This fabulous collection of short works is a fascinating contrast to the many sweet old love songs that ease the soul. These pieces are truer to the agony of blues. Some are amusing--some abrasive--some tragic, and all are thought provoking cautionary tales.
"...wonderful impressionistic quality. A painter's eye translated to the printed page. Like a great tapestry. Woven by day and unraveled by night. You make it look easy. What a fantastic collection! Congratulations!"
L. Ford, Creative Writing professor; Poet
Kira signs up for an archeological excavation believing it to be the last illogical choice in life. Her travels take her first to England to the site of Canterbury Castle, the fabled setting for King Arthur and Camelot, but it isn't until she's getting ready to leave there that her story begins. Maeve Ryan is on loan to the excavation in England from another site in Italy near Pompeii. The legend she conveys to Kira over a glass of wine sparks Kira's imagination - is it possible that St. Paul carried the Holy Grail to Italy where it was buried by the volcano thousands of years ago? The history fits and for a woman who is looking for something more from her life, it provides ample motivation for Kira to extend her quest.Prior to her arrival, a dream haunts Kira's sleep. The premonition forewarns her of the dangers that lay in wait, but it doesn't prepare her for Dominic Fioretti. When she comes face to face with the "man of her dreams," the dangers become all too real, both physically and emotionally. Will she find the legendary grail? Or will she go back home to lead the life that seems destined for her?<o:p></o:p>
"Bazhe has a vivid talent for powerhouse storytelling and Damages is a remarkable, compelling read." SLV, White Crane Journal, NY"Bazhe is a skilled narrator, and Damages never dips into being a dull read." RD, Instinct Magazine, CA "Bazhe’s life story is uniquely his own, but at the same time it is a story that we can all relate to. That alone makes Damages a good book worth reading." JM, The Weekly News, FL
Bazhe is a writer, poet, and artist. His first book Damages is published now. He has published poems and short stories in Former Yugoslavia and America.His art has been exhibited in New York City. He lives in New Jersey.
Thank you for visiting. Bazhe
More info at: http://www.bazhe.com
Pages: 355ISBN: 1587360454Published: Hats Off Books 06/2001
Swimming in Sky by Inman Majors can be read and appreciated on several levels. First, it's a hilarious quick read that will stir up personal memories for anyone who has ever drowned in the inertia of not knowing what to do in life, who has suffered through too many fake family Christmases, who has wondered how to make a living from that "good as gold BA," who as a parent cannot fathom how your child got so mixed up much less know how to help, or who has opted to swim in sky instead of conform to suburban normality. The novel will be a special bonus to those familiar with Knoxville, TN or those who have ever had the thrill of watching one of the Majors clan play or coach football in the South, where football is a religion.
You can't help but laugh at and with Jason, the 25-year-old unemployed Vandy graduate who can't get his life going, no thanks to his drugged friends and despite the gentle urgings of his more than tolerant family. Throughout, after laughing out loud at Jason's irreverent, yet endearing, witticisms, the next scene will so poignant and all too real that you have to just put the book down and enfold the characters in your heart in hopes of repairing their shatteredness.
A second, more fastidious reading will yield a deep appreciation and admiration for the descriptive craft of this debut novelist. The absence of quotation marks in the dialogue mirrors Jason's free-flowing lifestyle. The most powerful scenes are when the present becomes the future and past all at once such as when Jason remembers in his blood things that happened before he was born.
The third level rich with symbolism and religious references provides plenty to chew on. Jason, who's not fully aware he is even on a spiritual journey, at times furtively turns to the Bible and prayer. After a bad acid trip on Good Friday, he is haunted with trying to figure out who Judas and Jesus are in his life and why watering his friend's flowers will heal him. He wrestles with the issues of free will vs fate, God's commission vs the gift of grace, why God allows handicaps and disease. He struggles with the mysterious symbolism of the cross, Peter the rock of the church, Lazarus back from the dead, the Prince of Peace, the Samaritans and 666 spray painted in graffiti. The ending leaves room for a sequel from this most talented new author.
