SOLACE in SO MANY WORDS Award-winning anthology. Fiction, poetry, essays. All on the meaning of solace.

Oct
16

Saturday it poured on and off all day, but we didn’t let that stop is from enjoying Open House Chicago, which is put on by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. We also made a side trip to Taurus Flavors, a restaurant that features the sweet steak sandwich touted by Ernest Wilkins in his article “The sweet steak sandwich should be a Chicago food icon” in the Chicago Reader.

Here was our itinerary.

First stop was Aloft Circus Lofts. Second stop was Old Chicago Inn, featuring Room 13.

Then we took our side trip and had a sweet steak sandwich at Taurus Flavors (it was tasty) before we visited Stony Island Arts Bank.

From there we went to Decorators Supply Corporation. Then we visited Ling Shen Ching Tze Buddhist Temple.

Our last stop was for coffee, snacks, and a tour of Fieldhouse Jones.

I’m already thinking about Open Chicago 2018.

Peace, love, and solace

Aloft © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Trapeze © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Speakeasy © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Dropping a dime © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Love your brothers and sisters © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Stony Island Arts ceiling © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

The old vault © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Just some of the books © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Decorate © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Decorator’s supply © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Moulding © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

At the temple © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Golden lives © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

At the temple too © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Deep in the fieldhouse © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Wall art at the fliedhouse © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Tags: Chicago, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Chicago sightseeing, Decorators Supply Corporation, Ernest Wilkins, Fieldhouse Jones, Lin Shen Ching Tze Buddhist Temple, Old Chicago Inn, Open House Chicago, Room 13, Stony Island Arts Bank, sweet steak sandwich, Taurus Flavors

Oct
12

News and calls for submissions

Blog

by Ellen Beals

Crying © Ellen Wade Beals, 2017

Oy. What to say?

I’m still thinking about the slaughter in Las Vegas. And our country’s lack of response to gun violence. One thing I plan to do is continue to support the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Now for news.

First off, I want to express my sadness at learning Susan Elbe passed away. We both had work in Kiss Me Goodnight so I met her that way, but I was also her FB friend and I enjoyed her posts and poems. An obituary is linked here.

Also, I want to extend condolences to Susan K. Perry whose husband Steven Perry died. Susan K. Perry, who is the author of six books and also writes for Psychology Today, was kind enough to write a blurb for Solace in So Many Words. Steven Perry was a poet in California and mentor to SISMW contributors Lisa Liken and Patti Wahlberg. You can learn more about Steven and Susan K. Perry at their site.

I received an email from Patti Wahlberg recently. She is studying writing at Goddard and is on the staff of Duende, the literary magazine there. And there’s a call for submissions.

Duende, the national literary journal produced by the students in the BFA program at Goddard College, will begin reading submissions for their sixth full issue on October 15 (until November 30, 2017). Work sent will be considered for either the issue or for the Monthly Spotlight features. For more info, here’s the link. BTW, Patti has a book review in the September issue.

Also, I heard from SISMW contributor Kerry Langan and there are two calls for submissions at Wising Up Press. Both are for anthologies. One is Surprised by Joy (deadline February 2018) and the other is Crossing Class: The Invisible Wall (deadline March 2018). Here is the link.

SISMW contributor Jan Bottiglieri has a poem “Rachel; Voight-Kampff Test,” which is inspired by Blade Runner up at Atticus Review; here is the link.

SISMW contributor Ellen Bass has a poem “Indigo” in the latest issue of The New Yorker. Read it here.

SISMW contributor T. C. Boyle has a new book of short stories; it is his twelfth collection and titled The Relive Box and Other Stories.

And I have two poems, “How the Egg Came to be Eaten” and “Diaphony” (both myths I made up) in the October issue of Prachya Review, a literary journal out of Bangladesh—here is the link.

One more thing, Pithead Chapel is having a fiction contest; deadline is coming up. Here is the link.

This weekend is my favorite of the year–it’s Open House Chicago, sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. If you are here in Chi, don’t miss this fun event; details are here.

Peace, love, and solace

Tags: Atticus Review, calls for submissions, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Duende, Ellen Bass, Ellen Wade Beals, Goddard, Jan Bottiglieri, Karry Langan, Lisa Liken, Open House Chicago, Patti Wahlberg, Pithead Chapel, Poetry, Prachya Review, Solace, Solace in So Many Words, Steven Perry, Susan Elbe, Susan K. Perry, T. C. Boyle, The New Yorker, The Relive Box and Other Stories, Weighed Words, Wising Up Press

Sep
22

Before the leaves fall

Blog

by Ellen Beals

Before the leaves change color and fall, I wanted to share these photos of trees.

As for writing, there are two open calls for submission that might interest you. And, like the foliage, these open calls end very soon.

First, Electric Literature; details here.

And, Tin House; details here.

Also, if you are looking for more submission info, consider visiting Aerogramme Writers’ Studio. It’s a great source of information.

Peace, love, and solace

Tags: Aerogramme Writers' Studio, Before leaves fall, Calls for submission, Electric Literature, Ellen Wade Beals, Glimpse of Solace, Leaves, Photography, Poetry, Solace, Solace in So Many Words, Tin House, Trees, Weighed Words, writing

Sep
14

Ides of September and a penultimate line

Blog

by Ellen Beals

Hello. September is well upon us (halfway over tomorrow). How have you been?

My thoughts are with all those who have been affected by the recent hurricanes and those who have been living in smoke-filled and dangerous places due to all the wild fires.

When the news gets to be too much, I never know what to write in this space. Before these catastrophes, I was trying to think about the general topic of cynicism, but I am still thinking. We’ll see whether I can draft anything cogent to present here.

Meanwhile I haven’t blogged in a while and I wanted to share something so I looked up public domain poems to accompany the marigold photographs below. I am interested in re-discovering “old” poetry that sounds contemporary. First I found “Marigolds” by Robert Graves (here’s the link); but as luck would have it I stumbled on his poem “Mr. Philosopher” and I found it more appealing.

I love the second to last line – it shakes up everything and makes us all overtired children. Here’s wishing you fun.

Peace, love, and solace,

Mr. Philosopher

Old Mr. Philosopher
Comes for Ben and Claire,
An ugly man, a tall man,
With bright-red hair.

The books that he’s written
No one can read.
“In fifty years they’ll understand:
Now there’s no need.

“All that matters now
Is getting the fun.
Come along, Ben and Claire;
Plenty to be done.”

Then old Philosopher,
Wisest man alive,
Plays at Lions and Tigers
Down along the drive—

Gambolling fiercely
Through bushes and grass,
Making monstrous mouths,
Braying like an ass

Twisting buttercups
In his orange hair,
Hopping like a kangaroo,
Growling like a bear.

Right up to tea-time
They frolic there.
“My legs are wingle,”
Says Ben to Claire.

Robert Graves

Tags: Ellen Wade Beals, Ides of September, Marigolds, Mr. Philosopher, Photography, Poetry, public domain poetry, Robert Graves, Solace, Solace in So Many Words, Weighed Words

Solace in a Book

Open House Chicago and a sweet steak side trip

News and calls for submissions

Before the leaves fall

Ides of September and a penultimate line

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