Sunday, January 4, 2015

A Little Spice in Life



Some of the things about January are change, starting over, and clearing out. After the autumn’s pitching and sorting event here, there should not be anything left to toss. But that is not true. Still closets are full and drawers groan when shut. The one place that is down some is the kitchen cabinet because we have eaten the holiday food and are reaching in the back for cans of hominy, bags of beans and such.

I hate to admit this but one whole cabinet in my kitchen is devoted to mostly spices, salts,  and baking things. A few weeks ago I needed some Mexican Oregano…couldn’t find it. Found Turkish Oregano and my sister-in-law’s home dried oregano, but no Mexican. I knew I needed to sort and organize. So, like other January’s, I faced the chore of the spice cabinet today. I gathered some new ones from the utility room and few from another storage place and began to read dates, empty together small amounts, and even toss some. Still I have too much I know!

My writing mind can be like my spice cabinet. It can have shelves of peppery ideas, stores of tasty words, and some real zesty stories. But until I sort them out and really start cooking with them, they just sit there taking up space. So January is also the month for me to gather the sticky notes, make a master list and start creating something. This I have already done too by entering contests and submitting. I still have a few ideas to bake up this winter! 

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Below are a few interesting writing ops if you writers need some new writing spots.

Subject: CFS: Wild Women Poetry Anthology
DEADLINE: APRIL 1, 2015

Accents Publishing seeks submissions for Circe’s Lament: An Anthology of Wild Women. Edited by Bianca Spriggs and Katerina Stoykova-Klemer, we welcome poems by authors of all genders about goddesses, gun-slingers, shape-shifters, blues-singers, oracles, and scandalous divorcees, or any wild woman you know, including yourself. Email 1-3 poems to: circeslamentATgmailDOTcom
 
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The Boiler Flash Essay Contest judged by Daniel Nester

·        Submission Deadline: January 15, 2015
The Boiler challenges you to submit flash essays under 600 words. We’re open to hybrid forms of poetry, essay, and memoir. The only things that matters are whether you can sustain our attention and craft a well-written, sleek, beautiful little thing. Two winners will receive $600 and publication in our spring issue. Finalists will be considered for publication in our spring issue and other prizes. Submissions open October 31st and close January 15th. We will announce the winner in the spring of 2015. To get an idea of what we like, read magazines like BrevitySweet, or other flash journals. www.theboilerjournal.com
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 Short Story Contest: 2015 Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Awardhttp://bwgwritersroundtable.com/
Once again we are accepting submissions (2000 words or fewer) on the theme of "Food Stories" for the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable Short Story Award.

In addition to a $200 prize, the first place winner's story will be considered for print publication in the Bethlehem Writers Group, LLC's next anthology or as a featured story in Bethlehem Writers Roundtable.
Honorable Mentions may also be published in the BWG Writers Roundtable on-line literary magazine in a month selected by the editors.


All stories must be submitted by January 31, 2015.

6 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I love your analogy and wish you happy cooking...

Linda O'Connell said...

You should pump it up and submit your analogy as an article to Women on Writing. Love it! Thank you for the call outs! Have a great week.

Sioux Roslawski said...

Claudia--Thanks for the writerly news, and I didn't know I was so lacking when it comes to spices. Turkish oregano? Mexican oregano?

Wow!

Make the cooking and baking you do with your keyboard result in some sweet and savory pieces...

pat couch laster said...

IDEA from your post: take a photo of each part of my cupboard and write about it. I, too, cleaned mine out when I painted a couple years ago, not to find room, but to maximize and organize them afterwards. I rarely cook any longer, but do use cinnamon--ground and stick--cloves, Greek seasoning and a few others. I like your analogy. And love your writing. Seems I'm always working toward another book's end, so my "spices", my other ideas, have to stay in their places until.....

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Your analogy is perfect. I, too, have an entire cupboard dedicated to spices, etc. And I can never find anything. My husband took the time to alphabetize the spice cabinet many moons ago. It was great while it lasted. lol

Thanks for the links. I love short fiction. One of these you've mentioned could be a lovely diversion from my novel, and the prizes are great, too!

Lynn said...

Love the analogy. I have an alphabetized spice cabinet! Ha. I have more spices than I know what to do with, but never thought about how that could be like all the ideas rumbling around in my head. Better write them down! Thanks for sharing the submissions! Happy New Year!