April 27, 2020 by Scott William Foley

Visit Monica Estabrook’s Virtual Exhibition “mother•land”

I hope you will take a moment to visit Monica Estabrook’s virtual exhibition entitled “mother•land” by clicking HERE.

Monica Estabrook is an art teacher at Bloomington High School. I’ve known her as a coworker and friend for several years and appreciate her unyielding passion to create art even as she excels at teaching and raising children.

Many weeks ago, Monica invited my Creative Writing students to participate in an art show (“mother•land”) she had scheduled to appear at Heartland Community College. My students were both very excited by the prospect and also genuinely touched that Monica would share the spotlight with them. If you know Monica, however, this generosity would come as no surprise.

The plan was for my students to recite their poems on the opening night of Monica’s exhibition.

As you have probably guessed, the Covid-19 pandemic changed everything. However, the artistic spirit cannot be stopped, nor should it. Monica and Danell Dvorak, the HCC Art Gallery Coordinator, quickly developed a “plan b.”

When you visit the link, you’ll be able to view each of Monica’s photographs individually, and you’ll also be able to view a “walk-through” video as well. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find both text and audio versions of my students’ poems. They were tasked with recording themselves reading their poetry and submitting those audio files to Monica. Due to various circumstances, not all were able to participate, but those poems available are magnificent.

The pandemic has caused great tragedies, bitter disappointments, and mild inconveniences. I can only imagine how upsetting it must be to have an exhibition overshadowed and drastically altered due to the outbreak. But, if you know Monica, you won’t be shocked to learn that she took it all in stride, overcame the difficulties, and even found a new, creative way for her art and my students’ poems to shine.

Show this indomitable spirit your appreciation and visit her art show at this link: https://www.heartland.edu/artGallery/motherlandExhibit%20.html

OtherPieces

July 7, 2014 by Scott William Foley

Whitman Illuminated: Song of Myself Illustrated by Allen Crawford – A Book Review

I firmly believe the publishing world must always adapt, evolve, and break new ground. This book does just that. Yes, it is Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself, unaltered and unabridged. However, Allen Crawford blended art and text to create something entirely new, all while still honoring the original poem. Each page progresses the poem and integrates it with art. At times, the text is virtually unreadable because it twists and turns, but it always serves a purpose, it always works in tandem with the illustration.

This book is like a riddle in that you must reposition it in order to read every page, you must study the illustration on each page to decipher its relevance to the text; in short, you must pause and ponder. That’s not a bad thing.

If you only want a copy of Song of Myself, this book probably isn’t for you. Like I said, it is at times virtually unreadable. Rest assured you can find thousands of versions of the original poem in bookstores, online, or in any English textbook beginning at the seventh grade level.

But, if you appreciate Song of Myself and want to see it in a new light, this book will delight. If you desire to see something a little different from the publishing industry, this is a superb example. If you love art, text, and any combination of the two, this book is for you.

Or maybe you just want to see an item that exemplifies blood, sweat, and tears, and you want to reward the creator’s hard work by saying, “You did something unique, honorable, and interesting. I want to support your efforts by purchasing the book.”

Whatever the case may be, if you fall into any of the previous categories, I truly think you’ll enjoy this book.

July 11, 2010 by Scott William Foley

Join Me For a Reading At TheatresCool

It is my honor to be a special guest of TheatresCool this coming Tuesday night. I’ve been invited to headline RE: VERSE, an open mic night held every second Tuesday of the month. I’ll read a selection from my latest novel, Andropia, field questions for a few minutes, and then the stage will open up to those who’d like to share their poetry and writings as well. Following the participants’ readings, I’ll be back on stage to sign and sell copies of Andropia.

Information

When: Tuesday, July 13, at 7:00 p.m.

Where: TheatresCool, 403 N. Main Street, Bloomington, IL

Price of Books: $13

I hope to see you there!

Here’s a link to TheatresCool if you’d like to know more:

http://www.theatrescool.com/

Can’t make it? You can still get your signed copy of Andropia by following this link:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=KYL4N7D8D4XHG

And if you’d like to know what people are saying about Andropia, check out this wonderful review written by Dr. Jane Thomas:

“Andropia, Scott William Foley’s intriguing novel reminiscent of utopian and distopian fiction, presents a number of big questions. What does it mean to be alive? What constitutes humanity? Should we question authority, and if so, why? What is our purpose in life? Does futility mock all endeavors? This slim book rivets attention from the first page, making it nearly impossible to put down until the last word is read. Foley also incorporates many historical and literary references into his story, and though a reader doesn’t need to know these references to enjoy the book, they enrich the writing by evoking concepts that further add to the significance of his science fiction thesis.

“The story consists of two parts, the first, a novel that includes the questions mentioned above and populated with a number of engaging characters. The second part consists of eight stories, seven of which are backstories to the novel. Although the novel and the stories can each stand alone, taken together, they extend the questions and provide a deep dive into the complexity of existence.

“Among the many attractive characters are Isaac and Amelia, the two heroes of the novel. Readers will identify with these characters, eagerly follow their activities, and when the final questions are answered, will realize that everything we know and everything we believe will be turned upside down. Parts of the story I still can’t get out of my thoughts, and the more I think about it, the more questions arise. Andropia is in some ways subversive, in many ways disturbing, and in all ways a thoroughly good read!”

Thanks for your time and consideration!

Respectfully,

Scott William Foley

December 4, 2009 by Scott William Foley

RE: VERSE STRIKES AGAIN!

Dear Educators, Librarians, Writers, and Poets,

Downtown Bloomington’s TheatresCool is excited to again present RE: VERSE, a night of poetry reading and performance. All ages are welcome to attend this open mic event, and anyone fourteen or older is encouraged to perform an original poem or dramatic reading. We’d like to keep this a monthly event, so please help it continue!

This month’s RE: VERSE will be on December 8^thfrom 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. It’s a free event, but $5 donations are greatly appreciated.

Know a poet who would love to take part? Forward this message to him or her! We are thankful for any help you can provide in facilitating the love of art. This rare venue is such a great opportunity for our artists, let’s not squander it!

Here’s a link to the location and its address:

http://www.theatrescool.com/
403 N. Main Street
Bloomington, IL

Questions? Feel free to get in touch and I’ll answer them.

Sincerely,
Scott William Foley

October 22, 2009 by Scott William Foley

All-Ages Open Mic Night Needs Poets and Performers

Dear Educators, Librarians, Writers, and Poets,

Downtown Bloomington’s TheatresCool is excited to present RE: VERSE, a night of poetry reading and performance. All ages are welcome to attend this open mic event, and anyone fourteen or older is encouraged to perform an original poem or dramatic reading. We’d like to make this a monthly event, so please help make the inaugural session a raving success!

RE: VERSE will begin November 10th and occur the second Tuesday of every month from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. It’s a free event, but $5 donations are greatly appreciated.

Know a poet who would love to take part? Forward this email on to him or her! Do you have a space where poets and performers frequent? Print off the attached poster and put it up! We are thankful for any help you can provide in facilitating the love of art. This rare venue is such a great opportunity for our artists, let’s not squander it!