All Things That Matter Press

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

MUSICAL CHAIRS

MUSICAL CHAIRS, by Jen Knox, has hit the memoir scene with a splash. The book has many great reviews which point to the great writing style, honesty, courage and inspiration displayed by Jen Musical Chairs explores one family's history of mental health diagnoses and searches to define the cusp between a '90s working-class childhood and the trouble of adapting to a comfortable life in the suburbs. In order to understand her restlessness, Jennifer reflects on years of strip-dancing, alcoholism, and estrangement. Inspired by the least likely source, the family she left behind, Jennifer struggles towards reconciliation. This story is about identity, class, family ties, and the elusive nature of mental illness. Excerpt (Prologue) Throughout the summer of 2003 I repeatedly underwent what psychologists have since diagnosed as post-traumatic stress and panic disorder. A spiritually-inclined friend refers to the same summer as my rebirthing period. Still others, who claim to have had similar experiences, tell me that such episodes were probably a warning, my body’s way of telling me to adopt healthier eating habits, exercise more or quit smoking. At the time, all I knew was that the onset was swift. Review: Alvah’s Book Reviews (to read the entire review, click here). “[Musical Chairs is] well-written, which means Jen Knox knows how to string words together into comprehensible sentences. And her ‘voice’ is honest, unapologetic and – vital! – likeable. In other words, she’s like the Apostle Peter in the Bible. She’s a weak, frail, vulnerable human being, who makes lots of mistakes. Which means – thank God – that she is human. Which means that despite all her flaws and failures, she is not a fraud or a charlatan. She’s not pretending to be someone who has their ‘shit’ together. Jen and most of her family are gloriously dysfunctional – just like most families. And they have a tendency toward mental illness. And – shockingly – she talks about it. Which is what makes her story and her book so wonderful. It’s downright refreshing to read a book that acknowledges what most people know is true, but are afraid to confess: Most people are one brick short of a load. Which is what makes them and life so interesting.” To watch the Musical Chairs Trailer, go to Knoxworx Multimedia. To purchase Musical Chairs, go to Amazon, ATTM Press, or Barnes & Noble. For more information about Jen, go to www.jenknox.com or http://jenknox.blogspot.com/ For more information about ATTMP, go to http://www.allthingsthatmatterpress.com/ or http://allthingsthatmatterpress.blogspot.com/ BUY NOW FROM AMAZON AT: http://www.amazon.com/Musical-Chairs-Jen-Knox/dp/0984259422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268347842&sr=1-1

SAL'S UNDERWEAR?

NO, NOT REALLY. But Sal's "Shorts" are great: witty, insightful, sad, funny and every other emotion can be found in his creative genius. Flashing My Shorts by Salvatore Buttaci is a collection of 164 flash-fiction stories that runs the gamut from humor to horror with everything in between. These quick but thought-out writes have become quite popular today. They tend to accommodate readers on the go who lack the luxury of sitting down for long periods of reading. Like patrons at a smorgasbord, they can taste a little of this fine dish and a little of that and not go hungry. The stories Buttaci flashes in his book can, on one page, make readers laugh, and on the next, cry. Excerpt Encounter Years of hard drinking had driven him to seed. He slept under cardboard on the coldest New York City nights, and his days were taken up begging for spare change. One morning a passerby stopped to look at him. He turned his unshaven, toothless face away. But the woman continued staring. “Is your name Thomas?” she asked. He shook his head. “Thomas Cole?” she persisted. Again he gestured no. He could see the tears wetting the woman’s face. She could not see his. Leaning against the streetlight, he watched his daughter lose herself in the rush hour of pedestrian traffic. Reviews These Stories Are Short, But They Pack A Punch Salvatore Buttaci masters the short form in his new collection Flashing My Shorts. The stories here are spare but powerful, and each is injected with Buttaci's quick wit, sharp insight, and the sort of emotional depth that causes a reader to pause, for just a moment, before reading on, wanting more. Buttaci has a delicate touch with his pen and he's fantastic at telling stories, stories with wide range and the commonality of insight, humor and strong resolution. Buy the book for yourself, buy a copy for a friend and get ready to enjoy what a strong short story collection can offer: utter entertainment in bite-sized bits. I like to think of these stories the way I think of those portion-controlled, pre-packaged desserts: when I'm done with one, why not another? (J.L. Knox, Musical Chairs) Drawing on his dry sense of humor and a deep sense of irony, Salvatore Buttaci has delivered a book of sparkling gems. These quick stories make us laugh, think, and at times cry. They take us to the core of reality and at other times to the wonders of fantasy. This is a book that I would highly recommend to the reader who enjoys the art of flash fiction and to the reader who likes a quick laugh. (Kenneth Weene author of Widow's Walk) FLASHING MY SHORTS by Sal Buttaci is a fabulous book with so many brief stories that stay with you long after you've moved on. Love, danger, passion, and alternate histories in sci-fi appear in these fiction pieces under 1,000 words. Their brevity is an advantage, making it great to pick up and stop for readers and commuters who do the same kind of long and short reading, too. Yes, each piece is a complete short story and with many you want to know what happens next but what happens next is an all-new story that will keep your eyes focused on the page. You'll want to take a break to absorb the skill with which these pieces are crafted. Here is a very talented writer in a brave new writing format. If you're familiar with Buttaci's other work, you'll be pleasantly surprised here, no, not pleasantly surprised, delighted. I urge you to add Flashing My Shorts by Sal Buttaci to your collection of must-read volumes. This is a book I shall read again and again. To read more customer reviews, go to http://www.amazon.com/Flashing-My-Shorts-Salvatore-Buttaci/dp/0984259473 To order Flashing My Shorts, go to http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com or http://www.amazon.com/Flashing-My-Shorts-Salvatore-Buttaci/dp/0984259473 For more information about Salvatore, go to http://salvatorebuttaci.wordpress.com or http://sambpoet.webs.com/ For more information about ATTMP, go to http://www.allthingsthatmatterpress.com/ or http://allthingsthatmatterpress.blogspot.com/ Tags: Flash, Shorts, Fiction, Humor, 164 stories