Author: Sandra Cruz

Blogger, book reviewer, artist, poet, avid reader and nature/animal lover.

Contemporary at Blue Star’s Red Dot Art Sale and Show

The contemporary art organization’s largest annual fundraiser celebrates the work of over 100 artists with works on sale to benefit artists and San Antonio’s home for contemporary art. Photo: Google

Contemporary at Blue Star, San Antonio’s first and longest running contemporary art nonprofit, proudly announces its 32nd Annual Red Dot Art Sale and Show. The special benefit opening will take place on November 9 from 7p.m. to 10 p.m. The Red Dot Show will then be on view in the Contemporary’s galleries November 11, 2022 through January 8, 2023. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2022)

The opening night celebration is one of San Antonio’s most beloved contemporary art events, with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. This gathering of old and new friends has become a mainstay event on the calendar of the city’s creative community. Individual tickets to the Red Dot Art Sale fundraiser are $50. As of today, November 5, tickets are sold out but there are still sponsorship options still available. 

Red Dot presents and celebrates the work of over 100 San Antonio-based artists, offering the public an opportunity to start or expand their own art collections with works on sale for a wide variety of tastes and budgets. Proceeds from art sales equally benefit artists and the Contemporary at Blue Star’s year-round exhibitions and expansive, no-cost art education programs, which inspire, nurture, and innovate through contemporary art.

Sponsorships and artwork sales at Red Dot help raise vital funds for the Contemporary’s exhibitions, art education programs, and outreach initiatives. Sales proceeds from Red Dot artworks are equally shared between the Contemporary and the artists, positively impacting the livelihood of more than 100 San Antonio artists. Beginning on November 9, artworks that are available for purchase can be viewed on the event page or in person during the Red Dot Art Sale fundraiser, a festive gathering for San Antonio’s contemporary art community. 
 
Each year, the Contemporary recognizes honorees whose creative contributions have made a lasting impact on San Antonio’s vibrant art community. In 2022, the Red Dot committee, with its event chairs Cheryl Morrell Armendaríz and Richard “Ricky” Armendariz, and Martha Martinez-Flores and Dr. Mike Flores, have chosen to honor artist Andy Benavides, arts patron and chef Johnny Hernandez, and arts education champion S.M.A.R.T., a nonprofit nurturing creative minds and building community through experiential art education. 

The Contemporary at Blue Star presents exhibitions with artists from San Antonio and around the world sharing their global perspectives that encourage understanding, empathy, change, and action, fulfilling our mission to inspire, nurture, and innovate. Like most non-collecting contemporary art spaces, the Contemporary contributes fresh insights and perspectives on larger issues affecting society and culture by highlighting trends, movements, and conversations happening in art. Admission to the Contemporary is always free.

Book review: ‘Pitch Like Hollywood’ by Peter Desberg and Jeffery Davis

‘Pitch Like Hollywood’ by Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis. Photo: Amazon

Peter Desberg is professor emeritus at California State University, Dominguez Hills, and recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award and Outstanding Professor Award. The author of 23 books, he has been quoted by such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Psychology Today and The New York Times, and has consulted for companies including Apple, Boeing and Toyota in the areas of pitching and persuasion, corporate presentations, and using storytelling and humor in business presentations. Jeffrey Davis is a professor of screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and served from 2009-2019 as the department chair. As a consultant, his areas have also included writing, pitching, and employing storytelling and humor in business presentations. In their new book “Pitch Like Hollywood: What You Can Learn From the High-Stakes Film Industry,” they offer inside tips on how to craft pitches that seal the deal―no matter what industry you work in―and banish presentation anxiety forever. (Amazon, 2022)

“Pitch Like Hollywood” – From impromptu elevator pitches to full-board presentations, sales and marketing professionals face an “audience” daily―often with make-or-break consequences. As the person delivering the performance, you need to know you have a good pitch and are able to maintain composure throughout. There are no better coaches than clinical psychologist Peter Desberg and writer/producer Jeffrey Davis to help you polish both pitch and performance. With experience and insights from both the film industry and the corporate world, they understand the pitch process. Regardless of what business you are in, they explain how to up your game ―by incorporating elements of a classic Hollywood pitch: driving emotion, piquing curiosity, and ultimately winning over decision makers with powerful persuasion and performance. They guide you through the entire process, from defining the fundamentals to designing effective presentation strategies to overcoming stage fright. “Pitch Like Hollywood” is divided into seventeen chapters, including Pitch Basics, The Roots of Pitch Panic, and Creating the Pitch. In Chapter 1, Introduction, they explain that the goal of the book is to help you prepare, practice, and present a pitch because even though you cannot plan for everything, it is always better to be prepared. This way, no matter what happens, you will be able to think on your feet and get through any unforeseen obstacles.

Pitching can be nerve-wrecking and intimidating. Whether speaking to an audience of one or a team, being prepared can make or break your pitch. Peter Desberg and Jeffrey Davis give insider tips for successful pitching, including what to expect from a pitch meeting to how to deal with setbacks. This book is a master class on giving successful performances at board meetings, sales calls, or whenever else you want to make a case to get the results you want. It empowers and motivates those who are new to pitching as well as seasoned professionals who could use a refresher course. The focus is primarily on what Hollywood executives want and expect from a pitch but this type of advice can be useful when meeting with executives in any industry. The language is down to earth and straightforward and the chapter layouts make the subject matter easy to follow. Highlights include Chapter 15 – Practice Strategies, specifically Distraction Training (distraction exercises) and Practicing Breath Control (breath control exercises) and Chapter 8 The Pitch Panic Cycle, which consists of five stages: Making Predictions, Experiencing Anxiety, Providing Evidence for the Prosecution, Multitasking: Hit or Myth?, and Making Mistakes. “Pitch Like Hollywood” is a resourceful and informative business guide to pitching that is full of advice anyone can use. It may be specific to the entertainment business, but the information it contains is universally helpful regardless of the audience.

“…one of the obstacles you’ll face is that people don’t like change. Even if you have a better idea, there’s comfort in the status quo when we know that it works.”

*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Documentary world premiere: The Elephant 6 Recording Co.

Elephant 6 Collective. Photo: Amy Hairston, used with permission.

The Elephant 6 Recording Co. shares the unique inside story of the collective creative evolution behind the sounds of 1990s psychedelic rock bands Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, and The Apples in Stereo— the founding groups behind the Elephant 6 collective, as well as a host of other artists — with inspirational resonance for today’s music makers, and music lovers everywhere. (The Elephant 6 Recording Co., 2022)

Around 1985, a group of Ruston, Louisiana area high schoolers began experimenting with whatever random instruments and gear they could lay their hands on. Moving to other small college towns including Denver, Colorado and Athens, Georgia, their musical coming of age coincides with the new consumer availability of old-school 4 and 8 track recording technology and cassette tapes. Sharing like-minded sensibilities, influenced by past sounds and psychedelia, and with little to distract them, their efforts to create whole new musical worlds become the bands Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel and The Apples in Stereo, and many more. While the collective grew to a natural breaking point, its founding members overcame obstacles and remained closely bonded, reuniting for tours and still collaborating today.

The Elephant 6 Recording Co. provides insight into this revolutionary era of popular independent music in America, the defiant DIY spirit in music making, and championing the integrity of an authentic quest for artistic expressiveness over the more mainstream image of being a “successful” musician in our fame obsessed times.

This documentary will have its World Premiere at DOC NYC 2022 on Thursday November 10 at 9:30p.m. (IFC Center). There will be a Q&A session with C.B. Stockfleth, Greg King, Lance Bangs, and executive producer Rob Hatch-Miller after the first screening. The second screening will be on Tuesday, November 15 at 9p.m. (Cinepolis)

C.B. Stockfleth is a filmmaker currently based in New Orleans, LA. He grew up in Central Kentucky and dropped out of high school. He eventually went to film school at Full Sail University in Orlando. For the last 20 years, he has worked as a commercial director and photographer mostly in Louisville, KY. He has made award winning music videos and live concert videos for bands including the Apples In Stereo and the Olivia Tremor Control, and has directed uncountable regional commercials and corporate videos.

Feature Documentary, Running Time; 93 Minutes, USA

No Def Presents:
The Elephant 6 Recording Co.
Directed by: C.B. Stockfleth
Produced by: Lance Bangs (Jackass , Portlandia)
Edited & Produced by: Greg King (Other Music)
Executive Produced by: Rob Hatch-Miller (Other Music)

Starring: Olivia Tremor Control, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples in Stereo, Elf Power, Of Montreal, Beulah, The Gerbils, Dressy Bessy, The Minders, The Music Tapes, Great Lakes, Elijah Wood, James Mercer (The Shins), Danger Mouse, David Cross and many more.

The film also features never-before-seen additional footage of the bands, shot by filmmaker Lance Bangs.

Taco Cabana launches new limited-time menu

Taco Cabana’s limited-time menu includes spicy pork flautas, Oreo churros, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and the Catering Holiday Party Pack. Photo: Taco Cabana, used with permission.

Starting Wednesday November 9, 2022, Taco Cabana delivers for the holiday season with the launch of three new menu items, including the all-new Spicy Pork Flautas, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Oreo® churros. TC continues its tradition of culinary innovation, building on its popular flauta repertoire, with the launch of its tantalizing Spicy Pork Flautas made with Guajillo peppers in a three-pack with one dipping sauce or a six-pack with two dipping sauces. TC’s signature queso, sour cream and/or fresh guacamole are the perfect complement for these flautas with a little kick. (Taco Cabana, 2022)

A returning brand favorite, TC’s beloved Chicken Tortilla Soup will soon be available in a small serving for $4.49 or a large serving for $6.29. Featuring a savory broth made with shredded chicken and topped with crispy corn tortilla strips, a blend of jack and cheddar cheeses and served with lime wedges and a side of rice, this warm soup is the perfect seasonal snack no matter the temperature. 

Another perfect addition for the holiday season, TC is proud to announce the co-branding launch of the all-new Oreo® churros, which can be coupled with any order in a pack of five for just $2.99. The churros pack all the craveability of an Oreo® cookie in five bite-size pieces. TC’s Spicy Pork Flautas, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Oreo® churros are available for a limited time while supplies last.

Taco Cabana invites guests to celebrate the upcoming holiday season with its Catering Holiday Party Pack and holiday gift cards. Ideal for any celebration, the Catering Holiday Party Pack feeds up to 10 and includes the choice of steak fajita, chicken fajita, or mixed fajita, and is served with Mexican rice, black or refried beans, shredded cheese, guacamole, salsa roja, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, and lettuce. Available for just $139.99, the Catering Holiday Party Pack also includes chips and queso, 10 churros, one gallon of tea and 20 tortillas, making it the ultimate package for any event. 

TC gift cards make an easy holiday gift enjoyed by all ages. Now through Saturday, December 31, 2022, for every $25 spent toward Taco Cabana gift cards, guests will receive a complimentary $5 Holiday Guest Appreciation Card; e-gift cards are also available for purchase. TC gift cards in the amount of 10 or less can be ordered online and in-bulk for large quantities of more than 11 gift cards. The Holiday Guest Appreciation Cards can be redeemed at any Texas TC location beginning two hours after purchase/activation and will remain active until March 31, 2023. 

For TC fans looking for a classic selection of menu items to enjoy with family and friends for the holiday season, Taco Cabana’s delicious Enchilada Plates are available with cheese, shredded chicken or ground beef and a choice of sauce including Tex-Mex, Green Sauce or Queso. TC’s first-ever Hatch Chile Smoked Pulled Pork menu options also remain available, including a three-pack of Street Tacos served with Hatch Chile Ranch for $4.99, a breakfast bowl for $5.49 and a Crunchy Burrito served with tortilla strips and Hatch Chile Ranch for $8.59. 

Guests 21 years of age or older can enjoy TC’s seasonal Hatch Chile Margarita for $4 alongside Taco Cabana’s 12 permanent Margarita Headquarters options available for $3 each all-day, every day.

All menu items can be ordered in-restaurant, via online ordering for front counter and curbside pick-up, in the drive-thru or by mobile order when using the MY TC!® App or online. Guests can place an order for the Holiday Party Pack by calling 855-4MY-TACO or online.

Taco Cabana, a subsidiary of YTC Enterprises, LLC, was founded in 1978. The brand specializes in Tex-Mex-inspired food including enchiladas, fajitas, quesadillas, flautas, tacos, flour tortillas and a selection of made-from-scratch salsas and sauces. Restaurants feature open-display cooking, a selection of bottled beer and signature tequila margaritas, patio dining, drive-thru windows, curbside pick-up, delivery and catering. As of October 24, 2022, Taco Cabana operates 144 company-owned restaurants in Texas.

 

 

New music release: Moon and Aries’ Break The Matrix – Episode Two

Break The Matrix – Episode Two is the second EP of a planned three in the Break The Matrix concept series. Photo: Moon and Aries, used with permission.

German composer and producer Tom Aries and Canadian writer / singer Jordana Moon team up as Moon and Aries to bring warmth and assurance for a brighter future. The dynamic duo is back with a new EP: Episode Two of Breaking the Matrix. At first they arrived. Then they activated Paradise. Now they “BREAK THE MATRIX.” Moon and Aries is back with a big and bold statement. They will overcome the old World and build the new World with a fusion of nostalgic and futuristic celestial sounds, like nothing you have heard before. The self proclaimed, Synth Pop Opera Duo have a deep driving desire to raise the vibrations and activate a higher version of reality with their music. Break The Matrix – Episode Two is out now. (Moon and Aries, 2022)

With Tom Aries’ memorable, seductive melodies and captivating instrumentals, blending with Jordana Moon’s thought provoking and poetic lyrics and emotionally intimate vocals, they are back with a new Trilogy of music. A three-part music series, broken up into different episodes, Moon and Aries hope to hook you into their sensual, uplifting and spiritually charged Universe of sound. Episode 1 was released September 8 and Episode 3 will come out in the first quarter of 2023. All these 3 x 3 songs are part of a concept/connected story.

BREAK THE MATRIX (Episode 1-3):

3 x 3 songs with a fusion of Electro Pop, Trip Hop, cinematic Synth Pop – the dynamic duo has brought a slightly new vibe to their classic Synth Pop Opera sound. Expect music that is a little more confidential and closer to their chest. As they release, you will release and relax as you receive the upgrades. Riding off the success of The Arrival album and Paradise EP, Moon and Aries keep striving to bring the most relevant music and stay at the forefront of the movement. So, it is. Moon and Aries proudly present:  Break The Matrix – Episode Two with three new songs.

Three new videos will be out on YouTube:

  1. Rescued – lyric video on November 3
  2. The Butterfly Effect – lyric video on November 4
  3. Codes and Circles – full video on November 5

Listen on Spotify

Listen on SoundCloud

Watch on YouTube

Follow on Instagram and TikTok

Jordana Moon is a singer songwriter from Western Canada who composes and creates lyrics and melody with the goal to inspire and empower her listeners. Her approach to music is to mix a higher level of consciousness and concepts and bring these more philosophical ideas to modern music. Jordana composes her music with a wide variety of instruments, playing the piano, acoustic guitar, Bass guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and violin. Jordana studied creative writing at Vancouver film school, and she enjoys writing music with themes of high consciousness, sexual healing, and empowerment. Jordana finds inspiration from old jazz, 70s and 80s soul / pop / RnB music, trip hop and current neo soul and artists like Portishead, Shivaree, Eliza, Tori Amos, Joni Mitchell, Lauryn Hill, Massive Attack and composers like Cole Porter and Steven Sondheim.

Tom Aries is an electronic synthesizer musician, songwriter, and producer from Western Germany. He is a composer of mostly instrumental tracks, analog and digital synthesizer sequences. Tom’s music fuses his classical piano education with influences stemming from synthesizer sounds of the 80s. He produced songs and sounds for computer games and soundtracks for short videos and films. Influenced by bands and artists like Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Massive Attack, Portishead, Röyksopp – and the sound of the 80s, he created more and more songs, instrumental ideas, and music. The combination of pictures, films and art with music has been Tom’s first creative base. Tom composes his songs mainly on the piano. After this first acoustic piano melody version he is producing the songs within his little home studio.

Jordana and Tom started the cooperation officially as Moon and Aries on March 1, 2021 – only working together via file sharing and communication across the ocean. (With 9hrs time distance between Canada & Germany = Jordana still living in Canada and Tom still living in Germany). Since then, they have released 14 songs to date: one concept album The Arrival with 9 original songs and one EP Paradise with 5 songs. Played on more than 100 radio stations in Australia, Europe, Africa and America, including New York City Radio station in 2021 and 2022.

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New album release: Adeem The Artist’s White Trash Revelry

Highly- anticipated White Trash Revelry will be out December 2 via Adeem The Artists’ own Four Quarters Records. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Growing up, Eastern Tennessee-based songwriter Adeem the Artist quickly realized that with the right delivery, dark jokes could offer a socially acceptable way to open up about the tough stuff. “My parents are both from a lot of generational trauma, and I was born right at the heart of it,” Adeem says. “Humor is just how we survived.” Of course, since before 2021’s Cast-Iron Pansexual—the album that earned Adeem the Artist praise from Rolling Stone and American Songwriter, Adeem the Artist has continued to build a dedicated following by blending Appalachian musical influences and poetic flair with their healthy dose of comedic instinct, and recently, they announced an upcoming album on their own Four Quarters Records label, White Trash Revelry. (Adeem the Artist, 2022)

Out on December 2, White Trash Revelry delivers a fresh batch of Adeem’s beloved comedic sensibilities, tempered with vulnerable moments and highly specific personal details. Tender strings and clear vocals give way to nuanced storytelling about small-town rites of passage and mixed messages about love, violence, and honor. Songs like “Heritage of Arrogance” tackle larger societal issues, struggling to reconcile open-minded intentions with the deeply flawed and historical narratives too often peddled by white Southerners. But the album’s namesake revelry is around every corner, too.

Adeem the Artist shared “Middle of a Heart” from White Trash Revelry. “I wrote this song for my friend Bob in many ways,” they say. “Bob was a retired Knoxville Police Officer who I’d make bacon and eggs for every morning and we’d watch the news and watch the birds and he’d tell me stories about Carlene and the boys. I miss him, still.” At times sweet and sad, “Middle of a Heart” is a shining example of Adeem’s skillful storytelling, with a plot turn leaving listeners awestruck. “It hits like a bullet in the middle of a heart.”

Fans can watch Adeem’s previously-released “Going To Hell” video now and pre-order or pre-save White Trash Revelry ahead of its December 2 release. Check out upcoming Adeem the Artist tour dates below.

White Trash Revelry track list: 

  1. Carolina
  2. For Judas
  3. Heritage of Arrogance
  4. Painkillers & Magic
  5. Run This Town
  6. Baptized In Well Spirits
  7. Middle Of A Heart
  8. Going To Hell
  9. Rednecks & Unread Hicks
  10. Books & Records
  11. My America

Adeem’s twang-studded gospel represents a worldview too often excluded from modern country music, one that converts shame into celebration. It turns out, folks like the sound of embracing the parts of ourselves we are told to bury—so much so that when Adeem turned to fans to support the follow-up album to Cast-Iron Pansexual, thousands obliged. Dubbing it a “redneck fundraiser,” the seventh-generation Carolinian raised the money to release White Trash Revelry by asking for one dollar at a time through social media. “With four quarters and a Venmo,” they joked, “baby, you can make this dream come true.” Adeem emerged from the fundraiser $15,000 later with a name for their new record label—Four Quarters Records—and the resolve to write an unapologetic next chapter.

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New book release: ‘Café de Sophia’ by M.A. Alsadah

‘Café de Sophia’ is the literary fiction release by M.A. Alsadah. Photo: Amazon

M.A. Alsadah has a love for world-building, story-writing, and philosophy. He has published a high fantasy novel titled “The Seal: The Five Metal” in which he invented two languages. He also developed and published a story-focused game on Steam titled ‘Sky Realm: Essences.’ Alsadah enjoys reading non fiction books of all sort of topics, especially philosophical and sacred works of antiquity in which Hermes Trismegistus is his favorite author. When he is not reading, he is probably playing a video game of grandiose story, adventure, and imaginative world such as Nier Automat and the Legend of Dragoon. In his new book, “Café de Sophia,” sixteen-year old Nate is in search of purpose and direction in life and befriends others who share his love of philosophy. (M.A. Alsadah, 2022)

“Café de Sophia” – While in a café, sixteen-year-old Nate comes across a man who engages him in an intellectual conversation. Fascinated by the discussion, Nate befriends the man along with his other companions of philosophers in order to better understand his purpose and direction in life. Every encounter with the philosophers explores a different topic that shapes the stepping stones of Nate’s journey. This journey toward the beauty of speech, logic, and wisdom is told in the Socratic dialogue fashion through Nate’s perspective.

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Austin Food & Wine Festival

The Austin Food & Wine Festival will take place November 4 – 6. Photo: Austin Food & Wine Festival, used with permission.

Tickets are still available for the eleventh annual Austin Food & Wine Festival which will take place November 4-6, 2022 at Auditorium Shores. Presented by FOOD & WINE Magazine and C3 Presents, the Austin Food & Wine Festival is one of Texas’ most beloved food festivals. The three-day celebration of food, wine and spirits will welcome top tier talent from all over the country. (Austin Food & Wine Festival, 2022)

The festival will feature chefs, restaurants and wine and spirits experts over three days at Auditorium Shores. Festival highlights include the new Wurst Weekend Kickoff event; the fan-favorite Rock Your Taco competition; the Fire Pit featuring bites hot off the flames; engaging cooking demonstrations + conversations; samples of signature dishes from local chefs and restaurants; dynamic wine, beer & cocktail tastings; live music, and more.

Showcasing a dynamic roster of local, regional and national chefs throughout the weekend, attendees can sample signature dishes from top chefs around the country. 

WURST WEEKEND KICK-OFF

Join Chef Tim Love and Jesse Herman to kick-off the weekend at Auditorium Shores on Friday evening. Enjoy a Bavarian-themed menu of sausage, brats, pork, and more cooked over a live fire. Featuring regional wines and beers, the best (wurst) way to kick off the weekend. 

ROCK YOUR TACO

Rock Your Taco, Saturday evening’s signature tasting event, will take place this year at Auditorium Shores. Chefs will square off against one another to create the ultimate taco, as deemed by a People’s Choice award. Rock Your Taco competitors include Shion Aikawa; Nicola Blaque; Jo Chan; Tiffany Derry; Ford Fry; Sarah Grueneberg; Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley; CJ Jacobson; Steve McHugh; Shota Nakajima; Laura Sawicki, and Brooke Williamson.

CHEF DEMOS

Festival attendees keen on learning from the pros can listen in as a host of chefs, including Jo Chan; Tiffany Derry; Kevin Fink; Ford Fry; Diego Galicia and Rico Torres; Sarah Grueneberg; and Fermín Núñez.

FIRE PIT

The Fire Pit portion of the festival features bites hot off the flames and the chance to interact with pit masters and chefs cooking over live fire. Enjoy exceptional BBQ and other dishes cooked over open flame and get first-hand advice from the pros. Featured chefs this year include Sonya Coté; Jason Dady; Jorge Luis Hernandez; Andy Knudson; Jesse Kuykendall; Shota Nakajima, and Kristina Zhoa.

Tickets are available online.  All attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

The Austin Food & Wine Festival is the benefactor of the Texas Food & Wine Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to fostering awareness and innovation in the Central Texas food and wine community through grants, educational programming and events. To date, Austin Food & Wine Festival has contributed over $1.3 million to the Alliance.

The Austin Food + Wine Festival marks a compelling collaboration between C3 Presents and some of Texas’ most exciting chefs and restaurateurs, including Tim Love and Restaurateur Jesse Herman. C3 Presents is the Austin-based event company that produces Lollapalooza in Chicago’s Grant Park, and Austin City Limits Music Festival in Austin’s Zilker Park. The Austin Food + Wine Festival will take place this fall,, bringing an array of taste, talent and culinary entertainment to the Capital City.

Horror Writers Association releases its ninth Poetry Showcase

The ninth Poetry Showcase, featuring the best original dark poetry, will be released on November 7, 2022. Photo: Amazon

On November 7, 2022, Horror Writers Association (HWA) will be releasing its ninth annual Poetry Showcase, featuring the best original dark poetry from the past year. This year’s showcase includes poets such as Stephanie M. Wytovich, Geneve Glynn, Naomi Simone Borwein, and dozens of poems from the talented members of the Horror Writers Association. (Horror Writers Association, 2022)

Angela Yuriko Smith edited this year’s Poetry Showcase. Along with judges Lee Murray, Maxwell I. Gold, and Frances Lu-Pai Ippolito, Angela chose the 50 poems that make up the table of contents. Kyra Starr created the cover artwork and pays tribute to Peter Adam Salomon, the founder of both the HWA Showcase and National Dark Poetry Day.

“This year’s Poetry Showcase contains dark verse that would make poetry lovers everywhere proud.” – Angela Yuriko Smith

The poets featured in the 2022 Showcase are: Mary A. Turzillo, Christina Sng, Alessandro Manzetti, Victoria Nations, K. H. Vaughan, Cassondra Windwalker, Jacqueline West, Carina Bissett, Hillary Dodge, Lucy A. Snyder, Colleen Anderson, E. F. Schraeder, Sara Tantlinger, Ann K. Schwader, Corinne Hughes, Monica S. Kuebler, Janine Cross, Kathryn Ptacek, Holly Lyn Walrath, Gary Robbe, Marge Simon, Stephanie Ellis, R. Leigh Hennig, Austin Gragg, M. Lopes da Silva, Denise Dumars, Gordon Linzner, Saytchyn Maddux-Creech, Ross E. Lockhart, Teel James Glenn, Bruce Boston, John Claude Smith, Roni Stinger, Dan B. Fierce, Madison McSweeney, Steven Clapp, Rook Riley, Timothy P. Flynn, Dianthe West, Lori R. Lopez, Terrie Leigh Relf, Lisa Becker, Donna K. Fitch, Ai Jiang, J.E. Erickson, and Gerri Leen.

The Horror Writers Association is a nonprofit organization of writers and publishing professionals around the world. The HWA is dedicated to promoting dark literature and the interests of those who write it. This organization was founded in 1980, and currently has over 1,400 members across numerous countries, including Australia, Denmark, Costa Rica, India, and many more. It is the oldest, most professional organization for writers who have a deep appreciation for the horror genre.

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iFLY Indoor Skydiving holiday gift packages

iFLY Indoor Skydiving will have holiday gift packages available as well as Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers. Photo: iFLY Indoor Skydiving, used with permission.

In celebration of the holiday season, iFLY Indoor Skydiving will be offering unique gift experiences, including three special Gift of Experience packages, that will run from November 3, 2022 through January 2, 2023 featuring savings up to 35%. In addition, the leader in wind tunnel systems for indoor skydiving will offer a Black Friday Offer from November 24, 2022 through Cyber Monday featuring savings up to 50%. (iFLY Indoor Skydiving, 2022)

The three “Gift of Experience” packages include The Exclusive Gift featuring four flights, two high flights, and two videos shareable by two people; The Elevated Gift featuring four flights and two videos shareable by two people; and The Essential Gift featuring two flights for one person. Shop online or at participating iFLY locations to save up to 35% on the gift they will remember this holiday season. Guests who purchase online will receive vouchers delivered directly via email and all in-store purchases receive their choice of a free holiday gift box with their purchase. 

The Black Friday Offer features 50%-off savings and includes 10 flights shareable by up to five  people, five high flights, five photos, and five videos (flight bookings valid Monday through Friday). The Black Friday Offer will be available exclusively online.

iFLY is a sports and recreation company with the mission to deliver the dream of flight. The company pioneered the body-flying “indoor skydiving” experience and is the world leader in vertical wind tunnel technology. Guests do not need to be an athlete or in the best shape of their life. iFLY’s world-class instructors are pros at making flying fun for everyone.

As temperatures drop, this is a fun and safe activity to do indoors with your loved ones. In fact, iFLY’s wind tunnels have a fresh air advantage over other experiences. Advanced wind tunnel technology provides guests with clean air while flying by recirculating and refreshing the air from outside the iFLY facilities. Tested and proven, iFLY’s wind tunnels create an environment at least 10x fresher than the average store or gym when guests are flying—even at slow wind speeds.

Prices vary per iFLY location. More information is available online. 

Gift of Experience Packages: Available to purchase at all participating U.S. iFLY Indoor Skydiving locations and online from November 3, 2022, through January 2, 2023 and can be flown starting January 2, 2023.

  • The Exclusive Gift: promo valid to fly Monday-Sunday
  • The Elevated Gift: promo valid to fly Sunday through Friday
  • The Essential Gift: promo valid to fly Monday through Friday

Black Friday: Available to purchase exclusively online from November 24, 2022, through November 28, 2022 (Cyber Monday) and can be flown starting November 24, 2022, through May 26, 2023

  • Blackout dates include December 19, 2022 through January 1, 2023

Austin-based iFLY Holdings, LLC, is the world leader in the design, manufacturing, sales, and operations of wind tunnel systems for indoor skydiving. The company has flown more than 9,000,000 people in a dozen countries and at sea since launching the modern vertical wind tunnel industry in 1998. iFLY has over 70 facilities operating worldwide with 33 wholly owned in the US. iFLY supports and utilizes the safety and training guidelines set out by the International Bodyflight Association (IBA) to ensure the safety and progression of the sport of indoor skydiving. iFLY makes the dream of flight a reality by giving their customers “wings” in a safe and reliable environment.