October 2011 Open Reading Review

Dear Nagoya Writes,

Critique and Open Reading Review
October, 2011

Critique:

Five of us gathered at Mondo’s Book store for the second Writes Critique .
First we worked on points that make or break a good novel.
One being characters that are just too good or bad to be believed.
Then we plowed into the works of Tim and Iain. Suggestions for improvement
was in character development and story flow.

Open Reading:

Shoichi Miyamura ( Japan )
poem ~ Tell Me ~
How you grow your roots to grab the earth.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
prose ~ Search for Soba ~
Now overlapping the smell of wet clothes was the perfume of citrus fruit.
joke ~ Cold Water~
Did you wash these dishes?

Paul Binford ( USA )
prose ~ The Shademakers ~
What the hell do you want a dead opossum for?

Vash Bandy ( USA )
prose ~ The Bone Lady ~
Carly harvested bones.

William Matheny ( USA )
poem ~ Yayoi 2011 ~
From the rumbling of the earth and ocean born, a dreadful liquid of anarchy.
death an ordinary tragedy and life an ordinary miracle.
poem ~ Proposal to American Poets by Yone Noguchi
You say far too much I say.

_________

On Friday the 28th Vash organized a Rocky Horror Picture Show.
It was a wild party of 40 dancing, shouting, rice throwing custom dressed roisters.
The event was a huge success.
_________

Coming up:
The Next Open Readings is scheduled for November 20th. from 4:30 – 7:00 P.M.
The ‘Create Writing’ workshop is scheduled from 2:00.
Both events will be held at Mondo Books, the second story book story and lounge.
just two blocks from Kamimaizu station, next to the Bank of Nagoya
________

Thanks Hitomi, Jose, and Mike of Mondo Books. Thanks Vash for the Critque and Party.
Thanks, all the readers and guests for keeping the word alive well and dancing on the chairs.

Help to spread the word.

cheers

Albert Sussler.

_________

quote: Give yourself over to absolute pleasure. Swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh
- erotic nightmares beyond any measure, and sensual daydreams to treasure forever.
Can’t you just see it? Don’t dream it, be it. Rocky Horror Picture Show, Richard O’Brian

September 2011 Open Reading Review

Dear Nagoya Writes,

Our fall season got to a good start.  I was a bit apprehensive before arriving at Mondo’s after receiving a handful of
cancellation e-mails.  What a pleasant turnout.  And moving works at that.

It seems that the word about our Open Reads is getting around.  New faces come to join our group each time. Thanks

Readings:

Paul Binford ( USA )
prose  ~ The Shademakers  ~
the crow … a court jester marking the proceedings of the mock ceremony.

Iain Maloney ( Scotland )
prose ~ Fuji Rock -Ever After ~
That’s what Aya-chan does, she repeats things.

John Parsons ( USA )
prose ~ The Bookstore ~
Everything in the store was stolen.

Vash Bandy ( USA )
prose ~ Ten Years ~
The universe’s tendency is towards disorder makes death an ordinary tragedy and life an ordinary miracle.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
prose ~ The Chicken Dance ~
The chicken dance … She warned ‘it might get noisy.’
poetry ~ A Library of Concern ~
As their hopes crumbled like cakes of dried mud.
prose ~ A mom in Miyagi living Fukushima Hell ( from Fukushima Diary ) ~
I am exhausted mentally and physically due to a succession of unlikely events.

___

Coming up:

The Next Open Readings is scheduled for October 23rd. from 4:00- 7:00 P.M.
The ‘Create Writing’ workshop organized by Vash will run from 1:30 – 3:00ish .

If you have original work you would like critiqued at the next workshop, contact Vash at :
haengbok92@gmail.com

Both events will be held at Mondo Books, a second story book story and lounge,
just two blocks from Kamimaizu station, next to the Bank of Nagoya

________

Cheers to Jose and Mike for providing the wonderful site for our Open Readings and workshop.

Growing ideas, in a supportive environment, that is what we are all about.
Help to spread the word.
cheers

Albert Sussler.

quote:
Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth
without destroying his roots. -Frank Howard Clark

July 2011 Open Reading Review

The second Open Reading at Mondo was as full of fire
as our first reading. We are on a run with nine readers
And almost that many listeners. Our second reader
Iain from Scotland, threw away the chair and stood before us to read
his work. It started a trend. From then we were all on our feet.
Like singing, it does give a power to our reciting.

Readings:

Shoichi Miyamura ( Japan )

poetry of

Masahiko Hihara
< The Voice 1 > caressed by the evening sun
< The Voice 2 > a single lilly on a mountain top
< Fragments > I am my own hiding place

Kiyoko Ogawa
< General Entry > believing in his own ability

Masato Fujii
< Prayer > a droplet sprayed and floating in the air

Iain Maloney ( Scotland )

Prose

< Dog Mountain Ch1 >
They call it fast food because you have to eat it quick
before it loses its taste.

Joanna Tocher (UK – Norway )

prose

< Wrong >
going for the gloomy underpaid secretary look

poetry

< And Truly, I am not Afraid >
I’m sorry that I lie while seeming small.

Vash Bandy( USA )

prose

< Deliverance: Random Excepts >
Piston is a mining model, muscle on muscle, forehead jutting,
skin cracked and pitted from exposure; when he smiles, which
is rare, his teeth are sharpened, most are implants.

Leah Ann Sullivan ( USA )

poetry

< Winter Zoo: 20 Haiku series >
Reading everything twice

Albert Sussler ( USA )

prose

< The Dragonfly >
Rui opened the lid and Tuesday rose up, hovered a moment
then swept to the side and disappeared over the wall of the
Hoikuen, to freedom.

poetry

< Fact or Fiction >
excepting outstretched arms only fathom so much.

< 5 millisieverts >
So sad for the people of Fukushima, so frustrated with a
government that can’t make decisions.

Paul Binford ( USA )

prose by Mike Foley

< The Double Layer >
story level, character level …5  personal challenges:
everyday loss, emotional loss, guilt, physical loss,

Camilo Omana Villlanueve ( USA )

Prose

< The Fish >
I need to get off the shore and do something more

poetry of Walt Whitman

< Song of Myself >
If you tell me than I will know

poetry of Sharon Olds

< The Pope’s Penis >
It hangs deep in his robes, a delicate clapper
at the center of a bell.

Tom Baurele ( USA )

prose by anonymous Chinese student

< Purple Flowers on a Cliff >
Don’t share your dreams with someone much older

___
Coming up:
The Next Open Readings is scheduled for September 11th. from 4:00- 7:00 P.M.
At 1:30 the same day will be a writing workshop. Work to be discussed should
contact Vash.
Both events will be held at Mondo Books, a second story book story and lounge.
just two blocks from Kamimaizu station, Nagoya.
For direction: click here

________
Thanks again to Jose and Mike for all there support in making our Open Readings work
Keep on writing, putting thoughts to paper, catching ideas. Growing on ideas, that is what we are all about.

Help to spread the word.
cheers

Albert Sussler.

quote: sometimes you put up walls, not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break in.
Jeanette Winterson

June 2011 Open Reading Review

Our first Open Reading at Mondo Books, had a good turn out
10 Readers. The venue I found well suited for our event. On the
second floor of the Kamimaizu location surrounded by books, our
reading had the place and time to fill the 3 hours will the word and
wine. A good combination. Most of the works were concerned about
death… something about out times?

Readings:

Tom Cho (Australia) debut
poetry < Chinese Whispers >
Popularity is a game, for those who are not popular learn to play
alone.
prose < Look who’s morphing >
Me I morphed into a giant reptilian creature

Tom Baurele ( USA )
prose < Probing the Universe >
Let’s try this one and see if there’s anything different up there.

Paul Binford ( USA )
prose < At the Edge of the Sea >
There was no door to knock.

Ernie Schaal ( USA )
prose < Murder Case > by Nathaniel ?
The liver had been roasted.

Vash Bandy (USA )
prose < the encounter >
Better to die with blood in your muzzle then a boot to your back.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
prose < Sotoba >
The weathered inscriptions of faded names mumbled to me of past lives .

Camilo Villlanueve ( USA )
prose < My Pal Jim >
He was one of those poets who didn’t know any better.
poetry < Kimiko Han >
Give beads a chance

Shannon Coles ( Australia )
poetry < Black Tide and Butterflies >
Baptizing some, while drowning most.

Joanna Tocher (UK – Norway ) debut
prose < Too Scared >
Maybe they’re waiting to laugh or complain, so I am too scared to
play my guitar.
poetry < For Music >
They want to know who looks best and they hope it is them.

Shoichi Miyamura ( Japan )
poetry < Graphs >
Always feel that the smallest one must be mine.
poetry < A Morning Scene >
As if this moment could make everything go perfectly
poetry < I have… >
Each contradicts the rest of them

___
Coming up:
The Next Open Readings is scheduled for July 10th. from 4:00- 7:00 P.M.
at Mondo Books, a second story book story and lounge.
just two blocks from Kamimaizu station, Nagoya.

For direction: click here

________
I want to thank the Jose, Mike and Hitomi for providing us such a good
location.
and each of you for working hard in creating your own works and
sharing with us your creativity.
Thank you all for bringing life to our Open Readings.

Help to spread the word.
cheers

Albert Sussler.

quote:
Some people are so afraid to die that they never begin to live.
~Henry Van Dyke

May 2011 Open Reading Review

Thank you all for letting me know your plans. I was worried
the Open Reading would get off the ground,
so many cancellations the day before and of our Reading day.

Yet it did, and it flew.
New voices joining our team of writers, made it so.

Readings:

Tim Lennane (USA) return
Jokes < Shoganai>
Howmachi maguro ikura?

Ernie Schaal ( USA )
Prose < Funeral of an Expat, Scene 1>
So was your sister a good writer?

Joe Sichi ( USA )
Poem < If I were to give death a color >
The fern lives at the bottom of the forest
Poem < Cure for Insomnia >
Run outside as if there had been an earthquake.
Poem by Pablo Neruda
Your kiss sent me into exile.

Lain Maloney ( Scotland ) debute
Prose < Honda’s tale >
Honda took to computers like a politician to lying.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
Prose <  In the Wake of the Tsunami >
This is the great disaster of our age and I want to be
part of the recovery.

Camilo Omana ( USA )
Prose < Whose Woods >
He flicked the cigarette, the red cinders became fireflies
that flew into the back seat.
Prose < Tropic of Cancer > by Henry Miller
There is not a crumb of dirt anywhere, nor a chair misplaced.
We are all alone here and we are dead.

___
Coming up:
The Next Open Readings is scheduled for June 12th. from 4:00- 6:00 + P.M.
With the strong support of the staff of Mondo, we have a new location for June.
Mondo Lounge is a quiet second story book story and lounge.
just two blocks from Kamimaizu station, Nagoya.
For direction: click here.

Mondo has also created a face book event for our meeting.
_________
I am really happy at the upward trend of readers that have been
joining the ‘Open Readings’ this year. Each month new voices are joining our
group, adding with veterans, more depth to our Readings.
This last Reading also had many guests as listeners adding a cheer atmosphere.

Thank you all for bringing life to our Open Readings.

Help to spread the word.
cheers

Albert Sussler

April 2011 Open Reading Review

With a warm spring breeze in the air and cherry blossoms just starting
to leak out from their buds, we gathered at the Red Rock.  It was a potent
turnout of 7 Readers and a quality audience.

Readings:

Ernie Schaal ( USA )
Prose < Funeral of an Expat, Scene 3 >
Illiterate is a strong word. Let us say that she was not a computer
person.

Vash Bandy ( USA )
Prose < Kataomoi >
While you were dancing naked in my shower, I was cutting the heads
off of roses for you.
Prose < Random >
You didn’t mention on your profile that you are a penguin

Tom Bauerle ( USA )
Prose < Excerpts from Ghost Book: Seers >
I know it wasn’t a dream, it was real.
Prose < The tragedy of Tsu City >
Ghosts stalked the beach at night

Albert Sussler ( USA )
Prose <  After Shock >
Realizing the damaged to their daily lives will take longer to sink in.
Prose < The Coroner >
Little girl with a bag of food, never to be eaten, to heavy to run

Linda Donan ( USA )
Prose < Clarence and the Bus , Chapter 4 , Finding the Bus>
I was headed for the wrong Mexico.

Joe Sichi ( USA )
Poem <Goat Song >
Some loves are perfect, they either must or cannot last

James Cloke ( Canada ) debut
Poem < Beneath my Hands by Leonard Cohen>
Whenever you move I hear the sound of wings
Poem < Ego >
Sunshine reflects off my ego
_______
The Next Open Readings is scheduled for May 15th. from 3:30-5:30 P.M.
The location will be at The Red Rock, Sakae Nagoya.

There will be a charity concert at the Red Rock on May 8th. Details
are still emerging.
__________
Thank you all for your thoughts and sweat in bringing life to our Open
Readings.

Albert Sussler

March 2011 Open Reading Review

Just two days after the great earthquake and tsunami hit the Japanese Pacific Coast
we gathered at the Red Rock. It was a big turnout of 11 Readers.

Readings:

Paul Binford ( USA )
Prose < The Wayward Do-gooder >
If the arm falls off your dead.

Vash Bandy ( USA ) debut
Prose < Lightning Sticks >
Greg was the base so he got all the girls.
Prose < Dakota >
You have lost Dakota but you can smell her.

Yoichi Miura ( Japan ) debut
Introduction <Classical Japanese music and beautiful English>

Albert Sussler ( USA )
Prose < Sucking Thumbs >
Why even my father sucks his thumb and he is 35
Prose < Small Voices >
The cry echoed off the concrete walls.
Prose / haiku < Peace Park in Joetsu >
pleasant green haven, floating musicians above, where once cruelty
thrived.

Joe Sichi ( USA )
Poem < Notes of Aging >
freedom is another word for …
Prose < Shou-yu and Vinegar
a half teaspoon of less perfection
Prose < Open Petition to the United Nations>
I would sit rejoicing.

Shoichi Miyamura ( Japan )
Poem < In the Bush >
in pursuit of the tail which seems to be the cause of every existing thing
Poem < Ptolemaic Theory >
The star never seems to move nevertheless it is moving, in the same manner I am aging
Poem < Starry Sky >
Wishing I could be such a light

Tom Bauerle ( USA )
Poem < Evil Faleena ( Damn my DNA) >
Damn DNA , Darwin and evolution for making me stupid, and human and male.

Linda Donan ( USA )
Prose < Clarence and the Bus , 3rd Chapter, Gama Chappy>
God .. he loves them all … yes be happy.

Gerry Firth ( UK ) debut … after many years
Poems < Not Quite Yet >
the nail in the coffin, I finally got it out.
< My Great American Friend >
Next tweet he is goin to eat less.
< Bad Tidbit >
My wife said I should be sitting with tea and the devil
and many more…

Ernie Schaal ( USA )
Prose < The Body >
You have to see her so you can say goodbye to her.

Shannon Coles ( Australia )
Prose < Book Bordello, Celebrating Worship >
a bachelor never makes the same mistake once.

Albert Sussler.


February 2011 Open Reading Review

On one of winter’s short days, a dozen of us gathered at the Red Rock
to enjoy February’s, Nagoya Writes, 7 Open Readings.

Readings:

Mayumi Lennane, ( Japan )
Poem  <Love >
Flower pretty, like you.

Linda Donan ( USA )
Prose < Clarence and the Bus , 2nd Chapter, God Daddies>
Will I still be carrying a teddy bear when I am 21.

Tom Bauerle ( USA )
Prose < The Taste of Tiger >
Dying dumbly without passion or meaning.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
Prose <  Valentine Day >
To succeed with other children depends most on what words you choose
and how you use them.

Joe Sichi ( USA )
Prose < Snippets >
An explosion often provides a way out.

Shannon Coles ( Australia )
Proverbs >
There is nothing that is more unequal than equal treatment for
unequals.

Paul Binford ( USA )
Prose < You have olives? >
We only have one olive.

Albert Sussler

January 2011 Open Reading Review

Review of January’s Open Reading

Everything came together. Joe opened the whole Red Rock to us.
Drinks at the ready, a stage created. Spot lights and a mic. set up.
Nine readers gathered to begin another year of the Nagoya Writes.

Readings:
Tom Bauerle ( USA )
Prose < The Taste of Tiger >
Snap of bone and tear of flesh was intended for how we die.

Ernie Schaal ( USA )
Prose < The Confession >
The main character was someone else, not my father.

William Matheny ( USA )
Essay < Unavoidable History >
Echos of the black-ships can still be heard.

Joe Sichi ( USA )
Prose < The First Fight >
Your art has soul but you don’t.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
Prose < The Lawyer >
His impeccable Armani , was the armor of his noble world,

Linda Donan ( USA )
Prose < Clarence and the Bus >
I wish she could help me hate my name.

Shannon Coles ( Australia )
Poem < Patriotism before Profits >
Wall Street, on corner of Greed and Cock Sucker Avenue

Paul Binford ( USA )
Review < Lord Raglan >
Illiterates live in a real presence.

Shoichi Miyamura ( Japan )
poem < Signals >
It’s the reality I’ve been made to drink these days.

__________
The themes turned on where we have been and where we are going.
I felt this was the best reading I have organized yet. A big hand for
you all.
All original work that took much digging and weeding to bring to fruit.
__________
The Next Open Readings will be on February 20th.
The location will be at The Red Rock.
doors open at 3:00. The Readings will run from 3:30- 5:30 p.m.
to get to the Red Rock
http://www.theredrock.jp/map.asp

It is on the second floor of the building with an Australia flag.
down the first narrow street just to the south side of the Chunichi
Building
in Sakae, Nagoya
tel 052-262-7893
__________

Keep the creativity coming.
See you on the 20th of February
cheers

Albert

January 2010 Summary

Review of January’s Open Reading

There was a good turnout for such a winter’s day.
What a warm turnout for our first Reading of 2010
There were 9 Readers and a good crowd the Dufi.
Happy with the combination of different styles and tones.
Two hours of  prose and poems, and lively discussion after the Reading.

Readings:
Brian Cullen ( Ireland )
Prose
Sometimes it is easier to talk to the back of a head.

Shoichi Miyamura ( Japan )
Poem
In the morning I wake up to find that I was not so zero
With a hangover from that indivisible infinity.

Tom Bauerle ( USA )
Poem
I could not, not look at her… true beauty has some terror.
Poem
Your rippling hair washed over me.

Sarah Mulvey ( Canada )
Prose < The Question; Why do you live in Japan
I never lived on a mountain top before, the novelty wore off
The novelty became a prison cell.

Albert Sussler ( USA )
Poem
What Haitians had raised on shaking ground came crashing down.
short story
My enthusiasm bounced of the walls of silence.

Paul Binford ( USA )
Poem
What ever assets this poem has are frozen.

Evan Mac Oisteagain ( Ireland )
Poem
Love at first smell.
Poem
Everywhere, green intent is lined up.

Tim Chambers ( USA )
Prose
Say them girls want saddle pony but they ride rodeo.

Leah Ann Sullivan ( USA )
Poem
One if by land, two if by sea, three if in the Lobby
___________

There was lots of good laughs, Thanks Shoichi, Sarah Paul and Tim or the humor
How did you like the circle Reading? We could not have a stage as there were so
many customers. Circles does have its positive points as well.
For out next Open Reading someone feel free to come an hour early to
grab that prime spot. I arrived forty minutes early. I guess it wasn’t soon enough.

Up coming events:
Writers workshop at Tom’s. Paul will be running it.
What:  Workshop for writers of all stripes
When: Sunday, February 14
Where; Tom’s House of Cosmic Curios
What time: 2 p.m. to ???? [Should we make it 2 a.m.?]
Bring:  Chocolate, paper, something to write with, your invisible friend

The Next Open Reading will be on Sunday, February, 21st from 3:30~
at Cafe Dufi

For March we will be needing a different venue as Dufi will be having live concerts for the Sundays.
Suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Spread the word of Open Readings Nagoya Writes, the more the merrier.
Cheers
Albert