October is the obvious time to post my short essay “Octet,” published this summer in Change Seven magazine.
I fell for this literary journal when I found the source of its name, the inimitable Dorothy Parker, who said: “It takes me six months to do a story. I think it out and write it sentence by sentence—no first draft. I can’t write five words but that I can change seven.” Amen to that.
“I feel a kinship with readers who leave their marks, like calling cards, in the margins of used books.”
I can’t open a book with highlighting or margin notes and not wonder about this mysterious someone who read or didn’t read, liked or didn’t like this very book I’m embarking on. My love of used–second-hand, pre-owned–books is the subject of “Shows Light Wear,” which was published in the print journal Gold Man Review last November and now made available here.
“this loose drifting material of life … flowers, clouds, beetles, and the price of eggs.” And squirrels.
“Dorothy Parker talks about aging; Virginia Woolf chimes in,” and I have a few things to say myself.
read it here in (mac)ro(mic)
“I don’t seek epiphany—who would look to the common coot, Fulica americana, for omens or inspiration?—but I take delight in their presence…”
And so it goes, “Coots,” my single-sentence soliloquy – recently published in Whale Road Review. Here’s the rest…
Fundraising trainer and consultant par excellence, author of Boards from Hell and How to Ask for Money without Fainting, pilot, colleague, kind and funny and generous soul, Susan Scribner gave me the little gray button that inspired my trio of vignettes at one of our first meetings, close to 30 years ago.
In searching for her current whereabouts so I could send her this essay, I learned that Susan died early this year. I remember her signature voice mail message: “Sorry I missed your call; I’m probably out picking up coins on the beach.” I like to think of her doing that in perpetuity. RIP, Susan.
“Fonly” is my third published piece in Burningword Literary Journal.
“I am over 70 when I reread Memento Mori, now with renewed interest and appreciation.”
Muriel Spark’s dark and snarky novel about death and old age delighted me when I first read it, but now it takes on extra pungency, and writing about it in the context of my own experience seemed the thing to do.
I’m happy to say that “Spoiler Alert: They All Died” was published in the excellent literary magazine Epiphany.
“Food, glorious food….” The line from Oliver may well be my mantra, and food remains a frequent theme in my writing, eliciting, as it does, vignettes from life past and present, fact and fantasy. I’m in good company–Virginia Woolf had a lot to say about it too, and the title of my latest published piece comes from her.
“What Was Eaten” was published in February in The Festival Review. With thanks to Eva, not just witty and wise, but a constant champion of my life and writing. And Ava, you’re in here too, though not by name….
“My ruminations don’t come preformed in neat complete sentences with subjects, verbs and objects, beginning with capital letters and ending with periods…”
“Punctuated” was published in January at Burningword Literary Journal – read it here.
Chicken is meat, right? So I’ll never know why people so often ask if I eat it when I declare myself a fish-eating vegetarian. That and other observations are the essence of my essay “Pescatarian,” recently published in Miracle Monocle. Read it here!
I wrote about my orchids almost a year ago, in the euphoria of their first rebloom. I originally called it “Sherry Baby,” later confessed to “Careless Love.” Now both orchids are in full bloom again–clearly I’ve finally got the knack. I think the concentrated at-home time of this past year has something to do with it, heightened awareness of my immediate surroundings.
Here’s “Careless Love,“ published in CP Quarterly (formerly Crepe & Penn). Unfortunately you have to scroll to pages 76-77–if there’s a way to link to specific pages, it’s not in my skill set.
