Five by Five—The perils of artistic ambition

By Max Bowen

What begins with a well-meant deception spirals out of control in Diane Wald’s new book, “The Bayrose Files” (Regal House, May 27). The story follows ambitious journalist Violet Maris, who is determined to write a captivating exposé on a prestigious writers’ colony in 1980s Provincetown. She even fakes her application using her friend’s short stories. Violet's promising start at the colony takes a dark turn when her friend, the true author of the stories, dies while she’s in the middle of her residency.

In this interview, Diane talks about the inspiration behind the story, developing Violet’s character and how writing this novella compares to her work in poetry.

What went into crafting this story?
“The Bayrose Files” is the result of many years of pondering how I could write about my years in Provincetown (two in an artists’ colony, and one as a motel manager) without making it autobiographical or judgmental or quaint or hackneyed. After all, the place often evokes automatic reactions from people, especially if they’ve never been there. One day it finally came to me that a completely fictional story filled with interesting characters and a touch of suspense (will the main character be able to pull off her “terrible thing?”) was the way to go. Then the fun began!

The character of Violet Maris is really interesting. How did she come to be?
Oh, Violet, how I love her, that crazy girl! I’ve always been intrigued by people who have a hard time with life challenges that other easily manage. At 26, Violet somehow hadn’t yet learned how to imagine what her actions might mean in the future for herself and others. She was focused and energized, but not contemplative. Violet possesses the unusual ability to sense when something important is about to happen through the temperature of objects she touches, but she struggles to realize what those events might be. The lessons she learns are hard.

How does the loss of Violet’s friend affect her, especially as she’s using their stories to get into this writer’s colony?
Violet and Spencer shared a very deep friendship, and his well-meaning suggestion that she pass off his stories as her own allows her to rush forward without thinking things through. His death shocks her so profoundly that she instantly spills the secret she’s kept so diligently through several months of her fellowship. The loss of her dear confidant is crushing and, in a single instant, her world of illusion disintegrates, forcing her to face several significant situations that she’d rushed recklessly into before.

What inspired the story?
In addition to what I described in my first answer regarding Provincetown, I’ve always wanted to write about the conundrum of artistic ambition. Are there any “pure” artists, really, and, if so, what makes them that way? I also wanted to explore the idea of forgiveness. Who, if anyone, will forgive Violet’s deception, and will she forgive herself?

Do you find any parallels between poetry and novel-writing?
Absolutely. First of all, you have to be true to yourself and your own style. For me, that means putting things down plainly on the page, the way they naturally come out of me. I like Emily Dickinson and Henry James, but it would be folly for me to copy their styles. What brings any kind of writing alive for me is the marriage of imagery and emotion. And I try to bring the same appreciation for language into my fiction that I do with my poetry. A beautiful sentence can be poetic and still be easy to digest.

Five by Five—New book offers a deep dive into the story of Mary Magdalene

By Max Bowen 

Just how much is known about the story behind Mary Magdalene?

It’s a question that inspired Ursula Werner to find out for herself, which led to her new book, “Magda Revealed” (She Writes Press).

In this book, “Magda leads readers through tales of miracles and murder, jealousy and acceptance, misogyny, and female empowerment. She uncovers her relationship with Jesus, clarifying centuries of speculation about whether or not they were in love.” In this interview, Werner talks about the research done and what was available, how it sheds new light on the story of Mary Magdalene and ‘sets the record straight.’

What research was done for your book and did this change the direction of the story?
I started my research by reading everything I could find – which was woefully little – on the historical Mary Magdalene. I was surprised at how sparse the historical record was, though maybe I shouldn’t have been, given that she was a woman from the first century. By contrast, there were many books written on Mary Magdalene as an icon or mythological figure, but I wanted, as much as possible, to stick to history, not myth.

I was much more successful in finding books about the historical Jesus, by which I mean Jesus of Nazareth, the man who lived on Earth from about 4-6 B.C. to 31-33 A.D. (The exact dates of his birth and death are not known.) Interestingly, all my biographies of Jesus sit on a bookshelf in my living room, right above the shelf that contains my biographies of Hitler (because my first novel was a World War II saga that featured a Führer-like character).

I also did research, mostly in academic publications, to get a better understanding of life in first century Judea. Topics included everything from Jewish marriage law to women in the synagogues to common vegetation around the Sea of Galilee.

The biggest change in direction of the story came not from my research, but from an insight I had while running in Rock Creek Park one day. (I like to mull my writing issues around in my brain while I’m running.) Out of the blue, I had the idea that provides a plot twist at the end of the novel. That plot twist definitely changed the focus of the story.

How did this change your perception of Magda?
I wouldn’t say that my perception of Magda changed much due to my research, because I knew she wasn’t a prostitute – a slander invented and perpetuated by Pope Gregory I in the 6th century. What did come across from my research was that Mary Magdalene must have been a strong woman, to leave her home and family in order to follow a penniless itinerant preacher, with a group of unknown men and women. I channeled that strength and conviction into my Magda character, and also gave her a spiritual dimension that I’m sure the real Mary Magdalene had.

My Magda’s skill in anointment came from a book I read by Professor Bruce Chilton, who wrote one of the few biographies of Mary Magdalene that exist. Professor Chilton pointed out that anointment was a common female skill in the first century, practiced by the women of every household on a daily basis. It wasn’t just a rite practiced by priests during the coronation of kings and princes. That particular insight helped me direct the focus of the story from Jesus’s healing skills to Magda’s own spiritual gifts.

What light does this shed on the story of Mary Magdalene?
My research on Mary Magdalene and Jesus made clear to me how much more important Mary Magdalene was to Jesus’s ministry than the Catholic Church has acknowledged. Not only was she not a prostitute, she was perhaps the closest disciple to Jesus among his followers. And because of that intimacy, according to the Gospel of Mary Magdalene and the Gospel of Philip, he gave her special knowledge that he did not give his other disciples. Thus, she truly was the “disciple of the disciples,” as the Catholic Church has recently, albeit very belatedly, acknowledged.

What I also found, in comparing the history of Jesus’s life with that of the Roman empire, was a fascinating possible connection between what happened in Rome in October of AD 31 and the Passover holiday in Jerusalem five months later (most likely the occasion of Jesus’ crucifixion). This nexus is fleshed out fully in the novel, but it centers on Lucius Aelius Sejanus, head of the palace guard for the Roman Emperor Tiberius. In October of 31 AD, Sejanus was executed for sedition in Rome. Enraged at Sejanus’ betrayal, Tiberius killed everyone who was perceived to be the traitor’s friend or ally. Because Sejanus had appointed Pontius Pilate to his position in Judea years earlier, it’s unlikely that Pilate, upon hearing the news five months later, would have done anything to antagonize the Emperor. (Tiberius had a standing decree that religions in occupied provinces should be given the greatest deference.) This history made me believe that Pilate would not willingly have ordered the execution of Jesus, a beloved and popular rabbi, during the most holy week in the Jewish calendar.

How does this story “set the record straight” on Magda?
First and foremost, I hope the story convinces people that Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute. That remains a wide-held misconception to this day, and it makes me angry on her behalf whenever there’s any reference to the falsehood. I’m constantly tempted to write letters to the editor of offending journals or newspapers saying, “You know, of course, that Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute.”

I tried to make my character Magda breathe some life into a figure that has become largely mythological in our culture. I don’t think you have to turn Mary Magdalene into a whore, as Pope Gregory I did, to make her accessible as a human being with real flaws and real strengths. To the degree my characterization of her does bring Mary Magdalene to life, I hope that people might relate to her spiritual journey and her calling – the establishment of true connection with another human being.

What do you hope readers take from the book?
At best, the book will plant a seed in readers’ minds, a seed of hope and connection for the human race. We are now living in such a divisive time, I would love the message of the book to challenge our discord and help us see our similarities instead of our differences. Jesus’s message in the first century – that everyone is equal, that no one should consider themselves above anyone else – is as compelling and necessary today as it was back then. I believe that message and our understanding of it to be critical to our survival as a species, both in terms of our interactions with each other, and our interactions with the planet that holds us.

‘Violet is Blue’ continues the journey into the town of Poulson

By Max Bowen

Our latest Five by Five continues the The Women of Paradise County Series with “Violet is Blue,” (June 2025, Speaking Volumes) by Anne Shaw Heinrich.

Small town life isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be for the women of Paradise County. Heinrich, shares how the small town can make a huge impact in her dark yet hopeful companion to her first book, which dives into the world of “have” and “have-nots” where Violet befriends Jules, a boy from the other side of town and learns about the indignities and injustices given to the less fortunate side of the tracks.

In this interview, Anne explores how the new book continues the story of “God Bless the Child” and talks about the relationship between Violet and Jules. We learn some of the lessons shared through the book and get a few details on the next title in the series.


How does this expand on “God Bless the Child?”
My second novel, “Violet is Blue,” unfolds in the same town as “God Bless the Child,” the first novel in The Women of Paradise County Series. Poulson is a fictional midwestern small town where everyone knows your business and you have an assigned seat. A few of the characters from the first novel are also featured in the second book, namely the Rev. James Pullman. He has messes from his younger, less reverent days, in need of tending. His younger cousin, Violet Sellers and her newfound friend, Jules Marks, know all about his deeds. As the truth unravels, there are tremendous changes in store for them both, as well as the whole new cast of characters who called Poulson their home.

What is the relationship between Violet and Jules?
Classmates Violet and Jules have little in common. Violet has never done without, and Jules lives with his five little sisters in Shakey’s Half, a dusty cluster of shacks on the outskirts of town. It’s a place most people in Poulson try not to think about too much. Vi and Jules have more history than they realize, but as their unlikely friendship grows, they discover a shared penchant for harming themselves. Violet one-ups tough Jules with a sinister tattoo designed to protect her from her cousin, James Pullman. Jules takes one look and knows the artist. What he does next leads to an unraveling that changes the lives of everyone within their sphere.

How does the fact they’re from different sides of town influence their relationship?
In the beginning, their differences are stark. Violet is protected by her privilege. She wants for nothing. Jules wants for everything and then some. Both want to be seen, comforted and safe. Their trust grows and they come to need one another in ways neither of them imagine. As their friendship deepens, what divides them is still there, but not as noticeable or powerful as what connects them.

What are some of the lessons shared through the story?
“Violet is Blue” delves deeply into what happens when people living together in small spaces must reckon with how they are different, yet connected, whether they like it or not. Some have everything. Some have nothing. But most live in that space between everything and nothing. The story also allows readers to explore the capricious nature of circumstance, a universal desire to be loved and protected, and the lasting impacts of action and inaction. The characters in the book are forced to reckon with their own notions of generosity and grace. What motivates us to give, and where does that fine line between enough and too much land? How closely do our wants dance next to our needs?

Will there be more stories that continue this?
Yes. There is one more novel in The Women of Paradise County Series, “House of Teeth.” I’m knee-deep in the writing of it and really enjoying the process of “putting a bow” on the story arch. There is some unfinished business for nearly all of the characters in the series that must be tended to in a way that will satisfy readers, but also lean into the reality that we face, even outside the fictional world: the decisions we make or let others make for us, have lasting consequences that are difficult to quantify, but nonetheless powerful.

Ink and Riffs: Deep sea horrors and fantastic worlds

Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to and why I think it’s awesome. Feel free to send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com. 

“Into the Drowning Deep” (Audiobook)
The audiobook version of this deep-sea horror, written by Mira Grant, had me hooked (no pun intended), right from the beginning as we’re introduced to a found-footage style recording of an attack by mermaids. Yep, that’s what’s happening here.

The story follows Tory Stewart, a sonar specialist who becomes obsessed with mermaids after her sister's disappearance. Tory's sister Anne worked as a reporter for Imagine Entertainment. While filming a mockumentary about mermaids, the crew of Imagine's ship Atargatis vanished. Tory vows to discover the truth about what happened to her sister, and when a second scientific expedition is commissioned to discover what happened, she joins up without hesitation.

Needless to say, things will not go as planned.

The delivery of the story by Christine Lakin is absolutely perfect. Lakin does the different voices effortlessly and really captures the feelings of the story, whether that’s love, sorrow, or bone-cutting fear—especially that last one. I’ve been turned off by lackluster narrations in the past, and this one had the opposite effect. A solid listen to a truly terrifying tale.

“The Hunger and the Dusk” (comic)
I’ve been a fan of fantasy for years, so when I saw the cover of this IDW title, I had to read it. So before I get into G. Willow Wilson’s awesome story, let’s talk about the amazing artwork by Chris Wildgoose.

The art is so damn good, with every color on the palette, laid out to create beautiful, detailed scenes that always capture the attention. I especially liked the diverse character designs, from the clothes to the creatures to the weapons. You can tell Chris is a fantasy aficionado.

Now, onto the story. In a dying world, only humans and orcs remain—mortal enemies battling for territory and political advantage. But when a group of ancient humanoids known as the Vangol arrive from across the sea, the two struggling civilizations are forced into a fragile alliance to protect what they have built.

The tension is high in this series, as humans and orcs fight not only the Vangol, but each other, as they strive to maintain the uneasy peace. This is shown in the relationship between Callum Battlechild, who leads The Last Men Standing, and orcish healer Tara, who both have to speak for their respective races and make this alliance work—because the fate of all rests in the balance.

I recently finished the first volume of the series, and cannot wait to see what happens next.

“Ben Huchenson” (music)
After hearing singer-songwriter Ben Hucheson’s new single “Almost There,” I decided to check out his self-titled 2022 album. Trust me, this one is worth listening to.

Ben’s got an amazing voice, and delivers a lot of stories over the 12 tracks, from a treasured relationship in “Thinking About You” to “Poison,” an upbeat, high-energy tune that warns of someone to watch out for. “Faith” is a really powerful song and my favorite off the album.

The music is really catchy, an easy-listening folk sound that puts one at ease in some tracks and gets the feet tapping in others. I can easily see Ben on a stage, the audience singing along with each song.

Ben’s been singing for some years now, and described as “wise beyond his years” by Julianne Regan (All About Eve). I think that sums it up perfectly. Ben sings with the voice of a seasoned traveler, but with the energy of someone in the early stages of their journey. The stories in the songs are instantly relatable and delivered in a way that you can’t ignore—and you really shouldn’t, because this is one musician to keep an eye on.

Line Spike Frontenac 2025 announces location for Canada Day weekend lineup

FRONTENAC COUNTY, ONTARIO – This June 28 and 29, 2025, Line Spike Frontenac 2025 will make history as one of the largest pre-Canada Day music events in the nation — a bold and brilliant "Power of Positivity Musical Harvest" set in the breathtaking hills of Frontenac County now officially announced at 3587 Harrowsmith Rd, Harrowsmith, ON. Bringing together musical icons and rising stars, the two-day festival promises an unforgettable celebration of community, inspiration, and unapologetic Canadian pride with legendary artists Burton Cummings, Walk Off The Earth, Chantal Kreviazuk, Alan Frew, Kelsi Mayne, Madison Galloway and just-announced KASADOR, Luscious, and Tom Green.

Created by Get2ThePoint Productions Inc. and producer/promoter Jeremy Campbell who was inspired by a moment of personal reflection on a remote lake in 2020 and the legacy of Expo ’67’s Peter Aykroyd. Line Spike Frontenac is a tribute to Canadian resilience and unity in uncertain times. After overcoming personal health battles and drawing wisdom from past experiences — including working under Michael Lang at Woodstock '99 — Campbell vowed to create an event that uplifts people and economies alike.

Frontenac County, just north of Kingston — Canada’s first capital — is a hidden gem brimming with cottage country charm, granite ridges, pristine lakes, and soul-soothing trails. A perfect weekend escape, it offers a scenic and serene backdrop for music lovers looking to turn this festival into a staycation. Picture this: morning swims in crystal-clear lakes, afternoons exploring quaint artisan shops, and nights under the stars, singing along with Canadian legends.


THE LINEUP: ICONIC, ECLECTIC, AND 100% HOMEGROWN

BURTON CUMMINGS
One of Canada’s most treasured rock icons, Burton Cummings brings his timeless voice and towering legacy to the Line Spike stage. As the lead singer of The Guess Who, Cummings has delivered classics like American Woman, These Eyes, and Share the Land. His solo career boasts chart-toppers such as Stand Tall and My Own Way to Rock, with album sales exceeding 10 million worldwide. Expect a hit-filled, soul-stirring set from a true national treasure.

WALK OFF THE EARTH
The genre-defying pop innovators known for their viral covers and platinum-selling originals (Red Hands, Rule the World) are set to bring their kaleidoscope of sound and spectacle to Frontenac. With over 1 billion YouTube views and JUNO Awards under their belt, WOTE is known for their wild instruments, contagious energy, and a live show that will have festivalgoers dancing from the first chord to the last confetti cannon.

CHANTAL KREVIAZUK
A multi-platinum singer-songwriter and humanitarian, Chantal Kreviazuk is beloved for emotionally rich hits like Surrounded, Before You, and In This Life. Her work as a songwriter spans artists from Drake to Gwen Stefani, and her voice has become a defining sound in Canadian pop. She’ll bring both heartfelt intimacy and powerhouse vocals to the Line Spike main stage.

ALAN FREW (of GLASS TIGER)
Frontman of the iconic 80s band Glass Tiger, Alan Frew is known for Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone) and Someday, both of which dominated global charts and helped sell 5 million records worldwide. With a career spanning decades and a voice that continues to shine, Frew’s set will be a singalong masterclass in Canadian rock history.

TOM GREEN
Comedian Tom Green has released a new country album alongside his Amazon Prime show Tom Green Country. The album includes the show’s theme song, “Home to the Country.” Originally from Ottawa, Green rose to fame with The Tom Green Show on MTV in 1999.

KELSI MAYNE
Country-pop firecracker Kelsi Mayne is a rising force in Canadian music. From her anthem Takin’ U Home to charting in the Top 10 on SiriusXM with As I Go, Mayne is proving she’s more than a triple-threat — she’s a powerhouse. A former medical student and track athlete, her fierce work ethic and genre-blending edge make her one of the most compelling new voices in the country scene.

MADISON GALLOWAY
At just 24, Madison Galloway has already made waves with her blues-infused roots-rock sound. Her EP Open Your Eyes and performances alongside The Glorious Sons and 54-40 have cemented her status as a future headliner. Drawing on folk, rock, and southern twang, she’s an earthy, magnetic presence who brings depth and authenticity to the Line Spike experience.

KASADOR
Kasador’s back with a vengeance. Their gritty new single “Golden” confronts fame, greed, and numbness with their heaviest sound yet. A new double EP drops in 2025. If you want real rock and roll, stay tuned.

LUSCIOUS
Over the years Luscious has established themselves as a staple in the Kingston music scene. Their music is best described as a modern interpretation of Classic Rock. Luscious has a simple mission statement; to keep Rock n' Roll alive in a constantly changing musical landscape.​

But the music is only part of the magic.

Maple Leaf Vendor Village will spotlight Canadian-made goods, with artisans and manufacturers showcasing everything from gourmet maple treats to locally crafted outdoor gear. It’s a nod to Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit and an economic boost for the region.

Set against a backdrop of towering pines, serene lakes, and community warmth, Line Spike Frontenac 2025 invites you to rediscover what it means to be Canadian — proud, passionate, and unified through music.

Early bird tickets now onsale via www.LineSpike.ca. Don't miss your chance to be part of a moment that will be talked about for decades.

Five by Five: Charting your own path to happiness

By Max Bowen 

Deb Miller’s book, “Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness” seeks to challenge the age-old notion that marriage is the surest path to the good life, and hopes that readers will strike out on their own journey.

In this interview, Deb talks about her own life experiences that helped make the book, the theme of fulfillment, and finding real happiness.

How did the theme of fulfillment coming from a marriage come to be part of your book?
That message was everywhere when I was growing up—from my mom, from society and from every pop culture role model I saw. “Leave it to Beaver.” “The Brady Bunch.” Rodgers & Hammerstein’s epic “Cinderella.” I thought all men wanted to be providers like Charles Ingalls or Ward Cleaver. Marriage, I was taught, was the ultimate destination. My memoir exposes how misleading that narrative is—and what it takes to rewrite it.

What parts of your life were included in this book?
Experiences that mattered to the theme made it in. From early childhood memories and first love to career highs, heartbreaks and finding peace in 2020. If it shaped my understanding of love, purpose, or happiness, it’s in the book—sometimes raw, sometimes funny, always real.

What is the ‘traditional princess narrative’ and how does your book address it?
It’s the belief that happiness comes when Prince Charming shows up. That if you're pretty and patient, a man will “rescue” you with marriage, and your life will be complete – you’ll reach the happily ever after. My book challenges that myth head-on. I spent years trying to live that fairy tale. Then, I realized the heroine I was waiting for was me.

How did you find your own real-life happiness?
Did you know that 50% of your happiness is genetically determined, only 10% is affected by life circumstances and situation and the remaining 40% of happiness is within your self-control?* Despite the title of my book, happiness, isn’t found—it’s chosen.

I stopped chasing what society told me I should want and started doing what brings me joy. At first, it was guiding my kids. I’m happy to report that they are all set now, so I can sip tea and work on my book in the morning instead of taking a long commute and working 12-hour days. I love being outdoors with my dog, hiking and landscaping, and hanging out with people I enjoy—especially my grandkids. We have the most interesting conversations.

What do you hope readers take from this book?
The title says it all: “Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness.” I want readers to feel empowered to chart their own path—not the one prescribed by others. When you stop chasing someone else’s version of happiness and start following your own, that’s when the real happy ending begins.

I hope readers realize they don’t need a glass slipper, a castle, or anyone’s approval to build a beautiful life. Ditch the script. Write your own ending. The journey isn’t about finding a prince—it’s about finding ourselves.

*According to research by Harvard graduate and Stanford university PhD, Sonja Lyubomirsky.

Five by Five: Author explores the story of Jo van Gogh

By Max Bowen 

Joan Fernandez’s historical novel, “Saving Vincent” (She Writes Press, April 15) which tells the untold story of the woman who saved Vincent van Gogh’s art after his death, marketing his works and turning his once-failed career into one of art history’s biggest successes.

In this Five by Five, Joan shares how she learned the story of Jo van Gogh, and what inspired her to pen a novel about her, a mixture of fiction and history, and the lengthy research done and what was learned in the process.

Who is Jo van Gogh and how did you discover her?
Jo van Gogh is the famous artist Vincent’s sister-in-law, for she was married to Vincent’s younger brother, Theo, who was an art dealer in Paris. When Jo became Theo’s wife, she knew the brothers’ relationship ran deep, for Theo had nurtured Vincent’s talent for a decade (though he hadn’t been able to sell Vincent’s unconventional paintings). When Vincent died by suicide, Theo was devastated and passed away six months later, leaving Jo and their infant son an inheritance of hundreds of Vincent’s paintings. Motivated to prove the legacy had value, Jo took on advocating for the paintings herself and gradually developed an international market for his art.

I discovered that Jo deserved credit for saving Vincent’s legacy on a visit to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in 2016. At the time, it stunned me that she was not better known. Her story caught my imagination like a fishhook and wouldn’t let go. Eighteen months later I retired from my professional corporate career to become a full-time author to write her story.

Is any portion of the story fictional?
The Van Gogh and Bonger family members, artists and art dealers, exhibitions, names of specific Van Gogh paintings, day-to-day life in a boarding house are grounded in research. I did adjust the timeline slightly to create tension and imagined the dialogue and characters’ motivations. Happily, some of this could be informed by the diary entries and letters I read. If I couldn’t find photos of real people, I drew from imagination to describe physical features.

The one significant fictional element is Jo’s nemesis, a Parisian art dealer named Georges Raulf, who personifies the negative headwind she faced from the art establishment at that time. I have Raulf embody both the political values of an emerging French nationalism as well as the patriarchal bias Jo felt by entering the male-dominated profession of art dealing. In real life, Jo did not have a singular enemy, but I felt it would provide higher drama for her to be opposed by a powerful enemy.

What did the research portion entail?
To get a feel for Jo and Theo’s relationship I read a wonderful cache of 101 letters the two exchanged when they were fiancés. Jo was in her parents’ home in Amsterdam while Theo was working in Paris. In addition to daily life and family news, they share ideas and questions about Vincent, other contemporary artists like Monet and Pissarro, and philosophize about art. Vulnerably, they share hopes and dreams for their future life together too. I have pages of notes!

I took a similar tack to get inside Vincent van Gogh’s thoughts by reading the collection of letters he wrote to Theo and a few others. My husband gave me the six-volume collection of 902 letters as a Christmas gift. Reading 10 letters a day, it took me months. But at the end I learned about Vincent as Jo had—for she “found” him in his letters too—since she only met him three times in person.

Next I turned to secondary research in search of information about Jo’s life. A wonderful source was a biography published by the Van Gogh Museum about Jo. Great, right? Except that this was 2019 and the biography was only available in Dutch—and I don’t know this language. When the pandemic arrived, the museum’s work on the English translation slowed with no estimated time for when it would be finished. In response, I tried gradually Google translating the Dutch biography, but the output was incoherent.

As I was looking for an answer, an author friend recalled that she knew a teacher in the Netherlands who was furloughed. This Dutch teacher agreed to translate pages of the biography into English. As the pages arrived in my inbox each week, I filled in a spreadsheet of names, locations, dates and more until a picture of Jo’s life emerged. A few years later, when the English-language biography was published, I was able to check the facts I’d gleaned.

What initially drew you to Vincent van Gogh?

Curiosity. Vincent has a legendary mystique as a misunderstood genius ignored by an indifferent world. I believe rooting for an underdog like Vincent is universal because I think we believe deep down that we’re misfits too! And for Vincent it’s even more tragic that he died by suicide because he’s so globally beloved today.

I believe I first heard art criticism about his paintings in a Fine Arts 101 class in college In that class I found out that he’d departed from Impressionism, striking out on his own to experiment but also to tackle expressing something “beyond the paint.” He once testily wrote to Theo “when people say [my painting is] done too quickly you can reply they look at them too quickly.” He was a real maverick. When I traveled to Amsterdam in 2016, it was a foregone conclusion that we visit the Van Gogh Museum.

How does Jo handle marketing and promotion in this time period?
She had an intuitive sense of advocacy. Among the first things she did was to give away paintings to influential people. Frederick van Eeden, Theo’s doctor, received a gift on the condition that he loan it back to her if she wanted to include it in an exhibition. When the painting was hung with a note that it came from the “Private Collection of Dr Frederik van Eeden,” it created a little FOMO.

A similar tactic was to print the names of paintings “not for sale” in exhibition catalogues to demonstrate the volume of Vincent’s work. The inaccessibility created a sense of scarcity.

Jo moved from Paris to a small town in Holland and opened up a boarding house, taking Vincent’s artwork with her to store in the attic. From there she wrote letters to art dealers across Holland, persuading them to include Van Gogh’s in their shows. By concentrating on Vincent’s home country, she established a familiar fan base who would be more open to a fellow countryman’s work then the Parisians with its epicenter of thousands of aspiring artists. Once a footprint had been established in Holland, Jo was able to expand to other geographies,

Finally, one of my favorite marketing strategies is how she shared excerpts of Vincent’s letters to the public, along with his sketches in a series that ran in the Parisian art journal, “Le Mercure de France.” Vincent’s letters can be witty, angry, heartbroken, resilient—all demonstrating a vulnerability and desperate yearning to express himself better through art. Jo revealed the person behind the unconventional paintings. The strategy captivated the public’s curiosity.

Play It Loud! Receives 2025 Golden Sheaf Award nomination

The Yorkton Film Festival has announced the first round of nominees for the 2025 Golden Sheaf Awards, with Ultramagnetic Productions’ new documentary Play it Loud! How Toronto Got Soul earning a nomination for Best Arts/Culture Film.

The TVO Original doc reveals the vibrant but largely ignored Toronto Jamaican music scene from the 1960’s to the ‘90’s, through the life and music of the legendary Jay Douglas. The teenaged Douglas moved to Toronto to join his mother in 1963 and was quickly initiated into a thriving, underground Black music scene. As the lead singer of The Cougars, a group that included local legends Jackie Richardson, Jo Jo Bennett and Everton “Pablo” Paul, Douglas broke into the competitive Yonge Street music scene as one of only two bands to play at the storied Le Coq d’Or. The other group was Ronnie Hawkins’ Hawks, precursor to The Band.

Directed by Graeme Mathieson, produced by Andrew Munger with Clement Virgo as EP, Play it Loud! has been enjoying a surprisingly successful theatrical run with sold out screenings in Toronto (re-opening the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Theatre), Vancouver, Hamilton, Waterloo and Whitehorse.

Producer Andrew Munger attributes the success in engaging audiences, especially in the dead of the coldest winter in decades, to the strategy of making every screening an “event” featuring lively post screening conversations with the filmmakers and cast, often concluding with a Bob Marley singalong led by the film’s star Jay Douglas.

To promote the film, Munger used his learnings from producing the music docs Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band and Buffy Sainte-Marie: Carry it On. A music documentary, especially one celebrating a great artist or culture, presents many opportunities for cross promotion. He partnered with Exclaim Magazine and Austin’s Light in the Attic Records for record and ticket giveaways, created an in-store event featuring Jay Douglas live at Sonic Boom Records (Toronto’s leading independent record store), and presented Jay live in performance at the Drake Hotel with Lula World Promotions and Jeff Rogers’ Handsome Boy Records. The producers also worked with Jamaican Canadian personality and influencer Danae Peart (CBC Commotion and Vibe105 FM) to engage with Jamaican and Caribbean communities. Play it Loud!’s theatrical release was supported by Ontario Creates and Telefilm Canada’s Marketing and Distribution funds, in concert with domestic distributer White Pine Pictures.

Play it Loud! was developed in collaboration with TVO Docs and further supported by the CMF, Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates, Rogers Documentary Fund, Slaight Hot Docs Music Fund and federal and provincial tax credits. Play It Loud! is currently streaming on TVO (TVO Docs YouTube channel, TVO.org and Smart TV app) and Knowledge Network.

Five by Five: Debut author kicks off four-book fantasy series

By Max Bowen

Take a walk through the Wythic Woods with Tilly, Jess, and Zach as they journey to find Tilly’s missing cousin, Michael, who disappeared in the woods a year ago. In Vanishings: The Wythic Wood Mystery Series (Sparkpress, May 20), debut author Catharina Steel encourages young readers to step off their phones and step out into the world.

In this interview, Catharina talks about the creation of this new series and what we can expect in future books, as well as how her own life helped inform the story. We also learn about her main characters and the process of bringing them to life.


This book is the beginning of a new series. What can we expect in subsequent books?
There are four books in The Wythic Wood Mysteries Series as follows:

Book Two Working Title: Weredog Curse. Tilly wants to reverse the curse the Witch of Wythic Wood has placed on the weredogs in her territory, so they search for the cure.

Book Three Working Title: Ancient Magic. They search for the elves Clayton eventually tells them about, and the truth about the Witch’s goal is revealed.

Book Four Working Title: Elven Battle. Tilly and friends team up with a group of good elves to battle the Wythic Wood elves at the fortress within this forest.

I read that your own battles with anxiety are incorporated in this book. How so?
Like myself, Jess was being bullied at school, but I allowed her personality to show me how she would be impacted by this. I love being outside because I enjoy exploring, but it felt truer to Jess’s personality that she initially struggles with anxiety in the outdoors.

I draw from my experience with anxiety symptoms, and how spending time outdoors allowed my body and mind to relax. You can see the impact on Jess, while at Opa’s property, with how she becomes enthusiastic about her surroundings as the anxiousness dissipates—at least until they head into Wythic Wood.

How did you develop your main characters?
I allowed Tilly, Jess, and Zach to develop as I wrote the story. Early on, I decided to create a profile of each of them, which I added to during the initial stages of writing and editing. This gave me a snapshot that I could refer to if I felt unsure about their reaction as I edited the story and enabled me to draw out their personalities more each time.

The more time I spent on the story the better I knew them. My experience with this is similar to meeting someone and getting to know them better.

What is the Wythic Wood?
The Wythic Wood is a forest situated on the south side of Opa’s property. It’s a wild place which used to be inhabited by many ancient mythical creatures—before the evil witch made it her home. An elf of old named it by mixing the two words wild and mythical together to create the name Wythic for this ancient homeland of their people.

In this forest lives the witch, weredogs, black bears, ravens, green snakes and a group of elves ruled by Timitus. There are abandoned fairy tree cities, smokestacks, underground tunnels, a spelled cave and the witch’s castle.

How did you create the “Gobight” martial art?
I needed a character skilled in martial arts to train the children, so Mort, a good goblin, became their teacher. But how could children go up against goblins who have greater reach with their long arms and weapons at the ready with their sharp fingernails and toenails? These attributes made it necessary to modify fight stances, strikes, and blocks.

It made sense to come up with a name to describe this new style of martial arts. I replaced the “f” in fight with “gob” from goblin to get the name gobight—a goblin style of martial arts.

Four Chord Music Festival unveils lineup for 11th edition

WASHINGTON/PITTSBURGH, PA – The Four Chord Music Festival is back and bigger than ever for its highly anticipated 11th edition! Set to take place on Saturday, September 13th and Sunday, September 14th, 2025, at EQT Park in Washington, PA, this year’s festival is shaping up to be the most epic yet. The event returns to its beloved home venue with an all-star lineup, promising fans a weekend packed with the biggest names in punk rock.

This year's festival showcases an exceptional lineup, featuring some of punk music's most iconic bands, including Blink 182, AFI, Jawbreaker, Jimmy Eat World, Alkaline Trio, Say Anything, and Hot Mulligan. Also performing are Bowling for Soup, State Champs, Set Your Goals, The Wonder Years, Punchline, Face to Face, and many more. With a dynamic mix of legendary acts and emerging talent, this two-day event promises an unforgettable, high-octane experience for punk fans of all kinds.

Confirmed Artists for Four Chord Music Festival 2025:

Day 1 – Saturday, Sept. 13

Blink 182
Jimmy Eat World
Hot Mulligan
Bowling for Soup
State Champs
Set Your Goals
Knuckle Puck
Homegrown
Eternal Boy
Driveways
Charly Bliss
Patent Pending
Keep Flying
Boy in Blue Stripes

Day 2 – Sunday, Feb. 14

AFI
Jawbreaker
Alkaline Trio
Say Anything
Face to Face
The Wonder Years
Drug Church
Punchline
Koyo
Deathbyromy
Sincere Engineer
Like Roses
Runt
Mallory Run

With this powerhouse of talent, Four Chord promises to deliver an unforgettable weekend filled with some of the best live performances in punk rock. Whether you’re reliving the classics with Blink 182 and Jawbreaker or discovering new favorites like Hot Mulligan and Koyo, there’s no shortage of talent across both days.

Festival Details:

Dates: Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14
Location: EQT Park, Washington, PA
Tickets: General Admission, VIP, Deluxe VIP, and new layaway options available

Four Chord is also introducing a new ticketing system, including the option for fans to purchase tickets through a convenient layaway plan. This update makes it easier than ever to secure your spot at the festival, giving you the flexibility to pay in installments.

Founder Rishi Bahl shared his excitement: “We’ve worked hard to make this year’s festival something special, not only with this incredible lineup, but by making it more accessible for our fans than ever before. We can't wait to celebrate with everyone at EQT Park!”

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.FourChordMusicFestival.com.

Ink and Riffs: Sharing some new stories

Ink and Riffs is a regular review series written by me, Citywide Co-Host Max Bowen, to talk about what I’m reading and listening to and why I think it’s awesome. Feel free to send suggestions to citywidemax@yahoo.com. 

“Influencer” (Audiobook)
An Audible Original, “Influencer” is a thriller following Aaron Fortin and Crystal Giordano.

“Aaron is new in town. He drives a brand-new Acura—a gift from his parents for uprooting him in the middle of senior year. Showing up on his first day at the local public school in that nice of a car? He knows he’ll never blend in, and he doesn’t care to try. The car, the new kid mystique, he can use all that....

Crystal carpools to the same school in her friend Trevor’s beat-up van. In the van along with Crystal and Trevor are Paul, Harmony, and Gayle. When Aaron Fortin sits at their lunch table, Crystal can see he’s not who he says he is. But how big of a fraud is Aaron Fortin? Crystal clumsily exposes Aaron and becomes his target, falling victim to his insidious campaign to erase her. Only then does she discover who he truly is—and it’s so much worse than she thought.”

This story was one I picked up from the intriguing cover and the story has really drawn me in. Aaron is a Jim Jones, Charles Manson-style personality, using his influence as The Speaker to draw people in and brainwash them to serve his ends. He’s smart, devious and cares nothing for who he might hurt. A truly insidious villain. Crystal, by contrast, is the opposite—she wants to be invisible, and seems helpless to stop Aaron. But like Aaron, Crystal is more than she seems.

The voice talent Isabela Merced (Alien, Superman Legacy) and Christopher Briney (The Summer I Turned Pretty) really dive into their characters. Briney brilliantly portrays the manipulative Aaron Fortin and I gotta say, it’s pretty unnerving how well he voices this character. Merced is equally perfect for the role of Crystal and shows the character’s hidden strength. They use a light touch with the other characters, and I liked this approach and had no issues following the story.

All told, this is a really addictive story and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton (podcast)
I checked out the debut episode of this new podcast, in which Wil Wheaton, who’s an award-winning audiobook narrator, takes up the mantle of Levar Burton’s “Levar Burton Reads” podcast. And I must say, he does an amazing job doing so.

In Wheaton’s first episode, he reads “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Love, Death” by Caroline M. Yoachim. It’s story about love, time travel, and the lengths we go to to save those dearest to us. It’s a great story, heartfelt, creative and it keeps you hooked.

Wheaton’s reading, well, it’s really engaging. He’s done a ton of audiobooks, but I am embarrassed to say that I’ve never heard them. That’ll change soon, I promise. He’s an excellent narrator and you can tell he loves the story he’s sharing. He has a lot of heart, and his reading is well-articulated, full of emotion and he takes care with each word.

So yeah, I’ll be keeping my ears open for the next episode.

“Ghost Box” (comic)
I’ve just begun reading “Ghost Box,” but I am already hooked on it. Written by Mike Carey and art by Pablo Raimondi, this new Comixology series is witty, sharp and has a really engaging story.

Chloe and Jan come into an unexpected inheritance when their uncle passes away, and it couldn’t come at a better time for Chloe, who’s just lost her job and is desperate for cash. She advertises her late uncle’s possessions online, and gets a very motivated buyer. But what is the ghost box, and just what does it do?

The first issue is a great combination of giving us enough without giving us everything. We’re introduced to Chloe and Jan and given enough of a look into their lives to show who they are, and shown what the ghost box is, but still leaving a lot of questions. It’s a great storytelling pace and I’ve heard to much about what an excellent writer Mike Carey is, I’ll be looking for more of his work.

The art is really great, and Pablo paints a really detailed scene on each page, giving added depth to the story and giving us a lot to see. I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Five By Five: Years of research informs book on walking away from a strained relationship

By Max Bowen

In her new book, “Estranged: How Strained Female Friendships Can Be Mended or Ended,” Susan Shapiro Barash dives into the complexity of female relationships. The book, which took years to research, came about after Susan heard several stories about the difficulties in ending a relationship with a close friend or sister.

In this Five by Five, Susan talks about the inspiration behind the book and the lengthy research she did. She talks about her experience with difficult relationships and what she hopes readers take from the book.

What inspired you to write this book?
I wanted to write this book for a long while and began the research several years ago. I kept hearing stories of women 'breaking up' with a close female friend or a sister and how distraught there were. I was also hearing about a shift in attitude and rather than be ashamed and/or devastated, many reported they felt free and as if they had some agency.

What kind of research was done?
I interviewed 150 women for this project and did a questionnaire with another 111 women. This was comprised of a diverse group of women from across the country. I researched studies, read articles and books about relationships, friendships and looked at pop culture, fiction and history in terms of female bonds.

In writing this book, what reasons did you learn as to why it can be difficult to walk away from a broken friendship?
It is difficult for women of all ages to leave an unhealthy friendship. The reasons include: secrets shared, the years of being close now disintegrating, the societal message that our female friends are our support system, losing ground socially — especially if two friends are in the same group, being judged, being alone, no longer being included.

I was intrigued by the different examples of unhealthy friendships. What’s your experience been with these types?
The types of friendships I established for this book are the result of the 150 interviews. After listening I realized that the interviewees fell into these 'categories.' The scenarios and issues that emerged were familiar and happened frequently. Each 'type' of friend resonates on some level—Like most of you, I have encountered a few along the way. What matters is that we 'wake up' and see the friendship for what it is and consider the value or lack of value.

What do you hope readers take from this book?
My hope is that women identify with the interviewees' narratives and realize they can estrange from an unhealthy friendship, regardless of the history and attachment. That there is power and positivity in doing so. It is liberating and gives women more voice and confidence in themselves. There is no reason to stay in an emotionally abusive, negative friendship, no matter than our culture tells us we are bffs forever. It isn't always so and my findings show that females are beginning to own this, happily.

Five by Five: New book explores 1970s sexual freedom, feminism

By Max Bowen

Award-winning author Jessica Levine’s new book “Three Cousins,” follows three young women on the cusp of adulthood as they explore their sexual freedom and adapt to 1970s new ideas of feminism. 

In this Five by Five article, Jessica talks about her three protagonists and their different personalities, the era of the 70s and its influence on the story, and the modern elements in prorated into the story.


How did your own life help shape the story?
In “Three Cousins,” three young women come of age while in school at Yale. While I never attended Yale, my best friend did, and later on my husband taught there, which is to say that I got to know Yale by proxy. As for the three protagonists, they were inspired by both my family and the friends I had in college. They are also personality types who embrace the new opportunities presented by second wave feminism in different, archetypal ways. Lastly, they are reflections of different aspects of my own character and experience. I describe Julia, the most conventional of the three cousins, as “being too in love to have feminist preoccupations.” Her romantic, choosy nature reflects the cautious, virginal teenager I was growing up in a sheltered environment. Robin, on the other hand, is reading feminist texts and exploring her bisexuality. I became Robin attending a women’s college and having relationships with both sexes. Finally, Anna wishes to travel solo and explore the world. Anna’s journey is based on the adventures I had after graduation when I lived abroad, teaching English first in Paris, then in Rome.

Your book explores themes such as sexual freedom and second-wave feminism. How are these woven into the story?
Because I attended a women’s college (Wellesley) and had a couple of lesbian relationships at the time, I was steeped in the women’s movement of the 1970s, and “Three Cousins” reflects not only my personal experiences, but also the rich feminist literature, both fiction and non-fiction, that came out of that period. For example, chapter two of my novel mentions Adrienne Rich’s “Of Woman Born: Motherhood as Experience and Institution.” Rich argues that motherhood is not “natural” but shaped by the (patriarchal) social and historical structures in which it takes place. Her book had a huge impact. Coming of age in the 1970s, we very much wanted to be different from our mothers, and that process began with understanding the obstacles and limitations our mothers had faced so that we could move beyond them. And one thing we definitely wanted was more sexual choice and more professional freedom than they’d had. My novel stages these themes through a depiction of the conflicts surrounding sexual partners, relationships with mothers and career paths.

I read that the book came out of “the disappointments of modern-day feminism.” What are these?
Those of us who believe in gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, access to contraception and abortion, and support for working mothers, those of us who still hope to see the passage of the ERA and the end of homophobia and violence against women, we are all utterly dismayed at the current direction of public policy in the United States. A therapy client of mine, survivor of sexual abuse, said to me after the election, “Great. We’re going to have a government run by rapists.” The sense of needless cruelty and going backwards in history is palpable. And all these issues affect women and the LGBTQ+ community where it hits home: in their bodies, their romantic partnerships, their family lives, and their ability to earn a living. Never more than now has the personal been political.

The book is set in the 1970s. Why this time period and how does that factor into the story?
In my previous novels, “The Geometry of Love” and “Nothing Forgotten,” I fleshed out the stories of Julia and Anna in the decades after college. After my last novel, I returned to a long section I’d cut from an earlier version of “Geometry,” consisting of 200 pages about Julia and her cousins in college in the late 1970s. When I stumbled on that unused story many years later, it called to me, perhaps because my daughters had just entered their early 20s and I was processing the difference between my youth and theirs. Or because the period after the end of the Vietnam War now seems like a more hopeful time. Yes, the war and Watergate marked the decade with cynicism and anger, and historians like David Frum have argued that the seeds of the recent conservative takeover were planted then. But everything is relative, and compared to the normalization of misogyny, homophobia, and racism that we are currently witnessing, that time seems to have been a one in which at least we were able to imagine a positive, more inclusive future for our democracy. I was happy to spend time in that decade as I wrote the book.

Given recent events, such as the overturning of Roe V Wade, do you feel this book is timely?
I do think it’s timely. I hope this novel can remind young women today of the fighting spirit their mothers and grandmothers had. If we give in or give up, then there truly is no way forward. Feminist mothers need to hand the torch on to their daughters and remind them that we have agency so long as we protest, remembering the gains and victories of more hopeful times.