Quote: Simone Weil

“Distance is the soul of beauty.”

–Simone Weil

Photos from last weekend’s Racine and Kenosha Authors Book Fair

SoftGLow_dscn0881

Kelsey Harris reading her poem “Pinkest Thoughts.”

 

SoftGLow_dscn0886

Dan Nielsen reading is (in)famous five-liners.

SoftGLow_dscn0893

Nick Demske reading from his celebrated book Nick Demske.

SoftGLow_dscn0898

Marcia Eanes reading from Passion’s Zest.

 

SoftGLow_dscn0922

Kelsey Hoff reading from her recently published Sad Girls Poems.

 

Sunday paper, book fair and other notes

For those of you following my Sunday search for a copy of the New York Times in a fly over state, I finally found a copy last weekend. And I enjoyed reading it Sunday afternoon and evening. There is something about flipping through the printed pages of the weekend edition of a newspaper that is a luxurious activity.

Other notes of interest:

  • Last weekend was the Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair. Photos of the event will be posted here later this week.
  • The production and editing of the upcoming audio podcast is almost complete. It is running a bit long for this episode. So, I may cut one segment to fit the desired time slot of 20 to 25 minutes. What am I going to do with the extra segment? Suggestions?
  • On that note, Nick Demske — who curates the BONK! performance series in Racine — suggested contacting a few of the musicians and singer/songwriters to feature on upcoming audio podcasts. I am very excited to announce that two musicians — who performed at BONK! performances — have provided permission to feature their work on future episodes of the Coffeehouse Junkie audio podcast.

That is all for now, friends!

If you are interested, here are a few things said elsewhere:
[1] I really should not be allowed on social media. It no doubt alters and disrupts neural pathways.
[2] One feature I like about the @Kenosha_News paper is the Off the Shelves section. Kenosha Public Library staff feature authors & books.
[3] According to @WSJ (pg D2), corduroy is back in fashion. Yay! Since @goodwill is where I shop, my wardrobe is finally in style. I haven’t been this excited since the 90s… when grunge rockers brought flannel to the mainstream…

Banned Book Week

Something is missing. If you haven’t already noticed, Banned Book Week 2014 is celebrated September 21 to September 27.

Powell’s Books presented a catalog of banned books to purchase. CNN reported the top 10 books banned in 2013. The Huffington Post features a great infographic on banned books in America.

But one book, banned in 52 countries, is not listed in the Banned Book Week stories. Banned from Banned Book Week?

Autumn bee in a cafe

“There are not enough bees on the planet,” he tells his daughter as he captures a bee in a disposable cup from the coffee shop. He has gray hair and wears camouflage fatigue pants and an white maintenance and management crew t-shirt. He releases the bee outside the cafe and returns to get his coffee and sit with his daughter.

Google reports that it is the first day of autumn. Technically, Google is correct. It is the first day. Though my calendar says the first day of autumn was yesterday. At 10 p.m.

Ever feel like a bee bouncing around the inside of a cafe trying to make sense of this strangely confusing world?

Quote: “Two attributes of a poet…”

“Two attributes of a poet, avidity of the eye and the desire to describe that which he sees.”

–Czeslaw Milosz

Books arrived – just in time for the book fair

CHF_dscn0870lr

Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair is tomorrow night and three of my books just arrived from the press.

More information about the book fair is available on the event Facebook page: Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair.

This event is free to the public and light refreshments will be available. Here are the poets and writers who will be presenting their books to the public:

  • Dave Gourdoux: poetry
  • Justin Grimbol: bizarro fiction & poetry (Bonkness)
  • Rev. William Grimbol
  • Samira Gdisis
  • Peg Rousar-Thompson (Left of the Lake)
  • Jim Janus: poetry
  • Kate Shanahan: YA/juvenile fiction & poetry
  • Mark Giese: humor
  • Sheree Homer: nonfiction/musical biography
  • Cheryl Geroux: nonfiction
  • Matthew Mulder: poetry & prose

Also, representatives of Left of the Lake and Straylight Literary Arts Magazine will be in attendance.

The books fair features readings by Marcie Eanes, Dan Nielsen, Jean Preston, Kelsey Hoff, Nick Demske and Kelsey Harris.

Top read posts of the day

Every year around this time (and through to the end of the year), the most read blog post is a list of Christmas poems I compiled. So it did not surprise me that the most read posts of the day included that one. What did amuse me is that only one of the top read posts was written this year. Here is what you are reading today:

  1. Is commercial radio extinct? (2010)
  2. Advent Poems (or the 12 days of Christmas poetry) (2012)
  3. Two reasons why I quit Tumblr (2012)
  4. The purpose of sketching your ideas (2011)
  5. [Podcast] When the lights go out (2014)

Thanks for visiting (and reading)! Please be sure to share it.

Support local authors – Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair

10565080_10152376419532804_4810709820636602796_n

The Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair is this Saturday from 6-9 p.m. Here is a link the event’s Facebook page: Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair.

Last night I received the official author list. Here are the poets and writers who will be presenting their books to the public:

  • Dave Gourdoux: poetry
  • Justin Grimbol: bizarro fiction & poetry (Bonkness)
  • Rev. William Grimbol
  • Samira Gdisis
  • Peg Rousar-Thompson (Left of the Lake)
  • Jim Janus: poetry
  • Kate Shanahan: YA/juvenile fiction & poetry
  • Mark Giese: humor
  • Sheree Homer: nonfiction/musical biography
  • Cheryl Geroux: nonfiction
  • Matthew Mulder: poetry & prose

Also, representatives of Left of the Lake and Straylight Literary Arts Magazine will be in attendance.

The books fair features readings by Marcie Eanes, Dan Nielsen, Jean Preston, Kelsey Hoff, Nick Demske and Kelsey Harris.

This week: Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair

10565080_10152376419532804_4810709820636602796_n

The countdown is nearly complete. The Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair us this Saturday from 6-9 p.m. Since I am somewhat new to the regional literary scene, I am looking forward to meeting local poets and writers.

Here is a link the event’s Facebook page: Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair.