Writing

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New Essay in Print

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Cover of the 30th Anniversary Issue of Sycamore Review. Artwork by Marianne Boruch.

Cover of the 30th Anniversary Issue of Sycamore Review. Artwork by Marianne Boruch.

My newest essay, “Patterning,” appears in the current issue of Sycamore Review, Vol. 30.1. The essay was a finalist for the 2018 Wabash Prize in Nonfiction. “Patterning” explores my ambivalence toward religion, the responsibilities of motherhood, and the ways we make meaningful choices.

This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of publication for Sycamore Review, the internationally acclaimed literary journal for Purdue University. The issue includes the prizewinning essay, “Epiphany,” by Jo-Anne Berelowitz and the Runner Up, “Listening Room,” by Jeff Albers. I am pleased that my essay has found a home among such thoughtful work.

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An Essay and a Poem

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Cover of the The Florida Review, Issue 41.2

My newest essay, "Body of Water," has just been released in the Fall 2017 issue of The Florida Review (Issue 41.2). I am thrilled to see my work alongside an essay by Nancy McCabe, one of my mentors in the Spalding MFA Program. I explored the process of writing "Body of Water" in my previous blog post,The Middle Stage. After three years of work, it is gratifying to see the essay in print.

The Florida Review is the journal for the University of Central Florida and has been in publication since 1975. It was a pleasure to work with the editorial staff, and I am grateful for my inclusion in this issue. To support the ongoing work of this fantastic journal, purchase the issue here. 

Late 2017 also marked a milestone in my career with the publication of my first poem, "In the Sound." The poem was featured on the website of Seattle's Poetry on Buses program on December 16th. For one year, the website features a poem each day on the theme, "Your Body of Water." Select poems appear on buses and other transit options throughout the city through April 2018.

On a final note, the essay and poem are literary siblings. Both pieces feature the life and stories of my dear, late father-in-law Jim.

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New Essay

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My essay, "Fury," was recently published in Issue 32 of Blue Mesa Review. "Fury" was a finalist in the 2015 Summer Nonfiction contest, judged by Wendy Ortiz, and appears in the issue with the  prizewinning essays by Sue William Silverman and Tom Pyun. In addition to striking fiction and poetry, the issue also contains interviews with prose writer Debra Monroe and poet Natalie Scenters-Zapico. Blue Mesa Review, the literary journal of The University of New Mexico, publishes work and art that engages the stark reality of our world. In the introduction to Issue 32, Editor-in-chief Brenna Gomez writes, "I can’t promise you comfort or healing, but this beautiful collection of sometimes dark work reflects the world we now live in. These pieces are meant to be read and felt now."

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Blue Mesa Review also features contemporary art in each issue and pairs each image with a piece of writing. I was honored to have my essay coupled with this amazing painting by artist, graphic designer, and musician Eric Guenette. Details below.

"United Citizens" 2015 - Artist: Eric Guenette

60"x 36" Mixed media and canvas (framed)

To view more artwork by Eric Guenette, visit his art page, where he has several paintings, including "United Citizens," for sale.

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Essay in The Louisville Review

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The Louisville Review Vol 75 Cover Image
The Louisville Review Vol 75 Cover Image

My essay, "Notes on Machinery," appears in the latest issue of The Louisville Review (Vol 75). The essay examines the creative impulse, noting the role that rhythm and mechanism play in the creative process. I am pleased to see my work alongside that of Molly Peacock and Katerina Stoykova-Klemer, two women whom I admire immensely for their creative work and their passion for teaching and the written word. In addition, "Notes on Machinery" is the first essay completed, start to finish, since I returned to writing after the birth of my second daughter.

This issue of The Louisville Review features the work of many Kentucky writers, most prominently Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker. Volume 75 is available online. You can also purchase a print copy on the The Louisville Review site.

Essay Included in New Book on Birth Doulas

ba final cover final 8-23 tn
ba final cover final 8-23 tn

My essay, "The Guide," appears in the new book, Birth Ambassadors: Doulas and the Re-Emergence of Woman-Supported Birth in America." Written by Christine Morton, the book explores the history and experience of doula care in the United States. The personal narratives, edited by Elayne Clift, ground the research in real-life experience.  My narrative, "The Guide" recounts the challenges of my first labor, emphasizing the grounding role played by my birth doula.

Robbie Davis-Floyd PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Dept. of Anthropology, University of Texas Austin, author of Birth as an American Rite of Passage, and co-editor of Mainstreaming Midwives calls the book "THE definitive work on doulas in the" and a great resource for expectant mothers and women interested in becoming a doula. To both, he says, "You will find all your answers within its beautifully written pages."

Purchase the book online at Praeclarus Press, Powell's Books, or Amazon.

New Home for Essay

My essay "Bounty and Burden," previously published in Quiddity, now appears in the online journal, Redux. Edited by novelist Leslie Pietrzyk, Redux publishes work online that has previously appeared in print, bringing "work worth a second run" to a new audience.  Pietrzyk has published Redux since 2011, posting one essay, story, or poem each week.  The result is a collection of stunning literature to be savored one piece at a time.

Read "Bounty and Burden."  

New Essay Published

Utter Magazine Cover Image
Utter Magazine Cover Image

I am kicking off 2013 with my the publication of my first music essay, appearing in Utter Magazine.   "Cooley's Law of Gravity" examines the songwriting of Drive-By Trucker's singer and guitarist Mike Cooley to consider whether the mystery of great pop music can be solved with repeated listening.

Utter Magazine is a new online journal with a thematic focus on voice and sound.  The editors search for work " with deep rumblings, with vibrations, with motion."  Two issues--comprised of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction as well as artwork in full color--are available on the site.  Thank you to editors P.J. Williams and Kir Jordan for selecting the essay!