Happy New Year! 2016

    It was a wonderful year. Places and Times appeared from eLectio Publihing, I gave some readings, went to some book signings, and was blessed far more than I deserve.

   Thanks to all of you for dropped by this page, who follow it, who comment, and who spent some of your time with me chatting. I really enjoy it all! God bless and I hope to become more involved in 2016!

Article about Friend and Fellow Poet Al Black

http://www.free-times.com/arts/champion-of-the-common-poet-123015

     Free Times does a fantastic job in and around Columbia, SC. They often probe where the mainstream media does not. Al Black told me recently there would be an article about him appearing. I only wish they had mentioned his book I Only Left for Tea. I have appeared at Al's Mind Gravy, and will do so again. From him I borrow the term "transplanted". For me it help avoid the Southern Writer label, as if only those actually born here can so anything from a "Southern" perspective.

    What Al does for poetry in these parts is amazing. He has broadened the scope of poetry and brought it to more people. As he does it, he keeps a low profile and if very generous. I am proud to call him my friend.

    And by the way, he has a publisher for his book; he does not do it himself. He and I are both fortunate in having publishers who believe in us,

    Bravo, Al! 

Jim Autry "Life After Mississippi"

     What a wonderful day! A few errands with my wife, Pam, the new Star Wars movie, picking up Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti 40th Anniversary Edition (playing in the background), and now between sips of a Paulaner Hefe-Weizen, blogging about a treasure I found at the record store in a FREE bin, Jim Autry's 1989 Life After Mississippi. 
 http://www.amazon.com/Life-After-Mississippi-James-Autry/dp/0916242595

     Pam was not born in Mississippi, but moved there young enough for her to call it home. I picked up the book, showed it to her, and said, "Why not?" We are glad that I did. So far I have read only a few, but they are superb poems that convey an image/story in winsome language. From  "Ordination":  "They came through rain/ wrestling the wheels of their out-of-country cars.."

    I will certainly finish the volume in a few days, and also want to make contact with the

poet.   Only a few times I have done that, and while I do not always hear back for whatever reason, I know how important that is. Today I received a Chrsitmas card from a poet friend Down Under.

   Here is the poet's page:   http://www.jamesaautry.com/contact.html

    

Powerful True Story

     One of the things I have enjoyed over the last year and more is interacting with fellow writers, especially from eLectio Publishing, my publisher. recently I was able to read a copy of Darcy Leech's book about the illness that devastated her family, but which did not prevent her from rising above the situation and finding fulfilment in her own life.

    From My Mother is a powerful story told in a straightforward fashion. Darcy's coming-of-age narrative will draw you in and will let you know how not even genetic disease can destroy the human spirit and a strong legacy.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26798160-from-my-mother?ac=1&from_search=1

And here is a link to Darcy's blog!  https://darcyleechblog.wordpress.com/

Blog Interview in the Works

     A Goodreads writer friend will be interviewing me on her blog sometime in 2016. More details later, but it is a great thing and I wanted to talk about it now. Speaking of Goodreads, you can ask me a question.

     https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4616169.Arthur_Turfa   Scroll don to "Ask the author" and leave me a question. When I respond, it will all appear!

    Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, Happy Holidays for everyone else! Glad to be part of your lives!

"The Island" now on Soundcloud

     A friend said that she wished I would record this one. It has been well-received, and I am glad to post this. I hope that she, and everyone else, appreciates it. This is one of my favorites from Places and Times.

https://soundcloud.com/arthur-turfa-1/the-island

      Of all the Christmas hymns, "O Come, All Ye Faithful" holds a special place in my heart. Those who know me well may wonder, since it is not German at all. Maybe it is because the first foreign language I formally studied was Latin. That someone actually wrote a Latin hymn in the 18th Century intrigued me. On Christmas Eve I still sing the first verse in Latin.

     Years later I learned the Jacobite origins of the hymn. Genetically it means little to me. I suppose I should support the Hanoverians. Perhaps the 2000 US presidential election caused me to think of Jacobitism. I remember at least one military dinner where I passed my hand over the glass for the "president in this care" across the waters. But it was not water! LOL.

   Two links about the theme:

http://jacobite.ca/essays/if.htm


 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1096974/Christmas-carol-really-rebel-song-celebration-Bonnie-Prince-Charlie-claims-expert.html

Some good alternative history:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1096974/Christmas-carol-really-rebel-song-celebration-Bonnie-Prince-Charlie-claims-expert.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1bLxrZEy4g