As we enter the final stretch of our celebratory year at Literary Mama, we begin to think of the fall and its festivities, particularly the spooky ones. Costumes, candy, and chaos are part of the mothering adventure. We’ve selected some Halloween-related content from our archives to celebrate two decades of the fun and fear that […]
It’s coming: the cooling morning air of autumn and the turning of leaves. Although fall has become a busy season of events. including football games, hayrides, and pumpkin picking, it is also a time of gradual slowing down, the portal to winter’s quiet stillness. Literary Mama contributors have explored this season over the last 20 […]
It’s that time of year when kids (and sometimes their parents) head back to the classroom, and this transition can come with mixed feelings. Sometimes it is a time of sadness that the slow, lazy days of summer have to end. For others, this time is exciting with new faces, classes, and clubs to add […]
Ten years ago (“the blink of an eye,” in Mama time) I wrote a post honoring this site’s 10th anniversary. I’m back for another milestone—20 years of Literary Mama! The editors asked for some thoughts on the Columns department, which is where it all began for me, having edited nine columns for LM. I really […]
How does summer influence you as a mother? You may try to recreate the wonderful experiences from your childhood with your own kids, such as camping in the quiet woods or chasing lightning bugs in the backyard. Maybe you struggle with summer and the pervasive lack of routine that seems to come with it. With […]
It was one of those moments that is hard to describe. An email arrived in my inbox in December 2018 from Felicity Landa and Colleen Kearney Rich, then fiction editors at Literary Mama, about the acceptance of my flash fiction. Oh, the joy! An acceptance does that every time to a writer. What’s more, Literary Mama has been […]
It’s a cliche, but aren’t cliches recycled phrases for a reason? Prior to giving birth, I’d heard “Get ready. Motherhood changes you” from every possible source. And now, I find myself repeating the words to others and reflecting on how I discovered their depth. How motherhood meant more than a busier schedule, a changing body, […]
Luck, or its lack, seems to be something we refer to often in motherhood. Maybe you feel blessed that you became pregnant quickly and easily, finally conceived after a period of infertility, or became a mother through adoption after years of waiting. Perhaps you thank your lucky stars you dodged pregnancy. Did you consider yourself […]
I published a short story called “All My Wrongs” on Literary Mama’s website ten years ago. The story was originally called, “Daughter,” and I wrote it before I had daughters. The idea came to me in response to a prompt for a craft class at Sarah Lawrence in 2006, but I pulled the story back […]
Come see Literary Mama at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference! Not familiar with AWP? You can find more information here, including a full schedule of events. Want to know where to find us? Literary Mama will be at Table T1504 in the exhibition hall. Our staff will wear t-shirts and carry tote […]
We’re thrilled to celebrate two decades of great writing about various occasions and events in the lives of mother writers, whether they be mundane, milestone, or mind-blowing. With Valentine’s Day this week, we’re taking the opportunity to showcase some of the writing we’ve featured that has focused on love and sex, from the viewpoint of […]