Wandering

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Frankly, I've given up a lot of material things in ten years as a full-time freelancer. For the past several Lents, I've reevaluated emotions and traits I once held onto dearly, parts I felt made me who I was. I didn't have a solid reason to keep them, only that I already had for so long.

I don't go in fixated on one particular thing I'm giving up, but replace my own desires with the needs of others.

Christopher Irvin talks FEDERALES

Shotgun Honey editor Chris Irvin has a novella out this week in paperback and ebook from One Eye Press. He stops by Chatterrific today as part of a blog tour.

Under Review

This past Sunday, in her Do Some Damage post titled "This author should die", Joelle Charbonneau spoke out against reviews that attack authors personally. Anne Rice noticed her post, and a Change.org petition is gaining steam against anonymous, cyber-bullying Amazon.com reviews.

I commented on Jolle's post as a creative writing major who learned how to critique poetry and fiction without impugning authors, and last night on Twitter Joelle mentioned being interviewed by a reporter about the root of cyber-bullying reviews.

We can reverse the trend by choosing, as reviewers, not to impugn creators but just evaluate their finished products. Admittedly, some find it difficult to separate themselves from their products. ("Hate my work and you hate me.") Reviewers can take the first step using language that keeps creators and products separate.

At The 5-2: "The Adjunct Professor's Lament" by Charles Rammelkamp

Rammelkamp returns with a poem that hit home for me, having spent six years an adjunct at Hofstra University:



Today is the deadline to submit poems about trickery, fooling, or being fooled for publication in April.

Totes Appreciated

Mystery Scene Magazine sent me the pictured tote bag for renewing my subscription.

At The 5-2: "Your Voice" by Lauren McBride

The 5-2's month of love-themed poems concludes with Lauren McBride's haunting "Your Voice", read by 5-2 alum Sarah Stockton:



Next Monday, March 3, is the deadline to submit poems about trickery, fooling, or being fooled, for publication in April.

You can also join us in April on our 30 Days of The 5-2 blog tour.

More about Kim Cooper's THE KEPT GIRL

L.A. historian Kim Cooper is back at my author chat blog, Chatterrific, with a guest post about how she published the novel.

At The 5-2: "Salt" by Sarah Nichols

Our month of love-themed poems continues with "Salt" by Connecticut writer and artist Sarah Nichols. I welcomed a new Voice of The 5-2 to record the poem, my Twitter friend Kristen Chapman Gibbons:




The 5-2's theme for April, National Poetry Month, is trickery, fooling, or being fooled. Submit today.

Spots are open if you'd like to blog about 5-2 poetry in April.