Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Zelda Reville

Our biggest tragedy
was that
our love,
no matter
how much
there was of it
could never
draw you out
from a fatal attraction
to the depths
of your ferocious hunger
for love itself.

Zelda Reville, Excerpt from ‘Back to Black: Tribute to Amy Winehouse,’ Darker Objects

“When I was approached by Christine for Darker Objects, I’d not been writing poetry for some time. While reading Winter’s Garden, and the drafts that came through during the editing, I was reminded again of Christine’s drive and passion in her poetry. I was also cheered by the will of the other contributors to continue fighting and to give a damn about something, despite life’s cruelty. I am touched, very proud and honoured to be included in Christine’s book. I hope that this book will inspire others to pick up their pen; to continue caring for something worthwhile inspite of. “

–Zelda Reville

Zelda Reville is a writer whose poetry has been published previously in The Wire’s Dream and No Extra Words. Their writing is centered around explorations of fleeting beauty and the subconscious.

Now Available from Indie Blu(e) Publishing: Darker Objects by Christine E. Ray and Friends

“In this ambitious multi-genre, multi-vocal project, Christine E. Ray and Friends weave together poems, essays and visual artwork that speak of grief, rage, memories, hauntings and dreamscapes. These works, as both singular poems and extended collaborations, tell compelling stories, almost like sharing secrets, all with deftly drawn imagery. Each piece can stand on its own, but the cumulative effect is powerful, weighty and authoritative.”

—Nancy Dunlop, Hospital Poems

“… across the volume, the effect is a kind of Greek chorus in which multiple poets’ work takes on a collective voice, achieving a unique timbre possible only through this impressive collaboration. The harmony rising from the pages expands the words until they become universal, letting the reader hear the notes of their own experiences among the chords.”   

—Rachel Kobin, Greater Philadelphia Writers Workshop Studio

“These collaborative works are not cold, abstract experimental pieces. These are vast musical choral pieces, functioning as a powerful Greek chorus, resonating with grief and outrage, piercing us with raw emotion to spark us into action to create a better place for ourselves and our children…”

—Annette Kalandros, The Gift of Mercy 

From Darker Objects:

“the iron in

the blood

that travels

twisty veins and

arteries

in an endless

roller coaster loop

sometimes gentle

but often fierce

crashing

roaring

in ear drums

that rupture

bleed

composition of

a woman”

-Christine E. Ray, ‘Composition of a Woman”

“Seventeen blossoms

seventeen blinks of an eye

seventeen bullets in the body of spring

and those left behind”

-Basiliké Pappa, ‘We Cannot Look Away: Not another seventeen, not another One’

“In a room so still

I hear echoes of a former life

I hear the twisting and creaking

of this thread I hang from

Knotted and frayed it

binds my heart

in pieces that have shattered

So many times they no longer

fit together

and their edges are so razor sharp

They cut me to ribbons

to remember what I once was”

-Eric Syrdal, ‘A Room So Still and Silent It Hurts: A Collaboration of Warriors’

“Because #MeToo, Motherfuckers

I’ve been abused

Been paid less cash

Called a Radical Cunt a

Bleeding Heart Liberal and

Put in my place—

Not my place, but theirs”

-Kindra M. Austin, ‘Feminism is my Realism’

“you must be fucking new here

if you mistake

the penning

of my soul

upon the page

as a request

for literary critique.”

Marcia J. Weber, ‘Are You Fucking New Here?’

Christine E. Ray places her original poetry and prose alongside the fierce words and artwork of 44 talented international collaborators in her latest offering, Darker Objects. 

Poignant Poetic solos, duets, and provocative political anthems are possessed with evocative titles illustrating their focus, including; ‘American Gothic’, ‘Ghosted’, ‘Nocturnes’, ‘Viral’ ‘Rooms so Still, So Silent’, ‘Tongue-Tied’, ‘Tenterhooks’, ‘Rage Against the Machine’, and ‘Feminist Manifesto’. These lightening threads of passion, rage, love, and grief are the dark, irresistible heart of Darker Objects.

Collaborators include creatives from around the globe with a multitude of talent: Kindra M. Austin, Kim D. Bailey, Elijah R. Carney, Jharna Choudhury, Ward Clever, Susan M. Conway, crystal x, Candice Louisa Daquin, Lynn Devora-McNabb, Sarah Doughty, OldePunk, Michael Erickson, Rachel Finch, Devereaux Frazier, Stephen Fuller, Nicholas Gagnier, Georgiana Grentzenberg, Iulia Halatz, Saide Harb-Ranero, Quatrina Hosain, Rachael Z. Ikins, Sun Hesper Jansen, Rana Kelly, Erin L. King, Mandy Kocsis, Aakriti Kuntal, John W. Leys, Lois Linkens, Nicole Lyons, Jamie Lynn Martin, Devika Mathur, Nathan McCool, S.K. Nicholas, Dom Wynette, Jack Neece, Allister Nelson, Jesica Nodarse, Basiliké Pappa, Zelda Raville, Kristiana Reed, Megha Sood, Eric Syrdal, Marcia J. Weber, Robert Wertzler, and Laurie Wise

How to Purchase Darker Objects 
Darker Objects is available for wholesale purchase through the Ingram Group. Darker Objects is also available for retail purchase through:

Amazon.com (United States)

Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom)

Amazon.ca (Canada):

Amazon.com.au (Australia):

Amazon.de (Germany):

Amazon.it (Italy):

Amazon.fr (France):

Amazon.nl (Netherlands):

Amazon.in (India): Kindle Only

Amazon.co.jp (Japan)

Amazon.es (Spain)

Amazon.com.mx (Mexico)

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

 
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-951724-23-8              

Hardback ISBN: 978-1-951724-24-5                             

eBook ISBN: 978-1-951724-25-2                         


Keywords: poetry; original artwork; prose, rage; grief; passion; feminism

CONTACT Christine E. Ray, Editor-in-Chief, indieblucollective@gmail.com

ABOUT INDIE BLU(E) PUBLISHING
Indie Blu(e) Publishing is a progressive, feminist micro-press, committed to producing honest and thought-provoking works. Our anthologies are meant to celebrate diversity, raise awareness, and embolden our sisters and brothers to speak their truths. The editors all passionately advocate for human rights; mental health awareness; chronic illness awareness; sexual abuse survivors; and LGBTQ+ equality. It is our mission, and a great honor, to provide platforms for those voices that are stifled, and stigmatized.

Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Jack Neece

Don’t tell me about choice being wrong. I am a choice no one made. A ball dropped that no one caught. I am witness to what happens when no one cares. Stand behind your pulpit and up on your goddamn soap box and tell a soldier that was in the trench of state childcare what the options are. No one came for us. No one cuddled us on couches while they flipped through picture books with our faces in them. No one saved the smiles from the children as they slid off of their faces and hit the dirt.

Jack Neece, Excerpt from ‘The Color of Our Rights: A Reproductive Rights Collaboration,’ Darker Objects

“Every once in a while a project comes along that just might change the world. I believe this may be that project. I can’t express my overwhelming sense of honor to be involved in this project. Read. Absorb. React. . “

–Jack Neece

Jack Neece is a passionate woman who wishes to open eyes as well as hearts. Her writing has always been the salve that heals the wounds of her past. She hopes the same experience is had by those that read her work. Throughout her life Jack experienced a lot of trauma and uses this as a platform to reach out to others. Through her work and with her voice she is doing what she can to make the world a better place. Read more of Jack’s writing at Letters from a Twisted Mind.

Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Devereaux Frazier

Even though I should
Because I am ashamed
At the bullets that rain
At the bullet point pain
Etched in their faces, rivulets in their eyes
They were just children, stolen from their time
Not forgotten in these lines
But to their parents and loved ones
It’s a void they’ll never fill, and it shouldn’t
Lives shredded and ruined
17 times we’ve gotten the chance to do better
and for the 18th, we blew it

Devereaux Frazier, Excerpt from ‘We Cannot Look Away: Not another seventeen, not another One,’ Darker Objects

“I write to connect with the known and unknown. The darkness that abounds in all of us is both intimidating and necessary. It is the simultaneous creation, destruction, and discovery of our beliefs and values that creates the artful human the world desperately needs to thrive. “

–Devereaux Frazier

Devereaux Frazier is a published poet and writer, contributor to Blood Into Ink, Guest Barista for Go Dog Go Cafe. His work has also been featured on SpillWords.com, where he was nominated for the May Publication of the Month in 2017. You can also find him published in Literary Arts Review and Teen Ink, the latter of which published his work in their monthly magazine in 2016. You can read more of Devereaux’s writing on Instagram: @dfrazier_0.

Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Eric Syrdal

In a room so still

I hear echoes of a former life

I hear the twisting and creaking

of this thread I hang from

Knotted and frayed it

binds my heart

in pieces that have shattered

So many times they no longer

fit together

and their edges are so razor sharp

They cut me to ribbons

to remember what I once was


Eric Syrdal, Excerpt from ‘A Room So Still and Silent It Hurts: A Collaboration of Warriors,’ Darker Objects

“I’m glad to be part of this publication. It was great working with all these brilliant poets i have met over the years. The power we created with our collaborative efforts was beautiful to behold. I treasure each one of my pieces expressed among the shared voices of my peers.”

-Eric Syrdal

Eric Syrdal is a poet and author of the novel Pantheon. He’s an avid gamer and Sci-Fi enthusiast. He enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy literature and spends a great deal of his writing time focused in those genres. He is a romantic at heart. His work usually contains elements of the supernatural and fantastic along with potent female voices and archetypes. You can read more of Eric’s writing on Instagram: @esyrdal.