scarlet leaf review - SCARLET LEAF REVIEW

OCTOBER 2017 ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE

10/15/2017

Dear Readers and Dear Authors,

The October issue of the Scarlet Leaf Review is live!
I am very proud of all the pieces featured in this issue. I can’t remember not to have been proud of the quality and variety of poems or stories featured in the magazine.
I read every single piece myself and I can tell you, dear readers, you are in for a very tasty treat. There are interesting poems and scary stories or touching poems and stories filled with emotion. There is adventure and introspection…
I can also proud mention that between January 15 2016 and October 14, there have been 1,375,835 hits on the site and between September 15 and October 15, 115,059 hits.
Every month seems to bring more readers and that is due to the authors who have been featured in the magazine. I won’t ever tire saying that they are vital to the very existence of this review.

And here it is, the October 2017 issue.

As always, if you hover with your mouse over Oct 2017, you find the drop-down menu, showing poems, short-stories and nonfiction. If you want to read the work of a specific author, click on the author’s name, on the right hand of the page under categories.

Have fun! Take your time and read them all!

Roxana Nastase
Editor in Chief

PUSHCART NOMINATIONS 2017

10/11/2017

PUSHCART NOMINATIONS
SCARLET LEAF REVIEW
PRINT AND ONLINE

Celeste Mohammed – White Envelope - https://www.scarletleafreview.com/short-stories2/category/celeste-mohammed    - July 15 2017

Ken Allan Dronsfield - Print September 2017 – Scarlet Leaf Review September Issue 3/2017 - CONCRETE WILLOWS SWAY
Page: 25

Heath Brougher -Print edition of Scarlet Leaf Review – August 2017 Issue 3 – A Letter to Mirrorism
Page 55

Robin Wyatt Dunn
https://www.scarletleafreview.com/poems10/category/robin-wyatt-dunn   - first poem
March 20 2017

William Quincy Belle - https://www.scarletleafreview.com/short-stories5/category/william-quincy-belle    The Radio Show
Feb 15 2017

Charles Hayes - https://www.scarletleafreview.com/non-fiction3/category/charles-hayes   - Henry’s or Before Leaving Appalachia
May 15 2017

SEPTEMBER 2017 ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE

9/15/2017

Dear Readers and Dear Authors,

The September issue of the Scarlet Leaf Review is live!
You don’t know how much relief I feel writing these words. I had a twinge of doubt now and then during the last two days.
Leaving my doubts aside, I have to say that I am proud of all the pieces featured in this issue. I am sure you will find every single one of them interesting, touching, thrilling…
I am also proud to say that between January 15 2016 and now, there have been 1,260,776 hits on the site and between Aug 29 and now, 98,556 hits.
As always, I have to thank the authors who have been featured in the magazine. They are vital to the existence of the review.
Without too much ado, here you are: issue September 2017.
Don’t forget, if you hover with your mouse over Sept 2017, you find the drop-down menu, showing poems, short-stories and nonfiction. If you want to read the work of a specific author, click on the author’s name, on the right hand of the page under categories.

Have fun!

Roxana Nastase

INTERVIEW SERIES - LEWIS J. BEILMAN III

9/7/2017

Lewis J. Beilman III lives in Hamden, Connecticut, with his family, dog, and two cats. He writes fiction in his spare time. His stories have appeared in Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, ArLiJo, Reed Magazine, and other literary publications. In 2009, he won first prize in the Fred R. Shaw Poetry Contest.
Outside of writing, Lewis enjoys reading, playing soccer, and volunteering in his community. He has a law degree from the University of Maine Law School and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Sacred Heart University—but he is first and foremost a writer.
You can find out more about Lewis at www.lewisbeilman.com and on Twitter and Instagram @LJBeilman3.

INTERVIEW WITH LEWIS J. BEILMAN III

Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review!
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
As a child, I moved a lot. By the time I was in high school, I had lived in Florida, Connecticut, Texas, a few other states, and Germany. That exposure to different places and different cultures helped make me open to accepting new things and being less judgmental toward people who aren’t “like me.” I think that exposure continues to help me view situations and characters through different lenses.
I started writing poetry in high school but stopped writing creatively when I was in college and law school. Eventually, after law school, I decided I didn’t want to be a lawyer and got a job for a short time as a journalist and editor. I started writing poetry again then (a little more than 15 years ago) but switched to fiction about seven or eight years ago. Primarily, I consider myself to be a short story writer.
Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career?
I’m very excited to have my novella, Fourth of July, published by Scarlet Leaf Publishing, and I’m hoping many people will read it. I’ve had several short stories published in online and print journals over the last few years, but my ambition is to have a collection of stories published. Currently, I have an unpublished collection called The Changing Tide, which I’ve submitted to agents and a few contests—so far with little success. It would be nice to see that collection in print someday. In the meantime, I keep writing stories and expanding my body of work.
Q: Where can we buy or see your published stories?
Links to my published stories can be found on my website, www.lewisbeilman.com. Also, my novella, “Gina and the Dolphin, which is in the collection, Garden of the Goddesses, and my stand-alone novella, Fourth of July, are available on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&text=Lewis+J.+Beilman+III&search-alias=books&field-author=Lewis+J.+Beilman+III&sort=relevancerank.
Q: What was the name of your last book? Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? What’s it about?

My book is called Fourth of July. It’s set in New York City and is a satire about privilege run amok. The main character, Ogden Goodman, is a wealthy lawyer who, harried one evening by boredom, hires a homeless man to perform for his family. The “success” of that evening's performance leads Ogden—and others he knows—to engage a variety of characters in a host of increasingly outrageous and disturbing activities.
The story was written before Donald Trump became President of the United States, but it is eerily—and unfortunately—relevant today. A friend told me that the book is likely to make many readers uncomfortable, but these are uncomfortable times. People—particularly Americans—should be discomfited.
Q: Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
Ben Affleck, definitely Ben Affleck. (That’s an inside joke. My brothers will get it.) If not Ben Affleck, maybe Matt Damon. In any case, either one of them can contact me if they want the movie rights. If I don’t answer my phone, they can leave a message. I’ll get back to them.
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 a full-time job. I try to write for 45 minutes to an hour a day before I go to work. I used to be better about keeping this schedule—but, when you have a family, dog, and two cats, it can be hard sometimes to squeeze in that writing time.
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?
Occasionally, I have an idea for a short story that comes out of the blue. Usually, though, I just sit down to write and a story starts to form. Later, when I’m running or walking the dog, I’ll ruminate on the idea for a while and flesh out the story in my head. As I work on the story day-to-day, it generally stays pretty true to the course I’ve plotted in my head.
Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing?
Finding time to sit and write is the hardest thing. For me, the best time to write is in the morning before anyone in the house is awake. It’s when my mind seems to be the clearest—and I don’t have to struggle with distractions.
Q: Now, what about the easiest thing about writing?
I don’t think there’s anything particularly easy about writing.
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 a little bit every day. My favorite authors are William Shakespeare, Kurt Vonnegut, Milan Kundera, and J.M. Coetzee. For short stories specifically, I like Raymond Carver, John Cheever, Junot Diaz, and Jhumpa Lahiri. I read print-edition books as opposed to eBooks—but only because I’m technologically inept. At some point, I’ll make a further stride into the 21st century.
Q: What book/s are you reading at present?
I’m reading Churchill and Orwell: The Fight for Freedom by Thomas E. Ricks. I like to rotate my reading between fiction and nonfiction.
Q: Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you?
I proofread and edit my own stories. Someday, perhaps, that will change. I wouldn’t mind having an editor to challenge me at times.
Q: How do you relax?
Ironically, physical activity helps me to relax. I play soccer, run, walk the dog, do yoga—these things seem to clear my mind and help me focus. I particularly enjoy playing soccer in an Over-40 league. I find that the world slips away whenever I’m on the pitch. I play winger mostly, but I’m more George Worst than George Best.
Q: If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?
Slaughterhouse Five. Of all the books I’ve read, I feel it contains the most perfect blend of sadness and humor.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Write, write, write. Like most things in life, the more you do something, the better you tend to get at it.
Q: How can readers discover more about you and you work?
Website: www.lewisbeilman.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lewisbeilman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LJBeilman3
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljbeilman3/

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.

NEW RELEASE
FOURTH OF JULY

Set in New York City, Fourth of July is a dark tale of privilege run amok. Ogden Goodman is a wealthy lawyer who, harried one evening by boredom, hires a homeless man to perform for his family. The success of that evening's performance leads Ogden--and others in his circle--to engage a variety of characters in a host of increasingly outrageous and disturbing activities. Lewis J. Beilman III crafts this satire with skill and humor and creates a world that seems, at the same time, both absurd and all too real.

“[Lewis] Beilman casts the satirist’s stink eye on the gilded lives of the bored and wealthy. Fourth of July is a clever, absurdist tale for the Opposite World where we all dwell now.”
Debra Dean, author of The Madonnas of Leningrad

“Grounded in scene and propelled forward by a satirically dark portrayal of white privilege, Fourth of July boldly depicts the bigotry, racism, and sheer absurdity that still plague contemporary American life. Refusing to offer easy answers or feel-good resolutions, this daring novella forces us to confront issues of class, race, and culture through a seemingly hyperbolic lens that at times can feel all too real. Anchored by self-assured prose, Lewis Beilman skillfully balances an incrementally disturbing plot and cast of central characters with a touch of humor, all of it leading to a powerfully unsettling conclusion. In today’s social and political context, Fourth of July is sure to linger long after it has been read.”
Dariel Suarez, author of In the Land of Tropical Martyrs

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BELIEVE: THE PRINT ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE IS LIVE!

8/31/2017

Dear Readers and Authors,

After a long struggle, the print issue of the magazine is LIVE!

I want to express my gratitude to you all because both the first and the second issue of the magazine have had an amazing success. A heartfelt thank you should go to the authors because they have made it possible. Without them, Scarlet Leaf Review wouldn’t exist. I know I have said it many times so far, but I can't stress enough how important is their contribution.

I know this third issue of the print magazine is a little late (all right, all right, a little more), yet, that was inevitable.

What I can do is to promise that something like that never happens again (if force majeure doesn’t intrude upon us…).

The first fall issue will not be printed before the 21st of September, and we aim for the same date from now on, as I’d like to offer a feasible and fixed time frame. As result, all issues will be out on the 21st.

With the August issue, as you can see, the number of pages has increased. Now, it is 96. We have received many valuable submissions and we cannot turn them down just to keep the number of pages and the price low. Hopefully, this will not be a deterrent for our readers.

It is very difficult to determine exactly how many pieces we can approve for a given month because of poems and their structure. With prose it is easy. We can calculate the number of words per page. That doesn't happen with poetry and poetry is dear to our heart. As result, submissions will be accepted for a season from now on, for instance fall. Thus, we can have two issues during that season with 48 or 60 pages, and the last issue of the season will include everything that didn't go through.

Without further ado, I give you the third issue of Scarlet Leaf Review. I know you’ve been waiting… I know I have.

Oh, I almost forgot the link: http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/1342436

Editor in Chief,
Roxana Nastase

INTERVIEW SERIES - INTERVIEW WITH HEATH BROUGHER

8/29/2017

Heath Brougher is the poetry editor of Five 2 One Magazine. He has published two chapbooks, "A Curmudgeon Is Born" (Yellow Chair Press) and "Digging for Fire" (Stay Weird and Keep Publishing Co.). He is a Best of the Net Nominee and was the judge of Into the Void's 2016 Poetry Competition. His work has appeared in both print and online journals in 12 countries and has also been translated into Albanian.

INTERVIEW WITH HEATH BROUGHER

Welcome to Scarlet Leaf Review!

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
I was born and raised in York, PA. My mom was pregnant with me during the Three Mile Island crisis which was only a 45-minute drive away from where she lived. I went to the most horrible middle/high school in the world with a bunch of snobs who put me through a daily grind of humiliation and ridicule because I would not "conform" and sell out my Individuality like they did. I've been writing my entire life but didn't begin to submit my work for publication until 3 years ago (at the age of 34) so I've got a ton of notebooks filled up and 59 books written that all need typed up and edited. I've already copied up more than a thousand of them and it's barely made a dent in the plethora of notebooks, so I've got a lot of catching up to do.
Q: Do you think that your school years have had an impact in your writing career? If so, what were you like at school?
Most definitely. As I said, I went to the snobbiest school in the state and had to deal with these scumbags on a daily basis. It was torture from 6th-12th grade. Writing was a great solace for me back then and remains a great solace to me.

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 always my favorite class. The one good thing about the horribly stuck-up school that I went to was that from grades 8th-12th my English teachers were amazing and it was always their classes I looked forward to the most. I was one of the few moronic American kids who actually went to school to learn things. I also had some really great history teachers along the way as well. I excelled at history because of my dad, who has a masters degree in history and pretty much shoved it down my throat as long as I can remember. Even as a little kid he'd tell me about certain events or make me watch certain documentaries and movies, which, of course I didn't like at the time because I was a kid and just wanted to play, but it came in really handy once I got to middle/high school and aced every history test I took. I'm still very grateful for it.

Q: What are your future ambitions for your writing career?
To have fun and help people along the way. My goal is to bring down the elitist journals which judge who and what they accept by a person's bio instead of the actual work itself. I recently spoke to a poet who has been in this lit world for 40 years and they told me they had worked for journals which would just throw out a submission without reading it if the bio wasn't good enough. I read blind at both of the journals I worked for and the contest I judged and the anthology I edited. I'm the co-editor of Into the Void Magazine which won the 2017 Saboteur Award after only 4 issues. How'd we do it ? By reading blind! I want to see a day where all journals read blind and the voices which should be heard get the proper chance. I want to level the playing field of this lit world.

Q: So, would you mind telling us what you have written so far?
As far as books, Alien Buddha Press recently published my newest, titled "About Consciousness." I'd like to thank Red Focks for accepting it and putting in all the amazing artwork that goes along with some of the poems. My. other books include "A Curmudgeon is Born," "Digging for Fire," and "Your Noisy Eyes," all of which were published in 2016. Also, the Issue 5 of Into the Void Magazine was recently released and I'm extremely happy and proud to say that it's our best one yet! We didn't think we could possibly top Issue 4 but we did!

Q: Where can we buy or see them?
All but one of my books are available on Amazon.com as well as Yellow Chair Review's website, Stay Weird and Keep Writing's Website, and Alien Buddha Press' website.

Q: What are you working on at the minute? What’s it about?
I currently have 17 different books I'm trying to get typed up and edited but my main focus is on the most important book I've written or put together so far which is titled "To Burn in Torturous Algorithms" which introduces a style of writing I've been developing as far back as age 17 which I call Spiralism. That is the book I need to find the perfect home for.

Q: When did you decide to become a poet? What was the decisive factor or you just took a pen and starting writing poems?
There was never a decision. I've just been writing ever since I learned how to I guess.

Q: How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?
I began a 12-year hermitage years ago, which I am just coming out of, during which I removed all mirrors from my apartment just so I could mirror only my own thoughts and not be influenced by the insanity of society. During that seclusion, I came across many original thoughts and had many great Epiphanies. The only way I think I've really evolved as far as outside influence is, now having read the works of Felino Soriano, Heller Levinson, and Alan Britt, which may occasionally have a subconscious effect on my writing.

Q: In your opinion, what is the hardest thing about writing?
Submissions. I've grown so tired of reading submission guidelines and putting submissions together that I've just been focusing more on the books I'm working on. I just counted and I've sent out a total of 59 submission so far, this year. I used to try to get one out every day.

Q: What book/s are you reading at present?
I'm currently buried under 18 different books I told people I'd write reviews for. I feel bad that it's taking so long to get them finished because I have all of these other obligations to juggle.

Q: Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?
That's what I need to start doing. Two of the books I've published were thrown together in one night.

Q: Tell us about the covers of your books. How did it/they come about?
Well, with my first book "A Curmudgeon is Born" I actually came across the perfect cover before I was even done putting the book together. Thankfully Dianne Borsenik stepped in and saved the day by getting me the artist's phone number so I could call and ask permission to use the image. Another cover was done by Bree Bodnar, and with my latest book I was given a chance to pick from a plethora of different images thanks to Red Focks, who is a great poet and artist.

Q: What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around?
I've never self-published anything of my books. I've always submitted to the presses. I do have two books I was thinking about self-publishing because they're just so "out there" that I can't foresee a press ever accepting one of them.

Q: Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?
Get out there and read. It's a great way to meet new people and get your work noticed. I've done several readings in Great Britain and a bunch of different U.S. cities.

Q: Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work?
I haven't yet but I'm planning a full-on assault of promotion once "To Burn in Torturous Algorithms" is accepted. Or, rather, IF it is ever accepted. I told myself I'd submit it for a year and a half and if they're no takers then I'll just self-publish it. It's the most important book I've put together so far and if I self-published it I wouldn't have to hold back on certain aspects of Spiralism which I've had to eliminate in order to make this first book more palatable to editors.

Q: What is your favorite motivational phrase? What is your favorite positive saying?
"Insist on yourself. Never imitate." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.

PROBLEM SOLVED! - IT SEEMS THAT THE PAYPAL BUTTON WAS THE PROBLEM!

8/19/2017

Everything works fine now.

Enjoy!

TECHNICAL ISSUES!!!

8/19/2017

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!!!

FINALLY, THE AUGUST ISSUE OF SCARLET LEAF REVIEW IS LIVE!

8/19/2017

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 SERIES - INTERVIEW WITH DAVID PERLMUTTER

8/13/2017

INTERVIEW WITH DAVID PERLMUTTER

David 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:

HONEY AND SALT
WHAM, BAM, THANK YOU, MA’AM!
A SUPERHERO NOVELLA
by David Perlmutter

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

8/10/2017

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 - THE NATURE'S GOLD
RECIPES FOR HEALTH

by MONA ILLINGWORTH & DANIEL ANDREWS

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.

ROBIN WYATT DUNN - LITERATURE IS THE ATOMIC BOMB

8/7/2017

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.

INTERVIEW SERIES - THE POET VATSALA RADHAKEESOON

8/3/2017

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.

INTERVIEW SERIES - THE POET PRANAB GHOSH

7/23/2017

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

INTERVIEW SERIES - THE POET FETHI SASSI

7/20/2017

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?

JULY ISSUE OF SCARLET LEAF REVIEW IS LIVE!

7/15/2017

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!

LOVE ON THE BRAIN - SUMMER WEDDING

6/23/2017

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!!!

JUNE 2017 ISSUE IS LIVE!

6/14/2017

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!

FIRST ISSUE OF SCARLET LEAF REVIEW IN PRINT IS LIVE!

5/30/2017

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.

Scarlet Leaf Review

Scarlet Leaf Review

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…

Find out more on MagCloud

MAY ISSUE IS LIVE!

5/15/2017

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.

BOOK LAUNCH - WATERSHED BY COLIN DODDS

5/14/2017

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!

INTERVIEW SERIES - ABU SUFIAN, THE SILENT POET

5/1/2017

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 MAGAZINE IN PRINT - June 1st 2017

4/27/2017

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:

my traditional view upon things – I love the smell of printed books (even when they are old and dusty)
in the event of an apocalyptic event that would wipe the Internet, at least one copy of this magazine would remain so that future generation could understand what we, as civilization, were about
we want to get to the point where we can pay our authors – it is your work, and you deserve it; we think of introducing some advertising after a few issues and that advertising would bring the funds that would help us offer some publication pay to the authors

The magazine will be on sale on MagCloud (http://www.magcloud.com/shop).
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:

one year subscription (12 issues) – 10.99/issue + shipping
half a year subscription (6 issues) – 11.99/issue + shipping

There is also the option to subscribe to the printable PDF:

one year subscription (12 issues) – 2.99/issue (no shipping, of course)
half a year subscription (6 issues) – 3.99/issue (no shipping)
one issue only (no subscription) – 4.99/issue (no shipping)

I understand that there will be a digital download from MagCloud but honestly, I didn’t write down the prices. However, I do remember that they will be around 7.00

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

INTERVIEW SERIES - RENEE DRUMMOND-BROWN

4/20/2017

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.

APRIL ISSUE OF SCARLET LEAF REVIEW IS LIVE!

4/15/2017

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Scarlet Leaf Review June 2018

Scarlet Leaf Magazine: Scarlet Leaf Review June 2018

Literary magazine, featuring authors from all over the world. You will enjoy love, nature and social poems, as well as thrilling prose, full of suspense, horror or humor.

ISSN 2369-8446

Monthly Issues - 15th

Scarlet Leaf Publishing House - Publisher

Roxana Nastase, Editor In Chief

Maria Basca,
Editor

Louis-Daniel Boulanger, Editor

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* founded on May 25 2012
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