Sighing with Bukowski

Excerpt from Chapter 22 of the memoir  Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela Cupcakes Wood 

Bukowski sighed a lot. To me a sigh means something — I’m sad, I’m tired, I’m depressed, I’m weary. But Bukowski sighed on general principles. It was his reponse to being alive. Sigh…

So I’d try to cheer him up.

“…Let’s go out and do something.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go out to eat.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go for a drive.”

Sigh.

“Let’s drink some champagne.”

Sigh.

“Let’s go to the track.”

“All right. Let’s go.”

Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet, Pamela Wood’s fun, fascinating memoir about her years with Charles Bukowski  is available here.

Painting: Racehorses in a Landscape (1894) by Edgar Degas

Scarlet’s Roses

Excerpt from Chapter 7 of Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela Cupcakes Wood:

     “Come on inside, Kid, I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said, putting his hand behind my elbow and gently guilding me into his place. He led me right to the bedroom.

     On the bed sat a mattress wrapped in cellophane. I moved closer to the bed, bent down, and gazed at the mattress. It was covered in a pattern of roses and vines.

     “It’s so pretty,” I said. “How considerate of you. Did you do this just for me?” I asked, while thinking, “Uh oh.”

     “So, what do you say?” he said.

     “I say we’re going to need some champagne to christen it.”

Put Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela Cupcakes Wood at the top of your summer reading list! Find it at Amazon here — special price today, only $12.70 USD.

(Photo and graphic by Silver Birch.)

Hollywood Madonna

For all you Bukowski fans, I’m happy to report that things are pretty much the same on the stretch of Western Avenue between Hollywood Blvd. and Sunset Blvd. in L.A. Silver Birch shot this photo in early 2008 when Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood took me on a tour of her Bukowski haunts while she was working on her fabulous memoir Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet. While I felt a bit guilty snapping a photo of a homeless person, I saw beauty and dignity in this Madonna and wanted to capture her for posterity.

Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet by Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood is available from…

Sun Dog Press

Amazon

One of the Best Memoirs of the Decade — Any Decade

Charles’ Bukowski’s Scarlet, a Memoir by Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood pulls you in from the opening paragraph:

It began as a whim. It would end the same way. In between, I would spend almost two years with Charles Bukowski and find myself both celebrated and castigated in his writing. He would exalt me as his muse and his missing piece. I would inspire volumes of prose and poetry affirming his love and passion for me, including his rare book of love poems written as a paean to me, titled Scarlet. He would then excoriate me as elusive, vicious, and unfeeling. He would fall madly in love with me and I would drive him mad.”

When I met the author in late 2007, I learned she intended to write her memoir as part of a bucket list she’d created in response to losing people close to her. Since I’m a long-time fan of all things Bukowski, I felt honored to meet his muse, who it turned out could spin a great story herself. I’m sure Buk would smile at Pam’s recollection of their relationship. With humor, warmth, insight, and a deft touch, Pamela Cupcakes Wood brings Charles Bukowski to vivid life once again.

Available from:

Sun Dog Press

Amazon

Coming Soon! Bukowski’s Women Talk Back…

We are pleased to announce that Silver Birch Press will soon publish a book by renowned poet and famed interviewer Joan Jobe Smith (pictured above right; also pictured are Charles Bukowski muse Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood and poet Fred Voss).

Entitled Charles Bukowski Epic GLOTTIS: His Work & His Women (& me), the book includes rare interviews with many of the women in Bukowski’s life (Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood, Linda King, Frances Dean Smith, and Ann Menebroker), poetry, essays about Bukowski’s public readings, and more. The book  is a must-read for avid followers of the Bukowski canon and a fun introduction to the great writer for people just learning about the poet of Los Angeles. Stay tuned.

Pamela “Cupcakes” Wood (at left in above photo) is the author of a fun, fascinating memoir about her relationship with Bukowski. The book, entitled Charles Bukowski’s Scarlet, is available at Amazon.