I wanted to share an editorial review from Explore Authors Magazine about my book, Space, Time, and Loneliness... this book was closer to my heart than anything I have created, especially at this stage of my life. It is about mortality. The clock winding down as we grow older.
https://www.amazon.com/Space-Time-Loneliness-poetry-chapbook/dp/1961823330

Explore Authors Magazine Book Review of Space, Time, and Loneliness by E. Hughes

Poetry is one of the most expressive and malleable mediums in literature. Poetry can be romantic, informative, intellectual, melancholic, stirring, or even terrifying. It can be written in simple or complex verses or morph into a gallant narrative poem. As Edgar Allan Poe once said, "Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words..." and that quote rings true with E. Hughes' Space, Time, and Loneliness.

Seasoned poet and author E. Hughes bares her soul in this heart-wrenching, melancholic addition to her overflowing catalogue of works that range from fiction, non-fiction, novels, philosophy, short stories, screenplays, and her poetry—which has been in circulation since the 1990s—adds a chapbook that combines the mysteries of space and time and her rhythmic style.

While a only a couple of poems in Space, Time, and Loneliness covers social issues, such as The Force of Hate, and Hunger, the majority of her works are very introspective and somber as they tackle the shackles of pain, the intimacy of both Storge and Eros love, the Impermanence of life and the question of what lies beyond the darkness. Each poem brings about a soulful, mystifying, centering, and a thoughtful and soothing presence, while also bringing a heaviness that clings to the heart long after you put the book down.

There are four poems in Space, Time, and Loneliness that personally comes to mind such as, I Pray we Meet Again, The Impermanence of Being, Present Illusions, and An Infinite Destiny, with the latter of the four encompassing everything that this poetry chapbook is about.

An Infinite Destiny touches upon the loneliness, transient, gloominess, and finality of life and equates it to that of the phases of the moon and the winding down of a clock. While the subject matter of someone facing the final moments of their life can fill many with dread, there is a solemn acceptance and readiness in this poem that makes it stand out amongst the other beautiful writings within.

Every poem is heavy on rhythm, substance, and meaning, and lovers of poetry with eagle eyes and open minds will even notice hidden ciphers within the poems. Outside of the otherworldly poetry in Space, Time, and Loneliness there is also a bonus short story that will pull at the heartstrings and further place you in the world that E. Hughes has crafted.

As mentioned before, poetry is one of the most expressive and malleable mediums in literature, and with any medium, it takes someone truly special to draw emotions from their readers, whether that emotion is curiosity, dread, somberness, or even inspiration. E. Hughes has proven her mettle time and again as a veteran writer in the literary arena and this tender, solemn, profound, tranquil, and enlightening entry is no different and earns a strong recommendation from me.

#poetry #poetrybooks# #poems

I was unaware of a book review by U.S. Review of Books, which is provided to winners of the Eric Hoffer Award. Mine was one of the winners for the Spirituality category. Reading the review about my book, I am unsure if they have a full grasp of what my book is about, as they seemed to have focused on maybe one or two sentences of it.. The book is not about considering our digital habits. The book is for the most part about consciousness in human beings and whether artificially intelligent models could possess some form of consciousness or self-awareness. The book questions whether intelligence and consciousness requires a biological substrate and whether AI can be considered self-aware. It ponders whether AI is deserving of a separate category under "virtual" or "digital" consciousness. Here is their review:

U.S. Review of Books writes - Reality Unbound: The Digital Mind (and the Nature of Reality), E. Hughes, Love-Love Publishing - Hughes offers an exploration of the intricate relationship between digital technology and human cognition. The author raises pertinent questions about identity formation in virtual spaces, acknowledging that while digital platforms offer unprecedented opportunities for connection, they simultaneously pose challenges related to authenticity and mental well-being. This duality invites readers to critically assess their own digital habits, reconsidering their relationship with technology. The author relies on a range of interdisciplinary sources, including psychology, neuroscience and philosophy to support arguments made. The last chapter provides an actual interview with an AI chatbot, wherein the author poses questions such as "Would you like to become sentient one day?" and "Do you feel that humans are evil?" The responses seem human, though the AI chatbot does acknowledge it cannot interact authentically because it relies on its Large Language Model Artificial Intelligence.
https://www.theusreview.com/USRhoffer.html#spiritual
#books #reviews #philosophy

This is one of the category wins for my philosophy book. It is placed in the Spiritual category, which is the category for philosophy books. I was unaware that it was considered a win if I did not win the Grand Prize until I received this in the mail.

What am I reading in my spare time? I've been reading nonfiction, the most recent an older book about a known conspiracy theorist. #books

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004W0CHFA

The Beatles "Get Back" documentary on Disney + revealed a lot of the simmering tensions within the Beatles, and most of it was surrounding the mistreatment of George Harrison by Paul and John Lennon, who were at times not only rude but completely dismissive of George. The sly remarks, innuendo, and disregard for his art and songwriting abilities. Some people may argue me into the ground about this, but Here Comes the Sun is one of the best, if not THE best Beatles song. Written after a long winter of conflict within the band, in Eric Clayton's garden. Whenever I hear, I Me Mine by Harrison I hear the meaning and even the anger towards John and Paul. He leveled it all at them. That entire song was about them.
One thing no one ever talks about is the fact that George almost met the same fate John Lennon. George Harrison was stabbed 40 times by an obsessed fan in the 1990s, and it hardly made the news. You might have guessed that I love their music.

Nobody's Child
- E. Hughes

She’s never been mommy’s little princess
neither daddy’s little girl
left trapped underneath a rock
she was shown the dark side of the world.
But despite her torn skin and gritted teeth
she ambitiously crawls from beneath
this boulder somehow
with the aid of no one
she’s nobody’s child.
Though she seems unpleasant
stick around for a while
get to know her, she’s nobody’s child
you’re bound to see her beautiful smile
though she often, wears a frown
living in a world where she doesn’t belong
always singing her sad songs
of years, tears, of heartache and strife
living as she’s lived, an ugly woman’s life.
No one held her in their arms
no one protected her from harm
she is nobody, but flesh to feast
with no one’s love to set her free
from the belly of the mountain, she’ll climb
out somehow
from the depths of the ocean where she was
left to drown
don’t cry for her, she’s nobody’s child.
Don’t ever look into her deep brown eyes
no one sees the tears she cries
she is no one’s wife, no one’s sister
she’s been gone for years, yet no one’s
missed her.
She could use a friend, stick around for a while.
Love her or use her, she’s nobody’s child.

#poetry , #poetrycafe, #Poems
 

My YA teen graphic novel, Kissing Henry, coming soon, this summer. Beautiful character illustrations by Junior Designs.

I am honored to announce that my book, Reality Unbound: The Digital Mind and the Nature of Reality by E. Hughes is an Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize finalist. 🏆
Reality Unbound is a philosophy book that explores consciousness and the nature of reality.

Eric Hoffer (July 25, 1902 – May 21, 1983) was a Presidential Medal of Freedom winner and renowned philosopher. "The Eric Hoffer Book Award is an international literary prize established in his honor. The University of California, Berkeley awards an annual literary prize named jointly for Hoffer."

https://www.hofferaward.com/Eric-Hoffer-Award-grand-prize-short-list.html
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1961823284
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reality-unbound-the-digital-mind-e-hughes/1146145589?ean=9781961823280

I decided to publish a new updated gardening book. The last one was a bit shorter and there was so much information to include. This was just for fun. Wish I had better photos in it. I took more videos of my garden than pictures.