Former NC Poet Laureate Kay Byer Endorses Eye of the Beholder

Here is what former NC Poet Laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer says about Eye of the Beholder:

“The eye in Scott Owens’ “Eye of the Beholder” is the passionate “I” of the poet, watching every turn and gesture of the beloved and speaking from it, sounding the lineaments of desire in each poem and pulling the reader into its embrace. Over the years, Owens has ranged widely in subject matter and style. This is his most intimate book yet, his voice tender, full of longing and anticipation. He beholds what he loves, whether woman, blossom, or falling leaf, all of it gathered up in the world’s body, the ultimate beloved, after all, that he renders in finely tuned lyrics.”

This is one of those wonderfully gratifying moments a writer can only hope happens: when a poet whom you admire almost beyond words endorses your own work with a perceptive and intelligent evaluation. One of my goals as a writer has been to avoid limiting myself in regards to subject matter or “voice,” and I am thrilled that Kay comments on that very element in my writing. I am also thrilled that what I hoped would be the underlying feeling of the book is as it reflects how I feel about the world is perceived and stated so clearly in Kay’s words.

If you haven’t already ordered a copy, you can still get the pre-publication discount by ordering with PayPal at http://mainstreetrag.com/bookstore/product/eye-of-the-beholder/, but since the release date has been moved up to mid-October, it won’t be available at that rate much longer. Please give it a shot. For $9 how could you go wrong?