Writers read from their works,
offer advice in novelist series
By Charles Cassady
happenings
Published Oct. 13, 2004

There is a famous 19th-century definition of a novelist as somebody who transported a mirror along a road, reflecting in the looking glass all that lay along the surroundings of the journey, from brilliant sun and sky to cracks in the road and mud.

(And, we might add, in Northeast Ohio, orange construction barrels.)

The Lakewood Public Library, in association with Poets' & Writers' League of Greater Cleveland and Borders Books, began this fall to present "Night of the Living First Novelist," with a monthly lineup of illustrious guest mirror-carriers.

"First-time novelists almost always offer a pretty fresh view on all things, you know," said Lakewood resident Darlene Montonaro, director of the Poets '& Writers' League, who helped assemble the roster of visitors.

She said that first-time novelists write with less consideration for marketability and more out of passion. Furthermore, she said, while seasoned authors have (hopefully) put their years of struggle and deprivation behind them, a first-timer can best offer advice to other aspiring storytellers on how to land an agent, get that big break or hang in through the lean times.

Next Tuesday, as part of the "Night of the Living First Novelist" series, Vanessa Brantly, coming in from Atlanta, will appear at the main library auditorium at 7 p.m. to discuss and read from her debut "One Lucky Woman." It's an ironically titled novel set in Atlanta's upscale black community, featuring a reckless heroine whose mounting gambling debts embroil her with gangsters, pro athletes, tycoons and other powerful enemies.

Brantly circumvented traditional author-agent submission routes to self-publish "One Lucky Woman," on her own Wroxfair imprint. Readers who follow the book biz might remember that before "Da Vinci Code" mania, the bestseller that also spawned seminars and commentary, "The Celestine Prophecy," was also originally self-published.

"It's still a pretty controversial topic," said Montonaro, on the topic of self-publishing, and in what is becoming a standard addition to the series, guest Brantly will encore the next day at the PWLGC Literary Center (12200 Fairhill Road in Cleveland), with a workshop/seminar on the current self-publishing and publish-on-demand industry that helped bring "One Lucky Woman" out in June this summer.

There is a charge for the workshop; phone the Literary Center at 216-421-0403 or log onto www.pwlgc.com for more information.

Montonaro said the kickoff talk in the Night of the Living First Novelist series, with Robert Buckeye, author of "The Munch Case," brought a healthy crowd to the library in September. The series continues with Grant Bailie, author of "Cloud 8," who speaks on Dec. 7. Michael Hogan discusses "Man Out of Time" on Jan. 11, and Thrity Umrigar talks about her "Bombay Dreams" on Feb. 8. All locals.

"The three novelists who are all coming up in the second half of the series have all been honored by us for contributing to the Cleveland literary scene."

Montonaro said that in Michael Hogan's case, the manuscript languished on a shelf for 10 years before finally arriving in print.

"Every writer has a great story...It's a hard profession."

There is no first-novelist discussion set at the Lakewood Public Library for November, but there is an epic literary event as a library benefit. British writer Lynne Truss has enjoyed a surprise bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic with "Eats, Shoots & Leaves: A Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation" -- no novel, but a mirror held along a roadside that's found improper sentence construction and misleading punctuation to be as pernicious as potholes.

Truss will appear in person at a signing and presentation at the Beck Center on Nov. 19. Unlike the Night of the Living First Novelists, there is an admissions charge for Lynne Truss to raise funds for the library and its programs. Tickets are $35 per person; phone 216-226-8275.

In January 2002, North Ridgeville's Tom Mahall came up with the idea for a nifty makeover for the longtime family business, Mahall's 20 Lanes bowling alley on Madison Avenue. He set aside part of the place and remade it into a part-time music club.

And thus was born Rock-A-Bowl. On most every Friday and some special occasions, the place hosts some of the funkiest local bands, especially the ones who don't mind competing with the clatter of strikes, spares and gutter balls. Rockabilly, in particular, seems to thrive in the kegling environment. One of the most frequent headliners of Mahall's are the Tabloid Twangers.

The Tabloid Twangers are a high-energy quartet blending members of Hayshaker Jones and The Red Star Rangers, two of Cleveland's best-known bands in the realms of rockabilly, honkytonk and western swing.

Johnny Mac, Smitticus, Biv and Mattie Blue take their name from a routine of shouting out tidbits from supermarket tabloids during their sets, and they play both originals and covers -- the likes of The Derailers, Webb Pierce, Faron Young and Hank Williams. It's been a pretty lively year for the Twangers (including an expedition to Nashville) and recently the guys added an honorary fifth member, Big Don, to do their introductions.

There is usually a $10 cover charge to get into Mahall's on Rock-a-Bowl night, but in honor of Sweetest Day it's been adjusted to $15 per couple. The sum not only pays for your listening pleasure but also gets you (and perhaps your sweetheart) a rental on bowling shoes and time at the lanes or at the billiards table.

Mahall's 20 Lanes is located at 13200 Madison Ave., and the phone number is 216-531-3280. You can also check out Rock-a-Bowl online at www.rockabowl.com. The Twangers, meanwhile, have a site at www.tabloidtwangers.com.

Admission to the show is $25, and curtain time is 8:30 p.m.

The Winchester is honoring tickets sold for the September playdate, but owner Jim Mileti asks that you phone in advance to verify at 216-226-5681. The Winchester Tavern and Concert Club is located at 12111 Madison Ave. in Lakewood.