Historical fiction, poetry, essays
A small plane flies over an unmapped island floating in the middle of an ocean. The pilot circles the island in search of the runway. She trusts it’s down there, somewhere. Those with experience making this flight have promised the runway exists. The pilot wants to believe them. But she carries doubt like an extra … Continue reading Revision
Several months ago I submitted a handful of poems for the Rattle Poetry Prize. Rattle is a quarterly poetry journal published by the Rattle Foundation, a non-profit whose mission is to "promote the practice of poetry." I was interested in the contest not only because it offers one of the largest prizes for a single … Continue reading The Kindest Rejection
The extra week between Thanksgiving and Christmas allowed me to settle on goals for the upcoming year a little earlier than usual. And now that I'm committed to them, I kind of want to get started instead of waiting for January 1 (or 5th, the day after my birthday). The motivation and inspiration I'm feeling … Continue reading Why Wait?
Sometimes another writer's work is so close to my own thinking, I can't help but wonder if they have been secretly hanging out inside my head. This week's "WRighteous" column by Amy Ferris is one of those pieces. I envy her boldness, her directness, her ability to capture the multiple contradictions so evident in our divided … Continue reading Be Bold and Speak the Truth
Seasonal changes are subtle in southern California, but they do exist. Cooler evenings have finally arrived--there was even a bit of rain this morning. The most reliable sign that summer/fall is transitioning to fall/winter is the growing number of liquid amber leaves falling onto the patio. Fallen leaves signal changes to come as we … Continue reading Signs of Change
It's Friday and I'm tired. On days like these it's hard to write, hard to do anything except (a) think about when I may be able to fit in a nap or (b) find a quiet place to watch nature do its thing. When I take the time to be still, I experience some pretty … Continue reading Tired from the Week? Try Being Still.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I have been writing since 14, when one of my favorite aunts gave me my first journal. I quickly learned a journal doesn't judge, it just accepts, embraces and listens to inner thoughts and experiences. My journal became the safest place for me to explore what it … Continue reading An Activist Emerges
Cathy Standiford 