Greta G. and Noah B., your poignant writing and directing did this 40-something mom proud; After years of feeling slightly shamed for loving her, I confidently utter her name again aloud. BARBIE, MY QUEEN, call it fate or pure sparkly luck that we meet once more; Last I saw your flawless face, pretty hair and […]
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 […]
At the Barbie movie, I wear pink under a black and white polka dot blazer. Ken wears a black shirt and white fur coat when the patriarchy rules. When the patriarchy rules, I feel uneasy wearing pink. My younger sister always got the pink clothes. I was the smart one in blue, and she was […]
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 […]
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 […]
Part of the mothering story is the fathering story whether that fathering was purely biological or whether it involved consistent and complex relationship. Writers who have contributed to Literary Mama over its two decades have examined the role of fathers and what it has meant and can mean to daughters, sons, wives, families, and communities. […]
You’re invited to transform your favourite queer theory text into a poem using only single-syllable words. MONOSYLLABIC QUEER THEORY will be a book-length poetry collection that welcomes all forms of poetry (short, long, prose poems, free verse, highly formal, and beyond). Stylistically, knock yourself out. Have fun. Go for it! See the Call for Submissions for more details. Submission Guidelines: Submissions:Early-bird […]
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 […]
Mother’s Day 2023 has come and gone. For some, Mother’s Day is filled with activity and fun, while for others, it is a day of quiet, reflection, and remembrance. Emotions can run the gamut when it comes to this holiday—sadness, anger, shame, resentment, fulfillment, humor, love. Literary Mama has given mama writers a chance to […]
Typically, we post these every two months, but we’ve heard about several writing opportunities and want to give mama writers as much advance notice as possible. MER- Mom Egg Review has two open calls for submission:The print journal is open for submissions until 7/15 on the theme of Ages/Stages; more info and guidelines at http://merliterary.com/submit Our […]