Thursday, September 14, 2006

Writing and —guess what?— driving update

My poem, Cat Woman is now up in Issue #13 of Tattoo Highway. Am sharing the honorable mention with none other than the crazy Bayesian spam, Michi. Yay!!

Recent acceptances:

Tipton Poetry Journal accepted A Driving Instructor's First Water Bottle for their Fall 2006 issue — and made me one happy bunny.

     Submission date: 12 September 2006
     Reply date: 12 September 2006

Very quick response time, too!! Probably because the deadline is fast coming up — if anyone plans to send them work, do so by September 30 — or forever hold your piece. Hee.

Eclectica accepted three poems for their October/November issue:

After Richard's Swivel Chair Broke (word poem)
A Driving Student Takes a Blind Corner (word poem)
One-Room Flat
Doing a yeti dance because the word poems (as well as the soon-to-be Tipton poem) are spanking fresh out of 30:30. Not to mention that I tickled myself pink writing them.

     Submission date: 30 August 2006
     Reply date: 14 September 2006

A rather new online journal, Bare Root Review accepted an oldish poem, Elsewhere.

     Submission date: 10 September 2006
     Reply date: 14 September 2006

They've got a broken link to their guidelines on the front page, so enter through "Archives" and then click on "About Us" — they only accept submissions during January, April and September.

Recent rejection:

A terrific UK-based print journal, Mslexia sent their regrets —

     Submission date: 2 June 2006
     Reply date: 14 September 2006

Despite the long response time, I plan to pester them for a long, long time. Hee. Overseas writers get to send via e-mail — wasn't sure they would reply, so am really glad they did. It's a paying market and accepts submission only from women. Not sure if that's good or bad. Hee.

They also have wonderful writing exercises for bad muse days. And run theme issues — which I love. Good thing I checked just now, too. The deadline for the next issue is on September 30.
The theme: RAIN.

Driving update:

Blah. Still having a hard time trying not to be a public hazard. Went through my 14th and 15th driving lessons like a maniac. Even though, today, the instructor praised my ability to start the car... adding, as afterthought, that it's the rest I'm having problems with.

Lamented about it to a childhood friend. Since she wanted to learn the mechanics of driving, she used to accompany me when I did my driving lessons more than ten years ago. When I told her about being called assassina. She e-mailed back quickly saying: "Yes, assassina is a very apt term for you. I still cannot erase the memories of riding at the back seat while you were taking your driving lessons."

Whatever happened to friendship? Whatever happened to white lies?

Have been scheduled, tentatively, to take the driving exam on October 13. Yikes.

Books ordered and received:

Wheeee!
These came by post today —

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut
Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde
Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde

11 comments:

michi said...

woo-hoo! hey! you're all over the place ... err, i mean, you ... you are everywhere. yes. that is what i mean.

congrats! i thought tattoo was not really up yet, only the preview proofing thing? the links are still not all there. anyway, good to be there alongside you. i guess. *LOL*

and eclectica too! i have also got a word poem in that issue! yay! one of the greek letter series, the first to be published, the first that i sent out actually.

thanks for the zine tips btw. you are the bestest resource. :)

great on the driving! you can start the car, that is the most important thing, or there would not be any driving at all! and then, well, just go with the flow, i suppose. tee-hee. what do i know.

have fun with the ffordes!

mx

Cheryl said...

Congrats on all your acceptances! I'm really happy to have one of my word poems in the issue, too. :)

Arlene said...

mootsie, all over place? yes, i'm afraid that's what the driving instructor tells me all the time, too.

yay! for the eclectica issue. you've been following me around. i suspect you were in my dream this morning, too: i was playing "the prison game" with some people. we just received out name tags and prison survival kits. everyone got cool names, like "swindler", "thea logy", etc. mine was "manny"... i looked closer and found out it was short for "manure". it was written in a childish handwriting. i suspect your left hand had something to do with it.

going with the flow... yes, if only i can understand which direction the flow is. hee.

nicole... aaaargh, you're right. it's friday the 13th. the cheek!! now i'm not so sure if the instructor wasn't pulling my leg. will have to check back. it's that or they have huge plans on casting me as jason in the next horror flick: friday the 13th part XI: jason drives hell in a car. i'm ready for my close-up... bwuaaaahaaaahaaaa!!

that's fantastic, cheryl!!!! yay! you, michi and me in the same word poem section — it's just way toooooo coooool!!

a.

michi said...

friday 13th eh? *rofl*
couldn't be any perfecter. ah! life! beats fiction any day.

and re the dream - pffft. my left hand, dearest, writes most elegantly. esp things that are short for manure!

cheryl - woo-hoo! that's great! you are in questionable company though. *tee-hee*

m

Cheryl said...

Yes, Michi, I have woken up with reservations...whatever will people think?! ;)

Liz said...

Arlene...love 'Cat Woman'...muchos congrats to yourself and Michi for the HM's :)

Be consoled Arlene, as I don't think Friday the 13th means bad luck in Italy...I think it's another day...in Spain it's Tuesday the 13th !! It's bound to be one of the other 5 days in Italy!!:)
...and being a good 'car starter' has a lot going for it :)...sending good vibes your way and one for the road.

Liz

michi said...

read your poem in boxcar ... good stuff. :)

Sharon Hurlbut said...

Congratulations Arlene!! Dang lady, what are you - some kind of submission machine? How do you keep up with them all?! I'm off to read your fabulous work...

michi said...

sharon, you've hit the nail on the head. she's really alien arnie the sub-robot. not quite human at all. *GG*

m

sam of the ten thousand things said...

Congratulations on Tattoo Highway Arlene.

SarahJane said...

congrats on your acceptances Arlene! I checked out Tattoo Highway and loved it. thanks.

i'm sure we're all crossing our fingers for your on your driving exam.... smile