A Tear for Civility

être the cow

by Sean Kenniff

Remembering stories passed over to me by ancestors about the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, and covered in historical references, made it easy to appreciate the premise of être the cow. In terms of civility, knowledge bears no more comfort than ignorance.

Despite être, in his own suffering, believing fireflies enjoy a freedom he pined for, no life escapes the processes that subsistence require. Like the air we breathe, the vegetation (être himself trampled and ate) and/or flesh we consume, life is a continuously revolving process. And yes, we can be kinder in this process, but then as Kenniff so eloquently lays out in the voice of être, how are we to be sure what kinder is if we're unable to communicate with entities beyond our understanding. Again, knowledge bears no more comfort than ignorance.

Compelling storytelling, and a handsome tabletop parable.

Buckle Up!

Sacred Ground & Holy Water
by Lyn Fuchs

WoW. This one felt as if Fuchs (out-of-the-blue) knocked on my door, told me let's go for a spin around the world, and then took me for a spin... through dozens of cities, several states, a few countries, and all continents... in one day! We left at noon, was back before midnight. Nearing the end of the book I found myself gasping, trying to utter, "what the ---?"

The book delivers enlightenment, so much that I plan to reread this one because there are a few spots I want to recover... particularly Belize, the Bulgarian orgy, and the politico rant. The puns wouldn't let up, which in conjunction with the clever writing covering plane crashes, boats tipping, dojo blades, bears, cougars, border crossings, and the copious metaphors and sarcasm, my eyes were all over the place. The Booze, Blues & Bible-bangers was most memorable, one of my favorites. Wasn't too happy about Graceland, but the opening was touching, and then amusing at the end of Sacred Ground when Howlin' Wolf got to schooling Fuchs on God, lol... `who he don't be.'

I suspect readers who come upon Sacred Ground & Holy Water will find many of the stories beguilingly funny and intellectually absorbing. They sure had me going for a full whole day.

Brave & Honest

Crawling: A Father's First Year
by Elisha Cooper

This daddy’s first year sags nowhere, neither in the beginning, the middle, nor at the end of his first year. Candor is his virtue, and bravery too, leaving not one page where I wasn’t taken by the humor and assiduous metaphors. My favorite parts were Zoe’s birth — he’d call 911 but was already in the hospital… the Sportscenter & the Beastie Boy — the entire premise musing around the “f” word… the Crips’ in the playground I liked too, and of course the dog at the end. That scene in the parking lot was a beautiful wrap-up. — And hats off to Elise as well. I thought about her a lot…right up until the move to Chicago, which brought on a big cheer...and tear.

Crawling is a wonderful keepsake, one I suspect Zoe will treasure forever. She has one of the bravest daddy’s in the world.  

Endearing Romance Diary

Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker
by Marla Martenson

Part way through reading I had to laugh at myself after re-examining the cover and synopsis of Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker. Marla says nothing about providing *insight* on matchmaking, though it was what I mostly expected. It was all in my imaginings however. She delivers EXACTLY what the back cover promises, and one big unplugged surplus more.

I mean, will all the Adolfo's in the world please stand and step forward!!! Marla does a wonderful job lavishing her diary with accounts of how she met and married her amazing husband Adolfo. Their relationship really made this book fizz and sparkle.

Fierce Cover!

Painted Picture
by Sheila Peele-Miller

Painted Picture is a story that on the surface might seem to echo many (pictorials) that have come before it, and undoubtedly will come after it. Against her family's wishes Alicia leaves home with a man who is about as foreign to her as her definition of `in love', to run up against an awakening that opens her eyes and plants her mother's warnings deep in her psyche. That's on the surface.

Beneath the surface, reading between the lines like curators assess murals, Alicia pencils in delicate strokes for the naivety. Broad ugly contours do up the villains. Generous strokes compare the Carolinas friendly faces and ample landscape against Chicago's harsh winters and cramped combative backdrop. A rich texture of dialogue brings each character off the page. And Alicia's virgin values coalesces the portrait and frames the story.

Likeable and Fun

Covert Youth Agency C.Y.A.
by Jason Ancona

C.Y.A. reads like a very conscientious debut YA novel written to squash any improprieties. There's the central plot, C.Y.A. trying to find out if Jack the jock has done the naughty (cheated on his girlfriend), alongside a tangle of conforming attractions (parents, teachers, and other cliques), which together spins this novel into a pleasant, often comical yarn of clement intrigue.

A Hoot and a Holler!

My Desperate Love Diary
by Liz Rettig

…And a desperate love diary this is. The humor and sarcasm was quite entertaining, as were the many (too numerous) laugh out loud moments. As the love diary heads to the middle of the book (Kelly Ann quantifying why the guy she is madly in love with is dodging her), the theme and sarcasms thins and wears a bit. The irony however is, I’m trapped and wrapped up in seeing how Rettig is going to package this piece. I can’t close the book. I want to know what’s going to be the quantum that brings Kelly Ann to her senses!

I really enjoyed this YA novel. Some of my favorite parts were the American teacher visiting Kelly Ann’s class to teach abstinence. A real (hoot) that one was. Mum running off for a Sergio was a bigger (hoot). And Ms. Conner’s replying to the Ad, oh!, I screamed out loud laughing!!!

A very enjoyable treat My Desperate Love Diary was.