[November 2003]

I would like to take this opportunity to publicly bow down to one Jeremiah Gould. This man not only redesigned the look of The Writ with these incredibly awesome green graphics, but also graced us with a magnificent feature article, the most creative book review ever written, and even a few pieces of his amazing poetry.

I hereby name Mr. Gould our "WRIT M.V.P." He will hold this title and all benefits associated with it until further notice. May this day be scribbled down in the history books as one of great contribution to the writing community.

But before I use all my space on 'Miah-worship, let me tell you about everything else that's going on in this issue. First of all, we have Steve Gintz rockin' the word scene with a guitar in hand. Maybe it's the detailed emotional lyrics... maybe it's the sideburns... maybe it's the fact that he knows how to use "doppler" as a verb... whatever it is, I'm stuck on this man's talent. You will be too when you check him out. Money back guarantee.

Did you see that table of contents list above? We tried to narrow down the poems--really we did, but we just could not make the list any shorter than that. And take a look at how many are new contributors! Forgive me for bowing out with my own poetry this issue; I'm far more interested in showcasing this talent.

We're grinning and proud to feature the latest sculpture of artist Angela Herrick this month. And let's all give a warm welcome to the latest edition to the Writ Staff: Caitlin Flynn, Cover Art Editor.

And one final announcement: We're looking for an Events Editor. Do you love words? The Writ? That "real world" out there? Want to find your place in the writing community? Check out the job description and tell me you want to help!

All the best,

Sarah Dopp
Editor-in-Chief

"I don't even like rhythm, assonance, all that stuff. You just go on your nerve. If someone's chasing you down the street with a a knife you just run, you don't turn around and shout, 'Give it up! I was a track star for Mineola Prep'"

Frank O'Hara

Selected Pieces Song Lyrics   After The End   All the Poor Fools   Let the Real Be Real Fiction   Boston

Steve Gintz
Rocks the Words

by Jeremiah Gould
 

Do you know who wrote the following passage?

"her hair looked like it had never been touched had pins on her shirt but wasnt preaching to us we compared sandals and said our goodbyes"

If you guessed Steve Gintz, you were right. How about this next passage?

"The driver of a customized Civic revs his engine and swerves towards the curb. After my clumsy dive to the sidewalk and the driver's super-cool cigarette flick, he peels out, and is gone. My friends laugh at the poorly executed commando roll and continue walking. Terrific."

Could that also have been Steve Gintz, you ask? Why, silly reader, it could and is!

Who is this "Steve Gintz," you may also ask? Well, Let me tell you.

Steve Gintz is a writer, songwriter, and performer. He's a soulful, passionate, and driven man. To be technical about it, he is a Sophomore Music Education major at the University of New Hampshire. He calls Londonderry New Hampshire his home. Perhaps you have noticed him at coffee houses, Artist Circle shows, and Art Gallery openings, performing constantly, sometimes at the drop of a hat. He's become a regular at all the Artist Circle events, whether it's to perform or to enjoy others sharing their work.

I first saw Steve's name in the September issue of the WRIToracle. He had submitted a few of his lyrics and a short story. We ended up publishing a set of lyrics entitled "Whisper My Name" and the short story entitled "George." I was taken right away with the opening of "Whisper My Name"

i smile in the darkness at no one
when you wriggle your toes on my shins
you do it when you're cold at night, you press yourself against me tight
and pull the blanket up over our chins

What struck me was the honesty and detail in these lines. And that's not a coincidence. When I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Steve, he told me that as a writer, his goal is to keep his words "natural, yet fresh and real." He works very hard in front of his computer working on keeping a fresh and expressive feel to song lyrics, poems, or fiction. He works on keeping the language simple and easy to relate to while working on the rhythm of his words. In this way, Steve tries hard to "transcribe emotion" with his lyrics especially, in order to get his audience interested. This is something he does well, as anyone who has been at one of his performances can attest to.

Although Steve strives for having reality as the only reoccurring theme in his work, he finds many of his songs to be about a past love. "I found that every song I was writing was about her . . . I was writing the same song 70 times." Still, women are a reoccurring theme in Steve's work, from his short story "Boston" to his lyrics "All the Poor Fools" to his poem "Forever." Steve plays with different scenarios and characters in his work, trying to connect to as many people as possible. And in all he shows his philosophy of writing. "It's physical thinking," he tells me across a cup of hot chocolate. And through his lyrics and other writings one feel they are looking into his mind.

Although Steve is primarily a singer/songwriter, he is trying to fight against falling under the stereotype that comes along with the title. One such way is to work on the strength of his lyrics, especially as they stand-alone. He is constantly trying to refine his lyrics without taking away from the meaning...

Read more...

Editor-in-Chief, Webmistress
Sarah Dopp
 
Graphic Designer
Jeremiah Gould
 
Cover Art Editor
Caitlin Flynn
 
Marketing Director
Julian Esteban Torres
 
Intellectual Point of Sanity
Tim Greenlaw

Editors
Jeremiah Gould
Tim Greenlaw
Julian Esteban Torres
 
Staff Writers
Michelle Filgate
Caitlin Flynn
Jeremiah Gould
Nicholas Sabin
Julian Esteban Torres