July 2022 Update

June seems to have gone by in a flash. Between strawberry picking, gardening, and a couple of road trips, not as much writing time as some months, but that’s the norm for me once the weather gets nicer. 

Recent Publications

Poetry:
“The Cool Neighours,” Polar Starlight, Issue 6, June 2022, https://polarborealis.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/POLAR-STARLIGHT-6-June-2022.pdf

“The New Old West” and “Detained,” Scifaikuest May 2022 print, Hiraeth Publishing 

Reviews:
In the Writers’ Words: Conversations with Ten Canadian Poets, by Laurence Hutchman, published June 6, 2022, on the Miramichi Reader site.
https://miramichireader.ca/2022/06/in-the-writers-words-conversations-with-ten-canadian-poets-volume-ii-by-laurence-hutchman/

Short Stories:
“The Switch,” New Myths Issue 59, June 2022. This is one of my “Quicksilver and Pepper” stories about a futuristic AI-enhanced cat and his canine sidekick fighting crime on behalf of the Galactic Space Service. Available for free at  https://sites.google.com/newmyths.com/newmyths-com-issue-59/issue-59-stories/the-switch

What I’m Working On
I’m still working on a number of book reviews, so that’s my main focus at present.

Coming Soon
Several poems are due for publication in July and August.

 

 

June 2022 Update

May seemed to come and go in a hurry. Perhaps that’s because, in our area at least, the weather was more conducive for outdoor work. Right now, the trees in our area are coming into full leaf—always one of the most beautiful times of the year.

Recent Publications
Poetry:
“Another Virtual Meeting,” “The Changing Face of Fear,” “Dogs of the 2080s,” “Strange New Worlds,” and “New Home, New Hope,” Eccentric Orbits Volume 3, Dimensionfold Publishing, https://www.amazon.ca/Eccentric-Orbits-Anthology-Science-Fiction/dp/1989940447/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

“Infinite Monkey Theorem, Revisited,” “It Must Be More,” “Separate and Apart,” “They Sent the Old,” “Wanted: Another Terrestrial Planet,” Illumen, Spring 2022, Hiraeth Publishing,  https://www.hiraethsffh.com/product-page/illumen-spring-2022-edited-by-tyree-campbell

“[sunlight refracts]” and “Some Things We’re Meant to Leave Behind,” Scifaikuest May 2022 online, Hiraeth Publishing, https://www.hiraethsffh.com/scifaikuest-online

Reviews:
The Sisters Sputnik, by Terri Favro, published on The Miramichi Reader website May 5, 2022, https://miramichireader.ca/2022/05/the-sisters-sputnik-by-terri-favro/

All the Seas of the World, by Guy Gavriel Kay, published on The Miramichi Reader website May 23, 2022, https://miramichireader.ca/2022/05/all-the-seas-of-the-world-by-guy-gavriel-kay/ Inspired by Renaissance culture, All the Seas of the World is a fitting follow-up to A Brightness Long Ago.

What I’m Working On
Having recently completed an on-line course through the local library on writing for magazines, I’ve been in a creative non-fiction mood this past month, and this will likely carry over into June. I’m also continuing to chip away at my book review list.

 

May 2022 Update

During the month of April, I attempted the challenge of writing at least one poem per day. Mission accomplished, with 38 completed and 27 already sent out to various markets. I was a little hesitant to take this on, after feeling like I’d experienced a bit of burn-out after NaNoWriMo, but I found the poetry challenge a less demanding/draining.

Recent Publications
Poetry:
“First Contact,” published in Eye to the Telescope Issue 44: Notional Ekphrastic, April 15, 2022, https://eyetothetelescope.com/ 

“First Canoe Trip,” Parks and Points Poetry 2022, published April 30, 2022, https://www.parksandpoints.com/poetry-2022-/first-canoe-trip

Reviews:
Extraordinary Canadians: Stories from the Heart of our Nation, by Peter Mansbridge, with Mark Bulgutch, posted on the Miramichi Reader web site April 11, 2022, https://miramichireader.ca/2022/04/extraordinary-canadians-by-peter-mansbridge/ 

Lucy and Bonbon: A Novel, by Don LePan, posted on the Miramichi Reader web site, April 18, 2022, https://miramichireader.ca/2022/04/lucy-and-bonbon-by-don-lepan/

What I’m Working On
I’ve been taking advantage of some free online courses offered through our public library, and delivered by a third party provider. I completed one on writing a non-fiction book, thinking that I’d like to someday use the research I compiled for my never-quite-completed Master’s thesis on women’s field hockey in Nova Scotia. I’m now taking a course on writing for magazines. The latter has already sparked a partly-outlined idea which should be ready for send-out in May. Both courses were excellent, and it was clear that the instructors knew their stuff. Lots of helpful information.

Coming Soon
I’ve had a review of Guy Gavriel Kay’s All the Seas of the World accepted, and expect to see the review posted by end of May. More details next month. All the Seas of the World was a worthy successor to A Brightness Long Ago, engrossing and interesting. 

Next month should also see some items appearing in the May issue of Scifaikuest.
 

April 2022 Update

My book of speculative haibun poetry, In Days to Come, has been released by Hiraeth Publishing, and is available their web site: https://www.hiraethsffh.com/product-gallery. In Days to Come contains new poems as well as poems previously published in venues like Star*Line, Illumen, Contemporary Haibun Online, and Scifaikuest. Topics broached include sports, dogs, encounters with aliens, space exploration, and a tongue-in-cheek take on what really happens on zombie night at the ball park. I’m grateful to Firefly and Fox Bookstore in Simcoe, Ontario for carrying this book as well as my collection of creative non-fiction and poetry, A Trail That Twines.
 
Recent Publications
Short Stories:
“Last Dance,” Shelter of Daylight, Hiraeth Publishing, Winter 2022. A Quicksilver and Pepper story.
 
“Mission to Galavia,” The Martian Wave, March 2022. A follow-up story to “In Other Words,” which originally appeared in CBAY Books’ One Thousand Words for War.

Poetry:
“Comedy Night at the Magic Cafe,” Spaceports and Spidersilk, Hiraeth Publishing, February 2022, https://www.hiraethsffh.com/product-page/spaceports-spidersilk-february-2022-edited-by-marcie-lynn-tentchoff
 
Reviews:
Matters of Time: An Outliers Anthology, posted on The Miramichi Reader web site February 28, 2022. https://miramichireader.ca/2022/02/matters-of-time-an-outliers-anthology/
 
L.M. Montgomery and Gender, edited by E. Holly Pike and Laura M. Robinson, posted on The Miramichi Reader web site March 7, 2022. https://miramichireader.ca/2022/03/l-m-montgomery-and-gender-by-e-holly-pike-and-laura-m-robinson/
 
Evan F. Moore and Jashvina Shah, Game Misconduct: Hockey’s Toxic Culture and How to Fix It, Sports Literature Association website, Book Reviews, posted March 31, 2022: https://sportliteratureassociation.wordpress.com/2022/03/31/game-misconduct-hockeys-toxic-culture-and-how-to-fix-it-by-evan-moore/
 
What I’m Working On
I’ve switched gears to working on some non-fiction projects, as well as continuing to work on book reviews.
 

March 2022 Update

Recent Publications

Poetry:
poem, spec, “light years from Earth,” Failed Haiku, Vol 7 Issue 74, https://www.haikuhut.com/FailedHaikuIssue74.pdf

Reviews:
Trenchcoats, Towers, and Trolls: Cyberpunk Fairy Tales, edited by Rhonda Parrish, posted on The Future Fire web site February 7, 2022: http://reviews.futurefire.net/2022/02/parrish-trenchcoats-towers-and-trolls.html#more. Though I wasn’t familiar with cyberpunk before reading this collection, I really enjoyed it. Some creative and interesting stories, and a consistent high quality throughout the book.

Dancing with Robots: The 29 Strategies for Success in the Age of AI and Automation, by Bill Bishop, posted on The Miramichi Reader web site February 21, 2022, https://miramichireader.ca/2022/02/dancing-with-robots-by-bill-bishop/.

What I’m Working On
I’m still working on a number of reviews, both fiction and non-fiction. After being stalled for a bit, I’ve kick-started my fiction writing again, thanks to a free online course through the public library that helped me with some of my story structure and plotting struggles.

 

February 2022 update

After getting off fairly easy weather-wise in November and December, we got our share of snow and cold weather in January. With outdoor time restricted due to frigid temperatures, I did get some writing done, although not much to show for it on the publication front. There have been some acceptances, though, and I'll have more to report in terms of publications as we get into the spring.

Recent Publications

Reviews:
Girl running, by Diana Hope Tegenkamp, The Miramichi Reader, posted January 3, 2022, https://miramichireader.ca/2022/01/girl-running-by-diana-hope-tegenkamp/

What I’m Working On
During January, much of my focus was on short stories and reviews. Moving into February, the main focus will be on catching up on book reviews. I've got an interesting mix of fiction and non-fiction in the stack, ranging from sports to science fiction short story collections. More on that as they get posted.

January 2022 update

Not much to report on the publication front in December. However, I’m continuing to work on refining short stories and also have a few book reviews on the go at present.

Recent Publications

Poems:
“Over the Rainbow,” New Myths, Issue 56-57, December 2021, https://sites.google.com/newmyths.com/newmyths56-2021/issue-5657-stories/over-the-rainbow

Reviews:
Arthurian Things: A Collection of Poems, by Melissa Ridley Elmes, SpecPo Blog site, https://specpo.wordpress.com/category/reviews/

Fatal Depth, by Timothy S. Johnston, published in Shoreline of Infinity Issue 29

Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick, by David Wong, published in Shoreline of Infinity Issue 29