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Sporkette

Journeys Through Darkness Book Review

November 20, 2010 – 7:38 pm

Journeys Through Darkness JOURNEYS THROUGH DARKNESS: A Biography by Alina Oswald. Photographs by Kurt Weston. Foreword by Guido A. Sanchez

Journeys Through Darkness is the compelling true story of Kurt Weston, who used unorthodox and experimental HIV/AIDS treatments for his terminal condition. Some of the experimental treatments caused Kurt to be diagnosed as “Legally Blind“. But blindness did not deter Kurt’s ambition to become a Fine Art Photographer, nor AIDS stop him from advocating for others suffering the same disease.

Kurt Weston began his photography career as a Commercial Photographer, then later switched to Fashion Photography, even though he wanted nothing more than to be a Fine Art Photographer. Photography almost became a thing of the past when HIV/AIDS had Kurt on the brink of death – not once, but several times.

With vision totally lost in one eye, and the other seeing nothing but clouded dimness, Kurt Weston portrays his sight disability and the HIV/AIDS afflicted through B&W photographs. Kurt’s strategic use of light in darkness cause his subjects (some being himself) to haunt the mind of viewers in thought-provoking ways; which is, by all rights, his artistic and societal intent.

Author, Alina Oswald, thoroughly envelops readers of Journeys Through Darkness into the darkness of the AIDS epidemic that first swept the gay community in the United States in the early ’80s. She traverses Kurt Weston’s personal and social life, through employment and unemployment, and through his daily ordeal of trying to stay alive while full blown AIDS consumed his body, all when living in communities pregnated with stigmatism and prejudice against the HIV/AIDS infected. Ms. Oswald not only depicts Kurt in his weakest times, but at his strongest times; and though these times, she reveals the warrior within Kurt – the warrior attuned to survival, no matter the odds.

I very highly recommend Journeys Through Darkness by Alina Oswald, for anyone interested in HIV/AIDS or Fine Art Black and White Photography.

Read my interview with Alina Oswald.

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Sporkette

Suffering Madness Book Review

November 17, 2010 – 10:54 am

SufferingMadness SUFFERING MADNESS by Glenn Sasscer.

ISBN 978-0981657400

Publisher: Geez Press – Subsidiary of Geez Press Publications

Detective Bailey Duncan, of the Toledo Police Department, is hunting a murderer believed to be responsible for the deaths of 25 people over the last 18 years. Her search intensifies when her mother is considered a victim of the Schoolyard Psycho and clues surface leading the investigation forward.

Eric Shayman, Security Consultant for Global Securities, is called upon to assist Detective Duncan. But Eric is not himself of late, having recently found he can read other people’s minds and control their actions, and his dreams have become nightmares of reality.

Benjamin (Ben) Duncan, a fireman and Bailey’s uncle, believes Eric’s powers are gifts from God. But Bailey, who questions the existence of God, is most doubtful. Yet, when pulled into Eric’s nightmares, she encounters his satanic enemy in hellish darkness. She soon comes to know THEM that magnify vile evil in others; THEY, who feed on blood and death and inhabit non-believers.

Will Bailey’s lack of faith cause THEM to feed on her? On her uncle? On Eric? Or will THEY come to know Our God and His Almighty Power?

Glenn Sasscer delivers a terrifying, gruesome tale, pitting men and women against demons of undeniable strength and cunning. Faith in God is a determining factor in the outcome of Mr. Sasscer’s first novel depicting Good against Evil and God against Satan’s henchmen. In my opinion, Glenn Sasscer’s excellent writing skills for delivering this religious horror can only be a gift from God. He shares his gift and his faith in Our Lord with you in a tumultuous and quite satisfying fashion.

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Glenn Sasscer is a published author of several short stories, magazine articles, and a novel – Suffering Madness. Glenn combines his taste for horror, suspense, and thriller type stories with his Christian worldview to create stories to scare the Hell out of you. Glenn lives in northwest Ohio with his wife and three children. Check out Glenn’s Christian blog: “What Glenn Writes” and his bookstore. His most recent short story is available as an eStory in PDF format for $3.00 at the bookstore.

Read my interview with Glenn Sasscer.

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Sporkette

Texas In Her Own Words Book Review

November 6, 2010 – 4:15 pm

Texas In Her Own Words Texas In Her Own Words (ISBN 0-9720293-7-0) by Tweed Scott is a 3-time national award-winning book that includes Foreword by Kinky Friedman.

Texas In Her Own Words is filled with 62 interviews about what makes Texas special to its “natives” and “transplants“. The interviews accumulated because of author Tweed Scott’s search for the “T-chromosome“, which Mr. Scott feels attributes to Texans’ pride for their state. The “as told to Tweed Scott” interviews are contributed by well-known artists, writers and entertainers; high-profile sport and politician personalities; corporate, cemetery and state shrine directors; restaurateurs and “honky-tonk” owners; teachers and historians; and landowners, retired individuals and regular laypersons. What they all hold in common is a love for the great state of Texas!

Tweed Scott, originally a Yankee from the New England area of the United States, transplanted to Texas when stationed in this state while serving in the U.S. Navy. He met and married a native Texan, so wound up making his home in her state, which soon became his state too. He grew to love Texas, with its varied geography and peoples. His own pride in the state appears to have mentally forced him to compile Texas In Her Own Words; thankfully so, for it’s a book that can peak the interest of Texans and non-Texans alike.

Being a Texan, born in Virginia, I was fascinated by all the factoids supplied in Texas In Her Own Words, and enthralled by the familiar pride and attitude that only those residing in Texas can know and feel. Having been confronted in other states about what makes Texans the way they are (bigger and better, braggarts, gun-toting crazies, beef-lovers and cowboy eccentrics), I feel that the interviews in Texas In Her Words can admirably explain a great deal to anyone curious about—in my opinion—the world-famous “Texas attitude“.

Tweed Scott’s light-hearted, humorous, gentle and prideful attitude is apparent in his fine writing style, when writing about himself and for others. The author appears to have spared no expense when preparing Texas In Her Own Words for publication and in showing his pride for Texas. The soft cover book with its French flaps and “‘Lone Star” flag cover (photo by Mr. Scott’s wife “Zee”) is a real attention getter, while two-columns per page makes for easy reading, and the subtle tan tones and sepia graphics give pleasing Texas-style eye appeal during the read.

With all these positive factors, how can I not but very highly recommend Texas In Her Own Words by Tweed Scott, for the book is one I, too, am proud of… being a Texan and all!
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To learn more about Tweed Scott, request interviews, inquire about speaker presentations, or purchase Texas In Her Own Words, click here.

Read Tweed’s blog.

Follow Tweed.

Read my interview with Tweed Scott.

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