Polishing the Fragments, John Kaniecki, Dreaming Big Publications, reviewed by Rachel Menkhus
​
ABOUT THE BOOK: In a collection based in self-exploration and realization, Kaniecki takes on issues of mental illness, abuse, and religious actualization. Kaniecki's usage of imagery and theme express a relatable yet unique story of discovery, failure, and hope. The reader is taken on a journey through childhood experiences, growing pains, finding love and Christ, and living with the aftermath of mental illness. This hard look at mental health offers a critique of the current system while expressing hope for a brighter future.

DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.

MY REVIEW: (3 1/2 out of 5) Starting off this book of poetry I was unsure how I was going to feel about it. I am not the biggest fan of verse or poetry and often find it hard to focus on the authors intended meaning or message. In other words, I want to know exactly what the author is referring to in the poem and often, poets create multiple meanings or purposively muddle their meaning. In Kaniecki’s book Polishing the Fragments, it’s not hard to know what he means and what struggles he has faced reading his poems. Each of the 132 poems felt like a new story each bringing the reader closer to whatever mystery the author wants his readers to uncover.  I have to say, there are a few poems that were so vivid and relatable that I found myself mouthing certain verses over again as to memorize them.  Kaniecki uses his own faith to find his way through the mental illness he faces, and his journey is as encouraging as it is desperate. Now, I would not necessarily go back and read the book again and I know that is just my own bias against poetry, but I am certainly glad that I was able to at least once. I would recommend this book to anyone I know who may be facing any of the same issues such as gambling addiction, or depression. Overall, this book was a surprisingly easy read and an enjoyable one.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: John Kaniecki was born in Brooklyn, New York. Though having no memories of life there, John is proud to be called a Native New Yorker. John was raised in Pequanock Township, New Jersey. At age twenty John was baptized and became a member of the Church of Christ. Presently John resides in Montclair, NJ and lives with his wife of over twelve years Sylvia. The happy couple attend the Church of Christ at Chancellor Avenue in Newark, NJ. John is very active in outreach and teaching as part of the leadership of the congregation.

By London Koffler
            It’s okay to not have it all together. This is a concept I have been struggling with for years, but it has been weighing me down a lot more recently. Following my college graduation this past May, I was hit hard by the harsh reality of the “real world.” Not to brag, but my college career has been very successful. Just in the previous few months I have been granted a couple awards, asked to present at a couple conferences, and finished by graduating Magna Cum Laude. I emerged triumphant from this experience and naively expected my post graduate to be just as prosperous. I immediately and enthusiastically began applying for jobs, only to find that I was a small fish in a large pond filled with bigger, more experienced fish. I became overwhelmed. Why was I not hearing back from potential employers? Was there something wrong with me? I felt like my perfectly planned future was falling apart.
            And then there were the unavoidable, infuriating questions posed at family functions like, “What have you been doing since graduation?” How was I supposed to explain I was in the middle of having a quarter-life crisis? I felt like no one else understood my situation, as if everyone else had plans with their jobs, housing, and finances.
            After enduring several months of quiet, concealed anxiety, I finally had a heart-to-heart discussion with my closest friends about our lives after college. To my relief, I realized they were in the same situation. No one wanted to admit it, but we had all been struggling with the harsh transition to adulthood. Surprisingly, no one suspected that the others had been struggling. We had all just put up a convincing façade for the benefit of the others. It was comforting to know that we were not alone. While we may not have discovered the magic answer for all our problems, we realized we must have a strong support system to keep us on the right path. It’s okay to not have it all together. No one does. But we can all try our best.
Edited by Rachel Menkhus
 
​

Title: Stars
Author: Sawyer Ricard
 
He’d punched Bobby Jacobs today. 
He wasn’t supposed to. He knew that. He knew it was Wrong. He knew it was Wrong even before his Momma had come to get him from school, all sighs and disappointment, speaking soft words as he clung to her waitress apron that always smelled like milkshakes and cigarettes. He knew he wasn’t supposed to. 
He knew even as they caught the bus back to their house, their small shack in South Dakota. The little lean to with its crumbling mailbox and creaky screen door, the old iron protesting the movement of both grubby, little hands and big, dirty ones, ones that slammed it against the peeling wood. 
He knew as he mounted the old stairs, heading for his room with its frayed quilt knitted by Ms. Thompson two Christmases ago after Daddy had figured out his logging job was more important than Momma.  
He knew a lot was Wrong then. 
He was smart though. He knew that Bobby wasn’t supposed to call his Daddy a “Good for Nothin’”, a “Lazy bum” or anything that made the other eight year olds gasp and cover their mouths, eyes wide with terror at being caught by teacher Mrs. Harrison. His Daddy might still come back. He didn’t need to hear those words. So he’d swung. 
Not hard enough to hurt. He knew it hadn’t hurt even as he sat on the bed, ratty sneakers brushing the ground as he listened to Momma getting ready to go back to work. Bobby was tough. He himself wasn’t. A little hit from the quiet kid at the back of the class wouldn’t hurt. But Bobby had cried anyway. Just enough to get him in trouble. He’d seen the kid’s look when he was pulled away, teacher’s grip on his wrist as tight as it would be on the ruler for swats later. He’d been smiling. 
No, he knew it hadn’t hurt, and he knew it was Wrong. But it was worth it. 
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, how the sun had set through the dirty window. But soon it was too dark for him to see the neighbor’s old pine, and too quiet for him to hear much beyond his own sniffling. So he just pushed off the bed even though Momma had said not to. She said that a lot lately, with her tired eyes and tired voice. He should be good, he should. But. But. But. 
He just crawled halfway under the bed, shirt pulling up rough against his ribs as little fingers wrapped around the old book. This was Wrong too. The book had been in the trash at school, about to be thrown away. He’d seen the stars on the front, not the ragged edges or the ripped cover. He knew it was Wrong, that he’d be in trouble if he found out. But he had to. 
Pulling the book out and tucking it under his arm, he headed towards his window and pushed it open, climbing out onto the flat part of the roof. This was his favorite place in the whole world, for sure it was. He spent most of his time out here if he wasn’t at the church or the restaurant waiting on Mommy. He wasn’t even in his room, with its printouts of the sky from the library in town where he had the wondrous thing they called the internet on the computer. They didn’t have a computer. Bobby had said stuff about that too but he’d forgotten by now. 
Instead he just squinted through thick glasses and fumbled with an old flashlight, secondhand much like everything else in his house. Owned by someone else, given by nice people at Christmas and his birthday. Someone had said pity once but he didn’t know what that meant. Momma’s face hadn’t been happy so maybe it wasn’t good. Maybe it was Wrong too. He was careful not to use that word. 
But for now, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter that maybe he’d have no supper that night, that maybe tomorrow he’d have to go to detention at recess and not play. All that mattered was his book full of words he couldn’t say. He’d tried to look some up at school but his teacher had said he should look at other books, that the ones he struggled with were for grown-ups. But the kid books didn’t have what he wanted. 
He found the page he’d been on, finger on the picture and breathing harsh against the cool fall wind. It would snow soon and then he couldn’t see the stars. He had to learn their names before then. Stars were happy, stars were fun to learn. He had to learn and show Momma that there was still something to be happy about. That even if she came home smelling like fried food and smoke, that even though she hadn’t smiled in the longest time, that there was a reason to not be so sad anymore. He looked up, looking for the same picture his hand still touched. 
There. In all the Wrong, there was the Right. The star was there, exactly where it should be.
“S…Sirius.”
 
Edited by: Anna Grace Dulaney
 
​

McDonald's Mishap
By Emily Chance
There is one thing I just don’t understand. There are over six billion people in the world and we all have problems; pasts and demons, literal and metaphorical. However, there is always one person who will stop what they’re doing, look up at someone else, and try to lower their self-esteem.
All the pain and all the hurt we go through puts a toll on us. It only takes one comment to ruin someone’s day. To push them over the edge and make them break down.
While I don’t believe in sucking up, being two-faced, or trying to protect someone like they’re a fine china, I also don’t believe that someone should emotionally maim another.
Just the other day, I went on a choir trip with my school. One of the underclassmen walked up to a man who just graduated high school and accomplished being the manager at McDonald's. When the underclassman walked up to the manager, he made the comment, “Why would you dress up for a minimum wage job?” This was a man who previously told the superintendent that he hated high school because he was bullied the entire time. The answer to this question, of course, is that you should try your hardest to be the best you can be. No matter what the situation is. The kid in question was made to apologize. As we left, the kid just said, “I regret nothing. I shouldn’t have had to apologize to that a**hole.”
The point is, we are all people. We all have feelings. We have all been though stuff in our lives. Just put away your god complex and open your eyes to the beauty around. If you look at someone long enough, you’ll find a quality that, while you might not love it, you’ll at least respect it. And of course we look different. Everyone is different. There is no specific quality someone should have to make them “perfect.” Such a term does not exist because the human race is far too varied.
Edited by London Koffler

Polishing the Fragments by John Kaniecki, published by Dreaming Big Publications
Reviewed by London Koffler
​
About the Book:
            In a collection based in self-exploration and realization, Kaniecki takes on issues of mental illness, abuse, and religious actualization. Kaniecki's usage of imagery and theme express a relatable yet unique story of discovery, failure, and hope. The reader is taken on a journey through childhood experiences, growing pains, finding love and Christ, and living with the aftermath of mental illness. This hard look at mental health offers a critique of the current system while expressing hope for a brighter future.

My Review: 4/5
             I found Polishing the Fragments to be a smart, thoughtful, and easy read. It feels authentic and vulnerable, and the images he paints are clear. No poem seems to be without purpose, and they all connect to tell the story of the author’s life. He is unafraid to discuss difficult topics that he has had to face, such as mental illness, abuse, and death. What I found particularly interesting were the connections he makes to his faith by way of strong religious themes and allusions throughout. While he is unmistakably religious, he also shows that even he sometimes struggles with knowing his place in God’s plan.

            I gave Polishing the Fragments a four out of five rating because although the collection is short and the poems easy to understand, I had to read it over several days. It is a heavy read that deals with topics that are, at times, overwhelmingly dark. There are, however, some glimmers of hope in certain poems, and the collection together forces the reader to confront topics that are often avoided. If you can tolerate this type of content, I would highly recommend this thought-provoking collection. Through some truly haunting lines, Kanieki’s messages linger long after you finish reading.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for writing a review. I was not obligated to give a positive review, and all thoughts are my own.

About the Author:
            John Kaniecki was born in Brooklyn, New York. Though having no memories of life there, John is proud to be called a Native New Yorker. John was raised in Pequanock Township, New Jersey. At age twenty John was baptized and became a member of the Church of Christ. Presently John resides in Montclair, NJ and lives with his wife of over twelve years Sylvia. The happy couple attend the Church of Christ at Chancellor Avenue in Newark, NJ. John is very active in outreach and teaching as part of the leadership of the congregation. 

            John’s personal story of dealing with and overcoming with mental illness can be read in “More Than The Madness.” It is a book that explores the humanity in us all while giving first hand insight into mental illness. 

            John's first book "Murmurings of a Mad Man" is a poetry book. This work deals with a dark time in John's life when he suffered from manic depression. John was hospitalized at Graystone, the same place where Woody Guthrie was kept. This book dealing with the madness is not only a book of hope and faith but it is written in most strict poetic form. It is vastly far from the free verse that permeates the poetry world today. 

            John's second book is entitled "Words of the Future". This books has six science fiction stories all written by John. John without a question the book is unique and you will find John's writing both compelling and thrilling. 

            John has just let out his third book entitled "Poet to the Poor, Poems of Hope for the Bottom One Percent". This leaves little doubt as to where John's heart belongs. Not to the pampered pretties living in privilege but with the down and out clinging on to existence. Not only is "Poet to the Poor" revolutionary in thought but it's poems are easily accessible. The majority of which celebrate the rhyming poems of years gone by. It's a book not to be missed.

            Other poetry books include the Christian themed “A Day’s Weather” and “Sunset Sonnets”. "A Day's Weather" is a feel good book about life being depicted by the weather of a day. "Sunset Sonnets" is an uplifting and spiritual look at death. John spent eight years with the Church of Christ at Chancellor Avenue serving as a volunteer missionary to the inner city of Newark, New Jersey. 

            John also is the author of a warm book about life called “The Lost Cantos Of John Kaniecki”. This book employs meter and rhyme. 

            John has ventured further into the realm of horror with his books, “Scarecrow, Scarecrow”, “Satan’s Siren” and the upcoming books “In The Mind Of Maggoo” and “Myroniac”. These books are gripping tales exploring the dark recesses of life. 

            Also John has written an exciting humorous science fiction book entitled “I Should Have Been A Rock Star”. This book is definitely not something to miss and sure to be a classic.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Polishing-Fragments-John-Kaniecki/dp/1947381032/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512250728&sr=8-1&keywords=polishing+the+fragments
 
 

AUTHOR: Celine Rose Mariotti
TITLE: The Murder of Secretary Judd Cane, Adventures on Capitol Hill Series, Vol 2
PUBLISHER: Dreaming Big Publications
WEBSITE: dreamingbigpublications.com

AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Secretary-Judd-Cane-Adventure/dp/1976310857/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1513747714&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=judd+kane+celine+mariotti

NEW RELEASE in paperbook and ebook format

REVIEWERS, BLOGGERS, VLOGGERS: 
​Please respond to this email or email Kristi at dreamingbigpublications@outlook.com to request your free electronic review copy today.
​

London Koffler

Of Mice and Men and Women
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John Steinbeck’s 1937 classic Of Mice and Men was written with only one female character, Curley’s wife, who is portrayed as a villainess. She, however, is the product of her past and her environment. Her resulting behavior leads to the anxiety and misery of her husband and his employees, in addition to her own death.

Before analyzing any other elements of her description, it is imperative to mention that this woman does not have a name. She is exclusively referred to as Curley’s wife, as if her only deserved identity were the title of wife. Even then, she is only mentioned in connection with Curley like a piece of property belonging to and being inseparable from him. Names are an important part of individual personal identity, and because Curley’s wife is not given one in the novella, she is less of a real character and more of a metaphor representing the immorality and immodesty of women that supposedly plague the lives of men.

The first descriptions of Curley’s wife are about her appearance and her coquettish behavior. Besides Lennie thinking she is “purty” (32), she is described only in derogatory sexual terms. All of the men are reluctant to speak with her because Curley will accuse them of trying to steal her away from him. Her perceived flirtatiousness only causes problems for herself and the men working for her husband.

At two points in the novel, Curley’s wife is humanized to the reader when she reveals her troubles to Lennie, Candy, and Crooks. She, in a way, explains her behavior by telling them about her past. When she was younger, two men approached her for acting roles, but she blames her mother for restraining her pursuit of both opportunities. She laments that as an actress she could be in a much better and more luxurious place with beautiful clothes and adoring fans. She reveals that she and Curley met on the same day she accused her mother of sabotaging her future, so they were hastily and recklessly married to cement her rebellion. Soon after marriage, Curley’s wife finds him to be boorish and abusive. When she is told by the workers that he is in the house, she looks anxious and hurries away from the bunkhouse, afraid he will accuse her of cheating. Her attitude toward Curley confirms George’s theory that she is eager to leave the farm. Curley ignores his wife, going out to town with the other men. When he is home, however, he talks about nothing but fighting, and she complains that she cannot remain “in that two-by-four house” (78) and listen to him all the time.

What everyone perceives as deliberate attempts at seduction is probably Curley’s wife’s only inkling as to how to get a man’s attention. She and Curley have only been married for two weeks, yet she feels lonely enough already to be searching for companionship. She turns to her husband’s employees for a sympathetic ear and attempts to engage them in conversation, but their fear of Curley prevents their talking to her. She continuously claims to be looking around the barn for Curley or for items she left there, but in reality what she is looking for is company. When the men argue that she is only “foolin’ around with other guys, causin’ trouble” (79), she vehemently fights to defend herself against false accusations.

Being unaware of his dangerous strength and simple mind, Curley’s wife singles out Lennie as the nicest man and the one most likely to listen to her. His initial dismissal of her is ignored, and she begins confiding in him. “Her words tumbled out in a passion of communication as though she hurried before her listener could be taken away” (88). Because the other men quickly escape from her attempts at conversation, she is not accustomed to casual and comfortable dialogue anymore. Therefore she rushes to share her thoughts before Lennie, too, leaves her by herself.
It is said, by readers and the other characters, that Curley’s wife is the cause of all of the men’s conflicts. However, Curley isolates his wife from everyone, single-handedly causing the behavior he mistrusts in her, and she does not seduce Lennie into killing her. She invites Lennie to touch her hair, but that is because she is very proud of its softness and has found another who appreciates fine things as much as she does. Although by accident, it is Lennie’s strength and not her own flirtation that kills her. While the reader may initially believe that Curley’s wife’s dangerous feminine sexuality is at the center of the men’s problems, her yearning for and pursuit of human interaction is caused by her neglect, exclusion, and rejection.
 
 
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin, 1993.
 
Edited by: Anna Grace Dulaney

Because of You
By: RaeAnna G.
 
Because of you, I am a broken soul,
You thought you ruled me, just took me long to learn,
I’m glad I met you, because you showed me I do have control.
 
You put me down with your heart of coal,
Anything that I see of you, makes my stomach churn;
Because of you, I am a broken soul.
 
Despite it all, I learned how to crawl out of your hole,
I learned to be strong, that there was nothing I couldn’t upturn;
I’m glad I met you, because you showed me I do have control.
 
Your words cut so deep, soon enough they played such a role,
I couldn’t stomach you, your touch felt like a burn;
Because of you, I am a broken soul.
 
Overcoming the hurt, the doubts, oh what a toll;
Often I didn’t think I could, I was so used to the hurt, I had to be stern;
I’m glad I met you, because you showed me I do have control.
 
It all stopped the day I decided to take a stroll,
A new heart so gently grasped my broken one, I knew I could fix it all in turn;
Because of you, I am a broken soul,
I’m glad I met you, because you showed me I do have control.
 
 
Edited by: Anna Grace Dulaney
​

New Audiobook from Dreaming Big Publications

AUTHOR: Celine Rose Mariotti
NARRATOR: Victoria Phelps

AMAZON LINK:
https://www.amazon.com/Olivia-MacAllister-Who-Are-You-ebook/dp/B0748JQHBM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1513139552&sr=1-1&keywords=olivia+who+are+you

The paperback and ebook version of this book was released in July, 2017, and we are not pleased to announce that the audiobook version has been completed!

REVIEWERS, BLOGGERS:  You may have already received a request to review when the paperback and ebook version was released. If you did, thank you! If not but you are interested in a review, please let us know!  Ebook copies are available, and audio downloads are available but limited.  

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Bobby MacAllister and Noel Simpson are cousins, who visit their Uncle Eb in Maine for the summer. There they embark on an adventure to discover the story of their ancestors and the secrets of the ghost, Olivia, who stays in the house. Together, with family friends and partners from the town, they uncover the truth of a long lost love story.

Olivia MacAllister, Who Are You? is a fun fiction chapter book for children aged 7 to 10. Will you be inspired to learn about your ancestors’ past like Bobby and Noel? ​

Bane
By: RaeAnna G.
 
Bane, walking with you can be a fright.
Prancing like a king, your gait so bold.
Fear shakes to the core of those around you.
Like an alpha, few dare to enter the space you claim.
 
Like a high-tech screening system, you scan those around.
The judge, the jury, and the executioner, you choose their fate.
If they lose, oh what power you display.
If they win, not an ounce of emotion is shown.
 
So unaware I walk, passing murderers and thieves.
Your judgments are harsh, the slicing looks I get for trusting.
You know what holds their heart.
Their lies, their guilt, the secrets locked away, nothing escapes you.
 
Deep down, fear grips your heart, it rules your mind.
What those you shake never see is the fear you hide.
Your screening a mistrust of those around.
The king afraid of his peasants, he knows what they can do.
 
Edited by Rachel Menkhus