From Our Friends in Brooklyn Papercut Press invites authors and artists to share how they understand the world of steampunk for our upcoming science fiction and fantasy collection. Is there more to it than gears and gadgets? Is it purely industrial or can it be romantic as well? Is it magical or historical? We believe it can be any of these things, and want our collection to reflect the many faces of steampunk art and literature. Grab your quill pens and powdered ink, enchanted typewriters or Daguerreotype cameras and tell us what you think! Please send your art, stories, poems and essays of 6000 words or less to submissions@thepcpress.com. Deadline for submissions is August 10, 2012.
Taste of 'Heaven' By QB CrewQuailBellMagazine.comKeep your eyes on the bookstore shelves this autumn, fledglings. Peter Liu is releasing his first collection of short stories, titled 'Watering Heaven' from Signal 8 Press on October 16. Faithful readers of QB Mag will remember Liu's story published here, 'Unreflected.' Be sure to pick up his book and enjoy more pieces from this talented author.
Think Before You Speak
By Hannah Grubbs
QuailBellMagazine.com
 "One must turn the tongue seven times in the mouth before speaking." - French Proverb
Historic Warrenton: What to See Photographs by Brenden Rijke
QuailBellMagazine.com
"John Marshall" - Chief Justice of the United States John Marshall (1755 - 1835), who served as Justice between the years of 1801 and 1835. His monument stands in front of the old courthouse in Old Town Warrenton as he was a Germantown resident (a small town in Fauquier County, VA now known as Midland).
"John Singleton Mosby" - a monument in remembrance of cavalry battalion commander John S. Mosby (1833 - 1916). His tribute stands in Old Town Warrenton as he was an honored veteran and local Warrenton lawyer.
"Fauquier Historical Society" - a sign posted outside the Old Jail Museum (the home of The Fauquier Historical Society) in Old Town Warrenton. The Society was founded in 1964 and has a rich history in the town.
"Courthouse" - There has been a total of seven courthouses in Warrenton, the first dating back to 1790 at the time of the Revolution. However, the most recent courthouse at the present site opened in 1974. This past March, Clint Eastwood filmed his most recent film "J. Edgar" at the courthouse.
"Baptist Church" - In Old Town Warrenton, this Baptist church dates back from the antebellum period and acted as a hospital during the Civil War for the Union army.
Jack Kerouac's American Haiku By Claire Ledoyen
QuailBellMagazine.com
All the insects ceased
In honor
Of the moon
-28, Desolation Pops, Kerouac
It’s Autumn of 1953 - a disillusioned, heartbroken Jack Kerouac shuffles into a public library wearing his notorious bedroom slippers looking for a literary escape. He just produced The Subterraneans, and about a year and half ago, penned his deliciously frenzied and bestselling work On The Road on a 3-week Benzedrine binge. The gloomy writer now comes upon Asvaghosha’s “The Life of Buddha”, and thus begins the period of his life that brought an influx of his own special kind of haiku.
“I propose that the ‘Western Haiku” simply say a lot in three short lines in any Western language. Above all, a Haiku must be very simple and free of all poetic trickery and make a little picture and yet be as airy and graceful as a Vivaldi Pastorella.” –Kerouac, Scattered Poems
Although I did see that quote on every other internet page I clicked on while getting into the gritty details of this assignment, its wide use is not without reason. Fortunately I had a high poetic form with rules and masterful expectations to live up to for reference after reading up on the history and form of classical Japanese haiku; just to have something with which to compare the ideas and ‘essence’-finding of the English haiku Jack Kerouac penned from around 1953 to 1966. Kerouac’s haiku are known for being “reworked and revised” constantly, unlike his other work. He tried to capture the essence of a thought, subject, or moment with his “Pops”, especially through an exemplary awareness of line breaks, or caesurae; and according to editor Regina Weinrich (Book of Haiku), the Kerouac image of a single thing in an open space.
Arguments on both sides come up when discussing whether the Beat king’s English haiku could actually be considered haiku or not. Many people categorize them as Senryū, which is like a slightly funnier, more human thought and emotion-centered sibling of the haiku. Though any argument can be backed up, I think you have to look at Kerouac’s haiku as something beyond a Western attempt at any kind of the traditional Japanese art form. He strived to pen the essence of subjects through the essence of the form, and that’s what Japanese Haiku does after all of its rules and rigorous disciple and study. In fact, Kerouac studied Buddhism fairly vigorously, albeit dismissing Zen Buddhism, so basic Eastern philosophies provided a backbone to his work (especially the Noble truth of All Life is Suffering); plus, the Japanese “5/7/5” syllable pattern doesn’t translate from its original, fluid language into English and so his use of shorter lines effectively performs the same function as its traditional Japanese counterpart – relaying enormous meaning through few words put together simply. Here are examples of classic Senryū and Haiku next to Kerouac’s, selected from his “Book of Haikus” edited by Regina Weinrich, make your own comparisons -
The robber,
when I catch,
my own son
-Senryū Karai, father of Senryū form
Autumn nite -
my mother cuts her throat
-Kerouac
Moonlight slants through
the vast bamboo grove:
A cuckoo cries
-Basho, haiku master
Crossing the football field
coming home from work
the lonely businessman
-Kerouac
In both occasions, Kerouac’s haiku can go toe-to-toe with the masters’ in evocation of a simple, striking feeling and/or image, and he called them American Haikus for a reason – though no one in the US can see Mount Fuji out of any of their windows, the Beat king’s reoccurring image of Midwest plains interestingly gives a feeling of solitude and vastness similar to one a reader would experience from a Japanese haiku about an enormous bamboo grove (and I mean, I’ve seen some pretty vast corn fields, so…), the mountains (which we have too), forests (which we also have), or the ocean (if I need to say more, here’s another one of Jack’s more masterful American Haiku: “Useless! Useless!/- heavy rain driving/into the sea”).
The majority of Kerouac’s collected haiku were found in his famous pocket notebooks, small notepads he carried in the pocket of his shirts for quick access at any moment, and in letters to his friends such as Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsberg. Snyder, a Zen Buddhist himself, is portrayed as Japhy Ryder in Kerouac’s The Dharma Bums, written in a kind of haiku-prose dissimilar to his other novels in its short, simple sentences. In fact, The Dharma Bums was loosely based, among other things, Jack’s stay as a fire lookout on Desolation Peak in the summer of 1956. From this experience came a collection of American Haikus called Desolation Pops (“POP-American haikus, short 3-line poems rhyming or non-rhyming…usually a Buddhist connotation, aiming towards enlightenment.” –Kerouac, Some of the Dharma). Though there are more philosophical and aesthetically beautiful pieces in the Desolation Pops manuscript, I love number 19 –
Ship paint
on
An old T-shirt
Like many of the other Pops, it personally gives me a remarkable rush of sensory stimulation with an incredible six words. There is something to be said in crafting such simple yet striking moments and scenes such as the Kerouac managed to create.
There is a large number of Jack Kerouac’s America Haikus floating around his body of work. The best place to get started is definitely “Book of Haikus”, mentioned earlier, edited by Regina Weinrich. If, like me, you crave even more of Kerouac’s nontraditional haiku check out any of his letters and notebooks especially from 1953-1960, and he also did a record called “Blues and Haikus” in ~’58-59 with saxophonists Al Cohn and Zoot Sims which I would love to get my hands on oh man if you have one at a reasonable price I’ll buy it and I don’t even have a record player -
Anyway, there are also two posthumously published works called Scattered Poems, which has a stand-out section of 26 haikus in the back and Trip-Trap: Haiku along the road from San Francisco to New York, written in ’53 and published in 1973 featuring Kerouac with Lew Welch and Allen Saigo on a trip to Long Island from California and back.
Timeless Style
By Julie DiNisio
QuailBellMagazine.com
“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.” Perhaps this is why we remember Audrey Hepburn and revere her as a style icon; she wasn't obsessed with looks or beauty. She knew that true beauty and grace comes from within. But this remarkably likeable female celebrity still experienced fame for her classic looks, on and off the screen. And her timeless style can still be duplicated today.
Hepburn tried out a variety of hair styles during her career. She is most known for her elegant updos and short pixie cuts. Her iconic chignon in Breakfast at Tiffany's is as notable as the movie itself, her most famous role. In my opinion, the actress looked best when her hair was short or pulled back, revealing her youthful and unconventional face. Her beauty – the result of an English father and Dutch mother – was an oddity at the time, especially for Hollywood. But her willowy frame and pixie-like features forever changed female acting and modeling standards. She popularized a gamine look.
Hepburn maintained a close relationship with French couture designer Hubert de Givenchy. They met on the set of Sabrina, for which he was designing her clothes, and Hepburn fell in love with his feminine yet simple, well-tailored designs. Givenchy designed the black dress worn by Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's opening scene, considered one of the most treasured pieces of clothing from the twentieth century. Note that the dress was only worn in the one scene. Regardless of its short air time, it defined Hepburn's chic and elegant style.
Givenchy also designed much of Hepburn's personal wardrobe. In her casual wear, she made use of several key pieces like white button-up shirts, skinny cut pants, fitted skirts and suits, and, of course, little black dresses. She often paired these pieces with kitten heels or ballet flats. And in terms of accessorizing, she knew the effortless drama a scarf, set of pearls, or pair of black, elbow-length gloves could add to any ensemble. If attempting to emulate Hepburn, adopt the motto “Less is more.”
Hepburn once said about herself, “I never thought I'd land in pictures with a face like mine.” Nowadays, it's hard to imagine how she couldn't have gained such colossal fame with her classic, one-of-a-kind looks.
Voice
By Jasmine White
QuailBellMagazine.com
 All references to Sega Genesis and Mortal Kombat 3 belong their respective companies. Image of MK3 is a shot taken by me. I am a murderer. My weapons of choice are twin blades, but I have experience with a wide range of lethal objects, including warhammers, hidden retractable knives, and whips. I do not discriminate against age, sex, or species. Men, women, and yes, children expire on my blade equally. I watch my blade release my enemy or victim into whatever afterlife they believe exists. And yet I had to learn how kill. I began my training in the art of death fifteen years ago at the innocent age of four. My parents bought Sega Genesis.
Party Animals
By Julie DiNisio
QuailBellMagazine.com
Despite the fact that the balloon animal and the art of its formation has been a favorite trick of clowns and children's entertainers alike, no one is entirely from whom the idea originated. It has been alleged that Herman Bonnert pioneered balloon modeling at a magicians' convention in 1939. Others presume that Henry J. Maar, famous clown known as the “Sultan of Balloons” was the originator. While either man – in addition to others - could be, Maar obtained far more fame for his tricks.
In the 1930s, Maar was a vaudeville magician. The story goes that during an act, his props were stolen, and he was forced to rely on balloons to entertain his crowd. So he invented balloon modeling on the spot. The audience and his agents were crazy about it, and the rest is history. He went on to make his living by incorporating balloon animals into his clown act, even making appearances on a 1960 TV show called “Bozo's Circus.”
Perhaps Maar could be viewed as a somewhat ridiculous character, considering his occupation. But let's not forget that he made a successful career off of balloon modeling, especially noteworthy since balloon animals are still being used today to entertain crowds of all ages.
Illustrations by Laura Bramble
A Good Pair
By Sean O'Hara and Jeff Ocampo of Wide EyesQuailBellMagazine.com
Somewhere between the summer of 1908 and the winter of 1910 there is a man hunting in the woods. He is hunting in those shale filled peaks on the Tennessee border. He lines up a shot on his prey and his overalls rip, causing him to miss his shot. He curses the stitch, the tailor, and the general store clerk who sold him the pants. He looks down at his pointer dog Carolina Bill and sighs. Bill continues pointing. It hits Landon Clayton King ( L.C. to everyone but his minister) that making a pair of pants canʼt be nearly as difficult as raising a champion pointer dog. He sets up shop in Bristol with his Pointer Brand and erects the L.C. King factory. About a hundred years later, that same idea of making a better pair of pants strikes a girl in Georgia. She quits her job and sets out to make it happen. Her name is Ashley James. She sets up shop in that same factory or at least the way I like to imagine it without the facts. It has a nice a symmetry.
We left before the dawn. After five and a half hours of driving and a couple stops for coffee and cigarettes, we pull off State street and onto 7th. Ashley James is hard to miss. She is leaning against that hundred year old brick, rolled up khaki overalls, dark wash denim jacket, and a slick billed Nets cap. If you have never been to Bristol, Tennessee, let me assure you that no one dresses like that there. We park across from the factory. Two stories of tan brick, large paneled windows that can be propped open and the raised letters of L.C. King. The entrance to the office that looks like it was last updated in the 1960ʼs. We spend a few minutes talking with Ashley outside before we head in. It is exactly as I imagined it would be. The walls are covered in wood paneling and the desks piled with papers. Ashley talks with the two receptionists as Jeff and I examine the walls. We look through framed posters of the brand logo, a framed pair of childrenʼs overalls that has been worn by every generation of the Kings, and a certified document showing the lineage of Carolina Bill and his pedigree. The receptionists welcome us in an accent that says they were born and raised in the Tennessee woods. They speak to us with big smiles and are uncommonly sweet. They ask Ashley how the overalls are working. She turns her foot to show her pants and says they are fine, with a smile. We walk through the door into the first level of the warehouse. Ashley points out what different machines are used for. There isnʼt much light beyond a few flickering fluorescents and the light from the second level. I am reminded of being much younger and playing in the empty offices and cubicles in the downsized administration building of a power plant that my father worked at. We follow Ashley upstairs to the “floor.” There are various types of sewing machines. Some are as old as the factory and some look brand new. There are wires that look like veins from the machines to the ceiling and to the rows of lights above our heads. The machines outnumber the people by probably four to one. It makes it seem like most people are on vacation or that we are visiting in off hours. We follow Ashley to the main room. People wave and nod and everyone seems to ask how those overalls are working. She has that same gracious response. We stop and talk with one woman sewing aprons. Mary has worked here for thirty years and is instrumental in helping Ashley manufacture Ruell and Ray.
The Social Butterfly: Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art By QB Social Butterfly
QuailBellMagazine.com It can be odd to live in a place where people come to vacation. Virginia Beach, Virginia is just one of those places in Virginia. After enjoying the Boardwalk or one of the many fine restaurants in the area, how about stopping by the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art and seeing what they have in store:
Currently on exhibit through August 19:
Andy Warhol: Portraits
ANDYlab
Fifteen Square Inches of Fame
I Like Soup
Rashidi Barrett
Friday, July 20: 6:00 to 8:30 pm
Studio 5 1/2 Family Dance Party
Children 2 and up $10, members $7
Parents get in free, additional adult guests $5
Monday July 23, 30, August 6, 13:
Extended Warhol Hours
Tuesday, July 24: 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Warhol Dinner Date Nights
Zoe's Steak and Seafood Restaurant
Eat at Zoe's and get tickets to see VMOCA's Warhol exhibit for free, good through the end of the exhibit run on August 19th
Thursday, July 26: 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
POP the Question - MOCA Trivia Night
Start the evening with a Curator's Tour of Andy Warhol's Portraits and begin pop culture trivia at 8 pm.
$5 for members, $7 for non-members, cash bar
Tuesday, July 31: 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Warhol Dinner Date Nights
Croc's Bistro
Friday, August 3: 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Family Conversation Tours
Highlights Andy Warhol: Portraits
Members get in free, $10 for adults, $7 for students, children 4 and under - free
Saturday, August 4: 1:00 to 2:00 pm
Adult Conversation Tours
Highlights Andy Warhol: Portraits
Members get in free, $10 for adults, $7 for students
Tuesday, August 7: 6:00 to 9:00 pm
Warhol Dinner Date Nights
Cavalier Golf & Yacht Club OR Cobalt Grille
Thursday, August 9: 5:30 to 8:30 pm
Women + Pop: Lecture and Film Screening
Seductive Subversion: Women Pop Artists film screening with an introductory lecture by art historian Dr. Linda McGreevy
Free with admission to museum, members free - also, students, teachers and professors free for this event, $10 for adults, $7 seniors
Tuesday, August 14: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Warhol Dinner Date Nights
Burton's Grille
Friday, August 16: 10:00 to 11:00 am
Pre-K Art Days
Hands on activities and creative movement exercise. Ages 3 to 5. Pre register online
Sunday, August 19: 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Warhol Family Fest
Last chance to explore Andy Warhol: Portraits on closing day. Enjoy hands on activities and learn about Warhol and his art. This event will feature a food drive to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia, so bring your canned goods.
Event is free.
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