ARYA'S WRITING & READING BLOG

Truly, it seems like once cold weather comes, the days fly by, something which never seems to be true during the sultry long days of summer! Before October leaves altogether, I want to celebrate the print publication of The Metaphor Tree: an ekphrastic poetry anthology, published by Ekphrastic Editions and edited by Lorette C. Luzajic. The  collection was inspired by visual art, symbolism, and special objects, is diverse, dynamic and stunning, and includes poets and writers from all over the world. The anthology includes my poem, "After 'Jane Avril Leaving the Moulin Rouge, 1892, Paris, by Toulouse Lautrec,'" and is now available on Amazon.  Thanks to editor, Lorette C. Luzajic, who also edits the outstanding zine, The Ekphrastic Review, which will be open to submissions of poetry inspired by visual art again in December 2026. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HNRPS6WJ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27RTQKCBE3JCM&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.m7y9zwAL1CUgccmlBuAcGA.fABwYkt4ZMJk6LhUvvN_8U-Ih8Oz3qBb...

There is never enough to say or write about books. May they always reside among us. In a dream world, we lose AI and re-gain literature and the love for it. Kids lose their ipads and video games, return to the streets, and at night, hide under the bedsheets with a flashlight and favorite read. Ah, the good, old days of finding fulfillment in secret and sometimes "dirty" books. When I was 11, I used to hide in the attic of the house in which I lived with my family to read forbidden lit, books that were considered "too old" for me at the time--like Germaine Greer's The Female Eunuch --(what could that possibly mean?!). A few years later, came Phillip Roth's Portnoy's Complaint.  Erica Jong's Fear of Flying, a female manifesto of sexual liberation, published in 1973, was the only book I packed to take with me when I ran away from home to live the wildest four years of my life, becoming my own guide for living for a time. There have been so many naughty,...

Ah, September. "Do you remember..." the Earth, Wind and Fire Song? It's the month when so much begins and we prep for the fall, which tends to fire up my creative energies. I'm preparing to send out a full book of poems soon. Erato it is to be called and is about love in all its forms, shades and shadows. This week I've had four acceptances of poems in that collection. A good sign? I hope so. Here's a bit about forthcoming publications and their respective venues: My prose poem, "Nineteen," will be featured by The Queer Love Project via Substack on Sunday, 10/4/26.  https://queerloveproject.substack.com/p/poetry-drop-october-2026 The Metaphor Tree, an anthology published by Ekphrastic Editions, is featuring my poem, "After 'Jane Avril Leaving the Moulin Rouge,' 1892, Paris, by Toulouse Lautrec," in late 2026. Sein und Werden--(It means Being and Becoming in German)--will be publishing my prose poem "Dear Life," in its Nov...

This is an update on what launching an author's website through Tertulia has been like after about a year. Early last fall I decided it was time to feature my writing on a site and I remain as positive now as I was then about Tertulia as a terrific vehicle/helper for this. They have ongoing tech workshops for writers and are generally very supportive. On the plus side, in terms of results, the website has attracted some readers--not a huge number, but sales have gone up a little, and for that I'm grateful.  Today I decided to revisit and revamp my book descriptions, as what I had was what publishers required on the back of each of my books, rather than what I consider more engaging info about each read. So aside from what photos I are on my site and the blog attached to it, most of the text is new as of today. The negative is that having a website has attracted too many faux editors and marketers who then email me wanting to help me market my book, but have no profiles on Linke...

Literary Veganism is an online journal to which I submitted a flash fiction piece titled, "Favorite Things," two days ago. Their incredibly fast turnaround and enthusiastic response currently make them one of my favorite journals to tout since, as we all know, writers generally spend a ridiculous amount of time waiting for journals to give a yay or nay to their submissions, to the extent that I've often wondered "will I still be alive by the time I hear from them?" That said, Literary Veganism is a sharp enterprise focused on an extremely worthy cause so I recommend them to anyone interested in writing poetry or prose with their mission in mind. The editors require you to email your proposal, what you intend to submit, and if they're interested, ask you to send it along. You do not have to be a vegan, but your work and theme should align with their mission and goals. In case you wonder, here they are: "MISSION: To help promote veganism since by definiti...

A Courtship of Winds Literary Journal is a beautifully curated venue for diverse and lyrical poetry. Its summer issue includes a narrative that came to me one early morning, its visuals as clear as if I was watching a film unfold before me. The editor, William Ray, introduces the summer issue with these words: "Poetry in this issue depicts subjects as varied as suicide and fraught family relations to those moments of grace we all live for and marvel at. Fiction in this issue is unusually varied, from lyrical and unconventional pieces to fine conventional storytelling."  Once again I am proud to support a literary journal that is on the right side of history. The summer issue includes an essay that elaborates on that and an exciting array of poets that includes Marc Jacobs, Alexander Payne Morgan, Martina Reisz Newberry, Emma Goldman-Sherman and Terry Trowbridge. Here's my narrative: https://www.thecourtshipofwinds.org/arya-f-jenkins