Mother and Daughter by Vladimir Makovsky

The Lesson

Someday my mother will not awaken from her sleep. I will not be there to hear her cough through the night and pass judgment upon this world with a curse of breath. I will be asleep in my own bed, dreaming of her and me and the days in the garden that once was. I will be struck dumb of heart when she dies. I will turn to my side and shudder in the darkness. My daughter will attend the funeral and be there in her black dress when the grave receives her grandmother. She will monitor my response, judging this passing of grief for future reference. She will observe and memorize this transference, questioning its significance. I will not be able to see her through me. I will be the old one who will cough in the night and reach for flattened sheets while my daughter lies in her bed dreaming.

(Published in Hurricane Alice, republished in Kaleidoscope) 

Karen Foster’s poems been published in Fireweed, Rocky Mountain Review of Language and Literature, Redneck Review, New York Quarterly, Classifieds, Hurricane Alice, and others. Recently one of her poems, Nitroglycerin, won third place in High Plains Writers’ Contest. Her short stories have been published in Briar Cliff Review, Big Ugly Review, and others. A story, The Dog, won third place in a contest held by The Reader, an Omaha arts magazine. Stained Glass, one of her plays, has been performed at the Lincoln Community Playhouse, Lincoln, NE. She is currently Associate Professor of English at Dickinson State University, Dickinson, ND.

Daniele Serra is a professional illustrator. His work has been published in Europe, Australia, the United States, Japan, and displayed at various exhibits across the U.S. and Europe. He has worked for DC Comics, Image Comics, Cemetery Dance, Weird Tales magazine, PS Publishing and other publications. He is winner of the British Fantasy Award. His most recent offering is the lavishly illustrated artbook Veins and Skulls. As today also just happens to be his birthday, we would like to extend him our warmest wishes for the day.

Can you tell us a little about your background? What were you like as a child?

As all children I loved to play, to watch cartoons and to read fantasy stories. I was told that I was a pretty quiet kid, I did not really want to study. My babysitter was my cousin, I loved to listen to her telling me the summaries of the horror movies that my parents did not let me watch. I have wonderful memories of my childhood, a period which may not come back but at the same time is always within of me. My studies were very different from what I am doing now. I’m mainly self-taught, although I have attended two courses, one about comics and one of oil painting, very important and essential for me. Before trying to work seriously in the field of illustration, I worked for seven years as a graphic designer.

Were you creative as a kid? What is the first thing you remember drawing the most of?

I do not know if I was creative as a child, but I’ve always loved to see people drawing, remember that before going to school my father had to make a drawing otherwise I cried . I remember huge books with drawings to color, colored pencils, I loved all the stuff that were used to create a drawing, like rough sheets, tempera.

When did you first discover your love of art? Do you remember what sparked your interest in the very beginning?

I’ve always been attracted to the books of paintings by the great painters that there were at my house. I think it was my first encounter with the art, I remember especially the strong emotions caused by Giotto’s paintings, I was terrified by his Last Judgement , I loved watching the details of Caravaggio, Klimt lines, all with naive eyes of a child who found himself catapulted into fantasy worlds.

Your work seems rather dark. Why do you like to deal with darker imagery?

It comes naturally to me, it’s not something I sought after. At the moment it’s the way of expressing myself, I like to use a particular type of colors, to create certain atmospheres for pure pleasure. I tried to work on things more “solar”, but I didn’t enjoy it and so they are less impressive. I think it’s just something that binds to a type of feeling, an attitude which invades my life 360 degrees, all that I Ilike reading, watching, and listening to, it has often a patina of melancholy, but a beautiful melancholy, that makes you feel good. However, for me the dark aspect is secondary to the sensual romance, let’s say that I feel romantically decadent. Anyhow, I always work in a very instinctive way, when I plan to work, both as a structure such as lights / shadows inevitably loses freshness, so I prefer to work in a fast and instinctive way, and finally, the result is always something quite dark!

Why do you think society has always been drawn to the darker things?

It’s something I often wonder, maybe it’s a way of exorcising our fears, to visualize the fears often allow us to detach from the, take away as something external to ourselves. In Western culture the relationship that you have with death is often complicated, we are afraid to talk about it, it’s hard to accept, but probably there is a side of human being who is strongly attracted by it, because it is part of himself. All that concerns “evil” needs to be drawn, read, painted, because it allows you to classify it, framed, so we can say: Ah, ok this is evil, what scares me. And so we exorcise it.

You have worked some for DC. Are you a fan of comics?

I’m a big fan of comics, and, of course, the opportunity to work for DC has been a wonderful experience. I really like to work in tandem with writers, it allows to compare opinions and help to grow. I also love the fact that working on a comic gives the possibility to tell a story, something that I find beautiful. Now I have other projects of comics that I hope will soon see the light.

Who are some of your favorite living artists?

They are many, those who are most dear to me are Kent Williams, George Pratt, Ashley Wood, Jason Shawn Alexander, and many others.

When did you decide to be a professional artist? Did you ever want to be anything else?

In life I’ve done different studies and jobs, but I think my mind was always focused on finding the right way to be an illustrator. It is not easy, every day is a challenge, but that’s what I like to do, so I hope to continue like this. The real decision goes back about 5 years ago, when I left my job as a graphic designer to devote myself entirely to the illustration. Let’s say that I realized that maybe I could make it work this way when I signed the contract with DC.

What do you think is the main difference between a professional artist and an amateur one?

For me, the key difference is to meet deadlines and to work on commission. When you work as an amateur, if you’re not inspired you choose to draw only what you like. But when you are “forced” to draw certain things (which probably would have never drawn) and you have to do it in a high quality and delivering on time, you have to develop a professional capacity that goes beyond the talent and creativity. Here, the only thing that often distinguishes the amateur from the professional is the ability to work while maintaining high quality in spite of the various external pressures.

Are there any little known things about you that you’d not mind sharing with our readers?

It is better to remain mysterious about the habits of an illustrator!

What do you like to do when you aren’t creating?

I really enjoy reading, being with my wife and our cats, watching movies, and playing guitar. I would like to also do some carpentry work, that has always impressed me, but I never find the time. I also like sports and dinners with friends. A few quiet things, I don’t have a very adventurous life.

What is your favorite subject to cover?

Lately I’m very passionate with ghostly landscapes in watercolor, but I think I don’t have a favorite subject, so it’s often nice to have particular subjects on which I have never worked with to see what happens. I can tell you that I find the subject more complicated, for example where there are cars, I have big problems when I have to draw cars, I just do not like to draw them.

Do you have a dream project?

Many. But I cannot tell you.

What projects are you currently working on?

At the moment it just came out my art book Veins and Skulls for SST Publications and I am working a lot in promotion it. For the rest I have to do several book covers and a couple of projects with my writer friends for comics and illustrated books.

Anything you’d like to say before you go?

Thank you for the interview, thanks to all those who will read it. I really enjoyed. Thank you!

More examples of his work can also be found on Van Gogh’s Ear at: The Art of Daniele Serra

This interview originally ran January 21, 2011 and is no longer available anywhere. With his recent passing I felt it only fitting to show it to you all here.

Neal Barrett Jr. is likely one of the best, least known authors out there. His works have dealt with science fiction, fantasy,mystery/suspense, and historical fiction. With his first work appearing in 1974 he has written several novels, series, and short story collections. Barrett gained recognition recently when the Science  Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America named him Author Emeritus in 2010. In recent years he has been working on screenplays as well.

What was it like for you growing up in Oklahoma City? What was your very first favorite story? Do you feel your early experience have had a lasting impact on your as a writer?

Growing up in OC was, I guess, like growing up anywhere. I was born in San Antonio, but lived in OC from age 5 until I went to college at OU. I can’t recall a favorite first story, but I imagine it was the Mars stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Regarding early experiences having lasting impact on me as a writer, a great deal happens to every writer. If you read my works, such as The Hereafter Gang, you can see where I’m coming from.

Since there isn’t much about you out there, can you tell our readers a little bit about your background and interests?

I’d disagree. I think there’s a lot on sites and in reviews about me. Look at my bio, and you’ll find my career pretty well covered, I think. My interests, besides writing, are my family, my cat Mickey, my aquarium, my yard, and getting together with writer friends around here: Joe Lansdale, Bill Spencer, Brad Denton, and Don Webb.

What first led you to the world of writing? Why do you think you chose to pursue a career in it?

I’ve been asked before what led me to the world of writing. first, all writers started out as readers. I really have no idea how I became a writer. I didn’t choose it. It was just always there. I never said “I’ll be a writer.” I just was. That’s truly the way it happened.

Which genre do you most prefer to write in most?

No question on this one. the short story. I think it brings together the character’s story in such a way that one can’t do in a novel. I’ve done novels, and enjoyed doing them. but a short story is, if you’ll pardon the excessive language: a gem, a small, encased perfection. No writing, in my opinion, comes close to the really good short story.

Some of your works though not Westerns themselves have a distinct Western flair.Why do you think the whole Western slant has always had such appeal?

I’ve done westerns, but I see where you’re going with this. I’d say many of us in the Southwest have regional qualities to our work. Sometimes people complain about regionalism,but if you look around, you’ll find New York, Michigan, California,Maine, etc. writers. Why not? It’s the natural thing to do.

I heard that you have a story about your cat and dog teaming up to raid your pantry. Is that true?

Yes, that’s true. My wife and I kept seeing the dog peek around the corner, check us out now and then. Finally, I got up and went to the kitchen and found the cat on a high pantry shelf dropping bags of dog treats down to the dog. My question, knowing cats: What was in it for the cat?

Do you enjoy working on screenplays? How is it different from your other works?

I love working on screenplays. I also love writing comics. It’s about the same thing. In movies you have storyboards, a picture showing a scene, then another. Same thing with screenplays. I have written over a thousand pages of comics. I love to do it, love screenplays.

What is your favorite movie of all time?

 My favorite movie of all time? I have to put a few in there: Battle of Brtitain, Dam Busters, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and Blade Runner. Many more, of course.

What one subject have you yet to cover would you most like to bring to the public next?

Hard to answer that one. There are a lot of things I have going, and I’m NOT going to talk about them here! I’ll say I’ve got several sf stories in the works, as usual, a couple of political projects, and a real scary horror movie.

Where you surprised to be named Author Emeritus by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America?

Yes, surprised. And greatly pleased.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Cordwainer Smith, Terry Bisson, Lawrence Block, China Mieville, John R. Maxim, Alan Furst, Bartle Bull, Patrick O’Brian, and a lot more.

I want to be with those who know secret things or else alone.

                                      –Rilke

The Queen

She can move in any direction,

but can’t break the boundaries of the grid.

None can.

No leaving the field.

And even though the board is preset at the beginning,

it morphs into countless situations.

I cannot say for certain if it’s finite,

though the plane itself has edges.

But if the big bang is an explosion still expanding,

those most ancient, outermost parts lead

to John describing this, then continue

on ever more molecular levels of space inside and out him.

So no matter how random the point

something begins from seems to be,

there becomes, that moment and thereafter, the pre-beginning,

like a chessboard set for the very first move.

It makes no difference that the start is arranged,

that it’s “set up,”

that there’s a beginning and an end.

That life lasts as long as the game continues.

To measure time we pick a random moment to begin.

Light moves.

There is no point in being light if you don’t.

The dark it moves into reveals itself.

From Favorite Bedtimes Stories (Salmon Poetry, 2014)

John FitzGerald is a poet, writer, editor and attorney for the disabled in Los Angeles. A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, he attended UCLA and the University of West Los Angeles School of Law, where he was editor of the Law Review. His newest collection of poetry, The Mind, was published by Salmon Poetry in 2011. The poetry collection Favorite Bedtime Stories is forthcoming from Salmon Poetry in 2014. His first book, Spring Water, was a Turning Point Books prize selection in 2005. Telling Time by the Shadows was released in April 2008 by Turning Point Books. As yet unpublished works include Primate, a novel and screenplay, the non-fiction The People of the Net.

He has contributed to the anthologies Poetry: Reading it, Writing it, Publishing it (Salmon Poetry), Dogs Singing: A Tribute Anthology (Salmon Poetry), and From the Four-Chambered Heart: In Tribute to Anais Nin (Sybaritic Press) as well as to many literary magazines, notably The Warwick Review, Barnwood Mag, Askew Poetry Journal, Spillway, and Lit Bridge.

“The poet is a pariah, an anomaly.”
~ Henry Miller

Saint Pariah

Sings

“This is the time

For me and you”

He’s seen

Crumbled names

Of old

Grow green

Amid

Oceans of

Blood

Carried

Onto land

In vessels of

Evolution

Destined to

Crowd

Rhythm’s

Ancient shore

Where

Temporary

Eyes

Drown

Saint Pariah

Kneeling

Down

To touch

A tombstone

He cares about

Because he cares

About the about

And the when

And the why

He will be

Categorized

When he dies

Wishing

All would stop

Dying

Without meaning

Or purpose

These words could

Go on forever

If forever

Didn’t wear down

Indecipherable

Beneath

The great

Divide

The Other Man in the Room

The old man is with me tonight:

haggard face, blue eyes, sitting

on the sofa across the room, he

can’t see me, deep in contemplation

of some secret only he needs to know,

allowing Vivaldi to massage his

overworked feet and taut muscles,

with slender hands that were once

beautiful and knowledge beyond

his education, lonely but proud,

ambitious but afraid, good

hearted but wounded, a beautiful

smile forms on his lips, I move across

the room to embrace him as his child,

with naked admiration and large tears

grown from years apart, though I am

unable to—the man who once lived

and was my father: is now me.

Brenton Booth resides in Sydney, Australia. Writing of his has appeared in many publications, most recently 3:AM Magazine, Scissors & Spackle, Thunder Sandwich, Red Fez, Boyslut, Pyrokinection, Dead Snakes, Clockwise Cat, and Yellow Mama.

For more information and examples of the works of Włodzimierz Kukliński please see the Facebook page.

Cycle of Pain is one of the most unique bands on the scene today. With members who have also been friends since their teenage years, it has a certain loyalty that has kept it intact through the years. Comprised of John “Jd” DeServio (also of Black Label Society) on bass and vocals, Gregg LoCascio with lead vocals, Joe Taylor on guitar, Bob Panetella on the drums, and Troy Cromwell on keys. The highly anticipated EP Pain Us! is slated for release in early 2014. With the excitement building it was my pleasure to catch up with John to find a little more about the latest offering. Fans can catch a few limited engagements at various venues in the Northeast this Holiday Season, please see: Cycle of Pain on Facebook for more details.

For those who might not be familiar with the band, can you tell us a little about how it came into being?  

We’ve been friends and in bands together since we were 14. I got offered a record deal in 2009 and got the band back together.

Do you think the fact that some of you have know each other so long now, has made it easier to keep the band progressing and working well?

To some degree. On the other hand weŕe brothers so there’s some hate in there too at times. (laughs)

Do you think loyalty is a rare thing in the music industry today?

Yeah, that’s a thing of the past. If you don’t sell you get no loyalty.

Do you remember what it was that first sparked your love of music?

KISS is solely responsible.

Why do you think music has had such appeal throughout the ages? What about it do you think draws people in the most?

Because it gets them away from the hassles of life for a little bit.

How does it feel to pass on the gift of music to your various students along the way? Do you hope to teach more in the future?

I love teaching. It’s an awesome feeling to give back. I always hope to do so.

Other than preparing the album what have you been up to since we spoke last?

I just mixed the new Black Label Society record, and am trying to put out the Cycle of Pain EP, did a couple of local shows, and have a few more coming up.

What is the most challenging thing you face as a musician? Do you think people underestimate how much work goes into the music?

The most challenging thing is making a living at it. There is lots of sacrifice involved.

What do you think is the biggest misconception people have about musicians of our time?

That theyŕe good. (laughs)

Did feel good to get back to work with Cycle of Pain? As someone who  works in two different bands do you ever miss one when you are working with the other or do you just enjoy the work as it comes? What do you  love most about being in each of them respectively?

It’s always good to jam with my brothers in both bands. CoP is my baby so creatively it’s a necessity. BLS is home so it’s always good to go home.

What would you say is the most important thing you have learned from working with Zakk Wylde over the years? And from your time in Cycle of Pain?

The same answer applies to both: how hard it is, how much you have to work at things, and how you just got to keep pushing.

How does this EP differ most from the debut album?

Different time. The first spanned a decade of writing. This one is all in the last couple of years.

I know you have long wanted to dabble in jazz fusion did you touch on that a little more in this album? Is that something you are still looking forward to creating down the line?

There is some progressive stuff, not much. Down the road I will definitely release a more jazz fusion of a bunch of styles that I dig. I love playing piano, so there will be a bunch of tunes I get to do.

Are you looking forward to the upcoming shows in the Northeast? Will there be any additional dates?

Right now we just have this handful. Hopefully there will be more.

Do you think the reason you make music has changed since you first started your career or is that a constant? What do you love most about making music?

To me music is still born out of the love of music. Creating is such a blessing!

What can your fans look forward to in the year ahead?

Hopefully a kick ass CoP EP, a great BLS album, and a world tour.

Anything you’d like to say before you go?

Thanks to everybody for supporting the bands! I’m very blessed. See ya’ll in 2014.

Blood & Sand

I sit against the wind
with my back hunched over,
as if I’m swinging against a tightrope
high above the vacant sea.

All alone,

I am left out in the cold.
My bones break against the rocks

until the darkest part of my soul
tries to escape the deep end
of my mind.

I lay down words of
what I see in front of me.
One, two, three…
I countdown the final moments
before I am pulled away.
With my heart torn apart

by the tears that pour out of me,
I fall back into the mouth
of the deep blue sea.

Jeremy Tolbert is a poet and writer from Seattle, WA. He has written for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer online,  and is also a contributing writer for the online magazine, Having a Whiskey Coke With You.  He has penned the poetry collection Scribbling’s from a Beer-Stained Napkin and is in the process of completing a second collection entitled Talking with the Devil About Love , coming early 2014 by University Bookstore Press. These pieces will be included in his second book.