Flaming June?

Flaming typical! Rain, rain, rain... Great Uriah Heap song that!

It was nice of Irene and Nik to pop in and say hello. Much appreciated you two, thanks X

So, The Shine Journal has posted the winners of its Poetry Contest here:
http://www.theshinejournal.com/poetrycontestwinners.htm
and an interview with the judges here:
http://www.theshinejournal.com/poetrycontestjudges.htm

One of the Questions asked me was about: The first thing I wrote.
I was in year seven and we were asked to write a poem or a story about autumn. I wrote a poem called “The Scarecrow” (embarrassingly simplistic) and did a drawing. Mr. Linton put it on the wall. I was so proud. You can see it below - unembellished - just remember I was 11!

As a judge, I was delighted to be able to put a name to the people who wrote those poems. I am prepared to reveal that I was even more delighted when I found the winner was male.

Mark Wacome Stevick, you are one hell of a poet and my hat is off to you, Sir. I wish I had written 'After Shunning'.

That said, the others were worthy winners too and I was also especially fond of the runner up, 'Red Hot Magma Falling Up'. I will put a link to that one as well and I look forward to seeing who wrote it. I have a few notes on that one that I will put up too. It was not an easy poem, but worth proper examination and very exciting.


The Scarecrow

Silently he stands and watches
o're the corn 'til it is ripe.
Every day he stands there
with his turnip head and corn cob pipe,

his shabby trousers torn and patched,
and then the patches torn and patched,
and not even a bit of them matched.

A masterpiece, eh? Thanks Mr. Linton :)

I'll be back with links to that and my own work online later in the week, hopefully. ttfn

In Smokelong Quarterly

I sent a 50 word definition and guess what?

http://smokelong.com/features/2008/05/definitive-flash.html

Dear Oonah V Joslin:Thank you for your submission of "Definition - Flash" to SmokeLong Quarterly. We have added it to "The Definitive Flash" article. We so appreciate your input and insight, Oonah.Best,Randall BrownSmokeLong Quarterly

Let me just read that again :)
and again :)
and again :)
:)

A Fashion Statement

"Trap" has been looking for a home for some time. I wrote it in response to a challenge in my writer's forum and everybody thought it was funny but it wasn't getting any response from editors. I find 'funny' difficult to place but never mind...Brian Huggett thought it was 'great fun!' and gave it a home in Short Humour. So thank you Brian :)

I would like to point out that no snails were harmed in the writing of this piece.

http://www.short-humour.org.uk/writersshowcase/trap.htm

Late in May

Marrying Maud was sewn together from my sister's nightmares. She insisted the woman was called Maud. I like it. It's gothically gruesome and those ducks!! Makes you glad of your own nightmares. I just hope I did her's justice.

http://www.microhorror.com/microhorror/author/oonah-v-joslin/marrying-maud/

EDF and Bewlidering Stories 2nd & 3rd May 08

The Heron is on EDF today. This was a flash challenge piece for August '07. Jordan and Camille said "This author has really found her voice." - lovely compliment. Reading it again now that was probably true to some extent. A lot of my work does sound like this piece but I seem to be fairly eclectic and sometimes I even surprise myself. I like this one.

I was delighted to find that other people did too and I have put one of the very special comments I received below.

But I love the next one! Exposure started off with the title Stealer of Souls and Xselian, the name means exhalation, is a nasty piece of work although I do not think of him as Satan...just as one of Satan's co-workers. Anyone in fact, be they boss, politician...who follows that Game Theory ethos where people are expendable and everything is quantifiable.

Have you ever been called a 'sticking plaster'? I have. By a boss. I told 'em where to stick it.

This one is for all you human beings out there. The people who aren't for sale.


http://www.everydayfiction.com/the-heron-by-oonah-v-joslin/
Comment from EDF: When I read words that make poetic imagery become music, I know there is a God. Thank you, Ms. Joslin, for a moment of transcendence. Lynn Hesse
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue288/exposure.html

May in Static Movement

Rex is up in Static Movement today.

This one should please all doggy lovers. The dedication is to my sister's dog - a faithful and sweet natured friend, who left us last month. But in writng Rex, I was thinking of all the many canine friends that have enriched my life since childhood and still do today. Chris Batholomew, the editor, kindly asked John Stanton to contribute a piece of artwork to go along with the story and I was delighted with it - thank you John.

If this brings a tear to your eye, I make no apology, it brought a tear to mine too...

http://www.staticmovement.com/vjoslin.htm

My good friend Avis also has a flash in the May edition and Colin Galbraith, editor of the Ranfurly Review, wrote a fascinating graveyard tale - well worth reading.

As ever Static Movement has a great mix of reading for you to enjoy.

About my work this April

Online this month was a mixture of poetry, flash and memoir. It represents a fair cross section of what I write and I hope you will enjoy reading them.

Lit Bits – Playa Paradiso - a poignant look at the costa geriatrica
http://www.litbits.ca/

The Linnet’s Wings – The Stuff of Life and Champ - creation to comfort food.
http://www.thelinnetswings.net/?stn=9015&mpageno=2&pageno=16
http://www.thelinnetswings.net/?stn=9015&mpageno=5&pageno=20

The Pygmy Giant – Devil Island Discs - the devil gets all the best tunes
http://thepygmygiant.blogspot.com/

Back Hand Stories - Retreat - a Zen look at life and death
http://www.backhandstories.com/fiction/retreat-by-oonah-v-joslin/

Micro Horror - www - nuff said!
http://www.microhorror.com/microhorror/author/oonah-v-joslin/www/

Bewildering Stories – The Mission and Blast - Dona Nobis Pacem
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue284/mission.html
http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue285/blast.html

Static Movement - Links - just for laughs
http://www.staticmovement.com/joslin.htm

Every Day Fiction – The Wisdom of Alcuin - a little alchemy of my own :)
http://www.everydayfiction.com/the-wisdom-of-alcuin-by-oonah-v-joslin/