Red Room | Where the Writers Are

Finishing Line Press Release: The Cleft of...

by Felicia Mitchell

A keen observer of the landscape of the natural world and its corollary terrain of the heart, poet Felicia Mitchell has just had her third chapbook collection of poetry published, this time by award-winning Finishing Line Press. This small collection of poems follows “There is No Map,” published online in 2008 by Dead Mule School of Southern Literature and “Earthenware Fertility ...

What's Not To Love?

by Kathryn Stripling Byer

Future NC Poet Laureates at N. Canton Elementary School

Before the holidays, I was invited by OUR STATE, N.C.'s beautiful monthly magazine, to write a short piece on the topic "Why We Love North Carolina." I would be joining other North Carolinians in this feature, including Jan Karon, Bob Timberlake, Sharyn McCrumb, Fred Chappell, and David Holt. A pretty big topic! And wide open for schmaltz and cliched writing, if I weren't careful. Where to ...

Murder & Mayhem at the Bar /...

by Michael Haskins

Murder & Mayhem at the Bar / Amazon's Kindle Mystery writers are a strange group. Our minds work differently than normal people. I was recently appointed, or maybe elected, to the board of directions of the Florida chapter of the Mystery Writers of America. Last weekend I attended the board meeting/chapter luncheon at the Deerfield Beach Hilton, an almost four-hour ride from Key West.The ...

The Bogota Bombing Victims

Here is a clip from KidTwo's livejournal. Goodness knows this information won't be readily available in the American press and these two people were killed by a group primarily funded by the U.S. appetite for cocaine. They deserve our notice. ***** One was a ...

Cyrus or Alexander?

I was watching a documentary on the search for the tomb of Alexander the Great and it got me thinking on our obsession with infamous characters of history. Yes Alexander though a great general/king was like many other in history such as Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, Caesar.... arrogant, bloodthirsty conquerors who did engage in the odd rape pillage and destruction.... In Alexander's case it was ...

Release Moved Up!!!

Destiny of the Wolf's, was Don't Cry Wolf, release date has been moved up from Mar 1 and now wil be available February 2 at Amazon!! Hopefully, I'll have it in time for the Shreveport Conference for my workshop and book signing! Last year I was at the Dreaming in Dallas Conference the first weekend in April, but Heart of the Wolf wasn't available at Borders, that hosted the book signing. ...

Right Royal Wrongs

On the three hundred and sixtieth anniversary of the death of King Charles, the Martyr, a Feast Day still observed, a short poem by Humbert Wolfe. The Grey Squirrel Like a small grey coffee-pot, sits the squirrel. He is not all he should be, kills by dozens trees, and eats his red-brown cousins. The keeper on the other hand, who shot ...

Writing Trials and Tribulations: Dealing with The...

So what comes next for the writer, after yesterday's chocolate and tears and grieving for might-have-beens? There is a part of you which wants to curl up, give up, get out of the whole sorry business. But you are a professional. These things happen. You must carry on, or the bread on the table will be mere crumbs, fit only for mice, and there will be nothing to buy more with. "And ...

Academy Award for the" Most Inspiring Film...

by Catherine Nagle

Academy Award.jpeg

By Douglas Howe The American Film Institute recently named its Top 100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time. I wish there was an Academy Award for the Most Inspiring Film of the year. I mean, why do so many of us go to the movies in the first place? The Academy Awards honor the Best Producer, the Best Writer, the Best Actors, the Best Director, all the way to the Best Cinematographer. Why not ...

Black Authors: Promote Your Work...

I want to help you promote your writing. If you are a writer of African heritage, visit my Strong Black Business Community. http://www.squidoo.com/groups/Strong_Black_Business_Community Not a member of Squidoo yet? Join here for free: http://www.squidoo.com/lensmaster/referral/Zhana21. Plus, on the same page: I am seeking stories. Who have you helped? How did it benefit them, ...

State Department Adds New Group to Watch...

A Female Member of the Banned Group MARA

The State Department has added a new group to its watchlist. MARA - the acronym for the Middle Age Resistance Army - issued a communique calling for an "end to youth." Wrapped in an Afghan coat and wearing a T-shirt with a fat David Crosby emblazoned on the front, MARA's leader P. Rostate declared "war on the vileness of youth and its degenerate speed culture." ...

Predictions for Super Bowl & Beyond

by Chris Rodell

• I predict the Steelers will win Super Bowl XLIII by a score of XXXIII to X and that Ben Roethlisberger will be the game’s MVP. The QB believes he has something to prove after his terrible performance during the Steelers victory in Super Bowl XL. After Sunday, he’ll be considered the best in the game.• I predict Bruce Springsteen will sing, in order, “The Promised Land,” “Working ...

T'was the night before....

by Mary P Wilkinson

T'was the night before Fridaywhen all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a spouseThe porridge was soaking on the stovetopwith carewith hopes in the morning we'd all get to shareWhen out near the skylightthere rose such a clatterthat I jumped out of bed to seewhat was the matterThe skylight had opened in a gale hard and sureand the rain fell in droplets soheavy and pureI ...

This Is Not What You Think It...

by Scott Sanders

Something sacred is at stake in every event…that’s from the Kaballah. I’ve got sour milk in my Pete’s coffee that I surreptitiously took to another internet café. That’s from me. Dirt in my fries – that’s from the Shins. Unimagined dangers and the anticipation of disappointment – that’s from me again. How’s this: clouds in ceiling opened up and the roof is ...

The Human Touch

Tough times. Selling anything? Good luck. So I conducted a little experiment. What does it take to sell in today’s business climate? Here’s what I did: Asked four area businesses to take part in a December sales contest. Whoever sold the most copies of my new book wins a $100 first prize and a $50 second prize. Vendors also get to keep half the earnings from their books ...

Lawrence David Walker, October 4, 1931 -...

Larry Guitar 1.jpg

We mourn the passing of my beloved father-in-law, Lawrence David Walker, on January 27, 2009. Below are his obituary published in the Salt Lake Tribune and a short eulogy that his son, my husband Lawrence Arthur Walker, also wrote for a memorial card that was distributed at his wake. Lawrence David Walker, Ph.D. Dr. Lawrence David Walker (Larry) of Salt Lake City passed away on January 27, ...

Poetry Readings

by Robert Sward

Message today :"We regret to inform that ___ Books, San Jose, CA will be closing (or sold) within the coming months. We have 9 copies of Heavenly Sex and 6 of Rosicrucian in the Basement on consignment. Can you have them picked up - otherwise they may be subject to donation or disposal. Thank you,Manager."I read there 2 - 3 years ago and three people turned out, my wife, my co-reader, ...

How I Blew $200 In Advertising

Communtications Breakdown

“How’s the book doing?” The question rose above the Christmas chatter of a dozen relatives gathered round a table set with wine and cheese. The voice was Rolf’s, my sister’s husband’s father. His 90 years had taken a toll on his ears, and he leaned close for my reply. Better than nothing, I said, always the optimist. “Well, you went through the first printing, didn’t ...

The Euphoric Violet Delight

Often, medications for severe pain are made from opoid plants. These purple-flowered plants produce opium poppies, which are used in the production of opium. Opium is what we in the U.S. call narcotics, and they dull and numb one who ingests what may be made by these opium poppies, as there are several drugs that have been developed from what these plants provide that are these ...

TWENTIETH CENTURY

by Lynn Ruth Miller

THE TRAIN OF THE CENTURY

THEATREWORKS PRESENTS TWENTIETH CENTURY This Hecht-MacArthur comedy is set in the observation car of the Twentieth Century Limited a luxury transcontinental express passenger train operated by the New York Central Railroad from 1902-1967. It was intended for upper class passengers who wanted to red carpet treatment when they traveled from New York City to Chicago. It was famous for its ...

The ol' "if I had a lot...

by Sean H Taylor

My kids got me thinking tonight while we were having dinner at Pizza Hut (getting me thinking is always a dangerous thing to do) about how cool an all-super-hero cable TV channel would be. So of course, I had to start making lists. (I'm a list maker. They're all over the place in my house.) And here it is, the line up if I were in charge of an all-super-hero cable TV channel. Monday - Friday, ...

Greed is good!

by Rahul Varshneya

Corruption looms large not just in the developing economies, but is also quite prevalent in the developed markets. The underlying asset, greed, is heavy on the balance sheets of some of the world’s greatest corporations (or so they were touted till about a few months back) and their top management. One can quite easily assume that most of the world’s biggest companies would have, in some way ...

MY COUNTRY! MYI AFRICA

by Lynn Ruth Miller

THE TEACHER AND HIS STUDENTS

Marin Theatre Company presents: MY COUNTRY MY AFRICA I saw this play the day Barack Obama was inaugurated as president of the United States. I thought it appropriate that on this day so many felt was momentous for all people of color, Anthol Fugard's magnificent work opened our eyes to the real need of those among us who been victimized by racism. MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA! takes ...

The truth behind the phrase, "You don't...

by Brian T McKee

Has anyone ever said, "You aren't listening to me!"Its taken years but I have realized exactly what is being said and why it is being said.First off there are two levels of the statement. The first is said in anger: "You never listen to me!" or "You aren't listening to me!"The second form, a minor form if you will, presents itself with frustration and a phrase like, ...

Let it flower, and paint it all...

by Giselle A Ascott

Looking back on my previous entry, though I did get some really nice comments about it (which I cannot thank you all enough for your understanding), I do not want anyone to think that that is the extent of what I will be using this blog for. But every once in a while, life's little gripes just get to that certain point when, for sanity's sake, it needs to be ranted about. Writing my book has ...

John Martyn died today

John Martyn, one of the most gifted and idiosyncratic songwriters and guitar players of his generation, died today, at the age of 60. You can find out about him at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Martyn_(musician) and listen to one of his beautiful compositions(Glistening Glyndebourne) here: ...

Bleeding History

As in prose writing, sequential art of the comic book, you can sail into the doldrums when there is not enough information or you haven't found the best way to tell the story visually.I was asked to reprise my father's journey on foot out of China in 1949, so that the rest of "Forget Sorrow: An Ancestral Tale" could be addressed: what happened to his family after the Communist ...

I fear this fad will grow. Guilty...

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Do you cheat? Do you have a car? Sorry.

This is new....? Progressive...? Buhwhuh....?

by Deborah Grabien

So, New Boss called Rep-D Henry Waxman and told him to dump the paltry bit of the "stimulus" package earmarked for family planning.Colour me unthrilled. And woefully unsurprised.So far, he gets very high points from me for doing the easy stuff: reversing the worst of Shrub's crapola by issuing executive orders. But when there's money needed, it takes more than signing your name and ...

Billion folks live in urban slums--photos

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The Places We Live: Worldwide city slums