Happy Hanukah and Coming Soon

 I want to wish everyone a Happy Hanukah as difficult as it is right now, we are in much need of light. Hanukah is a time to take advantage of, not to waste, so whatever brings light into your life, grab an extra dose on Hanukah. 

Here's an update on what's coming up for me:

1. Four podcasts that I detail here. I'll post the links when they are up. Expect a month time lag between the actual podcast and the edited link.

2. My short story "Messianic Games" is coming out in the 25th anniversary issue of Arts & Letters.  Here's their announcement regarding this January issue and I'm honored to be a part of it. I'll post a link when the story is out. This story features three of my favorite characters: A Cat Lady, a Mom, and a Kabbalist. 

Issue #47 – Special Issue Announcement 

Arts & Letters is pleased to announce that Issue #47 will be published as a special mid-year issue in celebration of the journal's 25^th Anniversary. The 25^th Anniversary issue will feature the work of our 2023 Annual Prize Winners (Patricia Grace King, Jonathan VanBallenberghe, and Owen Lewis) and our Unclassifiable Contest Winner (Christy Sheffield Sanford). We are happy to share that Sanford's "Wreck Tangles of Désirée Acking" will be printed in color for the occasion. The issue will also feature poetry by Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate of the United States, and Chelsea Rathburn, current Poet Laureate of Georgia, plus prose by New Hampshire Poet Laureate Alexandria Peary and Flash by Sophia Khan. Issue #47 will be available for purchase in January. We hope you look forward to this special issue as much as we do!

3. My essay "Satisfaction" is a finalist for the Iron Horse Literary Review's upcoming themed issue "Unlawful Acts."

I received this message from them: "We loved the taut stakes and increasing tension in this essay; the pacing is working beautifully. We also loved that there is no relief for the narrator or the reader as the essay moves toward the moment where the father is going to make the speaker complicit. We were especially taken with the persona's voice and the use of present tense. And you should know that simply making it this far in the process speaks a great deal about your essay's strengths. It requires the approval of our Associate Editors, Managing Editors, and then me. We passed forward only seven essays to Elena. So congratulations--"

4. My Hanukah  latkes recipe video will be reposted by Bchol Lashon/Global Jews--my first repost. I began this cooking page on Instagram and TikTok a couple of months ago as a family project with my mid-twenties son and teenaged daughter. I wanted to do something we could do together as a family initially and that grew into something to take our mind's off of this horrible war. My son's always been interested in cooking and who better than a teenager as a social media manager who can post with her eyes closed while I'm still looking for the right button to press?  We're thrilled that others are enjoying our practical family recipes for people who love food. Next up is our fricase recipe for those Tunisian Hanukah nights when you want to serve something different that everyone will enjoy. Thank you to Bchol Lashon/Global Jews' Creative Director for reaching out!