First, the book was conceived to fulfill the final requirements of my M.F.A. in Creative Writing program at Queens University of Charlotte. Thus, I was working on a deadline and toward a huge goal while trying to create something that was interesting and didn’t feel like a thesis. I wanted to create a book that wasn’t typical of what normally is associated with the M.F.A. system.

With encouragement of my instructors and thesis advisor I decided to explore ekphrastic poetry. The most widely accepted definition of an ekphrastic poem is, a poem that describes a single work of visual art. Often editors, want poets to stick to that limited view-point, however, I have found that many poets have done exciting things with the technique. Just consider: Bellocq’s Ophelia by Natasha D. Trethewey, Serious Pink by Sharon Dolin, Nude in Winter by Francine Sterle, The Eye Like a Strange Balloon by Mary Jo Bang, or Installations by Joe Bonomo. What is most inspiring about this list of poets is that they all experiment and push beyond the expected in their work. Thus, they sort of gave me permission to imagine an ekphrastic collection in which poems address more than two works of visual art at the same time, poems that are inspired by films, television, and photographs and poems that allude to other poems.

In the end, my commitment to being different made workshops, and publishing single poems in magazine, a little harder because many people didn’t understand what I was trying t do. Yet, it was worth the trouble. Order, a copy of Rhapsody for lessons Learned or Remembered and see for yourself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Georgia Ann Banks-Martin was born in Lincoln Park, MI on Feb. 6, 1971.  She was raised on the southwest side of Detroit in the area known as Marion Park. She attended Beard Elementary, Wilson Middle School, and Southwestern High. However, she completed high school at Sidney Lanier in 1989 after relocating to Montgomery, AL during the summer of 1988. She earned her BA in English, Language Arts at Huntingdon College, Montgomery, AL(1997) and her M.F.A. (Poetry) at Queens University of Charlotte, located in Charlotte, NC (2009). Currently she is pursuing a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpentaria, CA

Her poetry currently appears or is forthcoming in: African-American Review; After Shocks:  The Poetry of Recovery after life Shattering Events; Fieralingue; Möbius:  The Poetry Journal; Pearl Magazine; Prick of the Spindle; Thanal Online; Up the Staircase; and Xavier Review; Rhapsody for lessons learned or Remembered a collection of ekphrastic poems is expected to be published by Plain View Press next year. She and her husband, Roger D. Martin currently live in Montgomery, AL with their dog, Gargoyle and their two lovely cats:  Nikkie, and Socks.

Author Website | Poets & Writers Forum | Facebook Page | Facebook Profile

“Georgia Banks-Martin walks us through an art gallery. We view art, which she has processed and questioned, through her lens: Lawrence, Monet, Van Gogh, Beardon, Sargent, Degas, to name a few of the artists. She challenges the reader to face slavery, grief, and joy, to feel the weight the South bears, to examine art across centuries for lessons. These poems revive what has been omitted in our history books-individual life stories. She uses sound, music and voice to make imagery pulse in these ekphrastic poems. In her poem “Railroad Station,” after a Jacob Lawrence: “Those leaving the towns where father and mother/labored in fields without being offered a yard of thread spun/from the cotton they pulled, have assembled./Packed: Hopes of work, three bedroom homes/water heated in water tanks, classrooms.” As memories populate her poems, so does the theme of hope permeate her book; in Death Dancing, after a Max Slevogt: “I wish memories could be buried as easily as bodies.” . . . a book to remember as you stand face to face with art.” — Julene Tripp Weaver, Author of No Father Can Save Her

• Genre: Poetry
• Published by: Plain View Press (Novemeber 1st, 2010)
• Age Recommendation: 18+ for Adult & Mature Themes
• Format: Mass-Market Paperback
• ISBN 13: 978-1935514640
• Number of pages: 80

FOLLOW ALONG WITH HER BOOK TOUR SO FAR…

• July 18th – Jaidis S. @ Juniper Grove
  Nurture Book Tour, Guest Author post & Book Giveaway!

• July 19th – Vanessa J. @ Love, Laugh & Read
  Nurture Book Tour post, Book Review & Book Giveaway!

• July 21st – Norma @ Wakela’s World
  Nurture Book Tour post & Book Review

• July 26th – Sara Sl. @ Inspired-Quill
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• July 27th – Grace E. @ History, Romance and CATS!

• July 28th – Beverly G. @ Everyone Loves A SiNner
  Nurture Book Tour post, Book Review & Book Giveaway!

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Eloquent Books (September 15, 2009)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR…Robin Landry (September 29,1957) born Victoria, TX on an Air force base. Graduated John R. Rogers H.S. Puyallup, WA. Graduated Highline C.C. 2009, 2 albums with a band named Widow as a singer/guitar player. 14 unpublished books ranging from romance, suspense, to young adult, and now one book of poetry for children.

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…When I Dream is not your typical poetry book I don’t think for kids. I did not find all the poetry stories (as I looked at them more as mini stories) to flow off my tongue as I’m accustomed to with rhyming poems, HOWEVER, I did notice how my kids (12 & 9) were engaged in LEARNING something new as it related to life, science, and history. My 9 year old son even went as far as to pull out his own reference books to read further on a topic. Is this a book I’d personally re-read again? It was OK but I doubt I’d turn the pages again. Will my kids keep this one on their shelves and re-read? I believe so, ask my son who’s added it to his reference section. *smiling wink*

We’re giving away 3 copies of When I Dream by Robin Landry to one lucky reader of The Book Faery Reviews.
This giveaway runs now until 11:59pm ET on January 31st, 2011.
A winner is randomly selected using the ‘And The Winner Is’ WordPress plugin.

PLEASE NOTE CHANGE IN GIVEAWAY NOTIFICATION: The selected commentor will be noted within the comments at the end of the giveaway, within the Weekly Recap Newsletter that goes out on Sundays to all e-mail subscribers, and on our new Facebook Page. You must either subscribe to these comments, check out the Facebook page, or read at least the Sunday email in order to find out if you are the winner as we will no longer be sending out individual emails to winners.

MANDATORY GIVEAWAY ENTRY…Leave a comment on this post telling us of a poem you remembered from childhood. (This must be answered first for all other entries to count.)

EXTRA ENTRIES…(Be sure to leave a comment for each entry.)

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A copy of the book was provided to me for review courtesy of XX. No other compensation was received. All opinions expressed are of my own.

The Mistress House by Leigh Michaels (historical romance) – First in a smart, sexy, Regency romance series intertwining three love stories from an award winning, bestselling author.

A rakish Earl buys a love nest and winds up falling madly in love with and marrying the lady he installs there. Because of its proximity to the Earl, and his rakish reputation, the next two ladies who move into the house after that can’t avoid a scandal, but each one is on her way to true love…

Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon by Sara Howard (non-fiction) – America: this is your story. Never before has the history of the Apollo Program been told like this. The Apollo space program led to the greatest achievement in human history: the United States sent men to walk the soil of another celestial body. But author Sara W. Howard, herself one of the first and only women to have ever worked on the Saturn V as an aerospace engineer, takes this famous story down from the heavens to the peons in the pits. In Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon, we finally hear about Apollo from the Earthly perspective. Howard tells us what it was like for the 400,000 people on the ground who together built the largest and most powerful rocket in history. Though the astronauts themselves were, of course, important to the mission, this story looks beyond the glitz and glamour of the stars and honors the men and women who made this vast program a reality. Sara W. Howard brings this story to the masses with a perspective and truth only she could bring. She worked at the Michoud, Louisiana, plant from 1965 to 1967, and was one of only two women who worked on the Saturn V rocket. Howard brings us her tale to educate the world on the true story of Apollo, and of the incredible men and women who dedicated their lives to protecting others and who changed the course of history forever.

Get Energy by Denise Austin (fitness) - With busy schedules, demanding careers, and little time, many of us battle just to stay awake. But energy is something that is in our control, enven when time is short. Now 50 years young, fitness guru Denise Austin shows readers how to super-charge their lives, using her innovative lifestyle plan. She eats the right foods at the right time of day. She uses the power of stretching and breathing to feed her body with energy-enhancing oxygen. She uses mini-workouts to get energy even on her busiest days–and now you can too!

Denise shows how simple changes can add up to increased energy levels throughout the day. From the foods they consume to the way they sit in their chairs, readers won’t believe how Denise’s quick and easy plan will dramatically increase their energy levels. In as little as a week, results will be felt: radiant skin, more restful sleep, and a sharper mind…so follow Denise Austin and prepare for a fitness wake-up call!

When I Dream by Robin Landry (poetry) - Open these pages to endless worlds of wonder and amazement. From ancient legends and mysteries from the far reaches of history, to modern twists on classic tales, and challenging information about the world around us, When I Dream is a collection of poems that inspires and teaches as it entertains. Sure to become a favorite for kids of all ages, this beautifully illustrated book will draw readers back again and again. Author Bio: Author Robin Landry grew up in Puyallup, Washington and currently lives on a lake near Seatac Airport. She is currently working on an adventure/mystery series for young adults.

“Susan Borgeson’s place among modern day existentialist writers is definitely at the front table.  The evidence that remains is within the pages of this book — and what does remain after writing Tom Waits everyday for 32 years — with no response — is truly remarkable.  A woman of letters is an understated description of a courageous individual that was stricken in her teens with mild schizophrenia and severe, bi-polar (manic depression) disorder.  Her individual struggle to overcome is a lesson for women of all ages, and for anyone with a mental handicap.  These ‘letters’ were all written around the turn of the 21st century.  And, nearly ten years later, still have a reflexive quality that transcends the psychologist’s case study.  Borgeson’s letters have remained fresh and give the meaning to our shared and diverse humanity…Richard Collins, RedEye Publishing International” –

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…Reviewing poetry is often hard because you want to give your opinion so others can decide whether they wish to pick it up but the thing with poetry is that how we read and interpret it may be very different from someone else.  Poetry is what I call writing on feeling.  Everyone has their own taste when it comes to reading or even listening to poetry (like music).  I like poems that are raw, to the point, and filled with feeling.  I want to feel the moment like the author.  If a poetry writer can bring me there and I’m feeling that anger, that pain, that happiness, that passion, then I’m sold.

I rather liked this short poetry book by Susan Borgeson.  The author who has mild schizophrenia and severe bi-polar disorder wrote her feelings as they were after enduring a memorable love lost (but perhaps for the better) over over the course of 32 years.  I liked the poems…they felt real, they weren’t fluffy, they just were real.  I could sense the feeling that she was experiencing at the moment of righting that particular poem.  I would recommend anyone who’s experienced love and the loss of love to pick this one up and read it.  It was a VERY quick read, a poetry reading that doesn’t require a genius to decipher the meaning, and a read that will stick in your mind later on.

FROM THE PRESS RELEASE…“Frank L. Johnson strives to give young adults a fresh look at life’s situations.

Odenton, MD- Of Dreams and Realities is a new book of poetry by teach Frank L. Johnson. The book intends to address the little things in life that are often overlooked – person who serves others by providing services and those who work diligently without recognition, as well as those who dare to dream and are not afraid to try again when their dreams fall apart.

Johnson hopes to touch on topics ranging from freedom, on being uncomfortable, and confrontation, to dreaming out loud, relationship issues and encouragement. His poem “Give the Little Guy a Hand” demonstrates an appreciation for the everyday person who aims to work hard and do the best he can.”

FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS…I found the poems both witty at times and encouraging to the average person in many life situations. I could relate to many of them and some I could definitely imagine taking place. Two of my favorite poems included “On Being Uncomfortable” and “You Said You Couldn’t Do It. But You Did”. While I might not pick up this book for the current amazon price, it might be one I’d pick up when the price has been reduced or borrow it.