Too Many Crooks In The Kitchen
by Jack T. Manpillar
Another Donk Holiday novel in stores this spring!
Your favorite Midwestern junk dealer, horticulturist and neurotically private detective is back for another helping, and this time the last course consists of lemon meringue murder! Let Donk pour you a drink, because he’s having one, and join him while he tries to figure out what ‘the deal’ is inside the new ‘seafood’ restaurant in downtown Winebottom, Arkansas.

"I would hate Donk Holiday except I love him." -- Karkus Review
"Manpillar has done it again. His latest book reeks of sweat, intrigue and mystery fish." -- New York Conversant
"Lively and Entertaining! Donk Holiday orders up a fresh serving of Salty Smarm!" -- Jones Beach Gazette

Also be sure to check out last year’s number one bestseller:

Ghost Of A Chance
by Jack T. Manpillar
Head on down to New Orleans with Donk Holiday and roll the dice onboard the nation’s oldest haunted casino boat, The Dusky Jewel. Once you’re off land the Big Easy turns into the Big Queasy and all bets on are on the table—right next to the Voodoo Dagger!

"This one grabbed me by the nuts and wouldn't let go. Manpillar's got grip." -- Omaha Daily Gamble

Other Donk Holiday titles by Jack T. Manpillar
Baby, Can You Drive My Carp?
Fifth Down And None To Go
It’s Raining Cats And Donks
The Mayor’s Filthy Inheritance
Wake Up And Smell Rosie
Here’s Mud In Your Lie
Dang Ain’t Just A City In China
Let's Forget This Never Happened
She Loves Me Knot
I Think My Neighbor’s A Vampire
Thirteen Steps Is One Too Many
I’ll See You In Hail
She’s Going To Need A New Tranny
Make It A Doppelganger, Barkeep
Be A Good Boy Now And Call Your Mom A Bitch (out of print)
Too Many Rides At The County Fair (originally titled Have You Ever Smelled The Midway?)

charley said, "drink your water,"
and everything else

Alis in the tall grass and light
holds aloft her catch.

I know not whether it's the
smile, catfish or both,

but still and full in photograph
every thing that is a thing comes clearer-


pull into curve, pull curve,
pull focus, pull into focus

your our my face-
the thing is wild
like creation, catapult-

tree she is roots to earth,
she is bloom and reach


I
let
loose
of
fear
I
let
still
and
full

valerie
the soft heart of things

Sediment & Erosion Control
For All Your Erosion Control Needs
Period One
subject: Dropsy
room: Animal Kingdom
instructor: Shingles

Period Two
subject: Perfect Teeth
room: Dairy Farm
instructor: The Undoug

Period Three
subject: Folderol
room: The Alley
instructor: Turkey

Period Four
subject: Beer Eyes
room: Downtown
instructor: Doug

Period Five
subject: Wolf Tickets
room: The Back Room
instructor: Old Ghost

Period Six
subject: Chicken
room: Living Room
instructor: Chicken

Nighttime On The Ship
Period Seven
subject: mumble patterns
room: the galley
instructor: msr. h. wallop, visiting instructor

Period Eight
subject: driving & crying (land legs)
room: the foredeck
instructor: judge bruce springfield

calisthenics, wind noises, finger painting
poolside with rodrigo!

Period Ten
subject: long time coming
room: captain’s quarters
instructor: asst. captain stephanie

and in an alternate reality an abe lincoln not elected president simply goes down in the footnotes as that laughable lunk from illinois

that great ape

tony breaking his beads
declaring the decade impolitic,
he fumbles loosely at his task
lets his fingers bleed onto the floor—
i will paint a picture of all this
when i’m done, he thinks

the band breaking all jangled
stepping high country reel,
he singing something bout the
chickenshit blues—
i got it in for me, miller sings,
i got them old standing-there-moving blues

max the pug sits in the late year 2003
on the front porch of his home as
warm afternoon light spills through the
bars and glass of this enclosed space,
light streaming in one might say,
while all other things maintain a stillness,
repose
an unfettered expectation.
to cross and re-cross the many rooms of our lives
requires maintenance and charm,
stamina and reserve,
affability and patience,
wherewithal.
i have forgiven the daylight but not entirely,
there are niches on this porch yet to discover
but there is a way of things
as seen in the foot traffic on the street:
boys running uphill to get in shape,
girls walking home with books in crossed arms—
each with a weary excitement slung in the shoulders
each with distinct face.
max sits inside the gated entryway
observing all such thing in his world.
coming home with groceries and no real plan,
driving and talking into cellular phone—
the obviousness here is a mask.
you will not always get what you need,
more, you will always have need.
you and others will speak further on this subject later.
for now, why don’t you get up and go for a walk?

The best record that you have not heard is finally available. The prolific Jaye Barnes Luckett, as Poperratic, has been at work on her opus for a very long time and the results are astounding. The album is called Vagus (the wandering nerve), and it is a sweeping collection of songs. It is pop, rock, rhythm, soul, blues, punk, gospel, opera, cinema, poetry. Each song is a kind of epic narrative, driven by hard guitar, pop guitar, melody, some keyboards, and always that voice. Jaye's voice is rich, soulful, her lyrics cutting, funny, surreal, full of history, personal and otherwise. The album is full of hooks, dramatic changes. Vagus is the cluster of nerves in your body known as the second brain. The body brain. The root. Jaye has tapped hers. The music is indepedent in a way no other music today can lay claim to. Original. Deep. And you will dance. There will come a day when Jaye's work is widely recognized as masterpiece. Right now, it is yours. Where it will always belong.

Just take a good long look at the album cover at the top of this post.

Jaye has been recognized for her work as Music Supervisor to the cinema of Lucky McKee--movies like May, The Woods, and Sick Girl (from Showtime's Masters of Horror series). I can't tell you how many times I've come across people online trying to figure out who the person behind these original tunes and score is. It is Jaye Barnes Luckett. She has also contributed music to the films of Angela Bettis and Kevin Ford, quite specially in the soon to DVD Roman. And more movies are coming down the pipe this very instant. Jaye also brings voice and music to the powerhouse new trip-hop outfit Deuxo, alongside the widely recognized electronic musician/DJ Schpilkas. One of Deuxo's songs was recently featured in the Courtney Cox series Dirt on the FX Network. You definitely need some Deuxo in your soul bones too. Shake something loose. Finally.

Go find out where you can buy Vagus (the wandering nerve) at the official Poperratic website. She has a lot of things going on at the website. You'll find high quality music downloads, writing, forums, pretty much whatever your Poperratic heart desires. Go, go, go.

Poperratic
Official Deuxo Website
Poperratic on Myspace
Deuxo on Myspace

Also a big shout out to producer, mixer and engineer extraordinaire Dave Lopez who helped Jaye realize this record. Check him at Dizmix.

I cannot recommend any of this music enough. I'll just sound silly if I keep trying. The music is real.

History is a terribleness
and we are all the old bad gods
come again to do battle
and seize the only day left.
i grow too long for this day.
i plucked feathers from the backs of birds
and fell with them to earth.
my mistake was asking of them
mine own flight
not knowing their language
or their desire.
i confused my desire with theirs
and was thus betrayed.