Bumper Stickers of the Christian Writers Conference

I have spent this past week in Someplace Beautiful, USA at a Christian Writers Conference. Blessings have been pouring down. I have felt drenched as a writer from the blessings: interactions with fellow writers, editors, agents; insights on the Christian publishing industry; the beauty of creation here. As a little marker of my time here, I’ve “collected” some of the bumper stickers I have seen around the conference center. Bumper stickers are such a big-small thing, are they not? In a small space, we can convey a big message. As a petite person with a mousey voice, I appreciate the … Continue Reading →

McSweeney’s

The following is something that is important to me. It is not so important because someone named Chris in California responded within a couple of weeks of receiving my submission and told me that it made him laugh and that he was going to run it within the following couple of weeks. I know that it’s important to be published if you want to be a writer, you should gain ex-po-sure if you want to be a capital W Writer, you should aim for the big name lit mags if you want to live in the stratosphere of the professional … Continue Reading →

Single Thing

There were always those kids in school who would Use Their Time Wisely and get their homework done so they wouldn’t have to do it later. I was never that student, putting on the blinders from the Koosh ball game happening in the corner so that I could point my nose to the grindstone, and finish copying the definition to plateau from my Social Studies text. Who needs to write down the definition of plateau, anyways? Plateaus are unforgettable! I have never had the singleness of mind to focus on one particular project. I’ve never been monogamous with my work … Continue Reading →

5 Marks of a Successful Etsy Shop

See my guest post over at Simply Stacie today!

Clip

This past spring I put on a matching outfit every Wednesday and hauled my boob pump and my laptop and my grief over leaving my little one to go take the T to my internship at BevNet. And it was totally worth it. I am so glad I was able to intern at the magazine. Not only because it helped me to overcome my disaffection for the word “beverage” (I still think it’s an ugly word, but it chaffs me less) but I met some wonderful people and netted myself some free bevs. Get it? BevNet! HAR! Here is one … Continue Reading →

Boston Globe Op-Ed

Over the course of the last year, I have been loosely engaged in some ongoing research on the long-term health hazards of nail salon workers. The Boston Globe recently featured an article on the Boston Public Health Commission’s Safe Shops program which is expanding its site inspection/health campaign to include local nail salons. I sent a letter to the editor applauding this worthy work, but questioning how in-depth and how long-term the scope of the work intended to be. I was pleased to have the letter published, but somewhat disheartened by how much editorial license was taken with it. C’est … Continue Reading →

Poet and I know it

A very lovely little lit mag decided to publish one of my poems. I was very excited about this opportunity, as it is my first to see my name in print in a text that is not bound by an office stapler. The editors have been dreamy sweet to work with, and perhaps someday I can be cool enough to edit something similar. I look forward to receiving my copy of Cosmopsis Quarterly, 2, and reading the work of the other featured writers, as well. If you are inclined, you can learn more about Cosmopsis here.

Not Good at Minority-hood

Feelings of discomfort come in several different shapes and sizes. Discomfort, of course, can be self-inflicted. You know, the kind where you’re loofah-ing in the shower and you loofah a little too vigorously? There are other feelings of discomfort brought upon by others, sometimes purposefully and sometimes completely inadvertently. Sometimes these feelings of discomfort help us to get over ourselves, and sometimes they can remind us not to wear a certain pair of pants with a certain lacey thong. Lately, I have beem floundering in a morass of discomfort. It is one that is difficult to admit. I imagine it’s … Continue Reading →