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 […]
Congratulations to our Literary Mama staff members! ~~~~~ Profiles Editor Brianna Avennia-Tapper spoke with poet Maggie Smith about choices—both on the page and in your home—for The Chicago Review of Books, and with climber/conservationist/writer/mother Majka Burhardt about flexibility in motherhood and on the mountain. Brianna also reviewed the singular novel/memoir Typical of the Times/What was […]
My creative practice, I must admit, felt stuck prior to attending AWP. In the last few seasons of my writing life, I’ve dedicated my energy to freelance opportunities and content writing, as well as teaching. It’s not a choice I regret, but saying yes to these opportunities means less attention to my creative work. I […]
Embracing the Possibilities When you walk into the AWP book fair, you’re greeted with several aisles and miles of books. There are journals selling a variety of work, everything from poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. I perused through work that explored hybrid and experimental forms, as well as more traditional narratives. Several university and indie presses […]
AWP usually garners several reactions from writers — It is so intense. I can’t handle the crowds. It is so overwhelming. I don’t know if I can deal with all the stimuli. This resistance has some truth. AWP usually attracts 9,000 to 12,000 people, and it can feel busy and chaotic navigating panels, walking the […]
Congratulations to these Literary Mama staff members! ~~~~~ Senior Editor Rudri Bhatt Patel published the piece, “Pros and Cons of Anchor Clients,” for The Freelance Creative. She also published the piece, ““Why Pickleball Is a Great Sport for Seniors,” for FAR.com. For Apartment Therapy, she published, “How I Used the Two-Minute Rule to Stop Feeling […]
As a child, I was fond of telling dramatic stories. In fourth grade, I wrote a one-act play called “Tornado.” Four sisters lost both parents in a devastating natural disaster and were dispersed around the country only to meet up in their 20s at a Broadway audition. I directed, produced, and starred in this basement […]
Popcorn led me to Literary Mama. The story begins in an elementary school cafeteria. My husband and I volunteered to pop popcorn for the annual sock hop at my son’s school. While wearing plastic gloves and stuffing popcorn into red and white paper bags, I met another mom there volunteering — Christina Consolino, a former […]
My dream to be a published author developed at nine years old when I devoured one Babysitter’s Club book after another. I wanted to create my own characters and stories and let them live dramatic lives underneath beautiful book covers. Now in my early 30s, I’m still aspiring to that “published” part – in the […]
I have, technically, been a writer my entire life. A diary when I was a kid. Terrible poetry in middle school. Short stories in college that managed to find a home in the school’s literary journal. And then I became an English teacher and taught young people to write. When I left full-time teaching and […]
Congratulations to these Literary Mama Staff members! ~~~~~ Reviews Editor Rudri Bhatt Patel published the print piece, “No Place to Go: Exploring the Landscape of Maternity Health Care Deserts,” for Rural Health Quarterly. She also published the piece, “How to Talk to Loved Ones about Late-Stage Ovarian Cancer,” for WebMD and “Educational Resources for Seniors,” […]