A Botley Continuation, and Back to Poetry

 

     A few readers have asked me if there will be a sequel to The Botleys of Beaumont County. Initially, I said there wouldn't be one, but then I thought I would do one since I am writing some short stories. It's actually a novella, 

    My inspiration is John Updike, who wrote one to conclude the Rabbit tetralogy. Now, what will I do with this untitled sequel? That's a very good question. For now, it has gone to a colleague and friend for a read. If it doesn't appear in a short story collection, I might submit it or simply put it out on Amazon Kindle Desktop Publishing.

     In addition, I need to write some more poems. Lately, I have been reviewing for a publication or two, trying to revive an online poetry group (that will sadly not happen), and interacting with a fellow poet on and off again. The latter part of 2022 saw some publications, but I need to write some more to submit.

    Happy 2023 to everyone!

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county#:~:text=About%20the%20Book&text=The%20business%20inherited%20by%20the,roles%20in%20this%20changed%20community.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Thinking Ahead to 2023 and Writing

What will 2023have in store for this poet/writer?

       If there is no new pandemic, I hope there will be some opportunities to meet people at various events: festivals, readings, and the like. Ideally, I would like to do one a month, but that depends on many things.

     That all is also dependent on more than health. I have been doing this for about ten years. In that time I have seen a lot. Some places go away, others change, and the same with people. I have established myself as much as I am going to establish myself. In addition, I have a lower tolerance for what I will politely term nonsense. 

     By that term, I mean the run-around to get my books somewhere. "Call me" can lead to repeated attempts with no response. Even having your books on the shelves may not help. Also, I am willing to call people out on their behavior toward me, even if it may mean I do not get to do a reading or something like that.

     In the coming year I want to experiment with poetry, write some more short stories, and who knows? Occasionally I think historical fiction would be a good fit for me, given my love of history. There are some poets/writers whom I respect, some close by but most on the Internet, with whom I toss ideas back and forth I am open to finding some new ones, also.

    One more week and then hello, 2023!

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

   

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

   

To Tweet or Not toTweet?

     I am not thrilled about what Twitter has become since Elon Musk purchased it However, I do not plan to leave. So far no one has come after me, and I ignore posts I do not like.

     Links to my books:

     

https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Authors for Literacy December 10, 2-4pm. Lexington Main Library, Lexington, SC

https://www.lexingtonchronicle.com/stories/after-a-decade-literacy-event-continues-to-promote-authors-education,34513 

     An important event for an important cause. So glad to be here again.If you cannot come by, here the links to my books:

https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

Holiday Shopping- Links to My Books

      

     I get interesting responses when I ask someone passing by my table at a festival if they like poetry. Some of them are downright rude, like the "No!" accompanied by a smirk. When someone politely says they do not like poetry, I smile and say, "I bet you know someone who does! It's a good gift."

   In that spirit here are links to my books, including the novel. Thanks! 

   https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

     

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

On the South Carolina Teacher Shortage: Part 2

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/5838501516653729241/4863123170199111841# 

     When COVID hit, I was an adjunct at a local two-year technical college ( that's what a junior college or community college is called in these parts). We went virtual and got through the second half of the semester reasonably well.

     In /August 2020 I offered to return to my old school district and contacted two others nearby to see if they needed an experienced teacher.  For the records, I have 25 years of experience and am HQ- Highly Qualified- in English, German, and Social Studies. 

     My old district proved hard to contact. I finally got to the person handling personnel, but I never heard back. From the other two, nothing at all. In August 2021 my old district contacted me. I was willing, but nothing face-to-face, no parents, no meetings. The person who contacted me, a friend in fact, said she would be in touch, Nothing, I sent more e-mails, left more phone messages,, then stopped. A few retired friends had similar experiences.

     Why did I say no face-to-face, parents, or meetings? I live in an area where the pandemic was worsened by people who listened to FOX News and a former president than reason. I was not risking my health. Too many parents act as advocates for their children. and undermine teachers. And the meetings! Created by mid-level staff to justify their positions. Been there, done that.

     What would I say if I were called again? I would say they had their chance. Now is the time for my family, myself, my writing, and so forth.

Links to my books:

https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

    

On the South Carolina Teacher Shortage- Part 1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1epKDHAWG4dtgRR3mrjM7zdWpf_Y558a-/view?usp=share_link 

     In the first of several posts (who wants to read a long one, right?), I discuss problems within the school itself.

     Discipline stands as the largest problem. That was not always the case. While I do not advocate corporal punishment, students should have a sense of dread when sent to an administrator. That is not the opportunity for them to rant about the teacher, how boring the class is, and so forth.

     Administrators are told to keep the discipline cases down. Usually, that comes from the district office or building principal. Sometimes it comes from an individual's desire to move up the ladder to something bigger and better. As a result, problems persist and learning is slowed down, perhaps even stopped for a time.

     A parent can call and demand a particular teacher be called on the carpet and made to conform to his or her needs. The student then sits smugly in class and thinks he or she has power. What I wish would happen is that the other parents contact administrators and ask why their child's learning is interrupted by one or two people acting up. 

      Teachers also need to uniformly enforce school policies. At my last school (where I was 12 years, almost half of my career)  students needed to display their IDs. If they did not have one in their first class, they needed to obtain one. When I had a student later in the day without an ID, I told them to get one no matter how many of my colleagues let them slide. At times it got tense, but usually, it did not, Were those lax colleagues told what to do? Likely, but without improvement. 

     I will close by saying that the use of phones has created a raft of problems with respect to discipline. More importantly, students lose opportunities to actually learn. In courses that have several levels *Mathematics and Wolrd languages especially), if there is not a solid basis on which to build, subsequent classes will be harder. That paves the way for remedial classes in college.

Links to My Books- Poetry and Southern Fiction

 https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county#:~:text=About%20the%20Book&text=The%20business%20inherited%20by%20the,roles%20in%20this%20changed%20community.

My First Short Story....and See the Other Selections!

https://manicsylph.com/lit-ezine-vol-1-front-page-contents/?fbclid=IwAR1qdo1uUZS-w2raR8c_4_3DrN6FV7kGm1alVG0reHZ-q1a9RB7t75gAclo 

   Many thanks to Manic Slyph for offering my first short story! 

Links to my novel and poetry books:

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

50th Anniversary of Ezra Pound's Death- And Thoughts on Neo-Fascism

https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/654

     Had I been an English major instead of a German major, I would have remembered this. Actually, I was in my sophomore year at Penn State and could not declare a major yet. I was thinking for a bit about being a Journalism major that Autumn.

     Yet I was reading poetry and was even writing some them. If I remembered anything about Pound, it was his treason. The link above contains examples of how he spoke against the United States and praised the Axis during the Second World War. That is worse than anything done or said by Jane Fonda or the Dixie Chicks. 

     Yet Pound was an excellent poet, the leading Imagist, friend and mentor to T.S. Eliot, Hilda Doolittle, and many other literary giants.  In addition, he was a translator of poems.

 https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ezra-pound

  

    Read more about him and some of his poems at the link above.

     Until a few years ago I thought that Fascism had been defeated once and for all in 1945. In the wake of the USSR's breakup, I began to notice rising nationalist, right-wing movements in Eastern Europe blaming Jews and Gypsies for all woes. But I did;t think the USA would be infected by this, especially after Barack Obama's election in 2008.

     I was wrong. Were Ezra around today, he would be on FOX News, likely hosting his own podcast and writing odes to Trump, Putin, and such like them.

     Shortly before his death, Pound gave a sort of explanation about his anti-Semitism to Allen Ginsberg. As far as I know, there was no more public statement given.

     Even when expressed in good poetry by a gifted poet and scholar, the content is still vile and cannot be separated from who Ezra Pound really was. 

From a Friend and Former Colleague's Class Page

https://aplit202223.edublogs.org/2022/10/20/ap-lit-kids-shine-light-on-america-and-in-my-world/?fbclid=IwAR2IZk3A6v6KZEIJrmyP5zCOngumXeaxYrtYmUrcdRD9jALXqOEQh5TtKgY 

     Jennifer Rivers Bentley gave me permission to post her comments about the incredible insights her AP Lit class at River Bluff HS in Lexington, SC, had recently. They have an excellent teacher, which helps, but it is impressive that young people have good insights into poetry. I have found that to be true in other classes that are not AP (which is college level).

     So read, enjoy, and be happy that young people are engaging with good literature!

     

Need for Humanities Students....

https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-10-24/college-humanities-decline

   In this column, Nicholas Golberg makes a strong case for the Humanities. No matter what students major in, they need structured exposure to literature, language, and social sciences, to name a few disciplines. And enough need to major in these in order to teach others.

 

   Had it not been for my interest and abilities in world languages, I might have been an English major, perhaps a Journalism major. I wanted to learn another language well enough to read, speak, think, and dream in it. At Penn State, I majored in German and did graduate studies at UC Berkeley and UC-Irvine (where I earned a Master's) and studied for an additional year before starting seminary.

   A dozen years after my B.A, I was taking courses in English and Social Studies (also Education), to be certified in New Mexico as a teacher. By then I was also married. What took me so long? That's for another post.

   Back to the Goldberg column: my academic strengths are in the Humanities. I smiled at the "dilettante student of German literature." I knew one, and maybe some thought I was. But I do not have the scientific or mathematical smarts. Maybe I could have been a business major; advertising interested me somewhat. I briefly considered going into Labor Relations. My interest in law school waned when I was at Penn State.

     Goldberg talks about Logistics as a major. Companies want people who can get a product from point A to point B. However, does that need to be an academic major? Not really. 

     The thrust of the column is that without critical thinking skills learned in the Humanities, people will not read or think for themselves. They will be more susceptible to misinformation from both ends of the political spectrum. When blindly swallow anything that we are told, democracy and civilization are in danger.

   

On The Petigru Review and the South Carolina Writers Conference Last Weekend

       The SCWA gathered at the Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort on Pawleys Island, SC. In a month I went from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

       The conference was wonderful, affirming, and memorable. I want to share now about The Petigru Review, our publication. I had a poem in the 2019 edition and now help to read poetry for it, Any writer can submit things. SCWA members as well as non-members are welcome to share their creativity. 

      A link to the current edition:   https://thepetigrureview.com/   Look in the archives for my 2019 poem there, which I read at Saturday's Open Mic.

      The name comes from James L. Petigru, South Carolina lawyer and politician who opposed secession in 1860 and siad

    "South Carolina is too small for a republic and too large for an insane asylum." 

      

A Novella Sequel is in the Works for "The Botleys of Beaumont County"

      What is a novella? Something too long for a short story, and too short for a novel. Think of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men or Thomas Mann;'s Death in Venice.

       A few readers of the novel asked me if I would do a sequel. While a good idea, I doubt that I have the time it deserves. John Updike concluded the Rabbit tetralogy with a novella. Maybe I am inspired by my fellow Pennsylvanian. 

        Anyway, I pick up the story in May 2022. Right now I plan to take it through November  2022. That's all I want to say for now.

        Need to read the novel? Or any of my poetry books? Please see the following links. Thanks!

    https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

    https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-Turfa/e/B00YJ9LNOA%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share