Elements of the Soul anthology by Twin Trinity Media

Paperback: 260 pages
Publisher: Twin Trinity Media, LLC; First edition (August 24, 2009)
ISBN-10: 0984209506

Let me preface this review by saying that I am also one of the authors and poets featured in Elements of the Soul. In fact, it was the first book in which my work was published. The anthology, Accentuate Writer’s Forum, Twin Trinity Media (especially its owner and editor Michelle Devon), and the other writers featured in this book all hold special places in my heart. However, the following review is not based on my feelings or association with the book but on my personal opinion as a reader.

The frustration I find with a lot of themed anthologies is that the storylines and characters are too similar, the themes are kind of in-your-face, and all the stories start to sound the same. There’s nothing like experiencing Déjà vu at the beginning of each new short story to turn me off and make me stop reading. I can honestly say I did not find that to be the case with Elements of the Soul. Even though the short stories and poems included in the anthology are the winning submissions for four separate themed contests, they are as varied as the authors themselves.

Readers are taken on a journey filled with love, hatred, despair, reconciliation, inspiration, revenge and more. The characters run the gamut from pets, to lovers, to children, all the way to zombies. The stories in Elements of the Soul truly are the best of the best and have went through a rigorous judging and editing process to gain inclusion. The poetry included in the anthology is not simply filler material you find in many books. Each poem is also a prize-winning entry and equally worthy of publication. There is truly a story or poem for everyone in this book!

That being said, I will warn readers that if you’re purchasing the anthology because you’re a fan of a particular author or poet, you may find that not all of the works included will suit your tastes. The language and content in a few of the stories may not be suitable for younger children. If this is a concern for you, I have good news. Twin Trinity Media is currently working on creating digital downloads of the individual stories, so readers will have the option of purchasing the entire book or select stories from their favorite authors. Stay tuned, because they’ll be available soon on TTM’s digital download page.

Visit Twin Trinity Media’s bookstore to purchase your copy of Elements of the Soul.

Short stories featured in this book:

“Jasper” by Lucinda Gunnin
“The Fire” by Jennifer Walker
“Last Caress” by Steven Thor Gunnin
“Love & Loss” by Lindsay Maddox
“Healing Scars” by Jo Brielyn
“Troy Spencer” by George Kramer
“Flood of Tears” by M. Lori Motley
“Purgatory” by Steven Thor Gunnin
“Summer Heat” by M. Lori Motley
“Love Burns” by Lucinda Gunnin
“The Darkest Night” by Susan Sosbe
“The Assignment” by Jennifer Walker
“Kleio” by Laurie Darroch-Meekis
“Fly” by Rissa Watkins

Poetry included in the anthology:

“Cicada Song” by Randy Barefoot
“Flames of Love” by Susan Sosbe
“Rise” by Laurie Darroch-Meekis
“The Voice of Violence” by Angel Sharum
“Autumnal Reverie” by Laurie Darroch-Meekis
“Heat from the Road” by Felicity Tillack
“When the Rain Comes” by Jo Brielyn
“Guilty Pleasure” by Angel Sharum
“Earthbound” by Laurie Darroch-Meekis
“Mahingun” by Laurie Darroch-Meekis

*Paperback: 260 pages
*Publisher: Twin Trinity Media; First edition (August 24, 2009)
*ISBN-10: 0984209506
*ISBN-13: 978-0984209507

Well, if a picture is really worth a thousand words, then this video made by Twin Trinity Media to promote their Elements of the Soul anthology should be worth several thousand of them! And it is – 260 pages worth of beautiful words to be exact.

The authors and poets whose works are published in Elements of the Soul all gained their spots in the anthology by competing and placing in the Accentuate Writers Short Story Anthology Contests. The authors with short stories in the book are: Steven Thor Gunnin, Jennifer Walker, Rissa Watkins, Lindsay Maddox, George Kramer, Lucinda Gunnin, Jo Brielyn, M. Lori Motley, Susan Sosbe, and Laurie Darroch-Meekis. Also included in the anthology is winning poetry from featured poet, Laurie Darroch-Meekis, as well as: Randy Barefoot, Jo Brielyn, Susan Sosbe, Angel Sharum, and Felicity Tillack.

Elements of the Soul, the first anthology in the Elements series, is available for purchase directly through Twin Trinity Media, Amazon, Books-A-Million, and Barnes & Noble. The book may also be ordered through local bookstores.

Check it out the video, and then go buy your own copy:

This summer, Liberty Mutual is giving teens extra incentive to get off the couch and get involved with the Responsibility Project: For the Win essay contest. To help motivate kids to participate, Liberty Mutual has partnered with young Zach Bonner, founder of the Little Red Wagon Foundation, a non-profit organization which provides aid to distressed kids across America.

Here’s what Zach has to say about the contest and his current project, March Across America:

Check out the contest details:

Entry dates: July 6, 2010 through August 31, 2010

Winners announced: September 2010

Eligibility ages: Teenagers between 13-17 years old

How to enter: Your teen must write and submit an essay of 300 words or less sharing how he or she helped a family member, friend, or the community during the summer. Entries should clearly describe how they are using the summer to do the right thing.

Contest Prizes: Five winners will be featured on ResponsibilityProject.com, have the opportunity to guest blog, and have $500 donated to the non-profit organization of their choice.

You can read the full contest rules and other helpful information on their website.