Notes on (the Writing) Life

Two New Poems

2010-08-12T12:17:00.001-07:00

I'm delighted to have my poem, "The Zombie Inside a Strip Club" in the recent issue of Sex and Murder Magazine. This is my first appearance in this dark and fascinating journal.

"S. Freud and the Ants" appears in the new issue of blossombones. It's wonderful to make another appearance in this invigorating journal.

Berkeley Heights Public Library Book Blog: Summer Fiction

2010-08-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

The Livelihood of Crows--From Mayapple Press

2010-08-02T05:46:00.000-07:00

The Livelihood of Crows

By Jayne Pupek

Publication date: August 15

Jayne Pupek’s bold narrative voice, which is laced with dark humor, takes us on a journey through beauty and brokenness. Pupek creates a world of sensuality emanating from the banal and the quotidian, in remarkable language and exceptional contemplation. Many of these poems are shadowed by crows and other opportunists, such as door-to-door proselytizers, and the forces that might take our minds, or our lives. The Livelihood of Crows comes with passion and empowerment—an astonishing, haunting book.

Self Portrait with Skeleton Arm

after Edvard Munch

Black asks for nothing; it asks for everything.
What it wants most is to wrap you in its arms
and hold you inside an oblivion that never subsides.
In lithograph, it separates a man from his body,
a bone from a man. It devours light and good fortune.

Black quells the ruckus of doves mating in the azaleas
outside your window. It shadows koi, shimmering trinkets
in a shallow pond, and inks your clean palms, your eyelids.
It invites old ghosts to return to your dreams in the shape
of drying roses, little skulls. It dresses you daily
in widow’s garb and colors the hearse
that carries your husband to the rocky hillside
where his grave is dug, waiting. Black sleeps

in the dark musky loam of your garden and in the coffee
grounds pitched on the compost heap. It rises on all fours
and walks on the back of a cat stalking mice in a field
ablaze with late pumpkins, abandoned gourds.
It shines across the undulating flanks of horses
storming the ridge and then takes to the sky without apology,
its wings opening on the caw of another morning.

Jayne Pupek is the author of the novel Tomato Girl (Algonquin Books, 2008) and a book of poems,Forms of Intercession (Mayapple Press, 2008). Her writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Pupek is a former social worker and Virginia native. More of her writing may be viewed at www.jaynepupek.com.

New Poems

2010-07-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

A couple new poems have been published. "Blue Velvet," is up at Chizine. Also have two new poems--"Axe and Saw" and "Killer's Song" at the Dark Fiction Spotlight

"Guerra Sucia (The Dirty War)"

2010-06-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

My poem, "Guerra Sucia (The Dirty War)," appears in the recent issue of Cliterature. This is my first appearance in this exquisite journal.

From their home page:

Cliterature is an online magazine dedicated to expressions of women's sexuality in writing. We publish both creative and
critical works quarterly. Women's sexuality deserves a medium in the writing and publishing worlds, two arenas where interest in male sexuality has prevailed far too long.

Contagion

2010-06-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to have a poem, "Contagion," in the final issue of Holly Rose Review on the theme of "worry." I'm sad that this will be the last issue, but delighted to have my work in two issues of this fine journal of poetry and tattoos.

100 Hacks to Help You Become A Better Writer

2010-06-05T13:39:00.000-07:00

100 Hacks to Help You Become A Better Writer

Real writing, no matter its form or intended audience, honestly reflects the passions and ideologies of the author. Any nuggets of advice that flit about on the internet, in books and newspapers and magazines, through conferences and classrooms only help tighten technicalities. Students or aspiring professionals wanting to galvanize their writing abilities should certainly explore the follow hacks in order to gain a much broader knowledge of the craft’s mechanical elements. They cannot teach creativity or lessen its subjectivity, however.

Fiction

1. Prologues are not always necessary.

As the stellar Daily Writing Tips points out, prologues work for some stories while failing on others. Use their tips on figuring out when springing for one may be entirely unnecessary.

2. Suspension of disbelief only goes so far.

Though science fiction and fantasy require more suspension of disbelief than others, all writers need to understand its limitations in all genres.

3. Keep character sheets.

Short and longer fiction alike can benefit from keeping a detailed character sheet on hand in order to maintain consistency.

Anna sent along these tips from her blog. Read the rest of the list here.

2009 Bram Stoker Award Winners

2010-04-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

2009 Bram Stoker Award Winners

Novel:	AUDREY'S DOOR by Sarah Langan This is a personal favorite of mine. Langan is a remarkable writer!
irst Novel:	DAMNABLE by Hank Schwaeble
Long Fiction:	THE LUCID DREAMING by Lisa Morton
Short Fiction:	“In the Porches of My Ears” by Norman Prentiss
Anthology:	HE IS LEGEND edited by Christopher Conlon
Fiction Collection:	A TASTE OF TENDERLOIN by Gene O’Neill
Nonfiction:	WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR by Michael Knost
Poetry Collection:	CHIMERIC MACHINES by Lucy A. Snyder
Lifetime Achievement Award:	Brian Lumley, William F. Nolan
The Silver Hammer Award:	Kathryn Ptacek
Richard Laymon President's Award:	Vince A. Liaguno

LYING WITH THE DEAD

2010-04-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

Dysfunction in Abundance

LYING WITH THE DEAD
By Michael Mewshaw
288 pp. Other Press $14.95

Reviewed by Jayne Pupek

All happy families resemble one another, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. (Leo Tolstoy)

Tolstoy’s words are from his renowned classic, Anna Karenina, but they certainly fit the dysfunctional family that is at the center of Michael Mewshaw’s eleventh novel,Lying with the Dead.

In Lying with the Dead, a manipulative and dying matriarch gathers her three adult children at their Maryland childhood home so she may confess her sins. The narrative rotates among the three voices of the siblings. Maury, the firstborn, who currently lives in California, is afflicted with Asperger’s syndrome and reveals that he spent twelve years in a maximum-security prison for murdering his father with a butcher knife while trying to protect his mother. Candy, who had polio as a child, is the dutiful daughter/martyr who stayed behind to take care of her gravely ill mother, forfeiting her own happiness and the man she loves.

READ THE REST OF MY REVIEW AT THE INTERNET REVIEW OF BOOKS.

New poems at Press1

2010-04-06T15:20:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to have six poems included in the new issue of Press1. These six poems were written in response to the amazing doll photographs provided by Didi Wood (The photo above is titled Back to Work, Didi Wood). It's a delight to be in the company of other poets I admire.

I'm looking forward to reading the entire issue tonight while the dolls whisper comments in my ear.

zombie 2.0

2010-03-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

Cordite's Zombie 2.0 is now online! I am delighted to have three poems included in this issue and to be in the company of such other fine poets!

IsReads--An Awesome Idea

2010-03-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

IsReads is an "outdoor journal" founded by Publishing Genius in 2006. In 2008, Keyhole Press came on board to co-edit. Kathryn Regina is the managing editor.

The concept of the outdoor journal is to put short poems in unusual places, like on abandoned buildings and in shopping carts.

No More Nestle or Kit Kat for Me!

2010-03-23T06:46:00.001-07:00

Review in THE INTERNET REVIEW OF BOOKS...

2010-03-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Reality, not sympathy

FORMS OF INTERCESSION
By Jayne Pupek
102 pp. Mayapple Press $15.95
Reviewed by Doris E. Pavlichek

There is more hope in a cup of coffee
than a stack of holy books...

At forty-three, I’m too old to wait on a redeemer.
Sometimes you must intercede on your own behalf.
— From the title poem

Jayne Pupek’s first full-length book of poetry examines the life of women from every angle, delving into many aspects—abortion, infidelity, mastectomy, doubt, death—from which a less seasoned or courageous writer might shy away. Pupek, having published two chapbooks and a novel and having had her poems included in anthologies and nominated for The Pushcart Prize, has the fortitude and staying power of her own favorite poet, Sylvia Plath. Read the rest of the review.

A Few Acceptances

2010-03-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

The Red Room: Writings from Press 1 is scheduled for release any day now! I am thrilled to be included in this anthology, edited by Arlene Ang, Valerie Fox and Jordan Schilling. Cordite Poetry Review has accepted three poems for their upcoming issue: "Way of the Zombie," "Missing Girl, 1986"and "Zombie Sex." ChiZine has accepted my poem, "Blue Velvet," inspired by the David Lynch film of the same title. "A Kind of Suffocation" will appear in Thursday's issue of Dark Sky Magazine. I am thrilled to have my work appear in these exceptional journals and magazines!

Bright Star

2010-03-01T21:15:00.000-08:00

Based on the three-year romance between 19th century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne, which was cut short by Keats' untimely death at age 25.

A Reader's Advice to Writers

2010-02-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

Laura Miller wrote an interesting article about her advice (as a reader) to novelists. The article appears in Salon.com. I don't necessarily agree with everything she said-- particularly the bit about humor-- but overall her points are valid and good ones to mull over. She also references the recent lists of suggestions from authors that appears in The Guardian. I particularly enjoyed these lists by other writers.

HWA 2009 BRAM STOKER AWARD NOMINEES

2010-02-21T16:16:00.000-08:00

HWA 2009 BRAM STOKER AWARD NOMINEES
Superior Achievement in a Novel
  •  AUDREY'S DOOR by Sarah Langan (Harper)
  •  PATIENT ZERO by Jonathan Maberry (St. Martin's Griffin)
  •  QUARANTINED by Joe McKinney (Lachesis Publishing)
  •  CURSED by Jeremy Shipp (Raw Dog Screaming Press)

Superior Achievement in a First Novel
  •  BREATHERS by S. G. Browne (Broadway Books)
  •  SOLOMON'S GRAVE by Daniel G. Keohane (Dragon Moon Press)
  •  DAMNABLE by Hank Schwaeble (Jove)
  •  THE LITTLE SLEEP by Paul Tremblay (Henry Holt)

Superior Achievement in Long Fiction
  •  DREAMING ROBOT MONSTER by Mort Castle (MIGHTY UNCLEAN)
  •  THE HUNGER OF EMPTY VESSELS by Scott Edelman (Bad Moon Books)
  •  THE LUCID DREAMING by Lisa Morton (Bad Moon Books)
  •  DOC GOOD'S TRAVELING SHOW by Gene O'Neill (Bad Moon Books)

Superior Achievement in Short Fiction
  •  KEEPING WATCH by Nate Kenyon (MONSTROUS: 20 TALES OF GIANT CREATURE TERROR)
  •  THE CROSSING OF ALDO RAY by Weston Ochse (THE DEAD THAT WALK)
  •  IN THE PORCHES OF MY EARS by Norman Prentiss (PS Publishing)
  •  THE NIGHT NURSE by Harry Shannon (Horror Drive-in)

Superior Achievement in an Anthology
  •  HE IS LEGEND: AN ANTHOLOGY CELEBRATING RICHARD MATHESON edited by Christopher Conlon (Gauntlet Press)
  •  LOVECRAFT UNBOUND edited by Ellen Datlow (Dark Horse Books)
  •  POE edited by Ellen Datlow (Solaris)
  •  MIDNIGHT WALK edited by Lisa Morton (Dark House)

Superior Achievement in a Collection
  •  MARTYRS AND MONSTERS by Robert Dunbar (DarkHart Press)
  •  GOT TO KILL THEM ALL AND OTHER STORIES by Dennis Etchison (Cemetery Dance)
  •  A TASTE OF TENDERLOIN by Gene O'Neill (Apex Book Company)
  •  IN THE CLOSET, UNDER THE BED by Lee Thomas (Dark Scribe Press)

Superior Achievement in Non-fiction
  •  WRITERS WORKSHOP OF HORROR by Michael Knost (Woodland Press)
  •  CINEMA KNIFE FIGHT by L. L. Soares and Michael Arruda (Fearzone)
  •  THE STEPHEN KING ILLUSTRATED COMPANION by Bev Vincent (Fall River Press)
  •  STEPHEN KING: THE NON-FICTION by Rocky Wood and Justin Brook (Cemetery Dance)

Superior Achievement in Poetry
  •  DOUBLE VISIONS by Bruce Boston (Dark Regions)
  •  NORTH LEFT OF EARTH by Bruce Boston (Sam's Dot)
  •  BARFODDER by Rain Graves (Cemetery Dance)
  •  CHIMERIC MACHINES by Lucy A. Snyder (Creative Guy Publishing)

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T11:02:00.000-08:00

I'm enjoying a day of Peruvian Lilies, Belgian chocolates, red wine...and zombie poems? Yep, that's right. What can I say, I'm complicated that way.

Lucille Clifton

2010-02-14T09:21:00.000-08:00

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Lucille Clifton, a National Book Award-winning poet and Pulitzer finalist, has died. She was 73. To watch a reading of her work on video, visit here.

cutting greens
by Lucille Clifton

curling them around
i hold their bodies in obscene embrace
thinking of everything but kinship.
collards and kale
strain against each strange other
away from my kissmaking hand and
the iron bedpot.
the pot is black.
the cutting board is black,
my hand,
and just for a minute
the greens roll black under the knife,
and the kitchen twists dark on its spine
and i taste in my natural appetite
the bond of live things everywhere.

Teachers

2010-02-09T07:25:00.000-08:00

Teachers have always played an important role in my life. I had an unusual early education because of my disability. During the mid-60s, when I was a child, children with disabilities were only beginning to be included in mainstream classes, at least in the rural areas of the South where I grew up. For the first six years of my formal education, I had a homebound instructor, Dora Shiflett. She, more than anyone, inspired my love of books. She also assisted in the writing of my first poem. Although she is no longer living, I think she would be proud to know that I had become a novelist and poet. She is the Dora to whom I dedicated Tomato Girl.

This article is a tribute to one wonderful teacher. She sounds a lot like Dora...

Writing blogs and Succour Day

2010-02-06T07:48:00.000-08:00

I found a couple of lists on the blog, Practicing Writing, that contain a number of good resources for writers. Check them out!

Top 100 Creative Writing Blogs

Top 100 Blogs to Improve Your Writing in 2010

And...Don't forget that this is Succour Day! The terms are:

Condition 1: All submissions should be written on Saturday February 6th, 2010.
Condition 2: What you write should not be an attempt to execute an idea – for a story, for a poem, etc – that has previously occurred to you. Rather, write whatever happens to come into your head at that particular time.

More info here.

Poems Up at Frigg

2010-01-28T06:54:00.000-08:00

I'm thrilled to have six poems appearing in the recent Law and Order issue of FRIGG magazine. Check out the amazing poems by Arlene Ang and Dave Clapper's short story, "The Rapture."

Happy New Year's

2009-12-31T06:57:00.000-08:00

I received a copy of the GOOP newsletter today, an undertaking of the actress, Gwyneth Paltrow ( a personal favorite-- and her husband-- Chris Martin of Coldplay-- isn't too shabby either.). At any rate, this issue features cocktails from some of the top bartenders. They look fun to make an even more fun to drink, so I am passing the link along for all the responsible adults to enjoy! (Yikes, do I know any responsible adults?)

I hope everyone has a wonderful celebration and a year full of good things!

P.S. One of my favorite movies featuring Gwyneth Paltrow is "Proof." I also read the play on which the film is based, which was amazing. Anthony Hopkins plays her father, a mentally ill but brilliant mathematician. Paltrow's character questions her own sanity while caring for him. And there is a love interest played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-25T07:18:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone enjoys a safe and happy holiday!

The Livelihood of Crows

2009-12-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that Mayapple Press has decided to publish my second collection of poems. Look for the new collection sometime late in 2010 or early 2011. I had an amazing experience with Mayapple on the release of my first collection, "Forms of Intercession," and I look forward to the opportunity to work with both Judy and Amee again.

NANOWRIMO

2009-11-29T06:30:00.000-08:00

Where is the champagne?

OASIS

2009-11-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

So Much News!!!
Plus...Oasis Reminder - New Petfinder.com and
The Animal Rescue Site Challenge!
------Cross post freely-------Cross post freely-------Cross post freely-------
Thanks to all of you we are in SECOND PLACE....
won't you
Help us Win This Shelter Challenge!?!?
Please forgive us reminding you, but we really need your votes each and every day - the birds of the Oasis need to win this challenge - Won't you help?!!!
2nd place will bring in $5,000
BUT
FIRST PLACE IS $20,000!!!
But, we need your vote - once a day, every day through December 20!
We only have three weeks left to make this happen!
It only takes a minute or two each day, at most, costs nothing, and can mean so much to the Birds of The Oasis

Go to the link below, then do the following:
Enter Shelter Name: Oasis Sanctuary ,
and State: AZ
Click on Search (The Oasis Sanctuary in Benson AZ will come up - that's us!)
Click on Vote
Enter the animal that you see (spelling counts)
Click on Confirm Vote
You can vote once a day, every day through December 20.
On the left-hand side of the site, if you click on "Daily Click Reminders" and enter your email address, you'll receive a reminder every day so you won't forget to vote!

Here is the link that will take you directly to the voting page:

Oasis-Petfinder

Thank you for your support!

NEWS UPDATE!!!! The OASIS SANCTUARY has a $2,000 Matching Dollars Grant for General Operating Costs from one of our wonderful Donors.
Between Monday November 23rd and Sunday December 6th
Your donation can double in it's value!
Help the wonderful Birds of The Oasis!
Please make a donation of any size within the next two weeks
Help us help them!!!

The Oasis Annual Holiday On-line Auction has begun!!
Starting TODAY and running through Sunday December 6th
We have a number of wonderful items to Bid on.
Go to:

*****
Will you be in Southern Arizona December 5th and/or 6th?
Come to the Annual Cascabel Holiday Faire.
The Oasis Sanctuary
will be open for Tours and our holiday Gift Store will feature many bird-lover Gifts.
HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE!!!

Sybil Erden, Executive Director
The Oasis Sanctuary
www.the-oasis.org
520-212-4737
We can always use Volunteers...
Do you have time to learn about Parrots?
Come'on out!

Complementary Colors

2009-11-01T06:28:00.001-08:00

"As with her first novel, For the May Queen, Kate Evans explores not so much a coming of age story as a coming to terms story in her new novel Complementary Colors. ... A deftly crafted exploration of self-identity as only Kate Evans can achieve. Brava! Sophisticated and nuanced." --Cynn Chadwick, author of Cat Rising

"Sophisticated and nuanced ... resplendent with the grace and wonder that accompany self-discovery." --Jayne Pupek, author of Tomato Girl and Forms of Intercession
ABOUT THE NOVEL:

What happens when a 31-year-old straight woman falls in love with a lesbian? It's 1993, and Gwen Sullivan is agitated. She's been married and divorced and is now living with her scientist boyfriend who loses himself in dark moods. Her job at a tutoring center and her work on the Bill Clinton-for-President campaign leave her vaguely dissatisfied. She hopes taking a night class in poetry might help.

In the poetry class, the allure of two lesbians takes her by surprise. She can't get them out of her mind. This prompts her to question who she is and who she wants to be. Soon, Gwen cannot deny her intense attraction to one of the women, Jamie. The feeling is mutual, but Jamie, too, is in a long-term relationship - with a woman minister. As Jamie and Gwen become more and more entwined, Gwen must ask herself who she is and what she wants from life. She begins to see gender, sex and sexuality differently. And as she feels compelled to confess her love for Jamie to her women friends, she is continually surprised by their complex reactions. This leads her to make one of the most important decisions of her life.

NANOWRIMO

2009-10-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

NANOWRIMO...And I'm in....

Happy Halloween...and a new Lars von Trier Film

2009-10-31T05:53:00.000-07:00

Time to brush off those witches' hats and find the plastic fangs. I think I'm going to celebrate by watching some of my favorites horror movies-- Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist are ones I keep coming back to when I want a really good scare. The most frightening movies and books for me are ones that seem the most possible-- and both of these seem plausible to me. One of the reasons that Jack Ketchum impresses me so is that his monsters are real people-- they could live next door!

On the subject of horror movies, I cannot wait to see The Antichrist. Lars von Trier is a brilliant director. His film, Breaking the Waves, is breathtaking and one of my favorite films.

Jayne Pupek:Freelance Profile

2009-10-25T07:56:00.001-07:00

I have been busy with freelance projects during the past few months. I thought I'd share my profile on Elance for those of you who are interested in getting started as a freelancer or who might like to have me complete a project. Jayne Pupek

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shmoop

2009-10-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

With a goal to "demystify poetry and help make it more fun and relevant to students' daily lives," Shmoop offers guidance and refreshment for relectant readers.

Shouts & Murmurs: Subject: Our Marketing Plan: newyorker.com

2009-10-15T17:32:00.001-07:00

Shouts & Murmurs: Subject: Our Marketing Plan: newyorker.com

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Edgar Allan Poe Finally Getting Buried in Style

2009-10-07T21:04:00.001-07:00

Edgar Allan Poe Finally Getting Buried in Style

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Chaperons of a Lost Poet

2009-09-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

Chaperons of a Lost Poet by John Vick

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Vick's first collection is a bold and finely crafted portrait. The work is actually one long poem, but is best savored in small portions. This is a complex and textured poem, rich in imagery and language. Vick explores the landscape of the self with rare honesty and precision. Bravo!

My New Macbook

2009-08-30T05:01:00.000-07:00

My PC died recently, which was a drag, but my computer geek salvaged my hard drive. Whew! I bit the bullet and bought a MacBook. I may have to subsist on peanut butter now, but it is worth it. I will NEVER use a PC again. There should be a temple for Apple worshippers...maybe that is part of the reason for the Genius Bar in Apple stores...a place to kneel and give thanks for the Mac. I can totally see it.

Other news...Margaret Oleksa reviewed Tomato Girl on Examiner.com. Read her review.

The Lovely Bones

2009-08-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

Poems for Shark Week

2009-08-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

Poems for Shark Week

Where the fin of the shark cuts like a black chip out of the water...
—from "Song of Myself" by Walt Whitman

In honor of Shark Week, the Discovery Channel's annual weeklong series of television programs devoted to sharks, Poets.org has compiled 35 Poems about Sharks, and examined how the animals have been represented in classic and contemporary poetry.

Described by poets as "death-scenting," with "lipless jaws" and "eyes that stare at nothing, like the dead," sharks have long served as a cultural symbol of mortality and looming danger. Despite the fact that sharks kill fewer than 20 people a year, their reputation as the ocean's most allusive and deadly predator continues to inspire fear and fascination in audiences throughout the world.

Included are poems by Carl Sandburg, Robert Graves, Martín Espada, Denise Levertov, Joel Brouwer, Walt Whitman, Tomasz Rózycki, Herman Melville, Alan Dugan, James Dickey, Vivian Shipley, Jamey Dunham, Nancy Willard, and many others.

On the web at: www.poets.org/sharks

Poetry prize shortlist revealed

2009-07-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Olds' collection is my personal favorite.

BBC: Poetry prize shortlist revealed

Don Paterson won the best first collection prize in 1993
The shortlist for the 18th Forward Prize for Poetry has been announced.

Respected poets Sharon Olds, Hugo Williams and Christopher Reid are in the running for best collection for the first time in the annual awards.

Peter Porter, who won the award in 2002 for his Max Is Missing collection, is shortlisted for a second time with his 18th book of poems, Better Than God.

The shortlist for the £10,000 prize, to be presented on 7 October, is completed by Don Paterson and Glyn Maxwell.

Paterson, nominated for Rain, won the prize for best first collection for Nil Nil in 1993.

BEST COLLECTION SHORTLIST
Glyn Maxwell - Hide Now
Sharon Olds - One Secret Thing
Don Paterson - Rain
Peter Porter- Better than God
Christopher Reid - A Scattering
Hugo Williams - West End Final

Another previous winner of best first collection, Paul Farley - who won in 1998 for The Boy from the Chemist is Here to See You - is among the contenders for best single poem, for Moles.

Shortlisted for this year's best first collection prize is Lorraine Mariner, who was previously nominated for best single poem in 2007.

The Forward Prizes were founded in 1992 to raise the profile of contemporary poetry.

Writer and producer Josephine Hart is chair of the judges for 2009.

She is joined by poet and librettist David Harsent, poets Jean Sprackland and Tishani Doshi, and the Guardian's poetry editor, Nicholas Wroe.

BookGlutton.com

2009-07-10T21:41:00.000-07:00

HRR's June Issue and online store trailer up on YouTube

2009-06-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

Charlottesville-Right Now: Ted Genoways

2009-06-14T19:19:00.001-07:00

Charlottesville-Right Now: Ted Genoways

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A private sanctuary for gorillas

2009-06-07T19:46:00.000-07:00

Holly Rose Review

2009-06-03T19:41:00.000-07:00

Holly Rose Review (HRR), the first online poetry & tattoo literary journal, launches its June issue. The theme is PASSION with worldwide contributors. Poetry by Arlene Ang, Donavon Davidson, Lane Falcon, Peter Joseph Glovizcki, Kathryn Good-Schiff, Seth Jani, Pamela Johnson Parker, Christine Klocek-Lim, Daphne Lazarus, Jee Leong Koh, Donnelle McGee, Marie-Elizabeth Mali, Colleen Mills, Erika Moya, Rhonda Palmer, Siimon Petkovich, Jayne Pupek, Edwin Rivera, Kathrin Schaeppi, & Martha Silano. Tattoos by Seven Beckham, Chris Belville, Cengiz Eyvazov, Luba Goldina, Shotsie Gorman, Maxime Lanouette, Soul Expressions, & Shane Tan. Original art by Tiffany Carpenter, Bob Dilworth, and Thomas Woodruff.

One True Bear

2009-05-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

I found this to be an intriguing article by Sean Coughlan. As a mother of two boys, I recall how they delighted in drawing pictures of car crashes and buildings falling down. Using these kind of images in a children's story is bold and honest. I appreciate the fact that the children drew the pictures themselves. Here is an excerpt, with a link to find the rest of the article.

Blood and Bedtime Stories

By Sean Coughlan
BBC News

There's rarely room in children's books for scenes of slaughter and pictures of people being impaled, so why does one author want to change this?

There have been many calls to protect the young from violent images, but it's not often the opposite case is argued, that there aren't enough aggressive pictures in children's books.

But award-winning children's author Ted Dewan is conscientiously putting scenes of mayhem and destruction into his latest book, not drawn by an adult but by the children themselves.

Children, particularly boys, often produce violent images in their drawings, he says. But when it comes to children's books, this becomes a taboo. They're often fluffy and fleecy, but there's rarely room in the children's section for the scenes of slaughter that many boys like to draw.

One True Bear is a moral tale about a bear and boy. Mr Dewan wants children's literature to face up to this "hidden art" and to cast some light on the "type of pictures that don't get put up on the fridge". Read the rest here.

Audible. com

2009-05-25T16:12:00.000-07:00

I signed up for a trial membership with Audible. com and am really enjoying the book.

What Is Audible?

We're active listeners who enjoy stories well told.

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Come join the millions of listeners who've discovered a new way to receive the entertainment, information, and knowledge they seek. In addition to audiobooks, we're home to magazines, radio shows, podcasts, stand-up comedy, and speeches from icons who shape our culture, politics, and business world. We feature the best narrators interpreting books by top authors.

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Review of Forms of Intercession

2009-05-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

Helen Losse wrote a wonderful review of my book, Forms of Intercession (Mayapple Press, 2008) which appears in Galatea Resurrects #12. Helen is the poetry editor of The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature and a fine poet in her own right. Helen's new book, Better With Friends is on Rank Stranger Press (2009).

Cormac McCarthy's The Road

2009-05-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

The movie adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's best-selling and Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "The Road," finally has a trailer, and it is decidedly dark and haunting. Viggo Mortensen plays a man trying to keep his son alive in a post-apocalyptic world. I loved this moving and disturbing book and am eager to see the film.

Birds, Birds, Birds!

2009-05-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

I'm spending more time on freelance projects now and just landed a dream assignment for any bird lover. I'm writing a total of 10 articles on companion birds. Topics range from Buying a Parrot to Feeding a Budgie. My articles will appear at www.petyak.com, a new site that will launch on June 15.

Ira Glass on Storytelling #1

2009-05-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

Lullaby in Blue
by Betsy Sholl

The child takes her first journey
through the inner blue world of her mother's body,
blue veins, blue eyes, frail petal lids.

Beyond that unborn brackish world so deep
it will be felt forever as longing, a dream
of blue notes plucked from memory's guitar,

the wind blows indigo shadows under streetlights,
clouds crowd the moon and bear down on the limbs
of a blue spruce. The child's head appears—

midnight pond, weedy and glistening—
draws back, reluctant to leave that first home.
Blue catch in the mother's throat,

ferocious bruise of a growl, and out slides
the iridescent body—fish-slippery
in her father's hands, plucked from water

into such thin densities of air,
her arms and tiny hands stutter and flail,
till he places her on her mother's body,

then cuts the smoky cord, releasing her
into this world, its cold harbor below
where a blue caul of shrink-wrap covers

each boat gestating on the winter shore.
Child, the world comes in twos, above and below,
visible and unseen. Inside your mother's croon

there's the hum of an old man tapping his foot
on a porch floor, his instrument made from one
string nailed to a wall, as if anything

can be turned into song, always what is
and what is longed for. Against the window
the electric blue of cop lights signals

somebody's bad news, and a lone man walks
through the street, his guitar sealed in dark plush.
Child, from this world now you will draw your breath

and let out your moth flutter of blue sighs.
Now your mother will listen for each one,
alert enough to hear snow starting to flake

from the sky, bay water beginning to freeze.
Sleep now, little shadow, as your first world
still flickers across your face, that other side

where all was given and nothing desired.
Soon enough you'll want milk, want faces, hands,
heartbeats and voices singing in your ear.

Soon the world will amaze you, and you
will give back its bird-warble, its dove call,
singing that blue note which deepens the song,

that longing for what no one can recall,
your small night cry roused from the wholeness
you carry into this broken world.

Cormac McCarthy Wins PEN/Saul Bellow Award

2009-05-06T21:09:00.000-07:00

Associated Press
Tuesday, May 5, 2009

NEW YORK, May 4 -- Pulitzer Prize winner Cormac McCarthy has received another literary honor.

The author of "The Road," "All the Pretty Horses" and several other novels was named the winner Monday of the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for lifetime achievement in American fiction. The prize is worth $25,000.

The PEN American Center, the U.S. chapter of the international writers organization, announced several other honors:

Steve Coll, former managing editor of The Washington Post, won a nonfiction award for his book "The Bin Ladens," which was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and for a 2009 Pulitzer Prize in biography.

The PEN Center also awarded citations to Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer, Ha Jin and 18 other authors for excellence in short fiction.

Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease

2009-04-26T15:58:00.000-07:00

I am so pleased that my poem, "Equations," is included in this wonderful anthology: Beyond Forgetting: Poetry and Prose about Alzheimer’s Disease, Holly Hughes, editor. Kent State University Press, 2009

From the publisher: This is a literary collection that illumines the darkness of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is now estimated to affect one in two persons over the age of eighty and is being diagnosed in people as young as fifty. For the many people now trying to cope with a loved one suffering from this tragic disease, this collection will provide solace and valuable insight for family members as well as for those in the medical community who work with anyone afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. "Beyond Forgetting" is a unique collection of poetry and short prose about Alzheimer's disease written by 100 contemporary writers - doctors, nurses, social workers, hospice workers, daughters, sons, wives, and husbands - whose lives have been touched by the disease. Through the transformative power of poetry, their words enable the reader to move 'beyond forgetting', beyond the stereotypical portrayal of Alzheimer's disease to honor and affirm the dignity of those afflicted. With a moving foreword by poet Tess Gallagher, this anthology forms a richly textured literary portrait encompassing the full range of the experience of caring for someone with Alzheimer's disease. Because the writers share their personal stories as well as their poems and prose, this collection will be a valuable companion to anyone embarking on this difficult journey. In their honest, deeply moving, and compassionate portrayals, the voices collected here help illumine the darkness of this passage and help us see, as one of the contributors put it, 'the unlikely light shining deep within it'.

W.S. Merwin Wins Pulitzer for Poetry (his second win)

2009-04-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

The Shadow of Sirius
By: W.S. Merwin
Copper Canyon Press

The nuanced mysteries of light, darkness, temporality, and eternity interweave throughout Merwin's newest collection of poems. "I have only what I remember," he admits, and his memories are focused and profound - well-cultivated loves, the distinct qualities of autumnal light, memories of Pennsylvania miners, a conversation with a boyhood teacher, and "our long evenings and astonishment." From the universe's chiaroscuro shadows, Merwin once again calls upon the language of surprise to illuminate existence. He is writing at the peak of his powers.

—from the publisher

National Poetry Month

2009-04-01T05:51:00.001-07:00

Celebrate National Poetry Month! Buy books of poetry, attend poetry readings, write poems, hand out poems to friends and neighbors...there are so many ways to celebrate!

Writer's Digest is sponsoring A Poem A Day Challenge featuring prompts by Robert Lee Brewer of Poetic Asides.

And check out the post at Poets.org that features Poetry 101:Resources for Beginners.

Update

2009-03-31T12:04:00.000-07:00

Dawn at She Is Too Fond of Books wrote a lovely review of Tomato Girl. Read the review here.

I just finished another round of 30:30 at Inside the Writer's Studio. It was great fun and something I've missed during the many months of writing fiction. I think I'll return tomorrow to do another 30 poems. It's addictive!

Afterwords: A Poetry Reading

2009-03-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Afterwords: A Poetry Reading

Spiritual and mystical meditations on love, loss, and grief with poets Jane Hirshfield (After) and Gregory Orr (Concerning the Book That Is the Body of the Beloved). This event is sponsored by the U.Va Creative Writing Department and the Virginia Quarterly Review.

Why Sylvia Plath's Suicide Still Holds Our Attention

2009-03-25T09:32:00.000-07:00

(Photo: Rollie McKenna)
Sylvia Plath in 1959. Why Sylvia Plath's Suicide Still Holds Our Attention - New York Times 03/24/09

Sylvia Plath's son kills himself

2009-03-23T09:25:00.000-07:00

Story Highlights

Son of Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath commits suicide, his sister says.
Nicholas Hughes, whose mother gassed herself, hanged himself in Alaska.
Hughes, 47, was unmarried with no children of his own and was marine biologist.

Read full story here.

A Few Interesting Links

2009-03-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

Close-up of Sailboat Rigging with Rope and Chain Links
100 Free Lectures That Will Make You a Better Writer

Writer's Digest 101 Best Sites

Diane Lockwood's List of Journals Accepting Email/Online Submissions

Lunch Poems:Robert Hass

2009-03-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

Updates

2009-02-22T05:49:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to the bloggers and reviewers who have supported Tomato Girl. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my novel and share their impressions. New reviews can be found at Diary of an Eccentric, Book Editing Associates, The Inkwell, Literally Booked, Chicago Life,and B&b ex libris.

I had the great privilege this past week to talk via telephone with the members of The Omaha Book Club. They had recently read Tomato Girl and were eager to discuss it. What an enthusiastic and insightful group of readers! If you would like me to call your book club to discuss Tomato Girl, please email me at JaynePupek@aol.com to make arrnagements. A Reader's Guide is also available for download to assist with discussions.

I've sent off my new manuscript to my agent. While I wait to hear from her, I look forward to catching up on some reading and working on my NEA application and reviews I've promised. But tonight is the Oscars, and I'm looking forward to the show along with dinner of baked salmon Dijon, mashed potatoes, and baby lima beans. (Not to be confused with H. Lecter's fava beans!)

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day...Cleis Press has released Afternoon Delight: Erotica for Couples, edited by Alison Tyler. I'm delighted to have a short story included in this anthology.

And for a decadent dessert to celebrate the day, try Gwyneth Paltrow's recipe from her blog:

Molten Chocolate Cakes

SERVES: 2
TIME: 45 minutes, largely unattended

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the ramekins
1 1/2 oz. chocolate
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons crème fraîche
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Generously butter two 4 oz. ramekins.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a small glass bowl set over a small pot of simmering water. Let it cool a bit while you whisk together the egg, egg yolk and 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar in a separate bowl. Whisk in the melted butter and chocolate and then the flour.

Fill the ramekins and bake for seven minutes. The edges and top should be just set.

Meanwhile, whisk the crème fraîche together with the remaining teaspoon of confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla.

Remove the cakes from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes. Invert onto dessert plates and serve each with a spoonful of crème fraîche.

Two Links

2009-02-05T15:22:00.001-08:00

I've been preoccupied with my new manuscript and still need to put some spit and polish on it. In the process, I've fallen behind on my blog, email, etc. I wanted to take a moment to post links to a guest blog post I wrote for Reading Group Guides and to a profile at Literary Mama, written by Kimberly Becker. I hope you enjoy both.

John Updike's Death--From Entertainment Weekly

2009-01-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

Photo Credit: Ulf Andersen/Getty Images
Pulitzer-prize winning American novelist John Updike, author of The Witches of Eastwick, Couples, Rabbit is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest, died today of lung cancer. He was 76. His most recent novels were last year's The Widows of Eastwick, the follow-up to Witches, and 2006's Terrorist. His short story collection, My Father's Tears and Other Stories, is due out later this year. Read the rest of Mike Bruno's article here.

Our New President

2009-01-21T05:05:00.000-08:00

MLK: I HAVE A DREAM

2009-01-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

Catching Up

2009-01-18T09:52:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy trying to finish a few projects, so I haven't posted in awhile. Still playing catch up!

Many thanks to Sandra at FRESH INK BOOKS for her lovely review and to David at LARGEHEARTED BOY for naming TOMATO GIRL on his list of favorite novels for 2008

TOMATO GIRL is available on cassette and CD at RECORDED BOOKS as part of their Southern Voices Audio Imprint. The audio is also available at Audible.com. Julia Gibson narrates the story. She's wonderful!

And for Amazon's KINDLE users, I see that TOMATO GIRL is now available in this format, too.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-23T18:19:00.000-08:00

A Child Plays Among the Snowmen Made at the Arbat

I want to wish everyone--old friends and new ones--a lovely holiday.

Bloggers Review Tomato Girl

2008-12-22T09:02:00.000-08:00

TOMATO GIRL is reviewed at Bobbi's Book Nook. There is also a review at 1More Chapter.

Dark Time in the Delta

2008-12-22T08:38:00.000-08:00

Read my review of Hillary Jordan's debut novel, MUDBOUND, in this month's issue of Gently Read Literature. And watch the book trailer, too!

MUDBOUND:

The tyranny of the to-read pile

2008-12-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

A stack of good intentions ... The dreaded to-read pile. Photograph: Roger Tooth

The Tyranny of the To-read Pile: a post by Sam Jordison in the Guardian

Over recent months I've read plenty of articles about the impact the credit crunch will have on publishing, and the general consensus appears to be that while it will doubtless be affected like every other industry, the impact will likely be gentler than elsewhere. The industry is used to struggling already, so it's less likely to be panicked by narrowing profit margins than those skittish coke-fiends in the city. What's more, recessions generally don't seem to stop people buying books. Punters may have less money to throw away on extravagant food-porn absurdities such as The Big Fat Duck Cookbook, but this is balanced out by the sad fact that plenty of people suddenly find themselves with a lot more time to read.

I'm prepared to go along with that theory, but an article I just came across on bookninja.com has led me to question the premise slightly....Read the rest of the post here.

“Dreams (from The Blackbird Series)”

2008-12-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

My poem “Dreams (from The Blackbird Series)” appears in Caketrain Issue 06.

Forthcoming December 2008

First printing, 300 copies

5 3/8 w × 8 5/16 h × 264 pages of sixty-pound acid-free off-white text stock, perfect-bound with a ten-point glossy cover stock. Preorder yours here.

Review

2008-11-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

Read a recent review of Tomato Girl on Peeking Between the Pages. Thanks so much, Dar!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I ate way too much pumpkin cheesecake.

Now that the holiday shopping has begun in earnest, I'm urging everyone I know to buy books as gifts. Skip the big televisions, ugly scarves, and plastic toys. Buy books!

Sharon Olds Speaks at the 2008 Poets Forum

2008-11-26T17:26:00.000-08:00

Weekly Address from the President-elect

2008-11-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

Q&A and Readersville Essay

2008-11-20T07:39:00.000-08:00

Gayle invited me to participate in a Q&A at her blog, Every Day I Write the Book. I hope you enjoy the post!

I have a post up today on Readerville where I list and describe some of my favorite books about mental illness.

Review and Guest Post at Booking Mama

2008-11-16T20:37:00.000-08:00

Cup Cakes

I'd like to thank Julie at Booking Mama for her wonderful review of Tomato Girl.

From Julie's review:

Well, TOMATO GIRL was a very good book and I really enjoyed reading it; but I admit that I hesitate to use the word "enjoy" when talking about this novel -- it is one of the saddest stories that I've ever read. But don't let that deter you from reading this beautiful novel because I think you will ultimately end up loving it. It is a wonderful story about a very special (and resilient) young girl. In fact, I actually felt uplifted and very hopeful when I finished this novel.

Julie invited me back to share some of my favorite holiday recipes.

From my guest post:

Folks who know me would characterize me as a CNN junkie, but I also tune into the Food Network when I have the chance. The following recipes are among my fall favorites. The first is a Rachel Ray recipe, "Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage." This dish is so easy to make and tastes amazing. Since I don't eat pork or beef, I use a soy-based "fake" sausage and substitute the chicken stock with vegetable stock. The "Spinach Salad with Apple and Red Onion" is the perfect accompaniment. I like to serve red wine with this meal.

And for dessert, what could beat Paula Deen's "Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting?" As a girl, I looked forward to Christmas dinner at my Grandma Arbutus' house where the red velvet cake was my favorite. Cupcakes make a nice alternative and are easier to make, I think. Paula Deen is the queen of Southern Cuisine. I gave my mother one of her cookbooks last year for Christmas.Find the recipes here.

PUSHCART NOMINATION

2008-11-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

Cafes
My poem, Letter to Eli, has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. This poem first appeared in Stirring
My deepest thanks to editor, Erin Elizabeth Smith, and the rest of the Stirring staff. This is my third Pushcart nomination.

LETTER TO ELI

In last night's dream, you were a crumpled paper
in my hands, your asymmetrical wings

unfolding as you took to the sky,
a small wounded bird unable to fly

a straight line. The sun illuminated your body,
and I saw for the first time

the bullet hole, dark and round, barely missing
your heart. Then I understood

your incessant need for sex, for prayer,
for uncooked food. The fields

surrounding my house went vacant for years.
Nowadays I inhabit all the places you dwell.

Sometimes I lean my ear to the ground
and hear your voice cajoling black

ants to finish tasks they've begun.
I spend my days hunched over

the kitchen table, making paper boats
that might carry me across the river.

I long for the land of lost ghosts
and incomplete shadows. Surely you know,

I write our names on each boat.
Inside crayon hearts, Eli, we are still in love.

Jayne Pupek

Review Up at Every Day I Write the Book Blog.

2008-11-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

Gayle Weiswasser reviewed Tomato Girl on her blog, Every Day I Write the Book Blog. Gayle is also hosting a book giveaway and will soon be posting a Q&A session with me. Check her blog for updates. Good luck to everyone who enters to win an autographed copy of Tomato Girl.

Frenzy

2008-11-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

Frenzy: Sixty Stories of Sudden Sex, edited by Alison Tyler, is now available from Cleis Press. I'm delighted to be included in this spicy collection of short erotic tales.

Barack Obama still has time for a little poetry

2008-11-08T04:34:00.000-08:00

AFP/GETTY IMAGES
Three days after winning the presidential election, Barack Obama was spotted in Chicago carrying a book of poems by Derek Walcott, the West Indies Nobel laureate.

The Illinois senator was photographed holding the new-looking book, perhaps a gift he had just received, and reading a letter as he headed to his car with his wife, Michelle.

The 500-page volume, Collected Poems 1948-1984, is one of 20 collections by the poet, theatre director and playwright, who has also written more than 20 plays.

Read the rest of Catherine Elsworth's article in The Telegraph (U.K.)

Reader's Guide

2008-11-06T16:41:00.000-08:00

The Reader's Guide for Tomato Girl is now available online. Download it here to use in your book discussion groups.

President-Elect Barack Obama in Chicago

2008-11-05T11:09:00.000-08:00

Yes, We Did! The Next First Family....I am so Proud!

2008-11-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

Timothy Clary/AFP/Getty Images

2 Reviews, Guest Post, and a Reminder to Vote!

2008-11-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

CL Bledsoe reviewed Tomato Girl in the current issue of Ghoti. CL is a wonderful poet whose first full length collection, Anthem, is forthcoming from Cervena Barva Press in 2008. A chapbook, _____(want/need) was just published by Plan B Press.

Lisa Evans also reviewed Tomato Girl on her blog, Books and Cooks. Lisa, an awesome Southern gal with good taste in books and food, invited me to guest post as well. Read my post here.

I also want to remind everyone to get to the polls tomorrow to vote!! The lines might be long and it may be cold and raining, but this is too important to neglect. I have already mailed in my ballot and bought champagne for the celebration to come! My prediction: Barack Obama will win 52 per cent of the popular vote and 350 electoral votes. And I will drink the whole bottle of champagne!

Largehearted Boy

2008-10-29T19:25:00.000-07:00

I had the great privilege to write an essay and music playlist for Largehearted Boy, a music blog featuring daily free and legal music downloads as well as news from the worlds of music, literature, and pop culture.

In the Book Notes series, authors create and discuss a music playlist that is in some way relevant to their recently published books. Read my essay here.

Defining Moment

2008-10-25T18:08:00.000-07:00

Bundles of Letters Including A, V and Epsilon

2008-10-25T17:29:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled to receive my copy of this wonderful book by poets Arlene Ang and Valerie Fox. I've written a review which I will post a link to as soon as it is available.

Bundles of Letters Including A, V and Epsilon
poems by Arlene Ang and Valerie Fox

available from Texture Press

Cover art: Kindred Spirits by Pamela Hill

Valerie Fox and Arlene Ang are latter-day surrealists, playing wantonly with words, charming us out of and into the everyday. There's no predicting where they will take off (Lake Como, the Joyce Kilmer Rest Stop on the New Jersey Turnpike) or where they will land (a wishbone, a rainbow hanging from a noose). Their poems buzz like inspired flies. Emily Dickinson would take delight in them.
—Paula Cohen

ISBN-13: 978-0-9797573-1-0
ISBN-10: 0-9797573-1-2

105 pages
Excerpts (with mp3) at Adroitly Placed Word.

Interview at Lit*Chick

2008-10-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

A recent interview is up at Lit*Chick. Mel, a devoted blogger and book lover I met at GoodReads, asked great questions. I hope you enjoy the interview! Mel previously reviewed Tomato Girl and hosted a book giveaway as well!

Powells Bookstore in Portland

2008-10-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

Poet and friend, Bebe Cook, recently traveled to Portland. While there, Bebe (see photo 2) and Sharon Hurlbut(another poet friend who writes under the pen name Ann Walters. Photo 3) went to Powells Bookstore, where they saw Tomato Girl. Bebe sent me these photos. How neat!

Recorded Books and More Reviews

2008-10-19T07:06:00.000-07:00

Tomato Girl is now available on CD and Casette through Recorded Books' Southern Voices Imprint.

Zinta Aistars wrote a wonderful review of Tomato Girl in the current issue of The Smoking Poet. Read Zinta's review here.

A review is also up at Bibliolatry, which is a blog I only recently discovered, but is quickly becoming a favorite.

Fleegan compares Tomato Girl to the classic To Kill a Mockingbird, but with a dysfucntional twist. I'd say that's about right. Read her review here.

Book blogger, Caribou's Mom, read Tomato Girl as part of a 24 hour Read-a-thon. She posted a lovely and thoughtful review of the book today at her blog.

Two New Reviews--

2008-10-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

A new review is up at Educating Petunia

There is also a new review up at Rhonda's Corner of the World.

Tomato Girl Video

2008-10-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

Palin's Wolf-Killing Program Results in 14 Wolf Pup Deaths

2008-10-10T14:18:00.000-07:00

Appomattox Regional Library

2008-10-10T05:48:00.000-07:00

I attended a reading and discussion group last night at the Appomattox Regional Library in Hopewell, Virginia. What a lovely library and even lovelier group of people. Everyone was lively and engaged. They asked great questions and showed so much enthusiasm for Tomato Girl. The folks at Appomattox Regional only confirmed what I've always believed: book lovers are some of the nicest and most interesting people around.

John McCain: Get to Know Him

2008-10-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Review at Weave Magazine

2008-10-04T05:24:00.000-07:00

Margaret Bashaar reviewed Forms of Intercession for Weave Magazine. Read the review here.

Interview at Eclectica

2008-10-04T05:20:00.000-07:00

Elixabeth Glixman interviewed me for Eclectica Magazine. Read her review here.