Lynnell Edwards has 3rd Collection of Poetry Released

Lynnell Major Edwards is the author ofThe Farmer’s Daughter (2003) and The Highwayman’s Wife (2007), all from Red Hen Press. Her third book of poetry, Covet, will be released on October 1. Covet, published by Red Hen Press, is a poetic examination of desire.

Her short fiction and book reviews have appeared most recently in Connecticut Review, American Book Review, Pleiades, New Madrid, and others. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky where she is on the Board of Directors for Louisville Literary Arts, a non-profit literary arts organization that sponsors the monthly InKY reading series and The Writer’s Block Festival. She is also Associate Professor of English at Spalding University. She also teaches creative writing at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and is available for readings and workshops in a variety of settings.


Covet
by: Lynnell Edwards
2011-10-01
$16.95 Tradepaper
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Description:

covet (kúh-vit)v. tr.: to desire, esp. to desire eagerly, to wish for, long for. As in to covet another’s belongings, the ghosts of households and fixtures, their voices or warnings. Ex: she coveted the fine table, the rich furnishings of her neighbor’s home. As in to covet the past, a lost year, a lost life or one not lived. Ex: turning the photograph of her parents over in her hand, she imagined their happiness and coveted what might have been. As in to eagerly wish for the health, well-being of one for whom responsibility is given, or a child. Ex: she coveted, above all, happiness for her sons. Or, to want that (i.e. person) which one may not have, desire to possess another. Ex: thou shalt not covet.

For more information about Lynnell’s work visit Lynnell's Page.

COVET">http://vimeo.com/28443172">COVET by Lynnell Edwards - Book Trailer by Pam Swisher from Lynnell">http://vimeo.com/user8280913">Lynnell Edwards on Vimeo.

Latch

(Photo copyright Dan Felstead of Wood and Pixel Narratives)

LATCH

 Rusted metal, forged with care,
now oxidized and worn;
cobweb covered from disuse,
sure to squeal when opening
the latch is so old,
forgotten.

.

What the ...

(Photo copyright of Dan Felstead of Wood and Pixel Narratives)

What the hell are you looking at???

Gingerbread

(Photo copyright Dan Felstead of Wood and Pixel Narratives)

GINGERBREAD

 The hydrangeas bloom in flamboyant blue,
mopheads drooping down to the ground.
The gingerbread siding of the aging home
appear more garish against the stunning flowers.

Comfortably Numb

Depression is an illness millions of people suffer through for weeks, months, even years. It may be simple post-partum blues, or depression because of grief, or sometimes it is the bottom of the barrel and you cannot see your way out. It makes you feel lonely and afraid.

“Hello?
Is there anyone in there?
Just nod if you can hear me.”

What if you can’t nod from exhaustion? You try at first to take care of your depression as you retreat further and further from your family, your friends, the world. Then your family persuades you to go see a doctor, but you resist. You have had these feelings before and you have always pulled out of it by yourself.

But this time things are getting worse and the next thing you realize, all you want to do is pull out in front of a tractor trailer and end it all. This is when you know you are in deep shit. As soon as you drive the last mile to work, you call and make an emergency appointment with a medical professional.

“I’ll need some information first,
just the basic fact.
Can you show me where it hurts?”

You want to scream – IT HURTS EVERWHERE!!! I need help before something bad happens to me, or before I hurt myself. So off I go to the fix-me-up-place.

“Okay,
just a little pin prick …
you may feel a little sick.
Can you stand up?"

Group therapy, individual therapy, no notebooks with wire spirals – my favorite kind – how the hell will I be able to write. The first few days, I’m a zombie.

“I have become comfortably numb.”

This is not solving my problems; I want to be a normal wife again, a mother, a daughter, a writer, but never a nurse, never again.

“When I was a child,
I caught a fleeting glimpse
out of the corner of my eye …”

I am no longer a child and I have a dream. The pain is not over, it will always be there. I will sometimes have a few dark days looming, but now they are coming in longer waves. I close my eyes and reach into the recesses of my mind, pulling the willpower forward. I no longer want to be comfortably numb.

**”Comfortably Numb” copyright Pink Floyd

Kentucky Monthly Magazine

When I received the October issue of Kentucky Monthly Magazine in the mail yesterday, not only did one of my book reviews make the cut, but there was a mention of my book, Harrodsburg (Images of America)!
Bookends:

Bobbi Dawnn Rightmyer and Anna Armstrong, members of the James Harrod Trust preservation committee, have worked together to creat a photographic tribute to the people, land and ancestors of Harrodsburg. Founded by James Harrod in 177r, Harrodsburg, the seat of Mercer County, is the oldest permanent settlement wet of the Allegheny Mountains. The lastest entry in Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series features more than 220 images dating from the late 1700s to the early 1960s.

Isham-Carter Family Reunion

The annual Isham-Carter family reunion was held this afternoon and it was fun to see all the aunts, uncles and cousins again. Above is Aunt Louise - the guest of honor - and her daughter, Julie.

The food tables were so full of food, I was afraid they would collapse!

A plate full of food - yummy!!!

Julie telling everyone how the Ishams and Carters became one big happy family. More about that at a later date.

Continuing to Learn

It has been said that a person never stops learning, and this is so true about the craft of writing. Although I have been writing professionally for over 15 years, I continue to rely on literary magazines and books in order to remain current and improve my writing.

Currently, I am using The New Fowler's Modern English Usage book to develop a word of the day or words of the week. Trying to use different words and learning what these words mean will help give me an edge to my writing. Different than a Thesaurus, Fowler's gives you the orientation of the word and when it was first used. Sometimes the word will be used in a sentence.

Another book I love is You Don't Have to Be Famous: How To Write Your Life Story by Steve Zousmer. Because most of my writing is non-fiction essays, this book has been a great resource. Teaching me the who, what, when and whys of writing about your life will tighten up my work and make it more enjoyable to the reader.

In an attempt to get my freelance copy writing business off the ground, I have found The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman an invaluable resource. Making a living by writing can be a difficult business, but this book gives me hope that I can do it. Although I am writing a book, I need an added source of writing to supplement my income.

Lastly, I have been studying Words Overflown by Stars edited by David Jauss. This book is a creative writing instruction and insight book used by colleges for a Fine Arts M.F.A. The study in this book is going a little slower because it is a more difficult book, but I like the feeling of working on a college level again.

You're never too late to learn. Pick up a book today on your favorite subject and start studying - you never know when the information will come in handy.
Words Overflown By Stars: Creative Writing Instruction And Insight From The Vermont College Mfa Program

New Website

Check out the new website my husband - Keith Rightmyer - designed for me. If you wish to buy any of my chapbooks:

• Out of My Comfort Zone
• Care and Feeding of Nightmares
• Out of Dark Shadows
• Bobbi's Mercer Memories, Vol. I Spring and Summer

or a copy of Harrodsburg (Images of America), you may do so with PayPal on this site.

Fire Flies

Fire Flies

Under the lovely

            full moon,

the fire begins to glow …

blazing

            up in crackling swirls.

The embers seem to glow

            and fly

around the surrounding area.

Most

            of the embers,

burn themselves out,

but one or two

            slip into the sky to

fly

and

fly.

The original “fire flies”,

            good luck pieces

of fire that,

when past a certain time,

            become alive

and seek out

a true soul

            who needs occasional

magical help.

Salvisa Ruritan Days

What an wonderful, beautiful day we've had today! Keith and I had a booth where we were selling the new book, Harrodsburg (Images of America), as well as my chapbooks of poetry and short stories. It was great!

We sold several books, but more importantly, we made many new contacts with people who have old photographs or negatives of Salvisa. These will be wonderful when we do a Mercer County Book.

I think our booth looked pretty good, if I do say so myself! My hubby was such a sweetheart for helping me set everything up and then helping with manning the booth. Love you, sweetheart!

Our next event will be September 22nd - a radio interview with JD in the Morning at the Rooster radio station (WHBN). After that we will be at the Pioneer Classic Car Show at Anderson-Dean Park on September 3oth and October 1st, so come on out and see us.

In November we will be doing a book signing at the Beehive Gift Shop and Beaumont Inn - the dates have not been determined yet, but I will keep you updated.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has been so supportive of the book; we really appreciate it. If this book sells well, we will be able to do a book on Mercer County - featuring Salvisa, McAfee and Burgin.

Rainy Days

Copyright The Savage World

I love rainy days! I don't know what it is about them, but they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe it's because I like to curl up under a fuzzy blanket and read a book. Or many times, it will inspire my creativity nature and I can't put my notebooks or laptop down. Many times I will just sit and knit while watching and listening to the rain; it makes a beautiful combination.

I know most people are hating the fact that spring is almost gone, but I am so looking forward to autumn. The cool crisp air, dewy mornings and overcast days - these motivate me more than the sunshiny days of summer.

So, if you're like me and love rainy days - hurray for us because today will be perfect. If you don't like them, I'm sorry, but we have had a pretty hot summer, so I'm ready for the cool down.

Lightning Bugs

Lightning Bugs


Sun is drifting down to the
horizon – brightening the
western sky.
Shadows are lengthening, spreading
across the lawn
children still run and play
for dark to beckon the
lightning bugs.