My essay, “The White Crane” has been nominated by the editors at Referential Magazine for the 2011 Best of the Net award.
You can read all of the nominated works here:
2011 Referential Magazine Best of the Net Nominees
Sincere thanks to the editors and readers, and especially to Jessie Carty for her hard work, her support of writers and dedication to her vision to present beautiful and important works to the world.
Tomorrow is the 7th anniversary of Adam’s death.
He was born premature and had health challenges all of his life. It’s a long, long story. I don’t mind talking about it, and I have, but what I want to share is that when he passed I was grief-stricken–but very aware–that I was blessed to have been his mother.
After Adam died, I turned to writing to assuage my grief. I turned to writing to recover. Seven years on a dedicated path into the writing life, I can say there are many amazing writing-related happenings happening that would never have happened if not for Adam. Today I feel like I am living up to my promise to Adam, made seven years ago, to honor the gifts I was given and to write in his memory.
I would like to tell you some of the great news that I am bursting to share.
First I would like to say thank you to Press 53’s publisher, Kevin Morgan Watson, and Press 53’s poetry editor, Tom Lombardo, for selecting my work for inclusion in the 2011 Spotlight Anthology. The 2011 Spotlight anthology will showcase a select group of emerging writers in a print anthology published by Press 53 that will be released June 1, 2011. Ten of my poems will appear with selections from two other poets and five short story writers. It’s a wonderful thing and I couldn’t be happier.
I have work forthcoming in The Centrifugal Eye. My poem “Note to Self” is selected to appear in the next issue which will be released in April.
I will be reading with poet/novelist/teacher/funky-hip-mama Lana Wiggins at Casa Azul on April 21st. Lana will likely read from her novel and I will be reading new poems. I love having this annual reading to look forward to. It gets me writing in anticipation so that I can share new work. I thank Patrice Melnick of Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective, Inc. for allowing us the opportunity again! This will be the third year Lana and I will read together in April—National Poetry Month, at Casa Azul Gifts in Grand Coteau.
I am a participant in a new writing group in Grand Coteau. The group is directed by the very creative and adept writer and entrepreneur Patrice Melnick, and is sponsored by the Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective, Inc. ~It feels like home. ~
I am again contributing writing to the Acting Up (in Acadiana) theatre company for a new project called CARAVAN. I submitted two short, strange bits and may have more in me. We shall see.
And last but not least, I have kept this “hush-hush” so as not to jinx anything but I will give you a little peek into my closely held secret—I am expanding my role as a “working poet” into that of a “teaching poet.” There is a wonderful opportunity which may come though for me this fall. I promise I will give you notice when I hear the official word. I am so ready. I am up with energy and full of ideas—so I sure hope I will be allowed to expand my role through this (possible) new opportunity.
I am ebullient. Great energy is arising within and without. The momentum is with me, it seems. I dedicated my writing life seven years ago to Adam because he gave to me, and I rededicate my efforts in Adam’s memory and to my girl, Madelynne. They will always be miracles in my life.
For the past six years I have been putting together a year-end rundown of the year in my writing life. It helps me to move forward knowing where I have been.
Sincere thanks to those of you who have offered me opportunities to share my gifts with the world and to my friends who are always cheering me on.
~Clare
Writing Activities 2010
Nominee, Dzanc Books’ Best of the Web 2011 for “Winter Brought Out All the Knives,” by Melusine: Woman in the 21st Century
“Eating the Heart First,” first published by Eclectica Magazine, was selected and read by Nic Sebastian for Whale Sound. http://whalesound.wordpress.com/
Author/Instructor, of a poetry workshop for middle school students—“Vision and Voice: Introducing Youth to Poem-Making” for the Festival of Words, Fall 2010 Coordinator/Administrative Assistant, Festival of Words, September 2010
Contributing writer, Acting Up (in Acadiana) upcoming project “Car A Van”
Volunteer for the Open Mic Series at Casa Azul in Grand Coteau, LA—generating press releases for the series’ scheduled readings and performances.
Appearance/interview/live reading with Lana Maht Wiggins and Patrice Melnick on KRVS:Radio Acadie— University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s campus station hosted by Judith Meriwether www.krvs.org 88.7 FM April 13th, 2010 to promote National Poetry Month, the Casa Azul Open Mic Series and the co-reading with Lana Maht Wiggins.
Completed and submitted Eating the Heart First—collection-length poetry manuscript to two publishers.
Public Reading
Open Mic Series at Casa Azul
Featured Poet with Lana Maht Wiggins, Grand Coteau, LA April 15th 2010
Publications 2010
“White Bull, Black Road,” Scythe, Vol. II, 2010
“The Woman You Married,” Scythe, Vol. II, 2010
“Little Poem at Pink Moon.” Scythe, Vol. II, 2010
“Memento Mori” THE RED ROOM: Writings from Press 1, anthology, 2010
“Mute” Blue Fifth Review, the blue collection 1, anthology series, 2010
“Winter Brought Out All the Knives” Melusine 2.2 Spring/Summer 2010
“Birthing” Avatar Review, Issue 12, Summer 2010
“Make a New Garden” Avatar Review, Issue 12, Summer 2010
“The Never That Was” Avatar Review, Issue 12, Summer 2010
“Father Almost Drowning” Poets and Artists (O&S) Vol. 3, Issue 7, August 2010
“Open Me with a Fire of Words” Wild Goose Poetry Review, August 2010
“The White Crane” Featured Nonfiction, Referential Magazine, September 2010
“Premature” Literary Mama, “Desiring Motherhood” series October 2010
My creative non-fiction piece, “The White Crane” has been published today at Referential Magazine. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.
Thanks to editors Jessie Carty and Eleanor Bryan for selecting my work and sharing their audience with me.
Check out my new blog One Hundred Days of Soup. Let me know what you think!
It’s been a hectic summer. We have just a couple of weeks left before school starts again. My daughter is going to be a high school freshman! There will be so many changes for her. We are excited but also wish summer would last a little longer. In the meantime I am seeking quietude.
Because of busy days and the fact that I am sleeping well at night I haven’t been writing daily or even weekly. I have been revising and submitting work, but I am just beginning to refocus my efforts to produce new writing. Now I’m challenging myself with exercises and so far have produced three new poems in the past few days.
Tonight I made curried lentil and spinach soup. It was super delicious! I absolutely love and crave soup daily—which is why I will soon begin a blog called One Hundred Days of Soup. I’ll keep you posted.
Here is a very brief excerpt from my creative nonfiction piece, Nacona, about my horse by that name, which was a gift to me from my parents when I was a teenager. I revised the piece tonight and submitted it to a magazine that has previously published my poetry. I’m hoping they will take this piece as well.
…The drainage ditch is wide with water. Nacona heaves over it because I ask her to. We slide three feet in the mud. Nacona’s back legs give out and she rolls me off. My feet dangle out of the stirrups and I rise unbroken but soaking with mud. A. is riding the Thoroughbred gelding, Lucky, and she turns back to laugh at me. I burn with humiliation. I scoop a patty of mud with both hands and hurl it at her. Lucky half-rears and breaks into a sideways gallop. A. stops Lucky and hops off his back. She trudges through the field wildly threatening me. I cup another whopping pound of mud and throw it smack dab in her face. Her mouth is open blurting a curse and now she’s choking out black mud. Her choking turns to laughter and she fills her hands with a solid mud bomb. It hits me in the right boob. That’s it. Our mud fight’s a free-for-all…
What else am I to do but love?
Two journals in two days accepted my creative work. Details soon…
The editor of a book publishing firm has asked to see my collection-length poetry manuscript after reviewing the ten sample poems I sent for consideration!
