Poetry Church

An appropriate post for Sunday: This week I received my book-bound Poetry Church Collection vol. 18 via Royal Mail from the moors of Yorkshire. Inside sit two of my poems, published as J Sudborough: "Heavens" and "Handiwork."

You'd be correct in assuming from the collection's title that this is a Christian collection. Many of the poems are inspired by Bible verses, others take the form of prayers. Most in the form of ballads. My contributions are extended metaphors in free verse, thus require a bit of thinking--as does Philip Comfort's "papyrus maker." And Patricia Lucas paints three lovely portraits of spring flowers in "Snowdrop," "Daffodil," and "Hellebore." As Julia Connor (my workshop leader from Surprise Valley Writers' Conference) said, "Poetry is big enough for all of it."

Cheers,
J.S.

Safety Goggle: Poetry Church Collection vol. 18

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my content *page 99 = TV-G
other content = TV-G

Tweessert

I "did lunch" with a girlfriend today. We're both trying to squeeze in the last bit of grown-up time before summer break holds us captive. Why does this matter? Because as I finished my asparagus ravioli (VERY green), my mobile phone chirped. I know, I should have had the ringer off. But we both get calls from school principals on a routine basis, so she didn't take offense.

Only it wasn't a principal, teacher, or even the bus-barn. It was Nanoism posting their issue 23...featuring me:-) And I got to share the moment (plus my mobile) with a friend. And we were both so excited we forgot to order dessert. Yay!

BTW if you missed the stunning conclusion of "Dakar 1989," you can now catch the entire 4-tweet series here. I'm off to scrounge some cookies or cinnamon toast or something. Tweessert's nice, but the high has worn off and I'm jonesing for some real sugar.

Cheers,
J.S.

Safety Goggle: 23 at Nanoism

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Who Woulda Thunk It?

The world is truly a mysterious and crazy place. My proof? Flash Fire 500 just published their latest interview issue, Flash Fire 5. Featuring me! I'll be sending out a care package to the editors--filled with Tylenol, tea, and smelling salts. Anything to snap them back into their right minds;-)

But seriously, thank you Itchy & Scratchy for my moment in the sun!

Cheers,
J.S.

Safety Goggle: Flash Fire 5 interview at Flash Fire 500

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my content = TV-PG
other content = TV-MA (D L S V)

While Out of Range

I spent this weekend in the mountains with my family doing cabin-maintenance chores. While I enjoy time amongst the pines, I definitely miss internet access & cell phone reception while I'm there. For example, the third installment of my "Dakar 1989" went live on Nanoism while I was away. But I missed the thrill of my cell phone's chirp since the tweet never reached my phone. Oh well, I will have to console myself with seeing/learning of a new plant: Snow Plant (Sarcodes sanguinea). Brilliant!



Cheers,
J.S.

Tasmanian Circles

I just posted Part 1 of my Folded Word interview, TEN with meika loofs-samorzewski. He's a Tasmanian bronze sculptor with an amazing mind. People tell me I'm fairly bright, but this guy could run circles around me with both his legs in casts. If you want to read something that will challenge you, definitely check out his interview. And check out his work on Twitter this week.

Time for a cuppa tea and a sit down!

Cheers,
J.S.

One Nemesis Revealed

Got a lovely Mother's Day present from Twitter. The second installment of "Dakar 1989" went live today at Nanoism.

They say everything you write reveals something about yourself, whether fiction or non. Today's story-tweet places a major source of anxiety for me in neon lights. To this day, I must have an aisle seat. Always. On planes, in trains, in church, at the cinema--anything short of an aisle seat and I'm white knuckled with a migraine.

But I'm good today. My family served me breakfast in bed: my husband's homemade scones, maple sausage, and Irish Breakfast Looseleaf tea. (Ooooh, that was a subtle topic switch...)

Give the moms/mums in your life a hug today!
J.S.

Safety Goggle: Dakar 1989 at Nanoism

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my content = TV-PG
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Rock On, Little One

Had to beat my head against the cliff once before scaling escarp. Submitting poetry to this Twitter-zine is the quirkiest experience I've had yet in the literary world. Not only do you submit via direct message (Twitter's version of text-messaging), but you get the editorial decision via direct message. Handling rewrite requests that way is a trip!

At the moment, you may read my prose poem on escarp's home page. But I'll update the link once I'm indexed in their writer's archive. It's a short, sweet tweet. A real treat!

(OK, someone slap me now.)

Cheers,
J.S.

Love from One Night Stanzas

I enjoy dishing out compliments. Too much, I think, as a friend of mine recently threatened to throw a pie at me if I did it again. Did I stop? NO WAY. I'm not afraid of pies--boxed them, served them, chucked them for 2 years at Baker's Square.

What was I saying?

Compliments. Right. I'm always surprised when compliments are returned. But today, they were returned in a very big way from one of the poets I've worked with at Form.Reborn. Claire Askew hosts a lovely blog called One Night Stanzas and works as Editor in Chief of Read This. Today she bestowed the honor of Featured Magazines #12 on Form.Reborn--going so far as to say, "Jessi (the aforementioned editor) is a very cool customer: incredibly friendly and running a seriously tight ship." WOW.

Think I'll dust my tap shoes off & do a jig!

Cheers,
J.S.

My James Lipton Impersonation

Every Monday on Folded Word I post an interview with one of our authors. For the most part all the questions are the same. But the answers are so very different every time. For this week I interviewed Ellaraine Lockie, a poet that I've actually met in person. So this one was especially fun. Even more fun was feeding carrots to her free-range rabbits when I spent the night at her house. So cute to see them hopping 'round the yard and making her cat yield the right-of-way!

Cheers,
J.S.

Another Flight

Again? Already?

I swear--these pieces were written at entirely different times. It's just a coincidence that "Seat 13C" and now "Dakar 1989" ended up launching on the same day; both about air travel. "Dakar 1989" is a serial piece, with one 140 character section posting each Sunday for four weeks. The challenge was to write it so that each section could stand on its own--something I've been forcing my PicFic authors to do for two months. So I officially dedicate this serial story to Mel, David, & Ben for their bravery and dedication to duty. I'm feelin' you now!

I LOVE writing teensy-tiny stories, plot stripped naked. But it would be most decidedly UNCOOL to publish my own work at PicFic. So a double high-five to the editors of Nanoism for giving me a place to play.

And in the time you just spent reading this post, you could have read the entirety of the Nanoism archive. So fly! Be free! And don't forget to join me on Air Afrique.

Cheers,
J.S.

What I Get for Flying

I recently took a father/daughter trip to visit my uncle in Dallas, TX. I'm a nervous flyer, anyway, but the return trip begged to be immortalized. Or at least my imaginings of what the return trip COULD have been. Curious? Then read my flash fiction Seat 13C, Flight 221.

Thanks to the ever-patient and brilliant editors of Flash Fire 500 for giving my flight of fancy a place to land!

Cheers,
J.S.

Safety Goggle: "Seat 13C, Flight 221" at Flash Fire 500

(think before you read)
my content = TV-PG (D V)
other content = TV-MA (D L S V)