Hassan El-Tayyab's Composing Temple Sunrise

ABOUT COMPOSING TEMPLE SUNRISE 

Composing Temple Sunrise: Overcoming Writer's Block at Burning Man is an inspirational coming-of-age memoir about a 26-year-old songwriter looking to refuel his creative energy. Trigged by the Great Recession of 2008, Hassan El-Tayyab loses his Special Education teaching job in Boston and sets out on a cross-country adventure with a woman named Hope Rideout, determined to find his lost muse. His journey brings him to Berkeley, CA, where he befriends a female metal art collective constructive a 37-foot Burning Man art sculpture named "Fishbug." What follows is a life-changing odyssey through Burning Man that helps Hassan harness his creative spirit, overcome his self-critic, confront his childhood trauma, and realize the healing power of musical expression. 

My views:

All of us are plagued by one issue or more, at any given point of time. The way we deal with those is what shapes our lives. Some deal it with inner strength, a few seek help. But Hassan deals it with it by travelling. He is determined to find himself and his muse.

He is drifting aimlessly, yet is not ashamed to write about it. He has no aim, no goal as such except maybe for coming in terms with himself. Meeting people, and interacting with them, along with the Burning Man stuff, all these help him in one way or the other.

Personal issues intermingle with creativity and that makes the memoir worth reading. I usually don't read memoirs but I am glad I read it. That too at a time, when I myself seem to going nowhere. Drifting directionless....

Loved the honesty and the almost, self derision. Maybe simple living is the answer. I wouldn't know. I am not that adventurous to give up my creature comforts. Everything said and done, I recommend it for those who are in dire need of finding themselves....

I must mention one of the quotes in the memoir that called out to me...

As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people's ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life. 

~~Amy Poehler.

Poetic Book Tours: Paradise Drive by Rebecca Foust

Foust has won the 2015 American Literary Review Creative Writing Award for Fiction judged by Garth Greenwell and the 2015 James Heart Poetry Prize judged by Jane Hirshfield. 

MEET PILGRIM

on-the-wane, children grown and gone.

Who, voice-trained from birth in desire,

wakes one morning wanting—nothing—

in 
Foust has won the 2015 American Literary Review Creative Writing Award for Fiction judged by Garth Greenwell and the 2015 James Heart Poetry Prize judged by Jane Hirshfield. the way of things. Wanting some not-thing

not quite not-seen. Her dreams

—Macy’s-parade-balloon-sized dreams—

now lie, a tangle of downed silk and line.

Waist-deep in bright ruin, she labors to sing,

wondering if wanting is, after all, all

there is. Somewhere far away old ice recedes;

somewhere new wars combust. Here, rain is rare

and Pilgrim sings her scales to the dust.

House of no children, guest room of no guest;

no god or guide, a broken song. Her quest.

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Title: Paradise Drive
Author: Rebecca Foust
ISBN: 9781941209165
Publisher: Press 53/2015
Pages: 114

I have a deep seated love for Sonnets. I have written a lot. Reading Rebecca Foust was a pleasure. Her sonnets deal with the 21st Century issues. Very contemporary and hits the gut. The Pilgrim's journey has just begun. The quest, the questions, the path and how to define oneself in this modern era....

Contemplating the sonnets, one can hear the music, understand the irony, the humour, the perception.

She covers terrorism, autism, divorce, birth, war, drugs.....I never could think of Sonnets in the modern context. There I was sitting, reading the sonnets, and thinking about that eternal search of truth the poet has tried to find for herself and for us, the reader. There is darkness, yet there is light. In many ways, I could identify myself with The Pilgrim.....

Filled with vivid imagery, descriptions, sensuality, deep thoughts, the language is simply beautiful. The references are very meaningful and give us great insights into each of the sonnets.

I recommend this book to those who love sonnets, poetry and also those who try to experiment in their reading...

iRead Book Tours:Two Hearts by James Eric Richley & Guest post

Book Title: Two Hearts: When I Said I Do, I Meant Forever 
Author: James Eric Richey
Category:  Adult Fiction, 426 pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: JER Books/2014

I have been reading a lot of romance and I grabbed this chance to read this too. It is big novel for a romance but I liked it. Two childhood sweethearts marrying young appeals to me. However, the path of living together is not smooth. They face hardships and challenges in the following years. Jason is a very nice person, very likable. Annie is shown to be good but she turns out to be jealous, suspicious and very insecure.

In real life, it is like that in any relationship. One has to deal with all kinds of emotions. The author has made us do that in this novel. I liked the vivid descriptions of the mountains. It made the place come alive for me. 

Such a beautiful love story which touches the heart. I like the ending where we see hope. That is real life.

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GUEST POST BY JAMES ERIC RICHEY


What Am I Becoming

Do you ever stop and ask yourself, “What am I becoming?”  Are you doing what you need to do, to become what you want to become?

Success in life is definitely a journey and a slow process. I think there are three things successful people do differently than others. First, is their attitude, second their resolution and determination to achieve goals, and third is the mind set of never giving up.

Our mind and our thoughts are so powerful! Thinking negatively limits opportunities to succeed. Our thoughts determine who we are and who we will become. We are going to become what we are constantly telling ourselves. In order to succeed, it is so important to think positive, uplifting thoughts rather than degrading ourselves and our abilities.

A positive attitude is key to achieving the goals we set.

The second quality of successful people is their resolution to pursue goals and their determination to achieve the goals they set. Someone once said, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of knowledge, not a lack of strength, but rather a lack of will.”

Self-discipline is vital in order to achieve goals.

The third characteristic of successful people is the mind set to never give up. Throughout history there have been people that did not give up. Thomas Edison failed two thousand times before inventing the light bulb. Without his continuous efforts we would probably still be using candlesticks for light. Another more recent example would be Michael Jordan, the famous basketball star. Michael Jordan missed 9,000 shots in his career. He lost almost 300 games. 26 times he was trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. He has failed over and over again in his life, and that is why he has succeed.  

He never gave up.

The three most important mannerisms people need in order to succeed in life are: attitude, goal achieving, and never giving up. If we work hard to do these things, we will lead a successful life.

iRead Book Tours

Teaser/Intro: Upper West Side Story by Susan Pashman

I stood up to face Stephen, a lump swelling in my throat. “It is simple,” I cried. “I can’t stand all this conniving and second-guessing when the truth is perfectly obvious. It’s always some stupid game with you politicians. But they can’t play games with our son, Stephen. That’s just not going to happen!”

I tore down the hall to our bedroom and stared out at the city. Down every street, behind every window, lives were being ruined – choked by greed, poisoned by ambition, obliterated by self-interest. The city stared back at me, a professor of political theory, a stalwart campaigner for a more just world.

Title: Upper West Side Story
Author: Susan Pashman
ISBN: 9781941861035
Publisher: Harvard Square Editions/2015
Pages: 286


The story is about two families, one White, other Black. Bettina is white and Viola is Black. Both forge deep bonds with each other and are good friends. Their sons, Max and Cyrus are in the same school and are very close to each other.

Both had gone to a field trip and Cyrus dies due to an accident. Max is held responsible for it. Bettina gets to read Max's diary and finds great insights about Max and Cyrus's friendship. Hard hitting, thought provoking, loss, racial prejudice and however hard one might try not to be affected by it all, one gets embroiled in the midst of it.

The divide is there, ever present despite best efforts, and unfairness of it all when a boy is wrongly punished for something he did not do. Bettina does not give up. She has to save her son. She also feels for Viola who has lost a son. Her loyalties get torn yet she has to save her son. 

This book grabbed me and kept me enthralled till the end. I felt for both the mothers and the helplessness, the utter loneliness of the characters. Love, forgiveness, redemption, isn't what we want?

This novel covers those and more.....


Posted this review for iRead Book Tours

The Antigone Poems by Marie Slaight and Drawings by Terrence Tasker with an INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY

This voice
Is afraid to speak

Afraid
Of the brutal metal
Of its words.

Words that scrape
Words that scar
Words that have no peace.

If I utter this voice
This great
Aching scream

Its horror will echo forever

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Title: The Antigone Poems
Poetry: Mary Slaight
Art: Terrence Tasker
ISBN: 9780980644708
Publisher: An Altaire Publication/2014
Pages: 92

I did not know about Sophocles play. Antigone was a stranger to me. I have not read much of Greek Tragedies. Reading The Antigone Poems was a revelation. The despair, the bleakness and rebellion came across strongly. The poems jumped out of the pages and hit my guts hard. So so visceral.

I could even see parallel to our Hindu mythology. The Daemons are a manifestation of everything that ought not be, the evil. However, they connect the Gods with the Humans. Maybe we need that manifestation of Daemons to understand the goodness.

The struggle, the strife and suffering is not confined to Antigone. It goes beyond and we see it manifested everywhere in the present world. In any kind of war, women suffer the most. The detailing is morbid, yet it attracts the reader, the rhyming and Alliteration pulls us in. We may despair for the protagonist, but we appreciate beauty in words. The imagery, metaphors and allegory defy descriptions.

The charcoal drawings are so evocative. Sun, daemons, death pervades in most of the poems. The female spirit is the essence here, sad, tragic, despairing yet rebelling. Pleasure and pain are interchangeable.

The poems are stark and striking, appear to simplistic but encompass emotions of epic proportion. Highly recommended for all poetry lovers....The book is a keeper and I will read it again and again.....

PS: I did check out Sophocles play after reading this....

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Posting this for TLC Book Tour

Here's the link to the TLC Book Tour schedule for: The Antigone Poems

Thanks the publisher and TLC Book Tours for providing me with a copy of this book!

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Anyone interested to read poetry is welcome for the giveaway. Just leave your email id in the comments section. I will make a draw on 22 May. This is International....

iRead Blog Tour : To Sleep...Perchance to Die by Donald R. Grippo

Title: To Sleep...Perchance to Die
Author: Donald R. Grippo
ISBN: 9781938501128
Publisher: Turn the Page Publishing/2013
Pages: 222

Two people set out to destroy another. Why? Now that is complicated. Jake and Brett are oral surgeons. Mia, unknown to Jake, chooses him to be in her life. He is much in love with her and kills for her. So much so that he traps his best friend, Bret Manley in their plotting. Mia seduces Bret, marries him. She and Jake carry on with their affair behind his back.

With surgical precision, they destroy his life. Bret ends up in jail for murder he did not compete. However, his uncle Hubie Santos is a well known criminal attorney. He sets out to find out the truth by hiring a private investigator. For more than a year, there is no breakthrough. Then the PI hits the jackpot....

It works well as a psychological thriller. Mia and Jake are evil. The way he uses his medical knowledge to kill is very scary. For Mia, he is prepared to die. And Mia? 

It might not appeal to all but for crime fiction readers, I would say go for it, if you like deception, passion, betrayal and murder, all thrown in good measures.

Do check out the Tour Schedule for To Sleep...Perchance to Die. Some bloggers are having giveaways. 

The Collector of Dying Breaths by M. J. Rose

"I almost died because a criminal with a gun shot at you and I pushed you out of the way and was hurt. Jac, please." He put his hand on her shoulders and pulled her toward him so she was twisted around, facing him again. "You can't throw us away because of something you don't even believe yourself."

~~~Posted for That's What HE Said Thursday

Title: The Collector of Dying Breaths
Author: M.J. Rose
ISBN: 9781451621532
Publisher: Atria Books/2014
Pages: 384

This is the sixth book in Reincarnationist series and the third one featuring Jac L’Etoile. I have read the first, The Book of Lost Fragrances. I am yet to pick up the second one, Seduction.

This novel is set in two different time periods, one contemporary and other historical, set in the sixteenth century where René le Florentin is a young apprentice in an Italian monastery. He is wrongly accused of poisoning his master, apothecary Dom Serapino. Catherine de Medici saves him and takes him along to France as she is about to marry into the French royality. René is a now a perfumer to the French court. His knowledge of fragrances, potions and poisons makes him valuable for Catherine. She makes use of his knowledge to eliminate enemies of the state. Meanwhile, René continues to work on a secret project of collecting a person’s dying breath. He thinks that if he discovers the right combination of ingredients to mix with the dying breath, then the resulting mixture can  bring back the soul. However, his knowledge of poisons has disastrous consequences on his personal life....

Coming to present day France, Jac L’Etoile's brother Robby dies and he had been working collecting dying breaths. L’Etoiles are a family of perfumers. Jac has always stayed away from creating perfumes because certain scents bring back vivid memories of the past – not just her own but other people’s too. When a rich and eccentric woman, Melinoe Cypros asks her to continue with the work of Robby (which is René le Florentin's work), Jac agrees. Working for it, Jac finds herself haunted by visions of  René le Florentin and the woman he loves.

The historical parts were well developed and were very compelling. Catherine de Medici was portrayed well and I liked the interactions between Catherine, Rene and Ruggieri, Catherine's astrologer. Jac is able to see her past life and somehow can connect to her present day lover, Griffin North to René le Florentin, she being the woman he had loved. This works well as a standalone novel and the suspense element remains intact throughout.