Thursday, December 9, 2010

i'm at the banjo's place today

Just a little note to let you know I have the great honor of being spotlighted by John Hayes on his excellent blog Robert Frost's Banjo today, as part of his weekly series, "Writers Talk". He has also been generous enough to post three of my poems on his new blog Writers Talk.

John is an accomplished musician and a very talented writer  His latest book of poetry, The Spring Ghazals  is now available for purchase on Lulu or Amazon.  I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon with John, or Jack, as he's sometimes called, and uses as his pen name, when he stopped by the manor earlier this year, on his trip to the east coast.  I'm sure he will never forget the most vile cup of coffee I served him, since the manor coffee maker was on the blink that day. I would venture to say, if it didn't add hair to his chest, it certainly kept him awake until he made it all the way back to Idaho. I hope he has forgiven me. Pop over and visit his very professional and informative blog.  I guarantee you'll want to add it to your regular list of bloggy reads.

38 comments:

  1. Thanks for the shout out & the kind words! I really don't remember the coffee being bad!

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  2. ...the hostess always remembers the burnt buns or bitter coffee. LOL (I'm famous for forgetting about the bread in the oven...) Oh well, ply them with enough good wine and their memories will be sweet!

    Congrats on the interview. It was very interesting.

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  3. I loved your header today. Congratulations on being featured on John's blog. Even vile coffee is good when it is served at a friend's home.

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  4. Wonderful, Tess! I will be among the first to purchase your book when it is published! As it will be.

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  5. Congrats on your feature, Willow! And you're right-I am now following his blog also. :) Take care & best wishes!

    Sarah
    theweatheredword.blogspot.com

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  6. Thanks for these interesting links! You know, after reading the piece about you on his site, The Manor, and you and the ghosts and everything else should really be a feature of a book or a movie of some sort! I have all these images of life there...

    Tess, have you considered the on demand publisher Lulu? I researched it several years ago but never have followed up. Would be interested in your thoughts about that forum, either as a comment or email.

    Rick

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  7. Someone will recognize that keen use of language and help get you published, Tess. Best of luck--nice interview! Let us know when the book is a fait accompli--I'll be one of your first customers.

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  8. Congrats. You definitely deserve the spotlight.

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  9. wonderful interview and selection of yr poems. good luck re: the chapbook. My friend Mort, now deceased, was an Ohio poet and I know there are a variety of Ohio/university opportunities to compete for chapbook publication. Blessings, suki

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  10. I am also on the "put me down for your first book" list. I can't wait. It's coming right? Off to read John's post.
    PS - I've never had a cup of coffee in my life so it's almost impossible for me to make someone a cup.

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  11. Rick, you are too kind. Book and movie? Gosh, I had to giggle! I emailed you on the publishing question.

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  12. Suki, I just submitted my manuscript to Cleveland State University. I hope they like me.

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  13. Johnny Jack, the pleasure is all mine, my friend.

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  14. No one deserves this more than you..doing so much for writers like us!! How do you do it all??

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  15. Enjoyed reading home and away. You both inspire me.

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  16. Great interview Willow! And thanks for the link to John's blog...I am also now following : )

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  17. Wonderful interview by a fellow
    with keen sensitivities, allowing
    us to get a delicious peek into
    more of the manor mistress
    persona. I loved your answers,
    and most of us can relate to
    our families and many friends
    who do not "get" our poetry,
    or anybody else's for that matter.
    Poetics can be the great
    clearing house for our soul,
    where nothing is sacred,
    and everything is sacred.
    The three poems John reprinted
    over on WRITER'S TALK, were
    all those that we were familiar
    with, and some of us had already
    reposted, but it was great to
    see them en-masse.
    I have toyed with the idea of
    submitting my work to divers
    chapbook publications, but
    am the eternal cherry boy
    when it comes to the doing;
    naive, virginal, ignorant.
    Perhaps you will succeed, and
    can give a treatise, or a presentation
    on the recipe for success; beyond
    your naked talent of course.

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  18. Thanks, Glenn, I will. It may take a year or two, but I'm giving it my best shot. Like I mentioned in the interview, it isn't for the faint of heart.

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  19. Tess -- so enjoyed your interview with John Hayes. It was a touch of humanness that brings the writers of blogs into perspective. -- barbara

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  20. We've got a good banjo player here in Bath, UK called Leon - anyone heard of him?

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  21. Tess, good luck w/Cleveland State!!! Do you know the magazine Poets and Writers"? In the back are listings of nationwide chapbook contests (for lack of a better word) and venues for single poems, university awards etc. There are many more venues for poets than for fiction writers.

    you might also be interested in looking through the writer's colonies. for most of them you have to apply with samples of your work and references, however they are great for writing in concentration with no distractions and also for "networking." Of course there are also MFA programs which are also great for meeting people if that's is something that tickles your fancy.

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  22. Thanks, Suki, yes! I have subscribed to Poets & Writers and am using it for a guide in sending out my manuscript.

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  23. This is great! Just like an interview on the "Today Show".. very nice indeed. Proud of YOU!
    :) The Bach
    Lord Thomas of Wellington

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  24. What a lovely tribute to you! I am so awaiting your publication. What in the world are they waiting for??? In the meantime, know that your legion of fans are all out here adoring.

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  25. Thanks, everybody. Your support is amazing. I have the best bloggy friends in the whole world. xx

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  26. Yay! Well done, and good stuff.

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  27. Lovely interview over @ Banjo's Place Willow! I'm so glad you found your bloggie voice that grey February day.
    Millie ^_^

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  28. Exciting times, Willow! So glad you're having this much fun.

    P.S.: If I knew you were going to John's, I'd have loaned you my banjo.

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  29. i was over on john's blog yesterday for the first time. coincidence? i think not!! cool boy cool place. of course you showed up there tess! steven

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  30. Felicitations regarding your poems. Interesting new photograph header!

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  31. Tess,

    Checked this site out. Two things:

    1) Interesting to get interview of you. You just recently got into poetry? I see your work, then, even more favorably. As to chapbooks, etc., some people I know have gotten 'juried' publication, but many have simply self-published.

    2) Beneath the John Hayes posting of your interview was a poem by Kenneth Patchen. I thought of Patchen this week for the first time in maybe 20 years. Synchronicity, my dear?

    Trulyfool

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  32. Will do . . .and love that blog title and picture!

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  33. Nice interview, Tess and exciting news about your chapbook!

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  34. Congratulations!!
    You completely deserve everything .
    I will check this out , of course.

    (and Tess, thank you so much for "getting" me . It was hard to share .. I hope it was the right thing, and in the end , I am at peace , so there's that )

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  35. Congrats, bad coffee and all. I love the new photo on your sidebar with the hat and veil. Cool.

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  36. Great interview, Willow!

    Keep on keeping on ; you inspire many!

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  37. He doesn't remember the coffee being bad?? An absolute gentleman to boot!

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  38. I just read your interview. Wonderful. I wish you all the luck in the world with your various (ad) ventures.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)