Elizabeth Hughes’ Book Periscope

Madam of My Heart by Gini Grossenbacher
madamofmyheartcover
 
Madam of My Heart, by Gini Grossenbacher, is a historical romance based on true events. It is the story of Brianna Baird. A teen girl in the 1800’s who lives with her pastor father, who has become a mean and abusive drunk, her mother who has become so beaten down through the years by her husband she can barely function and her older sister Annie, who tries to protect her curious younger sister from the wrath of their father.
Brianna becomes very curious and falls in love with a musician Spenser Brown. He leads her on and takes advantage of her. When she becomes pregnant he acts as though he does not know her. She also finds out he is married. Brianna’s father beats her and kicks her out of the house for her sins. Brianna goes to New Orleans. She becomes a seamstress in a brothel and meets Edward Spina, a gambler. He falls in love with her from the moment he meets her. Madam of My Heart is the story of their love, a love that is so deep it reaches their heart and soul. It is also the story of their hardships and how they work together to pull through whatever life throws at them. This is the first book in what looks to be a really exciting series of two people whose love is so deep it will take you breath away. I absolutely loved it and look forward to reading the next one in the series.
Chrysalis and The Woven Flag by Margaret Goka
Chrysalis is a must have for the poetry lover. My favorites are Shelter, Evening Scene, Below Great Falls, Chrysalis, Hearts, Illuminated Leaf and Water. Although all of the poems are extremely good. I know poetry lovers will enjoy this book as much as I have.
The Woven Flag is a book of poetry and must have for the poetry lover. My personal favorites are The Children, This Evening, Ode to School, At Kay’s, Words for Children, Riddles, Family Stones and Aunt Mary’s Soiree. I highly recommend The Woven Flag. If you have never really been into poetry, I know you will like this book. It is a must have for the poetry lover. It would also make a great gift.

 

The Revelation Unlocked by Carolyn M. Prince

 revelationunlockedfrontcover
The Revelation Unlocked is an extremely interesting book on the book of Revelation in the Bible. This would be an excellent source of study alone or with a group of others. I like the way she cross references everything to show how other passages in other books of the Bible lead up to the message in Revelation. Ms. Prince explains what the symbolism means in Revelation with the cross referencing of other books and verses. She will give the Greek word and then the complex definition or definitions and how to tell which meaning it is. I have been interested in studying the book of Revelation for many years, but, have not really been satisfied with answers that I have been given until now. Thank you Ms. Prince for your very informative study of this very complex yet interesting book of the Bible.
Slicker McQuicker by Jennie Wren
What a fun children’s book! The illustrations are bright and delightful. The message in the two stories in the book is absolutely wonderful. Slicker McQuicker and Friends teaches children that it is okay to look different. It teaches children just because someone looks different it is not nice and can hurt other’s feelings to make fun of them. I absolutely loved this book. It would be a great gift for your child or the child of someone you know. It would also make a great gift for a day care or elementary classroom.

Poetry from Mahbub

 

My guess

 

All the things seen or unseen

I can guess nothing

If you are not mine

Though I think you so much

I know you not as much

Its my daily routine

To stay before you

Read something and go back to work

In this way I pass my days

And finish my work

Days come and days go

In terms of time

My head aches, my breast pains

But you don’t pay heed to me

In this way one day I’ll die

You’ll see I’ll die

Then what would it be

Whether I live or die

I guess I only die.

  Continue reading

Poetry from J.J. Campbell

——————————————————————————–
happy ever after
 
i always wanted
to fall in love
and see if happy
ever after really
existed
 
i look in the
mirror and
sadly realize
 
i put all my
money on the
wrong fucking
fairytale
 
as i lay in this
old bed alone
 
about all i have
left
 
is the hope for
a quiet death

Continue reading

Poetry from Michael Robinson

Road to Someplace 

Beyond the shallow grave which once was my home
In the middle of the night which held me captive
It was a selfish life I was wanting to live.

Beyond the reality of the sinking sun
And the signs of danger and chaos
In the open skies.

I fell from the skies past the shooting stars
Into a place where life was simple
Into an unknown reality.

A clear vision of who I am and why I lived
To find this place where the grass breathes
And the trees are fifty feet tall.

A place where my stone hands are nourished
A covered heart reveals warmth
And my name spoken with love.
Continue reading

Fine art from Alex Nodopaga

 

Biopsy:

Alex Nodopaka originated in Ukraine-Russia in 1940. Studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, Casablanca, Morocco. Full time author, artist in the USA. His interests in the visual arts and literature are widely multi-cultural. However, he considers his past irrelevant as he seeks new reincarnations in independent films if only for the duration of a wink… ok, ok maybe two!

 

Poetry from Jeff Bagato

 

One a Day Rides Again

 

Wood is as indifferent as love to human

emotions, whether feeding the fire, reaching

for the sky, or poking its nose

where it isn’t wanted by Puritan

deliberation—that altarboy instinct of the

hypocrite for sacramental wine,

Mary Jane’s buds, or the forbidden

fruit, handmaiden to the love

of old Saint Pete, clandestine

shoving match of a turd from

one anal cavity to another—

and thus One A Day steps in, drunk

as a lord to greet condemnation; Mae

West on his arm in glory to the highest

titters in her feather boa and puts

mettle to her petals, sending that dummy

some cue from her belly he’s all too

happy to receive, being pleased

to please:  “A little bit lower to the

left;” of course he gets to a point where

bees write their own laws

of pollination, ignoring Pope

Pius gesturing in the background

like Moses at the backwash of the Red

Sea—inattention he can stand less

than abomination—and as inquisitors

rush in to show them the door,

Dummy looks up to find Mae alert

and sending furiously, “How are they

gonna stop people from putting

holes in the wall?”

Setting bells

ringing in the bellfry like vampire

bats from the hump of Quasimodo

in a gypsy heat—

stirring up the fear,

disappearing in the dawn

Continue reading

Essay from Rubina Akter

When The Mask Falls

Most days it is so easy to fake happiness. You get used to the act when that’s all you’ve known. People tend to react better towards those that are happy and just a little melancholy. I think it reassures them that I am brave for not turning into a crying mess whenever my depression and PTSD go on overdrive. Almost all of my therapists say that while I have serious problems, I am remarkably normal compared to others. And I guess that is a compliment. I work very hard to create this image of a brave, sarcastic girl who does not have the time to care about most things.

But the mask does come off. And in those times, the stark difference in my personality surprises even me. It is hardest for me to appear normal during those anniversaries of trauma. Sometimes I can pull it off, at least during the day. Today is one such day, and instead of using my usual piece of glass to carve out some notches on my skin, I am trying to write about it. Continue reading