Overview

"THE LAST HIPPY POET OF THE WOODSTOCK GENERATION ""A troubled, working-class teen struggles to survive on the streets of Hollywood in the turbulent 1960s"" 1960s Rock And Roll is on the rise in this extraordinary coming-of-age chronicle, exploring the yearnings and angst of a troubled, working-class teen struggling to survive on the streets of Hollywood. It is a captivating exploration into what the '60s and '70s were about on the city streets and beaches of Southern California for the teens growing up in those times. In the heart of the turbulent 1960s, Steven is an ordinary teenager trying to find his place in the world until, at the awkward age of 15, his family disintegrates. He leaves the life he has known and moves with his mom to Hollywood, where he becomes a regular dancer on American Bandstand and lands a job as a DJ and doorman at a famous teenage nightclub on the Sunset Strip, working alongside iconic L.A. bands like The Doors, Buffalo Springfield, and Sonny & Cher. He finds himself at the epicenter of the blossoming Hippie Counterculture movement. This is his personal, unvarnished story of youth speaking truth to power while struggling through the heartbreak that only love and betrayal can bring. This work is the magnum opus of writer C. Steven Blue; the culmination of over 50 years as an author, poet, artist, and musician. It is a monumental and essential piece of work, consisting of a psychedelic memoir and two sections of narrative verse, creating a fascinating book in three parts-a triad. It is also a hybrid book-a unique reading experience that seamlessly blends memoir, poetry, and artwork. A finalist in The 2022 American Writing Awards, The Last Hippy Poet of the Woodstock Generation is a book that is sure to inspire, entertain, and make you think. Whether you were part of the Woodstock generation or are a teenager or young adult today, this book is a compelling read. ** NOTE: There are three editions of this book available: -Kindle eBook edition (with original artwork and photos in full color) -Deluxe Hardcover edition (with original artwork and photos in full color) -Paperback edition (with original artwork and photos in black & white, to keep book pricing down due to the soaring costs of printing)"

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9780963549990

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Reviews

"-Tupelo Press Thank you for the opportunity to consider this excellent work. It was an absolute pleasure to get to know your writing. You have an incredible command of narrative, and as a reader, I appreciate the sense of urgency and dramatic tension that you are able to cultivate. You certainly have a remarkable story to tell. -American Writing Awards Congratulations on becoming a 2022 American Writing Awards Finalist! Our sincerest compliments go out to you for your persistent work and courage in turning dreams into reality. -Ashleigh Bilodeau, Editor Your work has such a strong voice and perspective. I read your memoir for hours without even noting the passage of time. I was invested in your life story with its constant changes and historical value. Instead of dates and facts, I get to see the world of the 60's-70's and actually hear the voice of someone who lived during that time period...this book...harmonizes the memoir writing style with interspersed sprinkles of heart-tugging poems and original artwork. This combination of the arts was like a colorful mosaic of the writer's life. It felt so personal, honest, and revealing. -Jeff Daniel, Professional Beta Reader What amazed me the most was that everything that happened to you took place between your teens and twenties. It made me realize that you had lived more in one year than most people do in a lifetime. I kept wanting to read to know where life would take you next. What astounded me was the frequency with which you would write your poems. You wrote about everything, and that really helped to show the reader the depths of your thoughts. You even wrote dream poems, which I didn't know existed. Throughout the book, I got the strong feeling that if you hadn't written these poems, expressed your emotions on that level, you would have exploded. Speaking of impact, considering what is happening in the world today, it's amazing how relevant your book is in a plethora of ways. You were in the midst of the civil rights movement, and you mention that you had black friends, before it was popular. You stood against the power in a very real way, protesting, like so many are doing now. The world is divided, and you prophesied this when you wrote, ""Things have come far, in such a short time, but people still live, in such different worlds, although they are so close together."" I believe that many readers would love to see what it was like back then, and how it can apply now. The risks and the thrill involved in standing up for what you believe in. -Terah Van Dusen, Author I sat down to read the first 50 pages and instead read all the way to page 253....so that alone should be a vote of confidence! Your voice is very consistent, which is such a hard thing to pull off. The book is a genuine and true reflection of the 1960s counterculture. I am amazed at how timely this all feels, your book reads ""At odds with the establishment, the police, government""...also, ""I couldn't understand the lack of empathy in the world."" I like the tension created in the middle of the book where you're addressing the predicament of having two sons, one who is taken away/kept from you. What surprised me was the theme of getting screwed over by so many of your ladies...I didn't realize that women were into the free love movement as much as men were...or that they could get away with it!"

Author Information

C. Steven Blue wears many hats: Poet, author, artist, musician, micro-press publisher, videographer, and producer/host of literary & arts events. He has published twelve books: nine of his own work, two anthologies of Northwest poets, and the work of remarkable spontaneous poet, karen a. dalyea. For the last four decades, Steven has produced and hosted literary and arts events in both California and Oregon, giving countless opportunities to other creatives along the way. His most recent event series prior to the pandemic was Burnin' Down The Barnes, a monthly literary reading series and poetry open mic at the Eugene, Oregon, Barnes & Noble Bookstore, which ran for four years and was one of the most popular reading series in the Pacific Northwest. In early education, Steven excelled in music, art, and literature, winning his first poetry award at age twelve. But he dropped out of high school at the age of 18 to begin raising the first of three children. Long working hours and raising a family prevented Steven from earning a college degree, but he is a self-taught street kid who has always hungered for knowledge. Over the years he has taught himself to be a recording engineer, desktop publisher, and videographer, as well as continuing his writing, art, and music whenever possible. Now, as a well-known West Coast poet, Steven stands outside the normal conventions of modern poetry. He is a lyrical/performance poet, reading and performing his poetry from a unique rhythmic perspective: at the crossroads of poetry and music. As an author, Steven writes from his own life experiences of loss, betrayal, addiction, recovery, joy, and love. From his years of struggling to recover from abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction, and mental breakdown, Steven's perspective is a refreshing and inspiring journey, one of survival and overcoming adversity, discovering a renewed faith and hope in life, and a spiritual awakening that has given him the ability to live in the here and now. Steven is retired from a 27-year career in stage production in Hollywood, CA. He currently lives in Eugene, Oregon with his wife Paulette, where he continues to pursue his artistic endeavors.

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