Many poets and writers like to classify their work in terms of periods or stages in their lives such as adolescence or old ages. Others like to sort out their poems and fiction in terms of themes. There could be a hundred and one classifications for works of art. This book divides the poems into 2 sections: poems written during the day and those that were written after midnight. The classification is meant to be intriguing as it sheds many spotlights on the internal conflicts that poets face during the day and express them right after; or rather keep the feelings inside until they are released late at night. At the beginning, I considered calling the book Fighting with Aphrodite all day, Dancing with the Muse all Night but I found out that Aphrodite was nothing but many learning experiences that lead to the maturity of writing. Then, I decided to change the title of the book to highlight not the struggle but the reward: the eternal dance with the Muse.

The Muse Only Wakes After Midnight; A Collection of Stories Written While You Slept contains six short stories compiled over the last five years. They come at you from all directions, from the tale of a fleeing survivor of the World Trade Center attack to the life of a young man who left his home to accompany Jesus and his disciples during their trek into history in Jerusalem. In between, there is the story of a first car and another about a first job as a real cowboy in West Texas. There is one about the JFK assassination in Dallas and a humorous look at a young Connecticut scientist's experience living in an East Texas town. The title of the collection comes from the author's habit of retiring early, sleeping until the early morning hours and rising at one or two o'clock to write and complete research while others sleep. Most distractions are absent at that hour, particularly the telephone.

After Midnight the Shark Bites A voice intrudes the darkness spites With every thought death confirming it's there Denied in this moment but a presence now shared In the early morning hours a raw voice woke up inside me At its own pace, and delivering in paired lines, it forced itself onto the page The words it spoke inside my head, as couplets, came alive and danced To a music, only the early morning hours could play

Tea with the Midnight Muse is a collection of poems, rants & prayers written over the span of twenty years to Shiloh Sophia's global community as 'Red Thread Letters.' She considers these writings 'medicine for the soul' as she speaks from her own experience as well as the story of the collective feminine. "This work is an invitation to take a deep dive into the uncharted territory of the Muse as an access point to your own creative fire. Here you discover the sweetness where suffering and joy meet, and ask one another to dance in the mystery". Part One features over 55 inspirational invocations followed by creative practices which each include inquiries, teachings, and mini-guided journeys. You are led across an alchemical bridge into a secret room of your own. Here you may encounter your own Muse and see what wants to be revealed. The content is designed to awaken and catalyze the reader to choose themselves, their lives, their own creative soul and dive in to what's possible. Part Two features another series of writings, a personal encounter with Shiloh Sophia's wild-hearted Muse who lures her with peanut butter, chocolate and leopard print lingerie, as well as introduces you to the characters in her life, both the dark and light figures which have shaped her into who she is. This is a call to transcend the old stories and patterns and step into a new framework. "The Muse shows us what we did not see only moments before, that which is peeking out just behind the veil of consciousness and beckons us to the unknown." So get a cup of tea, light a candle, a journal and some colored pens and let's dive in to Tea with the Midnight Muse. You never know what might be revealed. Proceed with caution, contents may have shifted during flight....

Sally Banes has been a preeminent critic and scholar of American contemporary dance, and Before, Between, Beyond spans more than thirty years of her prolific work. Beginning with her first published review and including previously unpublished papers, this collection presents some of her finest works on dance and other artistic forms. It concludes with her most recent research on Geroge Balanchine's dancing elephants. In each piece, Banes's detailed eye and sensual prose strike a rare balance between description, context, and opinion, delineating the American artistic scene with remarkable grace. With contextualizing essays by dance scholars Andrea Harris, Joan Acocella, and Lynn Garafola, this is a compelling, insightful indispensable summation of Banes's critical career.

Dear Diary, A prank at Ever After High went royally wrong and turned the school into a spelltacular mess. When I tried to help, I ended up making everything worse! Now Headmaster Grimm thinks I was in on it with Kitty Cheshire, Lizzie Hearts, and Faybelle Thorn, and we're all on castle clean up duty! As punishment for the prank, the most enchanting dance of the year has been canceled, and fables are spreading that it's all my fault. But maybe I can still save the day-and the dance-if we fix up the school in time! Let's just hope we can finally see crown to crown... Charm you later, Apple White © 2017 Mattel. All Rights Reserved.

To him, age doesn’t matter. But she thinks a man his age can’t possibly be interested in an older woman. After six years as a widow, romance writer Remi Carrington starts a new chapter by moving to Texas. Living near friends brings new joy, and her dating life has never been more exciting. Everything seems perfect until she finds herself attracted to her much-younger friend and muse. Art Perales has carried a flame for Remi since the first day they met. Frequent phone calls and long conversations over margaritas fuel his hope even though she’s dating other men. Then she lets down her guard, and he sees a spark. Risking the friendship, he tells her how he feels, and for a few seconds, a happily-ever-after seems possible … until she runs out of her own apartment, leaving her margarita and Art behind. By telling Art the truth, Remi risks getting her heart trampled. But saying nothing guarantees losing him.