Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?
I recently signed up to write on Substack as well. Poking the Bear’s Belly for Fun is a place of healing as I speak about the most recent events with my place of employment as it pertains to racism and discrimination. I welcome your visit.
This will probably be my favorite segment on my blog in a very long time! Welcome to Opening Lyrics to Songs That I Love!
100° and Rising is an album by the British acid jazz band Incognito, produced by band leader Jean-Paul “Bluey” Maunick and released in 1995 on Talkin’ Loud Records.[1] The album peaked at No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 2 on the UK R&B Albums Chart.[2] In the United States, it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and No. 29 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic hailed the album saying “On 100 Degrees and Rising, the pioneering acid house outfit, Incognito, turn in another first-rate record, featuring their trademark mixture of jazz, soul, and funk. There’s not much to distinguish 100 Degrees from their previous handful of records, but the band is smooth, accomplished, and deep, finding new variations on their trademark sound.”
Spellbound and Speechless is No. 8 on the album, and it gripped my heart, wrung it free of its blood, and washed me clean when I first heard it. Joy Malcolm is the lead singer on this track. Her voice is luring, exceptionally fluid, and memorable. The opening lyrics pulled me in and gave me pause. They make me wish for a love-at-first-sight kind of love. Here is a live rendition of the song… Joy is killing it here, too!
This is a forever JAM for me, and I hope it becomes one for you, too.
For the next five Sundays, I’ll share with you my favorite opening lyrics to songs I truly love. Maybe you’ll enjoy it. Maybe you won’t. Perhaps you’ll share favorite opening lyrics to songs you love as well. Perhaps you won’t. Either way, we’re going to have a good damn time.
See you next week!
There’s nothing quite like reading a book that makes you laugh, reflect, wonder about what it’s like to find the VERY person with whom you connect on a level no one else gets, and sink into poetic goodness, too! Intersections: Stories, Chats, Truths, and Verses, by Jack Herlocker, has all of this and more! Jack and I met on Medium (maybe 9 or 10 years ago?), where we dove right into each other’s work.
He’s always been such a cool cat who doted on his wife, shared stories about his life in the military, being married and then divorced, and married again, and also about his career in IT and as a technical writer, etc.
When I found out he had published a book by familiarizing myself with his Substack bio, I jumped at the opportunity to get it, and I was not disappointed. I knew I wouldn’t be. There’s something in this book for everyone.
The review for it on Amazon is below:
“A Quick Read That Has Lasting Effects
I had not been surprised when I beamed with elation and excitement upon the first few pages of Jack’s book. It’s classic Jack with a bit of humor, sadness, truth, and peace sprinkled throughout each page.
You’ll laugh out loud (I did so many times) from the section, “Chats with Deb”, be inspired by his short fiction, moved by his poetry, and locked in while reading the creative non-fiction. Jack is, as God would have it, a Jack of All Trades.
He doesn’t skimp on creativity, metaphorical blends, easy-to-digest scenarios, and entertainment. Reading this book made me remember how much I loved interacting with his work on Medium, and now, I get to do so again on Substack.
If you’re looking for a fun-filled quick read that will put you in a good mood, “Intersections” is truly the book you’ll want to get. It did not disappoint, and I knew it would not.”
For light-hearted reading with a splash of humor and reflection, this is the book for you. I know one day soon, I will pick it up again, and I’m certain I’ll find something new upon the next reading of it. It’s the kind of book one would never tire of reading, especially during these God-forsaken times in which we currently live.
I definitely DID NOT expect this, but I am honored and humbled by the fact that my submission of lady in purple (at 05:10 AM) is the winning poem for June. Many thanks to Melissa Lemay and the judge, Lesley Scoble as well. I am including the audio for the poem in this post, and I will also share a snippet of the poem with you here.
If you’d like to see the poem in all its glory and structure, please visit Collaborature, which is where it is hosted. I appreciate your time, mind, and eyes, and I hope Tuesday is more than kind to each of you.
Peace and blessings.
A Cornered Gurl 
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