"On Air" by Robin Stratton

Posted by Unknown | Posted in , , , , , , , , , , , | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011

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Taking a break from my current 700-page behemoth reading selection, I sat down with On Air, the new book from author, poet, editor, writing coach and Boston-ite Robin Stratton.

Stratton brings us into Eric Storm's life, a once-successful DJ for KROQ in Boston, who's life seems to be spinning to a disappointing, empty end. Storm's career as a DJ, once considered his dream job, has now become the bane of his existence as he spends time on air playing music he loathes until, after one too many acts of rebellion, he's fired. Three-years divorced from his wife, her painting studio remains untouched in his house, clinging to the memories of a once-happy marriage. His only friend is an unkempt man he met randomly after his show one night and his mother, the only family and real connection Storm has in his small world, is in declining health and driving him nuts through her love.

Though Eric is a middle-aged man, the story is, ultimately, one of maturation and growth. A movement from a self-centered, blame-shifting attitude to that of a truly understanding and mature man. Growth that, as Eric learns, should have been made much earlier in his life. We're dropped in the latter half of this transition, but learn, through Eric's recollections of the past, that his focus was on himself.
"But rather than ask how she is, I start talking, and I don't shut up...and it takes me three years to notice her happy smile fades. She even takes a step back, I see her take a step back. But do I stop talking? Hell, no! Talking, talking, talking...My needs, what makes me happy, what I like to do. Me  me me!"

Creating a believable and honest character of the opposite sex is always met with some challenges. There are intricacies inherent with your own gender, as a writer, which can and will seep into a character. Though Eric certainly carries some more feminine qualities, Stratton has created a character where these qualities come through naturally and perfectly.

Eric is not a rough and hard exteriored man, but a soft and timid man. A mama's boy in the best sense of the word, though he tries to deny it. He wants to be the ladies man. The heroic and tough man ready to beat someone to a pulp whenever it's deserved. But, as his friend Reynolds says, playing the role of the wise old man and philosopher throughout the book, "You can't take a break from being who you are".

At first, Eric's character got on my nerves a bit. He was whiny and never liked to examine himself and he approached romance like a child. That side of him comes out during his infatuation with the young street performer, Leesha. As I read on about his lust and general giddiness for this young girl, it was no surprise to me that his wife had left him. He was a child in thought still chasing after ridiculous dreams. Some of his comments and internal dialogue irked me. At times, I wanted to grab him by the shirt collar and tell him to grow up.

And he does. Stratton puts Eric to the test and pushes him further than he's ever been pushed before. She forces him to grow up through circumstances beyond his control and, as we read through the book, we see the transformation. By the end, after I had gone through emotions I had not expected to roll through with this book, I was happy for the man. Glad he had learned the error of his ways and found that the happiness and life he had been longing for was right in front of him. He just had to man up and go after it.

In a 173 pages, Stratton took me through the gambit of emotions. Recent events in my life may have contributed to how strongly some of her words touched me as a reader, but there's undeniable feeling here and connections that any reader can relate to. Stratton's writing is tight and focused, only straying when Eric takes a moment to lose himself within his own thoughts. She always finds a way to bring him back to point, however. Stratton will make you laugh in one paragraph and hit you with some incredible insight on life in the next.
"Sometimes it's possible, for a hundredth of a second, to conceive of the past, present, and future, all happening simultaneously...Only I know, here in the present, which is the future of the past. My mind struggles with the nearness of the epiphany, then retreats, incapable of understanding."
Watch how well she weaves her characters together. If there was any excess to the story, Stratton has cut it all out and left you with nothing but the good stuff. Each interaction and event in Eric's life is essential to his growth and story.

A witty, funny, sometimes heartbreaking book, On Air is definitely worth picking up and checking out. You can read it in an evening and reread it again to pick up on anything you may have missed. Eric's character grew on me and Stratton's style and way of telling a story was a refreshing break from what I had been reading.

On Air is available from Blue Mustang Press and Amazon.com. For more information on Robin Stratton and other books she's written, including her poetry collections, visit RobinStratton.com.

Also, check out the Boston Literary Magazine which Robin edits. Their 5th anniversary, Summer 2011 issue is now available in print from Big Table Publishing.

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Boston Literary Magazine

Posted by Unknown | Posted in , , , , , , , , , | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011

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This summer marks the 5th anniversary of the Boston Literary Magazine and the 2011 Summer issue is now available for purchase from Big Table Publishing. Two of my poems, "It's Raining Outside This Neon Brothel" and "Fear of Heights", are included among a jam-packed issue.

The issue is $12 plus shipping. Big Table also offers other chapbooks available for the same price or less. I ordered four copies myself, but I'm hoping I wont be the only one reading it. Grab a copy today and get your hands on some great contemporary poetry.

Many thanks to Robin Stratton, editor of the Boston Literary Magazine, for accepting my work and the many kind words she's offered.

Check out Robin's new book "On Air", available at Amazon. It's a great summer read. Watch for a review here.

No sleep 'til insomnia ends

Posted by Unknown | Posted in , , , , , , , , , , , | Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2011

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This past weekend, the Scranton Zine Fest went on without a hitch, as far as I know. The skies had been opening up periodically all morning, but the rains held off for the crowd to collect and peruse the eclectic mix of zines that ranged in topics from music to the Gay community to bicycling.

Though the fest was of humble size for its birth, it has the potential to grow into a much larger gathering like that of the Philadelphia Zine Fest. Even the poetry reading, which I took part in with some very talented local poets/writers (more on them in later posts), gathered a good-sized crowd in the slowly-fading Anthology bookstore.

Much has been happening over the past weeks and the outdoors have been beckoning to me. Pulling me from the walls of the claustrophobic confines of my home and into the sweet rains and summer breezes. I'm also awaiting my publication in the Boston Literary Magazine where two of my pieces will be featured in their 5-year anniversary Summer issue. There will also be more on this when it comes out.

Robin Stratton, an editor for the Boston Literary Magazine, has recently had her novel On Air released from Blue Mustang Press. There is a copy floating around in the mail system making its way to my box at this very moment. Review to come on the book as soon as I finish it.

What I'm saying is, there's much to come. If this insomnia doesn't come to an end, I'll have to do something more productive with it than tossing and turning in bed. Work has ensued on some new poems and even some short stories. I've been trying to get back into writing some prose. Things are moving slowly at the moment, but the ideas are rolling through my mind quite nicely.

Cheers.

The skies over Tunkhannock, June 12th. A very
fickle weather day.

A surprising treat at First Friday

Posted by Unknown | Posted in , , , , , , , , , , , | Posted on Sunday, June 05, 2011

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What an incredibly filled weekend. Beginning with Scranton First Friday, a bad alternator, replacing said alternator, breakfast at Sky Haven airport this morning and ending with Bluegrass fiddles and banjos at the NEPA Bluegrass Festival. I've got some writing and other, less important things to do. But first, a treat.

Chip Forelli 

There is one thing that I must mention about First Friday. Chip Forelli. Some of you may already know about him. Especially those with Apple computers. Chip Forelli, a photographer who's work spans 25 years, is the featured artist at Camera Work gallery in Scranton. He produces some of the most amazing black and white photographs I've seen in a while.

My creative quest is the discovery of visual gifts - those precious instances of unrevealed beauty that  we unknowingly encounter every day.  Much is to be gained by embracing these opportunities. 

That's not your average, artistic banter either. Chip's images range from mysterious and perplexing to absolutely beautiful and breathtaking. In a medium which is becoming over-saturated with bland, cliche and overly Photoshoped work, Chip's images are a breath of fresh air. His long exposures bring an ethereal, dream-like aura into the image captured. A moment in time, seemingly captured in the stillness of the print, begins to play out right before your eyes.

Chip Forelli
Although I didn't get a chance to speak with Chip, I overheard him talking about one of the pieces on display at Camera Work. The image is a frozen, snow-covered lake. Two sets of footprints begin in the foreground together before moving apart creating separate paths to destinations unknown. When asked if he had created the prints himself, Chip commented that the scene portrayed in the photo was found that way. "Two people had a disagreement and went their separate ways," said Chip. A much more insightful and interesting answer than "I don't know".

Chip Forelli
The gallery is on display until June 29th and is free to the public. Anyone heading to the Scranton Zine Fest, where myself and a few other writer/poets will be reading, will be able to check it out.

Chip Forelli