It’s always nice to get a shout out.

There’s nothing like the feeling when a literary journal you respect accepts your poem for publication. A year ago December, Superstition Review, an award-winning online journal, published one of  my poems, Exotic Taste, in Issue #18. The journal then followed up with an opportunity to do a podcast in which I could talk about whatever I wanted to, my poem, my process — really, anything, they said. So I took them up on it, addressing that particular poem and what led to it.

I figured out how to do the audio (downloaded a program), wrote out what I might want to say, revised that a few times, then recorded something until I was happy with it.  It was not difficult, but was something new for me, and it was fun.

Another thing I love about this journal is how generous and welcoming they are to contributors. It’s a level of inclusion and kindness that doesn’t exist everyplace. As writing can be a lonely pursuit, I find any sense of community and support welcome, which is why I love “Poetry Twitter” and other opportunities to not just share my own work, but also to read and learn more about the work and processes of other writers I enjoy.

Superstition Review routinely shares contributor notes and make it really easy to get past the oh-I’m-bragging moment to share writing successes. They help reinforce that there are others out there who celebrate successes with you, even though it may not always feel that way. That support, however it comes, whether in person or online via social networks, helps this writer ride through waves of rejection much more easily.

SR posted a news update on their blog today about four poems I’ve had appear in three different journals in the past few weeks. All of this new work is online at UCity Review, Valparaiso Review and SWWIM Every Day, if you’re interested in reading it. Enjoy!