2013 is over and I’m sitting here on the second day of the new year listening to the wind chimes in my back yard tinkling crazily in the blustery, cold wind while my husband cooks up a good winter supper of chicken fried steak and gravy.
I can’t say 2013 was a very good year personally and I can’t say I’m sad to see it go but it was a pretty good writing year for me and for that I’m grateful. I had work published in Mad Swirl, St. Somewhere Journal, Michelle Elvy’s website Glow Worm, Olentangy Review and Red Fez. In addition, two of my poems were mentioned by Michelle Elvy and Jessy Alvarez in Fictionaut’s Editor’s Eye feature. Not too shabby! I didn’t write or publish as much in 2013 as I did in 2012 but that’s ok. At my age I don’t have any grandiose ideas of setting the literary world on fire, I’m happy just writing and occasionally seeing my words in print. Let the 20-somethings duke it out – it’s a good show. 🙂
Late in the year I began keeping a list of my favorite poems and stories by other writers when I opened a Pocket account. (Which I love.) One of my goals for 2014 is to share the work of others more often on this blog so I thought I’d start today by sharing five poems and stories I liked this year (in no particular order). And here they are:
Poems
the woman. this woman. my mother #3 by Stacy Michelle
How to Remember Important Things by Darryl Price
Chicken Hats by Marilyn Cavicchia
To All the Little Black Girls With Big Names by Sha’Condria Sibley
Stories
One With Everything by Sally Houtman
Sex for the Living by Gessy Alvarez
Momento Mori, Mon Amour by James Lloyd Davis
Return to Watery Life by James Claffey
I hope y’all enjoy these poems and stories as much as I have.
In looking ahead for 2014, I’m hoping to get my creative juices flowing again as they’ve been pretty damn dry lately. An online friend has started a writing prompt site on Tumblr called 365/52 and I plan to participate in some of her prompts. She will post a daily prompt for submissions of 500 words or less and a weekly prompt for submissions of 2500 words or less. I think it’s a great idea and she already has some great posts so check it out. I’ll probably publish my work inspired by her prompts on my Tumblr, Flogging the Demons, in order to fully and easily participate with the other writers and the prompt site so check me out there.
I have a couple of pieces upcoming in Scissors and Spackle (not sure when), Blue Fifth Review (in July) and this Saturday (1/4/14) in Women Poets Wearing Sweat Pants which is a really fun poetry site on Tumblr that you should check out.
Well, that’s about it for this little looking back, looking forward post. Oh, if you’re so inclined I did write a post on my group blog, NOLAFemme, about my favorites in books, movies and TV for 2013.
I hope all y’all had a great holiday season and I thank you for reading and supporting my work over the past year. Happy New Year!
Charlotte Hamrick 