I will be the first to admit that I was quite apprehensive when I began reading Ms. James’ When Beauty Tamed the Beast. Everything from the cover seemed to trigger a masculine defense mechanism: the rather effeminate cover, the title, and the synopsis all pointed towards a bland romance story complimented by vacuous sentences and overwhelming imagery.  However, I could not have been further from the truth. When Beauty Tamed the Beast has the rare trait of being not only a captivating read, but so casual in its style as to allow one to enjoy every second of it.  The storyline was not only invigorating  with many plot twists and several entertaining side plots, but also was methodical enough that I could drop it at any time and resume reading with the same fervor as I had before my reprieve.  The style of the book was not so much a rendition of Beauty and the Beast as it was Pride and Prejudice meets House, where the protagonist, Linnet, is often reminiscent of Elizabeth Bennett and the antagonist, Piers, holding to the same clever cynicism that we adore Hugh Laurie for.

The writing style of the book seemed to be tedious at times and the flow of the book was thrown off at times by impromptu clichés, yet the imagery was very conscientious and details occurred only when apt.  The setting was hard to ascertain at first, and her clues were less than helpful in gathering the context of this story in the beginning.  Unfortunately, it is aspects such as these which make the book so hard to get into.  The first fifty-some pages give me no incentive to follow the characters; in fact that first chunk of the book is a prolonged introduction, mindlessly introducing every character through their symptoms in a hauntingly consistent manner. Surprisingly, it is this consistent manner which redeems the book in the latter half.  The novel has some sort of “forbidden fruit” intrigue in it.  I know that there wasn’t anything too novel about a virgin who is starting to look and act pregnant (Freud talked about that quite frequently) but I did know that some kind of scandal was about to occur, and I was fine with patiently enduring this prolonged primer for the sweet spoils of my curiosity that will be given to me later.

Christopher Williams may be reached at cwilli10@ashland.edu.

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Artist Statement:

“I am often moved by the textures, patterns and shapes found in the structures that I encounter in my daily life. I believe they reveal much about us as we are now, or as we once were.  I also believe that architecture exerts an influence on us, even when we are barely aware of its presence. It can heighten or dull our senses, focusing us more into the present or causing us to rush through to the next place.”

“My artwork involves applying textile techniques to photographs that I’ve taken. For the woven pieces, a scene is chosen and photographed from several points of view.  I then make multiple prints of each picture and physically slice them to create warp and weft. This allows me to blend different perspectives together using a technique inspired by tapestry weaving.  Abstraction is gained by selectively offsetting the strips in relation to each other with the intention of causing a brief sense of disorientation meant to draw the viewer more closely in. Because my method is deliberate, detailed and time-intensive, I am able to experience each scene intensely and appreciate its subtle details. It is my hope that some of this experience is conveyed to the viewer, perhaps connecting them to their senses and their surroundings a little more.”

– Julie V. Garner

Search “Julie V. Garner” at www.artslant.com.
Contact: jgarner3083@gmail.com

Everything looked perfect on that crisp desert morning. The sun still sitting low in the sky, not ready to fill the day with it’s heat. The only thing out of place was the blue car. It sat on the side of the empty road, waiting patiently for the return of it’s owner. No one pays attention to abandoned cars. We pass without a second look. This day however, someone should have looked that second time.

Five days before

Brandie made ready for her day, coffee, make up, three outfit changes and she was out the door. Brandie worked at a small finance company in Nocken, Nevada. She was a hard worker, and was good at her job. Though accounting was not her main focus. Her main focus this morning, as well as every morning for several months now. Was her boss’s assistant. He was a distinctive blonde haired man who answered to the name Jack McDaniel. Brandie and Jack had been having a clandestine affaire since late winter when he confided in her how truly unhappy he was with the situation in his home life. Brandie wanted Jack with his striking blue eyes and his massive hands so badly she was willing to over look something as trivial as a wife. Especially one that had worn out her welcome. They would meet every day at the same time behind the closed theater. There they would take his car for a lunch time tryst back at her apartment. After breaking his marriage vow with his afternoon sweetie, Jack would excuse himself outside to call the bothersome wife from his cell phone. Brandie never questioned him wanting his privacy. She knew if the wife ever found out the fun would be over. Brandie knew it was no fun to date a man dealing with a divorce and a bitter soon to be ex-wife. So if privacy was what he wanted, that was what he got. Though a wife is not what Jack was hiding from Brandi. In fact he had never been married. He knew that she would be an easy target, someone who would give him what he wanted. Telling her he was married was an easy way to circumvent any of those inconveniences like paying for a date, or pretending to listen when she talked. She made it easy for him, lunchtime was perfect for sex. It was long enough to do it right but not long enough to have to cuddle. Then later he never had to worry about her calling him, because he told her his wife would find out. Coming back in from his phone call Jack told Brandie. “Brandie, I have to go help my wife this afternoon. Her car broke down. I won’t be going back into the office.”

J’Rie Blackwell-Elliott may be reached for comments at dixiepoet@gmail.com.

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In the opening minute of their title track “Hot City” you get a good feel for what Festizio’s music really is.  The initial crescendo of electronica draws you in before  giving way to  accompanying guitar riffs.  The synth element in the music is always there to compliment, but never totally overtake, as  it often does with the growing number of bands now incorporating a more electronic element to their sound.  After getting the chance to interview Keane Li, the lead singer and guitarist of Festizio, I realized that the reserved, yet effective balance I heard on the CD is part of what makes Festizio who they are.  His attitude seemed to confirm the same calculated, yet melodic vibe the CD projects.

“When it comes down to it, we’re a pretty tame rock band according to the traditional image of rock musicians.” Li says.  “We all have professions and we’re all down-to-earth. We’ve never fought and we work (thankfully) well together. We love music and work hard at creating something beautiful to share with others.”

According to Li, the band has plenty of the influences you might expect.  Muse popped into my mind early while listening to “Hot City,” and Li confirmed as much, along with mentioning bands like Radiohead and Massive Attack.  But they also draw inspiration from a wide array of old and new alternative bands, as well as modern hip-hop.  They have a varied appreciation that is indicative of a band that genuinely enjoys and studies the chosen medium for their art.

Robbie Fraser may be reached at robbiedfraser@gmail.com.

About this series:

Name: Atmospheric Perspective
Medium: Oil on Canvas

“Atmospheric Perspective is a series that addresses visual ambiguity occurring innately in nature. While we traditionally think about landscapes and landscape painting as representational and realistic and while abstraction is distortion stemming from the artist’s imagination, there are existing qualities in nature that can distort without the assistance of a painter’s brush. In this series, Atmospheric Perspective looks at water as a natural lens through which one may see the world differently.”

– Katrina Majkut

Contact: katrina_majkut@msn.com

About the artist:

Max Ehrman is an international artist, specializing in graffiti art, graphic art, and architectural design. He’s been painting for over 14 years, traveling extensively, and collaborating with renowned aersoul artists around the world.

Ehrman currently lives in San Francisco, California. See more of his work at www.maxehrman.carbonmade.com.

Feedback and inquiries are welcomed at ehrmanmax@gmail.com.

I confess I was drawn to this book by a personal history of moving and changing schools. I wanted to see if the author really captured that experience accurately.

We follow Calle (pronounced Callie) through her first day in yet another school. Now a teen, she’s been moved continuously by her mom after each romantic breakup. We sense a mystery behind her father’s absence and suspect we know what it might be, but the truth is more complex than we might imagine. I was happy that I couldn’t figure it all out in advance and that Kim Culbertson wove a more complex tale than the book jacket implied.

Calle has long since developed coping strategies for her mother’s nomadic life and among them are keeping a journal where she links memories to songs, providing her the sense of continuity she is lacking, and not getting too involved in the social life of the schools she is plunked down in. Why get attached if you’re going to be moving in a few months anyway? Yet there is something different this time, perhaps different with this school and these classmates, perhaps something restless and defiant in Calle herself. This time she gets involved; this time she becomes attached. This time she wants to rebel at the first signs that another move may be on the horizon. This time she wants answers.

The writing flowed and the connection of music and occasional poetry was ideal for the themes explored. Even if you don’t know the songs mentioned, you can relate to how certain songs evoke memories. The use of these songs could have seemed like an obvious device for connecting the story but Culbertson used them so skillfully that they seem like a natural feature of Calle’s character. Some songs, such as “Mr. Tamborine Man” by Bob Dylan, take on special significance. We may never hear those songs the same way again.

Tapati McDaniels is the former publisher and editor of Uppity Women Magazine and is currently writing a memoir. Excerpts can be found at http://tapati.livejournal.com/ where you can contact her with questions or comments.

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