Writer targets at-risk kids I
FRYE from page 9
He went to Havelock businesses
and asked for donations, and he put
enough money together to pay for a
press run. But the day before he print
ed, he said he freaked out
“I thought, ‘Oh, man. What if I
can’t pay these people back?”’
But his fears were unfounded - he
sold enough copies at Lincoln school
libraries to reimburse his investors.
. And though the subjects of Frye’s
books have expanded beyond at-risk
youths, his methods of publishing
remained the same for his next few
novels, despite the intense effort he
says it requires.
“I write, edit, typeset and raise the
money. Selling them is hard to do,”
Frye said. “None of these books have
been marketed properly.”
In Frye’s remaining books, his
audience expanded from at-risk
youths to both younger children and
adults. “Squeaker The Adventures of
a Country Mouse” tells of a mouse’s
escapades during a flash flood.
And “Jason the Fear-Slayer” and
“The Jewel Folk” are both fantasy
books with wizards, elves and
dwarves.
For his next novel, “Stag-Heart
Woods, Frye decided to publish with
help from Dageforde Publishing, the
company that recently published
Dorcas Cavatt’s book (proud step
mother of famous Dick).
He said the company does excel
lent marketing work, which could turn
around the usual situation of selling
only a thousand copies of a book.
And he has plans for a trilogy and a
five-book series both based on an ear
lier novel. He said series books make
more sense to him than compiling a lot
into one novel. It’s more reader-friend
ly, something that is important when
his main audience is children.
“I don’t want to write a book that’s
that thick, because kids won’t read it”
Frye looks forward to a time when
he will be able to publish without hav
ing to worry about where the money is
coming from - when he can be a fiill
time writer without having to work
jobs on the side.
But, the nine-time foster parent
said, that doesn’t mean his commit
ment to helping children will stop. It
will just change the way he does it
Instead of working with probation
officers and teachers to keep adoles
cents on track, he can teach through his
tales of troubled children finding their
ways through difficult times.
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Paul Addison
Matt Aemi
Christine Aita
Amy Allison
Britt Anderson
Nicole Anslover
Buck Athey
Alex Bahe
Kristi Bamsey
JefFBarwig
James Bayer
Andy Basset
Megan Belfiore
Chris Birch
Brian Boemer
Marc Boggy
Travis Brady
Ruth Carlson
Candace Carter
Chad Carpenter
Chris Cedeberg
Angie Child
Brenda Chrastil
Liz Cole
Scott Coleman
Laura Colvin
Brandon Connick
Mary Cornell
Willie-Craft
Justin Cramer
Todd Cruise
Andee Cummins
Angie Digiacinto
Claire Dietrich
Jill Dolnicek
Tim Domeier
Matt Donahoe
Adam Dubus
Adam Duhacek
Heather Easter
Sarah Eurek
Andrew Faltin
Taylor Faulkner
Chrissta Forslund
John Frerichs
Mindy Glass
Brooke Glassman
Matt Glather
Andrea Green
Jessica Gregory
Mike Groff
Nicole Grossenber]
Leslie Grosshaus
Tiffany Grueber
Jeff Guenin
Kristina Hayes
Andrew Haith
Katie Hanson
Jenny Hefti
Scott Henderson
Aaron Hendry
Michelle Heyen
Brett Hill
Bridget Hoflfart
Katie Honz
Kelly Humeniak
Karin Iossi
Joshua Johnson
Sara Johnson
: Justin Kauk
Kristy Keller
Mandy Kent
Sarah Kipenbrock
Jenny Kline
Adam Klinker
Eric Knight
Amy Knowhon
Gleb Krivosheev
Kerri Kuenning
Chrissy Labenz
Justin Ladenburgei
Quinn Laging
Brock Lasure
Bill Lawton
Jason Lee
Lannae Lee
Laura Lessley
Katie Lewis
Caprice Limphrey
Gina Mahoney
John Mai
Kayti Mai
Shane Mares
Mari Marker
»Jenni Martin
Jason Mashek
Sara Mattes
Mara McClellan
Ryann McFee
Joe Michie
Emily Millard
Shannon Miller
Kristen Moore
Kelsey Moran
Cheryl Mueller
Colin Mues
Ann Mulligan
Damon Nelson
Steph Nielsen
Ben Novotny
Cheri Olinger
Erika Olsen
Kari O Neill
Amy Osberg
Amber Oswald
John Palecek
Brian Pape
Jeffrey Peters
Megan Power
Melanie Prucha
Brandon Rabeier
Jen Rajewich
Rebecca Rawalt
Michelle Rasmussen
Chad Reade
Geoffrey Reno
Mikala Rentschler
Karen Reynolds
John Rice
Tonya Rodecker
Amanda Romjve
Michael Roth
Kat Rush
Robbie Sail
Jim Sands
Aaron Scheibe
Bill Schellpeper
Alison Schiffem
Mike Shaver
Meghan Sheets
Lori Simpson
Andrea Slater
Chris Smith
Morgan Smith
Jen Sorensen
Scott Stanko
Jennifer Stauffer
Michelle Stewart
Brett Stohs
Sara Strongin
Katie Sup
James Suther
Allison Taylor
Matt Timm
Tom Tollefsen
Amy Twarling
Ann Twarling
Sarah Van Horn
Jordyn Walker
Jamie Walls
Rachelle Wameking
Nate Weedin
Molly Weichman
Mitch Wolden
Ben Wilton
John Wise
Jacob Wobig
Staci Woita
Kylie Wolf
Kylie Woods
Sleater-Kinney
“The Hot Rock”
Kill Rock Stars Records
Grade: A
Right away, vocalist/guitarist
Corin Tucker’s voice draws a line in the
sand between fans and non-fans of
Sleater-Kinney.
Her voice is a powerful and beauti
ful instrument, at times sounding like a
punk-rock trumpet. It is a demented
siren’s wail capable of clearing out half
the room and hitting pleasure over
drive in the brains of the other half. But
her voice is also capable of subtlety,
emotion and grace.
Sleater-Kinney’s new album, “The
Hot Rock,” most often emphasizes the
latter.
The band’s last album, 1997’s “Dig
Me Out,” was one of the best rock
albums of the last 10 years. The explo
sive urgency and emotion in songs
such as “Things You Say,” and the way
the three women made such a huge
sound with just a few guitars and some
drums made this album matter in ways
most rock albums in these lean times
don’t
“The Hot Rock” is just a shade less
amazing. Tucker has reined in her
voice, the guitar textures are much
subtler and die hooks don’t jump out at
you like they did on “Dig Me Out.”
Sleater-Kinney’s emotionally power
ful rock rarely cracks a smile, but the
band members sound like they’re hav
ing fun anyway.
“The Hot Rock” lacks the visceral
immediacy of the band’s previous
work, and takes a few listens to sink in.
However, patient listeners will be
rewarded immensely.
The album is full of little surprises.
The opening song, “Start Together,”
weaves Tucker’s and Carrie
Brownstein’s guitars in and out of each
other, with a slightly more subdued
vocal performance from the former.
The tide track is quiet and pretty and
blends Tucker’s and Brownstein’s voic
es together, a technique they are using
more and more.
“Banned From the End of the
World” sounds like “Confusion is
Sex”-era Sonic Youth played at 78
rpm. “Bum Don’t Freeze” is as poppy
as prime Go-Go’s and “The Size of
Our Love” is a violin-tinged ballad.
Interestingly enough, the songs
that sound similar to the last few
albums are hidden deep on the second
half of the record. “Get Up” sounds
like it was recorded at the sessions for
“Dig Me Out,” “Memorize Your
Lines” has an enormously catchy,
melodic chorus and “A Quarter to
Three” sounds like a more melan
cholic companion to the last album’s
“Dance Song 97,” complete with
cheesy/creepy ofgan. “Living in
Exile” and “One Song for You” show
case drummer Janet Weiss’ punk
attack.
In fact, Weiss will probably be die
unsung heroine of the album. Much
will be written about the guitar inter
play between Tucker and Brownstein,
but Weiss has grown as a musician,
too. She is much subtler here than on
any of Sleater-Kinney’s previous
albums or on those of her other band,
Quasi. She is an incredible musician
who serves die song, not herself.
Sleater-Kinney had to live up to the
pressure of following up its brilliant
last album, which landed in the top 10
in both the Village Voice and Spin
magazine. “Dig Me Out” rates right up
there with Nirvana’s “Nevermind,”
Pavement’s “Slanted and Enchanted,”
Liz Phair’s “Exile in Guyville” and the
Afghan Whigs’ “Gentlemen” in the
’90s rock pantheon. Like those artists,
Sleater-Kinney’s music has overcome
the hype. Also like those artists,
Sleater-Kinney has managed to tran
scend the often anonymous world of
indie rock, in which some bands sound
like they would rather be sleeping than
playing, while avoiding the bombast
and stupidity of stadium rock.
“The Hot Rock” is not an album
that reaches out of the speakers and
grabs you by the throat. Instead,
SlCatier-Kinney’s new album slowly
grows on you until you pleasantly real
ize it may be the best rock band on the
planet.
-JoshKmuter
Cold War culture seeps into Midwest
SOVIETS from page 9
Not all are screaming posters, but
some unique items that have influ
enced the Red culture can be found.
The exhibition includes a number of
medals, some of which the state
awarded to mothers who had a certain
number of children.
“The government used these
medals as an incentive,” Keane said.
“They were really into procreation
and wanted their people to have chil
dren.”
Medals were also given to people
for military, cultural and academic
achievements as well.
Other items, such as bail-point
pens with Lenin’s face on them, show
the impact the government had on the
people.
The artifacts not only demon
strate the uniqueness of the culture,
but also the connections between the
Soviet Union and its Western neigh
bors.
“While many things in the display
seem very foreign, there are a lot of
things that are similar,” said
O’Donnell. “I think it is wonderful to
show those differences as well as the
similarities”
O’Donnell said there is a Russian
military poster with a slogan that is
similar to “We Want You” - a close
replica of the famous United States
image of Uncle Sam’s large face.
“Darker Shade of Red” brings
together die history of Russia through
artifacts that were important to the
Soviet people during communism. It
gives a personal perspective of the
conflicts that terrorized the country,
as well as an up-close view of com
munist life.
