IT SEEMS THAT WEEBLY HAS TECHNICAL ISSUES. WHEN YOU CLICK ON CATEGORIES YOU GET TO BLANK PAGES.
I AM WITH THEM RIGHT NOW TO SOLVE THIS MATTER!!!
0 Comments
Dear Readers and Authors,
With four days delay, the August issue is finally live. Three weird accidents and several Internet interruptions led to this delay but... better later than never. The good news is that during the period July 15th and August 18th, there have been 128,343 visits on the site, which shows the quality of the literary works featured in this magazine. Without too much ado, I will give you AUGUST ISSUE. Don't forget, if you hover with your mouse over Aug 2017, a drop-down menu will appear and you can choose to read poems, short-stories, non-fiction or a play. If you glance on the right of the page, you will find categories. Under categories, you will see the names of the authors and you can click on a specific name to read that author's creation(s). Well, let's the game begins. Have fun and leave comments (they mean a lot for an author). Have a nice journey in an interesting literary world! SLR Staff INTERVIEW WITH DAVID PERLMUTTERDavid Perlmutter is a freelance writer based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is the author of America Toons In: A History of Television Animation (McFarland and Co.), The Singular Adventures Of Jefferson Ball (Chupa Cabra House), The Pups (Booklocker.com), Certain Private Conversations and Other Stories (Aurora Publishing) Orthicon; or, the History of a Bad Idea (Linkville Press, forthcoming), and The Encyclopedia of American Animated Cartoon Series (Rowman and Littlefield, forthcoming.) He can be reached on Facebook at David Perlmutter-Writer, Twitter at @DKPLJW1, and Tumblr at The Musings of David Perlmutter (yesdavidperlmutterfan). Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I was born in 1980 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and have lived there my entire life. I have Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in History and a Library Technician certification. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Yes, they did. I had my first exposure to writing in school, and enjoyed doing it. I also encountered many of the writers who first influenced me in school reading, on my own and for assignments. Since I was rather shy and retiring then, as now, I tended to do a lot more reading then most people on average, and I probably still do. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? English was one of my better subjects, along with History. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? To keep writing and publishing books in fiction and non-fiction forms on a regular basis, as long as I can find publishers willing to underwrite me in this endeavors. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? America Toons In: A History of Television Animation (McFarland and Co., 2014) The Singular Adventures Of Jefferson Ball (Chupa Cabra House, 2014) The Pups (Booklocker.com, originally 2009), Certain Private Conversations and Other Stories (Aurora Publishing, 2013) Honey and Salt (Scarlet Leaf Publishing, 2017) Orthicon; or, the History of a Bad Idea (Linkville Press, forthcoming) The Encyclopedia of American Animated Cartoon Series (Rowman and Littlefield, forthcoming) Q: Where can we buy or see them? Amazon, Abebooks and the various publisher’s websites. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? In fiction, I write in science fiction, fantasy and horror. I find that these forms are not bound to the same sorts of restrictions in terms of expectations that other genres have. Also, they allow me to write narratives and characters that are close in feel and style to the animated television programs that have been my primary cultural influence. Q: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? I could name some names, but, because they are television animation voice actors, you’re not likely to have heard of any of them, so why bother? Q: How much research do you do for your books? A lot! Whatever it is, it has to be as accurate as possible, or else the people and things depicted in it will give you hell. Even for stuff that isn’t “real” in the first place. Q: When did you decide to become a writer and why? What was the principal reason for taking up a pen (metaphorical speaking) and write that first sentence? As soon as I realized that animated cartoons were made by actual people, and were not documentary depictions of real places I wanted to visit more than once every week. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? Part when I am at work at my library job, full otherwise. No particular time, just when I feel I can fit it in without being interrupted. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? Some sort of union between what I watch on television and read, and the desire to fix any and all of the “mistakes” I felt had been made by the writers in doing their work. Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? I have a stronger sense of moral purpose about my work than I used to do, as well as a stronger sense of humor, and a stronger sense that I seem to know about things other people don’t know about at all, since I have to explain some of the more obscure references I put into my work sometimes. Q: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? For longer works I have an outline; for shorter things, I wing it as much as I can. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? Not getting paid a regular and dependable weekly salary for doing it. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? Being the boss of everything and everybody I write about. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? Keep exposing yourself to new things culturally. The more you expose yourself to other people’s ideas, the more you’ll figure out how to do those same things yourself. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I read considerably. I am a paper book person, and will be so forever. Particular favorite authors who have influenced me are many, but a small list would include: Robert Bloch, Jack London, Mark Twain, Philip Jose Farmer, Ray Bradbury, Philip K. Dick, Isaac Asimov, Sherwood Anderson, Lawrence Block, H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, M.R. James, Joe Lansdale and Ring Lardner Sr. Q: What book/s are you reading at present? The collected stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer, in the three volume Library of America edition. Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I do much of my own proofreading and editing, with some assistance from my mother on non-fiction works. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? I let it stew when I first draft it. When it’s finished the way I want it like that, that’s when I type. Q: Who edited your last book and how did you select him/her? It was edited by an editor chosen by the publisher. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? I try to tell the publisher what I want, and they try to find an artist who can make it work. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Not terribly, but it can sway some people, so it can’t be glossed over. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? With self-publishing, you have to promote everything yourself, and that’s hard if you are, like me, an introverted, insecure person at heart. With mainstream publishing, they take care of promotion, and you just have to do what they tell you to do, and you let them, because it’s their business and not yours. Q: What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? Good reviews help you get what you want as a writer. Bad reviews ruin entire careers. Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? No. I have been strongly ignored by the media in Winnipeg for most of my writing career so far, although I don’t think I did or said anything that caused that. Q: Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? Because the publisher didn’t help the author to promote their work enough in a positive way. Or, if they published it themselves, they didn’t do a good enough job promoting it. Q: How do you relax? Reading. Q: What is your favorite book and why? “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London. The book that truly turned me on to adult reading, and the author whose life and work I have admired the most, and whose commitment to sparse but vivid storytelling and social justice I have attempted to honor in my own work. Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? Doing what I am doing right now- reading, writing and working. Possibly I might get paid more, better and more often as well. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? You will get through all of this. Do not be bewildered by any of it- it is all normal and commonplace. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He seems to me to be the only person in the modern world who completely understood the true meaning of peace and racial brotherhood. We all could have learned a great deal more from him had he not been so tragically taken from us. Q: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? Any of Jack London’s. He wrote anything and everything he felt like doing, and he did it without being pretentious, because he was a man from low origins who nevertheless was more perceptive that most of his more learned contemporaries. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Keep doing it. You won’t get it the first time you do it, but eventually it’ll come, and you’ll be glad it did. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? Wherever it wants. I’ll have to keep up with it regardless. Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work? Blog: yesdavidperlmutterfan (Tumblr) Facebook: David Perlmutter- Writer Twitter: @DKPLJW1 LInkedin: David Perlmutter Amazon Author Page: Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. NEW RELEASE: Bravery comes in all forms: fighting bullies and fighting your own demons. Honey and Salt is a superhero novella that will draw you in the just fight of a few super heroines. The story is packed with action and humor. Their quest against evil superheroes and against their own weaknesses is refreshing. You can identify with them and embrace their battles. INTERVIEW WITH MONA ILLINGWORTH & DANIEL ANDREWS Both Mona Illingworth and Daniel Andrews underwent a medical doctor training. Nonetheless, they have managed to retain a strong and fulfilling relationship with the nature, connection which began in the country during early childhood. In order to hand over their knowledge, as well as the humankind thousands-years old in-formation about the nature, they created the Bees' Products Series. "Honey - The Nature's Gold Recipes for Health" represents the first volume. The second volume is already in the making. They hope this series will make a difference in people's life. Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. Mona: Hi! Thank you so much for having Daniel and me for an interview. We do appreciate it. Now, there are so many things to be said about myself. Let me see! First of all, I’m a young woman, full of energy and ideas. I love reading, cooking, travelling, but above all, I love nature in all its wonderful expressions. Together with Daniel, I enjoy taking long walks on fields, through forests, or beaches. These are long walks, for we often stop to admire a tiny insect, the fresh blossom of a flower or to follow the majestic flight of a bird. My professional field is a bit less poetic, for as a medical doctor, I deal daily with various ailments of the people. However, the relief we manage to bring to people many times represent a satisfaction in itself. Daniel: My background is pretty similar to Mona’s: we both spent lots of time at the countryside during our childhood, and we chose the same profession. As Mona has pointed out, we indulge in lengthy strolls, and we like to acknowledge everything around us. We share the same passion for reading, travelling and cooking, and I also enjoy a good old-fashioned fight on my computer. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? Mona: We have started with a pretty interesting and fully packed with information book about honey. The name says it all: Honey The Nature’s Gold Recipes for Health. Anyway, putting together so many recipes for such a high number of ailments required a good deal of time and energy. It was sometimes a challenge to synthesize the information, but also a joy to write down so many captivating facts about these tiny insects, capable of such a complex and intricate social organization. Daniel: We are particularly satisfied of having included the precautions and adverse effects in the recipes, so that these can be safely used. That was an absent part in the naturist books I laid hand until now. And we found the inclusion of preparation time and difficulty, as well as the layout of the recipes as a whole quite helpful. Actually, this book is the first from a series regarding bees’ products Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? Mona: We are planning to continue the book series about bees. There are so many fascinating things to share about them and their products! Daniel: We are also playing with the idea of including practical and fashionable things in one of our future books, such as a fairly elaborated cosmetic book based on natural ingredients. Later on, there are so many other topics we are keen to tap into. Q: Where can we buy or see them? Mona: Well, you can find our book as a print in kindle format on Amazon. Daniel: And Ingram Spark is also a good place to start. Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? Mona: As promised in our book, Honey The Nature’s Gold, we have begun the next book in the series. Daniel: It is also about bees’ products, and for the time being we are in the research phase. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? Mona: I’m afraid I’m a bit eclectic when it comes to books. I enjoy as much a Balzac’s book, as I savor an Agatha Christie’s book or one of Asimov’s books. I think I’m the inquiring type and I just like to have a finger in every pie. Daniel: I too enjoy lots of genres of books: crimes, science-fiction, fantasy, and classic books just to name a few. Like Mona I prefer to keep an open mind and gather as many information as possible. And to enjoy the things in the process! Q: When did you decide to become a writer and why? What was the principal reason for taking up a pen (metaphorical speaking) and write that first sentence? Mona: Daniel and I had often remarked how much had been lost or simply ignored from the ancient wisdom and connection with nature. Daniel: There are actually so many wonderful things in the nature to be known and used. Mona and I, as medical doctors and keepers of some of this knowledge, we decided to offer parts of these to other people so that hopefully a larger and larger number of people will benefit from it. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it come about? Mona: From the beginning, we agreed there had to be a bee on the cover, for the bees are, actually, the essential actors when it comes to honey. Daniel: And as we both love lavender, a field with lots of it seemed the best idea. We also find the poppies on the back cover a nice touch. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Mona: Some would say it is fundamental. I like a good cover too, but this has never been the main incentive for buying a book. I’ m more interested in the title of the book. Daniel: I think for many it is quite important a good, catchy cover. Indeed, it is the very first thing one sees, before reading the title. So, accordingly, and also for the sake of our book’s beauty, we spent much time on deciding the right cover. And the right one we found! Q: What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? Mona: Good reviews are the vital food for any writer. We hope we’ll enjoy lots of them. Now, regarding the bad ones, what can I say? People are very different. What’s pretty good for one is uninteresting for the next one, or even unpalatable for another one. Daniel: I totally agree with Mona. However, I’m pretty confident we’ll receive our fair share of good reviews. Q: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? Mona: We truly believe our series, and particularly our first book, Honey The Nature’s Gold Recipes for Health, will cover a missing segment in the natural medicine domain, specifically the bridge between it and the modern medicine. And I hope you’ll enjoy it and benefit from it. Daniel: Well, I have a single thing to add: Enjoy! Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. NEW BOOK RELEASE: Honey and Health - they go hand in hand. The book brings in the foreground the multiple benefits of honey. The nature' s gold stands out because of its multiple therapeutic characteristics, in particular the anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial features. These properties play a significant role in preventing aging and averting and treating degenerative, as well as chronic conditions, such as cardio-vascular and pulmonary diseases. By regular consumption, honey also boosts the immune system, so that it helps in preventing and treating infections. Overall, honey consumption reduces fatigue and is one of the most effective energizers in nature. The book represents a guide with numerous recipes for many conditions, also briefly and simply depicted. The authors never tired to warn about the importance of precisely following the recipes, and kept advising that the treatment should be applied under medical supervision. We hope you will appreciate the information presented and will take advantage of the nature's gold benefits shortly. LITERATURE IS THE ATOMIC BOMB BY ROBIN WYATT DUNN Robin Wyatt Dunn lives in a state of desperation engineered by late capitalism, within which his mind is a mere subset of a much larger hallucination wherein men are machines, machines are men, and the world and everything in it are mere dreams whose eddies and currents poets can channel briefly but cannot control. Perhaps it goes without saying that he lives in Los Angeles. LITERATURE IS THE ATOMIC BOMB Literature is the atomic bomb, launched every day, and devastating cities and empires across the earth. It cannot be stopped. Like the bomb, literature-people find they have very little room to negotiate: this power backs us into a corner, and we, frothing at the mouth, can only point to our pen. Still, North Korea and Iran aren't stupid: they know literature (and the atomic bomb) is the only thing that will save them in this dog eat dog world, and since I am fortunate to be a nuclear scientist, I give my knowledge away freely (or sometimes for five bucks) to the world, in the hopes that we will all become more heavily armed with dangerous weapons, and so that, if not my children (I have none), then at least some fortunate brat somewhere will coalesce his mighty and small brain around a deserving comeuppance: even if he be fired and enslaved like me, forced to work for his daily bread by uncaring tyrants, who rob, cheat and humiliate him, even if this unlucky brat has all manners of horrors visited upon him, I will have provided him with the red button, which, like the gadget in Will Smith's eager little Hollywood thumb, can wipe not only individual minds but whole continents clean, denuding them of hypocrisy, lies, and fear. I sell the brave stuff; like whiskey, brewed at a reasonable rate, and like Jack Daniels, "each day we make it we'll make it the best we can." TWO NEW POETRY BOOKS BY ROBIN WYATT DUNN “Remarriages” is for the outcast and the disappointed. Dark poems riding wildly through the mind of an angry man who both loves and hates the world. The words reveal a bitter struggle to reconcile with the horrors and the violence inherent in the world. Dunn’s poetry is psychological and raw, with a delicate balance between light and darkness. Dunn’s poems are valiant in expressing the darkness many fear, yet others embrace. Some of his poems nudge the reader to take time to examine the bizarre existence we call life. Roxana Nastase Sunsborne pitches darkly into another world. Often the world and characters is hazy, but ''Sunsborne'' is a true picture of the reality, conflict and tensions. In the midst of a conflict torn situation there is love. Robin Wyatt Dunn presents an uncanny story of past and present, darkness and light. His way with language and its thick opacity create a stunning impact on the mind. If you are looking for ''meanings'', leave it. If you are looking for legerdemain stunts, leave it. But if you are looking for a fabulous world, in mythic settings, here it is, in the manner that only Dunn can achieve - credulity climaxing into incredible and fascinating story. Ananya S Guha Shillong, INDIA. Born in Mauritius in 1977, Vatsala Radhakeesoon has had a keen interest in poetry-writing since the age of 14. Her poems have been previously published in various local and international printed and online newspapers, journals, magazines, anthologies and blogs. She is the representative of Immagine and Poesia (Italy based artistic movement) for Mauritius. Vatsala considers Poetry to be her first love , her friend, guide and confidant. As a teenager in the early 1990’s ,her love for poetry mainly originated from the lyrics of songs of the French Canadian singer, Roch Voisine , Australian singer, Jason Donovan and British singer Phil Collins. Her mother being a Hindi teacher and her best teacher of poetry has also been her inspiration for poetry-writing. The great poets of English Literature, William Blake, T.S Eliot, Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou and Carol Ann Duffy have had an influence on her works. Depth of the River is her second collection of poems following When Solitude Speaks (2013). Vatsala Radhakeesoon is a MBA graduate from Management College of Southern Africa and is currently self-employed. She lives at Rose-Hill, Mauritius and continues to write poems in English, Mauritian Kreol (Kreol Morisien) , French and Hindi. INTERVIEW WITH VATSALA RADHAKEESOON Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I was born on 17 October 1977 at Curepipe, the coldest and rainiest town of Mauritius. But I have been brought up and live at Rose-Hill, one of the warmest and business-centered towns of the island. I’m the youngest of a family of 4 children. My late parents were both Hindi teachers and they maintained much discipline at home. They emphasized much on formal and informal education as well as reading books in the main languages that were taught in Mauritius. I was a pupil of St Enfant Jesus RCA , primary school and a student of Loreto Convent Rose-Hill, secondary school – both schools founded initially by Christian missionaries. At tertiary level, I did a MBA from Management College of Southern Africa. I’m currently self-employed and also an independent interviewer and translator for Setu journal. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Yes indeed. When I was in Standard One (first year) of primary school), my mother who was also my teacher taught me a short poem in Hindi referring to a little girl called Manjul Rani . Then I had to learn this poem by heart and recite it in front of everyone during the school artistic event .Since then I enjoyed reading and reciting poems in English, French and Hindi. When I was in Form I (first year of secondary school) our English teacher, Sister Antonia originally an Irish nun taught us a poem entitled The Lovely Unicorn. It was a poem referring to Noah’s Ark. We had to learn the poem and recite it during the prize giving ceremony programme at school. So all these led to my writing of poems a few years later when I was in Form 4 (fourth year of secondary school). At school I was shy and mostly love to study. I could hardly express myself verbally or voice out. So my pen and paper helped me to express my thoughts, views and feelings as a means to unburden my confused teenage mind. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? Well, I have always loved English language. I enjoyed mostly the grammar related parts as everything was systematic and well organized. But I didn’t like all genres of English literature as the critical analysis of novels were too tedious for me. However I loved studying poetry and plays (drama). Later on I chose Science as main subjects. But English as a language has always been compulsory in all Mauritian schools at all levels. When I was in HSC (Higher School Certificate) (last year of Secondary school), I enjoyed the General Paper classes , that were part of English class. General paper helped us to do research in all fields that is Arts, Science, Economics, politics and much more and then write essays regarding a vast range of issues. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? I wish to keep writing more poetry books and also short stories books in various languages that I know that is English, French, Hindi and Kreol. I also wish to translate the works of other authors in the field of Literature. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? I have been much inspired by William Blake, T.S Elliot, Victor Hugo, Maya Angelou and Emily Dickinson. From Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, I have learnt that poetry can be written beautifully in a simple language. T.S Eliot and Victor Hugo have inspired me to write philosophical poems. Maya Angelou has inspired me to write feminist poems and voice out without fear as an independent woman. Emily Dickinson’s poems have taught me the beauty of writing in solitude. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? My first poetry book is entitled When Solitude Speaks. It was published in 2013 by the sponsorship of Ministry of Arts and Culture, Mauritius. This book is a self- published one .It consists of a selection of poems that I’ve written between the ages of 14 to 35. Some of my poems have been published in Immagine and Poesia anthology 2016 and 2017 (Italy). My poem Being Myself with Maurtian Kreol, French and Hindi translations has appeared in Women, Wit and Wisdom Anthology 2017 (India). My second poetry book entitled Depth of the River has been published in July 2017 by Scarlet Leaf Publishing House, Canada. It consists of a series of philosophical, spiritual, and emotional poems. Q: Where can we buy or see them? When Solitude Speaks – Available at Bookcourt bookshops Mauritius Immagine and Poesia anthology 2016 , 2017 can be read for free by downloading from immaginepoesia.jimdo.com Women, Wit and Wisdom anthology can be ordered by Author’s Press India (New Delhi) Depth of the River – Available on Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon France, Amazon India, Amazon Italy, Amazon Australia. Kindle price : $2.99 Paperback : $10 Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? I’m actually working on my first poetry book in French. It basically consists of philosophical poems. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? Basically I’m much into poetry. Poetry’s musicality, its ability to covey feelings thoughts and facts in a concise way and delivering powerful messages instantly draw me to this particular genre. Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? I decided to become a poet at the age of 14 in August 1992. I have always been a music lover. And the songs sung by my favourite singer, Roch Voisine (French Canadian singer) mesmerized me. I loved the lyrics of his French songs , Hélène , L’Idole, La L’égende D’Oochigeas and those of his English songs such as I’ll always be there, Jamie’s Girl and others . So this compelled me to start writing poems. Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? Basically I feel my inspiration comes from God – the Divine energy. Then the words in my mind and soul begin to flow on paper. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? A word, a conversation with someone, an event, a friend, a song, a movie, observing Nature and moments of solitude compel me to write poems. Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? During my 25 years of poetry writing, contemporary poetry has evolved as well, so have I creatively. When I started writing poems I was using a simple language and merely free verse style. But with continuous poetry -writing practice and reading more poetry books I feel I use more complex words, and alter the styles from free verse to rhyming or at times blend both. I no longer follow the trends or rules. I’ve acquired my own voice and my freedom in writing. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? To write for a particular cause and within word limit. This hinders the freedom of a writer. A writer is a person who loves freedom; his/her space and hates inhibitions or shackles of various sorts. Confining a writer to word limit or asking him to write for a particular cause is like stopping his spontaneous flow of feelings, views and ideas. It destroys the writer’s individuality. I have written some specific cause related poems but after writing them I have always felt that I didn’t give the best of myself and I felt something imposed on me. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? The easiest thing is that once we become a writer, it means we have created our special space, comfort zone. So whatever happens in life we can find solace from writing. It’s a cozy place where no one can interfere, or really judge us. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? When I was much younger I did get it. But now I don’t really get writer’s block. My tips for writer’s block are: Never panic. If you can’t write just stop and take a deep breath. Go for a walk, cook something in the kitchen or do some routine household tasks. Read a book by other writer. Gradually writer’s block will disappear. Writer’s block is just the product of a stressed mind. A relaxed mind produces better works of Arts. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Yes I do read. My favourite Mauritian poets are Anoucheka Gangabissoon, and Cyril Luximan. Among the classics I like William Blake, T.S Eliot, and Emily Dickinson. Among the contemporary poets of foreign countries, I like the poems by Scott Thomas Outlar,, Sunil Sharma and Santosh Bakaya. Among the novelists, I’m a big fan of Mitch Albom and Paulo Coelho. I like both e books and traditional books as both help us to perform the same action, that is reading and to cultivate our minds. Q: What book/s are you reading at present? I’m re-reading Selected Poems of T.S Eliot. Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I first edit it myself. Then I give to someone else to have a look. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?Yes as times I take a break after finishing my book manuscript and edit it much later. This helps me to go through my poems with a different perception. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? The cover of my first book consists of the Maurtian sea with a single boat sailing. This represents the title of the book When Solitude Speaks. For my second book, Depth of the River, the cover consists of lady walking amidst the river. This represents the poem The River’s Poetess featured in the book. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Yes the cover can play an important role. An attractive cover definitely catches the customers’ eyes and makes him/her willing to do a purchase and read the book. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? Self -publishing helps the author to maintain complete control of his/her book ie. in terms of marketing, sales and profit in his/her own country. But self-publishing doesn’t make it easy to market and sell internationally. It is difficult and stressful for a writer to handle both his writing and marketing all alone. Publishing with a publisher gives a book a more professional look. The marketing and sales responsibilities are shared by both the author and the publisher. So sales and marketing become much an adventure instead of dreaded duties. However publishing with a publisher, at times restricts the freedom of a writer as he/she cannot decide what to do with the book independently. Q: How do you market your books, if you do the marketing yourself? I market through Facebook, individual Facebook messages, Whats App, e-mails, newspapers, Literary T.V and radio programmes and book signing at bookshops. Q: Would you or do you use a PR agency? I haven’t done it for my previous book but may be in future I will do it. Q: Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? The fastest way to reach out a large number of people is social media. So it is worthwhile to keep marketing through it. Then, marketing is an ongoing process. Ups and down will be there but we must keep on marketing every week or every month. Never be discouraged. If one strategy doesn’t work, try another one. Always have an innovative and positive approach. Q: Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you? Once when I was doing a book signing a child who was passing by took one copy of my book and didn’t let go of it. This compelled the parents to buy it. Q: Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? I haven’t tried so far. But I’m willing to do it for my second book that has been recently published. Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? Yes for my first poetry book When Solitude Speaks I got interviewed by the local newspapers L’Express, Le Défi and literary T.V programmes Passerelles and Portraits D’artistes. Q: Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? Marketing through Facebook and doing book signing have helped in the past. Q: Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future? Yes, previously I was informing everyone about my book but gradually I have realized that all people are not interested in buying and reading books. So now I use the marketing technique of proper market segmentation and select the potential customers properly. Q: Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? Tough question! Based on my Marketing knowledge as a MBA person and following the great marketing guru, professor and author Philip Kotler’s advice, I think sales depend on the marketing approach. When we talk about sales it refers to the business world. When we study sales and Marketing, we learn that business is all about building a long term business relations with the customers. Logically in the writing world, most writers simply let the publishing companies do the marketing and sales job. But we must realize that the publisher doesn’t have only our books to sell. He/she has to care about other authors too. So, well written books may not sell because many writers shy off and don’t like to reach out to customers and readers in a humane and friendly way. Many writers remain hostile to readers and do not make the effort of getting to know their readers even at book festivals or other literary events. Yes, we need our solitude to write but if we want our books to sell we must adopt a friendly and humane approach to others and not walk with the aura of ego that we are writers, we have published thousands of books and keep thinking that people are compelled to buy our books. Many good books don’t sell because the writers don’t take the responsibility of being involved in sales and marketing themselves. Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? I think they are good means of marketing books in order to attract the right readers and customers. Q: Do you think that giving books away free works and why? Sometimes it may work, sometimes it may not. Providing books for free may enable those who can’t afford to buy it, be able to read it. It can be an incentive for the reader to read the book. The negative aspect of this is that when we give books for free, readers adopt ‘the taking for granted attitude’ and they do not value the book as a valuable work of Arts and the writer’s hard work. So we must bring a balance between providing books for free and selling them Q: How do you relax? Since, I’m a great music lover. Music is my best means of relaxation. I like pop music, classical music, spiritual songs and I’m open to all other forms of music. Then I like to go for walks, observe nature and go to the seaside whenever I can. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? “To let go” – in the Buddhist way. Q: What is your favorite book and why? When it comes to poetry, my favourite book is Four Quartets by T.S Eliot. I like that book because it centers on deep philosophical views. When it comes to novels, my favourite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. This book shows the strength of a woman and teaches women to keep fighting for their rights and never give up. Never fall in the trap of self-pity. Regarding plays, my favourite is The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams as the playwright has shown a deep insight in human psychology. Q: What is your favorite quote? “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? Writing more books and exploring new horizons of spirituality and philosophy. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? To keep reading so as to cultivate their minds. To bring a balance between the mundane and the spiritual in order to live happily. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? I would like to meet my favourite contemporary American author Mitch Albom . I’m mesmerized by all his novels as they really touch my soul. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Keep writing. Never be discouraged by rejection notes and other ups and down. Persevere and you will fulfill your mission as a writer. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? Since the world is IT oriented I see e-books being the future of publishing world. But paperback books will co-exist much as a luxury. Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work? Website: Amazon.com Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073ZKMKL4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500351060&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=vatsala+Radhakeesoon&dpPI=1&dpID=51-jJ6lt7GL7ref=plSrch Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Vatsala.D.Radhakeesoon Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. NEW RELEASE Death and After Wait, wait, I’m coming! Neither am I scared nor screaming, With joy my eyes are dancing, I can hear Divine Music echoing. Feel, now, O, Detached Soul, you surely can! Feel pure light, perfect knowledge of Immortal Friend; Fly freely to all planets, you surely can! It’s All- blissful, no sorrows to mend. Depth of the River is the author’s second collection of poems emphasizing on her life as it is. She considers this book as her open confessions manifesting from her subconscious mind. This book also brings forth, social and global issues that touch the Human race, as a whole. Through her poems, the poet has also pointed out that the connection to the Divine energy, that is God, is the best cure to all sufferings and the priceless means to recognizing real joy and leading a peaceful life. The poems in this book have been written by blending elements of modern and traditional poetry. Some have a rhyming pattern. Others are purely in free verse. Pranab Ghosh is a journalist, writer, poet, translator and blogger. He writes a blog “Existential Problems”. His poems and prose pieces have been published and accepted by Tuck Magazine, Transendent Zero Press, Scarlet Leaf Review, Literature Studio Review, Leaves of Ink, Hans India, Dissident Voice etc. He has co-authored a book of poems, titled Air & Age. He has to his credit a translation of a book of Bengali short stories titled Shantiramer Cha, authored by Bitan Chakraborty. The title of the English translation is Bougainvillea and Other Stories. Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I did my graduation with honours in English literature from Scottish Church College in Kolkata and then went on to do my masters in Journalism from Calcutta University. While in school I extensively took part in various debate and recitation competitions and had won many prizes. This continued during the university years as well. I eat non-vegetarian dishes. I generally do not take alcoholic drinks. I am a law-abiding, God-fearing person. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Yes, my school years have had an impact on my writing career. My first poem in English was published in my School magazine. I was in Class Six then, age 11 years. I was considered a good student. According to my teachers my English was above average compared to the peers I had. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? Same as above. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? I want to carry on with my writing. Write better stuff and excel with each publishing work. At the back of my mind I cherish a desire to bag literary awards based on the merit of my writing skills. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? The Romantic poets of English literature, especially John Keats, have had an impact on me while I was in College. This apart, Rabindranath Tagore has been an influence. These poets have impacted my inner thoughts and that at times that get reflected in my writings. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? I have been a journalist for years and have written several articles till date. While in Hindustan Times, Delhi, I wrote several stories related to education for young adults and that was an enriching experience. At present I write for Business India, a premier business magazine of India. These apart I have co-authored a book of poems – Air and Age and have translated a book of Bengali short stories into English. Apart from the recently published Soul Searching and Other Poems the above mentioned two books had been my published works. I have seriously taken to writing poetry and fiction for the past two years. Q: Where can we buy or see them? Those could be bought online. On Amazon and other sites. Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? t present I am working on a book of poems. It is more or less complete. I am fine tuning and rewriting. The name of this proposed book of poems is Karma-Cola. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? I write poetry and short stories. I have not restricted myself to any genre. You as my publisher would be in a better position to say in which genre my poetry falls. Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? I was toying with the idea for years. But couple of years ago I met a student of mine who had formed a band by then and was the lead singer in it. He wanted me to write songs for them. The subsequent discussions with him did not take place, but I became a poet in the process. Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? My inner being. That I think as I live. That there is a living and responsive world around me that laughs, cries and bleeds. The power of life and everything surrounding it forces me to take up a pen and write. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I have been a journalist. That’s my profession. And as a poet, short-story writer – that’s a part-time affair. It is very difficult to sustain as a full-time author, at least for me till now. But things might change. You never know. At times I write on all the days in a week and at times there is a lull for weeks together. I have to earn a living and life has been difficult. Let’s see. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? From life around and from my inner self. Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? The process of evolving is continuing. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? To take the decision that you will seriously take up writing as a profession. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? The scope that you are giving vent to your deepest thought process; that you are sharing with people most of whom, may be you will never meet. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? As of now there has been no writer’s block. But certainly there are times when you scratch your head and do not know what to write about. Of late, existential problems are keeping me away from writing. Life’s difficult as you are required to earn a living. The concept of a professional poet is yet to take root in India. We are all like part-time poets. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Well the list is long. And at this moment I do not have the mind to go for a short list. I prefer traditional paper. Q: What book/s are you reading at present? An anthology of Indian poets and a book on brand journalism. Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I do it myself. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? No. I do it as I finish writing it, unless it is a compilation work like the current one. Q: Who edited your last book and how did you select him/her? I edited my last book and it was re-edited by the publisher himself. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? No comments. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Yes I do. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? No comments. Q: How do you market your books, if you do the marketing yourself? I do not do marketing myself and I do not have the right knowledge about books marketing. Q: Would you or do you use a PR agency? I have till date not used any PR agency. Given my current financial status I would not be in a position to afford one now. May be in future. Q: Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books? No comments. Q: What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book? None. Q: What do you do to get book reviews? Till date I have not done anything substantial apart from visiting one local English newspaper office and giving them the copies of my two published books. Q: How successful has your quest for reviews been so far? I have not had much of success. All the reviews and good ones, mind you that I have had till date had been my publisher’s work. Q: Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers? As of now I do not have a strategy. I would like to leave it to my publisher. Q: What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews? It should be taken in the stride. Q: Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you? None. Q: What are your views on social media for marketing?Which social network worked best for you?Any tips on what to do and what not to do? Social media is very important. But I am not that social media savvy, especially from the point of exploiting it. I would need my publisher’s help. Q: Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work? My publisher did the press releases and the book launches. The response was good. Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? My Air and Age was launched in the Benaras University. Local press spoke to me and covered the launch as well. Q: Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? None. Q: Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell? Lack of proper marketing and ‘luck’. Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? Not a bad idea. Q: Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s? I did not think of this, I mean trailers till date. Your question has put in motion the concept. Q: Do you think that giving books away free works and why? No, it doesn’t work barring for the reviews. Q: How do you relax? I read or just lie down with my eyes closed. At times I watch movies as well. Meditation could be an option too. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? Never say die. Do or die. Q: What is your favorite book and why? My favourite book is one written in Bengali called Pather Panchali (Song of the Road) written by Bibhutibhusan Bandopadhyay and famous Satyajit Ray movie later on. It was the movie that launched his illustrious career as a film director. Q: What is your favorite quote? To be or not to be that is the question. Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? You tell me. I would like to touch the stars. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? Never say die. Quitters are cowards. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? Salman Rushdie. His Midnight’s Children made me envious of him. Q: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why? Midnight’s Children. The subject has been so close to my heart. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Same as the one I would give to my younger self. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? Places. But I think the journey would be digital. Q: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? Nothing. It was exhaustive. Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. If you enjoy poetry, then you will enjoy these poems that originate from deep meditation upon the world and people making up this world. These poems reveal deep thoughts and desires but they also point to the bleakness of reality. The poet raises his voice against oppression and terrorism and speaks against war, terrorism and violence, with the same easiness he finds in revealing the deepest desires of the heart. Contradictions depicts nuances that people usually don’t want to notice or try to hide. Ghosh’s darker poems touch on the erosion of the human values and point to the greed for power leading to destruction. In the poet’s words: “Man’s craving to stand up against all that is negative, all that is against human values – to stand up against oppression and injustice had been juxtaposed with man’s eternal wish to take refuge in the Eternal, the Divine. Side by side poems of great human values, there are lighter reads on love bordering on mischievous take on the fair sex.” Pranab Ghosh’s Soul Searching and Other Poems is a collection of several verses with varied flavor and source. While Ghosh, as I found him a loner, is engaged in exploring ‘self,’ his other poems are essentially derived from the material world. A must read book, especially whoever appreciates philosophy in verses. Kiriti Sengupta www.kiritisengupta.com
FETHI SASSI was born on the 1st of June 1962 in Nabeul Tunisia. He writes prose poetry and short poems. He participated in several national literary meetings. He is a member of the Tunisian Writers' Union and a member of the Literature Club at the cultural center of Sousse. His first book of poetry entitled "A Seed of Love" was published in the year 2010. The second entitled "I dream .... And I sign on birds the last words " in 2013. The third book of poetry "A sky for a strange bird" was published in Egypt as well as a short poem book entitled "All the universe is only the face of my beloved". Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. My name is FETHI SASSI. I m a poet from Tunisia in the north of Africa; born in 1962 in Nabeul; very attached to learning and writing. I have four Arabic poetry books; and some others translated … coming soon. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Really; I was a child with a great interest in studying, always in the first rank with a great interest in books and reading. At the same time, I collected the best expressions to make wonderful texts that’s why I ‘m going with great love to the prose poetry where the pictures are the most important. On the other hand, I was had a scientific reasoning and love for mathematics and this world of writing. They were very organized and fulfilling. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? I like English and German languages … only because English is one of the keys which I can use to open most of the closed doors. Because of my translations I stepped worldwide and I am near readers from everywhere. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? I have a lot of ambition but the most important is to bestow my poetic voice all over the world; I would like to cry for all and whisper: we all are brothers and we need love… and nothing more than love. Another ambition is to translate for the Arabic library the work of many poets and know the poetry all over and the different ways of fulfilment. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? Before, I was interested in the poets of the pre-Islamic era, to build and have a strong and a correct writing with the desert meaning first to love and fly. But in the secondary school, my purpose was on the poet full of dreams and desire, Nizar Kabani . His poetry has taught me how to love and how to respect a woman. And this beauty, the woman, can be everything: motherland, life and so on. But it was not lonely. I have been inspired by several creators as Saadi, Darwish, Ounsi, Maghout and many others. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far When I was twelve years old, I began to write my first poems. I was learning how to walk on the whiteness but I always felt that I was describing to the world how I felt, and how I saw all things. In 2008 I ‘ve decided to present my writing to the club of literary creators of Sousse and decided finally to publish my first book on 2010 (seeds of love) and in 2013 I dream …and I sign on birds my last words. In 2016, I published A sky for a strange bird and in 2017 As a lone rose … on a chair together with my first translated book with Scarlet House in Canada - And you are the entire poem. Q: Where can we buy or see them? I would like to put all my Arabic poem books on Amazon site to begin advertising my poems to the entire world but I do not find the help to do it. (I would like to find a person that can seriously help me to put them in all the sellers sites). Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? My books are a ticket to the heaven of love. They are a cup of wine with the smell of passion, a little journey on the waves with a breeze of happiness … a wonderful butterfly flying on the edge of every heart. Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? When I was twelve, I tried writing for the first time. It was a challenge to be different from others. In the darkness of my room, when all the world is asleep, some deep whispers come to my mind as an inspiration for a coming prophet. But surely there is in my heart a sadness never been slept for one day … this pain Is only the ink of my writing that told …where here you are?? What do you do in this empty world lonely as a story never to be told. Too many questions but no answers , and surely the poetry is no more that a question but with no answer . Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? Pain is my direction. Happiness never led to creation; only the sadness full of questions takes you far to the philosophic way of being; it is the force and the power made especially for all writers to give the real meaning and explain issues.But surely the method of writing is different from one to another; one take his pen to make this creation and other his brush to draw as Socrates [said] to" Videros" in "The Conversations " Do you know "Videros " What makes the writing marvelous It is that is resembles painting tremendously? and so on; too much method but the main purpose is the search for the absent answers. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I am mad of writing; I try to write non stop to take the real breath for Life. When inspiration comes with all devils to dance on whiteness; take it by hand and fly with to the far sky. But I feel the night would be the time more efficient to create a wonderful words. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? My feelings offer me usually the prayers of writing Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? Step by step is the long travel of writing. Every book is really a step; is a part of my experience. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? The first moment of birth .. the moment when one discovers the world after a big silence in The memory. This moment is a cesarean birth that separates life and death’ it is the fugitive moment coming with a full inspiration . Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? In this way, there are no easy things; everything has a special role to play until we finally have the book in our hands . Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I have never stopped reading since my childhood. Reading was and is my passion; And right now I like to Be with some special authors as Sarkon Bolss ; Saadi Youssef; Ouns Hadj Bessem Hajjar and so on … I usually read the excellent magic realist Marquez; and Gualliano … Generally, paper book is the best way to read and to smell the perfect paper perfume. But if the book is only in ebook I can read it as I do now . Q: What book/s are you reading at present? At present, I’m passionate by the short stories of the great Sarcon Bolss . Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? I work with a group of proofreaders in English and Arabic; they control all my work to keep my texts with no mistakes; I never do a perfect work alone . It must be some professional touches on the final texts. But now I need only someone to help me to put my books on the international great book sellers as Amazon and Create Space and so on. Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit? Yes, indeed ; every work has to take a good period to go back to the publication . I keep all my books on my desk to complete all the details needed to be in the final State to the way of publication. This period is important for the decision of last touches. Surely so many things can be changed; it is in fact the last decision . Q: Who edited your last book and how did you select him/her? My last book is And You Are the Entire Poem. This poetry book is translated. It has been recently published in Canada by Scarlet Leaf House. I was invited by madame Roxana Nastase to work together on a translated short poems book . We have been in fact good friends for a good while . Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? In general I select my book covers with the meaning that leads the book ; to be in a direct relation . And about my last book I have a deep friendship with the fresh painter Pascal Chove; he has given me with great love a wonderful image to put it on my cover book ; and I think that I will choose some others only because our common and mutual view on poetry and art . Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Yes, of course; with no doubt. The book cover is really an important part of the buying process; due to the fact that the cover is the first picture that meets the reader and generally it can help readers to buy . Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around ? Self-publishing get some advantages and in the same way some disadvantages But it is a method between some others to keep the book in the library for readers . But the writer must see the possible way to the reader and get to work with it . Q: Would you or do you use a PR agency? No ; I do not use public relation ; really what I use to do is only the power of my texts , and the beauty of my poem . Q: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you? Any tips on what to do and what not to do ? All social media has a huge impact on the marketing. I use Facebook due to the great number of users. But on the other hand I use contacts with hotmail, yahoo; gmail ; and others . Q: Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch? Yes ; in fact from time to time I was interviewed about my first book and now no more ; because in Tunisia from a long time culture was not for culture but for friends and personal purpose . Q: Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures? The main problem that has all Arabic writers is an efficient strategy for selling books , we have unfortunately only the first state of the book production and no more especially in Tunisia ; no distribution . That’s why we go to the FACEBOOK and TWITER and so on to find the way to make our books known . Q: What do you think of “trailers” for books? They are very important for the marketing of the book , for a big number of sale To give the writer a great chance to be read from all and everywhere . Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying ? I feel really motivated by two words they are only my little boat in this big life sea Love and work ; I cannot live without .It is my travel ticket in this difficult poetry experience . And woman gives me this travel . Q: What is your favorite quote? The great Nietzsche " Without music , life would be a mistake " . Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? I feel that I will fly all over the world and my poetry will go further than I. Our real wings are our poetry books and no more. Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why ? My father is the great personality in my mind, the only man on this earth who spent his life with one purpose in mind our happiness and success . Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? The publishing is getting more and more difficult with time. I’m in the way to discover the self-publishing. This is a way quick and efficient to the readers . Q: How can readers discover more about you and your work ? I hope for all readers will contact me on my face book accounts and my blog too , And I will answer all questions and enquiries. Blog : https://sassifathi62.wixsite.com/mysite-2 Facebook : ttps://www.facebook.com/fethi.sassi.54 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005592222927 Twitter : https://twitter.com/lapoesiepourtoi Lnkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sassi-fethi-28b834b4/ Amazon Author Page : https://www.createspace.com/pub/member.dashboard.do https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4570266-fethi-sassi Book Links: (* American, UK, etc.) Goodreads : https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4570266-fethi-sassi Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Who said that romance is dead? Fethi Sassi brings you peerless lyrical verses reminding of another century, singing love, eternal questions, joy and loneliness. They will warm your soul and make you feel as if you were part of an endless time. If you look for that indefinite feeling that only love and reflection could bring, then this is the book for you. ASCENT OF HER DESIRE She was travelling by night in the twilight jubbah; crying behind the cloud ascent of her desire asking....: who took away her harlot night? Dear Readers and Authors,
We want to thank both the readers of our magazine and the authors who submitted their works for publication in the virtual pages of this review. Between June 15 2017 and July 14 2017, inclusively, there have been 102,041 hits on the magazine! Every month, the number is higher and higher! That shows the talent of the poets and writers who chose to submit to this publication. As we've always said, this magazine wouldn't exist without any of you. You are the heart, blood and brain behind it, and we are grateful to have the chance to read your works. As always, July issue is live at 4 a.m. Eastern Time. This time, there are thirty-four writers, twenty-seven poets and seven non-fiction authors featured in the magazine. You won't be bored. Take our word for it! Don't forget: if you hover with your mouse over JULY 2017, a drop-down menu will appear and you can choose: poems, short-stories or non-fiction. On the right hand of each page, there are categories. If you want to read the work of a specific author, you can find the author's name under categories. Just click on the name and you'll get exactly where you want to be. Have fun! Join the wedding promotion: Love on the Brain. 15+ novels and novellas that would delight you and brighten your summer. Click on the cover image and go directly on Amazon! Some of the books can be found on other sites as well!!! Dear Loyal Readers and Authors,
First of all, thank you! You are the reason for the existence of this magazine. The magazine wouldn't exist without any of you. We want to thank all the people that visited the site between January 15 2016 and June 14 2017. Your number is humbling. Even though we lost the data for one month, the numbers are staggering. The magazine has had 875,227 hits and 94,139 only between May 15th and today. The best news is that people continue to read pieces that were published a year ago. June issue is live at 4 a.m. Eastern Time, as always, and it will bring a new collection of poems, short-stories and non-fiction which will thrill you. Authors from all around the world have contributed to this issue of the magazine. Their pieces will welcome you in the pages of our magazine. Enjoy! Dear readers and dear authors, I know it is two days early but SCARLET LEAF REVIEW IN PRINT IS LIVE! The first issue - June 2017 is finally published. You can find it on MagCloud both in print and digital. By Roxana Nastase in Scarlet Leaf Magazine 52 pages, published 5/30/2017
A literary magazine which mission is to find a niche in the rich literary world and let writers and artists, either old or young, have their say; to promote various genre and provide writers with access to publication; to offer a forum for authors and artists whose works challenges the accepted forms and modes of expression; to encourage the appreciation of the contemporary literature and art and to expand the world of readers. This literary…
Good Morning Dear Readers, As always, at 4:30 am Eastern Time, the new issue of Scarlet Leaf Review is live. You will be surprised: lots of good pieces, intrigue, volatile emotions await you at every turn. You will also be surprised because there are fewer poems featured than what you can normally find. The explanation is simple: I forgot about May! I scheduled pieces for June but not for May. When I noticed my error, I went back and rescheduled but... I upset the balance. I promise you more next time. We want to thank you, our readers, and also you, the authors featured in the pages of this review. Between April 15 and May 14, inclusively, there have been 94,884 hits on the magazine! Don't forget: if you hover with your mouse over MAY 2017, a drop-down menu will appear and you can choose: poems, short-stories or non-fiction. On the right hand of each page, there are categories. If you want to read the work of a specific author, you can find the author's name under categories. Click on the name and.... voila! You're exactly where you want to be. Have fun! On June 1st, as previously announced, the first issue of the magazine in print will be live. As mentioned, the pieces featured in print will not be in on line. Colin Dodds is the author of Another Broken Wizard, WINDFALL and The Last Bad Job, which Norman Mailer touted as showing “something that very few writers have; a species of inner talent that owes very little to other people.” His writing has appeared in more than two hundred publications, and been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net Anthology. Poet and songwriter David Berman (Silver Jews, Actual Air) said of Dodds’ work: “These are very good poems. For moments I could even feel the old feelings when I read them.” Colin’s book-length poem That Happy Captive was a finalist for the Trio House Press Louise Bogan Award as well as the 42 Miles Press Poetry Award in 2015. And his screenplay, Refreshment, was named a semi-finalist in the 2010 American Zoetrope Contest. Colin lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and daughter. See more of his work at thecolindodds.com. BLURB:: “(O)ne of the most interesting books you’ll read this year,” (IndieReader Reviews - 4.7 of 5 Stars) WATERSHED is a dystopian thriller about a troubled, pregnant woman, and the two men—a snake dealer with a sideline in secret messages and a billionaire living under a false name—who vie for her. Their struggle leads them through a near-future America of anti-technology neighborhoods and illegal hospitals, where stockbrokers moonlight as assassins, nurses procure obscure pleasures, and the powers that be blow up the new World Trade Center to goose tourism. As the mystery deepens, one thing becomes clear – the future's about to be born… but who will change the diapers? BOOK REVIEW A book recommended for readers who love intricate plots 5 STARS ***** I was given an ARC and it proved to be quite a page turner. I read this book in one day. The plot is convoluted and it is a good thing that the writing style is so good that it keeps the reader’s attention focused on the evolution of the story. Otherwise, I’m afraid, one could get lost in the ramifications of the plot. At first, I was thinking that the book might rate only four stars and a half because of that but I changed my mind. It seemed too unfair considering that the novel is indeed a good one. The narrative flows without any hiccups. I enjoyed the style and the associations the writer made right from the beginning. Colin Dodds seemed to be well versed in playing with words and use them to create arresting images in the reader’s mind. The language is striking and clearly not for the faint-hearted. There’s verbal and physical violence and people who dislike such things should stir away from the book. Colin Dodds develops an interesting world, marred with the most poignant negative human traits. The story evolves in the States and in a way, there’s a lot of the real America in this book. His characters are far from being positive in any way, and yet, most of them are likable and one can relate to them. Both Norwood and Raquel are believable and pleasant, although both show weaknesses and are the antithesis of real heroes. Most of Dodds’s characters are well rounded but the most fleshed-out are Norwood and Raquel as well as their Nemesis, Hurley and his opponent Seth. The background stories sound real and are far from being far-fetched. I found that this book is a good read, full of imagination and surprises. I would recommend it to anyone who likes this type of books. Editor in Chief Roxana Nastase CONGRATULATIONS TO COLIN DODD FOR THE LAUNCH OF HIS NEW BOOK!
Photo: © ELITS IIUM) Abu Sufian is at a Q/A session in a Talk at International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur) Abu Sufian – who is also known as The Silent Poet – is a poet, writer and social worker whose writings have appeared in many national and international publications that include newspaper, magazine, literary journals and books. Sufian currently lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and he can be reached at his official Facebook poetry page, The Silent Poet (facebook.com/Sufian.Author). During his undergraduate years when he studied English literature as an academic subject, he fell in love with the poetic world. Finishing his bachelor, he moved to Malaysia in 2013 and recently he earned his MA degree in English literature. During his Master’s study, he has been exposed to Sufi poets like Rumi, Saadi Shirazi, Hafiz, Omar Khayyam. His poems have been greatly influenced by these Sufi and mystic writers and have been published in literary journals including Scarlet Leaf Review, Criterion, Literary Voyage, The Literary Herald, Tuck Magazine, Clairvoyance, and also in the poetry anthologies, Voice of Monarch Butterflies (2016) and Apple Fruits of an Old Oak (2016), Dandelion in a Vase of Roses (2017). All these anthologies were published in USA. His poems have been accepted for publications in a bilingual poetry anthology Where Are You From? which is expected to be published in May 2017. Photo: © Mahadi Kamaluddin Abu Sufian is delivering talk on a Research Symposium at International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review, Abu Sufian! Scarlet Leaf Review: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. Abu Sufian: First of all, thanks for taking this interview. It is a great pleasure for me to be interviewed by Scarlet Leaf Review. I was born in Comilla district of Bangladesh. Since my school years I have been a curious boy. I studied science in my school, and then I moved to college to study business studies. Although I liked literature since my school days, I never thought in a million years that I would become a writer or a poet someday. I did my bachelor in English language and literature, and this gave me an opportunity to read literature more extensively and dive deep into the literary realm. I was amazed by Robert Frost’s magnificent poems; Shakespeare’s enthralling plays; Jane Austen’s reformative novels; and many as such. However, beside my study, I worked as a journalist in Bangladesh for a few years. In 2013, I moved to Malaysia to pursue higher education. SLR: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? AS: Yes, indeed. I think everyone’s school days are remarkable and unforgettable; so are mine. And school years have great impact on whatever you do later in your life, because that’s where our mind’s ideas are initially formulated. I am not an exception. I can mention one thing in particular: studying science in school have had a great impact on my writing. Although I quit science and moved to other areas of studies, what I learned about physics, chemistry and biology has been very genuinely stuck in my mind. So, I continued my journey of own to know more about science, our world, life and the universe at large, going beyond the academic study and classrooms. You will see many references of scientific things in my poems and writings. I am very happy about it and that is what makes my school years so dear and important to me. SLR: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? AS: I was good at English compared to my peers during my school and college years. Over the years, I tried to improve my English as it was the medium of my study both in my undergraduate and in Master’s. By the way, Einstein is my most favorite scientist after the great astronomer Galileo. SLR: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? AS: When it comes to literature, I don’t aim for any material gain as it is very close to my heart and I nurture creative works as something that will serve the society by entertaining and reforming. So, there is no monetary ambition. My ambition mainly is to transcend some of my messages that I want to convey to the society. And I believe literary works are the most effective ways to influence and reform people’s mind. Other than composing poetry, I am also interested in writing novels and short stories which you will see in coming years, hopefully. In a nutshell, my ambition as a writer and poet is to reform society in a positive way without getting any material gain from it. SLR: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? AS: This is my favorite question to answer. I would divide it in two segments: first, the writers who made me love literature and the ones who inspired me to write. Firstly, my love for literature is formulated and fueled by some poets from my motherland (Bangladesh) and some English writers. Among the Bengali (national language of Bangladesh) writers, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sufia Kamal, Begum Rokeya, Jahir Raihan, Rabindranath Tagore and many more. The English writers include T. S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Jane Austen, John Keats, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O'Neill, Virginia Wolf, Arthur Miller, Walt Whitman, and many more to count. Secondly, the poets and writers who inspired me to write are not the English or Bengali writers; they are the Sufi writers. In 2014, during my Master’s study, I studied legendary Sufi poets and mystics Rumi, Omar Khayyam, Hafiz, Sa’adi, and Shams Tabrizi. These great poets actually very much formulated and convinced me to write more and more. Although I used to write poems when I was eight, I never thought to get my works published till I am exposed these Sufi writers. I never experienced anything like that before in my life. Their writings are unbelievably enthralling and there are no words to explain the depth and gravity of their poems until and unless someone read their poems and try to comprehend the ideas himself/herself. SLR: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? AS: So far, I have mainly composed poetry, both in English and Bengali (also known as Bangla) and two short stories. Among the poems, I have about 70+ poems that were published in books and literary magazines. I have not published my short stories yet. However, as I am researcher of English literature, I also produce critical writings that include journal articles, newspaper articles, book reviews, interviews and so on. The readers may have a glimpse of my critical writing at https://iium.academia.edu/AbuSufian. So far, my poems have been published in literary journals including Scarlet Leaf Review, Criterion, Literary Voyage, The Literary Herald, Tuck Magazine, and Clairvoyance. My poems also got published in the poetry anthologies, Voice of Monarch Butterflies (2016) and Apple Fruits of an Old Oak (2016) and Dandelion in a Vase of Roses (2017), these anthologies were published from USA. Some poems have been accepted for publication a bilingual poetry anthology, Where Are You From? It is supposed to be published in May, 2017. SLR: Where can we buy or see them? AS: You can buy and see them using the following links: Anthologies: Voice of Monarch Butterflies: https://www.amazon.com/Voice-Monarch-Butterflies-Eastern-Anthology/dp/1533565198 Apple Fruits of an Old Oak: https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Fruits-Old-Oak-Contemporary/dp/1539428974 Literary Journals/Magazines: Scarlet Leaf Review: http://www.scarletleafreview.com/poems6/abu-sufian-poems The Criterion: http://www.the-criterion.com/V5/n6/Abu.pdf The Literary Herald: http://tlhjournal.com/uploads/products/36__abu_sufian_poem.pdf Tuck Magazine: http://tuckmagazine.com/2016/10/13/poetry-566/ Hall of Poets: http://www.hallofpoets.com/2016/08/hall-of-poets-poetry-of-week-abu-sufian.html SLR: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? AS: Currently I am working on some short stories. Writing poems – in both English and Bengali – is something I do on a regular basis. I have been invited by some journals to submit poems, I am working on it. I am planning to start of writing a novel. Hopefully, I will start it soon after the gestation period of thinking process and a little of research. SLR: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? AS: As per as genre is concerned, I follow the postmodern trend. Literature should be open and diverse, there should not be any set rules that writers should follow. In the early 19th century, the romantic poets successfully broke the long-standing tradition of “order, accuracy, and structure” of the Neoclassical period (1660 – 1798), and thus the Romantic Era (1798–1832) brought a tremendous change in literary thinking. If we still follow rigid structure or genre, then we will go backward in history. So, I don’t want to subscribe my work into any genre. But if you want to define it, my poems would fall under the genres of narrative, satirical, haiku, prose poetry and so on. I have plans to write some science fiction novels in future. SLR: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? AS: I think to become a poet does not have much to do with decision or planning as we do it related to many other stuff in our life. It is something like an Epiphany, a feeling and/or a moment of truth. There is an urge deep inside the heart that wants to speak out for truth and beauty. As per as I am concerned, I got the real inspiration from the legendary sufi poets to compose poems and publish. I would especially like to mention the Sufi poets Jalaluddin Rumi (1207–1273), Omar Khayyam (1048–1131) and English poet Robert Frost (1874–1963). Apart from these inspirations, personally I also felt an indomitable urge from within myself to speak out against the corruption and the human sufferings all around the globe. I was thinking a way out to spread my words, and I found poetry as a very powerful tool through which I can inspire many people and thus transcend the ideas I have in my brain. SLR: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen and put verses down? AS: Again, I would say the urge that I feel from within. I feel a strong sense of responsibility as I consider myself to be privileged with a pen and paper, and food in my mouth. Many people in the world can’t even eat 3 times a day, millions of people are homeless. 1 out of every 7 people living on this planet go to bed with hungry stomach; 20,000 children die every day due to malnutrition (according to UN). Having seen all these statistics and the sheer horror they bring along, I could not resist me. I am not a politician, nor am I a wealthy person; so, I can’t fix this thing directly. That’s why I decided to write and raise human consciousness. SLR: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write everyday, 5 days a week or as and when? AS: I am a part-time writer now. Writing is not my profession, I outlined above why I am eager to write. From my part, there is almost no monetary ambition when it comes to producing literature. I don’t have any specific time, but I love to write at night, especially late at night when most of the people are at sleep. It is a great experience of waking up the whole night and at the end of the night you start writing. SLR: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? AS: I am not sure where do they (ideas) come from. In my childhood, I heard that, ‘ideas come from God’. I am not sure about ideas’ origin: is it a human mechanism resulting from our biological evolution of the brain, or does a divine source put the ideas in human brain? However, I am sure that ideas exist and they are the key players in whatever we do as human race. My ideas are inspired by a number of things. They include: a movie, a song, a poem, a piece of art, a painting, a photograph, a moment of joy/sadness, an experience and a dream. I don’t see any specific conjuncture, maybe a photograph could be so. SLR: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? AS: Relying on undeniable scientific evidence, I believe it very strongly that all living things evolve and everything evolves including humans, plants and the universe at large. But to be honest, I have not noticed how I have evolved creativity. It is so spontaneous and unplanned process that it is tough to detect the nature of creative evolution. It is something like growing up from infancy to boyhood, and boyhood to adolescence. You know you are growing up, but you can’t detect the process. SLR: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? AS: I think the hardest thing about writing is to force the brain to write when it is exhausted, and some occasions, to forget an amazing idea which you previously planned to write something on. SLR: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? AS: I think there nothing easiest in writing. It’s all about hard work, pushing yourself and strong sense of commitment to society. SLR: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? AS: Yes, many times in a year I suffer from ‘writer’s block’. I handle it so nicely that it is no more a problem for me. I simply stop writing and try to go somewhere far from where I live, somewhere close to nature. Nature can heal it so perfectly. In the case of ‘writer’s block’, my simple advice for other writers would be: stop writing and go to nature. SLR: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? AS: As a student of literature, I read a lot of literary stuff. In last few years I have given my focus to many other areas other than literature. The areas include philosophy, science, theology and psychology. It is difficult to give a short list of writers as favorite. However, they include Reza Aslan, Tariq Ramadan, John Hick, Richard Dawkins, Yuval Harari, Alain de Botton and Paulo Coelho. Though I read lots of soft copies, I prefer traditional paperback books. SLR: What book/s are you reading at present? AS: Currently I am reading Excellence Without a Soul by Harry Lewis. SLR: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? AS: At the moment, I myself do the editing. SLR: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network worked best for you? Any tips on what to do and what not to do? AS: As I can observer, Facebook is an effective medium for promotion or marketing as it has over a billion users worldwide. Publishers can run ads in Facebook to attract more people to buy their books. SLR: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? AS: My favorite motivational saying is a quote by English novelist & essayist George Orwell: “In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” The favorite positive sayings are too many to count. However, here is a glimpse of them: “Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation.” ~Rumi “Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.” ~ Robert Frost “I may disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” ~Voltaire “It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” ~Aristotle SLR: What advice would you give to your younger self? AS: Don’t let yourself be convinced by the ideas that are not true. SLR: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? AS: I would love to meet the Sufi poet Rumi. He was a great human being. Till today, he is an inspiration for billions of people. I like honesty and truthfulness in a writer. Rumi does not pretend to know all the truths about life, world and the universe. He tried to know and showed his ignorance and inability to fathom the truth. This is why I like him. SLR: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? AS: Write with honesty and truthfulness. Your writing should spread love and kindness in people. That’s all. SLR: Where do you see publishing going in the future? AS: It is very evident. The publishing norms will change radically in a about a century’s time. Almost all the publishing will be online publication. Hardcopies will be outdated. SLR: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included? AS: Yes, you might ask me about people who helped and inspired me to publish. I would like to thank the editor and poet, Soodabeh Saeidnia. She is a very good friend of mine as well. Her contribution to my writing career is immense and incomparable. She inspires me every step of the way and helps me to get my works published in poetry anthologies that she edited. I can never repay her selfless care and support for my creative writings. Secondly, I would like to thank the editor Michael Lee Johnson who is a great inspiration. Other than this, my friends, family members and most important of them all—the readers who read and like my poems, send me emails, like my Facebook poetry page and thank me for my poems. SLR: How can readers discover more about you and you work? AS: They can get me via my Facebook poetry page: https://www.facebook.com/Sufian.Author/ They can also search me in Google: ‘Poet Abu Sufian’ or email me at sufiand2k@yahoo.com Facebook: facebook.com/sufian.iium Twitter: twitter.com/AuthorSufian Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/abu-sufian-b41253a4/ Instagram: instagram.com/the.silent.poet/ Google Plus: plus.google.com/+SufianImon Poem Hunter: www.poemhunter.com/abu-sufian/ SLR: Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. INAUGURAL ISSUE FOR PRINTED MAGAZINE
After long deliberation – it’s been over a year already, we have finally decided to start a magazine in print. The name will be the same Scarlet Leaf Review but the content will be different than what will be featured in the online issue. If the online issue is scheduled on 15th of the month, at 4 a.m. Eastern Time, the printed issue will be scheduled on the first of the month and the inaugural issue will be in print on June 1st. Why a printed magazine? There are several reasons, among which:
It will have 48 interior pages and 4 covers – all color, premium quality. I have enlisted the services of a very good desktop publisher with a few years of experience so that the final product would look professional. Due to the print costs, we won’t be able to offer a free copy of the physical magazine to the authors (at the beginning, because I DO HOPE THINGS WILL CHANGE IN A FEW MONTHS) but they will receive the printable PDF. The sale price will be 12.99 USD (we can also provide the shipping prices but, to give you a general idea, they go from around 4.90 USD for the United States to 8.62 USD for India. Ironic, shipping to Canada is more expensive than shipping to Romania and Germany. The print is made in USA!!! For subscription, payable directly to the publishing house, we can get the magazine for you at the following prices:
There is a limit in the number of pieces we can accept for print. I apologize in advance if we have to reject for print and accept only for online. We decided to accept short-stories over 6 pages if we can turn them into a series. Opinions? Advice? We are open enough, I hope, to listen to all of you. Editor in Chief, Roxana Nastase Renee Drummond-Brown is an accomplished poetess with experience in creative writing. She is a (Summa Cum Laude) graduate of Geneva College of Western Pennsylvania and graduate of The Center for Urban Biblical Ministry (CUBM). Renee’ is still in pursuit of excellence towards her mark for higher education. She is working on her sixth book and has numerous works published globally which can be seen in cubm.org/news, KWEE Magazine (Liberian L. Review), Leaves of Ink Magazine, New Pittsburgh Courier, Raven Cage Poetry and Prose Ezine, Realistic Poetry International, Scarlet Leaf Publishing House, SickLit Magazine, The Metro Gazette Publishing Company, Inc., Tuck, and Whispers Magazine just to name a few. Civil Rights Activist, Ms. Rutha Mae Harris, Original Freedom Singer of the Civil Rights Movement, was responsible for having Drummond-Brown’s very first poem published in the Metro Gazette Publishing Company, Inc., in Albany, GA. Renee’ also has poetry published in several anthologies and honorable mentions to her credit in various writing outlets. The Multicultural Student Services Office of Geneva College presented her with 2nd prize in the Undergraduate Essay Contest. Renee’ also won and/or placed in several poetry contests globally. She was Poet of the Month Winner in Our Poetry Archives, 2017, and in the prestigious Potpourri Poets/Artists Writing Community. The author has been interviewed by Urban Heroes Blog Talk Radio and her poetry aired on Fifth Wall Radio. She has even graced the cover of KWEE Magazine in the month of May, 2016. Her love for creative writing is undoubtedly displayed through her very unique style and her work solidifies her as a force to be reckoned with in the literary world of poetry. Renee’ is inspired by non-other than Dr. Maya Angelou, and because of her, Renee’ posits “Still I write, I write, and I’ll write!” Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review!
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I, Renee’ B. Drummond-Brown, am the wife of Cardell Nino Brown Sr. and from our union came Cardell Jr., Renee’ and Raven Brown. I am the offspring of Mr. Peter C., and the late Barbara Ann Drummond of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. My siblings are Delbert D. Drummond and the late Pastor Shawn C. Drummond. I was born in North Carolina, at Camp Lejeune US Naval Hospital. I am a graduate of Geneva College of Western Pennsylvania; with a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Ministry Leadership and a Biblical Theology Studies Minor. I also hold a Christian Ministry Associates degree from The Center for Urban Biblical Ministry (CUBM) and plan to study creative writing in the fall semester. My love for creative writing is undoubtedly displayed through my very unique style of poetry. My poetry is inspired by God and Dr. Maya Angelou. Because of them, I pledge this: “Still I write, I write, and I’ll write!” Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? I do feel that my school years, especially; the English, Humanities and Wisdom literature courses taken while in college had a major impact on my writing prose. However, during my earlier years in school; books such as Great Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald charted my writing path. I was an extremely shy student, somewhat awkward and required remedial guidance in math and science in my earlier years. However, writing has always been my oxygen and poetry would later define my voice. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? I was ‘NO’ Einstein in school, but, English was not a nightmare for me either. In fact, looking back at some of my report cards; I always had pretty decent marks in English and penmanship. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? Prayerfully, to obtain a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree and become a renown poetess. My long term and SMART goal is to become a household name. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? I have been inspired by Paul Laurence Dunbar and Dr. Maya Angelou’s work for years, because, their writings are strikingly similar. As a woman of color; I can identify with their plight through poetic thought/accounts. Their impact and writing prose left a legendary perspective on my worldview. Both writers have affected me in a profound way, therefore, my love for poetry is a template of their legacy. I cannot leave out that I absolutely love, love, love Dr. Maya Angelou’s gift for poetic gab which left a huge impact on my writing prose. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? I have written 5 books thus far and presently working on 6 & 7 simultaneously. My books include “A B.A.D. Poem”, “The Power of the Pen”, “SOLD: TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER”, “Renee’s Poems with Wings are Words in Flight-I’ll Write Our Wrongs!” and an e-Book “Renee’s Poems with Wings are Words in Flight.” Q: Where can we buy or see them? My books are Hardback, paperback and in e-Book form and are available online; sold on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kindle, Nook and in over 33,000 websites globally. I am published with AuthorHouse Publishing Company, WestBow Press Publishing Company and The Metro Gazette Publishing Company; Albany GA.-Chief-in-Editor Judith Hampton-Thompson. Q: What are you working on at the minute? What's it about? I am presently in the photo selection and cover design stage with my up-coming book “A B.A.D. Poem” so WATCH OUT FOR IT!!! However, I don’t want to give away the books clues (just yet) but, what I will say is that the book will drift you on a memory and it is dedicated to the memory of my beloved mother Barbara Ann Drummond. Her initials were used to come up with the book’s title. THIS BOOK IS MY BABY! Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? Renee’s Poems with Wings are Words in Flight are a plethora of poetic thoughts penned to inspire and nurture the soul. I am drawn to poetry because you can start a story and finish it all in the same day. For me; short, pithy writes are the way to go. Q: How much research do you do for your books? Approximately 90% of research went into my poetic accounts because I was attending college while writing my books. Q: When did you decide to become a writer and why? What was the principal reason for taking up a pen (metaphorically speaking) and write that first sentence? I began writing as early as five years of age (and loved, loved, loved every minute of it). However, because of Publisher Judith Hampton-Thompson, of the Metro Gazette Publishing Company taking a personal interest in my poetry; she challenged me to begin to take my own craft more seriously, which then caused me to fulfill my desire and finally write that book. Nevertheless, I considered myself a writer while at Geneva College; year 2013, when Rutha Mae Harris of Albany, GA., Original Freedom Singer and Civil Rights Activist gave my poem titled: “Ms. Rutha Mae Harris” to Judith Hampton-Thompson, Publisher, Metro Gazette Publishing Company to be published. It was at that very moment that I knew, that I knew, that I knew that I was an Author. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I write full time for now, until Grad school starts in the fall. I try to write every single day 24/7; 7 days a week! As previously stated in my book, “SOLD: TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER”, “WRITING IS MY OXYGEN” (Drummond, R., p.xii). My favorite hours to write are in the still of the night between 12:00 & 6:00 AM. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? My writing ideas come from Scripture (The King James Bible), oppression, injustices that reflect periods in time relating to slavery, Civil Rights Movement, and the plight of the 21st century children. Q: How do you think you've evolved creatively? I have evolved creatively because of this scripture “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2Timothy 2:15 KJV). Q: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? I never write creatively with an outline or plot. I ‘ALWAYS’ write backwards. I must see an ending to create the beginning. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? The hardest thing about writing is the lost time stolen away from family and friends. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? The completion phase of each book is ‘ALWAYS’ worth the author’s wait. Q: Do you ever get writer's block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer's block? YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! I dread writers block. Nevertheless, I had to learn when to hold ‘em’, when to fold ‘em’ and when to walk away from a writing project!!! Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I love to write vs. read! Nonetheless, my favorite authors are Alice Walker (The Color Purple), the late poets, Dr. Maya Angelou and Paul Laurence Dunbar. I prefer traditional paper/hard back books, because, I’m old school and want the book in my hand. Q: What book are you reading at present? I am currently reading Phenomenal Woman by Dr. Maya Angelou. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? I am presently working on my newest book cover for “A B.A.D. Poem” and I don’t want to give away the cover design; just yet. However, it is important to note* that I will publish a brilliant 10 year old Author by the name of Angelo C. Collins work, within this book. His parents and I are extremely proud of his highly proclaimed credit. I am not a picture person; therefore, “The Power of the Pen” book cover was designed in text which included my photo to finally introduce me to my readers/followers. It was my husband’s idea for my photo to be placed on that particular book cover. I came up with the “SOLD: TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER” book cover because of the theme of that particular book, which was centered on our past, present and future as African American people. For example: one poem in my book is titled: “Tell ‘em’” which is a poetic account of a 14 year old slave girl who visits my dreams and request over and over again that I “tell ‘em’” all about her troubles which includes her being sold on the auction block. Therefore, the cover “SOLD: TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER” was derived from that poetic account. “Renee’s Poems with Wings are Words in Flight-I’ll Write our Wrongs!” book is a collection of poetic accounts designed to have colorblind justice. Therefore, I used a justice scale of good vs. evil on the book cover (appearing as though evil is outweighing the good) however, this Biblical scripture sets the background tone for the book cover “But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you (Matthew 6:27-28 KJV). Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Definitely yes!!! If one is a visual learner like me; the colors, photo and graphic design is what brings the book title/message to life, which ultimately enhances the buying process. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? The advantage of self-publishing is the fact that you are the Publisher, Editor, and Designer. You get the last say. Buck stops with you!!! YOU’RE IT!!! As oppose to a publisher/publishing house rejecting various ideas as it relates to your creativity and thought. Q: What do you do to get book reviews? I allow my books to speak for themselves and then I read the various reviews on Amazon. Q: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network works best for you? My very first published e-Book is what introduced me to social media in 2015. My daughter and namesake, Renee’, advised me that Face Book was a necessary tool to use to properly market my books/e-Books. Face book and LinkIn are the social media sites that I use to advertise my book links. I also belong to numerous poetry groups on Face book and post poetry frequently. I have been interviewed by Chief-in-Editor Fiona McVie of the United Kingdom, Author Susan Joyner-Stumph of Wildfire Publication Rhythm And Muse Artist, KWEE Liberian Literary Magazine and even graced their cover in May, 2016. I have even been featured as a spotlight poetess online and have won and/or placed in several poetry contests globally which is wonderful media marketing. Q: Do you think that giving books away free works and why? Book give always are always good because it makes the reader connect to you as a writer and want to tell others more about you as an author. On another note* Author Halif Khalif Khalifah just requested of me on Face Book; one of my books for nominees for Black Book Awards for Excellence in Black Literature, which is also another way to promote your work by giving away free books. Q: How do you relax? I relax with Scriptures, music, meditation and memories. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? My favorite motivational phrase and/or positive saying is actually one of my own quotes taken from my book: The Power of the Pen which is "You can’t break me; you didn’t make me” (Drummond-Brown, R., p.xxi). Q: What is your favorite book and why? My favorite book is The Holy Bible, King James Version; because it’s the ‘only’ infallible truth. Q: What is your favorite quote? One of my favorite quotes is “And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth” (Genesis 8:7 KJV). I absolutely love this quote, because, I see myself as that ‘black bird’ that travels to and fro with an ordained poetic flow. Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? I see myself with a Master’s degree completion and possibly (God willing) in a Doctoral program. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? I would have advised myself to put more emphasis and focus on my education. I would have become a Doctor of Philosophy. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? The advice that I have to offer to aspiring writers is “education is the key that turns your future” (Drummond-Brown, R.) which is a quote taken from my book as well. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? Because social media has become so technological, I see publishing advancing leaps and bounds. Q: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven't included? “Step out on faith, find your purpose and write your own legacy” (Drummond-Brown,R.,). Q: How can readers discover more about you and your work? Readers can discover more about me and my books on the following links . . . Face book: https://www.facebook.reneedrummond-brown.com Online Magazines: https://blackfemaleauthors.blogspot.com/2017_01_01_archive.html?m=0 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1815694168756410&set=a.1785500651775762.1073741828.100009475342444&type=3&theater https://www.joomag.com/magazine/kwee-liberian-literary-magazine-jan-iss-vol-0115-may-issue-vol-0515/0554819001467508398?page=35 Author’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Pen-Renee-Drummond-Brown/dp/1524640948 http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001114530 https://www.amazon.com/Sold-Highest-Bidder-Renee%C2%92s-Flight/dp/1504968395 http://bookstore.authorhouse.com/Products/SKU-001068789/Sold-To-the-Highest-Bidder.aspx https://www.amazon.com/Renees-Poems-Wings-Words-Flight/dp/1490887946 http://bookstore.westbowpress.com/Products/SKU-001005621/Renees-Poems-with-Wings-Are-Words-in-Flight.aspx My Poetry/Interviews have aired Fifthwall and Urban Heroes Blog Talk Radio: https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-Morneau/e/B010R8THEY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cubm/2015/01/21/show-29-renee-drummond-brown--graduating-in-may Fifthwall Radio. Santa Fe, New Mexico. Radio Station, Hosted By Jack Kolkmeyer. http://www.fifthwallradio.com https://authorsinterviews.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/here-is-my-interview-with-renee-b-drummond-brown/ Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Dear Loyal Readers, First of all, thank you! You are an important reason for the existence of this magazine. We want to thank all the people that visited the site between March 20th and today, all the 81,123 of them. April issue is live at 4 a.m. Eastern Time, as always, and brings a new collection of poems and stories which will entertain you or make you think. Authors from all around the world will welcome you when you open the pages of our magazine. Enjoy! Don't forget: if you hover with your mouse over APRIL 2017, a drop-down menu will appear and you can choose: poems, short-stories or non-fiction. On the right hand of each page, there are categories. If you want to read the work of a specific author, you can find the author's name under categories. Click on the name and.... voila! You're exactly where you want to be. Have fun! Dear Readers,
March issue is live at 4 a.m. Eastern Time. With some delay, I know.... Life happens, though. This is a very rich issue and you have lots of poems and stories to enjoy. As always, we've had a chance to feature really talented authors and poets. Let me reiterate: there might be some format problems here and there - too many pieces and too little time! What's important is the words - they tell you the story or the poem. Without too much ado.... Enjoy! Don't forget: if you hover with your mouse over MARCH 2017, a drop-down menu will appear and you can choose: poems, short-stories or non-fiction. On the right hand of each page, there are categories. If you don't want to go through all the featured pieces and want to read something specific, you can find the author's name under categories. Click on the name and.... voila! You're exactly where you want to be. Have fun! Pst! Don't forget to leave a few words for the talented authors. A comment .... goes a long way. INTERVIEW WITH PHYLLIS LABRIE MORNEAU Phyllis Labrie Morneau was born in 1953 in Manchester, NH and was blessed with a loving Mom and Dad and 2 wonderful Sisters. She has been happily married to her husband, Rich, for almost 45 years and is blessed with 3 sons, 1 daughter, 1 daughter-in-law, and 7 grandchildren. The desire to write a personal memoir for her family, especially her grandchildren, was the reason for writing her 1st book "From My Heart to Yours: A Legacy of Love". She wanted to share her family's story and their love and also share God's story and His amazing love, too. It was originally published in May 2011. Her 2nd book "My Season of Writing" was also written with her grandchildren in mind. It is a collection of Bible Bedtime Stories, Poems, Prayers, and Songs written during a recent season of her life. Her grandchildren enjoy reading before going to bed so have enjoyed reading the stories and poems from each book. Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review!
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. I am 64 years old, retired, and have been married for almost 45 years to my best friend - my husband, Rich. I have 3 sons, 1 daughter, 1 daughter-in-law, and 7 grandchildren. I currently live in Tennessee but I grew up in New England. I was blessed with a loving Mom and Dad and 2 wonderful Sisters. I was raised in the Catholic Church, which gave me a good foundation for my faith. However, although I knew about God, it wasn't until I was 20 years old, that I surrendered my life to God and really came to know Him as my Lord and Savior. Actually, it is this knowledge of His love and saving grace that inspires me to share it with everyone who has an open heart to receive it through my writing. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? I really enjoyed school and my favorite subject was always English. My favorite assignment would be to read a book and then write a report about it. I found it very easy to write but, if we had to give an oral report, that was more difficult for me. I have always been a little shy and do not feel comfortable speaking in public. Although my speaking voice has not been my strength, my writing voice has always been strong. Q: Were you good at English or like Einstein you excel now in a field that was a nightmare for you as a student? I always got good grades for English in school. I remember that I took my Scholastic Aptitude Test in high school and scored such a high mark on the English and Essay portion that I was nominated for the National Honor Society as a result. You mentioned Einstein and it reminded me of the time when I visited the Amercian Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge, TN. It was very interesting and informative but spending a few hours learning about all the mathematics and science involved actually gave me a headache. I remember thinking that I would like to visit a Museum of Storytelling next time. :) Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? I would like to continue to write as I feel led by the Lord. For me, I think of my writing not so much as a career, but as a ministry. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? My favorite poet is Maya Angelou. Everything that she wrote - whether books, poetry, essays, or a memoir - she wrote from her heart. Her poetry, especially, touches my heart and affects me in a profound way. Each poem expresses her incredible wisdom and strength of character. I think that many people, including myself, have a new appreciation of poetry because of her. Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? I have written 2 books. The 1st book that I wrote is a memoir called "From My Heart to Yours: A Legacy of Love". The 2nd book that I wrote is called "My Season of Writing: Bible Bedtime Stories, Poems, Prayers, and Songs". My husband teases me that I can make a short story long and I guess that I can make a short title for a book long also. :) Q: Where can we buy or see them? They are both available for the Kindle and Paperback on amazon.com. They are also available for Paperback on barnesandnoble.com. They are also listed on Goodreads website. Q: What are you working on at the minute? What's it about? At the moment, I enjoy writing essays about hope for my community Facebook page "Hope for the Daily Grind: Morning Meditations on God's Word". It focuses on the importance of having hope for daily life and the very real hope that we can have by meditating on the Promises of God in His Word. I also enjoy writing poetry as I feel inspired to do so. Q: What genre are your books and what draws you to this genre? My books are Christian non-fiction and Christian poetry. I have been inspired by reading books in that genre and hope that my books will inspire people as well. Q: How much research do you do for your books? For my memoir, I was blessed to be able to ask questions of my Mom and Dad to hear the stories of their life as well as those of their parents. I also looked at family photographs to help me remember stories about my own life. It was a way for me to share the love of our family with my children and grandchildren. For my book of poetry of Bible stories, I spent a lot of time studying the Bible. It was a way for me to share my faith with everyone. Q: When did you decide to become a writer and why? What was the principal reason for taking up a pen (metaphorically speaking) and write that first sentence? To be honest, although I loved reading books as a child, I didn't have a passion to write until I was 51 years old, in 2004, when my husband was stationed in Iraq. I wrote to my husband faithfully every day, either by email or by letter, sharing news of life back home in West Hartford, CT. It was therapeutic for me to write creatively from my heart in a positive and humorous manner. It helped me to continue to be optimistic and lighthearted during a difficult year when my husband was so far from home. Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? I write part-time - a few hours a day. My favorite time to write is during my quiet time with the Lord in the morning. That is usually when the Lord places an idea about something on my heart. For example, my 2nd book "My Season of Writing: Bible Bedtime Stories, Poems, Prayers, and Songs" was written during my morning quiet time with the Lord. That is when I first got the deep desire to write some bible bedtime stories and prayers as nursery rhymes for my grandchildren to read at bedtime. After many months of writing, I decided to have the collection of poems published to share not only with my grandchildren but with my family and friends. Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? Usually my ideas come when I am praying or reading the Bible. But they have also come from a conversation with someone or a song that touches my heart or an inspirational book that I have read. I try to stay open to whatever I feel the Lord is placing on my heart to share with others through writing. Q: How do you think you've evolved creatively? I am enjoying the process of writing more than in the past. I used to be so focused and intense and serious about getting it done, that I really didn't enjoy writing as much as I do now. I had to take breaks every once in a while because I burned myself out. So now, although I definitely want to finish whatever I am working on at some point, I don't put as much pressure on myself to do it as soon as possible. Q: Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you? For my memoir, I originally made an outline for the book, which is the story of over 100 years of my family's history. For the book of poetry, I originally got the idea for it during a quiet time with the Lord. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? When I am in the flow of writing, I lose all sense of time and can easily write for hours. When I wrote my 1st book "From My Heart to Yours: A Legacy of Love" I spent many hours at a time sitting in my recliner using my laptop computer to write. I remember one time that I was literally sitting for hours writing and found that, when I finally did stand up, I was so stiff that I actually had trouble walking. :) So, for me, the most difficult part of writing is to be patient, pace myself, and take breaks periodically. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? The easiest and most rewarding thing about writing is the ability to share it on my Facebook page and have friends and family read it and respond to it. Q: Do you ever get writer's block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer's block? I have gotten writer's block, when it feels that the well has gone dry, and the only way for me to deal with it is to take a break from writing for a little while. It is usually because I overdue it and then feel burned out and just need some time to get refreshed and renewed. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? I love to read! My favorite authors are John Eldredge and Philip Yancey. I prefer eBooks because you can change the font to make it larger. I know that I am showing my age now. :) Q: What book are you reading at present? I am currently reading a book called Prayer by Philip Yancey. Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? The graphics for the original cover of my 1st book was done by one of my sons. I had originally self-published on 48hrbooks.com. However, it did not have enough resolution to be used as the cover for the kindle version of the book on amazon.com. But I liked it so much that I included it on the 1st page of the kindle book. Q: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process? Yes - I think that the cover definitely plays an important part in the buying process. Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around? The main advantage to self-publishing is the ability to get your work published quickly and not have to wait to get it accepted by a publishing house. Q: What do you do to get book reviews? The main way that I have gotten book reviews is to make the books available for free during the 5 day free kindle book promotion on amazon.com every 3 months. That is usually when most people will obtain my book and write a review. Q: What are your views on social media for marketing? Which social network works best for you? Social media is a wonderful tool to market my books. I use Facebook to get the word out about my books. I have over 4,500 friends on Facebook so I often share information about my books on my personal page. I also belong to several book groups on Facebook so share information about my books on there, too. Many of my Facebook friends have book blogs so I have done some author interviews and book spotlights on there as well. Q: Do you think that giving books away free works and why? What works best for me, to have the most people read my books, is the 5 day free kindle book promotion on amazon.com every 3 months. Q: How do you relax? My husband and I enjoy retirement. I actually wrote a poem called When You Retire about the fact that every day is now a holiday. We love to go on long walks and enjoy nature together. We also enjoy going to the movies, too. And I love to find new recipes to cook for my family. We also enjoy travelling where I always take many pictures and then later enjoy organizing them and putting them into photo albums. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? My favorite motivational phrase or positive saying is actually a quote by Maya Angelou. It is "If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded". Q: What is your favorite book and why? I think that my favorite book is Epic: The Story God is Telling and The Role That Is Yours To Play by John Eldredge. It is a book that delivers a powerful message of truth about the reality of our life being a grand drama with God as the Central Character and the Hero in our own story. It is very interesting and inspiring. Q: What is your favorite quote? My favorite quote from the book Epic is "The Lover of our souls, the One who has pursued us down through space and time, who gave His own life to rescue us from the Kingdom of Darkness, has made it clear: He does not want to lose us. He longs to be with us forever." Q: Where can you see yourself in 5 years-time? I hope that, five years from now, I will continue to spend time with the Lord as a priority every morning. I pray that I will continue to be open to write whatever He wants me to share. I also hope to continue to enjoy long walks with my husband every day and just be able to spend time with my children and my grandchildren. Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? I would tell my younger self to always write for the same reason as when I first began -- to simply bless and encourage another person with the right words at the right time, sharing what's on my heart, and hopefully make a significant impact on their life. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? I would simply advise any aspiring writers to just start writing. If you have the desire to share something that is on your heart or something about your life that would benefit others, than do it. It is not easy but it is very rewarding. Q: Where do you see publishing going in the future? I think that self-publishng is increasing each day and will continue to do so. Q: Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven't included? I would like to encourage my older readers to take time to write your own memoir for your family and friends. Everyone has a unique story that is significant and can enrich and inspire other people by sharing it. I also would like to encourage the poets who are reading this interview. I feel that poetry is important as a creative way to share and express what is on our hearts with one another. I originally started writing nursery rhyme poems for my grandchildren based on stories from the Bible as a way to share my faith with them. It was a challenge for me to write in rhyming prose but also very rewarding. I also wrote poems about my love for God and for my family. And I enjoyed writing some inspiring poems about the hope we have in God and also a few humorous poems about my life as well. Q: How can readers discover more about you and your work? Information about me and my books and my writings can be found on the following links . . . Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phyllislabriemorneau/ https://www.facebook.com/phyllislmorneau/ https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=hope%20for%20the%20daily%20grind%3A%20morning%20meditations%20on%20god%27s%20word Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Phyllis-Morneau/e/B010R8THEY/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14781769.Phyllis_L_Morneau Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. Dear Readers,
February issue is live! Enjoy lots of poems and stories. We've had a chance to feature really talented authors in this issue. There might be some format problems here and there - too many pieces and too little time! What's important is the words - they tell you the story or the poem. There were several other pieces accepted for this issue, unfortunately, the email address used by those authors made it impossible for us to let them know. We do regret it, as there were a few excellent pieces. Enjoy! For our readers: A Romance Book Sale You Don’t Want to Miss!The day is here, lovelies! Feb 11-12, 2017, hop on over to https://romancebooks.blog to load your Kindle or e-reader with lots of FREE and $0.99 romance books! On January 15, 2016, the first issue of the Scarlet Leaf Review saw the light of the Internet. One year after, it's reached 462,478 hits and offered us the joy of reading and publishing authors of all nationalities, ages, genres and ideas. It's been an interesting year - we have grown a lot and learnt a lot. This year opened our eyes to a new world of literature. We have had the chance to publish authors for the first time but also to enjoy the writings of seasoned authors. There is more ahead of us but we are proud of what we have accomplished with the contribution of so many talented people. We are also grateful for the chance we have had - to encounter so many promising talents and to join a world of ideas and principles. We want to thank you all of you: authors and readers. You have made this year of existence exciting and memorable. The Jan 15 2017 edition will not follow the same recipe as the ones before. The structure is different. Don't worry: we aren't as nonconformist as we may seem! On Jan 16, the regular issue will be live as well and will not differ in structure as this one. Keep in mind, you can look at the categories on the right side of the page and find the name of the author you want to read. Let's also not forget that Jan 15 is the anniversary of the great poet Mihai Eminescu, the misunderstood genius, whose words are so compelling that people learnt Romanian just to be able to read his poems in original. We published some of his poems in the first issue of this magazine, however, we will republish one of them - Evening Star - as it is one of his most famous poems: EVENING STAR There was, as in the fairy tales, As ne'er in the time's raid, There was, of famous royal blood A most beautiful maid. She was her parents' only child, Bright like the sun at noon, Like the Virgin midst the saints And among stars the moon. From the deep shadow of the vaults Her step now she directs Toward a window; at its nook Bright Evening-star expects. She looks as in the distant seas He rises, darts his rays And leads the blackish, loaded ships On the wet, moving, ways. To look at him every night Her soul her instincts spur; And as he looks at her for weeks He falls in love with her. And as on her elbows she leans Her temple and her whim She feels in her heart and soul that She falls in love with him. And ev'ry night his stormy flames More stormily renew When in the shadow of the castle She shows to his bright view. * * And to her room with her slow steps He bears his steps and aims Weaving out of his sparkles cold A toil of shaking flames. And when she throws upon her bed Her tired limbs and reposes, He glides his light along her hands And her sweet eyelash closes. And from the mirror on her shape A beam has spread and burns, On her big eyes that beat though closed And on her face that turns. Her smiles view him; the mirror shows Him trembling in the nook For he is plunging in her dream So that their souls may hook. She speaks with him in sleep and sighs While her heart's swelled veins drum: -"O sweet Lord of my fairy nights, Why comest thou not? Come! Descend to me, mild Evening-star Thou canst glide on a beam, Enter my dwelling and my mind And over my life gleam!" And he listens and trembles and Still more for her love craves And as quick as the lightning he Plunges into the waves. The water in that very spot Moves rolling many rings And out of the unknown, dark, depth A superb young man springs. As on a threshold o'er the sill His hasty steps he leads, Holds in his hand a staff with, at Its top, a crown of reeds! A young Voivode he seems to be With soft and golden hair; A blue shroud binds in a knot on His naked shoulder fair. The shade of his face is of wax And thou canst see throughout - A handsome dead man with live eyes That throw their sparkles out. -"From my sphere hardly I come to Follow thy call and thee, The heaven is my father and My mother is the sea. So that I could come to thy room And look at thee from near With my light reborn from waves my Fate toward thee I steer. O come, my treasure wonderful And thy world leave aside; For I am Evening-star up from And thou wouldst be my bride. In my palace of coral I'll Take thee for evermore And the entire world of the sea Will kneel before thy door. " -"O thou art beautiful as but In dreams an angel shows, The way though thou hast oped for me For me's for ever close. Thy port and mien and speech are strange Life thy gleams don't impart, For I'm alive and thou art dead And thy eyes chill my heart. " * * Days have past since: but Evening-star Comes up againd and stays Just as before, spreading o'er her His clear, translucent rays. In sleep she would remember him And, as before, her whole Wish for the Master of the waves Is clinching now her soul. -"Descend to me, mild Evening-star Thou canst glide on a beam, Enter my dwelling and my mind And over my life gleam!" He hears: and from the dire despair Of such an woeful weird He dies, and the heavens revolve Where he has disappeared. Soon in the air flames ruddy spread, The world in their grip hold; A superb form the spasms of the Chaotic valleys mold. On his locks of black hair he bears His crown a fierce fire frames; He floats as he really comes Swimming in the sun's flames. His black shroud lets develop out His arms marbly and hale; He pensively and sadly brings His face awfully pale. But his big wonderful eyes' gleam, Chimerically deep, Shows two unsatiated spasms That but into dark peep. -"From my sphere hardly I come to Follow thy voice, thy sight; The bright sun is my father and My mother is the night. O come, my treasure wonderful And thy world leave aside For I am Evening-star from up And thou wouldst be my bride. O come, and upon thy blond hair Crowns of stars I shall crowd, And more that all of them, up there, Thou wild look fair and proud. " -"O thou art beautiful as but In dreams a demon shows, The way though hast oped for me For me's for ever close. The depths of my breast ache from the Desire of thy fierce love My heavy, big eyes also ache When into them thine shove". -"But how wouldst thou that I come down? Know this - for, do I lie? -: I am immortal, while thou art One of those that must die!" -"I hate big words, nor do I know How to begin my plea; And although thy discourse is clear I don't understand thee. But if thou wantest my flamed love And that would not be sham, Come down on this temporal earth, Be mortal as I am!" -"I'd lose my immortality For but one kiss of thine! Well, I will show thee how much too For thy fierce love I pine! Yes, I shall be reborn from sin, Receive another creed: From that endlessness to which I Am tied, I shall be freed!" And out he went, he went, went out, Loving a human fay, He plucked himself off from the sky, Went for many a day. * * Meanwhile, the house-boy, Catalin, Sly, and who often jests When he's filling with wine the cups Of the banqueting guests; A page that carries step by step The trail of the Queen's gown, A wandering bastard, but bold Like no one in the town; His little cheek - a peony That under the sun stews; Watchful, just like a thief, he sneaks In Catalina's views. -"How beautiful she grew" - thinks he - "A flower just to pluck! Now, Catalin, but now it is Thy chance to try thy luck!" And by the way, hurriedly, he Corners that human fay: -"What's with thee, Catalin? Let me Alone and go thy way!" -"No! I want thee to stay away From thoughts that have no fun. I want to see thee only laugh, Give me a kiss, just one!" -"I don't know what it is about And, believe me, retire! But for one Evening-star up from I've kept my strong desire!" -"If thou dost not know I could show Thee all about love's balm! Only, don't give way to thy ire And listen and be calm. So as the hunter throws the net That many birds would harm, When I'll stretch my left arm to thee, Enlace me with thy arm. Under my eyes keep thine and don't Let them move on their wheels And if I lift thee by the waist Thou must lift on thy heels. When I bend down my face, to hold Thine up must be thy strife; So, to each other we could throw Sweet, eager, looks for life. And so that thou have about love A knowledge true and plain, When I stoop to kiss thee, thou must Kiss me too and again. " With much bewilderment her mind The little boy's word fills, And shyly and nicely now she Wills not, and now she wills. And slowly she tells him:- "Since thy Childhood I've known thy wit, And as thou art and glib and small My temper thou wouldst fit. But Evening-star sprung from the calm Of the oblivion, Though, gives horizon limitless To the sea lone and dun. And secretly, I close my eyes For my eyelash tears dim When the waves of the sea go on Travelling toward him. He shines with love unspeakable So that my pains he'd leach, But higher and higher soars, so That his hand I'd ne'er reach. Sadly thrusts from the worlds which from My soul his cold ray bar. . . I shall love him for ever and For ever he'll rove far. Like the unmeasured steppes my days Are deaf and wild, therefore, But my nights spread a holy charm I understand no more!" -"Thou art a child! Let's go! Through new Lands our own fate let's frame! Soon they shall have lost our trace and Forgot even our name! We shall be both wise, glad and whole As my judgement infers And thou wouldst not long for thy kin Nor yearn for Evening-stars!" * * Then Evening-star went out. His wings Grow, into heavens dash, And on his way millenniums Flee in less than a flash. Below, a depth of stars; above, The heaven stars begem, - He seems an endless lightning that Is wandering through them. And from the Chaos' vales he sees How in an immense ring Round him, as in the World's first day, Lights from their sources spring; How, springing, they hem him like an Ocean that swimming nears. . . He flees carried by his desire Until he disappears. For that region is boundless and Searching regards avoids And Time strive vainly there to come To life from the dark voids. 'Tis nought. 'Tis, though, thirst that sips him And which he cannot shun, 'Tis depth unknown, comparable To blind oblivion. -"From that dark, choking, endlessness Into which I am furled, Father, undo me, and for e'er Be praised in the whole world! Ask anything for this new fate For with mine I am through: O hear my prayer, O my Lord, for Thou gives life and death too. Take back my endlessness, the fires That my being devour And in return give me a chance To love but for an hour! I've come from Chaos; I'd return To that my former nest. . . And as I have been brought to life From rest, I crave for rest!" -"Hyperion, that comest from The depths with the world's swarm, Do not ask signs and miracles That have no name nor form. Thou wantest to count among men, Take their resemblance vain; But would now the whole mankind die Men will be born again. But they are building on the wind Ideals void and blind; When human waves run into graves New waves spring from behind. Fate's persecutions, lucky stars, They only are to own; Here we know neither time nor space, Death we have never known. From the eternal yesterday Drinks what to-day will drain And if a sun dies on the sky A sun quickens again. Risen as for ever, death though Follows them like a thorn For all are born only to die And die to be reborn. But thou remainest wheresoe'er Thou wouldst set down or flee. Thou art of the prime form and an Eternal prodigy. Thou wilt now hear the wondrous voice At whose bewitched singing Mounts woody get skipping to skies Into sea Island sinking! Perhaps thou wilt more: show in deeds Thy sense of justice, might, Out of the earth's lumps make an empire And settle on its height! I can give thee millions of vessels And hosts; thou, bear thy breath O'er all the lands, o'er all the oceans: I cannot give thee death. For whom thou wantest then to die? Just go and see what's worth All that is waiting there for thee On that wandering earth!" * * His first dominion on the sky Hyperion restores And like in his first day, his light All o'er again he pours. For it is evening and the night Her duty never waives. Now the moon rises quietly And shaking from the waves, And upon the paths of the groves Her sparkles again drone. . . Under the row of linden-trees Two youths sit all alone. -"O darling, let my blessed ear feel How thy heart's pulses beat, Under the ray of thy eyes clear And unspeakably sweet. With the charms of their cold light pierce My thought's faery glades, Pour an eternal quietness On my passion's dark shades. And there, above, remain to stop Thy woe's violet stream, For thou art my first source of love And also my last dream!" Hyperion beholds how love Their eyes equally charms: Scarcely his arm touches her neck, She takes him in her arms. The silvery blooms spread their smells And their soft cascade strokes The tops of the heads of both youths With long and golden locks. And all bewitched by love, she lifts Her eyes toward the fires Of the witnessing Evening-star And trusts him her desires: -"Descend to me, mild Evening-star Thou canst glide on a beam, Enter my forest and my mind And o'er my good luck gleam!" As he did it once, into woods, On hills, his rays he urges, Guiding throughout so many wilds The gleaming, moving, surges. But he falls not as he did once From his height into swells: -"What matters thee, clod of dust, if 'Tis me or some one else? You live in your sphere's narrowness And luck rules over you - But in my steady world I feel Eternal, cold and true!" ----------------- Poezii Romanian Voice Teodora Dumitriu was born and lives in Campina, Romania. Passions: children, books and English. Sometimes, she writes. INTERVIEW WITH TEODORA DUMITRIU Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. Funnily enough, I used to be an engineer because I’ve always loved the poetry of mathematics too. Spent twenty-eight years in the field of Power Engineering. Switched this year to teaching English to small children – an old dream come true. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? School years have had a huge impact on my whole life. Teachers made me see the difference between doing the thing(s) you love and just doing your job. I used to be an avid reader and a curious kid anyway. School made me develop a fascination for the dynamics of teaching and learning, of giving and receiving. School years made me even more curious about the whole of existence. Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? Well, to begin with, I’m not yet a writer/poet – and my wish is to become one. Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? You know, I took the question very seriously and began to make a list: Rumi, Yeats, Neruda, Hafiz, Baudelaire, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, Sylvia Plath, Maya Angelou, Mary Oliver… and at some point the ridiculousness of the list made me laugh, feeling like a donkey rating and labeling birds’ voices in order to DESCRIBE the way they inspired it (the donkey) to sing. Then the hypocrisy of name-dropping made me sad - there are many non-famous poets whose names I can’t remember (out of laziness and carelessness - Internet era, everybody’s out there, so much to read and you just skip the names sometimes, go straight to the verses and then jump from one webpage to another, from one thing to another and can’t find your way back) but whose poems equally made me GASP. Goodness me. ALL poets inspire(d) me – by making me ache with the wish of being able one day to make one poem that would make one person gasp. And then another. And another. And if I were to pick only ONE poet that I love, that would be e. e. cummings – his poetry simply makes me ANGRY it wasn’t ME who wrote it! . Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? In English, PRECISELY 12 [sic] poems FINISHED (I’d add a LOL, the editor permitting). A bit more prolific in Romanian. Q: Where can we buy or see them? Every poem I ever wrote so far is here, within The Scarlet Leaf Review. Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? Trying to convince myself it’s the right time to try to find that splendidly unyielding frame of mind so as to stop procrastinating and begin thinking seriously about beginning to refurbish a moth-eaten writing called The Game. It’s a kind of patchwork prosetry which sort of sums up random thoughts that crossed my mind some times … based on rhymes - that are meant to distract the reader from noticing that there’s no structure, plot or reason and metaphors - to mask the author’s apprehension for precision. Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? Hesse put it like this: “We fear death, we shudder at life's instability, we grieve to see the flowers wilt again and again, and the leaves fall, and in our hearts we know that we, too, are transitory and will soon disappear. When artists create pictures and thinkers search for laws and formulate thoughts, it is in order to salvage something from the great dance of death, to make something last longer than we do.” Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? Funnily enough, sometimes i see pictures in a flash but look for words to paint them until the cows come home; some other times words just whizz by splashing against the canvas/paper like crazed colours, so fast so fast so fast that the ear/eye can’t keep up with the nonsensical mess... BUT these ones are the best sort – basically, in a few months/years they write themselves (you just have to find something productive to do meanwhile). Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? I’m getting used to using fewer and fewer adjectives. Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? In English - DEFINITELY phrasal verbs. Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? Hanging around, hands in pockets, in a state a total bliss, while an equally elated doppelganger scribbles, frenziedly, the BEST verses you’ve ever read. Usually, in the morning, they (the verses) look different. Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? Oh, I get it all the time. My method is simple, low-cost and effective: cross out-replace, cross out-replace cross out-replace until it sounds really TERRIBLE and you get REALLY mad. Then tear up the piece of paper (very, VERY small bits) and SWEAR you won’t be doing the bloody thing EVER again. Then QUIT (for a few days/weeks/years). Do the dishes, make babies, walk the dog, get a PROPER job. You won’t believe the SURGE of inspiration this method brings forth. Oops, I’ve disclosed THE tip. Yes, I do use PAPER. The advantage being that i can destroy the abhorred words THEMSELVES and not another innocent object that happens to be around – which makes the ritual, as stated before, HIGHLY effective. Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Used to be a voracious reader; not anymore – who knows why. Twain, Vonnegut, Thackeray, Tolstoy, Twain, Rushdie, Hesse, Voltaire, Twain, Coelho, Huxley, Tolkien, Twain. All the aforementioned poets. Oh, and Mark Twain. Paper books FOREVER (nothing whatsoever against Kindle, BUT). Q: What book/s are you reading at present? Am re-re-re-re-re-reading Narcissus and Goldmund. And it’s only the interviewer’s fault! Seriously now, NOTHING compares with re-re-re-re-re-re-reading a book that you love. Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying? Huck Finn’s "All right, then, I'll go to hell”! Q: What is your favorite book and why? “Narcissus and Goldmund” – Hermann Hesse. Because it’s absolutely perfect – the form complimenting the content and vice-versa, in the way described by the author himself: “Art was a union of the father and mother worlds, of mind and blood. It might start in utter sensuality and lead to total abstraction; then again it might originate in pure concept and end in bleeding flesh. Any work of art that was truly sublime, not just a good juggler's trick; that was filled with the eternal secret, like the master's madonna; every obviously genuine work of art had this dangerous, smiling double face, was male-female, a merging of instinct and pure spirituality.” Q: What is your favorite quote? It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. - Mark Twain Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? Mark Twain. I’d like to hear him speak. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us! INTERVIEW WITH DARRELL HERBERT Darrell Herbert is a nationally recognized poet and author. He is a gold key recipient, as well as a recipient of a National Silver Medal, presented by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2014. He was selected as a final inclusion for the "Best Teen Writing of 2014," by Hannah Jones. He has been published twenty-three poems so far. His poetry has been featured in the likes of Writers- Black Artists Connected Blog, Yellow Chair Review, Poetic Treasures Magazine, Section 8 Magazine, Media Blast Press, as well as in HangTime Magazine and The Lemonade Stand Magazine three consecutive times respectively Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review! Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background. Darrell Herbert: I am a Pisces, and I write for those who feel misunderstood, ignored, bullied, unheard, etc. Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school? Darrell Herbert: Yeah, in school, I would often incorporate my creativity in my assignments, and/or presentations Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career? Darrell Herbert: I would love to get more recognition for my writing. However, I often times hate the attention that comes with gaining recognition for my writing because I am an introvert Q: Which poets have inspired you and how? What was their impact on your work or your literary perspective? Darrell Herbert: My favorite poet is Sylvia Plath. Her impact on my writing is clearly shown. She had a way of putting words together, and I could relate to her feelings of isolation, rejection, and resentment towards certain aspects of her life involving her writing Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far? Darrell Herbert: I am a nationally recognized poet and author. I am a gold key recipient, as well as a recipient of a National Silver Medal, presented by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards of 2014. I was selected as a final inclusion for the "Best Teen Writing of 2014," by Hannah Jones. My poetry has been featured in the likes of Writers- Black Artists Connected Blog, Yellow Chair Review, Poetic Treasures Magazine, Section 8 Magazine, Woman of P.O.W.E.R. blog, Media Blast Press, as well as in HangTime Magazine and The Lemonade Stand Magazine three consecutive times respectively Q: Where can we buy or see them? Darrell Herbert: You can find my poetry in "Best Teen Writing of 2014," by Hannah Jones, Writers- Black Artists Connected Blog, Yellow Chair Review, Poetic Treasures Magazine, Section 8 Magazine, Woman of P.O.W.E.R. blog, Media Blast Press, as well as in HangTime Magazine and The Lemonade Stand Magazine Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about? (*if relevant) Darrell Herbert: I am currently working on writing more poetry, recording more songs, writing songs for other musicians, among other projects Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems? Darrell Herbert: I decided to become a poet because I felt ignored, misunderstood, lonely, and isolated. And my decisive factor was when I wrote my first writing on my wall using black marker Q: What makes you write? What’s the force behind taking your pen (or your keyboard) and put verses down? Darrell Herbert: What makes me write is my experiences. Whether the focus be about relationships, societal issues, or other topics I personally write about Q: Do you write full-time or part-time? Do you have a special time to write or do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when? Darrell Herbert: I write whenever I feel like it. I usually write during an emotional time in my life, or when I want to bring up certain topics Q: Where do your ideas come from? Or is it just the spur of the moment, a special feeling you experience or a specific conjuncture that offers you inspiration? Darrell Herbert: My ideas come from my emotions. I am a Pisces. Therefore, I tend to be more emotional, as opposed to other people. But, that is okay because I'd rather express myself through my writings Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively? Darrell Herbert: I have evolved creatively by listening to musicians such as Revibe, Last Dinosaurs, The Drums, Rich Hil, the Live From Underground collective, Purity Ring, FTHRSN, Kali Uchis, Odd Future, Melody's Echo Chamber, The Streets, Electric Guest, Grizzly Bear, I Am Abomination, Rosangelica Lopez, King Krule, Loveable Rogues, The Crew, French K, Jon Bap, Beach Fossils, Jamee Cornella, Daisy Hamel-Buffa, Freelance Whales, Panda Bear, Animal Collective, B.R.E., Angeline Sol, AJR, Matt & Kim, MVSCLES, Local Natives, Section Boys, Kuru, Tanasia, DIIV, Siddeeq Haneef, Steve Lacy, Lo Sè, I Used To Be A Sparrow, Point Point, Useless Dave, Born Joy Dead, Soul Monsters, Havana House Party, Sol Stones, Vante, The Cads, and Suede Islands Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing? Darrell Herbert: I believe the hardest thing about writing is word choice Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing? Darrell Herbert: I believe the easiest thing about writing is letting it out Q: Do you ever get writer’s Block and if so do you have any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block? Darrell Herbert: I do get writer's block. And just listen to other kinds of music. Broaden your horizons Q: Do you read much and if so who are your favorite authors? For your own reading, do you prefer eBooks or traditional paper/hard back books? Darrell Herbert: My favorite authors include Sylvia Plath, Ezra Pound, Staceyann Chin, Tupac Shakur, and Darrell Herbert. I am an avid reader of confessional poetry. And I prefer traditional books Q: What book/s are you reading at present? Darrell Herbert: "In Pain," by Darrell Herbert Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you? Darrell Herbert: I do proofread/edit all of my books Q: Who edited your last book and how did you select him/her? Darrell Herbert: I edited my last book Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about? Darrell Herbert: The cover for my book actually came from staring at the floor Q: What advice would you give to your younger self? Darrell Herbert: Speak up Q: Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why? Darrell Herbert: Sylvia Plath and Kurt Cobain. They had a huge impact on my writing style Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? Darrell Herbert: Stop worrying about what other people think. Love yourself. Love your writings Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work? Darrell Herbert: Readers can discover more about me by reading my poetry. Each poem is a different part of me. Therefore, more information about my experiences are constantly being updated Facebook: Darrell Herbert Facebook Page: Darrell Herbert Instagram: tales_life Tumblr: darrellherbert Vimeo: Darrell Herbert |
ISSN 2369-8446
To bring joy to readers everywhere. Archives
June 2023
Categories
All
http://roxananastase.weebly.com/
|