Norma Hass Releases New Poetry Book, VENUS WINKED

Norma Hass, a woman who creatively expresses herself through literary poetic verses and melodic compositions, has gathered her best works and compiled them in her newly published book, titled Venus Winked: Poems, Ballads, Parodies, Limericks, and Clerihews. Addressed to people from all walks of life, Hass mixes mock-epics with shorter bursts of verse on earthy events that anyone can relate to.

The book's title piece parodies a popular novel. What happens when a group of self-proclaimed geniuses vow to banish love from their lives and live by cold reason alone?

Venus, goddess of love, won't stand for it. She deploys her son Cupid, her pal Bacchus, and her army of nymphs and robots. (Our Venus is an up-to-date goddess.) Her troops offer "joys for every secret taste." When a drunken genius decides that, "for play so pleasin' reasonin' minds can find good reason," he joins his fellow fools in an orgy of delightuntil vengeance strikes.

Hass has had haiku published in Frogpond, Wind Chimes, and Dragonfly, and a rhyme about a pirate birthday cake in No Quarter Given. Having learned to use a tape recorder and play nine guitar chords, she began writing neo-folk ballads, political protest songs, and not-for-children ditties. Many of these were performed at Al's Café in Elgin, Ill. Most of her writings and song lyrics have appeared in The Iron Bridge, published by the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin.

For Hass, poetry is just the first step. Naturally, she takes her literary art further and set it into music. If readers have enjoyed reading her poems, they will love to hear them sung. Hass has also recorded her performances of original music and lyrics in two albums: "Wisdom and Fortune" and "The Great Chicago Flood: Songs of Love, War, Politics, and other Disasters." (To ask about albums, please email bookrabbitrecords(at)att(dot)net.)

Profound, witty and entertaining, Venus Winked is a unique poetry book that readers can enjoy in various ways while drawing important reflections on life and love. "These poems ring with humor and truth about the lives of women," says Cordelia Koplow about Hass' writings.

For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.

About the Author
Norma Sara Grosken was born in 1932 in Newark, New Jersey. She attended Avon Avenue School, South Side High School (now Malcolm X Shabazz High School) class of 1950 and New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College) class of 1954 majoring in English and Dramatic Arts. Next, came a work-study program at Newark Public Library and the Rutgers Graduate School of Library Service (now the School of Communication and Information). After graduation she worked as a children's librarian at the Newark Public Library. In 1959, she left the library to become a full-time housewife and stay-at-home mom. Norma and Alvin have two daughters, one of whom has died, and a granddaughter.

Venus Winked * by Norma Hass
Poems, Ballads, Parodies, Limericks, and Clerihews
Publication Date: May 31, 2013
Trade Paperback; $19.99; 205 pages; 978-1-4797-5161-7
Trade Hardback; $29.99; 205 pages; 978-1-4797-5162-4
eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4797-5163-1

Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (812) 355-4079 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.