Reviews for Silver Birch Press NOIR Erasure Poetry Anthology

The Silver Birch Press NOIR Erasure Poetry Anthology (December 2013) — a collection of erasure poems based on the writings of a range of noir authors, including James M. Cain, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Patricia Highsmith, Walter Mosley, Robert B. Parker, and Cornell Woolrich — has earned some outstanding reviews at Amazon.com.

Here are some excerpts:

…a wonderful concept.”

…an interesting mix that pays homage to both the works of the noir genre and the poetic form…”

…one of the most fun and just amazing books of erasure poetry that I have ever read.”

… I am intrigued by the many different ways in which these poems were shaped from the original texts of noir writers’ novels. These marked-out passages combined with Budziak’s shadowy woodcut cover art throws the reader into the low-key and mysterious setting of the noir.”

The 122-page anthology features the work of 46 writers from around the world:  Jeffrey C. Alfier / Beth Ayer / Jenni B. Baker / David Barker / Kathy Burkett / Candace Butler / Freda Butler / Kim Cooper / Subhankar Das / Andrea Dickens / Barbara Eknoian / Chris Forhan / Laura Hartenberger / Paul Hawkins / Deborah Herman / Sandra Herman / Mathias Jansson / Jax NTP / Rosemarie Keenan / Wm. Todd King/ Joseph Lisowski / Renee Mallett / Adrian Manning/ Karen Margolis / Catfish McDaris / Marcia Meara / james w. moore / Sarah Nichols / Winston Plowes / David S. Pointer / D.A. Pratt / David Rachels / Jonne Rhodes / Van Roberts / Daniel Romo / Tere Sievers / Gerald So / Sherry Steiner / Caitlin Stern / Scott Stoller / Thomas R. Thomas / Mary Umans / Melanie Villines / Mercedes Webb-Pullman / Richard Wink / Joanie Hieger Fritz Zosike

A special note of appreciation to you the anthology’s contributing editors: Jenni B. Baker, Catfish McDaris, james w. moore, and Gerald So. Major thanks, too, to Guy Budziak for allowing Silver Birch Press to feature his woodcut of William Conrad — as seen in the 1946 film The Killers — on the cover of the collection. For more of Guy Budziak‘s work, please visit filmnoirwoodcuts.com.

For fans of mystery, crime, and hardboiled fiction, as well as film noir, the Silver Birch Press NOIR Erasure Poetry Anthology is an interesting, unique, and inexpensive holiday gift. The book is currently available for $10.58 from Amazon.com.

Misfit Magazine reviews Daniel Romo poetry collections

Congratulations to Daniel Romo, author of the poetry collection Romancing Gravity (Silver Birch Press, 2013) on the great review of his chapbook (and previous collection, When Kerosene’s Involved) at misfitmagazine.net. The review appears below.

Growing up as a decidedly Not chulo type in Southern California was not a pleasant experience for Romo.  A self-described geeky, skinning kid, shy around girls, awkward, though plucky at sports, a decidedly not Macho, he somehow manages to view his upbringing with humor and panache.  Now a teacher and a voluminous writer, as these two collections show (Kerosene is well over 200 pages of concise prose poems, while Romancing is a mere 60 odd pages of free verse). Romo’s is a voice and point of view, that grows on you the more you read.  He is both empathetic and clear eyed, but not overly sentimental. In short, Romo is the kind of role model you could  safely entrust your children with, knowing they he remembers the pitfalls of youth and what is necessary, now, to move on with life.” misfitmagazine.net

Style, poem by Charles Bukowski, photo by Hans Silvester

STYLE (excerpt)
by Charles Bukowski

Style is the answer to everything
A fresh way to approach a dull or dangerous
thing
To do a dull thing with style is preferable
to doing a dangerous thing without it
To do a dangerous thing with style is what
I call art…

Photo: Hans Silvester, from his book Natural Fashion (see description from on the book’s Amazon page).

Misfit Magazine Reviews Romancing Gravity, poems by Daniel Romo

Congratulations to Daniel Romo, author of the poetry collection Romancing Gravity (Silver Birch Press, 2013) on the great review of his chapbook (and previous collection, When Kerosene’s Involved) at misfitmagazine.net. The review appears below.

Growing up as a decidedly Not chulo type in Southern California was not a pleasant experience for Romo.  A self-described geeky, skinning kid, shy around girls, awkward, though plucky at sports, a decidedly not Macho, he somehow manages to view his upbringing with humor and panache.  Now a teacher and a voluminous writer, as these two collections show (Kerosene is well over 200 pages of concise prose poems, while Romancing is a mere 60 odd pages of free verse). Romo’s is a voice and point of view, that grows on you the more you read.  He is both empathetic and clear eyed, but not overly sentimental. In short, Romo is the kind of role model you could  safely entrust your children with, knowing they he remembers the pitfalls of youth and what is necessary, now, to move on with life.” misfitmagazine.net

Outstanding Reviews for Coffee House Confessions, poems by Ellaraine Lockie

Congratulations to Ellaraine Lockie on the stellar reviews for her poetry chapbook Coffee House Confessions (Silver Birch Press, 2013). Reviews are featured at the Winning Writers Newsletter site (winningwriters.com) and also  included below along with some additional blurbs.

“I know no one else who manages to combine quantity of poems with quality the way Ellaraine Lockie does. She is a font of creative ideas and brings the ultimate in craft and experience to the realizing of those products of inspiration, observation and research.” Gerald Locklin, Professor Emeritus of English at California State University, Long Beach

“It is official; Christmas has arrived early this year with the publication of Ellaraine Lockie’s latest book Coffee House Confessions. I knew the merits of this book before I cracked the cover but each poem gave me an enjoyment that so few other writers can muster. This is a wonderful book by a talented poet. I recommend it highly, especially for those summer days sitting outside at your favorite coffee shop.” Ed Bennett, Quill and Parchment

“I am enjoying Ellaraine’s collection immensely…the settings for these moving short stories in poetic verse are international in flavor and tone (Spain and Portugal, for instance) and there are universal truths aplenty, from musings on the unkind aspects of aging, to the self-justified apathy toward the less fortunate in society (and on the sidewalks and outdoor patios of coffee hutches that we share every day).” Rodger Jacobs, Journalist

“This collection deserves a wide audience…once coffee houses were locales for galvanizing live poetry readings, now we can achieve almost the same nirvana by reading this witty book.” Christine Pacosz, FutureCycle Press

“…a very well done collection of poems… there’s something for everyone in this collection. If you love contemporary poetry, you are sure to find some gems here that speak to you. If you don’t know if you love contemporary poetry, this might be a good place to start finding out.” Marcia Meara, Bookin’ It

“…a really great read.” Jessie Carty, Review Wrap-Up, jessiecarty.com

Find Coffee House Confessions by Ellaraine Lockie at Amazon.com.

Review of Coffee House Confessions by Ellaraine Lockie

Congratulations to Ellaraine Lockie, author of the Silver Birch Press poetry release COFFEE HOUSE CONFESSIONS on another stellar review — this one from the literary magazine THE MOM EGG. Excerpts from the review are included below.

THE MOM EGG BOOK REVIEW
by Katie Baker

Coffee shops are considered diverse gathering places, establishments where all walks of life, both young and old, come to read, write, congregate and socialize — and most importantly, get their coffee fix. However, one forgets the importance of the ritual cup when they begin to read Ellaraine Lockie’s chapbook, Coffee House Confessions. The chapbook features poems written in and about coffee houses around the world…

…what makes these poems in this chapbook unique is Lockie’s ability to connect — connect the reader to a place, a person (or people) and to materials through her writing. She creatively takes normal human behavior, mundane human interactions and creates beautifully crafted poems out of the occurrences…

Lockie has a unique talent in being able to observe without intruding, to even play along albeit with subtle humor, and become part of the story without becoming overwhelming to the reader. In the seemingly ordinary details of the coffee houses, we find extraordinary prose, clever and witty…

Her chapbook is refreshing, full of vibrant imagery. Each poem offers a humorous, poignant, and creative escape into the life of the coffee house.

***

Coffee House Confessions by Ellaraine Lockie is available at Amazon.com.

Cover image by Nick Warzin, nickwarzin.com

Ellaraine Lockie Offers Marketing Tips for Poets

An interview with Ellaraine Lockie, author of the Silver Birch Press poetry release COFFEE HOUSE CONFESSIONS appears the website of esteemed educator, author, and editor Laura Madeline Wiseman. In the interview, Lockie suggests ways to get reviews for poetry chapbooks and offers suggestions for promoting and marketing the work. This is a must-read for poets and aspiring poets — find this in-depth, informative interview at lauramadelinewiseman.com.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling (author of Harry Potter)

Amazon reviews for The Casual Vacancy by J.K. ROWLING, her first novel for adults (the Harry Potter books are, as most of the planet knows, her claim to fame): 

5-star reviews:   350 (23%)

4-star reviews:   267 (17%)

3-star reviews:   218 (14%)

2-star reviews:   264 (17%)

1-star reviews:    441 (29%)

Total reviews: 1,540 (100%)

From the above figures, we can infer that 40% of Amazon reviewers liked the book (4- and 5-star reviews), 14% thought it was okay (3-star reviews), and 46% disliked it (1- and 2-star reviews).

Here’s a review from each category…

5-star review: “Brilliant, disturbing, not for everyone.” Simply Keith (New Mexico)

4-star review: “Good character novel.” Jessica (Kansas)

3-star review: “A bit of a chore to get through.” M.J. Bayliss “book queen”

2-star review: “Grim, crass, and exceptionally dull.” Beth (Chicago)

1-star review: “A hot mess worth zero stars.” S. Kinney (Indiana)

Published by Little, Brown and Company, the 512-page book retails for $35, but is currently selling on Amazon.com for $20.48. As of today, The Casual Vacancy ranks as #26 on the Amazon bestseller list.

From the Amazon page, here’s the description of the novel (which some have pegged as P.G. Wodehouse meets Peyton Place): When Barry Fairbrother dies unexpectedly in his early forties, the little town of Pagford is left in shock. Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war. Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the town’s council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations? Blackly comic, thought-provoking and constantly surprising, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling’s first novel for adults.

***

J.K. Rowling has been quoted, as in this article, that she bristles at the publisher’s designation of the novel as a black comedy, as noted below:

When I read the blurb that said it’s a ‘black comedy,’ I thought – that’s not maybe how I would’ve described it. I would’ve maybe said it’s a comic tragedy…”

I have not read The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling, but when having my teeth cleaned last week listened as my brilliant (I mean it) hygienist Audrey talked about some of the books she’d read during the past year — including The Hunger Games and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (she was not enthusiastic about either book — on that we agreed). She then asked if I’d read Rowling’s new book (Audrey is a Harry Potter fan), and during intervals when I could speak, I said I’d look into the book — and write about the novel on this blog.

Based on everything I’ve read, I have no intention of picking up a copy of The Casual Vacancy. But I’m wondering if any of the Silver Birch blog readers have read the novel. Based on the number of reviews on Amazon and the sales figures, some people somewhere must be buying and reading J.K. Rowling’s latest effort.  But it’s not going to be moi — even to borrow from the library. (Although I did sample a few pages with Amazon’s “Look Inside” feature.)

Lying Awake by Mark Salzman

I read Lying Awake by Mark Salzman shortly after reading a profile of the author by Lawrence Weschler (“The Novelist and the Nun”) in the Oct 2, 2000 issue of The New Yorker. In the article, Salzman reveals his multi-year battle with writer’s block that included several drafts his agent and publisher rejected and his difficulty working at home because his cat wanted to sit in his lap — making it hard to concentrate.

While he struggled to write and often had no idea where to take his story, he did have several brainstorms related to the cat. First, he fashioned a skirt from aluminum foil and wore it while he worked (the cat did not like to sit on the metal garment). One day, Salzman was wearing the tin foil skirt and nothing else (you know how it is when you work at home) and stood up to get something. He looked out the window and saw a man working on the telephone wires outside — the lineman shook his head in pity when he saw Salzman. It was time for another cat deterrent tactic.

Salzman took his laptop to his garage and worked in his car. His cat followed him and sat on the vehicle’s moonroof while Salzman attempted to complete his novel, which, in his words, he wrote with a cat’s a**hole staring down at him.

Somehow the author managed to complete Lying Awake, which went on to bestsellerdom and rave reviews. Here’s one from the Amazon Page that does a good job of summarizing the novel: “Using a very limited palette, Mark Salzman creates an austere masterpiece. The real miracle of Lying Awake is that it works perfectly on every level: on the realistic surface, it captures the petty squabbles and tiny bursts of radiance of life in a Los Angeles monastery; deeper down it probes the nature of spiritual illumination and the meaning and purpose of prayer in everyday life; and, at bottom, there lurks a profound meditation on the mystery of artistic inspiration.”

Note: I recently found a beautiful paperback edition of Lying Awake at one of my used books haunts, and will mail the novel to the first person (U.S. only because of postage rates) who leaves a comment on this post. This our third book giveaway.

Taking Off with Colleen: Revolutionary Road

We are pleased to announce that Colleen was first to offer a comment about our REVOLUTIONARY ROAD post — and wins her very own copy of this amazing novel by Richard Yates. Visit Colleen — a recent UNC grad with a degree in English and advertising — at her blog Colleen Abroad, Passport to Somewhere: Because it’s never too early to start exploring the world…

Congratulations, Colleen! Thank you for visiting the Silver Birch Press blog!

Visitors, stay tuned for our next book giveaway — coming soon.