Artist & Writer in London, Ontario.
It’s that overpowering, unshakable feeling that disrupts any possible elation. Even when you’re in the brightest, most sensory-stimulating, and enriching place, homesickness sets in. Oh, summer camp. How we hate to love you. But we all do.
Continue reading “Home is Where the Heart is. Commentary on Abigail Oswald’s “Camp for Sad Girls””
How do you manage your time as a freelance writer? PART ONE
When I was young, I used to fantasize about having a remote control that could pause time and freeze everyone (except me) in place. I’d imagine all the things I could do while the passage of time was on hold. Of course, an added advantage was having everyone else paused along with it. There’d be quiet and stillness as well as solitude. Think of all the books I could finish. Imagine all the projects I could get done. Oh, and all the sleeping-in and loafing about I could do instead of rushing around.
Continue reading “Time Management – How to PART ONE”
Seen, heard, and known. It’s all anyone wants. Meet Stacey. Or, rather, come see the world through her eyes. She’s observing human nature unfold before her whilst working a fast food cashier job. Isn’t that the most likely place to see the very best and worst of humanity—on the front lines? In this case, it’s a Taco Bell.
Continue reading “And Then There Were Three. Commentary on Miranda Manzano’s “Four Things””
Season Summary: Summer 2023
Updates & Work in Progress: Autumn 2023
What I’m Reading: Autumn 2023
And that’s it. Enjoy autumn. Please share your comments below. Stay tuned for my next blog post. Wanna get it in your email inbox? Subscribe to stay informed of my newest articles, story reviews, updates, and more.
Cover Image: Photo by Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media on Pexels.com
Meet Connie. She’s a 26-year-old still coming into her own. In this Ken Rogers piece, we have two stories colliding; or rather, we catch a glimpse into Connie’s family life while observing her navigate parallel adversity in the wider world. What better way to showcase the inner struggle of latent development than plopping the protagonist into a political campaign—specifically, as a congressional campaign volunteer—and making her canvass on behalf of an underdog. Engaging with the public as part of an election campaign is guaranteed to coax even the smallest self-doubt into consciousness.
Continue reading “Agree to Disagree. A Commentary on Ken Rogers’s “Inalienable Rights””
You may have noticed the short story reviews popping up on my blog. Yes, you are welcome to add suggestions for stories. If you’re recommending a story for me to review, please consider these guidelines first.
Continue reading “Help Wanted: Stories to Review. Finding Beauty in Truth with Storytelling.”
Those who were raised Catholic and endured catechism as a child may recognize the setting. A series of primary graders are waiting, “in a long line of wee sinners—the queue looped twice round the nave and aisles of our church.” However, readers who do not have similar memories to draw upon can still empathize with the inter- and intra-personal struggles presented here vis-à-vis our protagonist, eight year old Mary Faith Dennison. In this fictional tale, Leigh Rastivo writes the story through Mary’s eyes, giving the audience the full run-down of her thoughts, worries, and obsessions. What she reveals is the breakdown of communication between adults and children—especially in areas that matter most. Sound familiar? Disconnect between fellow humans is indeed a universal theme. And a poignant one at that.
Continue reading “Sinning Under Pressure. A Commentary on Leigh Rastivo’s “One Time in Hell””
Meet Julianna, a highly self-conscious and more-than-slightly-awkward high school student looking for love. It’s a story that may at first seem cliché, particularly as the narrative scaffolds on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet while also containing Palahniuk-style rules that serve as calls to action and reflections of lessons learned. However, writer Ace Baker has succeeded in crafting a tale that brings the reader inside Julianna’s world, capturing the reader’s attention and heart in a way that is fresh and exciting.
Continue reading “Would it Smell as Sweet? A Commentary on Ace Baker’s “Not Julie… Yet””
It’s Sunday morning and there’s a knock at the door. Who else would it be but two representatives of the Canada Revenue Agency. Yesterday, you see, was the tax filing deadline. This morning, however, is no routine follow-up. In “Regarding Line 25600 of Your Income Tax Return,” Cadence Mandybura pulls the reader into a scene reminiscent of the liver donor segment from Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. It’s wacky. It’s zany. But it’s also poignant in presenting a man’s deep struggle with a different sort of tax—that on the heart.
Continue reading “Poverty or Clarity? A Tax Return that Delivers. Commentary on Cadence Mandybura’s “Regarding Line 25600 of Your Income Tax Return””
Season Summary: Spring 2023
Updates & Work in Progress: Summer 2023
What I’m Reading: Summer 2023
And that’s it. Have a great summer. Please share your comments below. Stay tuned for my next blog post. Wanna get it in your email inbox? Subscribe to stay informed of my newest articles, story reviews, updates, and more.
Cover Image: Photo by Ameruverse Digital Marketing Media on Pexels.com
Pauline Shen 