Explore/Adventure

While this summer has been busy with random road trips, time with family and friends, and church events, I've still been writing and working on my artwork as usual.  I've had a pretty good summer so far with various publications and even had some of my original artwork accepted for the cover of a poetry magazine! 

Life is good.

Here are a few of my recent and/or forthcoming publications.

Pretty Owl Poetry accepted a piece of my artwork for their fall cover!  You can visit the journal's website here:

prettyowlpoetry.com

A poem I had accepted by Songs of Eretz Poetry Review a few months back was just recently posted on their website as the featured poem of the day.  The poem, which is called "Emphysema," was accompanied by my own commentary and a note from the editor.  You can read that poem here:

eretzsongs.blogspot.com/2015/07/poem-of-day-emphysema-by-kristin.html

The newest edition of Poetry Quarterly was just released a couple weeks ago.  This issue features a poem I wrote called "Enamel."  While Poetry Quarterly is a print magazine and you can't read the issues online, consider supporting the literary community and writers and artists like me by purchasing a copy of the Spring 2015 edition here:

prolificpress.com/bookstore/poetry-quarterly-c-1/poetry-quarterly-spring-2015-p-121.html

I have a poem called "Neoplasm" forthcoming in the Summer 2015 edition of Slipstream Press.  This edition is themed and all of the writing in the issue will surround the concept of "elements."  Keep an eye out for the upcoming summer edition; also a print journal, issues of this magazine can be purchased on Slipstream's website here:

slipstreampress.org

My poem "Women" is being featured in an upcoming edition of Remarkable Doorways Literary Magazine.  This poem is a reflection on many of the women I've had the pleasure to know and who have made a difference in my life.  The issue containing my poem should be out soon and can be viewed on the journal's website here:

remarkabledoorways.com

Tipton Poetry Journal, a publication that focuses on featuring the work of Midwestern writers and particularly writers from Indiana, picked up two of my poems for an upcoming issue of the magazine.  A publication from Brick Street Poetry, Inc., the website for the journal can be viewed here:

tiptonpoetryjournal.com

Finally, River Poets Journal accepted my poem "Roadmap" for an upcoming issue.  This is an important poem for me and talks about family relationships.  Check out the journal's website here:

riverpoetsjournal.com

I also got to visit my poem at the Toledo Museum of Art.  Earlier this year, I entered a poem I wrote into the TMA Ekphrastic Writing Poetry Contest.  Since my poem was a finalist, it's posted in the museum next to the painting I wrote it about:

My poem at the museum (with my named spelled wrong).

Mark Rothko's Untitled, the painting that inspired my poem.

Aside from writing and painting, I've also been getting ready to go back to school on August 24th (orientation is the week before) for my PhD.  I got my schedule, my textbooks, my parking pass, and I'm registered for the Graduate Student Orientation.  I'm excited for this next phase of life (even though my first class starts at 8:30am!). 

This summer has been amazing so far.  I got to spend a week in Nashville, focus on my writing and my artwork, get ready for school, spend lots of time with family and friends, explore Ann Arbor, go paddleboarding, etc.  The list goes on.

I spent a day last week in Ann Arbor and Blissfield, MI, with my friend, Bobbie.  It was a beautiful day!

Hubby and I went paddleboarding last weekend.  We had a blast!

I also acquired some BEAUTIFUL antique typewriters this past weekend.  My friend, Tim, found them in his mom's basement and gave them to me along with a typewriter stand.  If you know me, you know how much I LOVE antiques and, as a writer, especially typewriters.  I am so grateful for these typewriters.  Thanks Tim and Bobbie!

After some research, we discovered that this one is a 1933 Royal typewriter.  After some cleaning and maintenance, my husband and I got it working again!

This one is probably from the 1940s or 50s and still works!

I've had lots of stuff to keep me busy lately.  I've got just under a month until school starts back up and I will be commuting to campus everyday, so I'm thankful for the time I've had to explore and have random adventures this summer!