icon caret-left icon caret-right instagram pinterest linkedin facebook twitter goodreads question-circle facebook circle twitter circle linkedin circle instagram circle goodreads circle pinterest circle

Blog

On the Brink of Discovery

An image can make quite an impression.

I still remember clearly the day I received the book cover image for my recent story collection, No Turning Back: Stories. I had received the email from world-renowned graphic artist, Hugh Syme, and the image attachment was hanging there, taunting me to open it. I tensed with excitement and clicked on the icon. The image flashed in my mind, seared it with a bolt of lightning. Decision made. Changed forever.

Since that day more than two years ago, the image has taken the driver's seat in my mind, taking me places I would not normally go, making me think beyond the boundaries of my imagination. I might even say the image has haunted me, for I still struggle with the meaning and the implications it conveys. What the hell does it mean?

A few weeks ago, I was mulling over poem ideas and the sheep popped into my head, as they often do. The damn sheep. So, I took the opportunity to look at the world through their eyes, in an effort to maybe, if I was lucky, gain some greater perspective and understanding. All I know for sure is the words leaked from my pen on to the page and I was left with the following poem.


On the Brink of Discovery


Two sheep stand at the edge of the precipice,
A lush green pasture under their cloven hooves,
Blue skies off into infinity but
Over the edge and down below lurks
A blackness broken only by a
Million blinking stars and a lonely moon
Lit by an unknown source.

The sheep seem to know that to
Step over the broken, rocky ledge
Will mean certain death, but
They are torn, for they are creatures of instinct,
Followers, but there is
No one left to follow but each other.
They look around, curiously, and wonder
Where the shepherd and the
Rest of the flock have gone.

The precipice represents the great divide
Between reality and dreams,
Between logic and facts and
The irrational delusions of a madman, and
The sheep struggle to make sense of
Their perceptions, but
They can assess for they are smarter than
They think, or we know, and
They pause and contemplate:

The fine thread between day and night.

The heart-flutter of hope and despair.

The inherent comedy of their daily lives.

Were the earliest Greek Philosophers insane and
Was Columbus’s course misdirected?

Is there a god, and if so, why has she waited so long
To lead us to this new, promised land?

Shall we remain in the pasture of comfort or leap
Into the adventure of the unknown?

The sheep rested in the tall grasses and ate.
Distraught that their brethren had left them,
They took comfort in knowing that
They at least had each other and could wait,
Together, for as long as they wished . . .
Until the answer came.
 Read More 
Be the first to comment

It's Been Quite a Ride

Greetings!

A lot has happened in the last few months, and I’d like to take a moment to share the highlights:

A Fine Line Wins Best Screenplay Award

My newest screenplay, A Fine Line, won the Best Screenplay Award at the 2014 Naperville Independent Film Festival (NIFF) Awards Gala on September 20th. It truly was an honor just to be nominated, but taking home the trophy was pretty darn cool. At the event, I had the opportunity to meet many film directors and producers and who knows, maybe we’ll see the screenplay produced into a feature film sometime soon.

Want to see the award presentation? CLICK HERE .

A Fine Line is a story about a struggling writer with a secret government past who is hired by a wealthy philanthropist to investigate an old and unsolved murder case. The best part: it’s all set in Chicago.

Audiobook of No Turning Back is Now Available – Narrated by Yours Truly

With my first novel, Recalled to Life, I hired a narrator and audiobook producer to create the digital audiobook for me. The narrator, Dan McGowan, did a wonderful job. This time around, for No Turning Back, I had to take a different approach. In No Turning Back, I accompany each story with my personal notes regarding the thoughts and ideas that inspired me to write the story, and I felt it would sound strange having someone else narrate those parts in the book. So, I decided to narrate and produce the entire audiobook myself.

I want to send out a big "Thank You!" to the entire Chicago Arts Press team who urged me to narrate the book myself and who helped to edit and produce the audio. It was a great team effort and I love the result. Consider listening to the audiobook edition, which is now available through Audible, Amazon, and iTunes. Check out the free sample at each of the sites.

No Turning Back Receives Honorable Mention

My short story collection, No Turning Back: Stories, received an honorable mention from the judges of the 2014 Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Award. It’s a great honor to be a member of CWA and recognized along with the other award finalists.

If you’re not doing anything on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, consider attending the CWA Book Award Presentation event at The Book Cellar, 4736-38 Lincoln Ave., in Chicago’s Lincoln Square. I know I’ll be there to cheer on and support the winners.

Gift Shopping + Free Shipping

Get an early start on your holiday shopping by ordering books for the readers in your family. There is something for everyone. All orders placed from now until the end of the year will receive FREE SHIPPING.

Visit Our Store and Place Your Order Today!

Word of Art

Earlier this year, I submitted one of my poems, A Song of Reason, to the annual Word of Art program, produced in cooperation with In Print Professional Writers Organization. I’m humbled that Rockford artist, Jim Simmons, selected my poem as a basis for his artwork. His art and my poem were included in the published 2014 Word of Art hardcover edition.

A Song of Reason

I wonder what comes first, the
thought or the reason, the
melody or the words, and realize
I don’t think it matters,
as long as they come.

The composition of music, of life, is a
miracle best to be cherished,
rather than explained, or rationalized, or criticized.
But most of all, it must be nurtured.
The words and dots are the seeds to sow.
The instruments are the tools used to cultivate.
But it is the passion and the feelings and the love that
brings the words to the high heavens.

The artist feels the beat and
beats the feeling.
She makes note of the notes and
sings the song, right or wrong, and
gets it all out before there is no more.
It’s part inspiration, part perspiration,
part reflection, part projection, and
all introspection.

The path is clear, yet not without
a thousand doors, heavy doors, with
many locks and many keys.
The soul is untarnished and
the keys are there for the taking.

You can’t get it out unless you’re willing to go in.

Stay Up-To-Date Via My Facebook Author Page

Would you like more frequent updates? If so, "LIKE" my Facebook author page by clicking HERE.
 Read More 
Be the first to comment