lerue review dec. 09

The LeRue Review Volume II Issue IV

FREE Magazine Free

“Sherlock

Holmes”

In theatres

DECEMBER 25, 2009

Let The Gift Hound sniff out the best gift! 5

From the Editor

Page 1

From LeRue Press & LRP Printing & Booksellers, we hope you and your family have a safe, secure and memorable holiday. We’ll see you next year with many more, new book releases and music and movie reviews. Happy Reading! Janice Hermsen, Editor

We decided to have a holiday edition of The LeRue Review to provide some good reading as you sip your egg nog (or your hot chocolate). Though we hate to see Christmas commercialized, we really like to see the smiles from our kids and grandkids when they see Santa (even some of the big kids)! And I must admit, I really do enjoy midnight Mass.The smells of incense and singing Christmas carols bring back good memories. As we move into the new year, we leave behind a difficult one as a country. We are always hopeful and I, for one, have always believed that even at the worst, everything happens for a reason. On a lighter note, we have some great reviews to end the year. Be sure to check out Miss Rogers Stinks by Reno author Carol Purroy and Children of the Night by Peter Ponzio. Are you the greatest salesman in the world? You might be surprised when you read the review. In keeping with the holiday season, senior loan officer, Marcia Kidney shared a great recipe for Orange Cake. If her rates are as good as her recipe, we’re sure to see some loans closing in Reno!

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Nashville Birmingham Huntsville Miami Orlando New York Buffalo Richmond Roanoke Charleston

Here is a partial list of cities where we need reviewers: Reno Las Vegas Los Angeles Sacramento Redding Chico Medford Portland Ashland Seattle Olympia

Is your city listed here? Contact us today: [email protected] Please note “Real People Reviewer” in the subject line. Or go online to www.leruepress.com. Click on “Writer’s Wanted”.

View from LeRue (at home)

Best Wishes &

from the staff at

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& Bookseller

LeRue Press & LRP Printing

Advertising: (775) 849-3814 E-Mail: [email protected] Before submitting reviews or articles, please contact our editor at : [email protected] The LeRue Review is published 4 times a year. This is a free publication. To view it online, go to www.leruepress.com To receive a copy by mail, send a self addressed 10x12 envelope with sufficient postage for 1 lb. to LeRue Press, LLC, P.O. Box 19694, Reno, NV 89511. The LeRue Review accepts no responsibility for postal errors. Available at various Reno/Sparks/Carson City/Incline Village locations. The LeRue Review ©2008-2009 LeRue Press, LLC at 1105 Terminal Way, Suite 202, Reno, NV 89502. All rights reserved. Protected under Berna and other international Copyrights Conventions. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or art.

Opinions and reviews in The

LeRue Review are those of the

individual author. They do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of LeRue Press

Page 3

From the Editor by Janice Hermsen …...…………...……………..……………….…...….1 LeRue Press News & Events………………..…………………………………….….……..5 Benjamin Arnold ………………………………………………………………..…...5 DC Paull …………………………………………………………………….…….….6

Book Reviews: Miss Rogers Stinks by Carol Purroy Reviewed by Lenore Halfide.….……………………….……………………...……7 Children of the Night by Peter Ponzio Reviewed by Rita Laat…….……...............................................................….....7 The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino Reviewed by Doug “Jerkyman” Glodt ………………………………...…………..8

Music at Its Best: Jersey “Gurl” Candi Lynn …………….. ………………………………..………...…...…..9 Cuban Influnced Singer-Guitarist Lili Añel …………………….……...…….…………..10

Movies Movies: Sherlock Holmes ….……………………………………………………………...…………13 Old Dogs……..…………………………………………………………………...……….. ..13 It’s Complicated ……………………………………………………………………………..14

The History of: The Bad Dancer by Robyn Oxborrow …………....….…………..……………..……...…………...15

“Heart of Darkness By Peter Ponzio …………………………………....…………...………………….16

Love Stories Edited by Karen Jackson, MSW, Editor………….…………..…..………………17 Whole Orange Cake from the Kitchen of Marcia Kidney, HMR ……………………..18 The Write Bloody Poets by Benjamin Arnold …………..……………………...….…..19 Who is Doing the Banning? ……….……………………………………………...………20 Classifieds…………………………………………………………….…………………..21-24

Table of ©OMA Photography

Inked In: Shadows Between Darkness & Light Karlyn Simone was born in Reno, Nevada and started writing when she was nine years old. One of her life's dreams was to write a book. In 2007, she sat down and took nine months of

LeRue Press News & Events

Karlyn

Open Mics & Poetry Slams at

West Street Market PLUS

Ben Arnold Book Release Party!

Eighty-two people attended the Poetry Slam and book signing on November 7th at West Street Market. What a great turnout! The poets were enthusiastic and passionate about their work. After the readings, Benjamin Arnold celebrated the release of his “First” in the LeRue Press Chapbook Series. In Fractals of Past, Benjamin Arnold shares memories from the past in prose and poetry. If you weren't there, you missed a great experience hearing Arnold present his work. Next time you hear about one of the monthly Poetry Slams, take some time out to visit West Street Market. They meet the first Saturday each month. You might even find a copy of Benjamin’s book for sale while you’re there.

Benjamin Arnold is well

known in the Washoe County area for his teaching skills and dedication

to the pursuit of encouraging everyone to

BetheCause: Promoting Literacy

Fractals of Past is available at

www.leruepress.com/Bookstore.html

Elton

John

961 Matley Lane, Ste. 120 Reno, NV 89502 (775)829-1964

www.river1037.com

The River is the #1 station for

Rock n Roll Hits of the 60’s and 70’s

CCR

Eagles

Fleetwood Mac

Beach Boy

s

Beatles

Doobie Brothers

her life (I guess most Moms can relate to that) ...and guess what? A book was born! LeRue Press is proud to announce the upcoming release of Karlyn's first novel. It's full of vampires, love and intrigue. More news soon! Watch for future information and the release date of her novel.

About Getting Published In my last article for the LeRue Review, various methods of getting one’s written works published were

overviewed to show the variety of options available to today’s authors. In this issue, the world of self-publishing will be explored in more detail. Once you’ve decided that being published is your most important objective, and don’t wish to engage in the time, expense, and oftentimes frustration of attempting to get an agent or approach a publisher on your own, the options are now plentiful. Thanks to technological advances, self publishing may be the wave of the future. However, an immediate downside to this option is its less than stellar reputation for those wishing credibility with their published work. Self publishing is often referred to as “vanity” publishing since you can publish just about anything you like---for a fee. Self publishing involves the concept of “print on demand”, which means that there is no stock to collect dust somewhere until they are sold. Books are printed when sold. The internet will provide an excellent source of self publishing companies, so be sure to research the reputation and product quality of each. An author colleague, Brad McClure, has had great success with his 4 novels using Authorhouse, one of many online self publishing companies. You pay a one time fee and then a per copy price. The vendor takes care of getting the ISBN number and the cover art. Other vendors charge extra for

DC Paull

Part II of a series

cover art or allow you to submit your own. These vendors will also ensure your book is made available through the biggest distributors, so you can see your book online at large retailers such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble. My colleague, whom I have met at several author functions, has written delightful mysteries that are worthy of traditional publication. He enjoys taking small side trips and attending any author signings he can, and is happy with the path he chose. I used a hybrid of a self-publisher and a traditional publisher, PublishAmerica. I received a formal acceptance of my manuscript and did not have to pay for anything. The cover art they prepared was fantastic, but the cover price of the book was prohibitive of sales at $24.95 for a trade sized paperback. Some editing direction was provided, but I was on my own in this area, and some errors were missed in the printed version. Marketing was also left to me, and as a busy professional, I did not have a lot of time to spend in this area and sales have been anemic as a result. A Library of Congress Catalog Number was not provided with this publisher though, and this will keep your novels out of the reach of our country’s library system. If I had to do it again, I would have insisted on this, or made my own efforts to obtain one. PublishAmerica is also a “print on demand” publisher, and some readers waited a little longer than anticipated to receive their copies. Amazon and PublishAmerica also had a falling out in 2008, and the book can no longer be purchased on this site. PublishAmerica also carries a stigma with it, and many did not consider the work worthy of reading or review. I read one online review of PublishAmerica and a comment was made that they would publish a book with the same word repeated 80,000 times. I have a hard time believing this statement since they bore the expenses and I had no out of pocket costs. However, I did not have a lot of success with getting

Page 6

book signings when I mentioned their name as my publisher. I cannot say that I did not know this when I chose this option since I thoroughly researched it, and since my goal was to be published by the age of 40, I took the risk. Seeing my book in print was a great joy to me, and the feedback offered should make my next novel even better. LeRue Press liked it enough to pick up the second novel, Girl Friday’s Bad Hair Day, so I can look forward to my new experiences with the benefit of a small, traditional publisher who also provides self publishing for those wishing to take the leap without a proven track record. One last point is to request the publisher make the book returnable through the distributors. This will encourage book stores and online vendors to stock your book, since they can return unpurchased copies at any time. I was able to request this option from PublishAmerica, but it has resulted in my owing them money! In my next article, I will discuss my experiences in attempting to find an agent to represent my book to the traditional publishers. Keep on writing, and choose the option that will help you obtain your goals. DC Paull is the author of Go Girl Friday and a Reno resident. Bad Hair Day is scheduled to be released by LeRue Press.

Sara of Go Girl Friday is traveling! Find out where! www.leruepress.com

I made it to Stockton and Reno...I wish I could go with Sara. Will you help me?

Miss Rogers Stinks

by Carol Petersen Purroy Reviewed by Lenore Halfide

Genre: Children’s 9-11 (or seniors who want to be nostalgic) Title: Miss Rogers Stinks Author: Carol Petersen Purroy Publisher: A-Z Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-9764400-8-6 Pages: 152 Price: $9.95 USA Initially, one might think Miss Roger’s Stinks is children’s fiction (with the sub genre of inspirational), but when you look a little closer, you realize it could very easily appeal to the senior generation or the young history buff. Young Tina Henning is the smallest one in her class and wants to be noticed by her classmates. The setting is spring, 1946, just as World War II has ended. Recognition comes in an unusual way and Tina finds out that there are consequences for her actions. One of the interesting aspects of Miss Rogers Stinks is the “Definitions, Descriptions & Explanations” at the end of the story. Within the story are references to such items as: ditto machine, fly paper, Sansei, and sprinkling the laundry. There are even brief explanations of the “Great Depression”. The section at the end called “Things To Think About” has over 25 questions to stimulate the reader to really look at the many viewpoints in this delightful story.

BOOKS • MUSIC • MOVIES

BOOKS

CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT

PETER J. PONZIO

Reviewed by Rita Laat

As you may have guessed, the author, Carol Petersen Purroy is a former teacher. It is in her heart and is ever present in her writing. Even though this is fiction, it may be a great recommended reading for an elementary school History class.

To order, contact LeRue Press, LLC or go to:

http://cpurroy.tripod.com/

azpublishing/id24.html

Genre: Xlibris ISBN: 978-1-4257-4995-8 Pages: 215 Price: $21.95 Peter Ponzio has been a favorite writer for me since

his contributions appeared in the LeRue Review. When my daughter brought his book home and told me I could read it I was thrilled and certain that I would enjoy every page. Well --- that was not exactly what happened. I did enjoy the book tremendously, but there were some

sections that were over my head. Children of the Night covers accounting irregularities and audits for a corporation. Unfortunately, I have no clue as to what he was describing. Of course, much of that is because I do not have the background in my work life to understand auditing procedures Once the references to accounting, etc. were no longer part of the story in such detail, I was back to reading and enjoying the story. I found it hard to put down despite the many accounting references. Mr Ponzio’s writing style is one in which he describes events in a manner in which you feel as though you are there. When a book provides this kind of journey, I want to continue reading forever and hate to finish the book. Peter Ponzio accomplished that with this one! One final note: The reason for the title escapes me. Aside from the fact that the poem in the beginning of the book was called “Children of the Night” I could not discern the reason for the title. Does it have a hidden meaning? Everyone who enjoys reading should pick up Mr. Ponzio’s book. Read and enjoy!!!!

To order, contact LeRue Press, LLC or go to


Click on the Reviews Link

Genre: Self-Help Author: Og Mandino Publisher: Bantam Books ISBN: 0-553-14216-X Pages: 111 Price: $7.95 It’s love at first sight; at least for poor camel boy Habib. What can he do to win Tisha’s heart? No way in this world would the wealthy Calneh family

accept Habib. A plan, yes a plan—go to my boss and ask for a raise or a promotion, that’ll work! Hang on, it’s not going to be that easy. We have the age old problem in chapter 3—boy desires girl. The solution is given by his boss but by the end of chapter 4, (just 10 pages later) poor camel boy Habib returns defeated. Now we have the author weave his skills in the next 78 pages. 21,840 words on whether or not Habib will succeed or just give up on his main ambition in life. Within these pages are revealed 10 scrolls with secret nuggets for everyone’s success. It is not boring or tedious to chew each morsel and discern if this is for you. I. I will form good habits. II. I will greet this day with love in my heart, “This is the greatest secret of success in all ventures” Pg. 58 III I will persist until I succeed. IV. I am nature’s greatest miracle. V. I will live this day as if it is my last.

The Greatest

Salesman in the

World

OG MANDINO

Reviewed by Doug “The Jerkyman” Glodt


BOOKS

Real People Reviews

VI. I will be master of my emotions. VII. I will laugh at the world VIII. I will multiply my value a hundredfold. IX. I will act now! X. I will pray for guidance If you have read this far, you most likely will read this book. The title scares off 9 out of 10 human beings. Don’t let it frighten you! By 1980, after twenty-nine printings, 2 million copies had been sold (1st published 1968). Has this book been made into a movie? With a different title? How can we reach the unreachable?

To order, contact LeRue Press, LLC or go to



Music at it’s best JERSEY ‘GURL’ NEW POP

SENSATION AIMS FOR TOP OF CHARTS WITH

EMPOWERING AND INSPIRING STREET-SMART

STYLE ON DEBUT CD, ILLMISSBEHAVIN

‘HEY GURL’ SINGLE

PUMPING ON EAST COAST RADIO AS MUSIC VIDEO

SPREADS ACROSS NATION

"She's brash, smooth and

edgy all in one." - Examiner.com

"Dynamic sounds and

danceable beats. ... a mash-up of influences ranging from

Fergie of the Black-Eyed Peas to Britney, with a little bit

of rock edge rolled in." - Courier-Post

LONG BEACH ISLAND, NJ - There’s a new brand of music sweeping both the airwaves and dance-floors worldwide - a style known as “hip-pop,” which as its title states, is a merger of the booty-shaking beats of hip-hop, and the melodic hooks of pop music. And one of the most promising new artists from this genre is undoubtedly Jersey “Gurl” CANDI LYNN. Candi’s newly released debut album, ILLMissBehavin, is creating serious buzz, and with good reason -- in addition to penning some irresistibly catchy tunes, Candi offers a much-needed “girl-teen empowerment” spin on a genre in need of a positive female role model. In

addition to her aforementioned musical influences, another important figure in Candi’s life has been her mother and manager, successful Atlantic City nightclub owner Carrie Ariemma. ILLMissBehavin, is chock-full of potential chart-toppers, in the Fergie-Britney-Pink mold. The album balances such unashamedly party-hearty songs as “Luv Ya Body,” “Naughty,” “Jump on the Train,” and especially, the lead single, “Hey Gurl” (for which a naughty-but-nice school girl video was filmed - boasting a cameo by rapper Mr. Cheeks, of Lost Boyz fame). But unlike some other artists on the scene, Candi refuses to be limited to a single lyrical style, as evidenced by such “music-with-a-message” tunes as “Find Your Place,” “Look to the Sky,” and “No More War.” With the music industry in flux and it becoming increasingly hard for up-and-coming pop

artists to gain a foothold toward a breakthrough, it appears Candi has found an effective way to build a sizable fan base: Teenage girls love to shop, and what better way to introduce Candi and her music to customers at Mandee clothing stores. Candi’s first Mandee performance will take place Saturday, Oct. 17th in her hometown of Manahawkin, NJ, with future national dates being planned as well. Candi will be outfitted by Mandee while meeting fans and signing CD’s as KISS FM/Atlantic City, which is playing her twice daily, broadcasts live. In the meantime, ILLMissBehavin is gaining some serious attention at radio and video outlets throughout the country, including spins from Boston to Baltimore, and video views nationwide on Evision/Billboard DJ, Power Play Music Tv, Music Mix U.S.A, The A&R Channel, and the popular University of Missouri program, Videology, among many others. And once ILLMissBehavin hits the club circuit, it’s bound to explode! Few pop artists have the potential to appeal to such a wide range of music-goers. And after hearing ILLMissBehavin and experiencing the upcoming performances, you’ll truly understand what separates Candi Lynn from the rest of the pack. CANDI LYNN OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.candilynn.com CANDI LYNN ON MYSPACE: www.Myspace.com/CandiLynnMusic CANDI LYNN ON YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/illmissmusick

BOOKS • MUSIC • MOVIES Page 10

More great sounds LILI AÑEL

CUBAN INFLUENCED SINGER-GUITARIST

FROM SPANISH HARLEM READIES EVERY SECOND IN

BETWEEN

Listen to new tracks from Every Second In Between:

http://www.lilianel.org/everysecond.html

PHILADELPHIA - LILI AÑEL has been described as “Part soul sister, part jazz chanteuse, and pure dynamite" (Jazz Times), possessing “unusual power, fearless emotional directness, and a wide-open timbre” (New York Times). With a sound that reflects her Black/Cuban heritage with frequent comparisons to such greats as Joan Armatrading, Joni Mitchell, and Steely Dan, Añel certainly delivers on Every Second in Between, especially on her favorite track, the lead-off single, “Supposed to Be.” “‘Supposed to Be’ was captured exactly as I had hoped - the arrangement, instrumentation, everything,” she says. “The vocal is up front, it’s minimal, and it’s the kind of song that someone else could have gone to town with and thrown in the kitchen sink. But Glenn did a real good job keeping it simple. I just love the way the vocals sound and the feel of the whole song.”

“I plan on playing the record and maybe slip in a different song or two,” Añel says. “I want to keep my present instrumentation, which is myself on guitar and vocals, bassist, Mike Kurman, who also sings harmonies, and percussionist, Jim Armstrong. I may bring in a couple of more musicians - maybe have a full drummer and keyboard player, just to flesh it out. But the songs stand on their own. It should be a lot of fun doing the new material.” Born and raised in Spanish Harlem, where she was an

audience regular at the legendary Apollo’s Sunday matinees as a child, Añel moved from the Bronx to Philadelphia five years ago, where the seeds for her collaboration with Barratt were inadvertently sown. Añel plans on getting the

word out about Every Second in Between with further live engagements, pushing forward to secure as many shows as she can to support the album. She’s often asked to open for national and international acts, and just this summer, supported Boz Scaggs in a sold-out show. Wherever her career has taken her, stellar reviews have always followed. The New York Daily News, upon seeing Añel live, proclaimed “a star is born.” The New York Post called her “outstanding” for singing “earthy and sweet.” The Philadelphia Inquirer dubbed her a “vocal powerhouse whose earthy, jazz-laced tuned stretch the boundaries of traditional singer-songwriter turf.” And there’s no stopping her now As for the future? “Hopefully to continue performing and writing, stretching out,” she says. “I’m one of those ‘do it yourself people.’ Pushing as hard as I can. I love performing. I do it every chance I get. My hope is that the world will hear my music and take something from it.” With the release of Every Second in Between, it is now Añel’s time to shine. Every Second in Between is available from iTunes, Amazon.com, CDBaby and most major digital download destinations.

www.lilianel.org

BOOKS • MUSIC • MOVIES Page 11

Sales Agent

Feel the comfort and security of driving a new or used vehicle

from Reno Toyota. Call your sales representative today.

Movies movies

Page 13

Crime will pay…

On Christmas Day (December 25th), Warner Bros. will proudly present the Mystery-Adventure film “Sherlock Holmes” directed by Guy Ritchie and starring Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan and Kelly Reilly. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous super-sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, gets an update with this adaptation of Lionel Wigram’s comic book series by writer/director Guy Ritchie. Detective Sherlock Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson engage in a battle of wits and brawn with a nemesis whose plot is a threat to all of England. Follow this link to watch the TRAILER: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi4237361689/

In theatres DECEMBER 25, 2009 (Warner Bros. Pictures/Village Roadshow Pictures)

Director: Guy Ritchie Writers: Screenplay by Michael Robert Johnson y Anthony Peckham y Simon Kinberg Screen Story by Lionel Wigram y Michael Robert Johnson Producers: Joel Silver, Lionel Wigram, Susan Downey, Dan Lin Executive Producers: Michael Tadross, Bruce Berman Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, Eddie Marsan, Kelly Reilly Mystery, Adventure, Action:


SHERLOCK HOLMES

In a dynamic new portrayal of Arthur Co-nan Doyle’s most famous characters, “Sherlock Holmes” sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as le-thal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country.

Old Dogs

Sit. Stay. Play Dad…Life is not Child Proof!

On November 25th, Disney Pictures will proudly present the family-comedy “OLD DOGS” starring John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green and Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn. The film was directed by Wal-ter Becker and is about two friends and business partners that find their lives turned upside down when strange cir-cumstances lead to them being placed in the care of 6 –year old twins. Another great film for the family to enjoy! Follow this link to watch the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi955974169/

First comes marriage. Then comes divorce. And

then… Divorced…with benefits.

On December 25th Universal Pictures will proudly

present the romantic comedy “IT”S COMPLICATED” di-

rected by Nancy Meyers (“Something’s Gotta Give”, “The

Holiday”)and starring Academy Award winner “Meryl

Streep” (“The Devil Wears Prada”, “Doubt”), Steve Martin

(“The Pink Panther”) and Alec Baldwin(“My Sister’s

Keeper”, “30 Rock”). A romantic comedy in which a di-

vorced man (Baldwin) vies for the affection of his ex wife

(Streep), who is being courted by an architect.

Follow this link to watch the trailer: http://www.imdb.com/

video/imdb/vi3275489817/

Release date: December 25, 2009

Genre: Comedy

Cast: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin

Written and Directed by:Nancy Meyers

Produced by: Nancy Meyers, Scott Rudin

Executive Producers: Ilona Herzberg, Suzanne

Farwell

Writer/director Nancy Meyers (Something's Gotta

Give, The Holiday) directs Meryl Streep, Steve Martin

and Alec Baldwin in It's Complicated, a comedy about

love, divorce and everything in between.

Jane (Streep) is the mother of three grown kids,

owns a thriving Santa Barbara bakery/restaurant and

has--after a decade of divorce--an amicable relationship

with her ex-husband, attorney Jake (Baldwin). But when

Jane and Jake find themselves out of town for their son's

college graduation, things start to get complicated. An

innocent meal together turns into the unimaginable--an

affair. With Jake remarried to the much younger Agness

(Lake Bell), Jane is now, of all things, the other woman.

Caught in the middle of their renewed romance is

Adam (Martin), an architect hired to remodel Jane's

kitchen. Healing from a divorce of his own, Adam starts to

fall for Jane, but soon realizes he's become part of a love

triangle.

Should Jane and Jake move on with their lives,

or is love truly lovelier the second time around?

It's...complicated. http://www.itscomplicatedmovie.com

Page 14 BOOKS • MUSIC • MOVIES

Cast: John Travolta, Robin Williams, Kelly Preston, Seth Green, Ella Bleu Travolta and Conner Rayburn

Director: Walter Becker

Genre: Family Comedy

Rating: PG

Release Date: November 25

Two best friends -- one unlucky-in-love divorcee (ROBIN

WILLIAMS) and the other a fun-loving bachelor (JOHN

TRAVOLTA) -- have their lives turned upside down when

they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of six-year-old

twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of

their lives. The not-so-kid-savvy bachelors stumble in their

efforts to take care of the twins (newcomers ELLA BLEU

TRAVOLTA and CONNER RAYBURN), leading to one

debacle after another, and perhaps to a new-found under-

standing of what’s really important in life.

it’s Complicated

Divorced….with benefits

The History of...

By Robyn Oxborrow

"History of the Bad Dancer" Bad. That word has rung loudly in my years every time someone dared to suggest that I dance. Instead, with lowered eyes, I sink back into the chair, sweaty hands ready to grip its frame in case this person dared to pull me towards the crowd already pulsing to the music. Again and again my mind goes back into that high school auditorium, my eight- and nine-year-old dance class circling our arms in the air to “Jingle Bell Rock” as if miniature horses ran the stage. With each kick the unfamiliar tights and red-sequined unitards itch our tender skin, while the oddly shaped feather tiaras slowly loosed from the bobby pins. Weeks of practicing have led to our first recital on this large stage. Every turn we try to peer into the audience for the familiar smiles of our parents. Each dip and step on the polished hardwood floor before a winter snow scene backdrop— Stop. The music keeps playing. Our bodies freeze under the hot lights, knees bent ready for the next move. I glance to the others hoping anyone might know the next move as silence ensues from the faceless audience. Another girl slowly straightens and sways to the beat, and we follow suit. We jump and kick while each move flows into our minds. Our little hearts quickened by stage fright. Lights begin to brighten the audience, and we can finally see our parents,

He is: • fun to be around • creative • inventive • free if he does not

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Tell us who you’re buying for male or female and we’ll have him sniff out the perfect gift and you don’t pay till we find out what you want. Whether your budget is large or small, call Le Rue Press & LRP Printing and booksellers. We have something for you.

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making our forced smiles spread wider with joy. Our instructor hurries to usher us off into the shadows backstage. As we walk, annoyed eyes meet us. Their mouths are held firm. As kids we know that look very well from our own mothers, and the weight of our mistake can be felt once more. A tall, blond woman whom I’ve never seen before quickly grabs hold of my arm, her eyes dart around to the dancers while harshly whispering to us, “That was bad,” before resting her eyes on me. I am a bad dancer.

Great Places to Grab a Bite to Eat

Given the woeful state of the

U.S. economy, our involvement in two unpopular wars, and the fetid stench of politics in Illinois, it seemed fitting that our Great Books discussion group should visit the Heart of Darkness, and its derivative work, Apocalypse Now. Our primary aim was to explore the themes of darkness and depravity in these two works, and draw correlations to our present circumstances.

In both works, one is confronted with a sense of unreality, of “time being out of joint.” In Heart of Darkness, this unreality is manifest in the voyage down the river, where

In the empty immensity of earth, sky, and water, there she was, incomprehensible, firing into a continent. Pop, would go one of the six-inch guns, a small flame would appear, a tiny projectile would give a feeble screech—and nothing happened. There was a touch of insanity in the proceeding, a sense of lugubrious drollery in the sight. . . . (60)

The feeling of unreality is heightened, when arriving at the Company Station, Marlowe is greeted by the company auditor, resplendent in his white suit, while all around him, ill-clothed natives die “The work was going on. The work! And this was the place where some of the helpers had withdrawn to die” (62). Later, Marlowe meets the confidante of the Company Manager—a man who was entrusted with making bricks, presumably to build additional storage areas for ivory, which was the

“Heart of Darkness by Peter Ponzio Part 1 of a three part series

Page 16

Company’s primary source of revenue. The business intrusted to this fellow was the making of bricks—so I had been informed; but there wasn’t a fragment of brick anywhere in the station, and he had been there more than a year—waiting. It seems he could not make bricks without something, I don’t know what—straw maybe. Anyways, it could not be found there, and it was not likely to be sent from Europe, it did not appear clear to me what he was waiting for. An act of special creation perhaps. (73) The sense of unreality is a

basic theme of Apocalypse Now. Martin Sheen plays the part of the Marlowe character, a Captain Willard. His mission is to terminate the command of Colonel Kurtz, an Army Special Service commander “with extreme prejudice.” During the course of the movie, Willard and the crew of a patrol boat travel upriver to confront Kurtz. During their journey, they meet with a Colonel Kilgore, played by Robert Duvall, who learns that one of the navy grunts is a famous surfer. Kilgore decides, on the spot, to eradicate a North Vietnamese village so that he and his men can go surfing. The resulting scenes of the destruction of the village to Wagner’s” Ride of the Valkyries,” is a testament to the unreality of the war, and its treatment in the movie.

The levels of unreality accrete as the crew travel upriver to witness an USO entertainment, complete with playboy bunnies and rock music. A final glimpse of unreality prior to the meeting with Kurtz occurs when the patrol boat arrives at the Do Long Bridge. Here, amidst the daily carnage where the Viet Cong destroy the bridge at night, only to have it re-built the next day Sisyphus-like by the U.S. army, we learn no one is in charge, no one understands what is happening, and the work goes on!

Of course, in both the Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now, there is more to the journey than

appears on the surface. As the boats make their way upriver, one in the Congo, one in Vietnam, the boat’s occupants are confronted with darkness, real and metaphorical. As Marlowe comments to his audience – “Going up that river was like traveling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings. An empty stream, a great silence, an impenetrable forest. The air was warm, thick, heavy, sluggish” (88). Along the way, Marlowe is assailed with thought s of impending danger, a danger bred from the forest, but with an insidious, penetrating effect, so that he began to wonder about the effect the brooding darkness had on the travelers

The earth seemed unearthly. We are accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster, but there—you could look at a thing monstrous and free. It was unearthly, and the men were—No they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it—the suspicion of their not being inhuman. (91) The realization of course, is that

Marlowe and his brethren are no better than the primitives; in fact, they are inferior to the cannibals who show “restraint,” in not making a meal of the white travelers. The realization that the primitives are human, and that the darkness of the impenetrable jungle lies within the heart of the Europeans, is the lesson learned from the journey upriver.

In like manner, the occupants of the patrol boat learn that the darkness, the moral squalor and unreality of Vietnam, can infect the heart of anyone. This lesson is driven home when the patrol boat stops to inspect a sampan. Drugged out, jittery from their bouts with unreality, the crew open fire on the sampan’s occupants, and learn too late, that the “contraband” item that the Vietnamese family sought to conceal was a puppy.

Marlowe’s meeting with Kurtz, after the build-up of some one hundred pages, is somewhat anticlimactic. The anticipation of the meeting, the journey, the discovery of the golden voice of Kurtz, drove him onward

The point was in his being a gifted creature, and that of all his gifts the one that stood out preeminently, that carried with it a sense of real

(Continued on page 17)

Love Stories: Submit yours

edited by Karen Jackson, MSW,

Do you have a story of romance you would like to share? We all have favorites stories of many varieties. We are looking for love stories! Please send your story via e-mail and no more than 250 words. We’ll try not to edit too much! Karen Jackson, MSW will choose some of the stories to share. She may comment or even recommend some good books to read! Please write to her at the following address.

[email protected]

Karen Jackson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor. She has been practicing since 1976 and in private practice since 1983. Karen received her Bachelors Degree in Social Work from UNR and her Masters Degree in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley.

So... What’s Your Story?

Page 17

Children of the Night

www.peterjponzio.com Release: 2007 Format: Paperback 216 pages ISBN: 978-14257499-5-8 $21.99 Author: Peter J. Ponzio

Children Of the

Night Peter Ponzio graduated with a degree in English

literature from Loyola University of Chicago, and an MA in Literature from Northwestern University.

In addition to his novel, Mr.

Ponzio has also been in many water gardening and fish-keeping magazines. A

number of these articles can be found at

www.americangoldfish.org.

Peter’s website can be

found at www.peterjponzio.com

presence, was his ability to talk, his words—the gift of expression, the bewildering, the illuminating, the most exalted and the most contemptible, the pulsating stream of light, or the deceitful flow from the heart of an impenetrable darkness. (107) Kurtz, like Lucifer, has faded; his glory extinguished

after the fall. But like Satan, Kurtz’ sin is pride, a voracious, all-consuming pride that turns everything it sees into a manifestation of his reality: “The mind is its own place, and in itself/Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven” (Paradise Lost, 362). Marlowe reminds us of Kurtz’ fall from grace, his essential sin, his death-in-life:

His covering had fallen off, and his body emerged from it pitiful and appalling as from a winding sheet. I could see the cage of his ribs all astir, the bones of his arm waving. It was as though an animated image of death carved out of old ivory had been shaking its hand with menaces at a motionless crowd of men made of dark and glittering bronze. I saw him open his mouth wide—it gave him a weirdly voracious aspect, as though he had wanted to swallow all the air, all the earth, all the men before him. (126) So too, is Willard’s trip up the river to meet Colonel

Kurtz somewhat anticlimactic. We are given glimpses of hanging men and women, heads strewn against a backdrop of a Buddhist temple, and the insane ravings of an American photojournalist, who takes the place of the Russian in Heart of Darkness. We are greeted with a Kurtz who reads from The Hollow Men, whose prized possessions include a copy of The Golden Bough and From Ritual to Romance, but who like the Kurtz of the Heart of Darkness, is nothing more than a voice; a once-bright angel that has been transformed in a devil chanting hollowly at the end of the movie “The horror. The horror!”

(Continued from page 16)

WHOLE ORANGE CAKE

from the kitchen of Marcia Kidney – Home Mortgage Resources

Reno, NV 1 orange, chopped (rind & all) ½ cup butter or Nucoa margarine (no other substitutions) ½ cup cold water Combine & heat together until butter is melted – when cool, Blend in: 1 cup sugar 2 eggs Add: ½ cup milk 2 cups flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour batter into 8” greased & floured square pan (I used a 4” deep ring pan) Bake 30 – 40 minutes Glaze with 1 cup powder sugar; ¼ cup or-ange juice & ½ teaspoon vanilla (add more oj as needed to thin for glaze) I made a butter cream frosting and spread all over cake: 1 box powder sugar ½ cup Nucoa margarine Zest of one orange ½ teaspoon vanilla Juice of orange for consistency Touch of canned milk if necessary Watch for more recipes next issue.

The Write Bloody poets rolled into town again. Thank God. Just in time. The group’s tour this year is known as the Elephant Engine High Dive Revival. By the time you read this, they will have reached the end of their tour—but their words and spirit will continue to resonate around the country. Just ask anyone who was lucky enough to make it to UNR’s Joe Crowley Student Union on time Tuesday, November 10th. Many eager fans, however, were turned away because the theater quickly filled up to capacity. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry they didn’t get to experience the most unique, diverse, and inspiring poetry event that I’ve ever witnessed. Buddy Wakefield, Anis Mojgani, Mike Mcgee, and Derrick Brown took the stage as they sang a refrain of “Hot damn, I feel alive tonight. Hot damn, I feel alive tonight.” After they adjusted mics and settled in, they offered a new anthem that warned the audience about how insightful, serious, and hilarious the next couple hours would be. “You’re gonna make me, you’re gonna make me, you’re gonna make me lose my mind” is another section of the anthem that will not leave my mind. In the introduction to his newest book, Live For A Living, Buddy Wakefield suggests that for a true revival to occur, we must be exhausted first—and that we must fail before we can experience redemption. We live in Reno; we are this cycle. We were ready. After all four poets set the tone by singing their new anthem and offering hugs and handshakes to many in the audience, Wakefield began to introduce the poets and welcome us to, what I call, The Church of Poetry. He asked that the house lights be dimmed a little, and the person controlling those lights brought the lights up—way too bright. The quick-witted Wakefield responded with “Yes! Up more. Make it brighter. Let’s practice dying!” Derrick Brown (who founded Write Bloody Publishing in 2004) and Mike Mcgee (who breathes and creates in Fresno) performed a couple of their poems. They exemplified the light and funny tones that would riff around the theater that night. Short Poems, a micro-set of , well, short poems drove home the notion that these guys can make you laugh your ass off in just 6, 12, 20 words at a time. Then Mike Mcgee spooned out his version of shock and awe while performing his “love poem” about pudding. Sorry, puddin’. He even gave us a wonderfully hilarious impersonation of Bill Cosby that everybody in the audience connected with. Hilarity, indeed. Juxtaposing the humor, Anis Mojgani performed “Sock Hop,” a piece filled with nostalgia and sincere, subtle insight. Here’s what I mean: “I was wearing the same shirt I was the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, and the day before that. [. . .] I was Jimmy Switchblade, I was the Three Cheeries Gang, I was the tallest cigarette. I was black jacket, black-collared, collar up. I was actually yellow-shirt lost. [. . . ] I combed my hair down, slicked with palm aide. Put my shiny belt buckle on. [. . .] I saw Susie on the dance floor. She put a quarter in the jukebox, grabbed me like a policeman, and asked, ‘Whatchya do, Ace?’ I told her, ‘I work at the malt shop and sometimes I bury things.’ I ain’t always good at that. ‘I ain’t always too good at that,’ I told her. She looked at me like we had prayed on the same cliff. She told me she didn’t believe in God anymore. I told her I still did. We have prayed on the same cliff. She held me like a hand cuff. I swallowed keys. I danced with Susie

all night long. I’m still waiting for the sun to come up. I don’t care if it ever does. I am warm enough.” Mojgani’s soft delivery and serious tone set up Derrick Brown’s poem, “Church of the Broken Axe Handle,” which also brought the audience inward, nudging us toward reflection and redemption. And then they throw us cotton candy curve balls with a micro-set of pick up lines—and got some blood pumping with their infamous thirty-second dance party. Mike Mcgee’s poem “In Search of Midnight” had me bring my newly formed insights back out to the universe—to other people, their cities, our cities. Brown continued with some serious tones in his poem entitled “Meatloaf,” which is centered on his mother and him. Then, when I was wondering what they could pull off next, Wakefield performed “Gandhi’s Autobiography.” This might make you think: “When will we own ourselves completely? Tell me what it is you want me to own and I will take it. Damaged goods? You bet. Hit or miss? No doubt about it. Misses important social cues? . . . Yes, I do. I’m dirty underneath the light, pale on the backside of my bright and feel a little bit stupid about learning a language when I see God because that guy . . . so fast.” This poem is something to witness on stage, but it works wonderfully on the page also. The whole troupe reconvened with their numerous, small instruments to accompany Mojgani in his piece, “Shake the Dust.” Buddy on the kid’s toy reverb microphone. Derrick and Mike on the tiny xylophones, whistling. Anis with his ukulele, performing his form: “Grab this world by its clothespins, and shake it out again and again, and jump on top and take it for a spin, and when you hop off, shake it again, for this is yours.” The Elephant Engine High Dive Revival that night should have had everyone feeling significantly different as they walked away. When I left, I felt lighter. Lifted. And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one. With each step I took, feet getting colder and colder, in my head: “Hot damn I feel alive tonight . . . .” ------------——————————————————————— For more information on any of these poets, go to www.writebloody.com. With minimal searching online, you can find multiple video/audio recordings of performances from this (and past) tours. Also, check out local poet and educator, Benjamin Arnold, opening for Buddy Wakefield and Andrea Gibson on their spring tour (during National Poetry Month) called Awkward While Airborne at UNR on April 23rd. Check back with us at www.leruepress.com for further details.

Page 19

Arnold earned his degree in Literature and Writing Studies from Cal State San Marcos. He currently lives in Reno, NV with his wife, Tami, and son, TK. He is a contributing editor for Perigree and World Riot and LeRue Press have published his poetry.

THE WRITE BlOODY POETS by Benjamin Arnold

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Page 20

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