Just opened a store in ebay to try to sell some art works and finance my writing. Please take a look
http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Art-Gallery-at-Faro-Blanco-Media__W0QQ_armrsZ1
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Justine and Balthazar
I must admit that in all my reading I had never heard of Durrell which of course makes me not so well read. He is a great writer.
About Justine. Wonderful writing if sometimes a bit verbose and his use of uncommon words for describing something simple, well lets just say his poetic license if much higher than mine and most of the reading public. He was a book club selection and I am glad for it.
Justine is a modern woman. She lives by a different set of rules than the women of her age, she is a Katherine Hepburn type. The men on the other hand are impotent. They are passive bystanders. She moves, digests, uses them and in the end she leaves them.
About Balthazar; I found this book a little easier to read. Perhaps because I already had an introduction from reading Justine. Balthazar as a character is never quite clearly defined. However this book seemed to have some flow and plotline. I would have named this book Hussain, Nessim's brother is to me the most compelling character. At first a benign good brother who tends the farm and takes care of the mother. But the cleft lip. A good hint at the imperfection that is to come. His lovesick obsession with Clea and subsequent murder of Toto because he comes on to him and he thinks its Justine because of the ring. Well it blows your mind. Durrell sets up Clea very well for the next installment.
Alexandria is the mother city with her ample bosom of diversions and ethnic flair.
But its the language and the rhythm of Durrells prose that makes you feel that you are experiencing a book not just reading it. Well done.
About Justine. Wonderful writing if sometimes a bit verbose and his use of uncommon words for describing something simple, well lets just say his poetic license if much higher than mine and most of the reading public. He was a book club selection and I am glad for it.
Justine is a modern woman. She lives by a different set of rules than the women of her age, she is a Katherine Hepburn type. The men on the other hand are impotent. They are passive bystanders. She moves, digests, uses them and in the end she leaves them.
About Balthazar; I found this book a little easier to read. Perhaps because I already had an introduction from reading Justine. Balthazar as a character is never quite clearly defined. However this book seemed to have some flow and plotline. I would have named this book Hussain, Nessim's brother is to me the most compelling character. At first a benign good brother who tends the farm and takes care of the mother. But the cleft lip. A good hint at the imperfection that is to come. His lovesick obsession with Clea and subsequent murder of Toto because he comes on to him and he thinks its Justine because of the ring. Well it blows your mind. Durrell sets up Clea very well for the next installment.
Alexandria is the mother city with her ample bosom of diversions and ethnic flair.
But its the language and the rhythm of Durrells prose that makes you feel that you are experiencing a book not just reading it. Well done.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
No Country for Old Men
My son told me to read the book and think about reading McCarthy. I am totally hooked on this great writer. I will read his other books and see if they are as good as this one. There is magic in his prose. A magic that comes from living the life of the west, the down-to-earth, rooted characters. In McCarthy's words these characters are very real and you feel they could be your next door neighbor or family. Awesome dialogue. He tells a story with the least amount of words. Every word counts not a one is wasted. I predict the Nobel in the future for this most american of writers.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Just finished reading Stalins Ghost by Martin Cruz Smith. Im a big fan of Arkady Renko, the most human of all detectives who always gets his man or woman. Martin gets a bit literary with this book, some new phrasing which left me guessing sometimes where I was in the story. However not distracting to the point of stopping as I have done with some books and coming back when I was ready to follow and not just following like some sheep. Some authors do this to me. Anyhow, loved the story and the new woman. The boy was not an endearing character but I understood his place in Arkady's life without a family. I like the way he ended with the idea that the book was not about one, but many ghosts, we are all haunted by our very own ghosts. Good quick read.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Wao did not Woo them!
Well, what can I say the Pulitzer does not make a book popular, it makes it famous. The Simon Vincent Book Club was almost unanimous in their dislike of Junot Diaz's masterpiece. It was my selection so I had to defend him. Imagine that, this lowly author/poet defending the professor and prizewinner. I did my best. In the end they did not buy my breakdown of his electric modern prose. I believe it was a great piece of writing by a good writer who loves to play with words and the reader. I finally added that he will surprise readers with a great novel one day. One with more plot and story and less wordplay. To no avail. My group was not moved. Thumbs down for this prizewinner!
On to the next round! Star already has her author and choices. Who the hell is Christopher Moore? Oh well that is what clubs are about expanding our reading horizons. Happy Reading, Simon
On to the next round! Star already has her author and choices. Who the hell is Christopher Moore? Oh well that is what clubs are about expanding our reading horizons. Happy Reading, Simon
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Win FREE books by Simon Vincent
Win FREE copies of Waypoint 90 and Sea Lust by going to these links on Goodreads.
Waypoint 90
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/663-waypoint-90-in-the-chambers-of-the-sea
Sea Lust-Poems from the heart
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/587-sea-lust
Waypoint 90
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/663-waypoint-90-in-the-chambers-of-the-sea
Sea Lust-Poems from the heart
http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/587-sea-lust
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
On Hearing Simon Vincent Read Aloud
I recently sent in some of my poems to WLRN writers under the sun program to see if I could read my poems on radio. Just today a nice lady, Alyssa, wrote me and maybe, just maybe I will read on radio. Talk about excited, I feel like a kid. I will read my poem On hearing Eliot Read Aloud. It moved me back then to write some lines.
ON HEARING ELIOT READ ALOUD
The ghost of a moment
When candlelight flickers,
The ghost of a chance
To gather more treasure,
To store away hours
Enveloped in shadows,
Wrapped up in the timbre
Of the resonant voice
As he reads from the poet
The sound reaches through me
And enters, and settles,
Exciting and soothing.
While candlelight flickers
Each word finds its meaning-
Breathless. I, captive,
Aware of the author,
Yearn to discover
All Eliot’s dream-world,
I will wander forever
Through the land of his voice.
ON HEARING ELIOT READ ALOUD
The ghost of a moment
When candlelight flickers,
The ghost of a chance
To gather more treasure,
To store away hours
Enveloped in shadows,
Wrapped up in the timbre
Of the resonant voice
As he reads from the poet
The sound reaches through me
And enters, and settles,
Exciting and soothing.
While candlelight flickers
Each word finds its meaning-
Breathless. I, captive,
Aware of the author,
Yearn to discover
All Eliot’s dream-world,
I will wander forever
Through the land of his voice.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Poem from Sea Lust
THINKING OF YOU ONE NIGHT
Spiraling down to kiss the sea,
A falling star from heaven flees
And as I watch in lovesick awe,
The cool, black sea turns its foamy face-
So they touch and the star’s glow dies,
To live again within your eyes.
By Simon Vincent
Spiraling down to kiss the sea,
A falling star from heaven flees
And as I watch in lovesick awe,
The cool, black sea turns its foamy face-
So they touch and the star’s glow dies,
To live again within your eyes.
By Simon Vincent
Unaccustomed Earth
As a first time reader I had only one preconception, I had seen the movie version of "The Namesake". I really enjoyed the movie. I will read the book in reverse order, for I like to read the book and then see the movie. Anyhow back to the "Earth". I can see why she is a prize winning author. She has that gift, a unique prose, it is simple when compared to Garcia-Marquez lets say, no hidden metaphors, no slick word play. Elegant unassuming prose that moves the story with real characters. Yes she overdoes it with the Bengali heritage, but that is who she is. I write and try as I might I can't shake my cuban roots, it permeates my prose, my brain as I filter my words in my adopted language of English, which is my best. Her stories are like her characters, some are sharp and biting some are subdued and so normal they can be a bit slow to read at times. But take the last story about the photographer, his life is so rich that his photographs seem pale. I look forward to more stories from this woman. She is one of our best writers.
Paris Holiday
Well what can I say about visiting Paris for the first time, nothing and everything! I am speechless when it comes to Art and History, everything has been said, a lot more eloquently than I could, but I can tell you that it is unforgettable and will remain with you forever. It is as they say, Paris--then you die! Or something like that. Monet's lilies were incredible. And seeing all the Modiglianis, and Picassos and Cezannes and Van Gohs and on and on...you get the picture.
I sipped my espresso on the small table on the cafe by the plaza in St. Germain and thought about Hemingway and the rest of the lost souls. I wrote my scribbles and felt more alive that I have felt in a long time. But then came time to leave. And as they say looking forward to the next time.
I sipped my espresso on the small table on the cafe by the plaza in St. Germain and thought about Hemingway and the rest of the lost souls. I wrote my scribbles and felt more alive that I have felt in a long time. But then came time to leave. And as they say looking forward to the next time.
Simon Vincent Author Newsletter
SIMON VINCENT AUTHOR NEWSLETTER
News and Information from the Author
Issue No 1, Volume 1, April 2009
Editor: Star Bradley
Publisher: Simon Vincent
http://www.simonvincent.com
-----------------------------------------
“Too many parents make life hard for their children by trying, too zealously, to make it easy for them.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832)
---------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
1 Newsletter Special Offers
Waypoint 90-Novel $5 Off Regular price
2 Book Giveaway
Answer Question and Win FREE Book
3 Simon Vincent Book Club Updates
4 Web Site Pick-Of-The-Month
http://www.goodreads.com
5 “SIMON SAYS” –Author Updates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Inaugural Newsletter Special Offers –CLICK ON LINK BELOW
http://www.simonvincent.com/Newsletter.h...
2. BOOK GIVEAWAY OFFER
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION AND WIN FREE COPY OF WAYPOINT 90 (the first two emails to respond with correct answer will each win a free copy)
Question: What is the name of the “old man” in Hemingway’s famous novel “The Old Man and The Sea”
mailto:simon@simonvincent.com
--------------------------------------------
3. Simon Vincent Book Club News and events.
This month’s meeting of the BookClub will be on April 24, 2009 at the authors’ home in Miami. We will be discussing “The Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahiri.
Last month’s discussion was lively and upbeat as there was unanimous appeal and all-around good comments for “The NO. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith.
May’s selection is “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”, by Junot Diaz.
----------------------------------------------
4. Web Site Pick-of-the-Month-
----------------------------------------------
In this section we will highlight websites considered to be of special value to book lovers and readers.
http://www.goodreads.com
Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world. We have over 2,000,000 members who have added over 46,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they've read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more. Goodreads was launched in December 2006.
------------------------------------------------
5. Simon Says-Author Updates
------------------------------------------------
I has been a very interesting month. The highlight was my trip to Paris, France. Below is my journal entry on the last day:
“I was really moved yesterday by one of the attractions of this great city, the Monet Lilies, and then the impressionists, Renoir, Cezanne and Modigliani and yes even Picasso. But it was the lilies that Monet gave to the people of France that moved me to the point of inspiring me to create. Not like him but inspired by the effort of this great man who saw beauty right around him in his home. It was awesome. I was wearing a blue sweater that made me feel one with the blue of the canvas I wanted to mold in with the water and wade, to disappear into the land of his strokes, and become one with him, I felt his beauty and I was glad for life and for feeling. It was the highlight of the trip. It was a fabulous experience and Paris seduced me and my heart. Like Pop always said.”
My work on my new novel, “The Weight of Sin” is coming along slower than I’d like but feel very close to the end and looking forward to finishing the editing so that I can start on my next story. The new characters are anxious for their birth.
Simon
----------------------------------------
ATTENTION: You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list, please email author below and write unsubscribe in subject. Our subscriber list is NOT sold or made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy.
Note: Are you reading a colleague's copy? Get your own FREE subscription today at:
simon@simonvincent.com
The Simon Vincent Author Newsletter
612 S.W. 31st Avenue, Miami, FL 33135
(305) 984-3622
All rights reserved. © 2009
To Unsubscribe email author at simon@simonvincent.com and write unsubscribe in subject:
Issue No 1, Volume 1, April 2009
Editor: Star Bradley
Publisher: Simon Vincent
http://www.simonvincent.com
-----------------------------------------
“Too many parents make life hard for their children by trying, too zealously, to make it easy for them.” -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832)
---------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
1 Newsletter Special Offers
Waypoint 90-Novel $5 Off Regular price
2 Book Giveaway
Answer Question and Win FREE Book
3 Simon Vincent Book Club Updates
4 Web Site Pick-Of-The-Month
http://www.goodreads.com
5 “SIMON SAYS” –Author Updates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.
Inaugural Newsletter Special Offers –CLICK ON LINK BELOW
http://www.simonvincent.com/Newsletter.h...
2. BOOK GIVEAWAY OFFER
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION AND WIN FREE COPY OF WAYPOINT 90 (the first two emails to respond with correct answer will each win a free copy)
Question: What is the name of the “old man” in Hemingway’s famous novel “The Old Man and The Sea”
mailto:simon@simonvincent.com
--------------------------------------------
3. Simon Vincent Book Club News and events.
This month’s meeting of the BookClub will be on April 24, 2009 at the authors’ home in Miami. We will be discussing “The Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahiri.
Last month’s discussion was lively and upbeat as there was unanimous appeal and all-around good comments for “The NO. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” by Alexander McCall Smith.
May’s selection is “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”, by Junot Diaz.
----------------------------------------------
4. Web Site Pick-of-the-Month-
----------------------------------------------
In this section we will highlight websites considered to be of special value to book lovers and readers.
http://www.goodreads.com
Goodreads is the largest social network for readers in the world. We have over 2,000,000 members who have added over 46,000,000 books to their shelves. A place for casual readers and bona-fide bookworms alike, Goodreads members recommend books, compare what they are reading, keep track of what they've read and would like to read, form book clubs and much more. Goodreads was launched in December 2006.
------------------------------------------------
5. Simon Says-Author Updates
------------------------------------------------
I has been a very interesting month. The highlight was my trip to Paris, France. Below is my journal entry on the last day:
“I was really moved yesterday by one of the attractions of this great city, the Monet Lilies, and then the impressionists, Renoir, Cezanne and Modigliani and yes even Picasso. But it was the lilies that Monet gave to the people of France that moved me to the point of inspiring me to create. Not like him but inspired by the effort of this great man who saw beauty right around him in his home. It was awesome. I was wearing a blue sweater that made me feel one with the blue of the canvas I wanted to mold in with the water and wade, to disappear into the land of his strokes, and become one with him, I felt his beauty and I was glad for life and for feeling. It was the highlight of the trip. It was a fabulous experience and Paris seduced me and my heart. Like Pop always said.”
My work on my new novel, “The Weight of Sin” is coming along slower than I’d like but feel very close to the end and looking forward to finishing the editing so that I can start on my next story. The new characters are anxious for their birth.
Simon
----------------------------------------
ATTENTION: You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it. If you would like to be removed from this mailing list, please email author below and write unsubscribe in subject. Our subscriber list is NOT sold or made available to other companies or individuals. We value every subscriber and respect your privacy.
Note: Are you reading a colleague's copy? Get your own FREE subscription today at:
simon@simonvincent.com
The Simon Vincent Author Newsletter
612 S.W. 31st Avenue, Miami, FL 33135
(305) 984-3622
All rights reserved. © 2009
To Unsubscribe email author at simon@simonvincent.com and write unsubscribe in subject:
Sea Lust-Poems from the Heart
If poetry can be said to be the songs of the heart, then this is a book of heart songs, the deeply felt emotions of a heart that is searching, seeking its own unique way through the labyrinth of human emotions and experiences that make up a life. As you read his words and listen to their song, your heart will soar and your pulse will quicken, his words are like the sea flowing through your fingers as you wade in a crystal clear ocean. When the heart speaks, what we hear is truth. Truth as seen through the eyes of a poet, a poet at heart.
If poetry can be said to be the songs of the heart, then this is a book of heart songs, the deeply felt emotions of a heart that is searching, seeking its own unique way through the labyrinth of human emotions and experiences that make up a life. As you read his words and listen to their song, your heart will soar and your pulse will quicken, his words are like the sea flowing through your fingers as you wade in a crystal clear ocean. When the heart speaks, what we hear is truth. Truth as seen through the eyes of a poet, a poet at heart.
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