Each of us lives an extraordinary life; however, the artists are qualified to share their thoughts in a manner that preserves existence, universally. Two writers, Rochelle Lynn Holt and Virginia Love Long, shared a friendship that was both literary and encompassing of everyday experiences. The writers, however, also revealed their emotions in poems and collaborative published projects. This memorial, POINTING TO THE MOON, is a novel biography in epistolary form. Letters have become a lost art now that e-mail exists! But, once, there was time to reflect in long missives.

WHISTLING IN THE DARK & WEIGHT OF RAIN are two novellas that combine to create a humorous/ironic "novel of the future." Characters seek to fulfill desires in unique ways.

To understand the shifting emotions human beings go through daily, regarding any and all relationships to family, friends, lovers, acquaintances and strangers (ourselves included), each of us needs to continue to evolve and to become educated while living creatively in a stressful society and world. My original purpose was to match a different animal and subject for every day of the year. As it turned out, some months have more entries than others; but, none is less than a month without Sundays and/or weekends. Often, true benefit only takes place when the self who feels victimized expresses emotions on paper (i.e. in form of a missive to someone else) to comprehend whatever may be bothering the letter-writer. But, these letters aren't intended to be sent; they are private. Instead, consider this volume a way and means to comfort and/or offer a solution or resolution to a troubling issue. For, only by appreciating ourselves can we totally fathom others before ultimately caring about humanity at-large, enough to accept and tolerate, eventually love each other's distinct uniqueness in this vast universe still striving for peace and harmony. Writing letters has become a dying art. So too comprehending the significance of all creatures to balance our environment that is dependent on survival of on animals and insects. Perhaps you won't be able to resist sending one or two missives to the right or wrong person. That's up to you. I offer "Creature Comforts" . with the genuine hope that you may realize every creature on earth has a purpose. (From the Author's Introduction dated Jan. 21, 2008)

In these poignant poems, the author as survivor unconsciously experiences the natural stages of grief defined by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross: anger, denial, sadness and acceptance. In addition, Holt offers a fifth stage referred to as "questing." The poems are not separated into individual categories in the same way any survivor may simultaneously feel anger, denial, doubt, sadness and even acceptance of the passing of a beloved one. Holt, already a believer in the philosophy that the spirit never dies, found even greater corroboration of her beliefs in synchronous reading: Dr. Jane Greer's "The Afterlife Connection" and Gary R. Renard's "The Disappearance Of The Universe." Trans-communication with a loved one is possible and indeed even comforting and healing. However, initially, one must enter the tunnel before seeing the light which is why the collection is titled "From Dusk To Dawn." Not only does the spirit leave earth for a new and brighter beginning, but the one left behind eventually comes to realize that the darkness of mourning will become as transparent as sunrise when the survivor is able to connect with the spirit of the beloved. "Valley Of The Shadows & Surrender, a novel duet (iUniverse 2004) reveals not only the struggles of a painter but of all humanity as the author unravels desires, dreams, hopes, hidden protectively within the psyche. Holt's writing is an avalanche of images . and magic . Her "poem-novels" share the anguish of the survivor in a long-term relationship which is ongoing but can be viewed in a creative and purposeful light."-Lili Bita

Bloodli(n)es is a multi-character novel that illuminates one dysfunctional family in contemporary society where the norm remains, undoubtedly, mostly in the minds of idealists still rooted in the conservative fifties. The Forest family members narrate individual and separate alienation from each other and themselves, in this novel of poems, where the House, an invisible protagonist, has the most to say regarding daughters' and sons' estrangement from parents and each other. As heirs to the mental disorder of their dead father, four of the five siblings have scattered to different states in America, in an attempt to ignore their past while building new lives. However, each of them, unwittingly, perpetuates the dysfunctional cycle. Jana, Ross, Jr., Tim and Beth spin in their own orbits, while Rose, the firstborn, visits most often Vera, the widowed mother, and brother and caregiver Ross. Jr. Beth's debut poetry book, Through the Mirror serves symbolically to reignite sibling liaisons in conflict, with the youngest daughter's blatant characterization of an abnormal family (based on her own personal experience and memories). realistic rendering of a broken family unit that also includes the voice of Ross, Sr, the ghost; and the House communicates emotions, opinions and sentiments heretofore unverbalized. Bloodlines are blood lies until family members face the truth of responsibility at the heart of their bonds.