Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

July!

Now the year is waning... shrinking from now to the end of December, and hard to realize ... at least for me. We tried to set a vacation theme for our authors this month, but have a lot of good thoughtful poems that do not fit that at all. In fact, two poems offer new words about September 11, and we wondered if the recent memorials brought these to the surface of the poets thoughts: Rochelle Hope Mehr with "Missing," and Teresa Sterenchock with "Crazy Day." (Teresa also penned "My Hero.")

Two authors return this month, Ashley Plake with the somber "Chill of Death," and Rev. James R. Donk with "I Am."

Three new poets this month are: Daniel R. Kangas with "My Awakening;" Pradan with "Rose;" and Clara Blair with "Golden Cat" and one of the vacation type poems, "Porpoise."

Clara is the wife of John I. Blair who sent us "By the Sea At Port Aransas;" "Laughing Gulls;" "To The Sea;" and "Walking on the Beach." Be sure to click the byline for bio's and sometimes pics of the authors. Another summer time poem, "Seaside Whispers" came in from Todd Anderson aka Blinder, who has many of his poems listed with his bio. Bruce Clifford tells of a different kind of "Tea Time Break," "Fountain of Serenity," and declares "Think I'll Lay Here Beside You."

M. Jay Mansfield shares four poems that set you wondering with their almost hypnotic phrasing and energy: "Fusion," "Will and Testament," "Dr. Luv," and "Dead." The latter was explained as thinking about the statements made by atheists and in his words, "it just got in my head that what if the atheist were right ...but only for them...that because they didn't believe there really wasn't a heaven or hell for themselves ...EXCEPT they were forced to stay in the body instead of just ceasing to be..and that ...they knew that heaven was there and hell as well..as they sat in the box...and..well hours of seeing this in my head ....go figger eh?"

For those who have been biting their fingernails waiting, part three of each of the continuing stories is shown this issue: Cayce B. Shelton's ghostly "The Sighting," and "Affair with a Gambler" by the equally mysterious deacon. In the section of the ezine called Serialized Stories, nestles a lovely set of tales about the adventures of Ollie-Dare, the bear. This month there is a new chapter to the saga. Don't miss it. Rebecca Morris captures the imagination and the heart of both young and old.

When we say we will welcome information about who really wrote anything we have shown as anonymous because it was turned in to us that way, we mean it. Don't miss the article, "Anonymous - No More" by your editor.

Mattie Lennon, whose column "Irish Eyes" has a world wide following, sends an article about a celebration held as a memorial to one Sean McCarthy, with a lively account of his own attendance last year, and the schedule of events for this August. Links to further info are included.

In addition to Lennon's column, Leo C. Helmer helps us treat our guests with a Tequila with Sangrita appetiser in "Cookin' with Leo." LC Van Savage discusses baby gifts and platypusses in "Consider This." Cassandra invites us into her lovely "Cassandra's World." (Be certain to clic on Cassandra's name and see her newly updated bio picture.) Gerard Meister bravely admits a wife is nice to have around in "Thinking Out Loud." Dr. Sam Vaknin concludes the seven part series on "Surviving Narcissists." Michael Craner brings up another word to discover in "Words to Ponder." Darren Bardsley says "The Price is right" in his column "Ever Increasing Circles." "Provocations" by pbobby aka Robert Beaty asks if we make our Gods.

We continue to exercise our chosen goal of encouraging writers, both new ones and more experienced authors. In order to help you get your work out there, if you have been holding back from shyness, or just not knowing what to do when, we stand ready to edit, suggest revision, or simply pat you on the back for a job well done. There is nothing quite like seeing your own composition published. Don't sit on the sidelines any longer. Submit those verses you like... the story that seemed a bit too long or a little too short, but you really enjoyed writing it. If you have questions, email us.

Until August... have fun!