World-Mart takes a critical look at corporate America, speculating the direction our country is heading in its promotion of big business and slow but steady quashing of the small but personal “mom and pop” enterprise.  In this first excerpt, one of the main characters, Shelley, experiences her first lone shopping venture at the Food-Mart.  Over the loud speaker, she observes, “‘Attention Food-Mart customers,’ the voice announced.  ‘For today only, the canned meat product booth is having a buy three, get one free sale (limit two free items).  And remember, a hard worker is a happy worker.  Thank you for shopping at Food-Mart.’ (59).  The main irony here is that Food-Mart is the only place where citizens can legally purchase groceries.  By calling customers specifically “Food-Mart customers,” the establishment creates a false sense of value in their patronage, while actually mocking their value as consumers.  The limit of “two free items” further exemplifies the actual devaluing of the customer.

Consider what follows: “And remember, a hard worker is a happy worker.”  By inserting this message, Corporate again imports a false sense of value in the mundane everyman.  While their actual role is minimal and disposable, the message to these people is in reality aimed at keeping the little man as complacent, yet efficient, as possible.  The final sentence in this passage, “Thank you for shopping at Food-Mart,” is just as condescending.  Given that there is no other place to shop, the token of appreciation is actually nothing more than a slap in the consumer’s face, lip service that says just as much about Corporate as it does those it would control.

Later in the story, main character George crosses a Corporate landfill, which includes an airplane graveyard.  In this section of the novel, a juxtaposition of the real and the fantastic offers a glimpse of all that might be lost through current abuses of energy, waste, and power.  George remembers airplanes, but only as a child.  When he is faced with the airplane graveyard, he must reassess his memories, the phasing out of large, fuel-consuming vehicles that occurred during the time of his realization that fantasies such as Santa Claus do not exist in reality.  By comparing both to God, there is the implication that the heart and soul of American economy have died with the death of free market and commerce, that corporate takeover have killed the average American’s dream of better things to come—that the average American’s free choice to believe in something greater than the reality standing before him, both limited and grim.

In the classic “show and tell” of literature, irony shows in ways few others might.  It allows the reader to look at a given issue from a creative and open point of view, offering an opening for personal take and interpretation with its implied direction.  Irony can be direct or implicit, best analyzed through the deconstructionist point of view, offering greater power to the reader in personal interpretation and analysis.  Properly used, irony enables the reader to apply a given reading to his or her personal experience, enriching through implication rather than direct prose, allowing the reader to own the text and interpret it as he or she will. 

When I originally conducted my research for Finding Poe, I found it interesting how many people had attempted to complete his unfinished work “The Lighthouse”.  Upon deeper investigation, I found that Poe was the basis for a good amount of popular fiction (see this link for a lengthy list) and, moreover, that I was not anywhere close to being the first person to come up with the idea of integrating concepts from Poe’s work into an original story about him.  The 2006 film, The Death of Poe is a great example of a work offering a similar theme.

I knew I had my work cut out for me, but I was also determined to bring something fresh and unique to the table with Finding Poe.

Though he has been gone for 163 years, Poe has left a lasting impact on both the deductive mystery and the Gothic romance.  The Poe House and Museum in Baltimore showcases what we love most about his work, although a lack of state funding may jeopardize the future of that establishment (you can send donations to its curator if you are interested in preserving this historic monument).  Poe’s works are readily available through websites such as OnlineLiterature.com, and Kindle versions of his work, many of which are also free, are available through Amazon. 

So, with so many different takes on Poe, his works, and his continued place in pop culture, where does Finding Poe stand?  Horror author Dana Fredsti writes, “Atmospheric, lush, and lyrical, Leigh M. Lane's Finding Poe is a haunting Gothic novel which will delight anyone familiar with the works of Edgar Allan Poe, as well as anyone who enjoys an evocative and classic tale of terror.”  I’d like to hear from all of you too: What do you think makes Finding Poe stand out among the wave of contemporary Poe-inspired works?  Don’t have your copy yet?  It’s only $3.99 on Kindle.  Don’t have a Kindle?  Download this free app to read Kindle books on your PC, Tablet, or Smart Phone.  Better yet, get your paperback copy right now, while it’s on sale for $7.91—that’s 28% off the list price.

Leave your thoughts on Finding Poe for your chance to win some fun SWAG.  Up for grabs are sets of refrigerator magnets, signed Finding Poe postcards, and a signed paperback copy of the novel.  Thanks for stopping by!  

Behind the Veil: My Experience with Hijab

Hijab is the headscarf some Muslim women wear.  There is great debate over the need, use and appropriateness of the hijab, which has fueled cultural debate and conflict.  In Islam there is a cultural practice of covering a woman’s hair and neck; this is considered modest dress and the roots of the practice are based in the Qu’ran.  There are multiple surahs (verses) and hadiths (oral histories) which are used to explain the need for men and women to dress modestly.

The specifics of what needs to be covered is controversial.  Some say only the hair must be covered; others say everything but the eyes and hands should be.  From Burquas in Afghanistan to hijabs in France, it seems everyone has an opinion.

In 2001, right after 9/11, I participated in an event called “Sisters for Solidarity.”  The sponsoring group was an interfaith movement for social awareness.  Over 200,000 women in the US donned hijab for Eid Al-Fitr, a celebration that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Somewhere in the depths of my basement there is a picture of me with a beautiful red-and-gold scarf covering my hair and neck. For three days in November, 2011, I went to work, the grocery store, church and everywhere else with my hair covered.

I could discuss the political reasons for doing this, or my own religion beliefs, but what I learned during those three days has nothing to do with either. I donned a headscarf for very personal reasons, which I believed deeply and still hold dear.  And every moment I wore it, I felt stronger in my convictions.  Something about a physical declaration of my beliefs was empowering and liberating.

I also felt a part of something.  Other women in hijab would stop, smile and speak with me no matter where we were.  It was a kind of sisterhood I haven’t experienced in other parts of my life.  Even when they found out I wasn’t Muslim, the kind response I received for what I was doing was deeply touching.

Simultaneously, I found the covering very oppressive.  It was hot under there, and kept slipping.  This was probably mostly due to my inexperience, but I found it physically cumbersome and something that needed constant monitoring.  I was also very surprised to find that a number of co-workers with whom I had been close to did not speak with me during the days I was wearing hijab. I received sideways glances on the bus and subway, not the usual smiles and commuter camaraderie I was accustomed to.

There are three female characters in my novel, Shadow on the Wall.  Each has an opinion of and relationship with wearing the hijab.  I pulled on my short experience to inform how I wrote these characters. Rebekah, Darya and Maryam - each of them represents a different archetype of Middle Eastern women.  While it's certainly not an exhaustive representation, the issues of gender and the veil are explored in depth through the course of the story. 

What I learned during the Sisters for Solidarity movement - and what I hope Shadow on the Wall conveys - is that covering is a deeply personal experience. Ideally, each woman would be able to decide for herself without the pressures of politics, family or cultural assumptions.  Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world, which is what makes the discussion so volatile. 

I’m curious as I move into publishing Shadow on the Wall how readers will feel about these women.  Which will they respond to?  With which will they identify?

About Shadow on the Wall:

Recai Osman: Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero?

Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah's call or will his dark past and self doubt stand in his way?

Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.

In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss.

For more about Pavarti K. Tyler's books, stop by her Amazon author page.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Pavarti K. Tyler will be here at The Cerebral Writer on Friday to discuss her new release Shadow on the Wall, but as part of her "blurb blitz tour," here is a small preview:

Recai Osman: Muslim, philosopher, billionaire and Superhero? 

Controversial and daring, Shadow on the Wall details the transformation of Recai Osman from complicated man to Superhero. Forced to witness the cruelty of the Morality Police in his home city of Elih, Turkey, Recai is called upon by the power of the desert to be the vehicle of change. Does he have the strength to answer Allah's call or will his dark past and self doubt stand in his way?

Pulling on his faith in Allah, the friendship of a Jewish father-figure and a deeply held belief that his people deserve better, Recai Osman must become The SandStorm.

In the tradition of books by Margaret Atwood and Salman Rushdie, Shadow on the Wall tackles issues of religion, gender, corruption and the basic human condition. Beautiful and challenging, this is not a book to miss. 

Stop by on Friday for Tyler's enlightening essay, "Behind the Veil: My Experience with Hijab," as well as more information about her and Shadow on the Wall.

Lisa, it’s a pleasure to be here. I’m happy to tell you about the inspiration for Poe’s Mother.

It seems the world has gone slightly mad for Poe, with the release of our books about the great American master of mystery and horror and the new movie, The Raven. Poe has always held a fascination for me and many other writers, regardless of genre.

My interest in Poe, and thus the impetus for Poe’s Mother, began at an early age. I’ve talked about this a bit on my own blog on Goodreads, but I’ll go more in depth for your readers. I care a great deal about this novel, which was the third that I wrote – it’s my most personal and intimate work.

I grew up in Coffeyville, Kansas, a small town in the southeastern corner of the state. As a kid, I was a voracious reader. I tended to gravitate toward science fiction and adventure stories in elementary school. When I was seven I became a member of the Science Fiction Book Club of America and read, or in a few cases attempted to read, some of the great masters of science fiction – Heinlein, Asimov and Clarke. I also read Conan Doyle and Wells – they were much easier on my brain than some of the contemporary science fiction authors I had chosen. Poe was also on my list, so when I got the chance to order Ten Great Mysteries for 35 cents through the Scholastic Library Edition, I jumped. I still have the book, with its eerie green and yellow psychedelic portrait of a young, sinister looking Poe.  I couldn’t wait for my Scholastic book orders to come – as I recall they were delivered to my school. 

As sometimes happens with food, my eyes were bigger than my brain in this case. My 10-year-old mind was unprepared to wrap itself around some of the more complicated language and verbiage used by Poe. For example, in the third paragraph of The Tell-Tale Heart, Poe uses the word “dissimulation.” That zinger joined other words sprinkled about such as maelstrom, ossification and Sexagesima Sunday which halted my reading enjoyment. So, what did I do? I asked my mother to read a few stories to me. She complied on one infernally hot summer afternoon. That memory somehow stuck with me like a superbly drafted oil painting. I can still see her sitting in a gold chair silhouetted against opaque white curtains trimmed with black Japanese design. That loving moment of sharing turned into Poe’s Mother.  My mother wasn’t reading The Wind in the Willows or a Hardy Boys mystery to me. She was reading Poe. Years later I asked myself what would happen if a family took Poe’s writings as their own form of gospel. What strange habits would they form? For the record, the outcome – my novel – had nothing whatsoever to do with that living room in Kansas so long ago.

From those questions arose Sissy Baxter and Madeline Poe, the two first-person narrators of the novel. Sissy is 15 and lives, along with her brother, Riven, in a small town called Nodoline. The Poes are the wealthiest of the other residents in Nodoline and have their own sullied reputation. Through the Poes, Sissy enters a world of dark secrets that spills into madness. Despite Sissy’s age, the book is not for young adults. I use the word “startling” in my trailer to describe the novel. I think that’s a fair assessment; it’s hard to “startle” these days, but I think Poe’s Mother does just that.

I hope your readers will pick up a FREE copy, exclusively on Kindle, from Friday, April 27th through Monday May 1st, as part of my Poe Weekend promotion. It’s my gift to them.

Thanks for having me, Lisa. 

It's my pleasure, Michael.  Poe's Mother looks like a fascinating book, and you can bet it's on my "to be read" list.  

Some of his influences are Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Shirley Jackson, Oscar Wilde, Daphne du Maurier, Richard Matheson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and any work by the exquisite Brontë sisters. You can contact Michael at michaelmeeske@live.com.