Tainted by Brooke Morgan:

1. Leave a comment on this review.
2. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, or otherwise spread the word about the giveaway.
3. Comment on the guest post.

Deadline is Jan. 29, 2010, at 11:59PM EST

About the Author:

Brooke Morgan is a Bostonian who now lives in London with her two children. Tainted is her first novel.

If you are interested in Tainted, you should check out the rest of the TLC Book Tour.

This is my 5th book for the 2010 New Authors Challenge.

I’m considering this for my 2nd book, a romantic thriller, for the 2010 Thriller & Suspense Reading Challenge.

FTC Disclosure: Thanks to TLC Book Tours, HarperCollins, and Brooke Morgan for sending me a free copy of Tainted for review. Clicking on image or title links will lead to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

Filed Under: 2010 Thriller and Suspense Reading Challenge, fiction, giveaway, New Authors Challenge, Read in 2010, review copy, reviews, tlc book tours Tagged With: Brooke Morgan, Tainted

Vietnam War Reading Challenge Update, and More

January 21, 2010 by Serena

War Through the Generations is now focused on Vietnam War-related reading.

And we had a guest post from Shannon of After the Fire Came a Gentle Whisper about her feelings on Vietnam War literature and what it means to her. If you haven’t checked out the guest post, you should. It just might inspire you to join us this year. You should also check out Shannon’s blog.

Some participants are so on the ball, they’ve already started sending us their review links; check out the first few reviews — My Detachment by Tracy Kidder and In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien. Other book review links will appear on the Vietnam War Book Reviews page as well as on the main blog pages. There are many more reviews from participants filtering in, but right now we’re staggering those posts.

If you have any guest post ideas that you’d like to run by us, feel free to email Email Us.

Finally, the winners among the WWII Reading Challenge Participants have been announced. Interested in seeing who they are? Check out the list.

Filed Under: announcements, Vietnam War Challenge 2010

FreeVerse: Copper Peaches by Serena M. Agusto-Cox

January 20, 2010 by Serena

Every Wednesday, Ooh. . .Books! hosts FreeVerse where participants share their favorite poems with readers. Thanks to Cara for hosting FreeVerse.

Today, I thought I would share a poem I had published many years ago in Beginnings Magazine.

Copper Peaches

Slipped through my fingers,
brown without rainbow dye,
they are brittle and become dust in hand.

An empty peach hourglass.

The chill was sharper than
an ax on a grinding wheel.
Sunlight seeped through cracks,
set these dead leaves afire.

Dark green canopies shelter my way-
deeper behind the farmhouse.
Sunlight sparkles on wrinkled foil,
Caesar’s victory crown, still
untouched.
The blustery wind blows,
dries their skin,
stings my lungs.
They sway clumsily in the draft,
so weighted, they fall.
Ballerinas in Swan Lake
skate across glazed ice
lighter than parchment, but
heavier than air.
Rest upon the ground
bruised from impact and careless trampling
Swiss cheese foil
bronzed and useless for wrapping.

I’ve walked down this wooded way
lined with pine guards armed with sharp needles.
Carelessly treading on crisp rice
echoing pain in the shade.

What do you think? Have you shared a poem with your readers today?

Filed Under: FreeVerse, meme, poetry Tagged With: Copper Peaches, Serena M. Agusto-Cox

International Winner of When She Flew

January 20, 2010 by Serena

It took a while to get there, but we finally have an international winner for a copy of When She Flew by Jennie Shortridge.

Gautami of Everything Distils Into Reading

I hope she enjoys the book. I know I did.

If you missed my review, check it out here.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on image and title links will bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase required, though appreciated.

Filed Under: winners

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

January 19, 2010 by Serena

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See examines the relationship between sisters, May and Pearl, their immigration story from Shanghai, China, to Los Angeles, Calif., and the political changes between the 1930s and 1950s. Pearl was born under the sign of the Dragon, and May was born under the sign of the Sheep. Do these signs define who they are? Will they guide their fate?

“Mama insists May and I couldn’t change who we are even if we tried. May is supposed to be as complacent and content as the Sheep in whose year she was born. The Sheep is the most feminine of the signs, Mama says. It’s fashionable, artistic, and compassionate. The Sheep needs someone to take care of her. . . I have a Dragon’s striving desire, which can never be properly filled. ‘There’s nowhere you can’t go with your big flapping feet,’ Mama frequently tells me. However, a Dragon, the most powerful of the signs also has its drawbacks. ‘A Dragon is loyal, demanding, responsible, a tamer of fates,’ Mama told me. . . ” (Page 9 of the hardcover)

Considering themselves modern Chinese ladies in Shanghai and shunning the old ways of their ancestors, Pearl and May become painted, beauties on calendars that sell products ranging from tobacco to other household goods. Pearl has a crush on the painter who makes the calendars, and despite being the older sister, often loses sight of her sister’s actions and whereabouts. Soon, their world is blown apart when the secrets of their father’s gambling are revealed and they are sold into arranged marriages with Chinese-Americans. Still, these young sisters dream of escape and willfully defy their parents’ wishes, only for the fates to step in and force them to honor their original plans to meet their husbands in America.

The ravages of war hit home in Shanghai as the Japanese invade China, and the Communists flee to the hills of China. Lisa See deftly interweaves the political backdrop of China and the world at large behind the more present plight of the Chin sisters. Through a series of twists and turns that mirror the rise and fall of political powers across the globe, Pearl and May face adversity together, but both emerge vastly changed. Reminiscent of Amy Tan‘s writing about mothers and daughters, particularly the clashes of old and new cultures, See grabs hold of the sisterly relationship to shed light the joys, sorrows, painful moments, and sacrifices that only sisters can share and feel deep down to their core. Larger issues of discrimination and political dissension also are prevalent themes.

Overall, Shanghai Girls is a deep novel that will lend itself to animated discussion among book clubs. Readers will enjoy unraveling the family secrets of the Chin women and their new families, and be exposed to the intricate and complex political and social dynamics of some of the most turbulent times in world history. Not only have these women grown through adversity and sacrifice, but they are sent on a journey to discover what it means to be family.

How I’ve missed reading Lisa See before, I have no idea. But she’s an author I hope to read more of in the future.

To Enter to win 2 copies of Shanghai Girls by Lisa See (U.S./Canada only):

1. Leave a comment on this review about what intrigues you about this novel.
2. Leave a comment on my interview with Lisa See.
3. Blog, Tweet, Facebook, etc. the giveaway.

Deadline is Jan. 26, 2010, at 11:59PM EST

About the Author:

Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Peony in Love, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Flower Net (an Edgar Award nominee), The Interior, and Dragon Bones, as well as the critically acclaimed memoir On Gold Mountain. The Organization of Chinese American Women named her the 2001 National Woman of the Year. She lives in Los Angeles, California. Please check out her Website. Read an excerpt of Shanghai Girls, here, and for book clubs, there are discussion questions.

I also interviewed Lisa See, here.

This is my 4th book for the 2010 New Authors Challenge.

If you are interested in the rest of the tour stops for Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, I encourage you to check out the TLC Book Tour site.

FTC Disclosure: I received my free copy of Shanghai Girls by Lisa See from Random House and TLC Book Tours for review. Clicking on title and image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though I appreciated.

Filed Under: giveaway, historical fiction, New Authors Challenge, random house, Read in 2010, review copy, reviews, tlc book tours Tagged With: Lisa See, Shanghai Girls

Mailbox Monday #65

January 18, 2010 by Serena

This mailbox is another full one and I have no idea how that happened.

1. The Radiation Sonnets by Jane Yolen
2. The Woman I Kept to Myself by Julia Alvarez
3. The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar
4. Gargoyle 54
5. Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger by Lee Smith
6. Christening the Dancer by John Amen, a gift from the poet.
7. An Arsonist’s Guide to Writers’ Homes in New England by Brock Clarke
8. Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
9. Tainted by Brooke Morgan
10. Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie
11. Stettin Station by David Downing

12. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith
13. The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova
14. The Monuments Men by Robert M. Edsel

What did you get in your mailbox?

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on title links bring you to my Amazon Affiliate page; No purchase necessary, though appreciated.

Filed Under: mailbox monday

28th Virtual Poetry Circle

January 16, 2010 by Serena

It’s the 28th Virtual Poetry Circle, and it’s time to revisit a contemporary poet, but before we do that, I wanted to thank everyone who has participated in this project thus far. Feel free to spread the word.

I would also love to get a new three-column template that meshes better with my header, so if anyone would like to volunteer, please email me.

OK, Here’s a poem up for reactions, interaction, and–dare I say it–analysis:

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Today’s poem is from Diana Raab‘s latest collection, The Guilt Gene:

The Guilt Gene (Page 21)

The day before my birth
on the second Sunday in May

when the moon was full
and the stars already

twinkled in my father’s eyes,
a little fella appeared from

a dark corner of my womb-yard,
poked his head out

from between the bushes
and demanded that I ask for

forgiveness before I even knew
what the word meant.

Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions. Let’s have
a great discussion…pick a line, pick an image, pick a sentence.

I’ve you missed the other Virtual Poetry Circles, check them out here. It’s never too late to join the discussion.

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle

Winner of The Bum Magnet

January 16, 2010 by Serena

Out of a mere 12 entrants, Random.org selected 1 winner of K.L. Brady’s The Bum Magnet.

Heidi of Sweepstakes & Contest List Directory

Thanks to everyone who entered. Check out the other giveaways here and on other blogs in the right sidebar.

FTC Disclosure: Clicking on links and book covers lead to my Amazon Affiliate page; no purchase necessary.