Blog

When we have free moments, it can be difficult to choose whether we want to spend that time writing or reading. Fortunately, the winter months are often a period when we can manage more of both because we don’t have the temptation of sun and warmth to lure us to outdoor activities. If you’re looking […]

Where will our writing take us this 2026? I’d like to thank fellow Literary Mama Carrie Vittitoe for her reintroduction to our Blog Editorial team last month. I’m happy to be here and am delighted to see that it was a whole year ago when I started with Literary Mama, and wrote my first blog […]

With the dawning of a new year, this might be the time for you to consider joining Literary Mama, especially if you are looking for a way to connect with other writers and use some of your skills in meaningful ways. We are seeking individuals to fill these roles: Keep your eye on our Opportunities […]

When I’m not writing or teaching, I am often preparing to co-host The Perks of Being a Book Lover—a reading podcast I do with a longtime friend. In the past, we’ve talked about book bans with guests.  A guest from our most recent season, Rebecca Leber-Gottberg, talked to us about a program coordinated by Rediscovered […]

With the start of 2026, we wanted to take a moment and reintroduce the Literary Mama Blog team, which consists of myself (Carrie Vittitoe), Femi Lewis, and Christina Francis-Gilbert.  Each of us came to Literary Mama with different motivations. Whether it was the desire to connect and network with other mama writers or an intention […]

I spoke with my sister earlier this week and she told me she had spent four hours wrapping presents. Needless to say, she was exhausted. This got me thinking about when I will complete my own mammoth job, and that thought alone tired me.  For many mothers, the task of wrapping gifts is, in reality, […]

Literary Mama is thrilled to announce its nominations for Best Small Fictions 2026: Tuesday Morning (Ordinary Time) by Polly Farquhar Fighting Wind by Sage Tyrtle Breath by Jessica Claire Haney How to Bake without Eggs by Edith-Nicole Cameron Tomorrow and All the Days After by Veronica Montes We’re so glad to be a small part […]

If you’re a writer and a mother, you already know that balancing these two things is an art, not a science. There is not one way to do it, nor is there a way that does it perfectly. Most of us struggle with it regularly–finding the time to raise our children while also finding the […]

The staff of Literary Mama is delighted to share our nominations for the Pushcart Prize. Ficton: “Your Sixty Seconds” by Susan Perabo and “Fighting Wind” by Sage Tyrtle Nonfiction: “Slicing Peppers” by Jill Finnessy Literary Reflection: “What’s Left Undone” by Julie Pfeiffer Poetry: “Fragile X Syndrome” by Francine Diodati and “Chapel of Bones” by Caedra […]

What motivates one writer is not the same as what motivates another, but the beauty of Literary Mama is that it’s a place where all kinds of writers with their unique motivations can co-exist. Some writers who publish with us submit just to see if their work will be accepted, and when that itch has […]

Motherhood is a little like ooblek, the non-Newtonian fluid goo that many of us play with in childhood. In the same way that ooblek is a little bit a solid and a little bit a liquid, motherhood is both a personal endeavor that is unique to each individual and a public experience that connects us […]