Publication in Cirque!

I am delighted to report that I recently received an acceptance from the editors of Cirque, A Literary Journal for the North Pacific Rim. Cirque is a beautiful literary journal!

Thank you to Editors Sandra Kleven and Mike Burwell.

Read the new issue here. My poem “Invitation” appears on page 34.

Originally, I wrote it for the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest here in Whatcom County, Washington State. However, I decided last year not to submit it to the Boynton Contest. I am delighted that “Invitation” has a fine home!

Press on with YOUR writing!

Sincerely, Andrew

darkness rising

darkness rising

defaced Jewish Cemeteries
in St. Louis and Philadelphia.
Tombstones toppled.
Rural African-American Churches
burned to the ground.
vandalized Signs
at Muslim Study Centers.
threats of violence
against Members
of the LGBTQ Community.
Unarmed African-American Men
and Women killed by police officers.
bomb threats against
Jewish Community Centers.
a Mosque set on fire.
Police Officers executed.
a Man from India
killed in an Olathe, Kansas Bar,
and Another injured.
darkness rising: unhinged, deranged.
darkness rising as American nightmare.
these desecrations will not stand.
I Refuse darkness rising.

~*~

Andrew Shattuck McBride

An Article on Elephant Poaching

We are living during the Sixth Extinction, a time in which we are losing species daily as a result of human activity and loss of habitat.

A precipitous decline in the African elephant population continues, and it breaks my heart. It is possible that in the lifetimes of readers of this post–including me–that the African elephant will be essentially extinct in the wild.

Poaching of elephants continues. Click here to read an article in The Planet Magazine by Nanette Jackson on elephant poaching.

I met Nanette and her friend Austin yesterday. What a kind pair of people!

The Planet Magazine is an excellent environmental journal out of Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington.

All the best, Andrew

NaPoWriMo ~ Day Twelve Prompt

Day Twelve Prompt

Do you have a favorite bar? Pub? Tavern? Watering hole? Write a poem about it.

Do you have a favorite beer? Whiskey? Whisky? Scotch? Mixed drink?

Ah, you don’t drink? OK! If you’re eating out, what do you like to drink with your meal? Do you have a favorite non-alcoholic drink? Coffee? A latte? (yum!) Gunpowder tea? Lemonade?

Write a poem about your favorite bar or restaurant and your favorite drink. Recount an experience you’ve had while there, drinking that drink. What did you see? How did you feel?

Cheers!

~*~

Andrew Shattuck McBride

NaPoWriMo ~ Day Eleven Prompt

Write a poem about, or incorporating, color.

What is your favorite color? Is there a color you don’t like? Or, is there a color you are not enthused about? A color you avoid in personal decisions, in product purchases?

Is there a color symbolic of an important relationship to you?

Write a poem incorporating your favorite color and a color you don’t like.

Write about what these colors mean to you. Go deep; don’t hold back!

***

A few years ago, I wrote a series of poems about cobalt blue. This is one of my favorite colors; it was also my mother’s favorite color. Unfortunately, my relationship with Mom was troubled. I loved her, and she loved me—but we still had a difficult relationship. Writing poems about cobalt blue objects and birds helped me process my feelings about our relationship, especially after her death.

***

So, write your poem! Good luck!

~*~

All the best,

Andrew Shattuck McBride

~*~

The Jossing Affair by Janet Oakley

Cover for J.L. Oakley’s fine new novel

I am so pleased to report that I attended Janet Oakley’s book launch of The Jøssing Affair last night at Village Books in Fairhaven.

Congratulations, Janet Oakley!

I had the distinct honor of editing The Jøssing Affair for Janet and discussing her novel with her in great detail–down to the line and word level–over several months.

Dear reader, please understand that it was a superb novel before I started editing, copy-editing, and line editing! I hope I helped Janet make her novel even better.

The Jøssing Affair is a superb historical novel about the German occupation of Norway during World War II. (Jøssing is pronounced “jussing” with a soft ‘j.’)

Tore Haugland is a jøssing, a patriot. However, few people in the small shoreline village of Fjellstad know. Many believe him to be a simple “deaf-mute” fisherman. In actuality, he is a Norwegian patriot trained by the English as a spy aiding the Resistance in Nazi-occupied Norway. To complicate matters, Tore Haugland falls in love with Anna Fromme–“The Woman”–a woman of German ancestry living with her young daughter Lisel in Fjellstad. Anna Fromme has secrets of her own.

After reading Janet Oakley’s novel, I am very interested in visiting Norway.

If you read one historical novel this year, read The Jøssing Affair!

The Jøssing Affair is available at Village Books. If you can’t make it to this world-class independent bookstore, order your copy here.

Janet Oakley is also the author of two earlier historical novels, Tree Soldier and Timber Rose. Highly recommended!

Regarding The Jøssing Affair: I have received remuneration for my work on this novel, but not this blog post. I am recommending it as a fine historical novel.

Sincerely,

Andrew Shattuck McBride

NaPoWriMo ~ Day Ten Prompt

You have circles of friends, work colleagues, and acquaintances, don’t you? Do you have people you play sports with or cards with? People you go shopping with? People in book clubs you discuss books with?

Pick one of your social circles and write a poem about the circle itself and the people in it. Write about what it means to you and what the people mean to you.

Don’t name names; keep it anonymous. Oh, and be truthful but kind.

You’re not feeling this prompt?

OK; how ’bout writing a poem about one of your social circles years ago, in high school, college, or grad school?

~*~

Andrew Shattuck McBride

NaPoWriMo ~ Day Nine Prompt

Do you subscribe to any magazines or newspapers?

Find a photograph which you find particularly compelling. Write a poem about the image.

Credit the photographer with a line you might place following the title:

Title

After a photograph by ___________ (you might italicize this line)

Text

***

Time Magazine usually has a weekly feature titled “LightBox.” Its “LightBox” photograph is often an amazing full two-page image.

For some examples, click here.

Scroll down for an image of a sniper in devastated Kobani, Syria. I found this image to be quite compelling–and wrote a poem in response. (My poem is under consideration elsewhere, so I won’t post it here for now.)

Press on with YOUR writing!

~*~

Andrew Shattuck McBride

NaPoWriMo ~ Day Eight Prompt

Write a love poem for your spouse or significant other. If you happen to be single, write a love poem for a person you once loved.

If you prefer not to do either of these, write a poem for something you love.

Still not feeling this prompt? Write an anti-love poem.

Eavan Boland is an amazing poet. Her collection Against Love Poetry comes to mind.

~*~

Andrew Shattuck McBride

 

NaPoWriMo ~ Day Seven Prompt

Do you have a favorite poem?

Use a line from a favorite poem which you find quite meaningful (even inspiring) as an epigraph to a poem you write.

You might format it this way:

Title

Epigraph (in italics)

~ Author

Text

A key point is to credit the poet for her line.

~*~

Andrew Shattuck McBride