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Rhode Island Association of Public Accountants
100 Metro Center Blvd, Warwick, RI 02886
Seminars & CPE
Affiliate of National Society of Accountants
100 Metro Center Blvd., Warwick, RI 02886
All RIAPA Continuing Education Seminars will be held at
Chelo's Hometown Bar & Grille
Past Seminars of 2022
DATE: Wednesday, January 4th, 2023
Topic(s): 36th Annual State of Rhode Island 2022 Tax Update
Attendance Option(s): In-Person
Registration Form – Mail in registrations should be post-marked by the registration deadline (December 22, 2022) on the registration form to be considered on-time.
Online Registration – online registration has closed on December 28, 2022.
This will be a 4-hour, IN-PERSON seminar with LIVE speakers to provide tax professionals with a comprehensive overview of the Division of Taxation sections.
Presenters will be speaking on the challenges we as tax preparers will be facing in the coming 2023 filing season. Subject matter will include:
Sales Tax Regulations & Filing requirements
New Sales Tax Exemptions what went into effect October 2022
Larger Business Filing & Payment requirements
Pass-Through Entities tax form changes
Modifications for Income from Pensions, 401k Plans, Annuities, and other such sources
Property Tax relief credits increasing in January 2023
Restaurant Industry & State Tax guide
and other tax section updates along with a presentation from the RI Secretary of State!!
Neena Savage, Tax Administrator (in-person)
Leo Lebeuf, Taxpayer Experience Liaison (in-person)
& the Division of Taxation team (in-person)
CPE CREDITS: 4 CREDIT HOURS
(4 hours | 4 CPEs) Taxation
CPE credits are on a 1:1 ratio. One (1) hour is equivalent to one (1) CPE credit.
Whenever possible and allowed by the presenters/speakers, seminar materials will be EMAILED to registered attendees as soon as they are made available, otherwise, seminar materials will be provided after the seminar via email to those who are in attendance. Please confirm your email at check-in.
CPE certificates will be issued to those who have pre-registered and in attendance. For full CPE credit, you must be in attendance the entire duration of the seminar. The RIAPA understands that we do not live in a perfect world and emergencies happen. If an emergency arises prior to the event and before the registration deadline (listed on the registration form), please contact the event coordinator as soon as possible. If an emergency arises after the registration deadline (listed on the registration form), please see an associate at check-in. The RIAPA will do our best to assist with your conflict.
A seminar may be canceled if the minimum number of required attendees is not obtained. You may elect to receive a full refund of the cancelled seminar fee or transfer it to a future seminar (not applicable for Gear Up). Your early registration is appreciated and helps to avoid seminar cancellations.
Cancellations/transfers require 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. Cancellations/transfers must be received by 8AM on December 22, 2022 – 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date; holidays or observed holidays are not included as business days. No-Show registrants are not eligible for any refund/transfer of seminar fees.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Dec. 22, 2022) listed on the registration form or otherwise stated above.
DATES: Monday, November 28, 2022 & Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Topic(s): Gear Up – 1040 Individual Tax
Attendance Option(s): In person OR Virtual
Reserve your seat & sign-up EARLY!!
Registration Form – Mail in registrations should be post-marked by the registration deadline (November 18, 2022) on the registration form to be considered on-time.
Online Registration – online registration has closed on Sunday, November 20th, 2022.
This is a two (2) day, IN-PERSON or VIRTUAL, seminar to offer you another high-quality seminar with industry leaders. We'll dive into the deep end to discuss the major changes impacting the upcoming filing season so you can stay ahead of the curve and be well informed.
This comprehensive course covers key tax issues for completing complicated individual tax returns, case law developments, relevant notices & announcements, revenue rulings & procedures, and recent legislation which you'll use to better guide and inform your clients in the 2023 filing season.
This 16-hour seminar is broken down into 2 days (8 hours each day) with 4 segments per day.
Our in-person platform includes a full lunch buffet and afternoon cookies for both days.
Our virtual platform DOES NOT include lunch, coffee, or snacks – you're on your own.
GEAR UP SPEAKERS:
Dave Krebs, CPA
Dave is a graduate of Miami University, the cold one in Ohio. He started his professional career with Coopers & Lybrand. In 1985, Dave created and served as the Chief Visionary Officer of The CPA Advisory Group, which is now a $5 million+, 35‐member tax, accounting, consulting, and investment advisory firm. Dave has coached 51 youth baseball, softball, and bowling teams and is currently a high school bowling coach. He has run for over 50 years, and as a meticulous accountant, he has calculated that he has run the circumference of Earth over that time. Dave's love for running led to the theme of his practice management and development book titled "Outrun the Pack in Tax." Dave recently completed his 1,000th Gear Up seminar and has presented to over 100,000 accountants and small business owners across the United States for over 30 years.
Rick E. Oelerich, LPA, EA
Rick Oelerich has been a Gear Up speaker for over 15 years. He is licensed in the state of Iowa and his firm serves over 2,000 individuals and business clients. Listen as Rick tells us what to expect at the upcoming Gear Up 1040 seminars this year. You will want to hear about all the new and recent tax changes. We hope to see you at a Gear Up seminar this year!
Charlie Burdoin – online moderator
Charles is a 1971 graduate of California State University, Hayward (now "East Bay"). He has been licensed as a CPA since 1975 in California and in Nevada since 2015. He was a sole practitioner in the Greater Oakland/East Bay Area from 1978 until 2015. He served six years on the board of directors of the Tri-Valley Estate Planning Council and was a part-time accounting and tax instructor for Las Positas College in Livermore. He currently resides in Nevada and consults with other CPA's regarding estate and trust matters along with California issues.
CPE CREDITS: 16 CREDIT HOURS
(16 hours | 16 CPEs) Taxation
For those attending in person, materials will be provided the day of the event.
For those attending virtually, material will be emailed to you as a PDF 1-2 days prior to the event. Please check your email (spam & junk folders). To receive full CPE credits, Gear Up will be conducting attendance pop-ups. Virtual Gear Up should be done with a desktop computer or PC; mobile devices are not recommended and can create reporting discrepancies .
If you do not receive your CPE certificate of completion the day of the seminar, your CPE certificate will be emailed to you. If an email address was not provided at the time of registration, please contact one of our administrators for assistance.
Cancellations/transfers require 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. Cancellations/transfers must be received by 8AM on November 18, 2022 – 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date; holidays or observed holidays are not included as business days. No-Show registrants are not eligible for any refund/transfer of seminar fees.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Friday, November 18th, 2022) listed on the registration form or otherwise stated above.
DATE: Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Topic(s): 2022 Federal Tax Updates for 2023 Filing Season
Online Registration – online registration is now closed. Online registration closed on Sunday, November 13th, 2022.
Odette Turenne, IRS Stakeholder Liaison
Odette is a Senior Stakeholder Liaison with the Stakeholder Liaison office of the Internal Revenue Service Communications & Liaison Division. Odette began her career with the Internal Revenue Service 35 years ago as a Revenue Agent in the Examination Division of the Small Business/Self-Employed Operating Division of IRS. Currently, as a Senior Stakeholder Liaison, Odette represents the IRS at education and outreach events and works with tax professionals, payroll providers, industry and trade associations, small business owners, and other federal, state and local government agencies. She speaks at organization meetings, conferences, seminars, forums, and workshops on tax related topics relevant to the tax professional or small business audience. Odette is a graduate of Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting.
Peter Dorsey, President of The Business Development Company
Help your clients obtain the capital they need. The Business Development Company can provide $100K to $2MM in capital to businesses in RI and nearby MA and CT. They frequently work with a bank to jointly meet a borrower's needs, but can also serve as the borrower's primary lender if the request falls completely outside bank parameters. Target companies need to have a strong leadership team and be able to strategically and financially validate the business model.
Understanding the Cost of Capital
Cancellations/transfers require 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. Cancellations/transfers must be received by 3pm – 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. No-Show registrants are not eligible for any refund/transfer of seminar fees..
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date listed on the registration form or otherwise stated above.
DATE: Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Topic(s): Tax Updates
Registration Form – Mail in registrations should be post-marked by the registration deadline on the registration form (October 12th, 2022) to be considered on-time.
Online Registration – online registration is now closed. Online registration closed on Sunday, October, 16th, 2022.
This will be a 4-hour, IN-PERSON seminar covering changes at the RI Division of Taxation such as changes to the online portal, changes e-file mandate, Leadership Team, definition of "larger business", e-file requirements and future plans.
Tax credits such as 179D, 45L, & R&D save your clients thousands and are often overlooked by even the best accountants in our profession. Don't let it happen to you!
The Section 179D deduction is a major boom for companies in the construction space. If you work on government buildings and are involved in new construction or upgrades to the HVAC, lighting, or building envelope of those commercial buildings, one may qualify for a deduction of up to 1.80 per square foot.
Under Section 45L of the federal tax code, builders can realize up to $2,000 per home/unit of dollar-for-dollar federal tax savings, generated in the year for which the home or unit is first sold or leased for use as a residence.
In a recent IRS published article, the following facts were posted in regards to actual R&D credits claimed:
$11.6 Billion in R&D Expenditures were reported on individual and corporate tax returns;
Manufacturing was actually the largest sector to claim, but only 6,219 of 15,873 Manufacturers actually took the credit (39%);
Businesses of $250 Million of sales or more account for 14% of all claims made, but this 14% accounts for 84% of the total credits claimed
Companies with less than $50 Million in sales account for 72% of all filers, but this represents only 11% of the credits claimed.
Clearly the R&D Credit is severely underutilized
MEET THE SPEAKERS:
Robert Stabell will be joining us virtually from Houston, TX and has over 20 years experience in Tax, International Tax, and Specialize Incentives with ABGI Group founded in 1986. Bob is the ABGI's Executive Vice President. Bob is currently a specialist in highly legal or highly technical tax incentives not normally mastered by any professional Accountant.
Rhode Island Division of Taxation Leadership Team:
Neena Savage – Tax Administrator for the RI Division of Taxation
Appointed in December 2015, Neena S. Savage, Esq., oversees the Division of Taxation. Savage previously served as the Assistant Tax Administrator, a position she held since February 2015. Prior to joining the Division of Taxation, Neena was deputy director and executive counsel for the R.I. Department of Business Regulation and held various other positions during her 18-year career at DBR. Savage was an associate with Edwards & Angell and a staff attorney for Rhode Island Legal Services before beginning work at DBR. In all, she has more than 25 years of experience in the legal field. Savage holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Texas A&M University and a juris doctorate degree from American University.
Leo Lebeuf – Chief Tax Processing for the RI Division of Taxation. Leo Lebeuf has been promoted at the Rhode Island Division of Taxation to the rank of chief, Tax Assessment & Review. He formerly serves as chief of the Personal & Corporate Income Tax unit. He will oversee administration of the personal income tax, corporate income tax, sales tax, and other levies. hearings.
DATE: Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Topic(s): Partners, Partnerships & LLCs | Ethics
Registration Form – Mail in registrations should be post-marked by the registration deadline on the registration form (September 14th, 2022) to be considered on-time. Deadline for mailed in registrations has closed.
This will be a 4-hour, IN-PERSON seminar.
The first section will cover hot topics in partnership taxation including an update on recent court cases and IRS administrative guidance. Special attention will focus on allocating partnership liabilities, tracking partner tax basis, and capital account reporting requirements. Accurately tracking partner basis has always been critical in maintaining tax compliance but perhaps more so now. IRS announced in February 2022 a new audit campaign focused on combating the deduction of partnership losses in excess of partner basis.
The second section is designed to meet the specific ethics requirement for the State of Rhode Island. It covers the Code of Professional Conduct, the ethical dilemmas of tax professions and CPAs in the industry, as well as Rhode Island specific information.
Rhode Island Code of Ethics
Cory J. Bilodeau, Esq. LLM
Cory is a Partner at McLaughlinQuinn and leads the Tax Planning Practice Group. He has many years of experience representing clients in a wide range of tax, estate planning, and related business matters. Working with businesses, business owners, and individuals, Cory develops creative tax planning strategies and structures that eliminate, minimize, and defer federal and state taxes. He advises closely-held businesses and high-net-worth individuals on tax and legal aspects of business and real estate activities. Cory also counsel's clients in developing estate plans that protect them and their loved ones through the use of sophisticated planning techniques. Cory represents taxpayers (individuals and businesses) before Federal and state taxing authorities in audits, appeals, litigation, and collection actions. Cory is a frequent expert speaker on federal and state tax topics for legal, tax, and accounting organizations throughout the country. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Cory worked in the financial services industry and studied business management at Boston College. Cory's professional background gives him unique insight into the economic issues businesses and individuals face every day and flows directly into his ability to provide tax advice.
Roby B. Sawyers, CPA, Ph. D.
Roby's CV
Roby is a sought after professor of accounting at the North Carolina State University in Raleigh and 2021 recipient of the AICPA Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award. The Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award is the highest award given by the accounting profession in the area of taxes. It is given to the CPA who demonstrates true professionalism in the spirit of Arthur Dixon. Dixon was a recognized leader in the profession, serving on various state society and AICPA committees, with a long record of service to the Tax Division, culminating in his chairmanship of the Tax Executive Committee from 1977-1980. Following Dixon's passing in 1981, the Tax Executive Committee established the Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award in his honor.You may have read a recent article posted in the Journal of Accountancy where Roby discussed the problematic nature of the billionaire minimum tax held in 2023 U.S. government budget proposal.
"It would be administratively difficult to enforce and a compliance nightmare for high-wealth individuals with illiquid 'nontradeable' assets," said Sawyers. "Although the proposal mentions unrealized gains and charitable gifts affecting how uncredited prepayments and refunds are handled, we have no practical guidance as to what that means or how it would work."
(4 hours | 4 CPEs) 2 CPEs in Taxation | 2 CPEs in Ethics
CPE certificates will be issued to those who have pre-registered and in attendance. For full CPE credit, you must be in attendance the entire duration of the seminar. The RIAPA understands that we do not live in a perfect world and emergencies happen. If an emergency arises prior to the event and before the registration deadline (listed on the registration form – September 14th, 2022), please contact the event coordinator as soon as possible. If an emergency arises after the registration deadline (listed on the registration form – September 14th, 2022), please see an associate at check-in. The RIAPA will do our best to assist with your conflict.
Cancellations/transfers require 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. Cancellations/transfers must be received by 3pm – 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. No-Show registrants are not eligible for any refund/transfer of seminar fees.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date listed on the registration form (September 14th, 2022) or otherwise stated above.
Topic(s): How the SECURE Act Changes Retirement | Estates & Trust Updates
Registration Form – Mail in registrations should be post-marked by the registration deadline on the registration form (August 24th, 2022) to be considered on-time.
Online Registration – online registration is now closed. Online Registration closed on Sunday, August 28th, 2022.
Tax professionals need to understand the new Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act minimum distribution rules for IRAs and other retirement accounts, and how these impact planning for our clients. Minimum distributions are getting more complicated than ever, with less reward for compliance. Plus, how the "10-year rule" works, SECURE's effect on pre-2020 decedents, and changes beneficiary & distributions rules for beneficiaries.
This will be a 4-hour, IN-PERSON seminar to include the SECURE Act which is a significant piece of retirement legislation that includes many provisions that affect IRA distributions and tax planning. It also severely restricted, for many potential beneficiaries, the valuable tax benefit of stretching distributions from inherited retirement accounts over many years.
Changes to the SECURE Act include:
Overview of the SECURE Act
401(k) Plans & Safe Harbor Changes
Safe Harbor for Lifetime Income Options
Employer Tax Credits
How the SECURE Act affects Individuals and its Impact to IRAs
Penalty-Free Withdrawal for Childbirth or Adoption
New Retirement Planning Strategies
In addition to the SECURE Act, we'll also cover updates pertaining to Trusts & Estates.
John M. Harpootian, Esq. of Pater & Harpootian Ltd. Counsellors at Law
John M. Harpootian is the principal member of the firm. His law practice is exclusively limited to personal and financial planning, trust and estate administration for high net worth and highly compensated individuals, business succession planning for closely held businesses and farms, as well as general probate administration.
Mr. Harpootian is a Past President and current member of the Estate Planning Council of Rhode Island, the American Bar Association and its Section on Probate and Trusts and the Rhode Island Bar Association where he is active in the Committee on Probate and Trusts. He is also a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society in economics.
A nationally popular lecturer on advanced estate planning and tax issues, Mr. Harpootian has addressed the annual meetings of Million Dollar Round Table, the Top of the Table, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and numerous other legal and financial services organizations. He received his undergraduate degree, cum laude, in economics from Boston University in 1983, and his law degree from Boston University School of Law in 1986.
A Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Mr. Harpootian is an active member in the nation's premier association of trust and estate practitioners, where he serves as Chair of the Rhode Island Delegation.
Mr. Harpootian is an associate member of the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting, a national organization dedicated to the preservation of the tax-preferred status of life insurance products. He is also an active member of the National Council on Planned Giving and the Society of Financial Service Professionals.
Mr. Harpootian is involved in many community activities including: Trinity Repertory Company where he served as Chair of its endowment fund; the Rhode Island Foundation where he served as Chair of its Professional Advisors Council; Leadership Rhode Island where he has served on its Board of Directors and Program Committees; the Armenian Assembly of America where he serves as a Fellow Trustee; the Alliance for Better Long Term Care where he serves as a member of the board and pro bono legal counsel; and the Rhode Island Commodores.
Jeffrey H. Massey, CFP® of Massey & Associates
Jeffrey H. Massey, CFP® is the president of Massey And Associates, Inc. a wealth advisory firm specializing in retirement planning, investment management, asset management, tax planning and estate planning. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with more than two decades of experience, Jeff hosts the weekly radio show "Massey on Money™" and is a frequent speaker at financial conferences and seminars.
Jeffrey is a U.S. Army veteran and a lifelong Rhode Island resident who supports and volunteers for a number of charitable organizations.
CPE certificates will be issued to those who have pre-registered and in attendance. For full CPE credit, you must be in attendance the entire duration of the seminar. The RIAPA understands that we do not live in a perfect world and emergencies happen. If an emergency arises prior to the event and before the registration deadline (August 24th, 2022 as listed on the registration form), please contact the event coordinator as soon as possible. If an emergency arises after the registration deadline (August 24th, 2022 as listed on the registration form), please see an associate at check-in. The RIAPA will do our best to assist with your conflict.
Cancellations/transfers require 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. Cancellations/transfers must be received by 3pm – 3 (THREE) business days prior to the seminar date. No-Show registrants are not eligible for any refund of seminar fees.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date listed on the registration form (August 24th, 2022) or otherwise stated above.
DATE: Wednesday, May 25, 2022 Postponed to June 14, 2022
Topic(s): Everything you need to know & want to know about Cryptocurrencies
This will be an in-person seminar with both live and virtual presenters who will cover the bulls and bears of cryptocurrencies, and provide a comprehensive knowledge base on topics such as the history of cryptocurrencies, market trends & volatility, advantages & disadvantages of trading within this market, and learn key terminology such as: Bitcoin, DApps, Digital Gold, Ethereum, HODL, tokens, NFTs, wallets and Forks, and no, not the ones in your dishwasher.
Bonus topics! Dealing with PTSD in a professional setting; refresher on this past tax season's key topics – 7203, PTC repayment, 8915E, 8915F, ERC, & RI PTE, and more!
Attorney Eric Rothenberg of Orsi Arone Rothenberg Turner LLP will be joining us remotely to guide us on how to properly report such transactions to the IRS and proper tax planning for such trading.
Mr. Rothenberg was the author of the WG&L TAX PLANNER, a system of tax planning computer software, published by Warren, Gorham and Lamont, Boston, Massachusetts, which was sold nationally to lawyers, accountants and financial planners. One software package computed estate and gift taxes and the other computed income taxes. In addition, he is the author of several articles which have appeared in such professional journals as Taxation for Lawyers, Taxation for Accountants, National Tax Shelter Digest, Taxes, Mass CPA Journal, Digest of Federal Taxes. Mr. Rothenberg has lectured on various tax subjects before professional continuing education courses. In addition, he has served as an expert witness in U. S. District Court and Massachusetts Superior Court.
Christopher Lazzaro of CoinTracker will be joining us remotely to guide us on the tax side of cryptocurrencies. Chris is a fellow CPA with a Masters in Accountancy from Montclair State University. His role with CoinTracker is helping to ensure their accuracy. With over 15 years of experience, he formerly worked at a Top 100 accounting firm were he was advising clients with tax, estate and business planning strategies, tax compliance, and government agency correspondence.
Chris Bellamy joins us in-person to provide hands-on-experience.
Download the form & mail it in along with your payment by June 10th, 2022 to:
100 Metro Center Blvd.
ATTN: Seminar RegistrationMailed in registrations should be post-marked by 6/10/2022 to be considered on-time.
You can also bring your registration form and payment the day of the event. CPE certificates and course materials will then be emailed to you later in the week.
Please note that the registration form has the original seminar date of 5/25/2022; this seminar was postponed to Tuesday, June 14th, 2022
Complete the seminar registration form and email to Sally by no later than June 12th, 2022
Registering online includes a Event Platform fee (approx. $2.38 Member | $3.50 Non-Member).
Online Registrations will automatically close on Sunday, June 12th.
CPE certificates will be issued to those who have pre-registered and in attendance. CPE certificates for those who registered the day of the event will be issued via email later on in the week, but no later than Monday, June 20th.
For full CPE credit, you must be in attendance the entire duration of the seminar. The RIAPA understands that we do not live in a perfect world and emergencies happen. If an emergency arises prior to the event and before the registration deadline (listed on the registration form or otherwise stated above), please contact the event coordinator as soon as possible. If an emergency arises after the registration deadline (listed on the registration form or otherwise stated above), please see an associate at check-in. The RIAPA will do our best to assist with your conflict.
34th Annual State of Rhode Island 2021 Tax Update
DATES: Thursday, January 7th, 2021
Topic(s): 2020 Rhode Island Tax Updates
This is a 5 hour, IN-PERSON or VIRTUAL, in-depth review of changes affecting tax professionals and your clients, including the new RI PTE election.
CPE certificates will be issued to those who have pre-registered and in attendance. For full CPE credit, you must be in attendance the entire duration of the seminar. If an emergency arises prior to the event and before the registration deadline (listed on the registration form), please contact the event coordinator as soon as possible. If an emergency arises after the registration deadline (listed on the registration form), please see an associate at check-in.
If you do not receive your CPE certificate of completion the day of the seminar, your CPE certificate will be emailed to you. If an email address was not provided at the time of registration, please contact Rob Iadeluca.
Rhode Island Pass-Through Entity Tax & American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 explained
DATES: Thursday, June 24th, 2021
Topic(s): Rhode Island Pass-Through Entity Tax & American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 explained
This is a 4 hour, IN-PERSON, seminar to thoroughly explain the nuts & bolts of the RI Pass-Through Entity Tax. Also join the discussion of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (COVID-19 relief) and how it applies to you and your clients.
Cory is a Partner at McLaughlinQuinn and leads the Tax Planning Practice Group. He has many years of experience representing clients in a wide range of tax, estate planning, and related business matters. Working with businesses, business owners, and individuals, Cory develops creative tax planning strategies and structures that eliminate, minimize, and defer federal and state taxes. He advises closely-held businesses and high-net-worth individuals on tax and legal aspects of business and real estate activities. Cory also counsel's clients in developing estate plans that protect them and their loved ones through the use of sophisticated planning techniques.Cory represents taxpayers (individuals and businesses) before Federal and state taxing authorities in audits, appeals, litigation, and collection actions. Cory is a frequent expert speaker on federal and state tax topics for legal, tax, and accounting organizations throughout the country.Prior to becoming a lawyer, Cory worked in the financial services industry and studied business management at Boston College. Cory's professional background gives him unique insight into the economic issues businesses and individuals face every day and flows directly into his ability to provide tax advice.
If you do not receive your CPE certificate of completion the day of the seminar, your CPE certificate will be emailed to you. If an email address was not provided at the time of registration, please contact Sally.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Thursday, June 24th, 2021) listed on the registration form.
Business Ethics & Tax Updates for 2020/2021
DATES: Wednesday, October 6th, 2021
Topic(s): Business Ethics & Tax Updates for 2020/2021
This is a 4 hour, IN-PERSON, seminar focusing on Employee Retention Credit; RI Taxability of PPP Loans & Forgiveness; the $3.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan; and other Federal programs introduced in 2020.
Business Ethics will also be integrated into the seminar and is designed to meet the specific ethics requirement for the State of Rhode Island. It covers the Code of Professional Conduct, the ethical dilemmas of tax professions and CPAs in the industry, as well as Rhode Island specific information.
Anthony V. Ricci, CPA & RIAPA Executive Director
Steven Bailey, CPA & RIAPA President
Lynne Radiches, RI Ethics Committee
The Ethics Commission assists state and municipal officials and employees in complying with the Code of Ethics and its Financial Disclosure requirement, and responds to questions about the Code posed by public officials and employees facing potential conflicts of interest. The Commission's educational program offers seminars and workshops and disseminates publications relating to the Code of Ethics. Complaints alleging violations of the Code of Ethics may be filed by members of the public with the Ethics Commission. Such complaints are public documents, and the Commission enforces the Code of Ethics through a combination of confidential investigations, hearings and public adjudications. Enforcement powers include civil penalties and, in some instances, the power to remove an official from office.
Kristin Sanford, EF Cost Recovery
AT EF Cost Recovery, we're all about performance! We utilize a contingency model for our services, meaning if we can not improve your profits, it doesn't cost you a penny, so you have nothing to lose. Our advisors and their support teams are amongst the finest in the business; let us prove it to you at no cost and risk free.
(2 hours | 2 CPEs) Business Ethics
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Wednesday, September 29th, 2021) listed on the registration form.
NEXUS for Income Tax & Sales Tax | Ethics
DATES: Wednesday, October 20th, 2021
Topic(s): NEXUS & Business Ethics
This is a 4 hour, IN-PERSON, seminar focusing on NEXUS issues with Sales Tax and Income Tax. "When does your client cross the line" and what is your responsibility as a tax professional.
Business Ethics covers the Code of Professional Conduct, the ethical dilemmas of tax professions and CPAs in the industry, as well as Rhode Island specific information. We're providing an additional two (2) hours of ethics this year since last year none were provided. This provides four (4) hours over a two-year period.
Inez Mello, MBA, CPA – NEXUS Specialist
Inez has over 35 years of state and local tax experience. A seasoned tax professional, Inez's areas of expertise include all facets of multi-state and local tax planning and compliance.Ms. Mello's wide breadth of state and local tax knowledge is reflected in the numerous seminars and education symposiums that she leads for associations including The Boston Tax Institute, Lorman Education Services and the Massachusetts Society of CPA's. Ms. Mello is the prior Chair of the Massachusetts Society of CPA's State Taxation Committee and has served on CCH's National State Tax Advisory Board and the Governing Board of the Streamlined Sales Tax Project. Ms. Mello has continued her scholastic pursuits, serving as an adjunct professor for Bryant University. Ms. Mello is Bryant University's Graduate Multi-State Tax Professor and received the 2016 & 2019 Graduate School of Business Award for Outstanding MST Faculty.Ms. Mello is extremely well-known throughout the business community and was recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as the Rhode Island Women in Business Champion of the Year in 2007.Prior to becoming a multi-state tax consultant, Ms. Mello has served in various Director Roles for several CPA firms throughout New England. In this capacity, she helped establish and grow their state and local tax practices as well as oversaw all multi-state and local tax issues.
David Casten, JD, CPA – Ethics
David is Of Counsel in the Providence office of Gordon & Rees and is a member of the Business Transactions practice group. He provides individual -client and business-client advisory and compliance services as well as legal representation and counsel on tax matters related to diverse business transactions including new entity formations, business acquisitions and dispositions, accounting periods and methods, Subchapter S elections, high net worth individuals, tax controversy services, multinational taxation.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Wednesday, October 15th, 2021) listed on the registration form.
2021 Federal Tax Updates for 2022 Filing Season
DATES: Wednesday, November 17th, 2021
This is a 4 hour, IN-PERSON, seminar focusing on 2021 Federal Tax updates including the American Rescue Plan Act in detail, as well as other major changes impacting the upcoming 2022 filing season.
Pat Thompson, CPA – Picerelli, Gilstein & Company, LLP
Pat has significant experience working with many closely held businesses and their owners in the manufacturing, real estate, service and wholesale industries. She focuses on assisting clients with the intricacies of sale transactions to minimize the income tax consequences, business and financial consulting, audits with governmental agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service, and the various state Divisions of Taxation. In addition, she researches various tax issues, which may be specific to a particular industry or individual. Pat continuously monitors and interprets pending tax legislation and implements solutions for firm clients and staff.Pat has extensive knowledge about complex tax transactions including multi-state tax returns, real estate transactions and like-kind exchanges. In addition to directing the firm's tax department, she has distinguished herself in the accounting profession both on the state level and on the national stage, helping to develop policy recommendations relating to national tax legislation, tax administration and ethical standards.A familiar face in the media, Pat has appeared on Channel 10 in Providence on Frank Coletta's Business Reports to explain current tax legislation, and PBS's Tax Forum programs. Pat joined the Firm in 1978.
Richard J. Petrucci, Jr. – Picerelli, Gilstein & Company, LLP
Rick provides clients with helpful consultation and planning. From estates, gifts and trusts, through comprehensive individual and business planning, he works to provide you with options and guidance that best fits your objectives. Your unique and evolving circumstances require personalized and unique solutions.Rick provides a valuable perspective because the firm knows your finances and your circumstances, and as these change, he modifies your plan. It is not a static process, but one that is shaped by life and/or work events such as marriage, birth of a child, divorce, property acquisition, inheritance, special needs, partner buy-out, etc.Regardless of your income, or financial complexity, Rick will demonstrate why planning ahead can give you greater control, tax savings, privacy, and security of your wealth and, if desired, your legacy. You can see the full-range of services he provides by viewing Estate planning, Gifts and Trusts services, which Rick oversees.
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Wednesday, November 10th, 2021) listed on the registration form.
2021 Gear Up
Topic(s): GEAR UP
This 16-hour seminar is broken down into 2 days with 4 segments per day. Our in-person platform includes a full lunch buffet and afternoon cookies for both days. Our virtual platform DOES NOT include lunch, coffee, or snacks – you're on your own.
GEAR UP / Thomson Reuters
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Friday, November 19th, 2021) listed on the registration form.
Registration form for 01/05/2022 Seminar or Register online
Registration closed Friday, December 10th, 2021
Mail in registrations should be post-marked by the registration deadline – Friday, December 10, 2021 – to be considered on-time.
Online Registration will close on Friday, December 10, 2021
This will be a 5 hour, IN-PERSON, seminar to provide tax professionals with a comprehensive overview of the Division of Taxation sections. Presenters will be speaking on the challenges we as tax preparers will be facing in the coming 2021 filing season – including, but not limited to: Paycheck Protection Programs, Unemployment, Child Tax Credit, the property-tax relief program, the estate tax and corporate taxes.
Steven Bailey, CPA & RIAPA Board President
Neena Savage, Division of Taxation
No refunds or attendance changes/modifications will be allowed after the registration deadline date (Friday, December 10, 2021) listed on the registration form.
Copyright © 2023 RIAPA - Privacy Policy - Terms of Use - Manage Website


So, a week ago I committed to training for an adventure race which meant it was time to pull away from my desk and get moving. I'm easing into it so as not to inflame old injuries and I want to mix it up. I'm not one to train on the treadmill. Instead, I prefer to use the nearby trails, the pool, and of course do whatever I can to spend quality time with my husband and pups.
I feel good and I'm looking forward to doing what I can to "move every day".


The category Don't go in there! represents a particular shared characteristic associated with resources found in Delaware County District Library.
The Resource Don't go in there!
35 Items that share the Category Don't go in there!
Context of Don't go in there!
Data Citation of the Category Don't go in there!


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This Youtuber Breaks Down What It Really Feels Like To Wake Up Hungover AF, And It's Way Too Relatable
By Jessica V. Garcia May 5, 2017 at 1:19 pm
This Youtuber gets real about how painful and annoying it is to be hungover, and it's so relatable.
No matter how much fun you have drinking and partying with your friends all night long, waking up with a hangover the next morning is not fun AT ALL. From having the biggest headache in the world to feeling nauseous and completely dysfunctional, Youtuber YOLA Consejera breaks down what it really feels like to wake up cruda AF, and it's totally relatable.?
WATCH: These Soccer Fans Turned Into A Church Choir When One Of Their Wives Called On The Phone Asking Where He Was
What do you feel like when you're hungover? Comment and hit the share button below!
Tags: hangover, Comedy, Video
SPOILER ALERTS: The Latest Episode Of HBO's 'Los Espookys' Is Proof It Could Surpass GOT In Cult Status
By Samantha Chavarria June 24, 2019 at 12:20 pm
On June 13 2019, HBO premiered "Los Espookys," it's Spanish-language horror comedy from the mind of Fred Armisen. Needless to say, we were immediate fans. Between the subtly hilarious script and its impeccable delivery, the series proved from episode one that it's worth the watch. Don't even get us started on how much we love the horror elements we've seen so far.
The second episode of "Los Espookys" is just as addictive and entertaining as the first. Titled "El Espanto de la Herencia," the episode is so good, it demands a recap.
Here are some of the most spooky and most hysterical parts of "Los Espookys" episode two.
Last week, we met Renaldo, Úrsula, Tati and Andrés, four friends bonded by their love of horror.
The gang was encouraged by Renaldo's uncle, Tio Tico, to pursue that passion and turn it into a career. Calling themselves Los Espookys, they were approached by a mysterious woman who wants to use their terrifying talents. With this in mind, it's time to brainstorm how they'll approach this next job.
However, before we can check in with Los Espookys, the series introduces us to the US Ambassador.
Horror DNA
Her name is US Ambassador Melanie Gibbons and she's received an important letter. The letter — which is in Spanish, not coded as she first suspects — informs her that her friend Ignacio Ferracuti has died. However, he's left his 18.9 billion peso fortune to whoever can survive a night in his haunted mansion.
To borrow Ambassador Gibbons words, "Okay, twist!" She's been chosen as one of five strangers to compete for his fortune. It's all very exciting for her.
Similarily, Los Espookys are excited for this upcoming challenge.
We finally get to see to the official Los Espookys headquarters — which happens to be Renaldo's garage. While Andrés pushes for avant-garde and challanging tricks, Renaldo wants to stick to the basics. Úrsula just wants confirmation that they're going to be paid.
Meanwhile, back in LA, Tio Tico is in an unusual situation.
Following last week's encounter at a major celebrity party, Tico has been mistaken for an elusive artist. Due to this mix-up, he's been roped into speaking at an art panel. The whole thing has snowballed and Tio Tico is just along for the ride.
Unfortunately, Andrés is finding it hard to balance his life as Prince of Chocolate and his spooky calling.
Being the heir to a chocolate fortune is hard. As his boyfriend reminds him, Andrés has duties he needs to commit to or else he will be removed as heir. However, the curious man is preoccupied with uncovering the mystery of his birth and his new side gig. What is a Chocolate Prince to do?
Finally, it's the big night!
Too bad Renaldo has been ditched by the other members of Los Espookys. Andrés, Úrsula y Tati have all shown up last minute, leaving Renaldo to set up. What's worse, nobody hired the actors they need so Renaldo has to step in as the creepy butler. Let's just say, the role is out of his range.
Still, the goal of the haunted house is to get rid of one contestant in particular. The Mysterious Woman announces to Los Espookys that Sr. Ferracuti's son is a contestant and must not win. However, he seems impossible to shake with the frankly unimpressive scares.
Los Espookys are in a funk and they need some serious rallying.
Andrés is obsessed with the dead ends he keeps getting in his search for his origin. Úrsula is obsessed with getting paid. Tati is obsessed with Snap Chatting her shady internet boyfriend.
Renaldo is about to give up but some unexpectedly good advise from Tati inspires him. After a rallying call from Renaldo, Los Espookys are back. They're going to pull off the scariest trick they can.
We don't want to give away the ending, but the episode wraps up with the possibility of more jobs in their future.
Will Tati continue her internet relationship? Will Andrés learn the origins of his birth? What sort of adventure will Los Spookys get into next week? We'll have to watch to find out.
Tags: Comedy, entertainment, HBO, Los Espookys, Scary, television
George R.R. Martin Says The Starks WILL be in the 'GOT' Prequel That Takes Thousands Of Years Before The Original Series
If you have a giant hole in your heart (and your Sunday nights) where Game of Thrones used to reside, then you're probably one of the many fans who is waiting for the recently-announced GOT prequel series with bated breath. According to HBO, the series will chronicle "the world's descent from the Golden Age of […]
What Famous Latin American Telenovelas Stars Up To Years After Their TV Debuts
Oh, telenovelas. How we love them. Many of us grew up watching these exciting dramas unfurl on the television screen while our mamás or abuelas shushed us so they could hear their stories. Novelas taught us all about love, betrayal, hope and doing things just for the drama of it all. Some of us have […]
Latinos Are Some Of The Strongest And Best Boxers And These Athletes Prove It
Boxers have long captivated sports fans with the intensity and strength of the athletes who make the sport so captivating. Of course, Latinos dominate.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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The Fix (band)
The Fix (musical)
The Fix may refer to:
The Fix (album), a 2002 release by rap artist Scarface
The Fix (band), a hardcore band from Lansing, Michigan
The Fix (EP), a 2005 EP by Jordan Knight
The Fix (musical), a 1997 musical by John Dempsey and Dana P. Rowe
The Fix (song), a 2015 single by Nelly
The Fix (blog), an American political weblog
The Fix (book), a 2012 book about addiction by British writer and Daily Telegraph columnist Damian Thompson
The Art of the Steal (2013 film) or The Fix, a Canadian comedy film
"The Fix" (Heroes), a 2007 episode of the NBC TV series
"The Fix" (House), a 2011 episode of the TV show House
The Fix (1997 film), a British TV film about the 1964 betting scandal in English association football
The Fix (TV series), a celebrity entertainment news show on LivingTV from 2006 to 2009
The Fix (2008 TV series), a home improvement show on HGTV that began in 2008
The Fixx, a British rock band
Fixx (disambiguation)
Fix (disambiguation)
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/The_Fix
The Fix was an early 1980s hardcore punk rock band from Lansing, Michigan, and one of the first bands to be released on Touch and Go Records.
The Fix was formed in March 1980 by Steve Miller (vocals), Craig Calvert (guitar), Mike Achtenberg (bass) and Jeff Wellman (drums). In 1981, The Fix released a single on Touch and Go, "Vengeance" b/w "In this Town", in a small pressing of 200 copies. The first single has fetched up to $3,500 on eBay and is considered among the rarest punk rock records in existence. They also contributed the song "No Idols" to the 1981 Touch and Go compilation EP Process of Elimination.
In January 1982, Touch and Go released Jan's Rooms, a four-song 7" EP. The band played on several prominent bills, including shows with the Dead Kennedys, D.O.A., Flipper, Black Flag, and many other notable punk rock bands, before breaking up in early 1982.
After the split, Miller and Achtenberg formed Blight, which also featured Tesco Vee of The Meatmen as vocalist. Wellman, meanwhile, moved back to Northern Michigan and became a real estate agent in Boyne City. Calvert played with other bands, most recently a Chicago-based blues outfit. Miller is currently a writer based in Lansing. He was the editor of Touch and Go: The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine '79-'83.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/The_Fix_(band)
The Fix is a musical with book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe. It concerns the career of a fictional U.S. politician who gets mixed up with the Mafia.
It premiered at London's Donmar Warehouse in 1997.
The Fix was originally developed in association with Cameron Mackintosh under the working title Cal: A Musical Tale of Relative Insanity. It premiered at the Donmar Warehouse, running from 29 April, 1997 through 14 June, 1997, directed by Sam Mendes and starring John Barrowman, Kathryn Evans and Philip Quast. Quast won the 1998 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in The Fix. The musical was also nominated for Oliviers for Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical (for Barrowman), and Best Lighting Designer (for Howard Harrison).Colin Welford conducted the production.
It received its U.S. premiere at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, running from March 17, 1998 through April 26, 1998, where it was directed by Eric D. Schaeffer.
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/The_Fix_(musical)
theboysatcompanyb.com
thenancyboys.org
thenancyboys.net
fixshipment.com
athingaboutyou.com
fixingpoorcredit.com
sportsfixing.com
The Fix, Minus The Bear
The Fix, Wait In Vain
The Fix, Scarface
The Fix, Elbow
A swimming pool with no bodies
is a problem that we can fix.
He dropped his clothes on the chaise lounge
and asked, "Are you gonna come in?"
and in the night the only light
was the glow of the surface.
As they slid in the rest of them
continued their talking and drinking.
They'll never notice us.
So this is the difference between
living and not living
these are just bodies.
We have a purpose
and the gravity
pulling us from them to we.
The distance between our bodies
They moved slow through the current and found
their bodies touching.
Her hands move to pull him under
for some kind of kiss,
as he slides in the rest of them


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Indie Book Buzz: Rose Metal Press
It's a great day for some Indie Book Buzz here at TNBBC. It's back again and we're inviting members of the indie publishing houses to share which of their upcoming 2015 releases they are most excited about!
This week's pick is brought to you by Abigail Beckel and Kathleen Rooney,
co-founders and editors of Rose Metal Press
Family Resemblance: An Anthology and Exploration of 8 Hybrid Literary Genres
Edited by Marcela Sulak and Jacqueline Kolosov
Available in print and as an e-book
Available for pre-order here and free shipping w/ coupon code HYBRIDFREESHIP
What It's About: It's about what we talk about when we talk about hybrid genres! Unprecedented in both its scope and approach, Family Resemblance is the first anthology to explore the family tree of literary hybrids, providing craft essays and examples of eight hybrid genres, including lyric essay, epistolary, poetic memoir, prose poetry, performative, short-form nonfiction, flash fiction, and pictures made of words. Introductions and an afterword discuss the importance and current popularity of hybridity in literature and culture and offer methods for teaching hybrid works. Intended for both scholarly and general readers, this seminal collection sparkles with inventiveness and creative zeal—an essential guidebook to a developing field.
Why You Should Read It: Because as Nicole Walker, author of Quench Your Thirst with Salt, puts it: "If there is one way to contain all that hybrid texts can be, this book does it. With open arms, Family Resemblance brings together video, napkins, electrons the size of gnats, Hot Wheels, Yvor Winters, Laura Petrie, chess, homebirth, the color blue, a guy named Jason, a woman named Mary, Santa Claus, Malcolm X, card catalogues, perfect heavens, graphics, and maps. The plentitude of subjects embodies the plentitude of form. This book creates its own hybrid, binding discourses, making them snap with electricity."
Plus, it has essays and excerpts from 43 diverse and cutting edge hybrid authors, including: Kazim Ali • Susanne Paola Antonetta • Andrea Baker • Jennifer Bartlett • Mira Bartók • Jenny Boully • Julie Carr • Katie Cortese • Nick Flynn • Sarah Gorham • Arielle Greenberg • Carol Guess • Terrance Hayes • Robin Hemley • Takashi Hiraide • Tung-Hui Hu • Mark Jarman • A. Van Jordan • Etgar Keret • Joy Ladin • Miriam Libicki • Bret Lott • Stan Mack •Sabrina Orah Mark • Brenda Miller • Ander Monson • Maggie Nelson • Amy Newman • Gregory Orr • Julio Ortega • Jena Osman • Kathleen Ossip • Pamela Painter • Craig Santos Perez • Khadijah Queen • David Shields • Mary Szybist • Sarah Vap • Patricia Vigderman • Julie Marie Wade • Diane Wakoski • Joe Wenderoth • Rachel Zucker
Family Resemblance is full of thoughtful essays and fascinating cross-genre work—it will challenge your conceptions of genre and form, and inspire you to read (and write) more hybrid genre literature.
Bios:
Abigail Beckel, co-founder and publisher of Rose Metal Press, has worked professionally in the publishing industry for more than 11 years. She is also a published poet.
Kathleen Rooney, co-founder and editor of Rose Metal Press, is the author, most recently, of the essay collection For You, For You I Am Trilling These Songs (Counterpoint, 2010). Her second solo poetry collection, Robinson Alone, will be published in Fall 2012 by Gold Wake Press.
So what do you think guys? Doesn't that book sound all sorts of awesome? Help TNBBC and Rose Metal Press spread the buzz about this book by sharing this post with others!
Posted by TNBBC Super Mod at 7:21 AM No comments:
Lindsey Reviews: Humanly
Publisher: Small Doggie Press
Dog Eared Review by Lindsey Lewis Smithson (review contributor)
While I'm not a fan of the phrase trigger warning, I feel like I need to start with that when discussing Stevie Edwards new book Humanly, out from Small Doggie Press. Trigger for what you may ask? Basically everything, at least everything that can be held "deep behind the heavy velvet drapes of Klonopin,/Lamictal, Lexapro, Abilify, Propranolol—" (83). This is an emotionally challenging collection of poems that face down suicide, rape, abuse, neglect, death, hospitalizations and more. Few punches are dodged and no details are spared. The speaker reads like the friend you have always wanted to ask the hard questions of, but never had the courage to do so; Edwards brings readers to the face of what so many try to hide from.
In terms of the writing itself the poems are worded precisely, with recurring turns of phrase, like "dread clothes," wound throughout to create unity. The narrative of the collection, as it were, follows the speaker through the depths of depression, suicide attempts, hospitalization and recovery. The opening section struggles with the ideas of silence and connection, of wanting to look at (or rewrite) memories despite the emotional struggle to do so. Along the way, especially in the middle section, poets like Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, and Dylan Thomas make appearances both by name and in style and content. There is a great deal of the Confessional voice here, and tonally it reminiscent of W.D. Snodgrass' Heart's Needle or Robert Lowell's Life Studies. The concluding section is still melancholy, but on the path of recovery. There is beauty and necessity in the normal and the mundane, "to be good/to our working lungs, our working/legs, our working hearts" (113).
I am of two opinions on the length of the collection. A part of me wishes the collection were shorter, since it was emotionally draining to read, but I also respect that it needs to be this long to create the full range of feeling that Edwards appears to want. For someone who wants to know what suffering and regrowth feels like, this book is amazing, or for a reader who has recovered and can find a kindred spirit in the speaker it is a must read. If you are in a difficult emotional state now, tread lightly; this may either give you the light that you need to recover, or prove to be a challenging mountain to climb. No matter where you are at in your life though, there is no doubt that there is a great deal of beautiful, carefully rendered craft here, and for that this book should eventually end up on most people's To Read list.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 25, 27, 31, 33, 34, 35, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 55, 60, 62, 65, 67, 68, 75, 76, 79, 81, 82, 88, 92, 93, 94. 109, 113
Lindsey Lewis Smithson is the Editor of Straight Forward Poetry. Some of her poetry has appeared on The Nervous Breakdown, This Zine Will Change Your Life, The Cossack Review, and Every Writer's Resource: Everyday Poems.
Robert Kloss Recommends Moby-Dick
And so we continue our Writers Recommend - a newish series where we ask writers to, well, you know.. recommend things. Like the books that they've enjoyed. To you. Because who doesn't like being recommended new and interesting books, right?! Think of it as a PSA. Only it's more like an LSA -Literary Service Announcement.
I will never forget the first and the second times I read Moby-Dick. The first reading came in the spring of 2003, the first season after I finished college and a few months before I entered graduate school, that period in my life where I dangled between worlds and histories— I was then working as a "dietary aide" at a retirement home, washing dishes, serving food, stocking shelves, etc., and waiting for the end of the summer when I would be married and on my way to Boston from Wisconsin, the only state I had ever known.
I was startled by Moby-Dick the way many new readers are startled. Melville's book is unlike any other novel of "classic" literature; in fact, I would argue Moby-Dick is unlike any other novel, save maybe the assembled works of Melville. No other book combines such modernity and formal strangeness and exuberance of language with a story and characters and philosophical seriousness so ancient. I read it in a state of youthful ecstasy. And then the novel concluded and the fever subsided and I moved to other books and authors, since a writer's earlier twenties are the best time to be a writer because you are old enough to have some sense of what you are interested in, but every style, every voice, every form and trick and technique is still more or less virgin, unexplored.
(I should mention that in the years to follow whenever the topic came up I babbled enthusiastically about Moby-Dick, and I often pulled my copy from the shelf and read and reread the opening pages in a breathless exultant state. And whenever we crossed paths with Melville's ghost on trips throughout Massachusetts, I was lost again in the old awe. I gave copies away as gifts; I thought restlessly about the ocean; we went on a whale watch. Moby-Dick was always there, even when it was not.)
I next read Moby-Dick two years after I finished my MFA program. Here I found, again, all the greatness of my earlier reading, but a greatness enlarged and illuminated by my maturity and experience. And I began to understand that Moby-Dick is both a very modern book, because Melville perceived truths well beyond those of his time, and an ancient book, far older than its publication date. Melville was of his time and also beyond it and before it. His slightly older contemporary, Hawthorne, influenced him, yes, and Hawthorne's stories helped free Melville from the constraints of experience and fact and allowed him to enter the realm of imagination. But Melville was insatiable in his ambition and curiosity, and he took into himself many of the greatest (and strangest) writers of literary history: Robert Burton, Sir Thomas Browne, Rabelais, Byron, Milton, Coleridge, and, most famously, Shakespeare and the King James Bible. Melville always was a writer outside of his time, and this was one of his many strengths.
I've since read Moby-Dick another six times. I read it every year, along with Melville's final novel, The Confidence-Man (if Moby-Dick is my favorite novel then The Confidence-Man is my 1B), and Billy Budd. I've read every book he published, whether story collection, novel, or poems, at least once and often at least twice. I've read the books he took as influences, and many such as the King James Bible and the works of Browne and Rabelais and Byron and Burton have become admired favorites. Melville as a source and inspiration is inexhaustible.
I wanted here to explain, as best I could, what Melville means to me. To say Moby-Dick is my favorite novel or Melville is my favorite writer simply does not measure to the truth. Melville's fame during his lifetime was brief. The period of his obscurity and shame was far longer, and after he died a note was found pasted to his desk that read, "Stay true to the dreams of thy youth." In the years after my MFA experience concluded, at a time when much of my ambition and joy and enthusiasm for writing had gone dormant, when I read books without interest, when I wrote, but no longer enjoyed writing for the act of writing was cluttered by insecurities and dread, boredom and self-loathing, then Melville's example—his rise to greatness and his life long pursuit of greatness, even after publishers and the public refused him—as much as his literature, gave me strength and inspiration and, to some measure, hope for my own literary fate. I couldn't begin to conclude where I would be without his example.
Robert Kloss is the author of the novels The Alligators of Abraham and The Revelator. He lives in Colorado.
Posted by TNBBC Super Mod at 5:00 AM 1 comment:
Indie Spotlight: Theodore Carter
Hello dear readers! Are you enjoying the first few days of fall?
We've got a cool spotlight post for you today. I want you to meet Theodore Carter.
He's stopped by the blog to write a little bit about his evolution from author to artist. It's amazing to read about how it all came about...how becoming a published author pushed him into a world of street art, which brought along recognition in a way he had never imagined....
Why Visual Art Keeps Invading My Fiction
I rebelled by being conventional, by NOT going to art school. The product of three generations of visual artists, I studied Political Science, then moved from California to Washington, D.C. for internships. I wore ties. I went to press briefings.
Of course, this lead to a quarter-life crisis to which my mom said, "The problem is you're an artist, and you're going to have to figure out what to do about that."
This statement rang true in the way that a lot of things your parents tell you when you're a teenager begin to ring true in your mid-twenties. I earned a graduate degree in Creative Writing and began writing fiction seriously. I published stories. I breathed easier.
In 2004, a group of thieves stole Edvard Munch's painting "The Scream" from an Oslo museum. I couldn't stop reading about the heist and wondering who would steal a painting that could never be sold. It stuck in my craw, and when something sticks in my craw, I fictionalize it. I turned it into a novel. The main character is an obsessive aspiring artist who learns from the works of great masters and creates an art studio in his attic. During the years of writing the novel, I remembered things I thought I'd forgotten like the obscure tools my mom kept in her studio and how my grandparents argued about their overworked canvases. I recalled attending gallery openings and going to museums though I could have sworn I was not paying attention. Of course, I also did my own art history research which blended together with what I'd learned informally.
In the midst of writing the novel, I published a book of stories (The Life Story of a Chilean Sea Blob and Other Matters of Importance, Queen's Ferry Press, 2012). I faced the happy problem of having to switch from author to marketer.
I didn't have an advertising budget. After quite a bit a research, I realized street artists are masterful at creating a brand without paying for advertising space. I made my own sea blobs out of plaster and paper mache (though sea blobs are in fact real) and put them out around Washington, D.C. A lot of the print and online news outlets that weren't interested in writing about my debut collection of stories now became interested in my "sea blob invasion." I'd become a street "artist."
The project proved effective and exhilarating. I read more and began experimenting with D.C. street artist Mark Jenkins's technique of tape sculptures. Then, using my wife as model/mold, I made a life-size tape sculpture holding a copy of my book, placed it around the city, and filmed the results.
After about a year, I felt everyone who wanted to buy my book already had it. I ended the marketing campaign but could not stop seeing places around the city that could be enhanced by street art.
I turned a traffic box into a robot, then, a year later, turned that same traffic box into The Empire State Building adorned with King Kong and biplanes. Both times I made the local news, not as an author, but as an "artist" and a "father/disruptor."
I'll take the "father/disruptor" title, but cringe at the title of "artist." I do not have the expertise and skill of a visual artist the way my family has defined it for me through their training and hard work.
However, my reverence for and fascination with visual art continues to grow. The novel, "Stealing 'The Scream'" will hopefully go to print in 2016. I'm currently working on a new collection and several of the stories are about art in both concrete and abstract ways. I've also begun interviewing visual artists for my blog (www.theodorecarter.com) and am discovering parallels between their creative processes and my own writing process.
Art is a pervasive part of my history and identity and it's going to keep popping up in my work like ceramic sea blobs invading the sidewalks of Washington, D.C.
Theodore Carter is the author of The Life Story of a Chilean Sea Blob and Other Matters of Importance (Queens Ferry Press, 2012). He's appeared in several magazines and anthologies including The North American Review, Pank, A capella Zoo, The Potomac Review, Necessary Fiction, and Gargoyle. His street art projects, which began as book promotion stunts, have garnered attention from several local news outlets including NBC4 Washington, Fox5 DC, and the Washington City Paper. If you ask, Carter will send you a sea blob in the mail.
Posted by TNBBC Super Mod at 5:00 AM 2 comments:
Lavinia Reviews: The Wanderer
The Wanderer by Timothy Jarvis
Publisher: Perfect Edge
Released: August 2014
1.5 stars for storyline, 4 stars for writing ability
Reviewed by Lavinia Ludlow
Written by a talented author with a style and vocabulary beyond his time (perhaps centuries), The Wanderer could be an entertaining tale for anyone with a keen interest in the bizarre and who can stomach 328 pages (including the disorienting and long-winded end notes irritatingly peppered throughout the text,) of befuddling mystery, superfluous gore, and what seems to blend futuristic bizzaro sci-fi with magical realism.
The book begins intriguingly high in conflict, when a well-known London writer's disappearance raises questions of foul play, suicide, and even the paranormal. All that's left in his flat are belongings that depict a very solitary reclusive life, a smoldering cigarette, and a manuscript.
"It seems, then, Peterkin simply ceased to be, slipped out of existence, or passed into some other realm of being. Uncannily, certain of his macabre tales describe similar disappearances."
But then we get into Peterkin's manuscript, which depicts an immortal man haunted by an ominous presence that commits violent atrocities around town, and leaves a trail of gruesome remains for his discovery. From there, the story nosedives into eye-roll-able clichés. Suddenly, he's chasing some woman to a mausoleum then following a rat to open a coffin that leads to a stairwell, which leads him underground where a congregation of old dudes in robes are standing around a fire in a barrel. Every scene thereafter is a guessing game of, "whose hacked up corpse is he going to stumble on now?" or "what random situation without explanation is he going to get himself into?"
The consistent hooks wear thin very early on. One can only be kept in suspense and question for so long without anecdote, especially when the details are so bizarre. There's constant mention of a Punch and Judy show, then he's inexplicably walking across a field of body parts, then he's being eaten by cannibals but can't die because he's immortal, then he's punching a lion, then he's tangled in intestines, then there's a monster in Hampston Heath eating kids.
The purpose of the vile imagery may pass over my realm of understanding, but I'm a firm believer that form must always have function. Sometimes it seems as if the author has some perversion for depicting the most gruesome atrocities for the sake of seeing how much he can get away with.
Transitions are fast-paced and lack emotional development. The protagonist weeps, shutters, admits his derangement, but there is little exploration of his emotional state to prove such reactions believable. At times, he comes off as a mere sociopathic schmuck with antisocial tendencies.
I also detest the long-winded, list-like descriptions, as if he leaned on a few random pages of a thesaurus and rattled off 15 adjectives for the sake of having 15 different words to describe something. The stream of consciousness rambling and narrator retrospective gets annoying fast. I don't need a chronic update on the protagonist's thought process or storytelling. Every other segment seems to have something along the lines of:
"Perhaps the proper way to have started…"
"I decided simply to start at the beginning…"
"…lest I lose the momentum I've built up, press on."
"I've neglected to tell this part of the story…"
"I must again apologise for a lengthy digression…"
Tell the story. Don't fill the pages with fluff and waffling false starts.
A hauntingly unsettling read from the very start, particularly reading while living in Soho, London, Jarvis has an…interesting debut novel on his hands. He has a rare talent to slather on the drama, to narrate horrific images with an articulate and proper, almost haughty, narrative voice. Rare and in between, I enjoy the quieter moments when he puts down the blood and guts, and stretches his literary abilities in other directions. There are moments when I find his writing eloquently beautiful:
"…the lights of waterfront buildings reflected in the river below, gemstones strewn on a jeweller's blackcloth."
I am interested to see what other projects he has on his hands, ones with a lesser focus on the bizarre and violent.
Lavinia Ludlow is a musician, writer, and occasional contortionist. Her debut novel alt.punk can be purchased through major online retailers as well as Casperian Books' website. Her sophomore novel Single Stroke Seven was signed to Casperian Books and will release in the distant future. In her free time, she is a reviewer at Small Press Reviews, The Nervous Breakdown, American Book Review, and now The Next Best Book Blog.
Robin Raven's Would You Rather
Robin Raven's
Would you rather start every sentence in your book with 'And' or end every sentence with 'but'?
Oh, that's a tough one. I'm going to go with the "And" scenario. I'm cringing, though, let me tell you.
Would you rather write in an isolated cabin that was infested with spiders or in a noisy coffee shop with bad musak?
Oh my, anything but spiders! I'll take the noisy coffee shop. Bring on the musak. I'll even sing along. It's noisy in there anyway, right?
Would you rather think in a language you could understand but write in one you couldn't read, or think in a language you couldn't understand but write in one you could read?
I had to think hard about that one, but I will go with think in a language that I could understand even if it meant writing in one I couldn't read. I'd hope that others could read my work, and I'd hope I could read others' writing.
Would you rather write the best book of your career and never publish it or publish a bunch of books that leave you feeling unsatisfied?
Well, not to cheat out of a real answer, but I'd choose to publish a bunch of books that left me unsatisfied as long as they were actually good. I can be insecure, so I could imagine that, even if I wrote a masterpiece, I may not be fully satisfied.
Would you rather have everything you think automatically appear on your Twitter feed or have a voice in your head narrate your every move?
I'll go with the voice in my head narrating my every move. I'm pretty patient, and I'd hope that wouldn't get on my nerves too badly. Maybe it would feel like I was in the middle of a movie. Perhaps a boring movie, but, ya know. What can you do?
Would you rather your books be bound and covered with human skin or made out of tissue paper?
I would choose the tissue paper for sure!
Would you rather read naked in front of a packed room or have no one show up to your reading?
I'll choose the latter. I hope and pray that never happens, though! That's one of those things every writer fears, I think. Ask me this again after I've been lifting weights for a few months. I'm just getting started with that.
Would you rather your book incite the world's largest riot or be used as tinder in everyone's fireplace?
I'm going to go with the riot as long as it's non-violent and for a great cause.
Would you rather give up your computer or pens and paper?
Although I wrote exclusively with paper, pens, and pencils for a long time, I'd go with giving up pens and paper. I rely on my computer so much now as a writer.
Would you rather have every word of your favorite novel tattooed on your skin or always playing as an audio in the background for the rest of your life?
I will go with having each word tattooed on my skin. I don't have any tattoos at the moment, so that would be a first experience.
Would you rather meet your favorite author and have them turn out to be a total jerkwad or hate a book written by an author you are really close to?
I'll go with the second scenario. I've been very lucky to meet some of my heroes, and luckily none have turned out to be jerkwads.
Would you rather your book have an awesome title with a really ugly cover or an awesome cover with a really bad title?
I'll go with having an awesome cover with a bad title. Contrary to what they're advised, people do have a way of judging a book by its cover.
Would you rather write beautiful prose with no point or write the perfect story badly?
I'd choose to have the perfect story that's badly written.
Would you rather write only embarrassingly truthful essays or write nothing at all?
I pretty much have written embarrassingly truthful essays, so I will go with that one. I am pretty open and honest. I also embarrass myself on a regular basis, so I have lots of potential material.
Would you rather your book become an instant best seller that burns out quickly and is forgotten forever or be met with mediocre criticism but continue to sell well after you're gone?
I'd go with a book that continues to sell well after I'm gone. I'd love to write a book that resonates with people beyond my lifetime. One of the biggest thrills that I've experienced from the publication of my first novel is hearing from people who were touched by it. So I would love it if people would continue to read it and get something out of it.
Robin Raven is the human who once belonged to the greatest dog that ever lived. "Next Stop: Nina" is Robin's debut novel. She has several other works of fiction that she hopes to share in the near future. Born in Mobile, Alabama, Robin grew up in a nearby town called Saraland, and her hometown is a lovely place that still inspires her. As an adult, Ms. Raven has mostly lived in Los Angeles and New York City, so she also considers those cities to be home.
Robin blogs at RobinRaven.com and often has her nose in a book. If she's not reading or writing, you can probably find Robin daydreaming about adopting a rescue donkey. Delicious vegan food rocks her world. So does effective altruism. In addition to being an author, Robin has worked as a professional actress. She loves to connect with fellow writers and readers, so feel free to say hi to her on social media.
Leland Reviews: Preparation for the Next Life
Preparation for the Next Life by Atticus Lish
Publisher: Tyrant Books
Guest reviewed by Leland Cheuk
Few indie press novels last year were as celebrated as Tyrant Books's Preparation for the Next Life. The New York Times said it was "the finest and most unsentimental love story of the new decade." Kirkus Reviews called it "a sledgehammer to the American dream." I felt very much like the target reader for Atticus Lish's novel. When I read, I don't allow myself guilty pleasures. When I surf through Netflix titles, I'm the type of person that goes straight to Critically Acclaimed Independent Movies. I want sledgehammers. I want to read life-changing fiction—books that help me prepare for the next life.
Perhaps my expectations were too high.
Preparation for the Next Life is the literary version of a motion picture made expressly for the purpose of competing for a Best Picture Oscar. It's a love story of Zou Lei, an illegal Uighur immigrant from China, and Skinner, a traumatized war veteran back from three tours in Iraq. Zou Lei and Skinner are bonded by desperation and a mutual love of exercise. When we meet Zou Lei, she's getting arrested after her border crossing goes awry. When we meet Skinner, he's homeless and cleaning himself in the bathroom of a McDonald's. Soon after they meet each other, they're living together in a tiny room in Queens. To Lish's credit, Zou Lei's story is the most convincing aspect of the book. Her plight seems well-researched and authentic, as exemplified by this passage when she meets a fellow Chinese migrant:
America is a good country, an older woman said. We took a fishing boat across the ocean. The ocean police caught us and closed us up on an island near San Francisco. I almost died on the voyage and that was what saved me. That was lucky. The others were forced back home, thirty people, but not me. My cousin applied me for asylum. Some of these other sisters have been departed once already. Now they come back, once becomes twice, twice becomes three times.
Skinner mostly sits at home, drinking and popping pills while being tormented by the horrors he experienced in war. His narration is also convincing, but familiar. Anyone who has read Redeployment or Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, or seen the slew of war films that has been released in recent years will not find much new about Skinner's character.
Together, they try to build a life, though it's unclear what they see in each other. Perhaps Zou Lei empathizes with Skinner's trauma. Skinner definitely thinks Zou Lei is hot. Because the novel is trying to Say Something Important, it's clear almost from page one that there's zero chance that Zou Lei and Skinner are going to get what they want.
The main shortcoming of Preparation for the Next Life is the intentional omission of Zou Lei and Skinner's inner lives. In this passage, they do what they do best together: exercise. But what they don't do is get specific about their feelings.
The last exercise they did was flutter kicks. He and Zou Lei lay down on the floor and moved their legs like goose-stepping soldiers. They got to fifty and her feet fell on the ground. One hundred, he said. No, she said. But she pulled her feet up again. They continued kicking and counting together, chanting the way everyone does in group calisthenics. At one hundred, both of their sets of feet fell on the ground. She groaned and held her stomach. When they stood, they left behind sweat patterns in the shapes of themselves. She stared down at their spirit-patterns on the ground. The intensity of the exercise make her think strange things.
What strange things? His star-crossed lovers never get deep, and consequently never feel like real people. They are just symbols in a rather obvious commentary that America has broken its promise to the poor and those who have served the country to preserve the precious freedom to have the homeless congregate in the wee hours at McDonald's and violent sociopaths set loose from prisons. Lish's characters are averse to self-awareness and reflection, but they'll spend paragraphs passively observing urban decay in the outer boroughs so that the reader can't miss the big takeaway that America Is In Decline.
The novel's climax is predictably devastating, and there are many passages of sparkling writing throughout, particularly Zou Lei's encounter with an imam late in the book. If you're in the mood for a despairing muckraker like Upton Sinclair's The Jungle or Hubert Selby's Last Exit to Brooklyn, I would recommend Preparation for the Next Life. But as a compelling love story, like Zou Lei and Skinner, in this life, the novel falls short.
Three stars out of five.
Leland Cheuk's novel THE MISADVENTURES OF SULLIVER PONG is forthcoming in 2015 (CCLaP Publishing). He is a MacDowell Colony fellow, and his short fiction has appeared in publications such as Valparaiso Fiction Review, Tahoma Literary Review, and Lunch Ticket. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University and lives in Brooklyn.
Michael Keenan Gutierrez's Guide to Books & Booze
Time to grab a book and get tipsy!
Back by popular demand, Books & Booze, originally a mini-series of sorts here on TNBBC challenges participating authors to make up their own drinks, name and all, or create a drink list for their characters and/or readers using drinks that already exist.
Today, Michael Keenan Gutierrez is pairing up the characters from his novel The Trench Angel with all manor of drink:
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The Trench Angel is mostly set in 1919 Colorado, a state that went for prohibition four years before the United States made it the law of the land. Yet, the characters—like many people from that time—found a way to drink, whether it was bootlegging alcohol over state lines or constructing simple backyard stills. Who wouldn't, considering the lack of antibiotics, central air conditioning, and reliable birth control?
Enter a central setting of the book: McGuffey's Tavern, housed under a butcher shop and the only surviving drinking establishment after prohibition--mostly because it is the police department's favorite after hours meeting house. Inside you'll find coal miners and journalists, criminals and cops tossing one back. When my characters step inside here, this is what they order.
Neal Stephens—the former war photographer isn't a dilettante as far as his alcoholic choices go. During the course of the novel, he drinks beer, rye, bourbon, red wine, and even Madeira, when it's free. His preference though, in my mind, would be gin. No ice. Not shaken. Not stirred. No olives or lemon wedges. Warm gin poured into a warm glass or straight out of the bottle if no glass is handy. It's utilitarian and easily passes for water if he has to be out in public. But unlike water, it softens the sins of the world and doesn't give you cholera.
Jesse Stephens—the anarchist thief and Neal's father is much like his son, a man with a wide variety of distilled appetites. And yet he appreciates the finer things in life, otherwise he wouldn't bother taking them. For him, it's got to be scotch. Good scotch. The kind you have to wait for - not just the 18 years it takes to mature, but at least a good hour waiting at the fence for all the lights to go out in a big mansion house, 5 minutes to force a window, and 15 minutes convincing the maid she'd be better of splitting a bottle with you than risk disgrace being caught kissing a strange man in the pantry.
Tillie Stephens—Neal's sister appears to be teetotaler on the page, but deep down I've always seen her as a sherry girl. Port if it's handy, but she'd like a glass of sherry after a long day of work. A simple drink for Anglican ministers and those with middle class pretensions.
Seamus Rahill—Water. There's a reason he's the antagonist.
Mattie Longstreet—another thief, but a book lover from Kentucky with a sharp tongue. I see her concocting an Old Fashioned, perfecting her ratios and particular about her bitters. She's too rough and tumble to go for a mint julep, but an Old Fashioned, on the other hand, looks on the level from the outside, but hits like brass knuckles when you get to the bottom of the glass.
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Michael Keenan Gutierrez is the author of The Trench Angel and earned degrees from UCLA, the University of Massachusetts, and the University of New Hampshire. His work has been published in The Collagist, Scarab, The Pisgah Review, Untoward, The Boiler, and Crossborder. His screenplay, The Granite State, was a finalist at the Austin Film Festival and he has received fellowships from The University of Houston and the New York Public Library. He lives with his wife in Chapel Hill where he teaches writing at the University of North Carolina. His website is michaelkeenangutierrez.com
Where Writers Write: Lenore Myka
Book Review: F250
Audio Series: Robert Southam
Book Review: My Life As a Mermaid
Where Writers Write: Alex Kudera
Drew Reviews: Baldur's Gate II
Elise Blackwell's Would You Rather
Russell Scott's Guide to Books & Booze
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Book Giveaway: The Mapmaker's Children