In other news, Spencer Dew reviewed my “little” chapbook called “Adopted Behaviors.” With an impressive line-up of books waiting in the wing at decomP magazinE , I thought the review might never happen. I’d like to thank Spencer Dew for investing his time and words on an unknown writer (or should I say convict-teacher). Hey, why would anyone want to put forth that kind of effort on a 52-page chapbook with an initial print run of 75? Thank you thank you thank you! There is kindness in the world afterall.
Click on the following link for more insight: Spencer Dew's thoughts.
17 comments:
Cool about the review. I 'll check it out.
Great! I am glad about the review!
I wonder why they make it so damn difficult to read the comments on the review?
Nice JR. Thought it was great. MW
Hey Mark, I haven't seen any comments at decomP, but you're more than welcome to leave your opinions regarding the review and/or my chapbook here.
Same goes for anyone else (yeah, Ivan too).
Yeah, I have read Mr. Dew's review. The man is a real pro. How is it that Mr. Dew, certainly possessing the reviewing talent of a William Bentley Mays-- happens to be a reviewer on a blog magazine? But then people in publishing have been asking me what the hell I was doing blogging.
In any event, here is my take, a "review of a review."
James,
Well, your reviewer, Spencer Dew is one crackerjack of a writer himself.
Dew likely better than yew. Or me.
The last part of his review of Adopted Behaviors:
This man, too, works in a prison, swallows his daily poison, and sticks to the set trajectory with no mind toward anything resembling either satisfaction or defeat. The story is called “Jail Bait,” but there’s no baiting, really, no pursuit, no capture, just worms that will ultimately eat us and the hooks that, in the meantime, go through us all. The sense one gets is that in Tomlinson’s world anything more than that is a two dollar word–a fancy fantasy, a make-believe abstraction–with no place in reality...
Yikes. There is no redemption? Abandon all hope all ye who enter here? I'll have to have another look at the story. Mr. Dee suggests you offer no exit.
I suppose a Jean Genet could make art of this, this world of hooks and cankers. And yet for Genet, out comes Our Lady of the Flowers, an anti-Mariology poem that portrays Mary not as the Divine Virgin, but rather a homosexual named Divine,Genet's former bunk buddy, with whom Genet seems in love, especially at the time of Divine's execution.
Sturm und Drang. For Genet what had been up is a project through which he will almost pull Mary and the Church down... Gloriously pulled down down through one of the finest long poems in the French language."Our Lady of the Flowers." Genet spins and fahions a world of love out of this prison bedlam.
(Whoops! the full moon is upon me.
...I am now moving to the manic).
...So you need to get a biggie-on for some prisoner, and the two of you transcending he ordinary reality of bars and bells and writng poems mash for each other? :)
(Wow. This is getting bipolar, at least, over here).:)
Mr. Dew in his criicism suggests you have become hardened to the condition of the average inmate. Allmost nihilistic, nearly incapable of the Greek feeling of Laeticia, the yearning for sweetness and light.
But how do you find sweetness and light in the Michigan Corrections system?
Some review.
Some question.
Hey Ivan, funny thing is, the story he refers to, "Jail Bait," won an award for issues concerning women. Needless to say, I cashed the check ASAP. But what is meant by by "average" inmate? Does that word have a negative impact? Why not "hardened to the condition of inmates"? Also, earlier in his review he mentions that I'm good at hiding my empathy. I'd say the most negative statement might be ... gulp ... my level of language ... for bludgeoning a story into the pavement.
JR,
I can see why you got the award.
Damn well-written story.
I just got a little dustracted with your frequent scene changes.
now I am getting more and more eager to read JR's book. Of course you are a darned good writer JR. I remember the clarity contest Merlot story, which was amazing!
Must get hold of your book. is it available at amazon?
Thanks for the compliment Mona. That's funny you should mention "The Clarity of Night" -- Did you get a chance to peruse the free ebook? As for the Merlot story--personally, I liked "If You'd Only Pay Attention" better. As for my chapbook, there's a link on the right side of my blog. You might want to wait; there's another review coming next week.
Congrats on the good review! I'm waiting to see what my next credit card bill is like before I spend anything. Not to mention that a local shop owner STILL owes me money for the sale of 2 of my paintings!
(There's a difference between "selling" and "getting paid," as it turns out. *snort*)
JR-Good job, buddy. You are hardened for sure but that gives your stuff that wonderful realism. Still getting my ipad up, but will check it out!
Wow! I just read your review! Fantastic!! When is your chapbook out and for sale?
Hey Jodi, I'd like to see that ebook on an ipad. Maybe I'll go to the Apple store and check it out.
Hey C, my chapbook is available at Motor City Burning Press. You can click on my chapbook icon to go there. Some review eh? It left up to interpretation.
For a writer/artist of any sort, all attention is good attention. And as Tennessee Williams put it, attention must be paid. Three cheers! Actually, the reviewer semes more brutal than the inmates to me, but hey, it's a free country. Damn the torps and empathize away -- or not -- that's freedom of choice, according to Devo.
Well Erik, he may have been brutal, but not AS BRUTAL as some of his other reviews. Actually, his reactions, his comments, are fairly accurate; afterall, I'm dealing with all kinds of inmates who've turned violence into an art form. I'm surprised he didn't mention "Thumbprints, Deadlines" in his review. The conflict of the story is quite clear: Do I warn my bunky that he's about to get his thumbs chopped off, or do I let him figure it out on his own? So yeah, your right Erik, all attention is good attention.
JR. Today is mark's Birthday, and i got a post for him on my blog!
Post a Comment