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Dear Reader,
Thank you for subscribing to this short story newsletter. This summer I’m focusing on prose poetry because, well, there’s a lot going on in my life. More on that in a bit.
If you’d like to see your prose poem in this newsletter, email it to me. I’ve already received some excellent submissions.
A lot has happened in the last month, and frankly, I’m a bit jet-lagged after a celebratory trip to California. (They’re three hours behind east coast time, so technically, by west coast time zone, I’m not late on this newsletter ;)
As promised, here are the photos from our graduation on May 26th from Harvard.
Sitting in the Tercentenary Theater, robed in black, was a bit surreal, no less so when Gloria Steinem got up to receive an honorary doctorate. Yes, you read that correctly.
It took four years, started while working two part-time jobs (one of those as a teacher), and was completed during a global pandemic. I confess, the timing worked out perfectly for me: when the world shuts down, that leaves a lot of time for writing.
I was also extremely fortunate in all the writer friends I was blessed to meet while at Harvard, these four incredible women in particular. What would have been exhaustingly long ceremonies (the main commencement and then the awarding of diplomas…with two and a half hours of names…) passed by with humor and ease.
These women also happen to be phenomenal writers. We were awarded a Master’s in Liberal Arts (ALM) in Creative Writing & Literature, which is a bit like an MFA, except more academic. Check out their material: (from left to right)
Maureen Gil writes “My Life with Joe,” a very funny newsletter featuring her various exploits, with occasional doggie anecdotes from her Boston Terrier. Check out her story “Charlotte Watson and the Missing Bullet” below.
Eileen Connors writes “Where’s the Bathroom,” a humorous memoir newsletter on the trials and travails of travel. Subscribe to get her free short story “Wanted by Santorini Residents,” about how NOT to visit Santorini, Greece.
Your’s truly! Glad you’re along for the ride.
Andrea Towns runs a bookstagram reviewing excellent literature. Follow her on Instagram if you want tips for your next reading adventure.
I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to study writing at Harvard, in the midst of all the other facets of life. The fact I was able to study remotely allowed me to stay plugged into my loving and supportive community, and that made the time so much richer and more rewarding.
After the ceremony, as we walked through Cambridge amid the scattered black gowns of tired, happy graduates, my brother asked me if I was sad it was over. You see, he understands I am a true-blooded school geek. While there is certainly grief at the ending of one season, especially a time filled with so many things I love, I answered honestly “no.” I wouldn’t extend my time as a student if I could. At some point, the training and rehearsals must stop, and the true play before an audience must begin.
In the upcoming months, I will have some exciting news for you about where this show is going next, so stay tuned! In the meantime, enjoy all the free reading below, check back the first Saturday in July for my next creative installment, and send me your prose poetry!