Local Voices

Layla spent the first eight years of her life in a loving home with her grandparents. That comfort all ended once welfare caught up with her mother who was still receiving food benefits for her. After moving to her mothers' home, the dysfunctional relationships continued for years. Layla was abused emotionally, physically, and sexually. She looked to her mother for love and protection but never found it. Layla's mom, Val, often told her she looked like a boy and would never amount to anything just like her dad. Layla began connecting with the wrong men for what she thought was love. Several of those relationships produced children and ended just as quickly as they began. A life full of low self-esteem, promiscuity and one bad relationship after another continued until finally, she had enough. Layla sought to take her power back from all those that had taken advantage of her. This story will inspire you to look within for the strength to push forward. Life does not come with a road map and sometimes we fail miserably. But even with the vicissitudes, we can pick up our pieces and rise above it all.

This is a story of nearly 100 years of determination. Albert Pollack's determination was evident at a very young age, as he learned valuable skills - especially woodworking - that last a lifetime. Narrowly escaping the Nazi invasion of his hometown in Chorostkov, Poland, Pollack survived the Holocaust and World War II, where he served in the Russian-formed Polish Army - helping defeat Nazi Germany and bringing all 64 soldiers in his charge safely home to their families.Upon leaving the military, Pollack, a refugee, discovered a new passion for photography. From humble beginnings, he brought his skills to America, where he established a photography studio and custom framing business.Pollack embraces every opportunity in life with energy and determination and freely shares what he has learned with others.

He and his wife, Madelyn, remain active in their community in South Euclid, Ohio, and continue to enjoy their ever-growing family.

DO US A FAVOR pulls the reader into spaces that may feel all too familiar. All too unbelievable. And, yet, all too real. Borrowing text from the infamous phone call between Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president, this chapbook explores the world as it was before, during, and after 2020. The narrator trundles down paths, through cafés and portals, onto lawns and into the topmost floors of skyscrapers, and even to outer space--all while confronting the narrow-mindedness and hate of others, the oppressive weight of existence, and a planet spiraling to a place that feels irretrievable.

Poetry. Chapbook.

Elijah is in Cleveland visiting his grandparents when he finds out that his favorite music band is having a concert at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band is giving out free tickets but the catch is that you have to find the band members at various landmarks throughout Cleveland.

Mark Darden is an author and sports travel blogger from Columbus, Ohio and founder and Chief Content Creator for Buckeye Muscle Media, LLC. Since 2017, Mark has documented his sports travel adventures on his blog, buckeyemuscle.com. Originally from Cleveland, Mark is a self-published author who released his first book, IT’S GAME TIME FOLKS!: Quest for 30 in January 2019. It is a travelogue of his journey visiting all 30 MLB ballparks during the 2017 season. Elijah Goes to Cleveland is Buckeye Muscle Media's first children's book.