Homecoming Be-Gratitudes: Let Me Count the Ways—Review, Recognition, Friendship, Projects

Those of you who went to Sunday School will recognize my play on words with the beattitudes (be-attitudes). Coming back from such a sea-change trip, I wanted to count some blessings I received on home ground in this post. In another post, I’ll count blessings footloose and abroad.

1) Send-off Dinner. Before I left, Doreen Hulsey [...]

Walter Bargen, Missouri’s First Poet Laureate, guests for St. Louis Writers Guild

I was eager to hear Walter Bargen, Missouri’s First Poet Laureate, read his poetry and give good advice on writing a first line that arrests the attention and makes the reader want to keep going. He did not disappoint.
With charming diffidence and low key humor he kept us enthralled and left us wiser for [...]

“Audition Piece” by Gerry Mandel: The Genesis of the Play

THE STATS
Ten plays selected for reading out of forty submitted.
Four plays read chosen for full production.
Mandel’s “Audition Piece” made both cuts!

Gerry Mandel, playwright
THE GENESIS OF “AUDITION PIECE”
I started writing this play about a year ago. It began as a result of a comment made by a friend named Harry. We are part of [...]

“A Reason for Dying,” by Wilfred Bereswill, debuts Spring 2008, published by Hilliard & Harris

I met Wilfred Bereswill at a St. Louis Writers Guild talk featuring Qui XiaoLong, an author whose work I’m just coming to know and and admire. Qui spoke on Perspective and Distance, such as in his “Case of Two Cities” book (an Inspector Chen Cao book) Qui possesses that rare mix of charm, erudition, humor, [...]

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS takes on new sheen as middleschool thespians perform challenging work in Kirkwood, Missouri—story by Tayé Foster Bradshaw

I first encountered the word of the talented and entertaining Antona Smith (writing under the name Tayé Foster Bradshaw) at the St. Louis Writers Guild Wired Coffee Open Mic. When Antona told me about her youngest son and middle child Joshua’s choir performances, I asked her to share this work with you. Check out Antona’s [...]

Aaron Belz’ brand new poem “Swan Song”

Among just one of my pleasures at the St. Louis Writers Guild Loud Mouth Open Mic last week, was meeting Aaron Belz and becoming introduced to his “gravely hilarious” poems, as Denise Duhamel describes them. I bought a copy of “The Bird Hoverer” spent some enjoyable time with his hovering birds over several afternoons.
Aaron Belz [...]

St. Louis Art Museum’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Celebration’s 7th year—Raises voice for youth through performances and distinguished African American photojournalism panel

“We need to tell our stories; argue our case.”–D. Michael Cheers (Assistant Professor, Photojournalism, San Jose State University)
_______________________________________________________________
From the opening presentation of “Crowns of Glory” (Victor Little–actor–Sheila Forrest–vocalist–and David A. N. Jackson–vocalist & percussionist), through the panel of three distinguished photojournalists (D. Michael Cheers, Jason Miccolo Johnson, and Wiley Price) moderated by Alisa Swindell [...]

Kerouac’s “On the Road” turns 50 and much ado is made about something at the Loud Mouth open mic held at The Mac in South St. Louis

I love open mics that celebrate literature more than the funny little egos who produce it. The Loud Mouth open mic at The Mac in South St. Louis last night sponsored by the St. Louis Writers Guild was of the first sort as we gathered to celebrate Kerouac’s “On the Road” as it turns 50…living [...]