Not many writers could pull off such a diffuse structure but Smith does it beautifully, using her poetic vernacular and pulling the reader in so tightly, we begin to think and perceive in Smith’s fragmentary, hallucinogenic way. The result is strangely exhilarating.
A review of Emerald City by Brian Birnbaum
Birnbaum, a CODA himself, loves florid, beautiful, language. Perhaps being a hearing child of Deaf parents channeled his talents to the written page more readily than to a spoken art? Some well-turned sentences are spot on: “Matthew was a walking gerund, always stating things that could’ve just been done in the first place” personifies the unity of word and action by using its difference.
An Interview with Brian Birnbaum
The author of Emerald City talks about his new novel, about growing up as a child of deaf parents and its impact on his writing, about his publishing company Dead Rabbits and upcoming books, the impact of his psychology background, on failure and trauma, on Video Relay Service fraud, and lots more.
A review of Creature by Rosalee Kiely
The poems in this collection cover many areas from the personal to the general, from the subjective to the concrete; they linger through very effective image making. Kiely poetry is clever and accessible and her ideas flow in sensory experiences. The writing is confident in range and depth. The poems are rich in veiled feelings, sometimes coloured by banalities and others tainted with pain and nostalgia.
A review of Chronicles in Passing by Carol Smallwood
Carol Smallwood is to be praised for her skill, perspective, and philosophy over a wide poetic range. Hers is a unique set of senses, capturing sights, sounds, moments, and observations of the everyday world in such a manner that causes the reader to see what is all around him in a fresh, new way.
An interview with Cherry Potts
Founder and editor of Arachne Press, Cherry Potts, talks about the perks of publishing anthologies, Brexit, why you shouldn’t expect an ad campaign on the London subway, to Insta or not to Insta, editing, and lots more including a special, bonus cake recipe!
A review of White Tears/Brown Scars by Ruby Hamad
Hamad spoke with more than two dozen women from across the Western world and found she was not alone in her experiences. In her book she manages to contextualise how these imbalances in tone-perception came about. She lays bare the results of colonialism.
A review of The Frugal Book Promoter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Ethical marketing all about relationships, giving people work they will get value from, and working within carefully obtained permissions. It’s about creating a brand that people will continue to trust, so you’re not just selling one book, but yourself as a person. This kind of work builds on itself and each thing that you do increases the overall messages you’re putting out, creating a cumulative effect.
Interview with Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally Series for writers, was an instructor for UCLA Extension’s Writers’ Program for nearly a decade, and was named Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment by members of the California Legislature and Women Who Make Life Happen, by the Pasadena Weekly newspaper. She drops by to talk about her recently re-released book The Frugal Book Promoter as well as the other books in the series, her career trajectory, some key ingredients new writers need to succeed, and lots more.
A review of The Clean Body: A Modern History by Peter Ward
The book is full of interesting nuggets of information; for instance, in 1814, the British Parliament banned nude bathing in the Thames. It includes thirteen illustrations, ranging from a late eighteenth century engraving showing members of a family picking lice out of each other’s hair, to a 1920s German advertisement for Persil detergent.