HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY, 2010: Bluestocking's Green-Thumbs Up & Literary Links

My name is Colleen, and yes, I am of Irish descent on my dear old da's side. In honor of the Emerald Isle and my ancestors, I posted more than a trinity of entries on my Denver Flower and Gardening page for Examiner.com. Just click on the blue to go from Bluestocking to green-thumb. My Examiner'com page was 4th most popular in Denver yesterday. (Number 1 was Denver Zombie Examiner.)

The image above, photographed by James Baca, shows Celtic design detail from a stained-glass window in Old Saint Patrick's in downtown Chicago. James and I are work partners, and we've been on assignment many times over 21 years. When we first met, we covered the Irish for the big St. Patrick's Day issue of the Denver Catholic Register. Tonight, James and I got to celebrate together, unexpectedly. I even cooked dinner for the two of us--a first.

Today, I hope you got a taste of Irish culture, whether corned beef and cabbage or some Irish music or an Irish film or Irish literature, or perhaps goods from Irelands: Aran sweaters or Belleek china.

The culture has a lot to offer other than drinking--tho' I did sip a couple of Harps with James to celebrate Saint Patrick, to toast his recently departed mother, and to wash down the salmon I broiled. Served the fish in a style atypical of Ireland. Tossed a salad of greens, tangelos, walnuts, dried cranberries, cilantro in citrus grapeseed oil and balsamic vinagrette and for the salmon made a salsa with fresh mango, cilantro, lime juice, sea salt, pickled jalapeno and freshly snipped chives--the first from the secret garden. Sauteed some snow peas until a green as the Emerald Isle. Felt great to nurture my dear friend and star twin. (We share the same birthday.) Great to be with friends in high times and low. Losing a mother is a terribly difficult turnstile to walk through, and I'm glad my friend is on the other side of a difficult transition.

The Irish wake celebrates death, as well as the life of the person who has passed.

On the Friday Jones Publishing webpage and the Friday Jones Publishing Fan Page on Facebook you'll find lot of posts and links related to Ireland/the Irish/Saint Patrick's Day/Irish arts and culture, and Nora Kelley, the main character of my soon-to-be-released novel titled GLASS HALO.

"May the wind be always at your back."

Going Green: Preparing for Saint Patrick's Day

About to celebrate its one-year anniversary, my Bluestocking Blog is preparing for the wearin' o' the green. Here is a trinity of posts to prompt the spirit of Saint Patrick's Day:

• Irish arts and culture quiz: 17 questions

• All about shamrocks

• Nuala O'Faolain: In memory of the Dublin writer

Image depicts oxalis, which stand in for shamrocks during this celebratory season. For more about this pleasant plant, visit my Examiner.com page: Denver Flower & Gardening Examiner.

THE ARTS: March Comes in Like a Lion

This is one of the lions flanking the front of the Art Institute of Chicago. Last summer, after the museum closed, I captured this shot on my iPhone. I love the inky blue sky and the fact that the people visible beneath the lion's belly lend scale to this photo. Happy March!

SUPPORT THE ARTS;

THE ARTS SUPPORT YOU.

THE WRITTEN WORD: Inspiration from the Arts & Crafts Movement

I've been researching the Arts & Crafts Movement, finding inspiration in this artistic era on a number of levels. During the Arts & Crafts Movement, book design reached a pinnacle. Most notably, William Morris and Kelmscott Press in England, and the Roycrofters in East Aurora, New York, created gold-standard books. Beautiful typography, intricate illustrations, printers ornaments, lavish borders, and handsome bindings typify the books.

In their rare books collection, Denver Public Library has a number of these precious works. In the photo above, the spread shows a portrait of William Morris at left and an elaborate page at right. A thin tissue separates the pages.

(F.Y.I: Normally, the books may not be photographed, but DPL made an exception for my iPhone: Thanks, DPL!)

People in the Arts & Crafts Era responded to the Industrial Revolution; and I am responding to the Digital Age. The Industrial Revolution put a lot of people to work in factories and put and end to a lot of handcrafting. The Digital Age--along with its many advantages--poses some threats to books and writing. I believe we must preserve an interest in the written word and in tactile books.

The design of my soon-to-be-published first novel, titled GLASS HALO, shows a strong influence from the Arts & Crafts Movement.

My Friday Jones Publishing website includes a list of links related to the Arts & Crafts Movement. I hope you'll enjoy browsing some of these sites.

Thanks for clicking in!

THE ARTS: Stained-glass gardens grow in Denver's cathedral

Since I was a wee one, bored in church, I've been enthralled by the luminous beauty of stained-glass windows. This ancient art form originated to help illiterate people understand stories from Scriptures. Check out this link to today's entry on my Examiner.com page, where I serve as Denver Flower and Garden Examiner. This post takes a look at the flowers and plants in the exquisite stained-glass windows inside downtown Denver's Gothic basilica, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. These are some of the finest windows west of the Mississippi. To read this entry, just click here. I've done a lot of research on stained glass for my first novel, titled GLASS HALO. Set in Denver, the main character is a stained-glass artist. For more details on my soon-to-be-released book, visit Friday Jones Publishing.

Photo by James Baca

This is not a window from Denver's cathedral, but is an example of Munich-style glass that shows the marvelous detail of the stained-glass style.

THE WRITTEN WORD: Full Circle Drawn with The Bloomsbury Review

THE BACK STORY:

When I first moved to Denver in 1985, I quickly discovered The Bloomsbury Review because I hung out a lot at a branch of the Denver Public Library, where I found free copies of this books magazine. I was young, financially challenged--as we say in today's politically correct parlance--and eager to become a writer. I had graduated with an English degree and honors from the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop. I had little experience, but a lot of interest in books; and when I saw that Blooms headquartered in Denver, I made a phone call.

The phone call turned into a long and thoughtful conversation with Tom Auer and ended with a warm invitation to come down to The Bloomsbury Review's office to pick out some books to review. Walking on air, I did just that, braving my way downtown to find Tom in an office cluttered with rows and stacks and shelves and piles of books. I picked out some books on nature, as I remember. I seem to remember a woman coming part way down a staircase, and Tom introducing her as his sister Marilyn.

I did not get paid for my reviews. I did not care. I was thrilled for the opportunity and the byline and the inclusion of my words in the magazine. I don't remember how many pieces I wrote for Blooms before I went on to other writing gigs, then full time jobs in the so-called real world. I eventually lost track of Blooms for many years.

All that changed recently when while working on an assignment for Tom Walker, the books editor of The Denver Post. Tom had given me contact information for a Boulder author to interview, but then called me off the source since somebody else had already done a recent story on him. When that source fell through, I wasn't sure where to turn. I decided to call The Bloomsbury Review to see if they had an leads.

Marilyn Auer answered, and we had a long chat about authors who might make good sources. I mentioned that I had written for Blooms way back. She mentioned that Tom had died. I had not known, or if I had heard, I had stuffed away the sad news.

"But you're holding down the fort?" I asked Marilyn.

And she answered, "I'm working on our 30th anniversary issue."

PING! My freelance journalist light went on, knowing Blooms' big anniversary would make a great story for the books section of The Denver Post.

THE GOOD NEWS:

I'm delighted to report that in the wake of my story about Blooms in the Post, the 30-year-old magazine on books got 55 new subscribers to the magazine--some for several-year subscriptions--and also gained 70-some new fans on Facebook, all in just the first few days after my piece appeared in the Post.

Chalk one up for books, magazines, newspapers, and freelance journalists--all evidently still relevant in the digital age.

Here's a link to my Post piece on The Bloomsbury Review, with some great quotes about books from Marilyn Auer and Blooms' marketing director David Perkins.

THE WRITTEN WORD/WRITERS I'VE KNOWN: Happy Birthday, Tama J. Kieves!

Today I celebrate the birthday of one of my dearest friends and closest literary companions: Tama J. Kieves. Tama and I both arrived in Denver in June of 1985, though she came from Brooklyn, NY; and I came from Iowa.

Tama and I met about four years later through a third writer, Kay Porterfield. I was taking a fiction writing course through one of the university campuses in downtown Denver, and Kay was my instructor. Kay recognized my writing, knew Tama, and recognized that Tama and I had a lot in common. She suggested we meet. Funny thing, I was so intimidated by Tama because Kay told me Tama is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Eventually, Tama told me she was cowed because I was out of the Iowa Writer's Workshop. Eventually, we did meet when Kay convened a writer's group. Tama and I connected. I appreciated--and continue to appreciate--Tama's smarts and humor and beauty on so many levels, her authenticity and her writing.

The writer's group disbanded, but Tama and I remained friends, cultivated our friendship; and shared countless fits of hilarity, as well as streams of salted tears. Tama and I used to schedule what we called "9 to 9" writing days. Tama would show up at 9 on a Friday morning with bagels and cream cheese. I'd brew the coffee. We'd breakfast, write, talk, write, break for lunch at a nearby Chinese restaurant, write some more, walk my dogs, and talk about our books, our lives, write some more, winding down at 9 p.m. This was years ago. We're both still writing.

Tama has led the charge first by self-publishing her book, then getting signed by a major New York publisher, then garnering accolades for her book and going on to use her book as a springboard to other ways to have a voice in the larger debate, a place at the self-help table, and oodles of disciples like myself who have heard her Harvard lawyer wisdom delivered in lines closer to poetry. Tama is fearless: She speaks to huge audiences, at prestigious retreat centers, goes on television, does radio interviews. She has 15,000 names on her electronic mailing list, and pods of people in cities throughout the U.S. She's even branching out internationally, having done appearances in Mexico, Canada, and Costa Rica.

I consider myself one of Tama's success stories because in addition to writing, Tama works as a career counselor, coach, and speaker. After practicing law for about a year, Tama fled her downtown Denver firm to follow her heart. She inspires others to do the same. She inspired me, and continues to inspire me, with her message of love over fear.

If you're considering a career change--and even if you're not, but you just like a sweet but solid voice of wisdom in the world, check out Tama's website. You'll find all her upcoming speaking engagements, her book THIS TIME I DANCE! Creating the Work You Love, audio recordings, destination vacations, and free resources. Definitely check out her free e-newsletter as it’s filled with monthly support and creative inspiration, and you can sign-up online.

CLICK NOW ON LINKS BELOW FOR MORE:

• Tama Kieves' Awakening Artistry website

• Bluestocking Guest Blog Tama contributed titled "Mothering Ourselves"

• Tama Kieves endorses GLASS HALO, the soon-to-be-released first novel by Colleen Smith

• Tama Kieves quoted in The Denver Post's article about authors conducting their own publicity

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TAMA: Enjoy the fruit!