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Guest Post: Writing Down the Moon by Erica Goss

September 25, 2013 by

Erica Goss, the poet who wrote Wild Place, continues to keep us up to date on her 12 Moons project with vocal talents of Nic S. and the musical talents of Kathy McTavish. We’ll be sure to keep everyone in the look on this collaborative project.  Check out the first guest post.

Please give Erica a warm welcome:

I didn’t ask why my country was
moonstruck, deep in the month of July
when I was nine years old. I didn’t
care about the stiff unflapping flag
and even less about steps, leaps or
mankind.
        from “Buck Moon” by Erica Goss

Writing the twelve poems that form the text for 12 Moons, an art project combining words, voice, music, and video, was one of the few times that I have consciously set out to write a series of poems based on a theme. Like any project, I began with a burst of energy and enthusiasm, but found that I needed to work hard to keep the momentum going.

The project involved writing a poem for each full moon, using the traditional names of the moons as titles. I avoided using obvious moon references, and especially any moon clichés. I cast back in my memory for events that had happened during a particular month to use as a place to start, but only a few clear recollections appeared. Mostly I wrote about the feeling of that month, and about how people respond to the seasons, whether or not they are aware of the moon’s influence over their moods.

I had one really good historical event to use: Apollo 11. When I was nine years old, the first man set foot on the moon exactly one week after my youngest brother was born. I blended these events into the poem, “Buck Moon.” I used the voice of myself at nine, unimpressed with the moon landing, having just had my world rocked with the arrival of a new sibling.

Many of the poems, if not most, are located in the culture, people and landscape of California, where I have lived my entire life. As James D. Houston said in an interview for The Bloomsbury Review, “California is endlessly compelling to contemplate and write about. I didn’t choose to grow up here, but by lucky chance – the lucky choice my parents made – it happens to be my habitat. And in my own life I’ve found that a sense of place, that kind of grounding is really essential.” In a place as large and disparate as California, we obey the laws of nature, whether in LA’s Skid Row, or the low round hills of Sonoma County, or while Christmas shopping at a mall in San Jose.

I found that writing the moon poems was not a linear process. I didn’t move sequentially throughout the year, starting with January; instead, certain events associated themselves with certain months, and the poems unfolded from those points. The first moon poem was “Snow Moon,” the full moon of February, then “Strawberry Moon” (June) and “Hunter’s Moon” (October). The rest of the poems appeared the same way: haphazard inspirations over the next five months. I finished the last one on August 30th.

12 Moons will appear beginning January 2014 at Atticus Review.

More about the process of making 12 Moons in the next post. Here are links to the artists involved in 12 Moons:

  • Swoon’s website
  • Kathy McTavish’s website
  • Erica Goss’s website
  • Erica Goss’s column on video poetry.

Are you as excited about this project as I am?

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Guest Post: 12 Moons, a Video Poetry Project Coming in 2014 by Erica Goss

August 28, 2013 by

You may remember Erica Goss and her glorious collection Wild Place, which I reviewed here on the blog last year. Her verse was as untamed as the nature inside the poems and her words made the “beauty beneath the scars” tangible.

Collaborative projects require a great deal of patience with time lines and creative sensibilities, and when the project requires not only a poet, but also a video artist and musician, the potential for something groundbreaking can increase exponentially, and the challenges can be large, but overcome.  When Goss told me about her latest collaborative project, I was thrilled to offer her some space to share it.

 

When I was born

they gave me a name

that itched like a rash

and demanded ritual objects.

-from “Flower Moon” by Erica Goss

One day last winter, my son mentioned in passing that each recurring full moon has a traditional name; i.e., the full moon of January is called “Wolf Moon,” and the full moon of December is the “Cold Moon.” The names of the moons vary only slightly from culture to culture, proving that regardless of where humans live or what they believe, they share an understanding that the moon influences not only the seasons and climate of Earth, but also the imaginations of its people.

This knowledge inspired me, and I wrote “Snow Moon” and “Strawberry Moon” within a few days of each other. I sent those poems to Swoon (Marc Neys), a groundbreaking video and sound artist whose work in video poetry is exceptional, with the hope that he would find them worthy subjects for his art.

Swoon suggested that I write twelve poems based on the traditional names for each month’s full moon, and that he create a video for each one. He also suggested that we include the vocal talents of Nic S., and the musical talents of Kathy McTavish, both artists that he’s worked with before and whose work I admired.

The result is 12 Moons, an artwork combining poetry, voice, music and video. Kathy McTavish’s original music adds complexity to Nic’s intense and compelling narration, framed by Swoon’s precise editing of sound and image, which creates a miniature universe for each poem within the context of the project.

Beginning in January of 2014, we will release one video per month for viewing on the Internet. A DVD and chapbook will be available in via print-on-demand, and for distribution at poetry festivals around the world.

Check back here for more updates on the project, i.e., where you can view the videos, how to order the DVD and chapbook, and more about the making of 12 Moons.

Swoon’s website: http://www.swoon-bildos.be/

Nic’s website: http://verylikeawhale.wordpress.com/

Kathy McTavish’s website: http://www.cellodreams.com/

Erica Goss’s website: www.ericagoss.com

Erica Goss’s column on video poetry: http://www.connotationpress.com/video-poetry

I know that I’m anxiously awaiting the results of this project. 

What do you think about collaborative projects between visual, textual, and musical artists?

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Guest Post & Giveaway: Leanne Lieberman Talks About Author Fan Letters, Books

August 1, 2013 by

Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust by Leanne Lieberman is about a young woman who is caught up in typical teenage drama, but it’s more than that and told with humor.  According to Amazon’s description, “Lauren Yanofsky doesn’t want to be Jewish anymore. Her father, a noted Holocaust historian, keeps giving her Holocaust memoirs to read, and her mother doesn’t understand why Lauren hates the idea of Jewish youth camps and family vacations to Holocaust memorials. But when Lauren sees some of her friends—including Jesse, a cute boy she likes—playing Nazi war games, she is faced with a terrible choice: betray her friends or betray her heritage.”

Today, I’ve got a giveaway and guest post to share with you from the author, Leanne Lieberman.  Please give her a warm welcome.

When I finish a book I love I often think, I must write a letter to compliment the author. However, by the time I sit down to write the letter, I’ve forgotten what I want to say, or I wonder if the author actually cares what I think. Most of the time, I’m just too busy.

To date, I have only written one fan letter. When I was eight I wrote to Sydney Taylor, the author of the “All-of-A-Kind-Family” series. The books were the first chapter books I read on my own. I was delighted with the tales of a Jewish family of five girls growing up on the lower east side of Manhattan at the turn of the last century. The stories describe the girls going to the library, shopping at the market for the Sabbath, saving their penny allowance for a birthday present for their Papa, and helping their Mama clean the front room. At the end of the five books the girls’ Mama is pregnant with another child. I couldn’t believe the author would leave readers in such suspense and not write another book. When my mother suggested I write Sydney Taylor a letter, I was fascinated by the idea that authors were real people you could write to. I remember leaving the dinner table and rushing to my room to find pen and paper. I needed to know if the baby would be a girl or a boy. Was Taylor going to write another book?

I received a letter back a few months later from Ralph Taylor, Sydney Taylor’s husband. He explained that Sydney had passed away, but that the baby was in fact a boy as Taylor’s All-of-A Kind-Series was based on Sydney’s own family. I treasured that letter. I remember showing it to my teacher and the school librarian and gluing it into my Little Twin Stars diary. I even wrote Ralph Taylor a second letter with a picture of my family tree, assuming he would be as interested in my family as I was in his wife’s.

I didn’t think about Sydney Taylor or the All-of-Kind-Family Books for many years until I published my first novel, Gravity about an orthodox Jewish girl who falls in love with another girl in 2008. The novel was reviewed positively by the American Jewish library, and named a Sydney Taylor Notable Book for Teens. Of all the reviews of my books, having my name linked with Sydney Taylor’s gave me the most pleasure. It allowed me to imagine people reading my books the way I had read Taylor’s works: absorbed in her world. It made me feel like an author, the way I had first dreamed of becoming a writer when I read Taylor’s books as a child.

Since publishing Gravity I have pulled my old copies of All-of-A-Kind- Family out of the dusty box at my parents’ house and started reading them to my two sons. Like me, they are delighted to read about children celebrating Passover and other Jewish holidays the way they do. They are also fascinated by the descriptions of Manhattan Jewish life from a long time ago. At the same time I started reading Taylor’s books to my kids I received an email with the subject: “Are you the same Leanne Lieberman?” The same as whom, I wondered. The email was from June Cummins, a professor of children’s literature at the State University of San Diego. Cummins wrote that she had read Gravity and liked it. She also explained that she was writing a biography of Sydney Taylor and had been going through Taylor’s fan letters. She had found a letter from someone named Leanne Lieberman written in 1983. Was I that same Leanne?

Goose bumps ran down my forearms. I had written to Sydney Taylor when I was eight, which was 1983, and as far as I knew, I was the only Leanne Lieberman. Through subsequent emails with Cummins I learned that Taylor, the middle child of five girls, wrote the All-Of-A-Kind-Family stories for her daughter Jo who was an only child. Cummins was staying with Jo at the time, and offered her regards. Cummins had also met Jerry, Jo’s uncle, who was the unborn child at the end of the series that I had originally wanted to know about. Knowing that the All-of-A-Kind Family was based on real people, people who were still alive, made me feel an even greater kinship to the stories. Even though Sydney Taylor had never received my letter, I was part of her story as she was part of mine.

Eventually Cummins offered to send me a copy of my original letter. My writing in 1983 was more legible that it is now, although my spelling has improved. “Dear Sydney,” I wrote, “I have an important question for you.” I have none of the trepidation that the author will be too busy or think my questions unimportant. I cherish the memory of what I was like at eight: curious, obsessed with stories, full of my own childish self-importance, and my overwhelming secret desire to write my own stories. Despite the eighty plus years between Taylor’s books and my own life, I saw myself reflected in Taylor’s stories. Her characters lose their library books, get their ears pierced, celebrate Shabbat, and dream of being on the stage, all things I experienced. My own books also deal with the Jewish experience, but because I write for teens, they explore more difficult questions: how to be gay and Jewish, what to think about the Israeli occupation of Palestine, and in my recently released book, Lauren Yanofsky Hates The Holocaust, how to deal with anti-Semitism and the legacy of the Holocaust. I like to imagine that somewhere there is a young girl reading my books, feeling them resonate in her life, and dreaming of the books she will write too.

Do you write fan letters to authors?

author photoAbout the Author:

Leanne Lieberman is the author of three YA books: Gravity (a Sydney Taylor Notable Book), The Book of Trees and Lauren Yanofsky Hates The Holocaust. She also writes adult fiction and is working on a collection of linked short stories entitled, Open Your Heart. Leanne is a graduate of The University of Windsor’s MA in in Creative Writing. Originally from Vancouver BC, Leanne now lives in Kingston ON with her husband and two sons.

To enter to win a copy, you must be 18 and older and living in the U.S. or Canada. Please leave a comment below with an email. Deadline to enter is 11:59 pm EST Aug. 8, 2013.

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Writing Space of Mingmei Yip

July 17, 2013 by

Mingmei Yip has been writing and publishing since she was fourteen years old and now she has twelve books to her credit.  Her five novels are published by Kensington Books and her two children’s books are published by Tuttle Publishing.  Mingmei is also a renowned qin (ancient string instrument) musician, calligrapher and painter.  In Hong Kong, she was a columnist for seven major newspapers.  She has appeared on over sixty TV and radio programs in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and the US. Visit her Website.

Last year, I really enjoyed Skeleton Women, and The Nine Fold Heaven picks up where the previous book ends.  “An ex spy and nightclub singer who undertakes an emotional and dangerous journey to reunite with her lost lover and the baby she was told was stillborn, and to discover the secret of her parents’ murder.”

Mingmei Yip - Author of Nine Fold HeavenCome along with an ex spy as she returns to Shanghai where she’s a wanted woman – but she has to search for her baby and her lost lover. Is her baby really alive? Will she be able to find her lover? Can she elude the police long enough to find them? Learn much more about The Nine Fold Heaven and Mingmei Yip.

Nine Fold Heaven is part of a series about Camilla the songbird and female spy – you can also read Skeleton Women, the first book about Camilla.

Today, I’ve got a great guest post from Yip about her writing space.  Please give her a warm welcome.

Writing space: I only write at home. I can’t write at cafes, since most have loud music which is a distraction for me. But when they play classical music, then I stop writing and listen, so that does not work for me, either.

Writing Space - 3I consider myself lucky to have a small room just for myself in my apartment which I use as my writing space. Luckily, my little room has a view of the north side of Manhattan and the East River. So, when I just can’t type anymore, I lift my head and soothe my eyes by staring at the peaceful scene outside the window. Soon I am refreshed and back at work.

I have decorated my writing room with some of my favorite things – books, plants, flowers, my own paintings and calligraphy. Writing is a solitary and difficult journey, so I try to fill my space with what I find both beautiful and spiritually inspiring. I also keep amulets next to me for protection, just in case.

Writing Space - 1Writing habits: I don’t have a chance to write every day, because like everyone else, I have other responsibilities in life. So when I have a chance to write, I write as much and as long as I can. This is like gorging yourself when you don’t know where your next meal is coming from. In any case, it is what works for me. It helps that I can take a nap whenever I want.

Writing tips: I plunge into writing and ignore everything around me. Since I was a tiny girl I have always preferred life inside my own head. Whenever I have writer’s block, I’ll read or watch a movie. This usually triggers ideas for me so I can go back to write. I also read a lot, not only to feed my imagination and creativity, but also to have a point of comparison for my own writing.

Writing Space - 2I think it is still essential to master the basics. Not only voice, characterization, dialogue, plot, but also sentence structure, its rhythm and music. I always try to vary the length of my sentences and start each one with a different subject. It’s essential to spent whatever time it takes to find the right word. Sometimes, it is a single word that brightens a whole paragraph.

There is a Chinese saying “Slap on the thigh and exclaim!” That’s how the readers will react to a good choice of word. Readers may not be aware of the meticulous hard work behind a smooth sentence, but if you don’t pay attention, they will soon become bored. I also think it’s good for authors to attend other cultural activities such as movies, concerts, art exhibitions. Have as diverse a background as you can cultivate, that really helps.

Most important, don’t give up! The ancient Chinese philosophy classic, the Daode Jing says more things are spoiled in the end than the beginning. Stick through to the end.

Thanks, Mingmei, for sharing your writing space with us, as well as your writing habits. I’m the opposite, too much quiet and I can’t write.

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Guest Poet: Seeking Limpid Balance by Tamara Woods

April 29, 2013 by

Today, Pen Paper Pad‘s Tamara Woods is stopping by today to share one of her poems. Please give her a warm welcome.

For National Poetry Month, I’ve been blogging (almost) everyday, writing poetry and trying to get the courage to record a video poem. Here is a poem I wrote that I may try to digitize later.

Seeking Limpid Balance

Hand shakes
Fingertips tap
one time, two times, three  
Sharp pull from e-cig
Not the same, not the same, not the

New cocktail
tenuous strains to normality
Not quite
quieting fears,
disconnected discontent
Lids hanging
eyes sensitive
one time, two times, three 

Static burns neck's nape
Oxygen has escape room through
lighta beaming from window
bouncing from wall to ceiling floor
all white. all white, all 
one time, two times, three

Lines rips down wrist
raised coils against
pale skin
Stark black tangles 
Snarls past ears
catching air with
pacing,
one time, two times, three

The world outside these walls
tasted red, 
she felt muddy,
All feelings 
passed through her leaving
residue behind.
Never truly clean.
One time, two times, three.

About the Poet:

Tamara Woods is a poet, blogger, and generally pusher of words from Honolulu by way of West Virginia. Her first collection of poetry, The Shaping of an “Angry” Black Woman will be available this summer. Find her on Twitter, Facebook and check out her mumbling on her blog, PenPaperPad.

***Please check out my review of Sarah Arvio’s collection night thoughts: 70 dream poems and notes from an analysis.***

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Guest Post: Creativity & Mortality by Sweta Srivastava Vikram

April 8, 2013 by

Please click on the image for today’s tour stop.

Sweta Srivastava Vikram is a delightful and passionate poet looking to promote social justice, but more than that she’s not what people typically picture when they think of a poet. Most people I talk to think poets are crazy, depressed, or drunk. Sweta is optimistic, cheerful, thoughtful, and passionate; I haven’t seen her crazy, drunk, or depressed, but I’m sure that there are times when she feels those things, just like we all do.

I’ve reviewed several of her poetry collections on the blog, including her most recent No Ocean Here, which I enjoyed because it made me sad and made me think. But even more wondrous for me was meeting her in person and realizing that she is the same person whether online or off and that she’s as honest as I expected. She’s a delight and so fun to hang out with for lunch or even 10 minutes.

When I was talking about the blog tour, she volunteered to talk about creativity, particularly in relation to her latest project. Without further ado, please giver her a warm welcome.

2012 was an extremely dark year for me. I worked extensively on social issues affecting women. Researching, writing, and editing such pieces required me to traverse through and unravel a lot of unpleasant situations. I was exposed to unimaginable hopelessness and pessimism. There were days when I saw nothing encouraging about humanity. And even though I am a die-hard optimist, it was hard to see even a ray of optimism inside my well of poetic darkness. Thus began my quest to understand poets and writers and the impact of darkness and mortality on their work and lives.

Mortality, specifically the finality of death, is an esoteric subject. In a paper dealing with effects of mortality salience on the creative expression, Clay Routledge et.al. stated that amplified concerns for mortality decreased creativity when the act was self-directed but not when it was community directed. This got me thinking of the fact that so many genius artists have died so young. Is it that these artists simply could not face the reality which their creations exposed them to? Or could it be a vicious cycle where artists who are forced to peel back and critically examine the layers of melancholy, misery, pain, and sorrow find themselves pushed into abject loneliness because of the gloomy vision they see the world in; and in turn find their creativity stifled to the point where their very existence becomes a downward spiral into depression and eventually death.

Anaïs Nin said, “People living deeply have no fear of death.” But the truth is that death isn’t a light subject for anyone; especially not for artists who, when they explore the dark sides end up re-living death in a myriad of ways as they bring forth their creations into the world.

Thanks, Sweta. I, too, wonder about the abyss that artists look into when they create and what enables some to re-emerge on the other side, while others fall over the cliff.

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Guest Post & Giveaway: Sweet Treats in The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor

March 26, 2013 by

The Union Street Bakery by Mary Ellen Taylor becomes the center of Daisy McCrae’s life, even though she feels out of place as an adopted child and out of sorts with the life she expected to lead after breaking up with her boyfriend and losing her job.

With my recent discoveries in foodie fiction, it should come as no surprise that I’d be interested in reading Taylor’s book, which includes recipes.  There will be a giveaway after the guest post for 1 copy to U.S./Canadian residents.  So stay tuned for that in a little bit.

Please give Taylor a warm welcome as she talks about her book, recipes, and more.

It seemed fitting that a book set in a bakery would include recipes. However, I knew when I was writing the novel, I couldn’t just include any recipe. I had to incorporate recipes that not only offered tempting flavors but also conveyed emotions and memories.

THE UNION STREET BAKERY is the story of Daisy and her two sisters Rachel and Margaret who are bound together by a failing family bakery they each want to save. Each has their own journey and favorite sweet treat that has special meaning to them.

The bakery’s sugar cookies are one of my heroine Daisy’s first memories. They were the last treat her birth mother bought her before she abandoned her at the bakery as a three year old in the bakery cafe. For years when Daisy baked the cookies she couldn’t help but taste the sweetness and the bitterness.

There’s also a taste of history with Hennie’s Freedom cakes. These savory crackers were a staple for many of the nineteenth century sailors who came and went from the port city of Old Town Alexandria. They were also the only source of income for a nineteenth century slave who made and sold the crackers during her very rare, precious free moments.

Even Mike’s Chocolate Espresso Torte is poignant. It’s delicious and quite decadent but it too carries sad memories. Daisy’s sister, Rachel, can’t make the beloved bakery favorite without remembering her late husband who created the cake.

I hope you get a chance to bake a few of the recipes I’ve included in the back of THE UNION STREET BAKERY. And just to give you a taste of things to come, I’ve included Mike’s Chocolate Espresso Torte. Enjoy!

Mike’s Chocolate Espresso Torte

¾ pound butter
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup strong coffee
¾ pound semisweet chocolate chopped up
6 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a double boiler. Mix the eggs and sugar together but not to the point that they are frothy. Slowly mix the chocolate/butter mixture into the egg/sugar mixture. Add coffee and stir well. Pour this mixture into a greased 8-inch spring form pan. Bake the torte at 350 degrees for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 300 degrees and bake for one hour.

There is no way to tell if the torte is done by looking at it or sticking a knife into it. Just take out of the oven after an hour. It will be high, like a soufflé at first but will sink down in a few minutes. Let it sit until it is completely cooled. Refrigerate overnight. Unmold, slice and serve.

If you try out the recipe, you’ll have to stop back and talk about how good it tasted. My mouth is watering already.  Thanks, Mary for joining us today.

For the giveaway, leave a comment here about your favorite “sweet treat” recipe.

Deadline for U.S./Canadian entrants is March 29, 2013 at 11:59 PM EST

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Guest Post: Betting on Books by Jean Ryan

March 21, 2013 by

Jean Ryan’s Survival Skills is a collection of short stories published by Ashland Creek Press, which will be available beginning in April.  While I’m not crazy about the cover of this one, I’m enjoying the short stories very much so far, and will have a review of one from the collection this Friday.

Today, Jean will share with us her experiences marketing her collection, especially as the publishing world is evolving constantly and social media becomes nearly all-consuming.  She originally posted this on her own Website, but I’m re-posting it here for your enjoyment.  I hope that you’ll leave a comment, ask some questions, and begin a dialogue about these important topics.

Betting on Books

Next month is the long-awaited launch of my short story collection, SURVIVAL SKILLS. Soon I’ll be joining the ranks of all the other authors who are hoping their newly published books will find an audience.

In the past several months, many of us have been doing what we can to get the word out, mostly through social media: Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest. How successful these marketing venues have been for us remains to be seen. All we know is that exposure is key, and the more we like and follow, tweet and retweet, post and share, the greater our chances for recognition. For those of us who were not brought up in the electronic age, learning the tricks involved in setting up blogs and author pages is challenging to say the least, and it doesn’t help that technology is constantly jumping ahead of itself. Writers of any age would rather be writing than cyber networking, but we enter the fray and do our best.

The most daunting reality I’ve experienced thus far is the sheer number of us. Racing toward the same goal, we are teammates competing with each other. After all, there is only so much recognition to go around, only so much money to spend on books. It’s a selling frenzy and a buyer’s market, with books selling for less than a dollar, or being given away, by the thousands, in hopes of actual sales. Publishers in this country, electronic and otherwise, churn out 800 books a day. In this galaxy of productivity, what sort of odds does one book, my book, have?

And where do buyers begin? With self-publishing having eclipsed conventional forms, how do readers determine quality? Can we trust bloggers and reviewers? Stars and likes? Considering the many ways a web presence can be manipulated, does 15,000 Twitter followers mean anything at all? The internet is a monstrous game of chance and everyone is placing bets.

I’ve no idea how one separates the wheat from the chaff. And of course, one man’s chaff is another man’s wheat. I have zero interest in vampire novels, however well written, but who can dispute their  popularity? I like literary short fiction, a genre not known for blockbuster sales (which is ironic when you consider our tight schedules and short attention spans). I’ve asked people about this and they tell me that short stories don’t deliver, that they just don’t have enough meat on the bone. Well, I think there are plenty of meaty stories out there, stories that amuse and amaze, stories that will break your heart. You just need to know where to look.

So what can I say about SURVIVAL SKILLS? What bare truths can I give you? I can tell you that this an honest offering, that these stories evolved over several years and required my best effort. I can tell you that most of them originally appeared in reputable journals. I can tell you that my publisher, Ashland Creek Press, is committed to promoting quality literature that explores our connections with the natural world.

The characters in SURVIVAL SKILLS are not heroes. Like you and me, they are just trying to outlast the perils that surround them, taking what comfort they can on the way and often acquiring some strange companions. You won’t come across any vampires in these tales, but I’m betting you’ll enjoy them anyway.

Thanks, Jean, for sharing your thoughts with us.

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Guest Review: Every Seed of the Pomegranate by David Sullivan

March 6, 2013 by

Erica Goss is a talented poet, whose Wild Place poetry collection I loved (my review) and who is the current Poet Laureate for Los Gatos 2013-14, has offered up her talents today as a reviewer, while I’m attending a wonderful writer’s conference in Boston.

Today, she’ll be reviewing Every Seed of the Pomegranate by David Sullivan (Tebot Bach, San Diego, CA, 2012, ISBN: 978-1-893670-86-0, 118 pages).  Without further ado, please give her a warm welcome:

On September 11, 2001, I woke to the news that New York City had been attacked. From almost three thousand miles away in California, the events I watched on TV, in spite of their horror, didn’t seem real to me. They were happening in some faraway place.

That evening, I discovered that Mark Bingham was on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Mark was the son of my neighbor, Alice Hoagland. The attack was no longer “over there.” It had arrived in my back yard.

David Sullivan’s latest collection of poems, Every Seed of the Pomegranate, brings the war in Iraq up close and personal in the same way. I had to close my eyes often, after reading lines such as “Pleasure and sorrow / are bound together – wheat sheaves / awaiting threshing” (Night Visions 1) or “No tears mark these days. / After Saddam’s soldiers left / she burned the bedsheets” (Kurdish House on Fire).

One of this collection’s many strengths is how the poems use the smallest details to authenticate frequent shifts in point of view. From the poem “Swirling Sand,” the voice of a soldier:

This sand infiltrates
every goddamn thing I wear.
Send lotion, pronto.

And the voice of a grieving father:

Allah knows my heart,
my son.  I do not want to
hear your voice on earth,

only in heaven,
perched by Allah’s ear, singing
inside a green bird.

War is a strange blend of the unthinkable and the practical. They both inform “Swirling Sand,” from graves that “look like / hastily plowed fields” to

Outgoing letters
catch helicopter downwash,
bust the ropes that hold 

them and cascade out
over the ocean.  Flurry
of never-heard birds.

The poem ends with this chilling image: “The eyeless sockets / fill with swirling sand,” describing the “black ash that was once a man.” From the irritation of sand on skin to the ghostly after-image of a dead man, these images crash into the reader’s mind with a precise, yet jumbled logic. War often appears this way to the powerless, to civilians, and anyone outside of the decision-making process, which is to say most of us.

Astute readers have probably noticed that these poems are in haiku stanzas. In his preface to the book, Sullivan writes that all of the poems “came in the same linked haiku form.” The choice of haiku, although not intuitive at first, works unexpectedly well with the topic of war. It imposes a structure on inconceivable violence and tragedy, containing them in manageable, bite-sized sections. Each stanza, controlled within haiku’s syllabic restraints, functions almost as a separate poem; the white space between the stanzas gives the reader a place to breathe before moving on. Using the haiku form “cut(s) down the poem to its sinewy essence,” to quote Denise Levertov from Light Up the Cave. That essence is vital to the voices represented in the book, giving each one a distinct diction and vocabulary.

Angels are among those many voices. They provide commentary, speaking in detached and eerie tones. From “Angel Jibril (Gabriel), The Messenger:”

Get out of the way,
I could have said, but you had
to believe someone
would be forgiven

and

you go out soothed
by the songs you’ve heard birds sing
and come back sobbing.

Sullivan’s skill as a poet is evident as he moves from the impartial voice of an angel to the voice in “Staff Sergeant Alex Lemons, From His Wheelchair:”

My dreams grow heavy
with daily fuck-ups.  I trudge
back up garage ramps

having forgotten
where I parked and what the damn
Impala looks like.

Again, the details make the poem real and vital: “I tried recovery, / but I’m not into talking / ‘bout what they can’t feel.” Most of us will never understand Alex Lemons’s suffering (in the notes to the poem, Sullivan writes that since returning to the US, Lemons has had fourteen operations on his damaged feet, which were “shredded due to an accident in Najaf”), nor the physical and emotional damage such an event has left him. Through the deep compassion of these poems, however, we have a place to enter.

“The Black Camel” evokes three distinct interpretations of the same event. Sullivan’s notes on the poem help explain the various sources for the story, but they are not necessary to fully enjoy it. The voices of an American soldier, an Iraqi Republican guard, and his heartbroken father, grow more anguished as the poem unfolds: “The IED hit / while I held his cigarette. / Where’s God, Tiffany?” and “Swore I saw my son, / but when they showed me, I cried / for a stranger boy.” Only the voice of Malak, the angel, stays consistent: “No one has been here / before you, no one will come / after you’re gone” and “Don’t cling to one form; / water continues to flow / after the pot breaks.”

These poems do not judge, nor are they therapy. They do not offer explanations. At the end of the book, I still didn’t know why men start wars, but I understood a more disturbing truth: that the capacities for violence and compassion live within every person, and quite often, comfortably side-by-side. As the Reverend Marilyn Sewell once wrote, “Most evil is done in the name of some greater good.” The poems in Every Seed of the Pomegranate recognize this paradox. They remind us that even though what happened in Iraq might seem far away, it’s as close as our backyard. We ignore it at our peril.

Every Seed of the Pomegranate by David Sullivan sounds like a collection that would have a deep emotional impact on the reader, particularly those who know soldiers — are related to them or friends with them — or who are even soldiers. Were these poems cathartic for the writer as they might be for a soldier? I’d like to think they would be, and Goss makes an excellent point about the capacity for violence and compassion living within every person and the paradox that it presents.

Filed Under: guest post, poetry, reviews Tagged With:

Tesco Presents: Creative Inspiration for Your Writing

March 3, 2013 by

While I’m away from the computer for a writing conference and just generally taking a break from the blog in the next week, I’ve got some posts pre-scheduled.  I hope that you enjoy them and I will be back to reply to comments when I return.

For today, I’ve got an interesting guest post brought to you by Tesco.  Without further ado:

With creative writing courses, books on writing, and specialty magazines dedicated to the craft, there’s no shortage of advice on writing or finding inspiration. But as one who has leafed through the magazines, read the books, and even taken courses, here is the advice I’ve found most helpful when it comes to actually finding inspiration.

Create Time to Write Every Day

While walking through a world-class gallery or sitting in a Parisian cafe likely tugs at your heart-strings more than sitting at the kitchen table with your journal or computer, the kitchen table is the way forward (though do bring a notepad with you if you plan on visiting the Parisian cafe, or the gallery, as something interesting might occur to you).

Inspiration can come in a flash, however it is definitely more important to create the time and space every day for inspiration to happen, not just hoping genius pays you a visit on your European vacation.

Making time to write every day is sound advice. For those who have made writing their career, not just a side-project, their routine almost always involves writing every day, or nearly so, with a minimum word-count as a goal. Inspiration also involves graft: once you’ve written a few lines or paragraphs, there is room for creativity to take hold of the story or poem, even if what you started with is ultimately abandoned for something more absorbing. Writing leads to more writing.

Read Every Day, as Much as Possible

If anyone ever says, “I don’t read while I’m writing, I don’t want to be too influenced by any particular writer,” pat them on the head and do the opposite. It’s a misguided person who thinks he or she will be negatively influenced by John Steinbeck, Walt Whitman or some other master. We should all hope to be influenced by geniuses like these.

Just as you should make time to write every day, make time also to read every day, whether that’s on the train (a Kindle is the perfect companion for a daily commute on public transportation), for half an hour before bed, or during your lunch break.

A well-known writer once said that everything you need to know about writing can be found in great books. So read for both inspiration and instruction. While there is magic in great writing that cannot be fully understood, there is technique that can be. Observe how scenes are constructed, how a great writer builds tension, then releases it. Great books will inform your creative process and inspire you to write. Indeed, something about reading gives us the courage to begin writing again.

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Guest Post: Ten Secrets of Happily Ever After by Syrie James

February 14, 2013 by

Syrie James is the bestselling author of eight critically acclaimed novels, including The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen, The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen, The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Brontë, Dracula My Love, Nocturne, Forbidden, and The Harrison Duet: Songbird and Propositions. Her books have been translated into eighteen foreign languages. Syrie lives with her family in Los Angeles, California. Connect with her on her Website, facebook, and Twitter.

I’ve reviewed The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen and The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen in the past, and enjoyed them as a Janeite.  I’ve also reviewed a collection of Jane Austen-related stories edited by Laurel Ann Nattress that includes one from James, Jane Austen Made Me Do It.

With the republication of Songbird in e-format and paperback, the first book in the Harrison Duet, James agreed to stop by and share her Valentine’s Day secrets.  Without further ado, please give her a warm welcome:

It’s Valentine’s Day, the day to celebrate love! Admittedly, as a writer of romantic novels, both historical and contemporary, I have love on my mind most of the time! I love to write about people meeting and falling in love. That moment when two people look at each other and just know they’re meant to be together forever—it’s one of the most magical, meaningful, and memorable experiences in the world. And when it’s followed by a lifetime of love and blessings, what could be better than that?

My novels Songbird and Propositions are the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. They feature strong, intelligent, accomplished women who meet men who are every bit their equals, and who experience a love so deep, immediate, and profound, it forces them to rethink their future and the very meaning of romance. And of course they all find their Happily Every After!

I’m fortunate to be surrounded by love in both my professional and personal life. I met my husband in college, and thirty-eight years later, we are still together and very happy. Which has set me to thinking: how do you achieve that Happily Ever After? Thinking back on our relationship, I’ve come up with a list of 10 elements that I think help make for a long and happy marriage. See if you agree!

  1. You consider your partner to be your best friend for life. (Bill is definitely my best friend and always will be!)
  2. You are honest with and implicitly trust each other.
  3. You respect, admire, appreciate, and dearly love one another—and you tell each other so on a regular basis. (You say thank you for even the smallest things, like when he takes out the trash.)
  4. You balance and complete each other. You have similar interests, tastes, and beliefs, but enough differences and skill sets that you can learn from and help each other. (i.e. Bill oversees the finances and house repair, and I handle cooking, laundry, and our social calendar; it works!)
  5. You put the other person’s happiness and well being before your own, and can count on each other to always be there in time of need.
  6. You make time for each other every day, even if sometimes it’s just a phone call to say hello, and create special moments and memories just for the two of you, away from your children, family, and friends.
  7. You support each other’s dreams. Except when his dream is to buy a motorcycle. (LOL.)
  8. You listen to each other. Always. You can share your most personal thoughts, memories, dreams, and fears with each other without judgment.
  9. You make every major life decision together, considering each other’s ideas, needs, wants, and preferences.
  10. You are committed to make your relationship work. You stick with each other through thick and thin, through happiness and sorrow, through good times and bad, regardless of what has happened in the past, what is happening in the present, and what will happen in the future.

Is there anything else you would add to this list? I’d love to hear what you think. To see ten more things I think help make for a long and happy marriage, please visit my blog. And for an ultra romantic Valentine’s Day read, I hope you’ll check out books one and two in The Harrison Duet: Songbird and Propositions. They’re available in Trade Paperback and for Kindle and Nook. Happy Valentine’s Day, and Happy Reading!

Check out her 10 additional times on her Website.  What are your tips for a happily ever after?

Filed Under: guest post Tagged With: , ,

Guest Post: Holiday Gift Ideas from Author Christine Rose

December 12, 2012 by

Thank you all for joining me today on my 2012 Blog Tour! This week, I’m giving away a $50 Gift Card to Amazon.com at Bitten by Books starting tomorrow, and I’m also giving away FREE BOOKS to ANYONE WHO WANTS ONE!

All week long, Dec 11-15, you can download Rowan of the Wood (Book 1) and Power of the Zephyr (Book 4) on your Kindle or Kindle App for FREE!!! THAT’s RIGHT!

Follow my blog tour for excerpts and podcasts from all of the Rowan books, and enter to win great giveaways! After the guest post on my Top 10 Gifts for Book Lovers, you can listen to Chapter 1 of Witch on the Water (Book 2) and read an excerpt from Fire of the Fey, Book 3.

Now, onto the guest post!

Whereas books seem to be a no-brainer when looking for the perfect gift for the book lover on your list, book and reading accessories could be very beneficial as well. Here are a few gifts suggestions for your favorite reader.

#10 Jasmine Book Stand

Before eReaders, the hardest thing for me to do (due to an old injury) was hold a book. The only way I could read comfortably, without back and shoulder pain to the point of distraction, was to read laying down. Then I’d fall asleep! A handy tool like this allows the reader to read hands free and still read physical books. The other great thing is the ability to multitask! While reading, you can also crochet, knit, wash dishes, or cook!

From the Amazon description:

  • Eye -Level Reading Provides Maximum Comfort
  • Promotes Proper Posture For Better Spinal Health
  • Large Size For Better Hold & Stability
  • Heavy Duty To Withstand Even The Bulkiest Books
  • Patented 2-Way Adjustment (Height & Degree)

#9 Knock Knock Personal Library Kit

Tired of loaning out your books and never getting them back? Can’t remember who you loaned them to? This Personal Library Kit will help your favorite reader keep track of their beloved books and ensure they get their babies back!

From the Amazon description

For a bibliophile, there’s no greater pleasure than sharing beloved books, but no crueler pain than losing them for good. Revive old-fashioned library circulation techniques for fun and book retention with Knock Knock’s Personal Library Kit. Old-fashioned library circulation techniques for fun and book retention! The kit’s self-adhesive pockets, checkout cards, date stamper, and keepsake box will have bibliophiles everywhere channeling their inner librarian. Box Personal Library Kit includes 20 self-adhesive pockets and checkout cards, date stamp, inkpad, and pencil. Look for the Personal Library Kit Refill.

#8 Invisible Book Shelf

This is the coolest thing EVER! I absolutely love this idea, and it’s totally going on my own Wish List! My husband and I have thousands of books collectively, and it’s always been a challenge to display them in an interesting way. This is brilliant.

The actual shelf is hidden in the back of the bottom book, so the books look like they’re floating on the wall!

PLUS, proceeds from the sale go to the Pratt Institute of Art & Design.


#7 6-Pocket Bedside Book Caddy

I wasted no time getting this baby on my Wish List! My bedside table has a tendency to breed books. There will be one, then two, then six. Plus my Kindle. Plus the remotes and crocheting and glasses and more. This handy bedside book caddy will help keep that tabletop clear of clutter while having everything you need within reach, yet out of the way. Perfect.

#6 Reading Glasses Lighted (LED)

I already got a pair of these for Yule this year. This must be the single-most brilliant invention EVER! When I first saw my mother using these, I set out on my search, but they’re difficult to find. Until now. Thank you Amazon!

So often the book light I’ve used is too bright and glares on the page or not bright enough. I’ve also had trouble keeping the thing on the book without it ruining the pages, and then you must readjust it whenever you turn the page. These glasses are perfect for reading physical books or your Kindle (unless, of course, you get the new and wondrous Kindle Paperwhite, below). I also use them for crocheting, as it focuses the light right on my work, so the light isn’t glaring in my eyes.

Hands down, this is the best gift for your favorite book-lover. They come in various magnification levels.

#5 Ex Libris Bookplates

I used to love these things when I was in college and fancied myself a classical scholar. I wanted every one of my books to have its very own elegant bookplate. Several of my books still have them. This is another great way to ensure you get your books returned to you!

One of the reviews state how some of the bookplates in this kit have quotes from Longfellow and C. S. Lewis, among others. They are not flimsy, but rather made on quality cardstock.

#4 Nap Massaging Bed Rest

I think I would read much, much more with this beauty. With a place for your book, coffee, remote, and even an overhead book light, I’d never get out of bed. On top of all that, there is a built-in massager! I’d read read read the entire day away, getting up only to refill my coffee.

WANT!!!

#3 Kindle Paper White

I’ve been a fan of the Kindle since it came out five years ago. I still use my Kindle 2 to read, and I’ve read more since getting an eReader than ever before. Being able to take several books with you, synch on several devices, read hands-free, adjust type size to your comfort, and the ability to download books on the fly, the Kindle is the way to go. Now with the Kindle Paperwhite, readers have the best of both worlds: the eInk technology that makes the screen look like you’re actually reading a paper book AND a thin layer of light that SHINES DOWN on the words rather than up into your eyes, like the all other lit digital eReaders and devices. By shining the light down, it’s like a built-in book light, not like reading on a computer screen where the light is shining into you eyes, stressing them and causing them to tire more easily.

#2 Amazon Prime

By gifting them Amazon Prime your favorite reader will never be without a book to read. Prime members can borrow thousands upon thousands of Kindle books for FREE for two weeks, plus they get thousands of streaming Amazon Videos for free as well as free two-day shipping. Well worth the $79/year, which comes out to less than your monthly Netflix subscription.

Get Amazon Prime, and you can read several of my books for FREE, including Rowan of the Wood, Power of the Zephyr, and Publishing & Marketing Realities for the Emerging Author. PLUS, you can read my alter-ego’s books Avalon Revisited and The Zombies of Mesmer for FREE, too!

Even better, you can start with a FREE 30-Day TRIAL!

#1 The Rowan of the Wood Fantasy Series, author signed.

Of course. 🙂

But, seriously, author-signed books are always, always, always a great gift for readers.

Throughout this week, you can buy the Yuletide 4-Book Package, which includes all four Rowan of the Wood books, author-signed and dedicated to your favorite reader, tied in a beautiful ribbon, and adorned with a handmade, calligraphy gift tag, and have it shipped directly to your door for only $60, including priority shipping! That’s a savings of over $15, so it’s like you’re getting one of the books for FREE!

xmas_books

BUY NOW via PayPal & Credit Card payments

Or, get them directly from Amazon, or wherever books are sold, if you prefer.

****BONUS GIFT IDEA****

Amazon Gift Cards are always a great gift for readers. Then they can get the books they want when they want. Join me tomorrow at Bitten by Books to try to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card, or just go here to buy one yourself. There are loads of great designs to choose from.

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Whew! You’ve got some shopping to do!

But before that, for your listening and reading pleasure, please enjoy Chapter 1 of Witch on the Water, Book 2 via Podcast, followed by an excerpt from Book 3: Fire of the Fey.

WITCH ON THE WATER – CHAPTER 1 Podcast

Excerpt from Fire of the Fey:

“Um. Uncle Marlin?” Cullen began as he entered the library. He shuffled his feet along the dark hardwood floor, letting his eyes find patterns in the wood grain. He wasn’t sure how to put all this, so he took his time. It did all sound rather insane, but if anyone would understand, it would be Moody, as Uncle Moody was the embodiment of strange.

“Yes, my boy. What can I do for you?”

Moody was sitting in an easy chair with his feet up. He
certainly knew how to enjoy the good life! He had a book in one had and a drink in the other. Scotch on the rocks. His favorite. After all those years on the streets, he deserved it.

“Um,” Cullen stammered. He looked down as his feet again and traced his toes around a knot in the wood.

“Well,” Moody said, lowering his book. “Come, come now. Let’s have it. Better out than in, as they say.”

“Um,” Cullen said again. “I found something online. It’s really, really weird though, and I just dismissed it at first, but there have been several tweets about it and updates on Facebook, too.” Cullen paused. “Even Jack said so.” It was really rather crazy, but so was sharing your body with a wizard and having an Uncle older than the oldest redwood in Fortuna. It was all relative. Right?

Moody laid the open book on his belly to save his place and waited patiently. He took a sip of his scotch before folding his hands over his book.

“At first, I thought it might be Aidan. You know, the fires.”

“Yes,” Moody said expectantly.

“Not on purpose, of course,” Cullen added, “but she said something about the smoke in the woods during her last walk, and it made me even more suspicious.” Cullen paused again. It really wasn’t all that crazy, right? Plus Jack had said so, too.

Moody raised his eyebrows, probably wondering if he’d have to live another thousand years for Cullen to get to his point. He closed a bookmark in the book and set it on the table next to his drink, then sat up in his chair and leaned toward Cullen, giving him his undivided attention.

“Um,” Cullen said again. “I think it’s maybe a, um, a dragon.”

Cullen emotionally braced himself for Moody to laugh or scold him for wasting his time or something, but he didn’t do either. He just relaxed back in his easy chair and rubbed the whiskers on his chin.

“A dragon, huh?” he said to himself. “Possible, I suppose, but dragons have been extinct for centuries.” Moody’s brows furrowed as he thought deeper about it. “At least on this side of the barrier,” he added quietly. Although his eyes were fixed on Cullen, their focus went past him and straight into the past or perhaps into the Otherworld itself.

Now it was Cullen’s turn to wait. He looked around the sumptuous library with its floor-to-ceiling books. He really did love it here. It was like a dream come true. Summer vacation beckoned because he planned to hardly leave this library. He would sit and read all day, into the evening. Perhaps go for a walk in the woods at dusk, just as it was cooling down, and then come back to read until bedtime. He pictured himself going through book after book and reading this entire collection by the time school started up again in the fall. Perhaps even twice.

“Tell me more,” Moody said at last, pulling Cullen out of his daydream.

“Well, like I said, at first I thought it was just silliness. You know, gamers and the like doing online role playing and
whatnot. But then I started thinking about Rowan and you and Fiana and all the other strange things over the past few months, and I thought it might be possible. Then April and I went to visit this guy in the hospital. Jack. The police think he’s the arsonist, but Jack said that it was a dragon. That’s what burned him. The police, of course, think he’s crazy, but it could be true. Right? But now you say they’re extinct, so maybe he is crazy.”

“Extinct. Yes. In this reality anyway,” Moody said.

“That’s right!” Cullen exclaimed. “I saw a dragon when I was in the Otherworld with Rowan. Oh, he was so beautiful! Huge and wonderful, flying through the air!” Cullen’s eyes sparkled as he remembered the dragon and all the wondrous things he had seen in the Otherworld. If a dragon was here, perhaps fairies and centaurs were as well. Perhaps there really was magic around every corner if you just knew where to look.

It must’ve been the thoughts of the Otherworld that stirred Rowan awake. Things had been so quiet of late in there during the day, Cullen was getting used to hearing only his own thoughts again. Now that Rowan went out at night while Cullen slept, the wizard had taken to sleeping during the day, so Cullen had his mind mostly to himself again. They had found a way to coexist in relative peace. But now Rowan stirred.

“You speak of the Otherworld?” Rowan said inside Cullen’s head, pulling Cullen out of his Otherworld daydream.

Yes. I was remembering the dragon there, and Moody and I were just talking about all the fires in the forest. Have you seen anything while you were out? Cullen thought to Rowan.

“Talking to Rowan,” Cullen said aloud to Moody who had taken to staring at Cullen.

“Ah. Of course. I should know by now that’s what’s happening when you get so still and quiet like that. What does Rowan have to say about it?” Moody responded.

“Nothing yet,” Cullen answered, and then asked Rowan again, Have you seen anything?

“I have seen evidence of the fires. I have put out a few myself at night, but with all the rain, it is normally taken care of naturally. The forest is charred, mostly. No real damage done.”

“Tell that to Jack,” Cullen said, then relayed the rest to Moody, “He says that he’s seen charring and put out a few, but he didn’t mention a dragon.”

“Dragon!” Rowan said. “You think it might be a dragon?”

We were just discussing that, Cullen thought.

“He can hear me, yes?” Moody asked.

“Yes,” Rowan answered.

“Yes,” Cullen relayed.

“Green man, dragons did exist in your time, but they do not exist on this plane any more. The last known dragon of any species died centuries ago. If it is indeed a dragon causing the fires, I fear it might have come through our veil,” Moody said to Rowan via Cullen.

Cullen didn’t like being talked through too much as it made him feel as if he was just in the way.

“How could he come through the veil when it took all of yours and Rowan’s power just to open it?” Cullen asked. “We haven’t had any sabbats to weaken the veil since then.” He was determined to remain part of the conversation.

“Good question, Cullen,” Rowan said.

“Thanks,” Cullen said out loud.

“For what?” Moody asked.

“I was talking to Rowan,” he said, then repeated Rowan’s comment.

“Oh. That is a good question, Cullen,” Moody said.

“Thanks,” Cullen laughed at this comedy of errors. “Well, how could it have come through? Are they that powerful on their own?”

“Oh yes, my dear boy. Dragons are very magical creatures, but I can’t imagine that one would want to come through into this dimension,” Moody observed.

Rowan made a sound inside Cullen’s head indicating he agreed, but before Rowan could say anything else, Aidan came into the library.

Both Cullen and Moody turned to her as she entered, and she stiffened. “What’s up?” she asked.

“Talking about the fires,” Cullen answered feeling now that he no longer had to hide the subject from her.

“Look,” Aidan said all defensively. “I know you both think it’s me. I see the way you’ve been looking at me and tiptoeing around the subject, but it’s not me! I swear!”

“We believe you, girl,” Moody said. “Cullen thinks it might be a dragon. He says there have been sightings.”

“A dragon? Cool!” Aidan said, relaxing. She came over and sat on the arm of Moody’s easy chair. “Who has seen a dragon?”

“This guy in the hospital,” Cullen said. “I’ve also seen tweets about it and such.”

“You’re believing tweets?” Aidan ribbed him.

“What’s a tweet?” Moody asked.

“Honestly, Cullen,” Aidan continued. “Don’t you know that most people are crazy? I mean, even crazier than we are!”

“I know, but stranger things and all,” Cullen answered and tilted his head to indicate Moody, then pointed to his own head to remind her that he was possessed by a wizard. “Not to mention your own special ability.”

“You’ve got a point,” she said.

“What’s a tweet?” Moody repeated.

“It’s a social networking internet thing. I’ll explain later,” Aidan told him.

“It is our fault,” Rowan said. Again, the all-too-familiar sense of Rowan’s guilt and depression bore down on Cullen’s mind.

“He says it’s his fault,” Cullen said, suddenly feeling very tired. “Or, rather, our fault.”

“Of course!” Moody exclaimed. “We forced the veil open when it should not have been opened. It was not natural. It was not respectful of, well, anything natural and good. We did so for our own purposes.”

Now the guilt wasn’t coming just from Rowan. Cullen’s own feelings of responsibility welled up and made him a little
nauseous. “It’s because of me,” he said. “You did that because of me wanting Rowan out. Now look what has happened.”

“No, Cullen. Don’t blame yourself. There is no blame, just a situation we have to deal with. A dragon likely came through the veil because it didn’t close properly. Perhaps it’s still not closed! We must deal with this now!” Moody exclaimed.

“Are you sure it’s a dragon?” Aidan asked. “I mean, I understand stranger things and all that, but might there also be a more normal explanation, like a pyromaniac?”

“I suppose it is possible,” Moody admitted. “Let us see. Cullen, see that book over there? The one that kinda stands out on the top shelf? Yes, that’s the one,” Moody said as Cullen pointed to a large, golden tome. “Bring that to me, would you?”

The library featured a wooden ladder on a sliding track that enabled it to be moved along the shelves. Cullen grabbed it and maneuvered it over to the book in question. He scaled the
ladder and grabbed the large book. Rowan swelled in his mind the instant he touched the book. It was like he got ten times bigger just as Cullen touched the book.

“Woah,” Cullen said aloud.

“Yes,” Moody said. “Feel the magic? It is a very special book. Bring it here.”

“Rowan sure can feel it,” Cullen mumbled as he climbed down the ladder. As soon as he handed the book over to Marlin, the pressure in his head began to subside. “Where did you get that book?”

“I have my ways, dear boy. Yes! Magic and all that. So,” Moody said, “let us see what we can discover.”

Moody didn’t open the book but rather held it in one hand and held the other over it, suspended in the air a few inches above its cover. He closed his eyes and started muttering under his breath. First, the book started to glow, and then Moody started to glow! Aidan, who was still sitting on the arm of Moody’s easy chair, stood up rather quickly and moved away. Her arm burst into flame.

“Damn it,” she cursed, shaking her arm in the air, which just made the fire grow brighter.

Cullen felt as if he should’ve done something, but as usual, he didn’t. He just stood there watching through wide eyes.

“Relax. Concentrate,” Moody said to her without being distracted from his task or even opening his eyes. “Just concentrate. We’ve practiced this.”

Aidan scowled at him, but did as he asked. The fire climbed up her arm, but Cullen noticed that nothing was burning. It was as if the flame wasn’t even touching her, rather she had a halo around her, and the flame came from that. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the fire subsided. She was without a blister. Not even her clothes were singed.

Amazing. He’d seen it before, but only when she threw the fire, never on her.

Truly amazing.

“Okay,” said Moody, letting the book drop to the end table next to his chair. “That should do it.”

“Did you really read that without opening it?” asked Cullen.

“No indeed, my dear boy. It is not that kind of book. It is in fact merely an aid to perception.”

“Like what Mr. Ferguson is trying to do for April?” Aidan asked with interest.

“Similar, I suppose,” conceded Moody. “To be completely frank, I really don’t understand how his machines work. But it is similar to the runes I gave April, only much more powerful. With its aid, I have just determined that there is indeed a flaw in the veil nearby. I can only assume it’s where we forced a way through.”

“So then it probably is a dragon from the Otherworld,” Cullen declared.

“In all probability. The poor thing must be lost and frightened. We must effect a rescue. Summon our forces and call out a search party. Can you get Madeline and April to meet us in about an hour? Have April bring her runes.”

“April, maybe, but Maddy is still grounded.”

“Still? But it has been months!”

“I know,” Cullen said.

“We must do something about that. After all, we couldn’t have succeed on the island without her! No sir!”

“What can you do?” Cullen asked.

“I have my ways. That’s right!” Moody waved his hand in a circle. Cullen almost expected purple stars to trail behind like magical tracers, but there were no stars or purple anything. Moody put his thumbs through his suspenders and looked very pleased with himself.

“What did you do?”

“I think your friend’s mother has had a sudden change of heart.”

CMRBlogTour2012

Follow the rest of my 2012 Blog Tour via this link!

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About the Author:

Christine Rose is the award-winning author of the Rowan of the Wood YA fantasy series. Her Amazon.com bestselling book Publishing and Marketing Realities for the Emerging Author helps writers feel successful by educating them about the publishing industry and marketing their book.

Christine writes, blogs, and podcasts, not only on her own blog, but also under the pen name Olivia (O. M.) Grey. You can find out about this persona and her books at Caught in the Cogs.

She needs copious amounts of dark chocolate, frothy mochas, and loving attention.

Connect with Christine: email * twitter * facebook * fan page
Connect with Olivia: email * twitter * facebook * fan page

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