Featured Reader - Tamale Hut Cafe Reading Series

I will be May's Featured Reader at the Tamale Hut Cafe Reading Series!  I will be reading from Shadows on the Carpet I, The T. Collection - A Retrospective and one selection from Dearest and Most Precious: A Love Journal.  I will have books available for purchase at a special price of $10 + some additional perks if you buy more than one of my books.  This way I will have something for those who like my dark poems and something for those who like my love and sensual poems/poetic prose.

Check out the THC Reading Series Blog

Available Now - The T. Collection

The T. Collection: A Retrospective s now available on Amazon (including in Europe)!!!  As promised, the link to my cousin, Ciba's demo version of  "I Think of You" - my lyrics from the back cover of the book with his music. 

I Think of You audio

Buy the book here

Actual book cover

T. Collection cover update

After showing the draft of the cover on a glossy white background, the feedback I received was that it needed some color and possibly some marbling.  So, I am working on it.  Really stretching my limited capabilities here.

Sharing this work in progress:

Progress Update - T. Collection

The T. Collection is getting close to being ready for publication.  The formatting was a challenge, but not as bad as I thought it would be.  I just need to do one more thing and add the info to the interior of the book.  I have designed a book cover that I am happy with and finally decided to only put lyrics inspired by T. on the back cover.  My cousin,Ciba, wrote the music and recorded a demo version of it.  I will share it when the book actually comes out.

Sharing the book cover - what do you think?  I am trying to keep it simple.

The cover background color should be white - I don't know why it scanned in as a grayed beige.  The paper it is on is white with dark purple lettering. Things that make you go hmmmmm.....

Reflections - November 1971

From The T. Collection:

REFLECTIONS – November 1971

photo art by AVR

An old ticket stub

Barnum and Bailey

Clowns, high wire acts

Acrobats, bears, lions

And elephants

Everyone should see

The circus at least

Once in their lifetime

So you took me

A matchbook untouched

The Sybaris Lounge

Drinks at the Hancock

Chicago at sunset

Your loving eyes

View from the bathroom

Unforgettably

Undeniably

Gorgeous and plush

 

Then you took me down

To The Ninety-Fifth

Exquisite dinner

For dessert - crepe suzette

Great coffee and

View of the lake looking

photo art by AVR

Out at the stars

Nervous - you had a

Special surprise

You pulled out the box

A solid gold charm

Engraved with an ‘A’

For my twenty-first

Birthday – tangible

Symbol – proof of your

Unfaltering love

‘Signature shorthand’

When turned around

        AMA TB L

        ERSB  GND

          HW     H

© Alice Vedral Rivera

Project Priority - The T. Collection

I have decided to make the 'T. Collection - A Retrospective' project a priority above the 'Shadows on the Carpet' at this time.  I have been sitting on the 15 poems in this series for a long time looking for someone to illustrate it for next to zero money as I have been on a shoestring budget and my efforts to raise money via Fund Anything for 'Shadows' fell flat. 

I am tapping into my own creativity and creating 'photo art' to go with the poems because I have specific images in mind to go with most of the poems.  My writers' group authors are using Create Space (Amazon)  to self publish their novels and have encouraged me to use that resource as well.  I don't know how well it will work for poetry, but they do mention poetry in their publishing info and images as well.

Soooo..........  let me share 'Marigolds' with you now.  There is an audio version of it as well for those that are interested - link provided - click here

MARIGOLDS

photo art by AVR

When I see marigolds

I remember the time

We strolled down the alley

Hand in hand

Stopping to kiss

You stooped down

Picked some marigolds

Gave them to me

A sign of your love

And then I get

A flashback

Of the pain

On your face

As I walked

Out of your life

Not knowing then

It would be forever