Slipping through the cracks

I forgot to mention a prose poem I had published in Doorknobs & BodyPaint’s Issue 59 (August 2010). It was fun little piece to work on.

The theme for the issue was”Hot, August Nights” and one of the guidelines for submission was to use the phrase “spew forth.”

I found an older piece that I had always liked and reworked it:

Hallowed

The robin sits silent in my lap, resting gentle feathers while I play two clear notes, like drops of rain on dandelions. I close my eyes, and deep within the acrid, crackling hearth smells are sage, thyme, marjoram, yarrow. Around me, roots throb under moist soil; rabbits run in rhythmic hops; bushes rustle like chimes in winter; flowers quiver, their blossoms bursting. The heartbeat of this forest is mine, an undertone of breath and wind and pulsing beats beneath the greenery.

All sound catches in my throat when I see you, and I pull the pipes away. My tongue runs like the stream across my lips.

You step closer. I run my hand through gnarled hair, watching leaves fall. With quickened breaths, I lift my pipes again, my playing fiercer. I ache to taste salty tears gleaned in the flushed hollow of your young neck.

You stop.

I wait for a scream to spew forth and shatter my delicate opus; but you step toward me, and I am lost. Like the autumn winds, I toss off your frocks in a frenzied dust devil, crawl under your skin, and search for the rhythm of your own dark woods. I feast upon the song that fuels the fire in your eyes until all that is left is an echo, and your skin falls into feathers on the wind.

Goodreads and Longshots

Busy with the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame, I had not heard that Goodreads has a 2010 Goodreads Choice Award in several genres and categories until someone let me know they had written in a vote for The Silence of Trees (and so voted for me) as Favorite Debut Author for 2010.

http://www.goodreads.com/award/choice#41615-Debut-Author

There are 15 preselected titles on the board, but anyone can vote/write-in a vote after registering.

I know it’s incredibly unlikely for a small-press published magical realism novel like The Silence of Trees to win, but let’s give it a try! I’ve seen many examples in my life of the unlikely becoming reality, of people succeeding against the odds. It’s part of my personal mythology, part of the reason I’m an optimist, and part of the reason I juggle the many things I do in life. I dream dangerously and work hard to make those dreams a reality.

If you have a moment, please go to the 2010 Goodreads Peoples Choice Awards and write in The Silence of Trees for Favorite Debut Author AND Favorite Cover Art (Didn’t Madeline Carol Matz do a fantastic job?!)

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful story to see this little novel make it to the top, despite the odds?

And a gentle reminder that if you are on Amazon and have read The Silence of Trees, please take a moment to review the novel, Those reviews really do help new books to get attention. Thank you!!!

Reading in Philadelphia at Robin’s Books on Dec. 11

Photo by Kyle Cassidy

I’m excited to return to Philadelphia this weekend, this time to do a reading at Robin’s Books Store and Moonstone Arts Center on Saturday, December 11, from 7-9pm. Robin’s Books is the oldest Independent Book Store in Philadelphia, opened by Larry Robin’s grandfather in 1936.

I’m thrilled to join the writers who have appeared at Robin’s Books over the last 40 years. I am also so happy to see the very dear Trillian Stars and Kyle Cassidy again.

Amy Blackthorn

There will be wine and treats. I’ll read from The Silence of Trees, have a Q&A, and sign some books.  I thought it would be fun to have a real life “vorozhka” or fortuneteller at the event since a tarot reading features prominently in the beginning of the novel. The talented Amy Blackthorn will be doing free tarot readings!

The Silence of Trees is magical realism set in WWII Eastern Europe and modern-day Chicago. It’s a story of sacrifice, folklore, friendship, and storytelling. I wrote it to honor my grandmothers and all women who live through war and too often are silenced. You can read more about the story behind the book here.

Cover Art by Madeline Carol Matz

“In The Silence of Trees, Nadya, the astonishing matriarch, war survivor, and narrator, weaves a remarkable life centered on fate, love, luck and choice while honoring the ghosts of her past. Her voice is an important and unforgettable addition to the post-war immigrant experience.” –Irene Zabytko, author of When Luba Leaves Home and The Sky Unwashed

Please help to spread the word. The more the merrier! I look forward to meeting you on Saturday.