Literary Lunes Magazine, January 2012 Issue

8/12/2019 Literary Lunes Magazine, January 2012 Issue

1/39

Literary Lunes Magazine

January 2012 Issue

Edited by Beth Ann Masarik

i


2/39

Literary Lunes Magazine Volume 2, Issue 1 2012

Literary Lunes Magazine copyright 2012 Beth AnnMasarik & Literary Lunes Publications. All rights reserve !inclu ing the right to repro uce this book! or portionsthereo"! in any "or# $ithout $ritten per#ission e%cept "or

the use o" brie" uotations e#bo ie in critical articles anrevie$s.

'or in"or#ation about reprinting! istributing! or other$isesharing the contents o" this book! please contact Beth Ann Masarik atin"o(literarylunes.co#

'irst e ition! )anuary 2012*riginally publishe in paperback an e+book by Literary Lunes Publications

,nterior e ite by Beth Ann Masarik

-over esign by Beth Ann Masarik #ash$or s / ition

Literary Lunes Magazine $$$.literarylunes.co#

Literary Lunes Press $$$.literarylunespress.$ebs.co#

ii
mailto:[email protected]://www.literarylunes.com/http://www.literarylunespress.webs.com/mailto:[email protected]://www.literarylunes.com/http://www.literarylunespress.webs.com/


3/39


This magazine has become so much more over the last year. The people involved haveworked extremely hard and it shows with each new release. I also like the welcome givento anyone who wants to be involved and how new submissions are always encouraged.

I have no doubt that Literary Lunes will be very successful and the new blog will push

that success even more. I'm happy to be associated with this group. !imi "arbour !ulti#published author # The $ild %ose &ress

$hen "eth came to me a little more than a year ago and told me she wanted to start anonline magazine for writers I was impressed with her forward thinking. I'd never heardof such a thing before. (he continued to impress me with the level of )uality that has

gone into every issue the articles and interview procured and the hard work shedisplays when she puts it together. It seems that every issue gains more readers and I am

proud to say I am one of them that I've been with it from the beginning. "eing on staffnow I hope to help Literary Lunes grow in *+,*.

-rin anzer

iii


4/39


Table of Contents

Letter From the Editor

Our New Blog

Calendar of Events

Blog Tours: Are They the New Book Tour

!oetry !aloo"a

# Never $anted to be a Coke %ealer

&ood &irl$a'ky $riters

%ream Cat'her

There (ou )ave #t: *y O+inion

The ,taff

Affiliates

iv


5/39

Letter from the Editor

%ear -eaders.

)a++y New (ears from all of us here at Literary Lunes/ This is a very s+e'ial year for us.for we have many e0'iting things ha++ening in 1231/ First u+ on the list4 ITS OUR ONEYEAR ANNIVERSARY! (u+/ Literary Lunes *aga"ine is offi'ially one year old/ Canyou believe it #t seems like it was only yesterday when # had the idea to start this baby u+5 #offi'ially set u+ the website on 6anuary 3 st. 1233 and our first issue went live on our websiteon *ar'h 3 st. 1233/ )ere we are. a whole year later/

This issue is full of im+ortant information. new stories. reviews. +oetry. advi'e. andim+ortant u+'oming events5 The ne0t few +ages are dedi'ated to the 'hanges and e0'itingevents that are going to take +la'e this year5 %on7t worry/ These are good. +ositive 'hangesand events/

# sin'erely thank everyone for your su++ort during our first year. and for +utting u+ with allthe 'hanges and the lateness of some of the issues5 # will be +osting a 'alendar on the ne0t

+age of deadlines and events for this year5

As a friendly reminder. GOING FORWARD, ALL FUTURE ISSUES WILL BE PUT OUT BI-MONTHLY 5 # am e0+e'ting this to be a 8E-( busy year for me. but a 8E-( good yearat that5

$hy are we going bi9monthly That7s be'ause # am working on my se'ond novel my firstone was released in August of 1233;. and more im+ortantly. # A* &ETT#N& *A--#E%/(es. that7s right/ # am getting married on O'tober 3


6/39


Beth Ann Masarik

1


7/39


Our New Blog

One of the big projects that I have been working on over the last couple ofweeks, is putting together a blog for the aga!ine" #he blog link iswww"literarylunespublications"blogspot"co " $hat is the purpose of thisblog you ask% $ell, I have at least thirty books on y bookshelf that I havebeen collecting since high school" My goal% My goal is to start weeding &I

ean reading' the this year" After I read these books, I will then bereviewing the and posting the reviews on the new blog"

In addition to those books, I received a Nook fro y beloved fianc( for)hrist as" *o you know what that eans% It eans that I can purchaseeven ore books and not have to worry about running out of storage space+$hy a I telling you this% I a telling you this because I a now acceptingbook review re uests+ -up+ #hat.s right+ I a now a book reviewer" Myfianc(, /evin, has also agreed to give book reviewing a shot &I gave hi aNook as well" 0ehe'" I would also like to welco e Barb 1ary, owner of the*iabetic 2nacker website, which is htt+:>>www5diabeti'sna'ker5'om> to thereview tea " /evin and I will be reviewing fiction &all genres', while Barb willbe reviewing Non3fiction"

4or our review policies, please visit the 5iterary 5unes blog"

In addition to the reviews, I will also be participating in so e blog tours,including two in 6anuary, and one in March" In 6anuary, I will be hostingauthors )"2" 2plitter and 2tephen 7rosapio" 2tephen is a fellow author froOtherworld 7ublications & y own publisher', and )"2" 2plitter is a near anddear friend of ine that I have beco e friends with over the last few

onths via 4acebook" #hese two guys are hysterical and wonderful writers+-ou have got to check the both out+ )"2" 2plitter is an Independent authorwho published his debut novel titled #he 8eluctant, and 2tephen 7rosapio isthe author of 1host of 8osewood Asylu "

?
http://www.literarylunespublications.blogspot.com/http://www.diabeticsnacker.com/http://www.literarylunespublications.blogspot.com/http://www.diabeticsnacker.com/


8/39


-alen ar o" /vents

ith the ne$ changes taking place to Literary Lunes this year! , thought it $oul be help"ul to list a -alen ar o" /vents. his $ay! it $ill help keep us all organize !an $ill hope"ully give people #ore ti#e to prepare their sub#issions.

)anuary 2012+A ery special birth ay an anniversary issue. 3ea line $as3ece#ber 40 th! 2011 "or sub#issions.

he ne%t issue $ill release on March 3, 2012 .3ea line "or sub#issions "or March is February 23 rd , 2012 . he the#es "orMarch5s issues are6 alentine5s 3ay or 7o#ance! an ha o$s 8"or 9roun hog3ay:.

'uture issues $ill be release on May 5 th .

3ea line "or sub#issions "or May is April 21st

. he the#es "or May5s issue are6the en o" $inter;or beginning o" spring. March also has t. Patrick5s 3ay an April has April 'ool5s ay.

he "ollo$ing issue $ill be release on July 7 .3ea line "or sub#issions "or )uly! is June 20 th . he he#es "or )uly5s issue are6 eteran5s 3ay! Me#orial 3ay! Mother5s 3ay! 'ather5s 3ay! u##er! an,n epen ence 3ay.

he ne%t issue $ill be release on September 8 th .3ea line "or sub#issions "or epte#ber! is Au ust 20 th . he the#es "or

epte#ber are u##er an Labor 3ay.he ne%t issue $ill be release on !"#ember 10 th . 8or there about.: Please

re#e#ber that *ctober is #y $e ing #onth! an , $ill nee e%tra help anpatience "ro# everyone "ro# epte#ber+allo$een! 'all! an $e ings?


9/39


Blog ours6 Are hey the appy $riting?

@


10/39


Poetry Palooza

Art Anna

By %enny E5 *arshall

*any of the good +oems #7ve read#n books and maga"ines

)ave been written by Art(ou know Arthur

No one7s +ublished moreThan Arthur n nownE0'e+t maybe the work

Of Anna Nymous

,oul7s TattooBy 6amie %an"er

Like a mistake made on +a+er # tried so hard to erase

$ished no more to see your name$ritten ever so deli'ately

#n su'h a fine +rint+on my skin. my heart

Though the mark you left meTattooed to my soul

Like a +ermanent marker A +ainful memory never forgotten

D


11/39


One Canadian ChristmasBy ,teve Bergeron

3$inter night. snowy whiteOh what a Canadian Christmas nightComing down in'h by in'h

Feeling like a Christmas &rin'h

November is that time of year $hat 'hildren wishing what we7d like dear

#t all started with that big +aradeBundling with s'arves and mittens hand made

The end of the +arade is near

Children anti'i+ating for him to a++ear -eindeers and sleights are now in sight)e then +asses by all golly wishing a good night

%e'ember now is here,tores all ammed with festive 'hear

Toys and games are am+le galoreThe 'hanges are imminent from wall to floor

Then off to the forest all one and all#n sear'h for that tree bushy and tall

Then into the +arlour it shall goFull of light and garland all aglow

The houses are all wra++ed in lightsAs +eo+le drive by en oying the sightThere are +eo+le going door to door

$ith song we all adore

A +erfe't beautiful Canadian sightOne # wouldn7t 'hange with all of my life


12/39


#ns+irationThomas *i'hael *'%ade

#tGs February. 7 @.#Gm a sailor in 8eni'e5

&y+sies are +arkedin vans on the +ier5The %ogeGs !ala'e is 'losed5

*iss niverse is rumoredto be in town and some

lu'ky shi+ will get a visit5An in'essant netof rain tra+s all

but the +igeons5!aying my res+e'tsoutside the &ritti.

)emingway7s hotel 'hoi'e# sense #ns+irationshadowing me5

-ain dri++ing off her wide9brimmed hat.she sni'kers while

# translate the +la=ueon 6ohn -uskinGs house5

The down+our sealsthe li+s of my di'tionary5

,uddenly. # must have a 8enetianhair'ut and li'kety9s+lit a barber

is toweling my so++ed headso vigorously

my imagination rattles5Later. # dine on arti'hoke

+i""a in a restaurantwhere &ermans list

'elebrities they7ve met5&usty rain erks me

down the +ier to the beatof a &y+sy a''ordion

as # +lot to ambushsmirking #ns+iration

with a shar+ened +en'il and legal +ad.

twist her fi'kle arm untilshe 'herishes my wordsas greedily as tourists

do autogra+hs5

H


13/39


# Never $anted to be a Coke %ealer # Never $anted to be a Coke %ealer By B5%5 Fis'her

That7s never what # wanted to be at all5 #f you had 'ome to me when # was a 'hild #

might have agreed. but only be'ause # thought you were talking about the soda myan0ious mother forbade e0'e+t on the first weekend of the month5 This rendered it anob e't of desire as reliably as the moon draws in the tides of Lake *i'higan. and the

+ros+e't of swimming in its efferves'en'e would have a++ealed to my 'hildish mind.su'king on a blankie wra++ed around my thumb. 'onsidering o+tions5 #f this is how itwent down5 # ke+t that blankie into my se'ond grade5#f you had 'ome to me when # was a teenager # would have been frightened. anddisbelieving. and +erha+s laughed in your fa'e. de+ending on my mood5 )ow does oneeven get into the business # might have asked5 #s there a 'ourse you 'an take. a'ertifi'ate you 'an earn. re+lete with elaborately seriffed fonts and fau0 wood framing#n the shakiness of my adoles'en'e it was hard to understand a business with 'redentials.

a formal entran'e. and in their absen'e # would have blown my bored bangs out of myeyes and left the room5 #t was im+ossible then to imagine +eo+le. let alone me. snorting afine white dust. and not for the reasonsI'orrosion of the striated mus'les of the heart.addi'tion. whatever that is. a frightful +aranoiaIthey gave us in health 'lass5 Thereasons are far more +rimal and boil down to a single =uestion: $ho first had the idea tosub e't the leaves of Erythro0ylum 'o'a to a brutal refinement. and then sus+ire in theresults through their nostrils Our days are after all in the main s+ent guarding the a''ess

+oints to our innards. and we aren7t in the habit of seeking out anything besides food.drink. and air for ingestion5 Logi'ally. snorting ought to be an im+assable barrier to use.

but # knew nothing then of 'o'aine7s mira'le anestheti' +ro+erties. the ones that make thedollar9bill slide a'ross a shard of mirror bearable. and delightful. when the 'oke is good5They ust don7t tell you that in health 'lass5Of 'ourse # was still a teenager. ust nineteen. when %ara7s brother +assed off hiso+eration. making of me a weed9variety businessman5 # made u+ this oke myself5 #don7t know what # e0+e'ted to beIdefense attorney. se'ond baseman for the Tigers.

+irate9astronaut. the re'ords are lost to history. and even my memories. if # had them.would not be reliableIbut never this5 #t was startling and delightful as the morning sunin early s+ring. melting the leftover snow5 #f you had 'ome to me in those early days.when # o+erated at the +inna'le of my +rofession and traded in the finest weed in theworld. Cho'olate Thai. the su+reme *aui $owie. Odin7s Beard. the great +ur+le monsterAmethyst7s %elight. # would have s'offed. and looked down my nose. in the manner of alands'a+e ar'hite't at a *e0i'an5 Coke then was still frightening. baffling. mysterious.and nothing at all like weed5 For a time. the fa't of how # made my living was itself ahallu'ination to me. and the notion that # might one day deal in 'oke +ast laughable.

beyond the +ale5 $hat lands lie on the far side of the verdant +lains and fragrant swam+sof hallu'ination The flora are unfathomable. the fauna im+ossible. and # still 'an7t

believe it even now. even now that # live here. for the differen'e between dealing 'okeand dealing weed is the differen'e between a nu'lear bomb and the nu'lear family5 #guess it7s different if you7ve grown u+ in the ghetto. or the barrioInot a single one ofthese bloodless *e0i'ans betrays a hint of a se'ond though. or even a dollo+ of worry. or

J


14/39


any feelings at allIthe faded +at'h on -amKn7s forearm is a tattoo s'rubbed into the skin by the eraser of a +en'ilIbut if you had told me # would one day be sitting in this van 555well. # would have res+onded as you res+ond to a 'hild who tells you that he7ll grow u+to be ,+iderman. or a +oint9forward in the NBA. running the triangle offense: better'ome u+ with another +lan5 Be'ause now we7re talking about traffi'king. and this is what

disaster does to you5 #t thinks you knew thoughts. tra'es new em+ty lands'a+es to besket'hed in by the +alette of your des+eration5 This is what it did to me5But weed. my +re'ious weed 555 you are not like that. no. you are not at all like the 'oke5(ou shall never be like that. and in fa't the o++osite5 There7s not a high s'hool inAmeri'a without a weed dealer. or at least a nar'. and so he is in the +o+ular memory asfamiliar a figure as the s'hool nurse or a 'rossing guard5 Come on there with the bikes/$ere we an honest +eo+le the weed dealer7s statue would be ere'ted in the town s=uare5Everyone7s life has a weed dealer. even if it doesn7t need one. and even if it doesn7t knowit5 This is one of the ultimate truths that only we know. me and my +eo+le. the high'lergy of a brood for'ed by the law into shadows we have 'ome to like. 'rave. need5 As a

+riest gives absolution for tithing so we trade in smokeable saving gra'e. at +ri'es that

ranged u+ to 31@2 an oun'e @2 +er gram. my s'ale toggled from avoirdu+ois to metri'with the +ress of a button; at my +eak5 The highest end sold mainly to ri'h girls. for onlythey 'ould really afford itM +ri'e it out and the result more than doubles the +ri'e of gold.whi'h as a 'urren'y of last resort flu'tuates wildly Basi' !rin'i+les of E'onomi's. B;5There is only one reason my +rodu't lineIwhi'h 'onsisted after all only of +lants. # wasmerely a greenhouse salesman. a mystifying fa't to 'onsiderI'ame so dear. and not evenmy All9Ameri'ans 'ould afford the to+ of the line e0'e+t for su'h s+e'ial o''asions. likedraft weekend in New (ork5 $eed is there for us in these good times as well as bad. as aloving mother or 'hild7s blankie is there for the birthday 'elebrations and the skinnedknees5 ,u'h is its virtuosi' versatility5All these things in 'ombinationImy develo+ing 'ommand of the language. habits. and

+ower of weed. the growth of my bottom line. my 'lose relations to do"ens of ri'h girlsand su+erstar athletesI+rovided me a 'omfort and +rote'tion that was like a 'ra'klingfire or down a'ket in winter5 #n *i'higan it always seems to be winter. the night fallswith the soundless snow and as darkness overtakes twilight the streets grow =uiet e0'e+tfor the rushing away of distant 'ars that might ust be the whis+ering of ghosts5 Thestrange a'ousti's of the snow in the dark make everything seem far away. indu'ing a

+leasant loneliness5 %es+ite all that has ha++ened. this will always be Ann Arbor to me.and the good times as # remember them. looking out the window of my lu0ury 'ondo andsi++ing a ,'ot'h. 'ounting my money and turning ba'k to my 'handelier bong5 # was'alled to take a seat and found it more 'omfortable than # imagined. with a good view ofthe bla'kboard and the windows overlooking the athleti' fields. where the 'heerleaders

+ra'ti'ed during study hall. showing off their +anties in the sun5 There was nothing to'om+lain about. and # never did5The novelty of those early days. the sheer into0i'ation of sur+rise and 'ontrol. 'an hardly

be overestimated5 %ara7s brother 6oe Bill ,ome street name like Blades ; left townless than a week after announ'ing that # was the heir a++arent5 )e stood by me for thosefirst few deals but then # was alone. alone5 )e told me to 'all him if # had any +roblems.

but he never gave me his number and it was mostly things he 'ouldn7t hel+ with anyway5# remember still the fright of being abandoned. as though # were a 'hild in national +ark

32


15/39


staring over the edge of a 'liff. and 'ontem+lating ste++ing over5 #t was mostly a struggleto find a rhythm5 $hat even to say when # got a 'all. the words to use5 None of this is asnatural as it 'ame to seem5 There7s always an argot to learn. and then to make u+5 Theidiosyn'rasies are everything5 *istakes were made and money lost. but still in that headytime # felt as though # were surfing through the 'louds. unable to see where # was but

nevertheless thrilled by the wind in my fa'e5 # know that this ha++ened to me. but it is soeasy to forget5Of 'ourse. # learned =ui'kly enough5 After all. # was and remain a smart guy. a''e+tedwith finan'ial aid into the four9year +rogram of an elite university. even if # neverrea'hed the u++er division5 The newness of my +rofession wore eventually off. but

between mastery and routine lies a soft s+ot. 'ommon but oft9missed. and it was in this +la'e that # 'ame to understand myself as a +arti'i+ant in a grand tradition. a 'og in ama'hine that has been grinding humanity forward sin'e the dawn of 'ons'iousness.memory. and imagination5 $ithout the niversity of *i'higan # have no doubt that the'om+le0ity and truth of this understanding would have es'a+ed me5 For this andeverything else # still revere the mai"e and blue5 $here # to have 'hildren # would insist

that they wear these 'olors. and if in the end they +roved unable to gain admittan'e. well.# ho+e that the boy would still sit with me on ,aturday afternoons in the fall. and the girlallow ri'e dyed yellow and blue to be thrown at her wedding5And yet # don7t regret dro++ing out5 The business 'limate demanded my full attentions.and # would have been a fool to ignore my on'e9in9a9lifetime shot5 # +aid a +ri'e for myambitions. in lost o++ortunities to link together the dis+arate strands of thought ande0+erien'e into the ta+estry of history. but #7ve never looked ba'k5 # am less for having

been for'ed by 'ir'umstan'e to leave the niversity. and it is even +ossible. # have 'ometo believe. that what ha++ened might not have had there been some way to stay in s'hooland 'ontinue to work. to broaden my hori"on to en'om+ass first Lake ,u+erior and thenthe O'eans5 #t is +ossible. # am saying. that further *i'higan edu'ation may havein'reased fo'us. redu'ed mistakes. and hel+ed me see the 'onne'tions ne'essary to staveoff de'lension5 # 'an7t be 'ertain. but # believe it to be so5 The niversity of *i'higan$olverines would have saved me if they 'ould5But it wasn7t +ossible5 The hours were 'ra"y and late9night into0i'ation with morninghangovers a 'ost of doing business 555 and yet # 'annot hel+ but think about what mighthave been5 # don7t see how it 'ould have gone the other way. but still # wonder. adangerous rabbit hole5 #t7s the kind of thing a man 'an7t let himself think about lest theworld be'ome too mu'h. in'luding and es+e'ially these *e0i'ans5 #7m surrounded bythem5# 'ough. ho+ing it will 'lear my head. and the sound e'hoes in the van but there is nothingthey 'an do to me5The money was the de'iding fa'tor. it was the only thing that 'ould have got me to dro+out of s'hool5 %ara7s brother dro++ed a gold mine in my la+ and what was # su++osed todo # 'ame from a middle9'lass family. my father worked at the engine +lant in -omeo.and here was all this money. all these ri'h girls5 # 'ouldn7t have known that they wouldnever reveal themselves to me5 # have nothing to a+ologi"e for. not to anyone. least of allmyself5And yet it was always more than money5 # found what the self9hel+ gurus agree is thekey. a meaningful ob that you love. that 'om+letes you. where you feel like you make a

33


16/39


differen'e5 ,elling weed was all these things and more: The links we make. betweenourselves and the ones we love although # have never been in love;. between nature and

+hiloso+hy British -omanti' !oetry. % ;. between a++aritions and the wet bla'k bough.are +rodu'ts of the 'entral human a't. aided at all the 'ru'ial moments by the'onsum+tion of smoked weed. or at least the 'onsum+tion of something5 Even 'offee is

something: %o not underestimate the effe'ts of 'affeine. +arti'ularly on a *ormon5 #t islike a mushroom5 And is alteration not our 'entral endeavor5 Leave the world a little better than you found it. or at least different. so someone knows you were there5Civili"ation begins with distillation. or at least with fermentation. and the stoned a+esventured onto the ste++es of Afri'a and develo+ed in that o+en s+a'e in res+onse to thenovelty of the hori"on the auda'ity to walk u+right and shed their tails. all in +ursuit ofri'her. more 'om+le0 sugars to feed their strangely ravenous a++etites5 From the 'osmi'

+ers+e'tive this is how it ha++ened. and like everything else it ha++ened for a reason5 #won7t +retend to know s+e'ifi's. but the story is im+ossible not to believe. and notne'essarily be'ause it is true5 The medi'ine man re'ites tales of himself and his eldersand an'estors and in so doing effe'ts a be'oming so vital. so natural. that our stories

'ould not survive its absen'e5 # hate to assign myself the role of Ameri'an shaman orgriot. but. well. there you go5 At least this is how # felt. even though # am now 'onfinedto the bum+y silent 'om+any of -amKn and his friends. most of whom are +robably alsohis 'ousins. by marriage or inbreeding. and lo'ked inside a 'ave9dark van5 # 'ouldn7t getout if # wanted to. not without some violen'e5 # have in my +o'ket four 'rinkled twentiesand the 'hange from a fifth. used to +ur'hase a Three *usketeers. an advan'e against myshare in 'ase of emergen'y. but where would these get me from the side of the road #haven7t had a 'ell +hone in more than year and money7s not worth anything withoutsomebody to take it. to e0'hange it for goods and servi'es5 $e are somewhere in

entu'ky or Tennessee. # figure. and no one in here looks at me ever. or +retends to any'onversation. and it7s the silen'e more than anythingImore than the des'ent into dealing'o'aine. more than the loss of all that # was and believed. more than the fifteen to life #7mlooking at if things go sourIthat makes me feel hel+less. and want to throw u+ myhands5 *y unbidden fa'e wrinkles in the manner that is a +relude to tears. # know eventthough # 'an7t see it in the bla'ked9out windows5 But # 'an feel it. and the feeling is alltoo familiar5 # would sigh. if # thought that it might hel+. and that it might not be noti'ed5#n the end the e=uation is sim+le enough: Like a dervish setting himself abla"e

-eligions of the $orld. % ; or a 6a+anese hari9kari # subsumed to something greaterthan myself. whi'h is the re'ommended 'ourse5 Even our +residential 'andidates 'ame totalk in these terms and when they did a thrill 'oursed through me. for # knew e0a'tly whatthey meant5 #n fa't # had lived it5 Nothing has +re+ared me for good 'iti"enshi+ likeweed5 # attem+ted at all times 'ons'ious imitation of %ara7s brother his name. his name;and +er'eived to hang from my shoulders the same mantle of 'ivi' res+onsibility5 #t wasstrange to feel this at first. not weighty ust strange. but the role 'ame to seem familiaruntil it was natural. integral. and finally ne'essary5 %ara7s brother was a standu+ guy. areal mens'h. and the o++osite of these *e0i'ans5 )e was a man who did not want toleave anybody hanging. who wanted to +rovide for his +eo+le. his friends. and # wanted

badly to do as he did5 # still miss him5 ,o 'on'erned was he with the +ubli' good that inleaving me his business he also advan'ed me a substantial sum to make it through thatfirst shaky year. at 2 interest5 $e7re talking 'lose to si0 figures. a duffel bag of 'ash

31


17/39


18/39


the 'hewing gum. the =ui'kened sidelong glan'es before a++li'ation of flame to +lant #would lying if # said that # were not terrified5 These se+arate strands. these tributaries tothe sa'rament. have never been se+arated. but they are about to be5 Like a Fren'h braidundone. they are about to be. and soon5 $ithin in the ne0t generation5 Before #7m dead5

No one denies this now5 The ty+e of man that %ara7s brother was and # as+ired to be will

be soon enough 'onsigned to the 'urbside of history5 This fa't is so s'ary that we avoidnot only its mention but even the bare thought5 And yet now. this moment. is a time forhonesty. if ever there was one5 !erha+s the move into 'oke is the right one5 #t is alwaysim+ossible to see from the vantage +oint of the future +ast5And what then # feel as an Ottoman. or a 8isigoth. or a )a+sburg mandatory +ass>failsemester of $estern Civ. whi'h # +assed by the skin of my teeth thank you very mu'h;.and it turns out that being the last of a dying breed is only for tuber'ular -omanti's andvon ,a'her9*aso'h5 $ho knew But history has not yet overtaken me. and # still havesuffi'ient fight to endure the 'laustro+hobia of this bla'ked9out van. a lightless'onveyan'e. a bo0 on wheels. state unknown. and fo'us my attentions on the s'ore thatmight get me ba'k in the game5 The beating of my heart5 The endless 'raggy road5 Even

at the height of my su''ess there was always admi0ed to the smoke a faint tragi' whiff. asif of 'oming in at the end. of arriving to the double feature as the final s'ene of these'ond movie fades to bla'k. the house lights 'oming u+5 # think that many Ameri'ansfeel this way5 As the hooks on whi'h we hang our hats 'ome unmoored from their studsall of us stand in danger of falling. falling. and ea'h ste+ 'ould be our last5 The savvyamong us have always been aware that the rules that a++ly today may not a++lytomorrow5 The o+tions we thought we had disa++ear with the +assage of time. without asingle 'hoi'e being made5 # will never have a son to whom # 'ould +ass the family

business5 # su++ose in the end this is a good thing5&ah. # hate myself5 #7m sorry. # think all this travel has gone to my head5 The immobilityof it leaves me =ueasy. grandiose. un'ertain5 *y seatbelt +ulls tight a'ross my hi+s. andthe *e0i'ans # 'annot hel+ but noti'e take no su'h +re'autions5 # want you to'on'entrate on the blankness of their fa'es5 ,urely their blankness +oints to 'onfiden'eand thus our su''ess. or else to oblivion and our failure5 ,urely they would bear the bruntof an investigation. the unsus+e'ting gringo a vi'tim of *e0i'an mani+ulation5 &od onlyknows what $ellover has in store for us. the town where we will wait for word that it istime to 'ross5 Four brown *e0i'ans and a gringo white with the *i'higan winter5 Theytell me # won7t stand out to the uniformed guards but # have no idea whether to believethem5 Everything is on faith. they7ve turned the fa'ts into a mystery5 #7ve +ut my trust in-amKn and hold my breath and try not to make a 'old assessment. like a man at a 'ra+stable riding a hot streak5 (ou don7t want to think about it5 #7ve +ut ten years7 rent moneyon 'ome5 Even the atheists among us believe in things they 'an7t verify. not even intheory. a faith. a ba+tism. a 'ross around the ne'k5 There7s no other way5 A 'ross and a'ru'ifi0. # only re'ently learned. aren7t the same thing. for # wasn7t raised religious5 Notlike these *e0i'ans with their 'ra"y 'ult of *ary and the kissing of i'ons. the e'hoingreality of felt emotions5 All this is familiar. at least to them. and # try to retain my 'ool. to

breathe in and then out. and to imagine the +assing lands'a+e5 The sun must be well u+ by now5 #t will get warmer as we go farther south5 #7d love to get some fresh air. to 'learmy head. but # don7t dare ask the driver to sto+5 # don7t even know his name5 # don7tknow anyone e0'e+t -amKn. with whom in the +ast # have done some minor business.

3


19/39


and out of nowhere this fa't seems like the thinnest thread with whi'h to stit'h a'onne'tion. as though # am attem+ting to swing from one skys'ra+er to another on as+iderline of dental floss5 -amKn -amKn 555Even when # was going under there was a nobility to what # did and how # 'ondu'tedmyself5 # know how that sounds. but this bla'ked9out van has no nobility5 These

*e0i'ans have no nobility5 Tru'king 'oke a'ross the border has no nobility. and doingfifteen years even less5 # don7t mean to mythologi"e. e0'e+t that maybe # do. and thisfeels 'om+letely ustified in my +resent 'ir'umstan'es. s+eeding south in a lightless ferryto 'ross the ,tygian -io &rande. my white fa'e making of me a ghost. invisible5 At leastthat is everyone7s ho+e5

3@


20/39


&ood &irlBy *atthew $ilson

Anna hated 6oey with the +assion a normal +erson holds for murderers5 ,he7d warnedmother against buying animals from +eo+le 'oming to the house. but sin'e when did sheever listen $asn7t she always right,he said her daughter7s marriage wouldn7t last the season. her first and only +regnan'ywouldn7t see full term5 A normal +erson would 'all mom a wit'h5Anna had worse names. but sin'e the divor'e had a 'hoi'e of living there or on thestreets5 As the saying goes. Pbeggars 'an7t be 'hoosers5Q #t had been 'lose. then that darn

bird. 6oey was a grey and white Co'katoo sharing mom7s natural ease of making her lifemiserable5S(ou7re drunk.S athleen Tanner said distastefully as she heard the ba'k door o+en5Again she didn7t add5

/ou0re alive Anna thought similarly5 %isa++ointed. she held onto the fridge as sheremoved her high heels. no need to fall and give the old bat ammunition to highlight herlife going down5S# think it7s disgusting you go out every night. su'king the fa'e of every guy you 'omea'ross. what about diseases SSCome on. mom5 (ou know # hurry home. you know # miss you5Q#t was ust +ast two a5m5M she7d ho+ed mom would be in her 'offin by now. or hangingfrom the 'eiling beams by her talons5SLook at the time. no wonder you 'an7t kee+ a man5SAnna stu'k her head in the fridge5 ,he wouldn7t mention the white +ill. but it was givingher the mun'hies and the heart rate of a marathon runner5S%ad left you too. mom5S Anna whis+ered. atta'king a triangle of 'heese5 *aybe somedairy would soak the al'ohol5S)e didn7t leave me. you were an awkward 'hild. #9SSNo. mom.S Anna said wearily. +ushing a thi'k ti'k of blonde hair from her ha"el eyes5S#t7s lateM #7m not getting into another argument with youS*om si++ed her 'offee. the best wea+on in her arsenal for staying u+5 ,he was alwaysthere to make Anna7s life hell5 S)onestly. dearM you sound like you7re the 'enter of theuniverse5SS$hore.S 6oey 'hir+ed from his 'age. tore a feather from his tail and re+eated thegreeting5S,o you haven7t been talking about me to the bird then S

athleen stood u+5 ,he had bad knees from years of +ushing her elderly mother round ina wheel'hair during that 'an'er s'are5(es. Anna felt bad wishing one day when mom got u+ there7d be a sna+. she7d release a

+leasing s'ream to Anna and down she7d go5(es. she felt guilty for being a bad daughter. but mom reminded her of that fa't veryoften. and of'ourse the drinking hel+ed5Anna 'losed the door. staring hard at the 'age till 6oey defe'ated5# hate you5

3D


21/39


But mom was sur+risingly light on her feet5 The washed +lates on the sink rattled. as she'overed the distan'e from the table to the fridge in one bound5 As she did so. the fat

beneath her arm +its iggledM the do'tor told her to lose three stone in five years if shewished to see any grand'hildren. mother knew best5Anna didn7t +ress mom did anything to e0tend her life5

SLeave him be.S athleen said lifting 6oey. 'age and all off the fridgeS)e s not an animal. he7s +art of the family5S)e7s wel'ome to it5 ,ay a Lion bounded into the room. would mom have defended herlike that A human shield to +rote't the thing she loved most. moms love had died sometime ago. like everything good in life5 All that remained was this +oisonous. snidely husk5Calledmum5S(ou got a letter from ,tevens soli'itor while you were outS she kissed 6oeys 'agemaking si'k. smoo'hing noises5 SAll dayS she added hitting the es+resso ma'hine5$hiiiirrr/ #t sounded like a dentist drill5Anna moaned. feeling the ground sway like the 152? train from Tokyo blared by5

S(ou o+ened my mail again SS*ail again. mail againS 6oey 'oughed. nutted his bell and 'he'ked his beak for dents inhis tiny mirror5S(our mail. my house.S athleen e0+lained as though one and the same S)e wants moremoney. # told you never to marry him5SOf 'ourse all that negativity had been the main reason she took him down the aisle. theone sweet 'ertainty mom was wrong5 But of 'ourse she wasn7t. and Anna suffered

be'ause she hadn7t listened5,he tore o+en the letter. fingers fighting the s+irits that only a few hours ago seemed agood idea to blot out moms voi'e. the 'riti'isms that haunted her slee+. the endlessdisa++ointments now worked against her5 ,he read it twi'e. sometimes the words fi""edlike badly mi0ed 'hemi'als that didn7t register in her head5$hiirrr9#f only she 'ould think5$hirrr/The shelf shook as mom added 'ream. the ma'hine went haywire. wha'king the +lasteroff the sideboard5S*ust you have that on S Anna said so softly. she thought the monster making of ahangover might tear her head a+art5S#7m thirsty5S *om lied5SThirsty.S 6oey threw in his two 'ents. her defense lawyerM a si0ty year old 'an have'offee at two a5m5 in her own home if she wanted5 Even when she lived alone she was in

bed by nine5S,tay out of this. you li'e infested9SSAnna. leave him be. #7ve raised you better. it7s not his fault you7ve ruined your life.

be'ause you 'an7t kee+ a manSS,to+ it. mom. # know you +refer that bird to me5S,he7d meant est. a statement so bi"arre it would stun mom to silen'e. wonderful. sweetnothing5 But mom didn7t re+ly. her eyes full of guilt5

3


22/39


S$ell that7s lovelyS Anna muttered. s'ared to raise her voi'e in 'ase it broke. she rea'hedfor another beer 9 who needed sobriety SNo wonder #7m so messed u+5SS)e kee+s me 'om+any. never runs out the house 'hasing men. trying to get myself

+regnant to make u+ for the one # lost9SAnna sto++ed moving. sure her heart would sto+5 SThin i'e.S she whis+ered5 S(ou7re on

thin i'e. go to bed before # lose 'ontrol5 #f you want an argument do it at a more'onsidering time5S*om. # think something7s wrong with the baby. 'an you hold me5S# was right about that +oor thing inside you. all that damn beer. 'aring for your own fun.the babe didn7t stand a 'han'e. the walls are +a+er thin. # hear what you get u+ to withthose men you bring ba'k9SS*om. # will not have this talk with you now. get away5SAnger +ulsed through Anna. it be'ame a living. ravenous thing born of her most sensitive

+oint5 ,he7d +lanned to 'all him ,teven. after his dad5,he made fists. her fingers 'losing round a beer bottle ne'k5S%on7t you tell me what to do in my own house. you7ve always been a bad 'hild. and

you7re a murderer/SSNo/S Anna turned to fa'e her slanderer5 S# loved him and he loved me. we were goingwell till you stu'k your nose in9 mom SAnna looked at the broken bottle in her handM green glass littered the floor like +ebbles ona bea'h 'at'hing sunlight5S*om S she felt a minute of her life had been edited5 There was a dent in the oldwoman7s head. something +ur+le oo"ed and leaked out the 'ra'ks between the skullshards5 S*om S athleen wasn7t breathing5SOh &odSS*om *om S 6oey re+eated and Anna um+ed. e0+e'ting the world to 'lose in. everyfa'e at her window. neighbors +ointing at what she7d done5/ou0re in trouble she thought and lifted 6oeys 'age5 S,he7s my mom.S she started'rying as she +ut him in the living room. 'losed the door5S*om S 6oey said and Anna shouted till he =uieted5 Now she 'ould +ut all her mind onstaying out of +rison. mom always said her daughter was good at looking after herself.now Anna would give the world to hear that awful s'ree'hy voi'e again5,he dro++ed the glass with some diffi'ulty. some shards indented in her +alm5S# didn7t mean it.S she insisted as she washed her hands5$ash it all. wash everything5

No. it had to look natural. mom had taken all that was good. she wouldn7t take herfreedom5 That hate filled her again. that mom had bought her down to this. made her doit5 ,he 'he'ked her +ulse. unsure whi'h side of the line she was on. did she want her aliveor not Either way she7d be a +risoner of her or the system5)er knees5,he had the do' s memo as +roof should this go to 'ourt. she7d been out all evening. haddrunk enough +eo+le under the table to 'onvin'e them she7d be 'omatose as soon as sherea'hed home5)ow 'ould # do su'h a thing when she7d gone straight to bed. offi'er Could hardlystand5 But those +ills. those wonderful +ills lo'ked her legs. gave her ba'k 'ontrol. hermind ra'ed5

3H


23/39


S(ou always make more work for me.S Anna 'om+lained as she filled the sink. letting itoverflow5 The water would wash away any tra'e of 'ontradi'ting %NA she7d overlooked5 *om had 'om+lained she 'leaned the floor earlier in the day. the windows wouldwait for a s=ueegee5But for the +lan to work there7d have to be one un+leasant a't5

)er feet sodden wet. so'ks sti'king to ankles she s=uatted besides her mother body andlifted her head. 'hoking on that mothball and boiled sweet smell that 'ontinuouslyemanated off her5O+en and 'losed offi'er. she was old. her knees bad. she left the ta+s on while doing thewashing. gone to feed 6oey and on running ba'k sli++ed. smashed her fa'e on the edge ofthe tiled 9SAnna SAnna looked toward the living room. her name hadn7t been said a while. that brain dead

bird e'hoed everything before its makers breath had faded5 $as he learning to talk +ro+erlySAnna S *om said only able to o+en one eye. her left a bloody. bloated mess that had

seen her first ste+s now saw only darkness5 S# 'an7t move. # think some thing7s wrong. #think555S ,he made a 'li'king noise as her moisture less tongue se+arated from the roof ofher mouth5 ,he7d only one working eye but it saw the truth in Anna7s5S!lease don7t kill me. Anna5SAnna looked away as she grabbed her mother7s ears. +ulled and +ushed. bringing all herweight down as she smashed her head down again and again on the floor5,to+ moving. for on'e in your life listen you old fool and sto+ moving5Crun'h. 'run'h. 'run'h5$hen it was done and the air seemed gone from athleen7s lungs she vomited. that wasgood. it would go with the story. sur+rise at this tragi' a''ident5 ,ure there was nothingleft. wearily. woo"y she went to the living room and +i'ked u+ the +hone5Think sad she thought though she smiled5 Bring on the tears5,he thought of her dead baby and on they 'ame5S)ello Ambulan'e +lease5 # think my mother7s dead5SSAmbulan'e +leaseS said 6oey. then whistled5Anna 'overed the +hone with her +alm and said S$hen this is all over #7m gonna +ut youin a +ieS Alan ee+ing gave the woman his sym+athies and reassuran'e these things ha++ened fartoo often 9 it was =ui'k and that in itself was a small mer'y5 )e7d been a +oli'e mantwelve years and nursing home assistant for ten before that so he had some sym+athy forthese old dears. leftalone. negle'ted5 !ulling his eyes from the floor. to s+are the woman7s misery he orderedeveryone +a'k u+. 'all it an early night as he ti'kled the bird and +oured seed in its bowl5S!retty thing. my mother had one tooSSThat7s 6oeyS Anna e0+lained. rea'hing for him. returned to his rightful +la'e u+on thefridge. her fingers were almost at his head before the bird re'oiled like she might tear itoff5 S$e7re best friends. ust us two against the world now. huh 6oey5S6oey ho++ed from the 'age edge. as far as he 'ould from her5

3J


24/39


S!retty thingS 6oey s=uawked and Alan thought it a shame the only witness 'ould saynothing more than his name and re=uest 'ra'kers. a detailed a''ount of the a''identwould be ni'e but so would world +ea'e and that hadn7t worked out either5S(ou7re tired5S )e said as his men 'losed the door leaving no tra'e of their +assing butthe slight whiff of 'igarette smoke and 'leaning fluid5

S# 'an see this has been a sho'k. #7ll leave the final details till morning. you7d best getsome slee+5SSThank youS Anna +ushed her fa'e in her hands. her shoulders shaking like the bonesinside had melted away5 Alan thought she was 'rying when in fa't she was trying not tolaugh. she was so 'lose to being free. of all things5S#s there any one # 'an get in 'onta't to s+end the night here (ou shouldn7t stay aloneafter walking in on su'h a thing5S,he de'lined. grateful for his kindness. a handsome. likeable guy. she thought he d makea good father. would he have left her for another woman like ,teven,he blew her nose for effe't and walked him to the door5 SAgain. thank you5S)e shook her hand and wished her 'ourage5 S&oodbye Anna555 6oeyS

)e ti++ed his hat and started to 'lose the door. the area was a mine field of burglaries. alo'ked door was a safe door9SAnna. +lease don7t kill meS 6oey 'hir+ed and nutted his bell5Alan +ut his foot in the door. Anna had her weight behind it but his si"e tens weren7tmoving5 The +oli'eman7s fa'e had 'hanged. his smile was gone5SA'tually *iss Tanner. 'ould # ask a few =uestions down the station SAnna 'oughed. relu'tantly ste++ed from the door5 S#t7s a little late.S Alan looked at the

bird. then ba'k at her S#f you +lease. it would make this easier5S)e didn7t say on you but he didn7t have to5 Neither was he 'alling her by her first namenow5Anna felt her tongue dry. a fat maggot that writhed and drowned in its own lies behindher teeth5 S*ay # have a moment to 'omb my hair. mother said a lady must look her

best5SSCertainly. take all the time you wish5SAnna looked at the houseM she 'ould have done su'h good here5 But mother was right.mom was always right5 S# won7t be a moment5SAlan waited till he heard her on the stairs and +i'ked 6oeys 'age u+5SCome on. old boy. softly does it5SS,oftly. softly5S ,aid 6oey5S#s this ok S Anna asked as she +ut on her mother7s 'oat S#t would 'lash hideously withhand'uffs5SAlan o+ened the door for her SThere7ll be no need for that will there. *iss S,he looked at 6oey. wishing he would burst into flames5 SNo.S she saidS#7ll be goodS6ust like mother wanted5

12


25/39


Wacky Writers

$ith the New (ear here. and +eo+le making New (ear7s resolutions. we want to knowwhat yours are Even better. we want you to write a short. fi'tional story about a'hara'ter from your own imagination that has a new year7s resolution. and struggles withkee+ing it5 $e all know how diffi'ult that is/;

13


26/39


%ream Cat'her -eview#Gm the Author of Adult fi'tion. !oetry. and a few Children7s books5 # am a )ost at -obinFalls ids on -ed -iver -adio Called G the %reams of our 'hildren5 #Gm +leased toannoun'e a new oint venture. s+e'iali"ing in +ublishing eBooks with *L- !ublishers5 #'ontinue wanting to ins+ire Children and Adults with sim+le stories with a big message5S$orlds imagined. worlds dis+layed5 inter+retations of +ast. +resent. and future5S#ntrodu'ing 8irtuoso Books5 A virtual 'atalog of 'reations from Authors and !ublishersfrom around the world at the ti+ of your finger5 www5vivirtuosobooks5'om#n my !oetry bookM UToo *u'h Ado7 # s+eaks to the heart. with a +oeti' voi'e.reminding all of us that relationshi+s 'an be very diffi'ult

5E0'er+t: A FatherGs Eyes

P# remember standing at the door. +eeking out the window. never seeing either of my +arents de+ending on how their 'areer goes5Those +romises that were never ke+t at a time that would soon be gone5(ou sit inside your room and wonder how long must it go on/)olding one truth within your heart S# will never do this to my son4QEa'h +ie'e is a sim+le reminder that while life 'an be diffi'ult and even debilitating it is

better shared together with love and understanding5After writing my first !oetry book Too *u'h Ado. # wanted to address my feelings more

+oeti'ally about what #7ve learned over @2 years5 *y e0+erien'e as a so'ial worker hasshown me many +eo+le and ways of life5 This has taught me 'om+assion andunderstanding5

11
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vivirtuosobooks.com%2F&h=gAQFlcexKAQE0tAEB36iJITYsPGGR68ByALHtTgvfUoCKPQhttp://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vivirtuosobooks.com%2F&h=gAQFlcexKAQE0tAEB36iJITYsPGGR68ByALHtTgvfUoCKPQ


27/39


Tadias means P)ello or $hat7s u+Q in Ethio+ian whi'h is my an'estry5 #wish to show readers ust what #7ve learned through this time5E0'er+t from book : TadiasThe world they say kee+s 'hanging

every ste+ we take5There are so many =uestions thatflatter our mistakes5

The more we learnthe less we know5Our a'hes and +ains

begin to grow5Life and time

begins to matter5As this life on earth

begins to shatter5

now # see less of meand my world has 'ome full 'ir'le5All #Gve aim to be has seemto be dysfun'tional at best5$hat # know or did knowhas taken away my +ast5# on'e thought # 'ould live forever

but now # live ea'h day5

link: htt+:>>www5vivirtuosobooks5'om> www5story9e9books5'om and other internet bookstores

Poetry E-BOOK REVIEWCoffee House Window

by the river. winddrifts over ro'k tree.ri++les 'urrent

I see you &listening sunshine.waves5 $hile # knowyou are busy. shores la+like whis+ers between you me5Butterfly on the leaf

# 'ould tou'h you.*y hands in the river.water is 'ool. splish splish splish I

Imy fingers.'aress your flowingrefle'tion. in 'ir'les5$hite 'louds drift overhead5

1?
http://www.vivirtuosobooks.com/http://www.vivirtuosobooks.com/


28/39


Along the shore. bare feet in the wet mu'k sand is gritty. driftwood leaning # starelike a 'rane before flight maybe.(ou were ust. -efle'tion on the river My Review: Coffee House Window

T.R. Woodruff s Poetry book has you overlooking the *issouri -iver through a 'offeehouse window. There are observations to be 'onsumedM they float along the 'obblestonesand 'ome on o''asion 9 ea'h with their own aroma5 #t is there. among the bri'k and trees.that +oetry 'urls its steam5 Tony Angelo

Poetry E-!oo" Review#$THOR: Terry Ledwell!ublisher: *5L5-5 !ublishera in assion with dream of our 'hildrenebook TIT%E: EmerseTerry Ledwell7s Poetry book shows that on 'e you 'an tou'h

another human being with words. there is nothing dee+er but thelove that a''om+anies it5 $ords 'an +enetrate +la'es that evendarkness 'anGt5

Tony AngeloTony Angelo. -eviewer Interview of Terry LedwellBorn in the !hiladel+hia to a hardworking southern bread mother of four5 )e believeswords are one of the most beautiful tools at our dis+osal5 Being a +aternal twin andhaving no brothers in his immediate family. Terren'e grew u+ with three sisters andfatherless5 Early on he had to figure life out for himself through the eyes of 'aringwomen who hel+ed raise him through9out his years the best they 'ould without the over9

tone of a man being around to hel+ e0+ress what a man should be5

Although he la'ked a father. he had +lenty of father figures throughout his life5 Thedifferent +oint of views. +ersonalities and tea'hings. hel+ed in the way he a++roa'hed alot of situations with feeling instead of ust a'tion and afterthought5 Terren'eGs dream is toone day give ba'k something to the world that a'tually means something more than somemonetary gesture5 )e believes words are one of the most beautiful tools at our dis+osal to'ommuni'ate. if one knows how to +ortray in words. what they may feel in their heart5

On'e you 'an tou'h another human being with words. there is nothing dee+er but thelove that a''om+anies it5 $ords 'an +enetrate +la'es that even darkness 'anGt5

link: htt+:>>www5vivirtuosobooks5'om> www5story9e9books5'om and other internet bookstores

Fi'tion E9books -eviewThere is only one name that stands out a new thought +rovoking it7s &arold Neal* % by &erald Neal5 A hard boiled 'rime thriller555 #tGs 3JJ1 and the height of the G(u++ie -e'essionG5 One9time well off +eo+le are now des+erate. but no one more so than

1


29/39


Tim as he wades out into the thi'k bla'k Thames mud to sear'h a drowned 'or+se formoney555

FT,E by &erald Neal5 *artin !hil+ot leaves the seedy gambling 'lub in a da"e5 For himthis will be the beginning of an odyssey that has no limitsM either in his day9to9day

survival on the streets of London or even time and s+a'e itself as he struggles to deal withthe strange and horrifi' events ha++ening all around him555 or is he ust going insane

ONE LA,T , **E- by &erald Neal5 Free at last after years of 'aring for his ailingfather. *orris loads his new 'am+ervan ready to travel around the 'ountryside. onlyunknown to him his destination will be +urgatory5 A dark fearful world where he isfor'ed to redeem himself amongst the other lost souls of 'ountless years that will try todrag him into their senseless void5 ,o 'an *orris survive long enough to save his lostsoul and be reborn into a brand new mortal life for a se'ond 'han'e before he too sufferstheir "ombie like fate

C)-#,T*A, AT BEACON )#LL FO-T by &erald Neal5 Aden after a life of 'rimethinks that he and his family are now finally safe and settled in slee+y Tunbridge $ellsuntil a stranger with dead eyes walks into his +rint sho+ with an ultimatum that he darenot ignore555 ,o how far would you go to +rote't your family

%EA% *ANG, C -8E by &erald Neal5 &avin is on his way home after an Gall9nighterGwork shift in his tweaked brand new fast 'ar when the dri""le begins to fall and alooming shar+ bend in the road takes him unawares as he day dreams about the latest loveof his life 9 6oy'e5 From this day on nothing is =uite the same for &avin ever again555

link: htt+:>>www5vivirtuosobooks5'om> www5story9e9books5'om and other internet bookstoresChildrens E9book -eview

&awn Reif s &immee got drownedM #wanna already has it all takes us ba'k with 'hildhood memories5 These is two short stories

told to the author by her mother as a young 'hild5 These stories are

1@
http://www.vivirtuosobooks.com/http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Dawn%20Reifhttp://www.vivirtuosobooks.com/http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Dawn%20Reif


30/39


every 'hildGs dream. and brings them 'loser to a++re'iating what is real5 They are shortstories that make a big statement5 A great lesson for all5Childrens E9book -eview

A &rassho++er in the )ead by Marina Mar"ovi' Offers adelightful 'hildrenGs book is about a young boy struggling with

right and wrong5 )e has a +roblem with his best friend. thatalmost destroys their friendshi+5 A grassho++er shows u+ andstarts talking to him. whi'h is very annoying5 Eventually he startsto listen to what the grassho++er is saying. and begins to learnabout life and friendshi+5 This is well written and a good read for

all age grou+s to hear

%avid * ennedyGs book /ou voted for who1 2nd you call yourself a3hristian1 !resents a uni=ue view of the +oliti'al world in relation to theBible5 )e dis'usses elements that are affe'ting our world in'ludingsame9se0 marriage. &od in ,'hools and mu'h more5 The events taking

+la'e into dayGs +oliti'al arena 'ould be 'hanged if Christians betterunderstood the bible and how it 'ould hel+ to establish a better so'iety ifit were used 'orre'tly5 /ou voted for who1 2nd you call yourself a3hristian is well worth the read as it will o+en the readerGs eyes to the

world around them5 ennedyGs book will also serve to ins+ire them to investigate andevaluative +oliti'al +arties to see where they stand a''ording to the ,'ri+tures and theChristian mission5

Non Fi'tionA+e00 Behavioral ,olutions CEO. Ted *'Lyman. +resents a'om+elling story about how behavior drives money de'isions andthat the 'ommon wisdom about +ersonal finan'e is wrong5Building on over thirty9five years of e0+erien'e as a leader.edu'ator. finan'ial advisor and business owner. *'Lyman offersa refreshing new a++roa'h to money management5 !oney !akes

!e 3razy4 2 &rescription for !oney (anity . draws on his vastunderstanding of behavioral finan'e to e0+lore why we

'ontinually make bad money 'hoi'es5 sing self9de+re'ating humor and stories.*'Lyman offers a light and entertaining a''ount of how our human nature 'ons+iresagainst us when we make money 'hoi'es5

This is a revolutionary 'onsumer +a+erba'k book about how we feel and think aboutmoney and how our emotions im+a't our s+ending de'isions5 *oney su''ess is about

behavior and not +rodu't sele'tion5 This versatile book targets the general +ubli' but issuited as a su++lement to traditional +ersonal finan'e books and 'ourses5 #t also is a greatgive away for finan'ial +rofessionals5

1D
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Marina%20Markovichttp://www.amazon.com/s/ref=ntt_athr_dp_sr_1?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Marina%20Markovic


31/39


There (ou )ave #t4*y O+inion/By Cambria )ebert

Title: !assion of the ,oul: !i+er7s FuryAuthor: -a'hel Firasek !ublisher: Cres'ent *oon !ress 1233Format: Ebook. +a+erba'k &enre: !aranormal#,BN: J H929JH1H1229@9DE9#,BN: J H929JH


32/39


The story line was +retty original and the book did a great ob of setting u+ the ne0t bookin the series5 By the end of this book the reader is 'om+letely involved in all the'hara'ters. has a 'lear +i'ture of who they are and their motives. and is also left with a'lear +i'ture of what the ne0t book is going to be about5 E0a'tly the reasons that # want toread the ne0t book5

# 'annot wait to find out what !i+er does ne0t and how she will handle the things that shehas learned about herself5 Also. what about her relationshi+ with ,lade #n=uiring mindswant to know/ Namely. me5# would re'ommend this book to anyone who en oys +aranormal with a little bit ofroman'e thrown in5 Also. if you are mostly a young adult reader whi'h would be me;this is a ni'e 'hange of +a'e5 ,ometimes a girl likes to read on the adult side ofthings45sometimes a little naughty is ni'e5#n all. +i'k u+ this book and go to the +ool or bea'h5 *ake sure you 'lear some timethough. be'ause on'e you +i'k it u+ you won7t +ut it down until it7s done5

This review is written by Cambria )ebert

1H


33/39


There (ou )ave #t4*y O+inionBy Cambria )ebert

Title: -ed -iding )ood%ire'tor: Catherine )ardwi'keBook by: ,arah Blakley9Cartwright Ebook and !a+erba'k;Format: %8%-ating: !&93?&enre: Ameri'an )orror. !aranormal,tarring: Amanda ,eyfried. ,hiloh Fernande". *a0 #rons. Billy Burke. 8irgina *adsen

Be(ieve t)e %e*end. Beware t)e Wo(f.# do5 %o youThe town of %aggerhorn is a town ruled by fear5 Those who live there look over theirshoulders and +rote't their 'hildren from a violent beast who threatens the lives they lead5Every month during the full moon they sa'rifi'e their very best livesto'k trying toa++ease the wolf5$olf. you say $hat wolfA werewolf5 A giant. bla'k hairy wolf with dri++ing 'hom+ers and a mena'ing growl5But the sa'rifi'es are no longer enough and the wolf slaughters one of their own5 A girl5A daughter5 A sister5 8alerie7s sister58alerie is the daughter of the town drunk. her hand is +romised to the son of the wealthy

bla'ksmith. but her heart belongs to the se0y wood'utter. !eter5 Oh. and the wolf wants to bite her5!ani'ked by the re'ent death of Lu'y 8alerie7s sister;. they 'all u+on Father ,olomon. afamous werewolf hunter5 )e arrives in town with the 'alvary and a giant iron ele+hant5An ele+hant that he uses to torture +eo+le5But. the wolf is more 'unning than the town might on'e have thought5 As it terrori"es theentire town during the Blood *oon when a bite from a were will turn you;. everyone

begins to look around them4at ea'h other5 Toward their neighbor5 Their friend5 Theirwife5$ho is the beast that lives among them $ho is the beast that has blended in for de'adesand never on'e shown the se'ond skin that lies ust beneath their human faVade8alerie knows that the only way to es'a+e the 'laws of a rabid. yet wily. mena'e is to killit5 But as she sear'hes the fa'es of everyone she loves looking for answers. only thendoes it be'ome 'rystal 'lear4sa'rifi'ing herself may be the only way to dis'over thetruth5

+rand,ot)er w)at BI+ teet) you )aveAs most everyone who knows me even a slightest bit. you know then that # am a 'ard'arrying. full moon howling. werewolf stalking kind of gal5 ,o 'learly this movie had myname written all over it5#7d a'tually like to share a se'ret4,))))5 And yes. this is the truth5 # myself had anoutline and a do'ument saved on my 'om+uter and it was titled PLittle -ed -iding

1J


34/39


)oodQ5 # know a real sho'ker right )ardly5 But it seems that someone beat me to the +un'h. however4# would have done it better5 Now onto the review4-ed -iding )ood was first written as a s'reen +lay and then ada+ted into a novel5 The

+owers that be wanted to 'reate bu"" around the movie with the book4and Catherine

)ardwi'ke also the dire'tor of Twilight; wanted another blo'kbuster on her hands and inher +o'ket5# read the book first then went to see the movie in the theater4# was e0'ited to see this

book 'ome to life. but # was also e0tremely ske+ti'al be'ause # saw Twilight and it +ra'ti'ally sla++ed the book in the fa'e with in usti'e5 # mean. seriously5Anywhoo. # figured be'ause in my mind # 'annot and will not se+arate the book and themovie this review will most likely read like a 'om+arison5 (ou7ve thus been warned5

Now be'ause of my werewolf lovin7 ways. # am very +i'ky about my wolves5 And thismovie>book 'ombo did not disa++oint me in the way of the beast5 # liked him5 # reallyreally liked him5 )e was mean and big and bla'k5 )e had the +erfe't yellowish eyes andfangs that dri++ed with yu'k45*mmm)mmmmm5 Now. that being said. he 'ould have

been uglier. s'arier. and more gruesome looking5 But. you know. the movie didn7t reallyneed him to be any s'arier looking be'ause the way he behaved made him very vile5 #giggle as # write be'ause # liked it5 And let me ust say that there is a s'ene in the moviewhen the town men de'ide to be brave and go into the 'ave where they believe the wolfto live and the s'reen goes bla'k and silent45then # got my first glan'e at the wolf45# s'reamed5!eo+le laughed at me5

But hey. # wasn7t the only one s'reaming4so there;,o. aside from my wolf. how about the rest of the movie #t was good. but not great5 Thesetting was beautiful. the mountains. the snow and the way the town nestled into theearth5 But the town and towns+eo+le were very +rimitive. whi'h isn7t a bad thing be'ause

it was done well4almost too well5 #7m going to tell you the resounding feeling # got fromthis movie and the way the +eo+le and town 'ame off to me5 %on7t laugh5 # know not a better way to des'ribe the way # thought and only one word 'ame to mind: dirty5And not the P)ey baby. is that a gun in your +o'ket or are you ust ha++y to see me Qkind of dirty5# mean a'tual dirty5 Like they lived so +rimitively in one room sha'ks and traveled byhorse and 'art4and they all looked well. dirty5 The food that they 'ontinuously s+oonedinto bowls turned my stoma'h. and they wore the same outfit throughout the movie

&A,!/ )ave they not been to the &A! ;5 Okay. # will say that the +eo+le ba'k in theday +robably looked the same but it made me =ueasy5

Now. onto the 'ast5 # like Amanda ,eyfried. but # kind of thought her a'ting was fake at

times5 ,he was forever taking heaving breaths that +ushed her 'hest u+ to her throat andthat ust made everyman run to their remote for On%emand; and when her sister died #didn7t really feel her grief. it seemed for'ed5 The wood'utter Fernande"; and the

bla'ksmith7s son #rons; were attra'tive4but to be frank # think Catherine )ardwi'ke'ast them trying to get the ne0t PEdwardQ5 Both boys had that tousled. 'areless hair

whi'h is hot. but )ell9oo its already done/; and their movements and build reminded meof Edward. it was almost distra'ting5 ,ometimes even the lines they said reminded me ofEdward5

?2


35/39


And NO # am not obsessed with -ob !attison4Clearly. # am Team 6a'ob5Anyway. # almost felt like )ardwi'ke tried too hard to make the movie into what shethought would be a hit instead of making the movie into what it 'ould have been5 nowwhat # mean

Now onto the book5 # liked it5 $as it better than the movie Not sure about that. but we7ll

get to that5 The thing about the book well one thing; that # didn7t like was the writer7sstyle5 ,ometimes her des'ri+tions were too mu'h5 They 'ould have been sim+ler andmore effe'tive with better wording5 Now. that is. of 'ourse. my o+inion5 The book waswritten well. but style is something you like or you don7t5 And might # ust say that anywriter who has to write a book and develo+ the 'hara'ters around a s'reen+lay4well yougo girl/ Cause what a ob that had to have been/The other gri+e # had about the book was the ending45)ell9O55someone forgot to add it5Oh. wait4they left it out on +ur+ose5Ooo+s5(u+s. that right5 (ou buy an in'om+lete book5 No. werewolf reveal here what a ri+ off/;5But. the final 'ha+ter is online5 # did not know this and neither did my girlfriends. so we

went to the movie and didn7t reali"e that we would find out who the wolf is4until$)A*/ #t sma'ked us in the fa'e5$e were like $)AT But #7ll give it +ro+s 9 # liked it5 #t was a good sho'k fa'tor5#n fa't. # would re'ommend this5 -ead the book and then see the movie without readingthe final 'ha+ter online5 !lus. # don7t know about you but # am too la"y to hunt down that'ha+ter5 # 'ould +ut the link here4but # already said that # was too la"y to find it5 6ustwat'h the movie5,o was the book better than the movie # 'an7t say5 The book had a lot more time. you getto know the 'hara'ters and their ba'kstory A LOT more5 #n fa't. # might not haveunderstood the signifi'an'e of some of the 'hara'ters and their stories. in the movie.without the book5 But. the book had the awesome fa'tor going for it with the sur+riseending5 Although. if you read the 'ha+ter online. # guess you won7t be sur+rised5 #t alsohas the ro'kin7 visual of me wolf5,o. it7s a draw5 -ead the book and then wat'h the movie5 (ou de'ide and # would love tohear your thoughts on this5 #t is after all a sub e't very near and dear to my heart5 ,o findme on &ood-eads. 6ournal,tone5'om or my blog htt+:>>theunlo'keddiary5blogs+ot5'om and tell me what you think5$e 'an dish and talk fur56ust remember the werewolf is mine5This review is written by Cambria )ebert

?3
http://theunlockeddiary.blogspot.com/http://theunlockeddiary.blogspot.com/


36/39


There (ou )ave #t4*y O+inionBy Cambria )ebert

Title: The -elu'tant

Author: C5,5 ,+litter !ublisher: !ublished A+ril 1233 by C5,5 ,+litter &enre: Thriller>,us+enseFormat: Ebook #,BN: 22331DJ?


37/39


*y favorite +art of the book was the ending and the Chihuahua5 $ant to know all aboutthe little smiling dog with the underbite -ead the book. but beware not all doggies inthis book are ni'e my least favorite +art of the book;5# would re'ommend this book to anyone who likes some sus+ense. good writing and todefinitely all men everywhere5

(ou done good. ,+litter. and # salute you5,o there you have it. my o+inion5This review is written by Cambria )ebert

??


38/39


The ,taff

Beth Ann *asarik. is the founder and 'hief editor of Literary Lunes5 ,he 'reated thismaga"ine. be'ause +eo+le are always 'oming to her for literary advi'e. and she wanted to

be there for all as+iring writers5 ,he is the author of her debut novel. The $orld Amongs. a young adult. urban fantasy novel5 )er book will be released on August 3J. 12335 #n

addition to running Literary Lunes. Beth also runs her blogs. $riter7s Advo'ate. and)allowed $riters5 For more information about Beth. you 'an visit her full website atwww5bethannmasarik5webs5'om

Ashley Laura is dedi'ated to giving writers a voi'e outside of their work5 For LiteraryLunes. she assists with the a''e+ting of arti'le submissions and the formatting of themaga"ine5 Outside of Literary Lunes. she is also the *uni'i+al Liaison for *em+his

National Novel $riting *onth NANO$-#*O;5

Cambria )ebert. is a new edition to our staff. and our 'urrent book reviewer5 #n addition.she is also a debut author who writes young adult fantasy novels5 )er first novel.*as=uerade. 'omes out on %e'ember 3D. 12335 $e are very e0'ited to have her on

board/

Erin %an"er writes regularly for Literary Lunes. and is an #ndie author5 Like Beth andCambria. she also writes for young adults5 Erin not only 'ontributes her own shortstories. but sometimes she even 'ontributes arti'les on how to write literature as well5

(ou 'an like us on Fa'ebook and follow us on Twitter if the Twitter link doesn7t work.follow us Xliterarylunes;

?


39/39


AFF#L#ATE,

Literary Lunes would not be made +ossible without the e0tra su++ort and efforts of thefollowing +eo+le:

Documents

Literary Lunes Magazine, January 2012 Issue