About Us and My Book Reviews

Before becoming an all-inclusive platform for book reviews and literary matters, RV travel, lifestyle, ageism, fashion, nude art photography, and self-realization it began simply as a place to sell books. The Rogue Literary Society was founded in 1995 and based itself out of a little hamlet called Anchorage about fifteen miles outside of Louisville, Kentucky. It remained an outlet for selling signed editions and collectible books until 2005 when it published its first handmade Japanese-bound limited edition titled Problems and Miracles written by Ryan Davis.  RLS went on to publish a total of four handmade poetry titles by writers Ryan Davis, Barton Allen, M Sarki, and Norman Lock before suspending production.  The Rogue Literary Society continues to publish hardcover and paperback editions of most books written by M Sarki and is now based in Gainesville, Florida.

Why all these confessions and exhibitions on the page?  Words and photographs simply allow us generous opportunities for expression. It is a chance to get intimate in a controlled environment. As frightening as it is sometimes to be forthcoming, and then considering the risk of being “found out”, affords us additional layers of our onion to be peeled off.  If confronted with a book review I have written, or what I have posted as a significant photograph, my initial response would most likely hinge on it all being fiction. Made up. That no part of our life demonstrated on the page can be construed as reality.  Basically we are frauds. Nobody here is authentic and most likely certain to be forgotten.  Or else remembered in a version acceptable to one’s own truth. Which is, at best, debatable. 

Often there are times when it takes tremendous courage to publicly exhibit your art, whether it be your words, paintings, or photographs.  Words and paintings are less threatening to have “out there” because they are more ambiguous. Nude photographs are another matter. As positive as I am over the exquisitely beautiful form my model displays and what we are expressing together, doubt creeps in incessantly regarding our intentions.  The great Leonard Cohen wrote poems and sang songs often about women, relationships, adultery, and even cuckoldry.  He also drew many sketches of nude women. However, he admitted in an interview that he could never get his romantic interests to ever remove their clothes and model for him. I am fortunate to not only have had the same model and muse for all my writing, painting, and photography since 1995 but even after her knowing me for almost fifty years she is still my wife, best friend, and lover.