Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions

by Magdalena Ball, Carolyn Howard-Johnson

As part of the Celebration Series of chapbooks, Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball have produced a poetry chapbook focusing on fathers, husbands, and men in general."Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions" makes a wonderful gift for Father's Day or any time you want to say something unique to a special male in your life as only poetry can. The authors coauthor the series of chapbooks from two different hemispheres. Magdalena Ball, an Aussie, runs The Compulsive Reader. Her short stories, editorials, poetry, reviews, and articles have appeared in a wide number of printed anthologies and journals, and have won local and international awards for poetry and fiction. Magdalena holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from CCNY (New York), an MBA from Charles Sturt University (NSW), and has studied literature on a postgraduate level at Oxford University (UK) and marketing at Newcastle University (NSW). She lives in on a rural property in New South Wales with her husband and three children. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed novels "Black Cow" and "Sleep Before Evening," a nonfiction book "The Art of Assessment," and two poetry books, "Repulsion Thrust" and "Quark Soup."Carolyn Howard-Johnson lives in California. Her first novel, "This Is the Place," won eight awards. Her book of creative nonfiction, "Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered," won three. She was an instructor for UCLA Extension's world-renown Writers' Program for nearly a decade and her HowToDoItFrugally Series of books for writers has been a staple for writers since the flagship book, "The Frugal Book Promoter," was published in 2004. A multi award-winner, the third edition is now published by Modern History Press and Bookbaby called it a "classic." Other titles in the series include "The Frugal Editor," "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," "The Great First Impression Book Proposal," and "Great Little Last Minute Edits for Writers." Her chapbook of poetry "Tracings" was named to the Compulsive Reader's Ten Best Reads list and was given the Military Writers' Society of America's Award of Excellence and her book of poetry, "Imperfect Echoes" was honored by Writer's Digest. Carolyn is the recipient of the California Legislature's Woman of the Year in Arts and Entertainment Award, Her community's Character and Ethics Committee awarded her work promoting tolerance with her writing and the Arts and Culture Commission gave her their coveted Diamond Award. She was named to Pasadena Weekly's list of fourteen "San Gabriel Valley women who make life happen," and she qualified as a published poet for Poets & Writers' distinguished list.

44 pages, Paperback

First published March 17, 2010

About the author

Magdalena Ball runs Compulsive Reader http://www.compulsivereader.com. Her stories, poetry, reviews and articles have appeared in many printed anthologies and journals, and have won several awards. She is the author of Bobish, The Density of Compact Bone, Unmaking Atoms, Black Cow, Repulsion Thrust, The Art of Assessment, Quark Soup, Sleep Before Evening and many other collaborations. Find out more at http://www.magdalenaball.com

Reviews

[Joyce White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions [Paperback]
Magdalena Ball & Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball have woven their Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions (Volume 1) on March 22, 2010, together like sisters of the same mind when it comes to the men in their lives. Carolyn begins her medley of childhood memories beginning with “All the sound in the world sucked to a waving wailing note as I perch on my father’s knee.” Later giftedly pondering, “The things I didn’t know about my father, his coming and goings, the fearing he would not return. One day, only a dawn or decade ago, he didn’t.”

“Then, then!” writes Carolyn, “Decades of dread (conflicts?) with names we remember and some we don't. Bosnia, Kosovo, First (!) Gulf War, Korean, Bay of Pigs, Rwanda, Afghanistan, the Berlin Crisis for god's sake. More than 300 of them, words like the bass beat of drums. Vietnam when those troops who did come home couldn't walk or wouldn't talk. I tell my grandson, then only 12, how we who remember the grunt of that war see it differently from those who marched in the Double W Wars, wars when we wanted to be there.”

Carolyn Howard-Johnson's grandson served two tours in Iraq. Her husband is a retired Army officer who served in the 1960s Berlin call up. I can hear the sober sounds of the National Anthem in the background of all her poetry, with the throat voice of Uncle Sam warning, “I want him. He’s mine. You can’t have him!” All wives and little girls cry.

Magdalena pulls metaphors out of the air with, “You recede a little more. I reach for you over thought waves little girl’s hand hung in the air your absence, finally, matches reality to imagination trying to get truth from pretty metaphors that can’t touch your flesh still young somewhere while the precious science you drank like fine wine grinds your atoms to dust.”

Carolyn Howard Johnson and Magdalena Ball have written a wonderful little memoir celebrating Father’s Day and all their sacrifices as girls and women growing up in the 50’s and together they swam through a remembered past. I recommend this little gem and I give it Five Stars for Amazon. Happy Father’s Day to all…wives, children and our husbands who take care of our very basic needs while we write poetry.

By Joyce White
Sculpting the Heart Book Reviews

[Darcia Helle · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the heroic to the mundane, the poems in this book are a beautiful tribute to all fathers. The imagery these two authors create with their words is profound and unique. Each poem took me to a new place and all sparked a vivid memory. These two gifted authors paint a vivid portrait on these pages. True magic.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remembering Fathers

It's easy to remember our mother's, but sometimes our fathers, perhaps more distant, slip into the past. I loved this collection. Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball bring back those precious moments with fathers. In the images, you feel the silent memories and see glimpses of the fathers these daughters remember.

I particularly loved Carolyn short poem, “Remembered for His Smile.” It could have been about my father except he smoked cigars.

A line from “Father Earth” in Magdalena Ball's collection resonated with me, “it's hard to be a father these days.” It is hard to be a father, so it's especially important to take time to think about those important men in our lives.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagining the Future: Ruminations on Fathers and Other Masculine Apparitions is co-authored by Magdalena Ball and me. It is the fourth in the Celebration Series of chapbooks, a multi award-winning series. Perfect as a Father's Day or birthday gift for the thoughtful man in your life. Only $6.95.