Well, a lot can happen in a week. Not particularly much was happening with my pen and poems, but I did reach closure on one thing: my 3rd poetry manuscript. I have it out to several places, but then I did receive an acceptance. I debated whether or not to wait for other places I had submitted the book to, but I just kept feeling this would be a good fit so the 3rd book will be out in 2014 from Aldrich Press. Yay! Which also means I won’t be submitting any of the individual poems anymore. Whew. Maybe that will get me creating new stuff?
I do have one draft for you guys. This is really early on, but I’d appreciate any discussion you guys want to have with it. I’ll keep it up for one week, and anything you guys post in comments I’ll also keep up for one week so let’s discuss.
–off to revise and/or submit that poem 
Besides the above I’m off and on working on a memoir/personal essay idea around the DNA test I sent out. It isn’t back yet, but just the idea of it has me writing a bit. I’m also reworking some of the lessons for the next online workshop Follow Your Rabbit which will start on February 18th. That class may actually be one I can run any time of the year and more one-on-one. I hate to be secretive about how it will work, but I want to surprise those who take the workshop! (You can sign up anytime.) I also think the lessons for the class may eventually turn into the creative writing textbook I always thought I might put together. We shall see.
In between these items I’m apparently getting over the flu, reading two manuscripts that were submitted to me for critique, working on my AWP presentation, and starting to plan what I might attend at AWP which is now only 6 weeks away! Time flies.
Looking forward to hearing what you guys have been up to. Also don’t forget that Referential is still open till 2-3-13 for featured consideration and year round for referred submissions. We’d love to read some of your work
i bought a second hand car once.
didnt work so i took (pushed) it back.
thanks.
Sounds like that could be turned into a fun senryu
So good, Jess. So pointedly good. I love the stanza-by-stanza evolution of it. It builds its way to the end with the pace of a longer poem, but carried on the bones of a short, spare poem, doubling the impact.
Thanks, Annmarie. I thought it was going to be a longer poem, and I’m still not sure about the ending. It was, however, an interesting exercise to try
I agree with Annmarie, and congrats on the book. Still waiting on mine, not sure what is holding up the publisher
Books can take a long time!
Congratulations on your third book. And I like your poem. Lots of fun word play.
Thank you, Helen
Next time we need to coordinate our Concord Mills visit! LOL.
Great news about your 3rd Manuscript, Jessie!
Exciting and a relief, all at once!
I really really like your Second Hand poem. So good. I loved how you had me thinking about clocks and time and hands and then taking those second hands into a whole other arena! Classic Jessie work!
You are always thinking and working , Jessie . .a creative writing text? YES!
I don’t really have anything. Here’s an old one I found, a rough draft, that I’d abandoned. Maybe for good reason.
–poem is out for cleaning
I like it.
Nightshade is poisonous, right?
Cute. Your voice Debbie is almost Ms. Marple’ish, and in a good way!
You have me grinning . ..and I needed to grin today!
I think it is, Val!
Oh I love this Debbie! Dark humor there for sure
Congrats on the book!!!! Love the poem just the way it is, but you are so awesome I’m sure it could get even better — although it is awesome now– I always love the way you meld ideas and words …like Deb said, “Classic Jessie”.
So interesting about doing the DNA test. I’d be a wreck.
Sorry you have the flu. I’m in the middle of a really annoying cold right now. Seems like I was *just* sick a couple of weeks ago!
I’m so excited for you that the workshops and all of the things you have going on seem to be working out! I’d join the workshop if I weren’t so commitment-phobic lately. Love the idea of a creative writing textbook too.
And…of course I have nothing to share poem-wise. Sigh.
Val, missing your good stuff!
I have been writing, but nothing solid…if I could the words below would bounce around like musical balls on television…
–and now no one can see it…
this is of course, a very rough draft…and a chuckle…
Fun! I like how you can make the words circle and stuff
and of course only Jessie can see the original movement of the words…
I thought it was a wonderful poem . .and fun! I’m needing me some fun!
So good to see you here again! yay! You, Val and I are like the 3 Musketeers!
I look forward to reading your new book and your DNA essay. I am amazed at all you are doing!
I’m actually in kind of a poetry slump. I’d really like to write some prose poems but I’m kind of without topics right now. What I should be writing is my essay for my AWP presentation in March.