DECEMBER EDITORIAL

The final month of 2011 has arrived and holidays are beckoning us to eat and imbibe, often to excess and to spend time with family and friends. This month’s issue is a good summation of the first three months of Tuck’s publication as well as my original creative intent: to highlight and display work from around the world that is original and thought provoking.

Poetry for December is a bit of a mosaic metaphorically speaking, somewhat philosophical and at times a bit cheeky.

Short stories this month will make you laugh, cry and consider, such is the breadth of human experience explored by some damn fine story tellers.

Our featured photographer for December is Eleanor Bennett and you will be blown away by her ability to reveal what lies beneath the surface of what she sees through her lens. This young woman is special and I am honoured to share her work on these pages.  Remember her name, she is destined for some serious achievement in the arts.

We have gone without an interview this month intentionally. I had arranged to do Seven Questions with a wonderful editor and poet Elizabeth Myrh but time constraints and the moving of house made this impossible. However, we will resume the interviews in January. Of course, the video feature on the magazine is always tied to the interview but this month I’m giving you a special treat and his name I Douglas W. Elton. I specifically chose to display his work because it has been a very long while since any poet has moved me so deeply. He is young, dynamic and multi talented. When you’ve finished viewing his brilliance, please take a trip to his youtube channel and be prepared to have your spirit affected.

Beginning in the January 2012 issue of Tuck we will debut a new regular feature: Book Reviews. Don’t expect the run-of-the-mill dissection and analysis though. The books discussed here will be different, many from indie presses and yes, dare I say it, self published Ebooks. Why?  Because there is a tumult right now within the publishing industry and the primary source of this upheaval is the liberation the internet has afforded many writers who felt left out of traditional publishing. The opportunity for writers to take control of their art has created a vital and growing sub culture of  talented creators who are increasing the options for you, the reader. My hope of course, is to make a small contribution to removing the taint that has damaged the credibility of self publication. It is not the vanity horror it was and the books that will be reviewed here will prove that art stands on it’s own merit, no matter the method of delivery to the reader.

Until 2012, Happy Hanukkah,  Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Christmas and for those not of a religious bent, Happy Holidays. See you in the new year!

Val B. Russell