My short story Seeds is in the current Great Weather for Media anthology Paper Teller Diorama (which officially launches today and my story is on pages 76-77). There are so many cool things about this. But mostly, I couldn’t be happier to have finally been accepted to GWFM. Plus, Seeds is the first of a collection of stories that I’m working on to be published.
I’ve submitted to this publication every year for, I think, the past four years. There was just something about them that spoke straight to me. I think it’s the sentence on the top of their home page “unpredictable, fearless, bright, dark, innovative poetry and writing.” All the things I want to be as a writer summed up. In the past five years of writing, I’ve been working hard to be just that, and there’s something so thrilling about Seeds making it into this publication.
Late last summer my friend Jenn sent a call to me with the theme Harvest. (Thank you Jenn) The word harvest rolled around in my head, and I looked up the meaning to focus my thoughts. It’s mostly connected with the autumn and gathering food, either crops or meats (or organs). But I wasn’t interested in writing about food. However, my mind went to other things people gather or collect in the same containers we often use for food.
Three flash pieces came out of that original writing. I submitted them for that call but knew it wasn’t exactly right and I kept working on them. As I continued polishing them, I went on to write several more. I’m still gathering ideas. If you’ve got anything suggestions, please send them my way—anything kept in jars, bottles, small containers connected to kitchens. I’m still creating this world and am always open to input.
The funny thing that’s happened as I’ve been working on these is that little things I’ve written for class or workshop exercises have come back up like leftover scraps of material from an old project being used to make a new quilt. I’ve been digging up these little snippets that I love but hadn’t figured out what to do with them yet. Then the stories started weaving into each other as well. The goal is for each to stand alone and, if read together, have overlaps between them. Una, the main character in Seeds appears in a few others. I like her a lot and am not ready to let go of her.
I told my mom about this project, and she made a jars quilt for me! Each of the jars on the quilt is holding something different. What’s funny is that I had just handed her a copy of the anthology with Seeds. She didn’t know I was bringing that, and I didn’t know about the quilt. It was so cool! Leaving my job and taking a big chance on myself, starting grad school, and embracing a lot of change have temporarily slowed down my writing. (read as I’m stuck in my head) Seeds coming out, and the gift of the quilt has reinvigorated my love of this project. So thanks, Mom!
More to come. For now, you can go to GWFM to check out this anthology and other publications. I’ll be taking part in their Zoom reading on September 18th. I’ll share that link when I have it. Congratulations to all the contributors to Paper Teller Diorama. And thank you, Great Weather for Media, for making one of my goals come true!
It’s interesting how this project has taken shape for both of us. As I wander through fabric stores I see other materials that picture things that could be in jars. Maybe another quilt??? Congratulations on all your success as a writer.
I would love another quilt! I do that all the time too. Look at things and think about the story