Sparks

Herald

Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Herald By Su Shafer After all these years She’s letting go No more worrying If she’s too fat Or too old Or what he’s thinking Or feeling Or if he’s alive or dead No more waiting For the rock to roll The hope when it moved a little But found a new dead end to be still So she’s letting go Dropping the over-packed luggage She carried with both hands For so long Her arms feel like wings As she walks in the sun Her steps so light, she might take flight On her way to the mailbox She sees a golden jewel beetle Resting on the sidewalk A living gem that stuns her breathless Spreading amber wings, it lifts effortlessly Into the air and buzzes regally away Sometimes messengers are more beautiful Than you can…

Sparks

Reality’s Ruse

Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Reality’s Ruse  By  Mary O’Brien   Summer shakes Winter’s hand,proposing a fling.Autumn’s wind scurries themboth away –not a fan of farce. Martinis at three,come by and get me.Loose lips sink ships:my mouth full ofsharp torpedoes. My reality is oftena ruse, driven to otherworlds on printed pages,between coversin greedy hands. I left my scarf inthat dream –the one with the pulledthread Itied round your finger. We never made it to New York.That was your ruseto keep me interestedlong enough to marryin Vegas. “Reality’s Ruse” inspired by Just For Fun . . . Prompt #672 on The Write Spot Blog, Mary O’Brien is a Retired Trophy Wife (RTW) from the Pacific Northwest. She has volunteered for the Court Appointed Special Advocate program, founded local therapeutic hospital humor programs, and supported various other non-profits and do-goodery.  Enjoying the artistry of…

Just Write

Becoming a Writer in the Third Chapter of Life

Guest Post by Carole Duff All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. —Anatole France Western culture divides life into three stages: birth/student, work/family, and retirement/death. My husband and I, moving into our retirement years and building a new house, borrowed the Hindu concept of four stages, adding a time of spiritual growth and reconnection between retirement and death. The third stage of life, Vanaprastha, the name we chose for our mountain home, means retreat to the forest. Not retirement but time to learn, reflect, and grow. Time to take the internal journey and heal past wounds from loss, rejection, and inexplicable disruptions. Time to explore, discover, seek meaning, share wisdom, and serve others. Time to become our truer selves. As it turned out, I became a writer….

Places to submit

2022 Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest

❖ The 2022 Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest ❖ The Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest is open to adult and young poets. Everyone is encouraged to enter the contest. Poets do not have to live in Lincoln, CA to be eligible. There is no entry fee. Poems must be received by Thursday, July 21, 2022 Young Poets, 18-years of age or under, are encouraged to submit poems and will compete in a special “Young Poets” category.  Contest theme: People Are . . . Everything. Contest Categories: People Are Funny     People Are Amazing     People Are World Changers     People Are Unreasonable    People Are Unpredictable Contest Rules and Entry Form Contact Alan Lowe for more information and for a copy of the entry form.

Just Write

Write to exorcize what’s haunting you.

“Write to exorcize what’s haunting you. Write about whatever it is you can’t get out of your head—a person, a place, a fear, a fictional scene, a memory from your past, a fantasy for your future. Allow yourself to think obsessively and shamelessly about only that one thing for as long as it takes to get it down on paper.” —Puloma Ghosh, The Isolation Journals, created by Suleika Joauad. This type of writing is like unpeeling layers of emotions. Just Write. The Isolation Journals is Suleika Joauad’s newsletter for people seeking to transform life’s interruptions into creative grist. Both free and paid subscriptions are available. Memory Lane offers ideas to spark writing about what a memory from your past, or a fantasy for your future. #amwriting #justwrite #iamawriter

Places to submit

More Chicken Soup For The Soul

Do you think submitting stories to Chicken Soup For The Soul books are for someone else, not for you? Do you think you have no chance of your writing being selected? Well, I know three people who have had their writing accepted. So, why not you? One of the key things is to follow their guidelines. Thank you, John Lesjack, for letting me know about the holiday topics (deadline 5/1/22). John has been published in Chicken Soup books over ten times. Nancy Julien Kopp has been published in Chicken Soup books over 20 times! Possible Chicken Soup Topics Angels (deadline 4/15/22) Crazy, eccentric, wacky lovable, fun families (4/30/22) Cats (deadline 5/30/22) Dogs (deadline 5/30/22) How stepping outside my comfort zone changed me (deadline 7/31/22) Chicken Soup Holiday Topics Are the memories from this past holiday season still fresh in your mind? We sure hope so! That’s why, just a few…

Places to submit

Panoplyzine

Panoplyzine is a fresh new look at poetry and short prose. “We seek to publish lively new insights in creativity, outlook, perspective, and analysis. Issue 1 debuted in August 2015. We’re edited by three friends located around Pensacola, FL who got together to offer a new look and a new option for readers and writers and lovers of good writing worldwide. In January 2022, we welcomed a new editor based in Romania to enhance our viewpoint and feel. Our mission is to share the best in contemporary poetry and short prose, to enlighten and entertain, and to touch our readers’ hearts and minds.” Submission Guidelines Guy Biederman had success with “This isn’t the story I intended to write” being published in Panoplyzine. Guy’s piece “Send It!” encourages writers to submit their writing. “I record where, when, and what I send, and of course, the results. I record quality declines if…

Sparks

Nothing to Write About

Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Nothing to Write About By Maeve Riley Day 30, May 6 The nearly full moon is rising over the mountains across from our house. It’s blinding to look at and negates any need for a headlamp. Luca paces around, damp from the river, hoping for a second dinner. Marley is content under a blanket on the green velvet couch; he’s seen plenty of full moons in his time. I stand outside in shorts that I bought ten years ago at the mall in Merced when I was in college. They are a deep red with black stripes and have the Hogwarts emblem printed all over. I am barefoot, my feet somehow still dirty from the garden even though I just showered. I also have on a pink and purple sweater that I bought at a thrift…