Welcome to Issue II, Volume VIII: November 2016 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact. Since our last issue posted in September, I had the great privilege and honor to break out my Universal Life Church Minister’s card and officiate at the wedding of Kaite & my best friends, Kristen & Anita. Kristen officiated our wedding last year, and although I could never have even hoped to create a ceremony as amazing as the one she did for us, I tried my best. To give you an idea of how much we love these people, Kaite and I actually went to Texas for the wedding. F’ing TEXAS?! But I’ll tell you what, we wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
What else happened? Oh, a bunch of medical and dental stuff. Bletch. This, apparently, is a rebuilding year around our house in which everyone has had to undergo repeated costly medical procedures. Fun. But there is light at the tunnel’s end, even if it is under water. And we are well on our way to at least passable health. Thanks to everyone who loved up on us through the past few months on FB or wherever—means a lot to us.
What else, what else…oh! We’re about to elect the first woman to the office of President of the United States of America. About damn time. And look, even if you can’t get your head around the politics of President HR Clinton, or maybe thought someone else should have gotten the gig, remember what the old ones used to tell us. You know, the one’s that weren’t nutbag, prejudice, inbreds. “Well, I didn’t vote for [fill in the blank], but at least for the next four years he’s my President.” A lot of grace in a statement like that, and one I haven’t heard since the last of the old ones passed on. Still, I’d like to think we’ve got a little bit of that left in us. We don’t, but I’d like to think it.
What I’d really like to write here is this time, instead of being assholes and taking our government hostage for the next four years, maybe the other team could remember even though they didn’t vote for her she’s still our president and go about undoing some of the damage caused by the complete selling out of our legal system and our best interests to corporate greed. Wouldn’t it be great if both sides (And yes, there are only two sides here. We’re in the US. It’s a two party system. Get over it.) were doing something good so that political ideology instead of all this mine, mine, mine mentality could flourish again. Maybe then we might even say fuck the energy companies and fuck the insurance companies and fuck the pharmaceutical companies and fuck the banking companies, and actually do something to fix things. Who knows, maybe we’d even stop killing each other.
It’s easy to say “doubtful”. Too damn easy.
But I’d never write anything like that and post it here—far too inappropriate. Anyway, I’m getting itchy. Let’s kick this pig and see what it’ll do!
There is a nice blend of exceptional talent and genius this month in our Hoppethaler’s Congeries column. John brings us stunning new work from Uche Nduka, Laure-Anne Bosselaar, Sebastian Matthews, Keegan Lester, Philip Schaefer, Jane Satterfield, Adam Tavel, and his featured poet this month is the staggeringly brilliant Sean Thomas Dougherty. Finally, John pays his respects to yet other of us who left this world far too young, Ilyse Kusnetz. A lovely job this month, John. Well done, sir.
Speaking of Women of Power…what, I wasn’t? Well, I was. A little while ago. Anyway, I am now. Meg Tuite’s Crazy Rabbit Review is back this month with yet another in her series of Fun with Introverted Writers. Kidding aside, Meg gathered 30 women together and asked them to create a video message not more than two minutes long expressing some aspect of their experience as women. There were no real constraints on what they could say, although many went with passing on to other women writers a little of what they’ve learned. I had the privilege of working on this one, and it was an absolute pleasure. The video is just under 40 minutes long, but well worth the price of admission, which his absolutely free. Thank you Meg! It was a blast!
Julia Bouwsma returns to her Book Review desk this month with a look at the debut novel of a storyteller with a phonetically familiar name, Steven Dunn. Potted Meat, the new release from Tarpaulin Sky Press, takes place in our home state of West Virginia, a backdrop Julia describes as “ragged as it is vibrant, as beautiful as it is destitute, and as intoxicating as it is dangerous.” Damn, girl! Get it! The review, and from all accounts the book, too, are outstanding. Great job, Julia!
Finally, our all good grape guy, John Turi, takes his wine column, A Drinker with a Writing Problem, to a Saturday dinner party with friends over a bottle of 2011 Shrader LPV Beckstoffer, Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. This one nears the top of John’s list, but I’ll let you find that out for yourself. Good stuff here, kids. Enjoy! John, certainly did.
Well, that about does it for now. Please come back on the 15th for all new offerings in our Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction columns. You’ll be glad you did.
Until then, love on each other if you can. Sure as hell beats what comes in second. And congratulations President HR Clinton. We’ll miss President Obama something fierce. Please don’t let us down.
Connotation Press: FOR THE LAST TIME, DONALD TRUMP IS A COMPLETE SOCIOPATHIC IDIOT. HE IS NOT HERE TO SAVE YOU. GROW UP.
All best,
~Ken Robidoux
Publisher/Founding Editor-in-Chief