V to the Tenth

I read Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues" many years ago, and loved it. I don't live close enough to attend this event, but thought I'd post it here for those of you who are in the New Orleans area or can travel there:

On Saturday evening, April 12, 2008, V-Day will stage a once in a lifetime event - V TO THE TENTH - featuring international performances of The Vagina Monologues, musical guests, V-Day activists from across the globe including Kenya, Afghanistan, Iraq, The Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eastern Europe , men standing up for women and much more.Salma Hayek, Oprah Winfrey, Faith Hill, Jane Fonda, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Hudson, Glenn Close, Julia Stiles, Ali Larter, Marisa Tomei, Calpernia Addams, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, and Charmaine Neville have already signed on.The evening will open minds and hearts and raise much needed attention and funds for groups working to end violence against women and girls around the world, and in New Orleans and the Gulf South.***TICKETS STARTING AT $25, ON SALE NOW. Quantities are limited.

The Elixir Press 2008 Fiction Award Guidelines:

Elixir Press is sponsoring a fiction contest open to all writers writing in English. Both short story collections and novels are eligible. The prize will be $4000, publication by Elixir Press, and 25 copies of the book.

Manuscripts should be typed on one side of the page and on standard paper. No dot matrix unless letter quality. Send a business size SASE for reply only; manuscripts cannot be returned. An SAS postcard for receipt of manuscript is optional. Please use a 12 to 14 point font. Do not send the only copy of your manuscript.Do not send biographical material, photographs, CDs, videos, or illustrations.Enclose a cover sheet stating the name of the manuscript and the author's name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number and a cover sheet with the title alone. Manuscripts must be double-spaced, paginated, and include a table of contents, if appropriate, and an acknowledgments page, if appropriate. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, so long as Elixir is notified immediately if a manuscript is accepted elsewhere.Manuscripts should be 120 pages to 500 pages in length.

Please secure your manuscript with either a binder clip or file folder. Do not otherwise bind your manuscript.

Friends, students, and former students of the judge or the editorial staff of Elixr Press are ineligible to enter.

Contest entry fee is $35.

The postmark deadline for the contest is May 31, 2008.

Submit entries to:

Elixir Press Fiction Awardc/o R. T. Smith

PO Box 195

Fairfield, VA 24435

Happy Easter!

This is Hefner, our beautiful mini-lop rabbit. Before he became the "playboy" of the Pupek house, he served as a preschool class pet. The teacher planned to relocate and did not want to take a rabbit with her. She couldn't find a home for him and intended to leave him at the local animal shelter. Always willing to take in one more furry (or feathered or scaled) mouth to feed, we gave the bunny a new home and dubbed him "Hefner." What a doll he is, and spoiled. He loves dried cranberries and carrots--peeled, washed baby carrots of course!

If you think you'd might like a rabbit as a pet, please consider adopting a homeless one. So many children receive baby bunnies as pets, only to tire of an adult rabbit, resulting in neglected and unwanted animals. To learn more about having a rabbit as a house pet, read "The House Rabbit Handbook" or "Rabbits for Dummies."

If you have pets, remember that lilies and chocolates are toxic to them, and plastic grass found in Easter baskets can be a choke hazard and block intestines. Keep your critters safe and have a wonderful holiday!

Magnetic Poetry

A fun way to nudge the sleeping muse is to explore words with magnetic poetry. The most extensive collection I've found is at MAGNETIC POETRY, where themed kits are available, including tamer ones based on ART or GARDENS-- to bawdier ones focused on menopause (can you say hot flash?) AND a new kit based on the F-word--yes, that F- WORD. A couple of the kits are available to play online, and of course, they offer other creative items like poetry stones, moleskine journals, and art kits. Wake up that sleeping muse and enjoy!

Obama's Speech

I thought Barack Obama gave one of the most eloquent, thoughtful, and honest speeches on the issue of race in America that I have ever heard, certainly in recent history. In case you missed it:

http://my.barackobama.com/hisownwords

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

I'm Irish on my mother's side, so yes, I'll be celebrating! While you're enjoying your potato soup and green beer (or Irish whiskey), maybe you'll take a moment to listen to W.B. Yeats read "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" at poets.org or consider an afternoon reading from his Collected Poems.

Recent Poems and Acceptances

My poem, "Letters to Eli" appears in the new issue of Stirring. This is my second poem to appear recently in this journal, which is one of my favorites.

I'm also delighted to make a second appearance at Literary Mama with my poem, "Learning to Paint at Age 45."

Other acceptances:


Tattoo Highway has accepted my poem, "Alaska." The new issue should be up soon. I've long enjoyed TH and am pleased to have a poem forthcoming there.


Susan Slaviero at boneblossoms has accepted "Lazarus" and "Red Rulers" for the summer issue. I admire Susan's work and am delighted that she's chosen these poems. boneblossoms is new to me and I'm enjoying the work of many fine poets there.


Juliet Cook at Blood Pudding Press has accepted both "20 Reasons I'm Not Writing Today" and "The Xerox Girls" to be published in its next multi-writer project, ECTOPLASMIC NECROPOLIS. Juliet is a fabulous poet and her press has some exciting offerings.