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Writings of Andrea W. LeDew
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Buy Now: Polemics: Political Poems & Prose
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This is the page to buy Polemics: Political Poems & Prose. The button will lead you to a universal link at Books2Read, from which you can choose your favorite vendor.
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Thank you for subscribing to the For Random Learning Comes Newsletter. This is edition number 142.
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{I almost forgot the most important bit of information: My audiobook is now fully uploaded for wide distribution, so look for it on online vendors including Spotify and Audible in the next two to three weeks. I recorded it at a professional studio (Pine Studios in Murray Hill) and so you get each piece read with appropriate emphasis. The entire recording is over six hours, but it is worth the commitment! Anyway, tell your friends and check it out yourself! I'll also be sure to tuck it in a newsletter, when I see my audiobook in the wild.}
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Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming:
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I have actually been rather productive, in terms of poems these last three weeks. Sorry that time got away from me, with Thanksgiving and all. I have four new poems since my last newsletter.
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Below in the feed you will find (in reverse order chronologically) first, Third which is about the announcement of closer scrutiny of all people from "Third World" nations. Seems to me, that we had agreed a while ago to stop using that rather pejorative term, but everything old is new again, with this administration! Anyway this policy recalls the phrase "painting with a broad brush," in that it imputes the guilt of one upon the many.
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My second poem is more upbeat, as you can tell from its title, The End of the World. :)
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The third was written a bit further back. Bucket List is kind of a zen poem about the the end of life approaching. I'm not sure it faithfully represents my own attitude toward death, but perhaps an equanimity I aspire to.
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The last poem is called Effervescence and is about our current problems being but a stage or chapter in the long history of our country, one that, with any luck, we will move beyond in short order. The socks are from my costume. I found them at Hobby Lobby.
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If you want to see me interviewed on a podcast, check out these titles on most outlets:
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Famous Interviews with Joe Dimino
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Authors on Mission (expected any time now)
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Project Third Eye Opened (make sure you pull up the transcript while watching. My sound is pretty echoey, entirely my fault. I've replaced equipment since.)
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KAJ Masterclass Live (from India.)
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Healthy Mind. Healthy Life (out soon, in which we discuss the health benefits of writing poetry and prose, and the struggles and stress many parents of children with differing abilities endure and how that may affect health.)
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I have a few more podcasts coming up in December and one in April (you'd be surprised how far out some people schedule!) Billy Dee's podcast, which I believe comes out of The Villages in Florida, is recording December 3; Abstract Essay on December 12; The Mike Wagner Show on December 15, and KAJ Authors Voice December 18 (they requested an additional interview for this sister podcast.)
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The April one is called Apollo Papyrus, which I love as a name for a podcast. I also have a few feelers out, including a podcast I found called The Weird Canadian, which seems like a perfect fit. All this would not have been possible without #podmatch, a podcast-guest matching service I subscribe to.
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Please have your friends who have podcasts look me up on my profile page at PodMatch.com. They have to make an account first before booking, but for the podcasters themselves, it is free to join, as I understand it. It is the closest thing to a dating app I ever hope to use.
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Also, in case you are local and have a podcast of your own or are podcast-adjacent, as I am, there is a little gathering in Jax on December 10, at 6-8 pm at Ruby Beach Brewing. Its called Jax Podathon and many local podcasters will apparently be there, some live casting. I think I might check it out.
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Other than that I did make two live appearances at open mics. The first was on November 12 at The Silver Cow in Murray Hill, at which I read my recent poem about the East Wing being torn down, The Renovation Will Be Televised. My friend Maxwell was headlining. He put on quite a performance, and I was pleased to get to see it. I think Silver Cow's open mic is a pretty regular thing.
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On Sunday November 23, I drove down to St Augustine and read three poems from my book on the theme grateful. The first, Radio Free Europe, was about something we had lost; the second, Suddenly Silent, was about the Rule of Law, and in the third, Grateful, I put words in Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's mouth about exactly how "grateful" he really should be, considering the way the West, and particularly the US, has treated him and continues to treat him. Poet Chris Bodor puts on a good show there, and food was collected for charity. You can find them meeting on the last Sunday of the month, most months around 2:30. Well worth the trip!
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Of course we had a lovely family Thanksgiving. So happy to see all the kids, and so happy when I can rest the next day! Lights are up thanks to my industrious husband, and all we need is a tree and a spread for our annual Luminaria party.
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Multiple promos are going on online for my e-book, so check again at your favorite vendor if you were deterred by the price. There's a library (Overdrive)promo thru the end of the year in case you know any librarians in want of a political book. I believe one copy of my book is at the main library in the local authors section, so feel free to literally check it out! Online it's not showing yet though its in the Overdrive catalog. The library has to order an e-copy apparently. Which they can do for 25% off now! Feel free to encourage them.
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There is also a Smashwords promo from December 8-January 1. Smashwords is a bookstore online owned by Draft to Digital, my distributer, so authors get a big chunk of whatever you pay for their books, since no middleman is involved. They have a huge sale twice a year, summer and winter, and loads of books are listed for 25-100% off. You may find your reading stash for the year there, just sayin'. Mine is not free. Its 25% off, still a good deal, and even a coffee costs $5 these days, so an ebook with no shipping at $3.99 or so is a bargain.
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Personally, I know Black Friday and Cyber Monday are big motivators of sales, but I hope to buy most of my books locally and at their listed price, because they (the books and the bookstores!) are worth it! If you, too, prefer shopping at a particular store, ask them to order Polemics, or better yet carry my book! I have plenty here to fill their shelves!
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For now, as far as I'm aware, Chamblins (both stores) and Happy Medium have a few copies, but I could use a little help building the enthusiasm of other booksellers. Thanks for thinking of me!
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Let me know how you like the new poems and be sure to post a review of my book on Amazon or Goodreads ! If you haven't taken the plunge to get the book, you can easily scroll to the top of the newsletter and check out my revamped "Buy" page.
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So Close and Yet So Far
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This essay discusses the Semiquincentennial celebration and compares it with Fourths of Years gone by.
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Drawing
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A poem on redistricting, the drawing of new districts to serve the ruling party's political purposes, with the blessing of the Supreme Court and with enthusiasm unchecked by either the people's will nor the State's Constitutional provisions.
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Attempt
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A poem describing the swirling emotions on and offline provoked by the attempted assassination of President Trump at the dinner for the press. Caveat: I do not doubt the attempt on his life was real. P.S. The photo is an attempt at beauty.
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Approaching May 1st, 2026, Anniversary of The Great Fire, Jacksonville, FL
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A poem about a very dry spring in Florida which calls to mind the terrible fire which consumed Jacksonville early in the 20th century.
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Smiles
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This poem analyzes the loss of reputation of the US in the eyes of its closest allies, and the attitude it projects, about that loss.
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