Your Subtitle text
My Tongue Fell Out - S.L. Chessor
My Tongue Fell Out
S.L. Chessor
ISBN: 1420870165
AuthorHouse
Reviewed By Wendy Paulson
Official Apex Reviews Rating:
"When he called her over,
She stomped with a pout.
He said, 'Did you stick your tongue out?'
She said, 'No, my tongue fell out.'"
And so go many of the poetic passages in My Tongue Fell Out, the debut collection of poetry by S.L. Chessor. Dedicated to her late father, Billy Allen Jones, Chessor's collection is full of whimsical ruminations on family life, the good & the bad, the happy and the sad. All told, Chessor does a delightful job of laying bare her personal recollection of a life altogether sweet in humble retrospect.
Consider this passage from "'Yellow' Snow":
"He looked in all of the windows
And didn't see a soul.
So he climbed up on the hill,
Then he made 'yellow' snow.
His dad looked out of the window
And he saw what his son did.
Then he said out loud,
'What do I do with this kid?'"
And this moving recollection from "Watching 'Horror Shows' With Mom":
"I have many happy memories
But this is number one.
The best times of my life
Were watching 'horror shows' with Mom."
Much like Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" before her, Chessor's fond recollection of such treasured memories makes you long for the long-gone innocence of your own youthful days.
Undeniably, Chessor also delves into the world of love and does an impressive job of conveying the sentimental feelings we all wish for everyday, highlighted most poignantly by this passage from "First Love, Last Love":
"New soul mates forever,
Never again be undone.
We will grow old together,
Two hearts beat as one.
You are my first love,
You are my last.
Souls bound forever,
We have conquered the past."
Almost makes you want to pick up the phone and get back in good with your ex...right?
Of course, true reminiscence wouldn't be complete without faint twinges of regret from time to time, and Chessor tugs at the heartstrings just so in "Christmas With Jesus":
"News had come, I did not expect.
My aunt that I deeply loved,
On Christmas Eve was put to rest.
My son said, 'Mom, you shouldn't cry,
She is in Heaven this year.'
'She's spending Christmas with Jesus
And she is so lucky to be there.'"
In My Tongue Fell Out, S.L. Chessor has done an excellent job of compiling the feelings and emotions that we all experience everyday and presenting them in such a way as to give us pause to reflect on just why our most treasured memories are so treasured. A highly recommended collection, Chessor's musings announce the arrival of a talent from whom much will be anticipated in the years to come.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: S.L. Chessor (My Tongue Fell Out)
AR: Thanks for joining us for this interview, S.L. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
SC: The first thing I would like to say is THANK YOU for the lovely review. It is so hard to get any attention with a debut book. There are so many talented writers out there, many deserving attention for their efforts.
AR: In a touching tribute, you dedicated My Tongue Fell Out to your late father. What inspired you to do that?
SC: My Dad was my hero. He was man with strong family values. He worked hard to take care of us and the only thing he asked for in return is that we uphold his values. The poem, "The Texan," pretty much says it all where my dad is concerned. Even though we grew up in Illinois, Texas was in his heart and he did move back to his hometown in 1975.
I could go on and on but I won't. I'm just a daughter who idolized her father and I am trying to do my best to uphold his values and make him proud.
AR: You touch on a number of different topics & experiences in the book. How many of them actually come from your own life, and which ones?
SC: It will be easier to tell you which ones are not true. "Old Smokestack," was just fiction. It was just a ghostly tale from the dark side of my mind. There will be more of those in my next book. "The Rebel and the Yank," wasn't true but it was based on the fact that my Dad was a rebel and my Mom was a Yankee. "I Wanna Buy a BVD," was just something of a joke that come about from my husband and me joking around. "Running Late," was just my attempt to make people thinks about the way they drive. "Night Storms," just comes from my own fear of severe thunderstorms. I think I covered all that was fiction.
AR: Your depictions of the innocent idiosyncrasies of children are priceless (for example, making "Yellow Snow"). How was it so easy for you to capture them so realistically?
SC: I have a brother who did just that. He is easy to write about. There are a few poems about him in the book and will be more in the next. His sense of humor is wonderful and I can count on him to tell me stories from his perspective. By the way, he is my other hero.
AR: "Christmas With Jesus" is such a perfect example of that. Did it really happen to you?
SC: Yes. My oldest son was the inspiration.
AR: You've written for years, but My Tongue Fell Out is your first book. What was your experience like in putting it together?
SC: Very hard! The first book was a learning experience. First I had to learn the computer, which I'm still trying to understand. Then it was trying to figure out where to get my book published and hoping that I was making the right choice. I did a lot of research. Of course then I had to figure out how to put everything together. It was a long slow process. The main thing is I did get it accomplished and the next book will be easier because I have a greater understanding of how it all works.
AR: Your son, Jeremy, provided the illustrations for the book, and he did a great job of making everyone so life-like. He also co-wrote one of the poems with you. How did that arrangement materialize?
SC: The poem was called, "Work for Food," and I sent him a copy of the first draft. He didn't feel the story was complete enough and I should add more detail. We worked on it together until we were both satisfied. "Work for Food," is a true story.
Jeremy is a very talented young man. Besides the beautiful illustrations he created, he is working on his music remixes and becoming well known for his creations.
AR: What have some of the reactions been to your poetry? And your book?
SC: So far I haven't had any negative reactions or at least I haven't been told if there were any. Most people like the fact that the book is real. It could be their life. I know it will touch my readers in some way.
AR: What's next on the horizon for you?
SC: I am working on my next book, "Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers." It will definitely be better now that I have learned so much from writing the first book. My Mother is coauthor and very talented. I hope it will be out by the end of the year but it may be the first part of 2009.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
SC: Yes. Don't be afraid to take on a project. Once you start it, no matter what it is or how it turns out, finish it. Everything we do in life is a learning experience. It makes us the people we are now.
AR: Thanks again, S.L., and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
SC: Thank you.
S.L. Chessor
ISBN: 1420870165
AuthorHouse
Reviewed By Wendy Paulson
Official Apex Reviews Rating:
"When he called her over,
She stomped with a pout.
He said, 'Did you stick your tongue out?'
She said, 'No, my tongue fell out.'"
And so go many of the poetic passages in My Tongue Fell Out, the debut collection of poetry by S.L. Chessor. Dedicated to her late father, Billy Allen Jones, Chessor's collection is full of whimsical ruminations on family life, the good & the bad, the happy and the sad. All told, Chessor does a delightful job of laying bare her personal recollection of a life altogether sweet in humble retrospect.
Consider this passage from "'Yellow' Snow":
"He looked in all of the windows
And didn't see a soul.
So he climbed up on the hill,
Then he made 'yellow' snow.
His dad looked out of the window
And he saw what his son did.
Then he said out loud,
'What do I do with this kid?'"
And this moving recollection from "Watching 'Horror Shows' With Mom":
"I have many happy memories
But this is number one.
The best times of my life
Were watching 'horror shows' with Mom."
Much like Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" before her, Chessor's fond recollection of such treasured memories makes you long for the long-gone innocence of your own youthful days.
Undeniably, Chessor also delves into the world of love and does an impressive job of conveying the sentimental feelings we all wish for everyday, highlighted most poignantly by this passage from "First Love, Last Love":
"New soul mates forever,
Never again be undone.
We will grow old together,
Two hearts beat as one.
You are my first love,
You are my last.
Souls bound forever,
We have conquered the past."
Almost makes you want to pick up the phone and get back in good with your ex...right?
Of course, true reminiscence wouldn't be complete without faint twinges of regret from time to time, and Chessor tugs at the heartstrings just so in "Christmas With Jesus":
"News had come, I did not expect.
My aunt that I deeply loved,
On Christmas Eve was put to rest.
My son said, 'Mom, you shouldn't cry,
She is in Heaven this year.'
'She's spending Christmas with Jesus
And she is so lucky to be there.'"
In My Tongue Fell Out, S.L. Chessor has done an excellent job of compiling the feelings and emotions that we all experience everyday and presenting them in such a way as to give us pause to reflect on just why our most treasured memories are so treasured. A highly recommended collection, Chessor's musings announce the arrival of a talent from whom much will be anticipated in the years to come.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: S.L. Chessor (My Tongue Fell Out)
AR: Thanks for joining us for this interview, S.L. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
SC: The first thing I would like to say is THANK YOU for the lovely review. It is so hard to get any attention with a debut book. There are so many talented writers out there, many deserving attention for their efforts.
AR: In a touching tribute, you dedicated My Tongue Fell Out to your late father. What inspired you to do that?
SC: My Dad was my hero. He was man with strong family values. He worked hard to take care of us and the only thing he asked for in return is that we uphold his values. The poem, "The Texan," pretty much says it all where my dad is concerned. Even though we grew up in Illinois, Texas was in his heart and he did move back to his hometown in 1975.
I could go on and on but I won't. I'm just a daughter who idolized her father and I am trying to do my best to uphold his values and make him proud.
AR: You touch on a number of different topics & experiences in the book. How many of them actually come from your own life, and which ones?
SC: It will be easier to tell you which ones are not true. "Old Smokestack," was just fiction. It was just a ghostly tale from the dark side of my mind. There will be more of those in my next book. "The Rebel and the Yank," wasn't true but it was based on the fact that my Dad was a rebel and my Mom was a Yankee. "I Wanna Buy a BVD," was just something of a joke that come about from my husband and me joking around. "Running Late," was just my attempt to make people thinks about the way they drive. "Night Storms," just comes from my own fear of severe thunderstorms. I think I covered all that was fiction.
AR: Your depictions of the innocent idiosyncrasies of children are priceless (for example, making "Yellow Snow"). How was it so easy for you to capture them so realistically?
SC: I have a brother who did just that. He is easy to write about. There are a few poems about him in the book and will be more in the next. His sense of humor is wonderful and I can count on him to tell me stories from his perspective. By the way, he is my other hero.
AR: "Christmas With Jesus" is such a perfect example of that. Did it really happen to you?
SC: Yes. My oldest son was the inspiration.
AR: You've written for years, but My Tongue Fell Out is your first book. What was your experience like in putting it together?
SC: Very hard! The first book was a learning experience. First I had to learn the computer, which I'm still trying to understand. Then it was trying to figure out where to get my book published and hoping that I was making the right choice. I did a lot of research. Of course then I had to figure out how to put everything together. It was a long slow process. The main thing is I did get it accomplished and the next book will be easier because I have a greater understanding of how it all works.
AR: Your son, Jeremy, provided the illustrations for the book, and he did a great job of making everyone so life-like. He also co-wrote one of the poems with you. How did that arrangement materialize?
SC: The poem was called, "Work for Food," and I sent him a copy of the first draft. He didn't feel the story was complete enough and I should add more detail. We worked on it together until we were both satisfied. "Work for Food," is a true story.
Jeremy is a very talented young man. Besides the beautiful illustrations he created, he is working on his music remixes and becoming well known for his creations.
AR: What have some of the reactions been to your poetry? And your book?
SC: So far I haven't had any negative reactions or at least I haven't been told if there were any. Most people like the fact that the book is real. It could be their life. I know it will touch my readers in some way.
AR: What's next on the horizon for you?
SC: I am working on my next book, "Poodlums, Boogeymen and Booglers." It will definitely be better now that I have learned so much from writing the first book. My Mother is coauthor and very talented. I hope it will be out by the end of the year but it may be the first part of 2009.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share with our readers?
SC: Yes. Don't be afraid to take on a project. Once you start it, no matter what it is or how it turns out, finish it. Everything we do in life is a learning experience. It makes us the people we are now.
AR: Thanks again, S.L., and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!
SC: Thank you.