Friday, February 8, 2013

The Many Faces of Love

The other day I had a few minutes to spare and decided to post something here, but I didn't. Why? you might ask. Well, it wasn't for lack of ideas. The problem is that I had too many idea and not enough time to do any of them justice. So I just signed off and went to bed. Then I stared at the ceiling a bit while all those ideas swirled around in my mind. I wasn't sure which one I would use the next time I sat in front of my laptop, but I decided it would somehow work itself out. It's like when you need to buy a gift for someone but don't know what. You go shopping and as you walk in the store you find the perfect gift setting on the shelf. Yep, that's how it will happen I told myself.

And you know what? That's really how it happened. Except it is not any of the ideas I had thought about the other day. This topic just sort of fell into my lap so to say. I sat down, checked my email, and there it was waiting for me. What was it? My spreadsheet for my flash fiction piece that is featuring in the upcoming (to be released on 12th) February issue of The Poetic Pinup Revue.

Never heard of The Poetic Pinup Revue? Here is how the publication is described on their website:
  
We’re not quite a pinup magazine.  We’re not quite a literary journal.  We’re not quite a poetry rag, or a fine art photography showcase, we’re not quite a lot of things and very much a lot of others.


How would I describe it? It is a magazine that features flash fiction and poetry paired with images. Very artsy. Sometimes those images might be a black and white photograph of a winding staircase or a colorful drawing of a museum scene (both in the October 2012 issue) or a lady drinking from a martini glass (December 2012) or a sketch of a women or even a very tasteful nude. Yes, there is some nudity in TPPR but in the several issues I have seen, they are all artistic works. I liken them more to paintings of nude women in museums, yet with more depth to them because 1) they are doing something other than just posing nude for a painter and 2) the editor (Harlean Carpenter) takes great care in choosing the best image to complement the text (or vice versa). Of course, not all the images are nudes (only a small portion - though I understand the current issue has more than usual, but then again, this issue also has many more pages) and not all pictures even have a person in them. In the December issue which has the theme "food for thought" there was very artsy photo of a cut lemon and some sort of cube (ice?) on a granite countertop. The photo is shades of black and white with shadowing but the lemon is yellow.

Even with all that I've said, I realize this magazine might not be everyone's cup of tea. I really like it, because it is unique and interesting. This is, I believe, the fourth time I have had work featured. Do you want to see my tearsheet? Don't worry. For any of you out there who aren't into nudes, you can breathe easy.

Here it is:

Flash fiction by Linda Hofke, Model: Vicky Lievens (I don't have the photographer info but think it might be by Kelly Van Wonterghem)

I think it looks great. And see? This is not really a pin-up shot, is it? It's so much more. That's what you get with TPPR.

 If you are interested in buying a copy of the magazine (which has the theme The Many Faces of Love), you can click here to get information. If you do purchase a copy, please be sure to fill in the "Who Sent You?" field with my name.

To submit work to The Poetic Pinup Revue, CLICK HERE for information regarding upcoming themes.

To read reviews of TPPR, CLICK HERE.

For general information regarding The Poetic Pinup Revue, CLICK HERE.

AND here is my favorite link of them all. This link has samples from various editions. To see a whole bunch of awesome spreadsheets, CLICK HERE.


I'd love to hear your thoughts on my spreadsheet/my story, about your views on nudity, about photography, poetry, on artistic expression... anything vaguely related to this post. Go ahead. Lay it on me. If you have a thought (c'mon, I know you are thinking something), go ahead and write a comment for me. It will make me happy, and I like being happy.

3 comments:

Laurie Kolp said...

I love it, Linda. I didn't know if we could share or not... before the actual release.

Belle said...

I loved your entry. It really meant a lot to me because our family wrote letters and tied them to balloons on my grandson's birthday. He died a year and a half ago. We wrote all that he meant to us. Watching the balloons soar high up to the clouds made me think of him in heaven.

Letting go of a son who is going to rehab would be heartbreaking. My grandson also had trouble with addictions which broke our hearts too. So your piece was meaningful for me.

I don't mind nudity like Demi Moore when she was pregnant etc. where parts are covered up with hands and legs. I love the photo on your page. This magazine sounds very good and I'll check it out.

Nick Wilford said...

Wow, that looks great! Congrats. And a very sweet story, too. Thought-provoking in just a few words.

And thank you for your kind comment on my blog. If you feel you would like to contribute something to my anthology, feel free to email me: mcwilfo(at)gmail(dot)com. As long as you could do it in the next week. I'd be honoured! This story itself would fit - shame it's already published!