I saw who the email was from and sighed. How will this rejection be? I wonder and click on the message, face slightly turned away, wincing. We would love to have your story appear in our 13th issue, scheduled for publication in May 2011. It will be another week or so before I can send …
Author: mapelba
I'm a writer, artist, teacher, mother, wife, daughter, friend, coffee addict... What else? A success, a failure, a mess, a fan, a hater of housework, a lover of dogs, a liberal, an obsessive, and a bunch of other things that probably would never occur to me. I reveal myself in more ways in my writings and art than in any list of adjectives. And whoever you are, I hope most of all that you are a reader.
Curtains and Mind Tricks
Memory is a trickster. Your memory is likely not what you think. Mine doesn't half tell me what I want to know, and sometimes it holds my present mind hostage. You may know that old post of mine about the man at my window. Like with many life stories I've posted here, I did not …
The New Year and the Old Years Long Ago
New Year's Eve I finished reading Girls of a Tender Age, a compelling and disturbing memoir. Mary-Ann Tirone-Smith writes about her childhood and the murder of a childhood friend. The story would've caught me even if a classmate of mine* hadn't been murdered back when I was in the eighth grade. She was not my …
the pain of it
A pain expands in my chest when I read or hear great writing I wish I had written. This is not a metaphorical pain. And like wishing for money to solve financial problems or for a pill to vanquish food poisoning, I wish to have written something brilliant. Why does it matter?
It elementary–character.
I've watched this new Sherlock series--and enjoyed greatly. Since childhood I've loved mysteries: Sherlock Holmes, Perry Mason, Agatha Christie,... Scooby-Doo. But anyway, Sherlock is possibly the most filmed literary character ever. What makes this character fascinating? And when I watch the new Sherlock dash across the screen, I wonder about the ability of Sir Authur …
A Boy
When my son was five, he made friends with a boy who was nine. We were neighbors. The boy lived in a one-bedroom apartment with his dad. The boy spent a lot of time with us. One day he showed up at noon and didn't go home until eight. Not once in those hours did …
undercover
Today, I got see a few of my Saudi students without their veils. The women had a private party--no men allowed. Windows were covered, doors blocked off, signs of no admittance posted. They wore pretty dresses, make-up, jewelry, and they prepared special food and they danced. I missed the dancing, but I got to see …
Everyone’s Past
I have finished my rough draft of this year's NaNoWriMo novel, and I started with the first three chapters and notes my mother wrote before she died. The story is about a relationship she had. A couple years ago I made contact with this man from her past and he wrote me a letter about …
A Letter from the Death Man
A lot of time here has been spent on letters from my mother. Well, here is a portion of a letter to her from her ex-boyfriend, the fellow her novel, The Death Man, is based on (and the novel I am trying to finish). I wish I could have been around for your graduation. I …
Is it only time travel if you go with your body?
So, I'm participating in NaNoWriMo again--to write a novel and to see writing friends. But mostly to write a novel. And this novel is the one my mother started before she passed away. The novel is autobiographical, and to continue the story, I've read her letters and spent time thinking about a particular time in …
Continue reading Is it only time travel if you go with your body?
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 