Literary Lunes Magazine January 2012 Issue

Edited by Beth Ann Masarik

Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Literary Lunes Magazine copyright 2012 Beth Ann Masarik & Literary Lunes Publications. All rights reserve ! inclu ing the right to repro uce this book! or portions thereo"! in any "or# $ithout $ritten per#ission e%cept "or the use o" brie" &uotations e#bo ie in critical articles an revie$s. 'or in"or#ation about reprinting! istributing! or other$ise sharing the contents o" this book! please contact Beth Ann Masarik at in"o(literarylunes.co# 'irst e ition! )anuary 2012 *riginally publishe in paperback an e+book by Literary Lunes Publications ,nterior e ite by Beth Ann Masarik -over esign by Beth Ann Masarik .#ash$or s / ition Literary Lunes Magazine $$$.literarylunes.co# Literary Lunes Press $$$.literarylunespress.$ebs.co#

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

This magazine has become so much more over the last year. The people involved have worked extremely hard and it shows with each new release. I also like the welcome given to anyone who wants to be involved and how new submissions are always encouraged. I have no doubt that Literary Lunes will be very successful and the new blog will push that success even more. I'm happy to be associated with this group. !imi "arbour !ulti#published author # The $ild %ose &ress $hen "eth came to me a little more than a year ago and told me she wanted to start an online magazine for writers' I was impressed with her forward thinking. I'd never heard of such a thing before. (he continued to impress me with the level of )uality that has gone into every issue' the articles and interview procured' and the hard work she displays when she puts it together. It seems that every issue gains more readers and I am proud to say I am one of them' that I've been with it from the beginning. "eing on staff now' I hope to help Literary Lunes grow in *+,*. -rin .anzer

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Table of Contents Letter From the Editor Our New Blog Calendar of Events Blog Tours: Are They the New Book Tour !oetry !aloo"a # Never $anted to be a Coke %ealer &ood &irl $a'ky $riters %ream Cat'her There (ou )ave #t: *y O+inion The ,taff Affiliates

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Letter from the Editor %ear -eaders. )a++y New (ears from all of us here at Literary Lunes/ This is a very s+e'ial year for us. for we have many e0'iting things ha++ening in 1231/ First u+ on the list4ITS OUR ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY! (u+/ Literary Lunes *aga"ine is offi'ially one year old/ Can you believe it #t seems like it was only yesterday when # had the idea to start this baby u+5 # offi'ially set u+ the website on 6anuary 3st. 1233 and our first issue went live on our website on *ar'h 3st. 1233/ )ere we are. a whole year later/ This issue is full of im+ortant information. new stories. reviews. +oetry. advi'e. and im+ortant u+'oming events5 The ne0t few +ages are dedi'ated to the 'hanges and e0'iting events that are going to take +la'e this year5 %on7t worry/ These are good. +ositive 'hanges and events/ # sin'erely thank everyone for your su++ort during our first year. and for +utting u+ with all the 'hanges and the lateness of some of the issues5 # will be +osting a 'alendar on the ne0t +age of deadlines and events for this year5 As a friendly reminder. GOING FORWARD, ALL FUTURE ISSUES WILL BE PUT OUT BI-MONTHLY5 # am e0+e'ting this to be a 8E-( busy year for me. but a 8E-( good year at that5 $hy are we going bi9monthly That7s be'ause # am working on my se'ond novel :my first one was released in August of 1233;. and more im+ortantly. # A* &ETT#N& *A--#E%/ (es. that7s right/ # am getting married on O'tober 3<. 1231. so # need that e0tra time to format and +re+are the maga"ine around wedding +lans5 %on7t worry/ # will be sure to kee+ you guys u+dated on how things are going 5 $e already have the Chur'h and re'e+tion hall booked5 Anyway. # don7t want to bore you with all of that now though5 Let7s get on to the rest of the maga"ine. shall we # would also like to en'ourage everyone to +lease 'onsider +ur'hasing a +a+erba'k 'o+y of this maga"ine on Lulu5'om to hel+ su++ort the Literary Lunes website5 As you all know. running a website is not only hard work. and time 'onsuming. but 'an also be =uite 'ostly5 #7d like to im+rove the website and the features we have on it. +lus o+en u+ a 'afe+ress sho+ for it to sell Literary Lunes mer'handise5 %on7t worry. ALL ECOPIES WILL REMAIN FREE OF CHARGE! # would also like to be able to offer +ayment 'om+ensation for those who regularly submit to the maga"ine in the future. but # 'an7t do that unless the maga"ine makes a de'ent +rofit5 # ho+e that some. if not all of you wonderful +eo+le will 'onsider +ur'hasing a +a+erba'k 'o+y of ea'h issue to su++ort the maga"ine you all love/ Thanks for reading/ ,in'erely.

Literary Lunes Magazine Beth Ann Masarik

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1 Our New Blog

2012

One of the big projects that I have been working on over the last couple of weeks, is putting together a blog for the aga!ine" #he blog link is www"literarylunespublications"blogspot"co " $hat is the purpose of this blog you ask% $ell, I have at least thirty books on y bookshelf that I have been collecting since high school" My goal% My goal is to start weeding &I ean reading' the this year" After I read these books, I will then be reviewing the and posting the reviews on the new blog" In addition to those books, I received a Nook fro y beloved fianc( for )hrist as" *o you know what that eans% It eans that I can purchase even ore books and not have to worry about running out of storage space+ $hy a I telling you this% I a telling you this because I a now accepting book review re,uests+ -up+ #hat.s right+ I a now a book reviewer" My fianc(, /evin, has also agreed to give book reviewing a shot &I gave hi a Nook as well" 0ehe'" I would also like to welco e Barb 1ary, owner of the *iabetic 2nacker website, which is htt+:>>www5diabeti'sna'ker5'om> to the review tea " /evin and I will be reviewing fiction &all genres', while Barb will be reviewing Non3fiction" 4or our review policies, please visit the 5iterary 5unes blog" In addition to the reviews, I will also be participating in so e blog tours, including two in 6anuary, and one in March" In 6anuary, I will be hosting authors )"2" 2plitter and 2tephen 7rosapio" 2tephen is a fellow author fro Otherworld 7ublications & y own publisher', and )"2" 2plitter is a near and dear friend of ine that I have beco e friends with over the last few onths via 4acebook" #hese two guys are hysterical and wonderful writers+ -ou have got to check the both out+ )"2" 2plitter is an Independent author who published his debut novel titled #he 8eluctant, and 2tephen 7rosapio is the author of 1host of 8osewood Asylu "

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Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

-alen ar o" /vents 0ith the ne$ changes taking place to Literary Lunes this year! , thought it $oul be help"ul to list a -alen ar o" /vents. 1his $ay! it $ill help keep us all organize ! an $ill hope"ully give people #ore ti#e to prepare their sub#issions. )anuary 2012+A 2ery special birth ay an anniversary issue. 3ea line $as 3ece#ber 40th! 2011 "or sub#issions. 1he ne%t issue $ill release on March 3, 2012. 3ea line "or sub#issions "or March is February 23rd, 2012. 1he the#es "or March5s issues are6 2alentine5s 3ay or 7o#ance! an .ha o$s 8"or 9roun hog 3ay:. 'uture issues $ill be release on May 5th. 3ea line "or sub#issions "or May is April 21st. 1he the#es "or May5s issue are6 the en o" $inter;or beginning o" spring. March also has .t. Patrick5s 3ay an April has April 'ool5s ay. 1he "ollo$ing issue $ill be release on July 7. 3ea line "or sub#issions "or )uly! is June 20th. 1he 1he#es "or )uly5s issue are6 2eteran5s 3ay! Me#orial 3ay! Mother5s 3ay! 'ather5s 3ay! .u##er! an ,n epen ence 3ay. 1he ne%t issue $ill be release on September 8th. 3ea line "or sub#issions "or .epte#ber! is Au ust 20th. 1he the#es "or .epte#ber are .u##er an Labor 3ay. 1he ne%t issue $ill be release on !"#ember 10th. 8or there about.: Please re#e#ber that *ctober is #y $e ing #onth! an , $ill nee e%tra help an patience "ro# everyone "ro# .epte#ber+<ove#ber. , a# getting #arrie on *ctober 1=th! an $ill be on #y honey#oon right a"ter that. 1he ea line "or sub#issions "or <ove#ber! is $ct"ber 27th. 1he the#es are -olu#bus 3ay! >allo$een! 'all! an $e ings? <ove#ber $ill be the last issue o" 2012. , a# going to nee <ove#ber an 3ece#ber to get accli#ate into #y ne$ li"e as a $i"e o" a soon to be $on er"ul husban ? 1he ne%t issue a"ter <ove#ber! $on5t co#e out until )anuary o" 2014. , $ill post the the#es "or 2014 in <ove#ber5s an )anuary5s issues.

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Blog 1ours6 Are 1hey the <e$ Book 1ours@ By Beth Ann Masarik Blog tours see# to be the ne$ big thing $ith the rise o" the e+#arket "or books. 0hat is a blog tour you ask@ A blog tour is a virtual book tour $here an author can reach thousan s o" people $ith the click o" a button. 1he author or author5s publisher! publicist! or literary agent! reaches out to bloggers an asks the# to host the author. 1he author usually participates in intervie$s 8$hether they be $ith the author the#selves! or characters "ro# their book:! or a special guest post $ith a speci"ic topic. .o#eti#es authors even o special givea$ays? 1his raises the &uestion! AAre blog tours the ne$ book tours@B Let5s "ace itC $ith the rise o" the e+rea er generation! an the slo$ o$n"all o" tra e paperback books! , think it5s sa"e to say that the ans$er is D/.? , on5t kno$ about you guys! but , "in it very i""icult to get #y books on the shelves o" bookstores. /ven the book stores that , go to "re&uently are reluctant to stock a ne$ author5s books on their shelves. 0hy@ 1his is because o" the econo#y. Blog tours are a great $ay to boost up sales! both nationally an internationally. Plus! you get to visit other countries $ithout having to leave the co#"ort o" your o$n ho#e? 1he one i#portant thing that you nee to kno$ about planning blog tours is that they take ti#e to plan. Dou shoul try to book your blog stops at least a #onth be"ore the tour begins. 1his $ay! you $ill give the tour participants ti#e to prepare their blogs "or your visit an ti#e to rea an revie$ your book. 1here you have it "olks? 1he scoop on blog tours. >appy $riting?

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2012

Poetry Palooza Art A Anna By %enny E5 *arshall *any of the good +oems #7ve read #n books and maga"ines )ave been written by Art (ou know Arthur No one7s +ublished more Than Arthur Bn Cnown E0'e+t maybe the work Of Anna Nymous ,oul7s Tattoo By 6amie %an"er Like a mistake made on +a+er # tried so hard to erase $ished no more to see your name $ritten ever so deli'ately #n su'h a fine +rint B+on my skin. my heart Though the mark you left me Tattooed to my soul Like a +ermanent marker A +ainful memory never forgotten

Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

One Canadian Christmas By ,teve Bergeron 3$inter night. snowy white Oh what a Canadian Christmas night Coming down in'h by in'h Feeling like a Christmas &rin'h November is that time of year $hat 'hildren wishing what we7d like dear #t all started with that big +arade Bundling with s'arves and mittens hand made The end of the +arade is near Children anti'i+ating for him to a++ear -eindeers and sleights are now in sight )e then +asses by all golly wishing a good night %e'ember now is here ,tores all Eammed with festive 'hear Toys and games are am+le galore The 'hanges are imminent from wall to floor Then off to the forest all one and all #n sear'h for that tree bushy and tall Then into the +arlour it shall go Full of light and garland all aglow The houses are all wra++ed in lights As +eo+le drive by enEoying the sight There are +eo+le going door to door $ith song we all adore A +erfe't beautiful Canadian sight One # wouldn7t 'hange with all of my life

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2012

#ns+iration Thomas *i'hael *'%ade #tGs February. 7F@. #Gm a sailor in 8eni'e5 &y+sies are +arked in vans on the +ier5 The %ogeGs !ala'e is 'losed5 *iss Bniverse is rumored to be in town and some lu'ky shi+ will get a visit5 An in'essant net of rain tra+s all but the +igeons5 !aying my res+e'ts outside the &ritti. )emingway7s hotel 'hoi'e # sense #ns+iration shadowing me5 -ain dri++ing off her wide9brimmed hat. she sni'kers while # translate the +la=ue on 6ohn -uskinGs house5 The down+our seals the li+s of my di'tionary5 ,uddenly. # must have a 8enetian hair'ut and li'kety9s+lit a barber is toweling my so++ed head so vigorously my imagination rattles5 Later. # dine on arti'hoke +i""a in a restaurant where &ermans list 'elebrities they7ve met5 &usty rain Eerks me down the +ier to the beat of a &y+sy a''ordion as # +lot to ambush smirking #ns+iration with a shar+ened +en'il and legal +ad. twist her fi'kle arm until she 'herishes my words as greedily as tourists do autogra+hs5 H

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2012

# Never $anted to be a Coke %ealer # Never $anted to be a Coke %ealer By B5%5 Fis'her That7s never what # wanted to be at all5 #f you had 'ome to me when # was a 'hild # might have agreed. but only be'ause # thought you were talking about the soda my an0ious mother forbade e0'e+t on the first weekend of the month5 This rendered it an obEe't of desire as reliably as the moon draws in the tides of Lake *i'higan. and the +ros+e't of swimming in its efferves'en'e would have a++ealed to my 'hildish mind. su'king on a blankie wra++ed around my thumb. 'onsidering o+tions5 #f this is how it went down5 # ke+t that blankie into my se'ond grade5 #f you had 'ome to me when # was a teenager # would have been frightened. and disbelieving. and +erha+s laughed in your fa'e. de+ending on my mood5 )ow does one even get into the business # might have asked5 #s there a 'ourse you 'an take. a 'ertifi'ate you 'an earn. re+lete with elaborately seriffed fonts and fau0 wood framing #n the shakiness of my adoles'en'e it was hard to understand a business with 'redentials. a formal entran'e. and in their absen'e # would have blown my bored bangs out of my eyes and left the room5 #t was im+ossible then to imagine +eo+le. let alone me. snorting a fine white dust. and not for the reasonsI'orrosion of the striated mus'les of the heart. addi'tion. whatever that is. a frightful +aranoiaIthey gave us in health 'lass5 The reasons are far more +rimal and boil down to a single =uestion: $ho first had the idea to subEe't the leaves of Erythro0ylum 'o'a to a brutal refinement. and then sus+ire in the results through their nostrils Our days are after all in the main s+ent guarding the a''ess +oints to our innards. and we aren7t in the habit of seeking out anything besides food. drink. and air for ingestion5 Logi'ally. snorting ought to be an im+assable barrier to use. but # knew nothing then of 'o'aine7s mira'le anestheti' +ro+erties. the ones that make the dollar9bill slide a'ross a shard of mirror bearable. and delightful. when the 'oke is good5 They Eust don7t tell you that in health 'lass5 Of 'ourse # was still a teenager. Eust nineteen. when %ara7s brother +assed off his o+eration. making of me a weed9variety businessman5 # made u+ this Eoke myself5 # don7t know what # e0+e'ted to beIdefense attorney. se'ond baseman for the Tigers. +irate9astronaut. the re'ords are lost to history. and even my memories. if # had them. would not be reliableIbut never this5 #t was startling and delightful as the morning sun in early s+ring. melting the leftover snow5 #f you had 'ome to me in those early days. when # o+erated at the +inna'le of my +rofession and traded in the finest weed in the world. Cho'olate Thai. the su+reme *aui $owie. Odin7s Beard. the great +ur+le monster Amethyst7s %elight. # would have s'offed. and looked down my nose. in the manner of a lands'a+e ar'hite't at a *e0i'an5 Coke then was still frightening. baffling. mysterious. and nothing at all like weed5 For a time. the fa't of how # made my living was itself a hallu'ination to me. and the notion that # might one day deal in 'oke +ast laughable. beyond the +ale5 $hat lands lie on the far side of the verdant +lains and fragrant swam+s of hallu'ination The flora are unfathomable. the fauna im+ossible. and # still 'an7t believe it even now. even now that # live here. for the differen'e between dealing 'oke and dealing weed is the differen'e between a nu'lear bomb and the nu'lear family5 # guess it7s different if you7ve grown u+ in the ghetto. or the barrioInot a single one of these bloodless *e0i'ans betrays a hint of a se'ond though. or even a dollo+ of worry. or J

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any feelings at allIthe faded +at'h on -amKn7s forearm is a tattoo s'rubbed into the skin by the eraser of a +en'ilIbut if you had told me # would one day be sitting in this van 555 well. # would have res+onded as you res+ond to a 'hild who tells you that he7ll grow u+ to be ,+iderman. or a +oint9forward in the NBA. running the triangle offense: better 'ome u+ with another +lan5 Be'ause now we7re talking about traffi'king. and this is what disaster does to you5 #t thinks you knew thoughts. tra'es new em+ty lands'a+es to be sket'hed in by the +alette of your des+eration5 This is what it did to me5 But weed. my +re'ious weed 555 you are not like that. no. you are not at all like the 'oke5 (ou shall never be like that. and in fa't the o++osite5 There7s not a high s'hool in Ameri'a without a weed dealer. or at least a nar'. and so he is in the +o+ular memory as familiar a figure as the s'hool nurse or a 'rossing guard5 Come on there with the bikes/ $ere we an honest +eo+le the weed dealer7s statue would be ere'ted in the town s=uare5 Everyone7s life has a weed dealer. even if it doesn7t need one. and even if it doesn7t know it5 This is one of the ultimate truths that only we know. me and my +eo+le. the high 'lergy of a brood for'ed by the law into shadows we have 'ome to like. 'rave. need5 As a +riest gives absolution for tithing so we trade in smokeable saving gra'e. at +ri'es that ranged u+ to L31@2 an oun'e :L@2 +er gram. my s'ale toggled from avoirdu+ois to metri' with the +ress of a button; at my +eak5 The highest end sold mainly to ri'h girls. for only they 'ould really afford itM +ri'e it out and the result more than doubles the +ri'e of gold. whi'h as a 'urren'y of last resort flu'tuates wildly :Basi' !rin'i+les of E'onomi's. B;5 There is only one reason my +rodu't lineIwhi'h 'onsisted after all only of +lants. # was merely a greenhouse salesman. a mystifying fa't to 'onsiderI'ame so dear. and not even my All9Ameri'ans 'ould afford the to+ of the line e0'e+t for su'h s+e'ial o''asions. like draft weekend in New (ork5 $eed is there for us in these good times as well as bad. as a loving mother or 'hild7s blankie is there for the birthday 'elebrations and the skinned knees5 ,u'h is its virtuosi' versatility5 All these things in 'ombinationImy develo+ing 'ommand of the language. habits. and +ower of weed. the growth of my bottom line. my 'lose relations to do"ens of ri'h girls and su+erstar athletesI+rovided me a 'omfort and +rote'tion that was like a 'ra'kling fire or down Ea'ket in winter5 #n *i'higan it always seems to be winter. the night falls with the soundless snow and as darkness overtakes twilight the streets grow =uiet e0'e+t for the rushing away of distant 'ars that might Eust be the whis+ering of ghosts5 The strange a'ousti's of the snow in the dark make everything seem far away. indu'ing a +leasant loneliness5 %es+ite all that has ha++ened. this will always be Ann Arbor to me. and the good times as # remember them. looking out the window of my lu0ury 'ondo and si++ing a ,'ot'h. 'ounting my money and turning ba'k to my 'handelier bong5 # was 'alled to take a seat and found it more 'omfortable than # imagined. with a good view of the bla'kboard and the windows overlooking the athleti' fields. where the 'heerleaders +ra'ti'ed during study hall. showing off their +anties in the sun5 There was nothing to 'om+lain about. and # never did5 The novelty of those early days. the sheer into0i'ation of sur+rise and 'ontrol. 'an hardly be overestimated5 %ara7s brother :6oe Bill ,ome street name like Blades ; left town less than a week after announ'ing that # was the heir a++arent5 )e stood by me for those first few deals but then # was alone. alone5 )e told me to 'all him if # had any +roblems. but he never gave me his number and it was mostly things he 'ouldn7t hel+ with anyway5 # remember still the fright of being abandoned. as though # were a 'hild in national +ark 32

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staring over the edge of a 'liff. and 'ontem+lating ste++ing over5 #t was mostly a struggle to find a rhythm5 $hat even to say when # got a 'all. the words to use5 None of this is as natural as it 'ame to seem5 There7s always an argot to learn. and then to make u+5 The idiosyn'rasies are everything5 *istakes were made and money lost. but still in that heady time # felt as though # were surfing through the 'louds. unable to see where # was but nevertheless thrilled by the wind in my fa'e5 # know that this ha++ened to me. but it is so easy to forget5 Of 'ourse. # learned =ui'kly enough5 After all. # was and remain a smart guy. a''e+ted with finan'ial aid into the four9year +rogram of an elite university. even if # never rea'hed the u++er division5 The newness of my +rofession wore eventually off. but between mastery and routine lies a soft s+ot. 'ommon but oft9missed. and it was in this +la'e that # 'ame to understand myself as a +arti'i+ant in a grand tradition. a 'og in a ma'hine that has been grinding humanity forward sin'e the dawn of 'ons'iousness. memory. and imagination5 $ithout the Bniversity of *i'higan # have no doubt that the 'om+le0ity and truth of this understanding would have es'a+ed me5 For this and everything else # still revere the mai"e and blue5 $here # to have 'hildren # would insist that they wear these 'olors. and if in the end they +roved unable to gain admittan'e. well. # ho+e that the boy would still sit with me on ,aturday afternoons in the fall. and the girl allow ri'e dyed yellow and blue to be thrown at her wedding5 And yet # don7t regret dro++ing out5 The business 'limate demanded my full attentions. and # would have been a fool to ignore my on'e9in9a9lifetime shot5 # +aid a +ri'e for my ambitions. in lost o++ortunities to link together the dis+arate strands of thought and e0+erien'e into the ta+estry of history. but #7ve never looked ba'k5 # am less for having been for'ed by 'ir'umstan'e to leave the Bniversity. and it is even +ossible. # have 'ome to believe. that what ha++ened might not have had there been some way to stay in s'hool and 'ontinue to work. to broaden my hori"on to en'om+ass first Lake ,u+erior and then the O'eans5 #t is +ossible. # am saying. that further *i'higan edu'ation may have in'reased fo'us. redu'ed mistakes. and hel+ed me see the 'onne'tions ne'essary to stave off de'lension5 # 'an7t be 'ertain. but # believe it to be so5 The Bniversity of *i'higan $olverines would have saved me if they 'ould5 But it wasn7t +ossible5 The hours were 'ra"y and late9night into0i'ation with morning hangovers a 'ost of doing business 555 and yet # 'annot hel+ but think about what might have been5 # don7t see how it 'ould have gone the other way. but still # wonder. a dangerous rabbit hole5 #t7s the kind of thing a man 'an7t let himself think about lest the world be'ome too mu'h. in'luding and es+e'ially these *e0i'ans5 #7m surrounded by them5 # 'ough. ho+ing it will 'lear my head. and the sound e'hoes in the van but there is nothing they 'an do to me5 The money was the de'iding fa'tor. it was the only thing that 'ould have got me to dro+ out of s'hool5 %ara7s brother dro++ed a gold mine in my la+ and what was # su++osed to do # 'ame from a middle9'lass family. my father worked at the engine +lant in -omeo. and here was all this money. all these ri'h girls5 # 'ouldn7t have known that they would never reveal themselves to me5 # have nothing to a+ologi"e for. not to anyone. least of all myself5 And yet it was always more than money5 # found what the self9hel+ gurus agree is the key. a meaningful Eob that you love. that 'om+letes you. where you feel like you make a 33

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differen'e5 ,elling weed was all these things and more: The links we make. between ourselves and the ones we love :although # have never been in love;. between nature and +hiloso+hy :British -omanti' !oetry. %N;. between a++aritions and the wet bla'k bough. are +rodu'ts of the 'entral human a't. aided at all the 'ru'ial moments by the 'onsum+tion of smoked weed. or at least the 'onsum+tion of something5 Even 'offee is something: %o not underestimate the effe'ts of 'affeine. +arti'ularly on a *ormon5 #t is like a mushroom5 And is alteration not our 'entral endeavor5 Leave the world a little better than you found it. or at least different. so someone knows you were there5 Civili"ation begins with distillation. or at least with fermentation. and the stoned a+es ventured onto the ste++es of Afri'a and develo+ed in that o+en s+a'e in res+onse to the novelty of the hori"on the auda'ity to walk u+right and shed their tails. all in +ursuit of ri'her. more 'om+le0 sugars to feed their strangely ravenous a++etites5 From the 'osmi' +ers+e'tive this is how it ha++ened. and like everything else it ha++ened for a reason5 # won7t +retend to know s+e'ifi's. but the story is im+ossible not to believe. and not ne'essarily be'ause it is true5 The medi'ine man re'ites tales of himself and his elders and an'estors and in so doing effe'ts a be'oming so vital. so natural. that our stories 'ould not survive its absen'e5 # hate to assign myself the role of Ameri'an shaman or griot. but. well. there you go5 At least this is how # felt. even though # am now 'onfined to the bum+y silent 'om+any of -amKn and his friends. most of whom are +robably also his 'ousins. by marriage or inbreeding. and lo'ked inside a 'ave9dark van5 # 'ouldn7t get out if # wanted to. not without some violen'e5 # have in my +o'ket four 'rinkled twenties and the 'hange from a fifth. used to +ur'hase a Three *usketeers. an advan'e against my share in 'ase of emergen'y. but where would these get me from the side of the road # haven7t had a 'ell +hone in more than year and money7s not worth anything without somebody to take it. to e0'hange it for goods and servi'es5 $e are somewhere in Centu'ky or Tennessee. # figure. and no one in here looks at me ever. or +retends to any 'onversation. and it7s the silen'e more than anythingImore than the des'ent into dealing 'o'aine. more than the loss of all that # was and believed. more than the fifteen to life #7m looking at if things go sourIthat makes me feel hel+less. and want to throw u+ my hands5 *y unbidden fa'e wrinkles in the manner that is a +relude to tears. # know event though # 'an7t see it in the bla'ked9out windows5 But # 'an feel it. and the feeling is all too familiar5 # would sigh. if # thought that it might hel+. and that it might not be noti'ed5 #n the end the e=uation is sim+le enough: Like a dervish setting himself abla"e :-eligions of the $orld. %N; or a 6a+anese hari9kari # subsumed to something greater than myself. whi'h is the re'ommended 'ourse5 Even our +residential 'andidates 'ame to talk in these terms and when they did a thrill 'oursed through me. for # knew e0a'tly what they meant5 #n fa't # had lived it5 Nothing has +re+ared me for good 'iti"enshi+ like weed5 # attem+ted at all times 'ons'ious imitation of %ara7s brother :his name. his name; and +er'eived to hang from my shoulders the same mantle of 'ivi' res+onsibility5 #t was strange to feel this at first. not weighty Eust strange. but the role 'ame to seem familiar until it was natural. integral. and finally ne'essary5 %ara7s brother was a standu+ guy. a real mens'h. and the o++osite of these *e0i'ans5 )e was a man who did not want to leave anybody hanging. who wanted to +rovide for his +eo+le. his friends. and # wanted badly to do as he did5 # still miss him5 ,o 'on'erned was he with the +ubli' good that in leaving me his business he also advan'ed me a substantial sum to make it through that first shaky year. at 2O interest5 $e7re talking 'lose to si0 figures. a duffel bag of 'ash 31

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that left me s+ee'hless with emotion when he un"i++ed it to show me the sta'ked 'ontents5 )is generosity was the sine=uanon of my su''ess. and remembering this now brings me again to the brink of tears. of gratitude as well as of regret5 #magine these *e0i'ans making su'h a gesture5 They7d sooner knife you for a dollar or to +rove their manhood. but for %ara7s brother it was neither the drugs nor the +ower nor the money5 # re+aid him inside of si0 months. but that 'ushion was the differen'e between tem+orary su''ess and immediate failure5 #f # had heeded his lessons and e0am+le the su''ess might not have been so tem+orary5 #f only # 'ould remember his name # might not now be in this van5 Be'ause he 'ould hel+5 #t would kill him to know how things turned out5 *y blithe indifferen'e to his e0am+le was no doubt the +rime 'ause of the bad lu'k that finds me here now. deaf to everything e0'e+t the shitty sus+ension of this bla'ked9out van and the silen'e of my relu'tant 'om+anions5 Not that # didn7t try5 For e0am+le. # never sold to minors. des+ite the finan'ial o++ortunity they +resented5 There were +lenty of Ann Arbor +rofessors7 kids looking to get high. but # wouldn7t take their money5 # remember in +arti'ular the sister of a ri'h girl visiting over the !residents7 %ay weekend and damn near begging me for a sa'k to take ba'k to &rosse !ointe5 #t was a sight to see a ri'h girl begging like that. and # would be lying if # said that it was unattra'tive5 The girl herself was no more than fifteen. and wore a +air of L?22 Eeans so tight that # 'ould make out the folds in a flower only beginning its bloom5 6ust a gram. she said. or even a half9gram. if my s'ale 'ould make su'h fine distin'tions5 Of 'ourse it 'ould. but # wouldn7t dignify her with a res+onse5 And yet she 'ontinued. shrugging off the hand of her older sister. P%o you know who we are Q and then with the 'ontention that # would be Pruined5Q But # stood my ground. # had my standards. my 'ommunity standing and +rofessional +ride5 # have no regrets about this whatsoever5 No regrets 555 and yet by the time the story of me and my +eo+le is toldIif it is told and not left on the 'utting room floor :P)istory is a fi'kle mistress. in'onstant as the bree"e but as lovely and refreshing and as ne'essary to the refinement of a man5Q 9&ibbon. #ntrodu'tion to )istoriogra+hy for a writing 'redit. BN;Iwe will be long gone. the generosity and +hilanthro+y of men like me and %ara7s brother but a memory of a memory in the 'oming monsoon of legali"ation5 Our so'iety is mor+hing. and while # may be out of the game #7m not so far gone that # 'an7t feel the 'atastro+he 'oming5 #t is still in my blood and there is an ele+hant in the 'orner of every room bede'ked with a bong5 #t will 'hange who we are and how think of ourselves. but no one has any idea how. and no one is even talking about it5 $e are the 'hildren of a loathRd +rohibition. we. the stoners. my +eo+le5 Every de'ision 'arries meta+hysi'al ha"ards and none of our 'hoi'es are neutral. as #7ve been unfortunate enough to learn down through the years5 #n our religion as in all others it is the rituals whi'h an'hor. and ground the beliefs in a shared +ast. a shared +resent5 $hen we +ull into the +arking lot of a movie theater and fill our 'ars with smoke. when we sweeten our tongues with the gummy stri+ of a "ig"ag. when we enfor'e the timeless dis'i+line of +uff +uff give. we are getting high. yes. but we are also +artaking of rites so an'ient that they a'hieve the nature of the sa'red5 And. for us. the rules of our worshi+ are stee+ed in the forbidden. soaked in a 'ulminating illegality5 -emove this foundation and our liturgy is deformed. little different than the Catholi' Chur'h for'ed to 'ondu't its mass in !ig Latin and to use $heat Thins for the transubstantiation5 -eligions of the $orld again5 $hat will ha++en to the eye dro+s and 3?

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the 'hewing gum. the =ui'kened sidelong glan'es before a++li'ation of flame to +lant # would lying if # said that # were not terrified5 These se+arate strands. these tributaries to the sa'rament. have never been se+arated. but they are about to be5 Like a Fren'h braid undone. they are about to be. and soon5 $ithin in the ne0t generation5 Before #7m dead5 No one denies this now5 The ty+e of man that %ara7s brother was and # as+ired to be will be soon enough 'onsigned to the 'urbside of history5 This fa't is so s'ary that we avoid not only its mention but even the bare thought5 And yet now. this moment. is a time for honesty. if ever there was one5 !erha+s the move into 'oke is the right one5 #t is always im+ossible to see from the vantage +oint of the future +ast5 And what then # feel as an Ottoman. or a 8isigoth. or a )a+sburg :mandatory +ass>fail semester of $estern Civ. whi'h # +assed by the skin of my teeth thank you very mu'h;. and it turns out that being the last of a dying breed is only for tuber'ular -omanti's and von ,a'her9*aso'h5 $ho knew But history has not yet overtaken me. and # still have suffi'ient fight to endure the 'laustro+hobia of this bla'ked9out van. a lightless 'onveyan'e. a bo0 on wheels. state unknown. and fo'us my attentions on the s'ore that might get me ba'k in the game5 The beating of my heart5 The endless 'raggy road5 Even at the height of my su''ess there was always admi0ed to the smoke a faint tragi' whiff. as if of 'oming in at the end. of arriving to the double feature as the final s'ene of the se'ond movie fades to bla'k. the house lights 'oming u+5 # think that many Ameri'ans feel this way5 As the hooks on whi'h we hang our hats 'ome unmoored from their studs all of us stand in danger of falling. falling. and ea'h ste+ 'ould be our last5 The savvy among us have always been aware that the rules that a++ly today may not a++ly tomorrow5 The o+tions we thought we had disa++ear with the +assage of time. without a single 'hoi'e being made5 # will never have a son to whom # 'ould +ass the family business5 # su++ose in the end this is a good thing5 &ah. # hate myself5 #7m sorry. # think all this travel has gone to my head5 The immobility of it leaves me =ueasy. grandiose. un'ertain5 *y seatbelt +ulls tight a'ross my hi+s. and the *e0i'ans # 'annot hel+ but noti'e take no su'h +re'autions5 # want you to 'on'entrate on the blankness of their fa'es5 ,urely their blankness +oints to 'onfiden'e and thus our su''ess. or else to oblivion and our failure5 ,urely they would bear the brunt of an investigation. the unsus+e'ting gringo a vi'tim of *e0i'an mani+ulation5 &od only knows what $ellover has in store for us. the town where we will wait for word that it is time to 'ross5 Four brown *e0i'ans and a gringo white with the *i'higan winter5 They tell me # won7t stand out to the uniformed guards but # have no idea whether to believe them5 Everything is on faith. they7ve turned the fa'ts into a mystery5 #7ve +ut my trust in -amKn and hold my breath and try not to make a 'old assessment. like a man at a 'ra+s table riding a hot streak5 (ou don7t want to think about it5 #7ve +ut ten years7 rent money on 'ome5 Even the atheists among us believe in things they 'an7t verify. not even in theory. a faith. a ba+tism. a 'ross around the ne'k5 There7s no other way5 A 'ross and a 'ru'ifi0. # only re'ently learned. aren7t the same thing. for # wasn7t raised religious5 Not like these *e0i'ans with their 'ra"y 'ult of *ary and the kissing of i'ons. the e'hoing reality of felt emotions5 All this is familiar. at least to them. and # try to retain my 'ool. to breathe in and then out. and to imagine the +assing lands'a+e5 The sun must be well u+ by now5 #t will get warmer as we go farther south5 #7d love to get some fresh air. to 'lear my head. but # don7t dare ask the driver to sto+5 # don7t even know his name5 # don7t know anyone e0'e+t -amKn. with whom in the +ast # have done some minor business. 3<

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and out of nowhere this fa't seems like the thinnest thread with whi'h to stit'h a 'onne'tion. as though # am attem+ting to swing from one skys'ra+er to another on a s+iderline of dental floss5 -amKn -amKn 555 Even when # was going under there was a nobility to what # did and how # 'ondu'ted myself5 # know how that sounds. but this bla'ked9out van has no nobility5 These *e0i'ans have no nobility5 Tru'king 'oke a'ross the border has no nobility. and doing fifteen years even less5 # don7t mean to mythologi"e. e0'e+t that maybe # do. and this feels 'om+letely Eustified in my +resent 'ir'umstan'es. s+eeding south in a lightless ferry to 'ross the ,tygian -io &rande. my white fa'e making of me a ghost. invisible5 At least that is everyone7s ho+e5

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&ood &irl By *atthew $ilson Anna hated 6oey with the +assion a normal +erson holds for murderers5 ,he7d warned mother against buying animals from +eo+le 'oming to the house. but sin'e when did she ever listen $asn7t she always right ,he said her daughter7s marriage wouldn7t last the season. her first and only +regnan'y wouldn7t see full term5 A normal +erson would 'all mom a wit'h5 Anna had worse names. but sin'e the divor'e had a 'hoi'e of living there or on the streets5 As the saying goes. Pbeggars 'an7t be 'hoosers5Q #t had been 'lose. then that darn bird. 6oey was a grey and white Co'katoo sharing mom7s natural ease of making her life miserable5 S(ou7re drunk.S Cathleen Tanner said distastefully as she heard the ba'k door o+en5 Again she didn7t add5 /ou0re alive' Anna thought similarly5 %isa++ointed. she held onto the fridge as she removed her high heels. no need to fall and give the old bat ammunition to highlight her life going down5 S# think it7s disgusting you go out every night. su'king the fa'e of every guy you 'ome a'ross. what about diseases S SCome on. mom5 (ou know # hurry home. you know # miss you5Q #t was Eust +ast two a5m5M she7d ho+ed mom would be in her 'offin by now. or hanging from the 'eiling beams by her talons5 SLook at the time. no wonder you 'an7t kee+ a man5S Anna stu'k her head in the fridge5 ,he wouldn7t mention the white +ill. but it was giving her the mun'hies and the heart rate of a marathon runner5 S%ad left you too. mom5S Anna whis+ered. atta'king a triangle of 'heese5 *aybe some dairy would soak the al'ohol5 S)e didn7t leave me. you were an awkward 'hild. #9S SNo. mom.S Anna said wearily. +ushing a thi'k ti'k of blonde hair from her ha"el eyes5 S#t7s lateM #7m not getting into another argument with youS *om si++ed her 'offee. the best wea+on in her arsenal for staying u+5 ,he was always there to make Anna7s life hell5 S)onestly. dearM you sound like you7re the 'enter of the universe5S S$hore.S 6oey 'hir+ed from his 'age. tore a feather from his tail and re+eated the greeting5 S,o you haven7t been talking about me to the bird then S Cathleen stood u+5 ,he had bad knees from years of +ushing her elderly mother round in a wheel'hair during that 'an'er s'are5 (es. Anna felt bad wishing one day when mom got u+ there7d be a sna+. she7d release a +leasing s'ream to Anna and down she7d go5 (es. she felt guilty for being a bad daughter. but mom reminded her of that fa't very often. and of'ourse the drinking hel+ed5 Anna 'losed the door. staring hard at the 'age till 6oey defe'ated5 # hate you5 3D

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But mom was sur+risingly light on her feet5 The washed +lates on the sink rattled. as she 'overed the distan'e from the table to the fridge in one bound5 As she did so. the fat beneath her arm +its EiggledM the do'tor told her to lose three stone in five years if she wished to see any grand'hildren. mother knew best5 Anna didn7t +ress mom did anything to e0tend her life5 SLeave him be.S Cathleen said lifting 6oey. 'age and all off the fridge S)eTs not an animal. he7s +art of the family5S )e7s wel'ome to it5 ,ay a Lion bounded into the room. would mom have defended her like that A human shield to +rote't the thing she loved most. moms love had died some time ago. like everything good in life5 All that remained was this +oisonous. snidely husk5 Called mum5 S(ou got a letter from ,tevens soli'itor while you were outS she kissed 6oeys 'age making si'k. smoo'hing noises5 SAll dayS she added hitting the es+resso ma'hine5 $hiiiirrr/ #t sounded like a dentist drill5 Anna moaned. feeling the ground sway like the 152? train from Tokyo blared by5 S(ou o+ened my mail again S S*ail again. mail againS 6oey 'oughed. nutted his bell and 'he'ked his beak for dents in his tiny mirror5 S(our mail. my house.S Cathleen e0+lained as though one and the same S)e wants more money. # told you never to marry him5S Of 'ourse all that negativity had been the main reason she took him down the aisle. the one sweet 'ertainty mom was wrong5 But of 'ourse she wasn7t. and Anna suffered be'ause she hadn7t listened5 ,he tore o+en the letter. fingers fighting the s+irits that only a few hours ago seemed a good idea to blot out moms voi'e. the 'riti'isms that haunted her slee+. the endless disa++ointments now worked against her5 ,he read it twi'e. sometimes the words fi""ed like badly mi0ed 'hemi'als that didn7t register in her head5 $hiirrr9 #f only she 'ould think5 $hirrr/ The shelf shook as mom added 'ream. the ma'hine went haywire. wha'king the +laster off the sideboard5 S*ust you have that on S Anna said so softly. she thought the monster making of a hangover might tear her head a+art5 S#7m thirsty5S *om lied5 SThirsty.S 6oey threw in his two 'ents. her defense lawyerM a si0ty year old 'an have 'offee at two a5m5 in her own home if she wanted5 Even when she lived alone she was in bed by nine5 S,tay out of this. you li'e infested9S SAnna. leave him be. #7ve raised you better. it7s not his fault you7ve ruined your life. be'ause you 'an7t kee+ a manS S,to+ it. mom. # know you +refer that bird to me5S ,he7d meant Eest. a statement so bi"arre it would stun mom to silen'e. wonderful. sweet nothing5 But mom didn7t re+ly. her eyes full of guilt5

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S$ell that7s lovelyS Anna muttered. s'ared to raise her voi'e in 'ase it broke. she rea'hed for another beer 9 who needed sobriety SNo wonder #7m so messed u+5S S)e kee+s me 'om+any. never runs out the house 'hasing men. trying to get myself +regnant to make u+ for the one # lost9S Anna sto++ed moving. sure her heart would sto+5 SThin i'e.S she whis+ered5 S(ou7re on thin i'e. go to bed before # lose 'ontrol5 #f you want an argument do it at a more 'onsidering time5S *om. # think something7s wrong with the baby. 'an you hold me5 S# was right about that +oor thing inside you. all that damn beer. 'aring for your own fun. the babe didn7t stand a 'han'e. the walls are +a+er thin. # hear what you get u+ to with those men you bring ba'k9S S*om. # will not have this talk with you now. get away5S Anger +ulsed through Anna. it be'ame a living. ravenous thing born of her most sensitive +oint5 ,he7d +lanned to 'all him ,teven. after his dad5 ,he made fists. her fingers 'losing round a beer bottle ne'k5 S%on7t you tell me what to do in my own house. you7ve always been a bad 'hild. and you7re a murderer/S SNo/S Anna turned to fa'e her slanderer5 S# loved him and he loved me. we were going well till you stu'k your nose in9 mom S Anna looked at the broken bottle in her handM green glass littered the floor like +ebbles on a bea'h 'at'hing sunlight5 S*om S she felt a minute of her life had been edited5 There was a dent in the old woman7s head. something +ur+le oo"ed and leaked out the 'ra'ks between the skull shards5 S*om S Cathleen wasn7t breathing5 SOh &odS S*om *om S 6oey re+eated and Anna Eum+ed. e0+e'ting the world to 'lose in. every fa'e at her window. neighbors +ointing at what she7d done5 /ou0re in trouble' she thought and lifted 6oeys 'age5 S,he7s my mom.S she started 'rying as she +ut him in the living room. 'losed the door5 S*om S 6oey said and Anna shouted till he =uieted5 Now she 'ould +ut all her mind on staying out of +rison. mom always said her daughter was good at looking after herself. now Anna would give the world to hear that awful s'ree'hy voi'e again5 ,he dro++ed the glass with some diffi'ulty. some shards indented in her +alm5 S# didn7t mean it.S she insisted as she washed her hands5 $ash it all. wash everything5 No. it had to look natural. mom had taken all that was good. she wouldn7t take her freedom5 That hate filled her again. that mom had bought her down to this. made her do it5 ,he 'he'ked her +ulse. unsure whi'h side of the line she was on. did she want her alive or not Either way she7d be a +risoner of her or the system5 )er knees5 ,he had the do'Ts memo as +roof should this go to 'ourt. she7d been out all evening. had drunk enough +eo+le under the table to 'onvin'e them she7d be 'omatose as soon as she rea'hed home5 )ow 'ould # do su'h a thing when she7d gone straight to bed. offi'er Could hardly stand5 But those +ills. those wonderful +ills lo'ked her legs. gave her ba'k 'ontrol. her mind ra'ed5 3H

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S(ou always make more work for me.S Anna 'om+lained as she filled the sink. letting it overflow5 The water would wash away any tra'e of 'ontradi'ting %NA she7d over looked5 *om had 'om+lained she 'leaned the floor earlier in the day. the windows would wait for a s=ueegee5 But for the +lan to work there7d have to be one un+leasant a't5 )er feet sodden wet. so'ks sti'king to ankles she s=uatted besides her mother body and lifted her head. 'hoking on that mothball and boiled sweet smell that 'ontinuously emanated off her5 O+en and 'losed offi'er. she was old. her knees bad. she left the ta+s on while doing the washing. gone to feed 6oey and on running ba'k sli++ed. smashed her fa'e on the edge of the tiled 9 SAnna S Anna looked toward the living room. her name hadn7t been said a while. that brain dead bird e'hoed everything before its makers breath had faded5 $as he learning to talk +ro+erly SAnna S *om said only able to o+en one eye. her left a bloody. bloated mess that had seen her first ste+s now saw only darkness5 S# 'an7t move. # think some thing7s wrong. # think555S ,he made a 'li'king noise as her moisture less tongue se+arated from the roof of her mouth5 ,he7d only one working eye but it saw the truth in Anna7s5 S!lease don7t kill me. Anna5S Anna looked away as she grabbed her mother7s ears. +ulled and +ushed. bringing all her weight down as she smashed her head down again and again on the floor5 ,to+ moving. for on'e in your life listen you old fool and sto+ moving5 Crun'h. 'run'h. 'run'h5 $hen it was done and the air seemed gone from Cathleen7s lungs she vomited. that was good. it would go with the story. sur+rise at this tragi' a''ident5 ,ure there was nothing left. wearily. woo"y she went to the living room and +i'ked u+ the +hone5 Think sad' she thought though she smiled5 Bring on the tears5 ,he thought of her dead baby and on they 'ame5 S)ello Ambulan'e +lease5 # think my mother7s dead5S SAmbulan'e +leaseS said 6oey. then whistled5 Anna 'overed the +hone with her +alm and said S$hen this is all over #7m gonna +ut you in a +ieS Alan Cee+ing gave the woman his sym+athies and reassuran'e these things ha++ened far too often 9 it was =ui'k and that in itself was a small mer'y5 )e7d been a +oli'e man twelve years and nursing home assistant for ten before that so he had some sym+athy for these old dears. left alone. negle'ted5 !ulling his eyes from the floor. to s+are the woman7s misery he ordered everyone +a'k u+. 'all it an early night as he ti'kled the bird and +oured seed in its bowl5 S!retty thing. my mother had one tooS SThat7s 6oeyS Anna e0+lained. rea'hing for him. returned to his rightful +la'e u+on the fridge. her fingers were almost at his head before the bird re'oiled like she might tear it off5 S$e7re best friends. Eust us two against the world now. huh 6oey5S 6oey ho++ed from the 'age edge. as far as he 'ould from her5

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S!retty thingS 6oey s=uawked and Alan thought it a shame the only witness 'ould say nothing more than his name and re=uest 'ra'kers. a detailed a''ount of the a''ident would be ni'e but so would world +ea'e and that hadn7t worked out either5 S(ou7re tired5S )e said as his men 'losed the door leaving no tra'e of their +assing but the slight whiff of 'igarette smoke and 'leaning fluid5 S# 'an see this has been a sho'k. #7ll leave the final details till morning. you7d best get some slee+5S SThank youS Anna +ushed her fa'e in her hands. her shoulders shaking like the bones inside had melted away5 Alan thought she was 'rying when in fa't she was trying not to laugh. she was so 'lose to being free. of all things5 S#s there any one # 'an get in 'onta't to s+end the night here (ou shouldn7t stay alone after walking in on su'h a thing5S ,he de'lined. grateful for his kindness. a handsome. likeable guy. she thought heTd make a good father. would he have left her for another woman like ,teven ,he blew her nose for effe't and walked him to the door5 SAgain. thank you5S )e shook her hand and wished her 'ourage5 S&oodbye Anna555 6oeyS )e ti++ed his hat and started to 'lose the door. the area was a mine field of burglaries. a lo'ked door was a safe door9 SAnna. +lease don7t kill meS 6oey 'hir+ed and nutted his bell5 Alan +ut his foot in the door. Anna had her weight behind it but his si"e tens weren7t moving5 The +oli'eman7s fa'e had 'hanged. his smile was gone5 SA'tually *iss Tanner. 'ould # ask a few =uestions down the station S Anna 'oughed. relu'tantly ste++ed from the door5 S#t7s a little late.S Alan looked at the bird. then ba'k at her S#f you +lease. it would make this easier5S )e didn7t say on you but he didn7t have to5 Neither was he 'alling her by her first name now5 Anna felt her tongue dry. a fat maggot that writhed and drowned in its own lies behind her teeth5 S*ay # have a moment to 'omb my hair. mother said a lady must look her best5S SCertainly. take all the time you wish5S Anna looked at the houseM she 'ould have done su'h good here5 But mother was right. mom was always right5 S# won7t be a moment5S Alan waited till he heard her on the stairs and +i'ked 6oeys 'age u+5 SCome on. old boy. softly does it5S S,oftly. softly5S ,aid 6oey5 S#s this ok S Anna asked as she +ut on her mother7s 'oat S#t would 'lash hideously with hand'uffs5S Alan o+ened the door for her SThere7ll be no need for that will there. *iss S ,he looked at 6oey. wishing he would burst into flames5 SNo.S she said S#7ll be goodS 6ust like mother wanted5

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Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Wacky Writers
$ith the New (ear here. and +eo+le making New (ear7s resolutions. we want to know what yours are Even better. we want you to write a short. fi'tional story about a 'hara'ter from your own imagination that has a new year7s resolution. and struggles with kee+ing it5 :$e all know how diffi'ult that is/;

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

%ream Cat'her -eview #Gm the Author of Adult fi'tion. !oetry. and a few Children7s books5 # am a )ost at -obin Falls Cids on -ed -iver -adio Called G the %reams of our 'hildren5 #Gm +leased to announ'e a new Eoint venture. s+e'iali"ing in +ublishing eBooks with *L- !ublishers5 # 'ontinue wanting to ins+ire Children and Adults with sim+le stories with a big message5 S$orlds imagined. worlds dis+layed5 inter+retations of +ast. +resent. and future5S #ntrodu'ing 8irtuoso Books5 A virtual 'atalog of 'reations from Authors and !ublishers from around the world at the ti+ of your finger5 www5vivirtuosobooks5'om #n my !oetry bookM UToo *u'h Ado7 # s+eaks to the heart. with a +oeti' voi'e. reminding all of us that relationshi+s 'an be very diffi'ult

5 E0'er+t: A FatherGs Eyes P# remember standing at the door. +eeking out the window. never seeing either of my +arents de+ending on how their 'areer goes5 Those +romises that were never ke+t at a time that would soon be gone5 (ou sit inside your room and wonder how long must it go on/ )olding one truth within your heart S# will never do this to my son4Q Ea'h +ie'e is a sim+le reminder that while life 'an be diffi'ult and even debilitating it is better shared together with love and understanding5 After writing my first !oetry book Too *u'h Ado. # wanted to address my feelings more +oeti'ally about what #7ve learned over @2 years5 *y e0+erien'e as a so'ial worker has shown me many +eo+le and ways of life5 This has taught me 'om+assion and understanding5

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Tadias means P)ello or $hat7s u+Q in Ethio+ian whi'h is my an'estry5 # wish to show readers Eust what #7ve learned through this time5 E0'er+t from book : Tadias The world they say kee+s 'hanging every ste+ we take5 There are so many =uestions that flatter our mistakes5 The more we learn the less we know5 Our a'hes and +ains begin to grow5 Life and time begins to matter5 As this life on earth begins to shatter5 Cnow # see less of me and my world has 'ome full 'ir'le5 All #Gve aim to be has seem to be dysfun'tional at best5 $hat # know or did know has taken away my +ast5 # on'e thought # 'ould live forever but now # live ea'h day5 link: htt+:>>www5vivirtuosobooks5'om> www5story9e9books5'om and other internet book stores Poetry E-BOOK REVIEW Coffee House Window by the river. wind drifts over ro'kA tree. ri++les 'urrent I see you &listening sunshine. waves5 $hile # know you are busy. shores la+ like whis+ers between you A me5 Butterfly on the leaf # 'ould tou'h you. *y hands in the river. water is 'ool. splish splish splishI Imy fingers. 'aress your flowing refle'tion. in 'ir'les5 $hite 'louds drift overhead5

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Along the shore. bare feet in the wet mu'k sand is gritty. driftwood leaning A # stare like a 'rane before flight maybe. (ou were Eust. -efle'tion on the river My Review: Coffee House Window T.R. Woodruff s Poetry book has you overlooking the *issouri -iver through a 'offee house window. There are observations to be 'onsumedM they float along the 'obblestones and 'ome on o''asion 9 ea'h with their own aroma5 #t is there. among the bri'k and trees. that +oetry 'urls its steam5 Tony Angelo Poetry E-!oo" Review #$THOR: Terry Ledwell !ublisher: *5L5-5 !ublishera in assion with dream of our 'hildren ebook TIT%E: Emerse Terry Ledwell7s Poetry book shows that on'e you 'an tou'h another human being with words. there is nothing dee+er but the love that a''om+anies it5 $ords 'an +enetrate +la'es that even darkness 'anGt5 Tony Angelo Tony Angelo. -eviewer Interview of Terry Ledwell Born in the !hiladel+hia to a hardworking southern bread mother of four5 )e believes words are one of the most beautiful tools at our dis+osal5 Being a +aternal twin and having no brothers in his immediate family. Terren'e grew u+ with three sisters and fatherless5 Early on he had to figure life out for himself through the eyes of 'aring women who hel+ed raise him through9out his years the best they 'ould without the over9 tone of a man being around to hel+ e0+ress what a man should be5 Although he la'ked a father. he had +lenty of father figures throughout his life5 The different +oint of views. +ersonalities and tea'hings. hel+ed in the way he a++roa'hed a lot of situations with feeling instead of Eust a'tion and afterthought5 Terren'eGs dream is to one day give ba'k something to the world that a'tually means something more than some monetary gesture5 )e believes words are one of the most beautiful tools at our dis+osal to 'ommuni'ate. if one knows how to +ortray in words. what they may feel in their heart5 On'e you 'an tou'h another human being with words. there is nothing dee+er but the love that a''om+anies it5 $ords 'an +enetrate +la'es that even darkness 'anGt5 link: htt+:>>www5vivirtuosobooks5'om> www5story9e9books5'om and other internet book stores Fi'tion E9books -eview There is only one name that stands out a new thought +rovoking it7s &arold Neal *B% by &erald Neal5 A hard boiled 'rime thriller555 #tGs 3JJ1 and the height of the BC G(u++ie -e'essionG5 One9time well off +eo+le are now des+erate. but no one more so than

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

Tim as he wades out into the thi'k bla'k Thames mud to sear'h a drowned 'or+se for money555 FT,E by &erald Neal5 *artin !hil+ot leaves the seedy gambling 'lub in a da"e5 For him this will be the beginning of an odyssey that has no limitsM either in his day9to9day survival on the streets of London or even time and s+a'e itself as he struggles to deal with the strange and horrifi' events ha++ening all around him555 or is he Eust going insane ONE LA,T ,B**E- by &erald Neal5 Free at last after years of 'aring for his ailing father. *orris loads his new 'am+ervan ready to travel around the 'ountryside. only unknown to him his destination will be +urgatory5 A dark fearful world where he is for'ed to redeem himself amongst the other lost souls of 'ountless years that will try to drag him into their senseless void5 ,o 'an *orris survive long enough to save his lost soul and be reborn into a brand new mortal life for a se'ond 'han'e before he too suffers their "ombie like fate C)-#,T*A, AT BEACON )#LL FO-T by &erald Neal5 Aden after a life of 'rime thinks that he and his family are now finally safe and settled in slee+y Tunbridge $ells until a stranger with dead eyes walks into his +rint sho+ with an ultimatum that he dare not ignore555 ,o how far would you go to +rote't your family %EA% *ANG, CB-8E by &erald Neal5 &avin is on his way home after an Gall9nighterG work shift in his tweaked brand new fast 'ar when the dri""le begins to fall and a looming shar+ bend in the road takes him unawares as he day dreams about the latest love of his life 9 6oy'e5 From this day on nothing is =uite the same for &avin ever again555

link: htt+:>>www5vivirtuosobooks5'om> www5story9e9books5'om and other internet book stores Childrens E9book -eview &awn Reif s &immee got drownedM #wanna already has it all takes us ba'k with 'hildhood memories5 These is two short stories told to the author by her mother as a young 'hild5 These stories are 1@

Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

every 'hildGs dream. and brings them 'loser to a++re'iating what is real5 They are short stories that make a big statement5 A great lesson for all5 Childrens E9book -eview A &rassho++er in the )ead by Marina Mar"ovi' Offers a delightful 'hildrenGs book is about a young boy struggling with right and wrong5 )e has a +roblem with his best friend. that almost destroys their friendshi+5 A grassho++er shows u+ and starts talking to him. whi'h is very annoying5 Eventually he starts to listen to what the grassho++er is saying. and begins to learn about life and friendshi+5 This is well written and a good read for all age grou+s to hear %avid * CennedyGs book /ou voted for who1 2nd you call yourself a 3hristian1 !resents a uni=ue view of the +oliti'al world in relation to the Bible5 )e dis'usses elements that are affe'ting our world in'luding same9se0 marriage. &od in ,'hools and mu'h more5 The events taking +la'e into dayGs +oliti'al arena 'ould be 'hanged if Christians better understood the bible and how it 'ould hel+ to establish a better so'iety if it were used 'orre'tly5 /ou voted for who1 2nd you call yourself a 3hristian is well worth the read as it will o+en the readerGs eyes to the world around them5 CennedyGs book will also serve to ins+ire them to investigate and evaluative +oliti'al +arties to see where they stand a''ording to the ,'ri+tures and the Christian mission5 Non Fi'tion A+e00 Behavioral ,olutions CEO. Ted *'Lyman. +resents a 'om+elling story about how behavior drives money de'isions and that the 'ommon wisdom about +ersonal finan'e is wrong5 Building on over thirty9five years of e0+erien'e as a leader. edu'ator. finan'ial advisor and business owner. *'Lyman offers a refreshing new a++roa'h to money management5 !oney !akes !e 3razy4 2 &rescription for !oney (anity. draws on his vast understanding of behavioral finan'e to e0+lore why we 'ontinually make bad money 'hoi'es5 Bsing self9de+re'ating humor and stories. *'Lyman offers a light and entertaining a''ount of how our human nature 'ons+ires against us when we make money 'hoi'es5 This is a revolutionary 'onsumer +a+erba'k book about how we feel and think about money and how our emotions im+a't our s+ending de'isions5 *oney su''ess is about behavior and not +rodu't sele'tion5 This versatile book targets the general +ubli' but is suited as a su++lement to traditional +ersonal finan'e books and 'ourses5 #t also is a great give away for finan'ial +rofessionals5

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

There (ou )ave #t4*y O+inion/ By Cambria )ebert Title: !assion of the ,oul: !i+er7s Fury Author: -a'hel Firasek !ublisher: Cres'ent *oon !ress 1233 Format: Ebook. +a+erba'k &enre: !aranormal #,BN: JFH929JH1H1229@9D E9#,BN: JFH929JH<D?J<9<93 !i+er Anast is an em+ath5 ,he 'an tou'h any obEe't and be immediately transferred into another +erson7s memories5 A talent that is both a blessing and a 'urse5 A blessing be'ause she is able to hel+ the +oli'e de+artment hunt down the baddies that haunt the 'ity5 A 'urse be'ause using her gift is e0tremely draining. and it also wreaks havo' on a girl7s love life5 # mean. really. 'an you imagine getting images and thoughts from every dirty minded man you 'ame a'ross #t e0+lains why !i+er never dates and hardly ever gives men the time of day5 Bu then she meets ,lade. a darkly handsome and 'alming +resen'e in her life5 $hen he tou'hes her for the first time in her life she isn7t assaulted by images and thoughts5 Being around him a'tually soothes the turbulen'e inside her5 ,lade seeks out !i+er be'ause his daughter is missing and she is the only one that 'an hel+ him get her ba'k5 Little does !i+er know that their lives are 'onne'ted in ways she never imagined5 #t is almost too mu'h for her. but she 'an7t let ,lade7s little girl down5 #n order to battle the evil that is all around her. !i+er must fa'e down her own +ersonal demons so that she may find the strength to hel+ the +eo+le that need her5 This book is a +age turner/ #t has a strong hook that 'at'hes you at the beginning and 'arries you through the end of the story5 #t is very well written with ri'h 'hara'teri"ation5 !i+er is a very strong female +rotagonist5 ,he drives a %u'ati and lives in Eeans5 ,he doesn7t live u+ to anyone7s ideals but her own and that makes her awesome5 ,he is a girl that takes the +roverbial bull by the horns and shows it who7s the boss5 Every nuan'e of her +ersonality is understandable and the reader is never un'lear about how she is feeling and why5 # enEoyed the vulnerabilities that lie beneath her tough e0terior whi'h # believe showed true 'hara'ter de+th5 Bennett ,lade was also another 'hara'ter that # enEoyed reading about5 # did not read the syno+sis for the book before # started reading. so # didn7t know that ,lade was a vam+ire5 And # didn7t know or even sus+e't that until he told !i+er about himself5 $hi'h. # really. really liked that5 #t wasn7t like every other vam+ire book that # have read where the guy is so mu'h hotter than the rest :even though he is totally hot;. he doesn7t seem to have any su+er+owers. and he doesn7t a't like he7s un'omfortable around everyone be'ause he is eternally hungry5 &ranted. # knew there was something different about him. but # didn7t worry about it overly mu'h be'ause # knew # would find out and there were so many other things going on in the book it wasn7t an issue5 # also liked the fa't that !i+er didn7t obsess over the fa't about how hot he was and why he might a'tually like her5 #t was a refreshing 'hange on the same old vam+ire book5 1F

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2012

The story line was +retty original and the book did a great Eob of setting u+ the ne0t book in the series5 By the end of this book the reader is 'om+letely involved in all the 'hara'ters. has a 'lear +i'ture of who they are and their motives. and is also left with a 'lear +i'ture of what the ne0t book is going to be about5 E0a'tly the reasons that # want to read the ne0t book5 # 'annot wait to find out what !i+er does ne0t and how she will handle the things that she has learned about herself5 Also. what about her relationshi+ with ,lade #n=uiring minds want to know/ Namely. me5 # would re'ommend this book to anyone who enEoys +aranormal with a little bit of roman'e thrown in5 Also. if you are mostly a young adult reader :whi'h would be me; this is a ni'e 'hange of +a'e5 ,ometimes a girl likes to read on the adult side of things45sometimes a little naughty is ni'e5 #n all. +i'k u+ this book and go to the +ool or bea'h5 *ake sure you 'lear some time though. be'ause on'e you +i'k it u+ you won7t +ut it down until it7s done5 This review is written by Cambria )ebert

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

There (ou )ave #t4*y O+inion By Cambria )ebert Title: -ed -iding )ood %ire'tor: Catherine )ardwi'ke Book by: ,arah Blakley9Cartwright :Ebook and !a+erba'k; Format: %8% -ating: !&93? &enre: Ameri'an )orror. !aranormal ,tarring: Amanda ,eyfried. ,hiloh Fernande". *a0 #rons. Billy Burke. 8irgina *adsen Be(ieve t)e %e*end. Beware t)e Wo(f. # do5 %o you The town of %aggerhorn is a town ruled by fear5 Those who live there look over their shoulders and +rote't their 'hildren from a violent beast who threatens the lives they lead5 Every month during the full moon they sa'rifi'e their very best livesto'k trying to a++ease the wolf5 $olf. you say $hat wolf A werewolf5 A giant. bla'k hairy wolf with dri++ing 'hom+ers and a mena'ing growl5 But the sa'rifi'es are no longer enough and the wolf slaughters one of their own5 A girl5 A daughter5 A sister5 8alerie7s sister5 8alerie is the daughter of the town drunk. her hand is +romised to the son of the wealthy bla'ksmith. but her heart belongs to the se0y wood'utter. !eter5 Oh. and the wolf wants to bite her5 !ani'ked by the re'ent death of Lu'y :8alerie7s sister;. they 'all u+on Father ,olomon. a famous werewolf hunter5 )e arrives in town with the 'alvary and a giant iron ele+hant5 An ele+hant that he uses to torture +eo+le5 But. the wolf is more 'unning than the town might on'e have thought5 As it terrori"es the entire town during the Blood *oon :when a bite from a were will turn you;. everyone begins to look around them4at ea'h other5 Toward their neighbor5 Their friend5 Their wife5 $ho is the beast that lives among them $ho is the beast that has blended in for de'ades and never on'e shown the se'ond skin that lies Eust beneath their human faVade 8alerie knows that the only way to es'a+e the 'laws of a rabid. yet wily. mena'e is to kill it5 But as she sear'hes the fa'es of everyone she loves looking for answers. only then does it be'ome 'rystal 'lear4sa'rifi'ing herself may be the only way to dis'over the truth5 +rand,ot)er w)at BI+ teet) you )aveAs most everyone who knows me even a slightest bit. you know then that # am a 'ard 'arrying. full moon howling. werewolf stalking kind of gal5 ,o 'learly this movie had my name written all over it5 #7d a'tually like to share a se'ret4,))))5 And yes. this is the truth5 # myself had an outline and a do'ument saved on my 'om+uter and it was titled PLittle -ed -iding 1J

Literary Lunes Magazine

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)oodQ5 # know a real sho'ker right )ardly5 But it seems that someone beat me to the +un'h. however4# would have done it better5 Now onto the review4 -ed -iding )ood was first written as a s'reen +lay and then ada+ted into a novel5 The +owers that be wanted to 'reate bu"" around the movie with the book4and Catherine )ardwi'ke :also the dire'tor of Twilight; wanted another blo'kbuster on her hands and in her +o'ket5 # read the book first then went to see the movie in the theater4# was e0'ited to see this book 'ome to life. but # was also e0tremely ske+ti'al be'ause # saw Twilight and it +ra'ti'ally sla++ed the book in the fa'e with inEusti'e5 # mean. seriously5 Anywhoo. # figured be'ause in my mind # 'annot and will not se+arate the book and the movie this review will most likely read like a 'om+arison5 (ou7ve thus been warned5 Now be'ause of my werewolf lovin7 ways. # am very +i'ky about my wolves5 And this movie>book 'ombo did not disa++oint me in the way of the beast5 # liked him5 # really' really liked him5 )e was mean and big and bla'k5 )e had the +erfe't yellowish eyes and fangs that dri++ed with yu'k45*mmm)mmmmm5 Now. that being said. he 'ould have been uglier. s'arier. and more gruesome looking5 But. you know. the movie didn7t really need him to be any s'arier looking be'ause the way he behaved made him very vile5 # giggle as # write be'ause # liked it5 And let me Eust say that there is a s'ene in the movie when the town men de'ide to be brave and go into the 'ave where they believe the wolf to live and the s'reen goes bla'k and silent45then # got my first glan'e at the wolf45 # s'reamed5 !eo+le laughed at me5 :But hey. # wasn7t the only one s'reaming4so there; ,o. aside from my wolf. how about the rest of the movie #t was good. but not great5 The setting was beautiful. the mountains. the snow and the way the town nestled into the earth5 But the town and towns+eo+le were very +rimitive. whi'h isn7t a bad thing be'ause it was done well4almost too well5 #7m going to tell you the resounding feeling # got from this movie and the way the +eo+le and town 'ame off to me5 %on7t laugh5 # know not a better way to des'ribe the way # thought and only one word 'ame to mind: dirty5 And not the P)ey baby. is that a gun in your +o'ket or are you Eust ha++y to see me Q kind of dirty5 # mean a'tual dirty5 Like they lived so +rimitively in one room sha'ks and traveled by horse and 'art4and they all looked well. dirty5 The food that they 'ontinuously s+ooned into bowls turned my stoma'h. and they wore the same outfit throughout the movie :&A,!/ )ave they not been to the &A! ;5 Okay. # will say that the +eo+le ba'k in the day +robably looked the same but it made me =ueasy5 Now. onto the 'ast5 # like Amanda ,eyfried. but # kind of thought her a'ting was fake at times5 ,he was forever taking heaving breaths that +ushed her 'hest u+ to her throat :and that Eust made everyman run to their remote for On%emand; and when her sister died # didn7t really feel her grief. it seemed for'ed5 The wood'utter :Fernande"; and the bla'ksmith7s son :#rons; were attra'tive4but to be frank # think Catherine )ardwi'ke 'ast them trying to get the ne0t PEdwardQ5 Both boys had that tousled. 'areless hair :whi'h is hot. but )ell9oo its already done/; and their movements and build reminded me of Edward. it was almost distra'ting5 ,ometimes even the lines they said reminded me of Edward5 ?2

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2012

And NO # am not obsessed with -ob !attison4Clearly. # am Team 6a'ob5 Anyway. # almost felt like )ardwi'ke tried too hard to make the movie into what she thought would be a hit instead of making the movie into what it 'ould have been5 Cnow what # mean Now onto the book5 # liked it5 $as it better than the movie Not sure about that. but we7ll get to that5 The thing about the book :well one thing; that # didn7t like was the writer7s style5 ,ometimes her des'ri+tions were too mu'h5 They 'ould have been sim+ler and more effe'tive with better wording5 Now. that is. of 'ourse. my o+inion5 The book was written well. but style is something you like or you don7t5 And might # Eust say that any writer who has to write a book and develo+ the 'hara'ters around a s'reen+lay4well you go girl/ Cause what a Eob that had to have been/ The other gri+e # had about the book was the ending45)ell9O55someone forgot to add it5 Oh. wait4they left it out on +ur+ose5 Ooo+s5 (u+s. that right5 (ou buy an in'om+lete book5 No. werewolf reveal here :what a ri+ off/;5 But. the final 'ha+ter is online5 # did not know this and neither did my girlfriends. so we went to the movie and didn7t reali"e that we would find out who the wolf is4until $)A*/ #t sma'ked us in the fa'e5 $e were like $)AT But #7ll give it +ro+s 9 # liked it5 #t was a good sho'k fa'tor5 #n fa't. # would re'ommend this5 -ead the book and then see the movie without reading the final 'ha+ter online5 !lus. # don7t know about you but # am too la"y to hunt down that 'ha+ter5 # 'ould +ut the link here4but # already said that # was too la"y to find it5 6ust wat'h the movie5 ,o was the book better than the movie # 'an7t say5 The book had a lot more time. you get to know the 'hara'ters and their ba'kstory A LOT more5 #n fa't. # might not have understood the signifi'an'e of some of the 'hara'ters and their stories. in the movie. without the book5 But. the book had the awesome fa'tor going for it with the sur+rise ending5 Although. if you read the 'ha+ter online. # guess you won7t be sur+rised5 #t also has the ro'kin7 visual of me wolf5 ,o. it7s a draw5 -ead the book and then wat'h the movie5 (ou de'ide and # would love to hear your thoughts on this5 #t is after all a subEe't very near and dear to my heart5 ,o find me on &ood-eads. 6ournal,tone5'om or my blog htt+:>>theunlo'keddiary5blogs+ot5'om and tell me what you think5 $e 'an dish and talk fur5 6ust remember the werewolf is mine5 This review is written by Cambria )ebert

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Literary Lunes Magazine

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2012

There (ou )ave #t4*y O+inion By Cambria )ebert Title: The -elu'tant Author: C5,5 ,+litter !ublisher: !ublished A+ril 1233 by C5,5 ,+litter &enre: Thriller>,us+ense Format: Ebook #,BN: 22331DJ?<2 Tom Crayder is living the Ameri'an %ream5 )e has a wife he loves. a house to 'all a home and his very own +lane to go with his fulfilled dream of being a +ilot5 But like many know. the Ameri'an dream isn7t always as 'arefree as some might like to believe5 Tom7s 'onsulting business is failing. he7s behind on the loan +ayments to his +lane and his wife works too mu'h5 And. he7s bored5 Turns out that the great life he has isn7t very e0'iting5 )ow to s+i'e things u+ )e starts taking some Eobs from a lo'al 'rime boss. delivering +eo+le and 'ash to various lo'ations and. be'ause that Eust isn7t fun enough. he starts flirting with a woman at the shooting range5 Tom finds himself 'aught u+ in a web of +eo+le and situations that turn his e0'itement into danger5 )ow will he get himself out of the mess he7s in. and4does he even want to This book is a bit of a de+arture from my usual +aranormal genre but # enEoyed it anyway5 The +lot was easy to get into and easy to follow. and it took twists and turns that # didn7t always see 'oming5 ,ome of the things that ha++ened to Crayder had me turning the +ages to see what he would do to get out of his situation5 Tom Crayder is a guy7s guy. a married man with a ba'helor7s heart5 Even though # knew that a man wrote this book before # started reading it would have been obvious the minute # +i'ked it u+5 #n many ways # found it interesting be'ause # really felt like me :the reader W and yes a girl; got a 'lear glim+se into a man7s head5 )e thought about food and women a lot5 Big sur+rise there5 )e also thought about adventure and fun5 (et. Tom was also someone who thought about his friends and right and wrong5 )e had a 'ons'ious in him even when he was doing things that weren7t W shall we say W legal5 # will say that his estimation of right and wrong sometimes went into the gray area and sometimes he was lead astray by his man +arts4but # found that all to be in line with who Tom was5 )ey. don7t hate the +layer 9 hate the game5 The 'hara'teri"ation in the novel was solid as was the writing5 # didn7t on'e get tri++ed u+ over a mistake or an awkward senten'e and the book flowed well5 This book set u+ Crayder and a 'ast of 'hara'ters very well for the ne0t book. whi'h # will definitely read5 # will mention that # thought for being su'h an ordinary guy. Tom seemed to have =uite a kna'k for getting himself out of sti'ky :and dangerous; situations5 And sometimes his P#7m so 'ool be'ause #7m a +ilotQ attitude made me roll my eyes5

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Literary Lunes Magazine

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*y favorite +art of the book was the ending and the Chihuahua5 $ant to know all about the little smiling dog with the underbite -ead the book. but beware not all doggies in this book are ni'e :my least favorite +art of the book;5 # would re'ommend this book to anyone who likes some sus+ense. good writing and to definitely all men everywhere5 (ou done good. ,+litter. and # salute you5 ,o there you have it. my o+inion5 This review is written by Cambria )ebert

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

The ,taff Beth Ann *asarik. is the founder and 'hief editor of Literary Lunes5 ,he 'reated this maga"ine. be'ause +eo+le are always 'oming to her for literary advi'e. and she wanted to be there for all as+iring writers5 ,he is the author of her debut novel. The $orld Among Bs. a young adult. urban fantasy novel5 )er book will be released on August 3J. 12335 #n addition to running Literary Lunes. Beth also runs her blogs. $riter7s Advo'ate. and )allowed $riters5 For more information about Beth. you 'an visit her full website at www5bethannmasarik5webs5'om Ashley Laura is dedi'ated to giving writers a voi'e outside of their work5 For Literary Lunes. she assists with the a''e+ting of arti'le submissions and the formatting of the maga"ine5 Outside of Literary Lunes. she is also the *uni'i+al Liaison for *em+his National Novel $riting *onth :NANO$-#*O;5 Cambria )ebert. is a new edition to our staff. and our 'urrent book reviewer5 #n addition. she is also a debut author who writes young adult fantasy novels5 )er first novel. *as=uerade. 'omes out on %e'ember 3D. 12335 $e are very e0'ited to have her on board/ Erin %an"er writes regularly for Literary Lunes. and is an #ndie author5 Like Beth and Cambria. she also writes for young adults5 Erin not only 'ontributes her own short stories. but sometimes she even 'ontributes arti'les on how to write literature as well5 (ou 'an like us on Fa'ebook and follow us on Twitter :if the Twitter link doesn7t work. follow us Xliterarylunes;

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Literary Lunes Magazine

Volume 2, Issue 1

2012

AFF#L#ATE, Literary Lunes would not be made +ossible without the e0tra su++ort and efforts of the following +eo+le:

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