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Posts by J.L. Smith

I am a writer/political scientist based in Eagle River, Alaska. I hold a BA degree in English/Creative Writing and a MA in International Relations. Best of both worlds, I write everything from naturalistic poetry to Russia and the former Soviet Republics. Recent publications: Academic Nonfiction: The Syrian Dilemma: Moscow's Motives in the Syrian Uprising (2013). ISBN: 9781304283931 Creative Nonfiction: "The Important Things" - Alaska Women Speak - Winter 2015 issue Fiction: How to Eat a Bagel - 50-word Stories - Sept 15, 2015 The Devil and the White Room - Down in the Dirt - July/August 2016 Poetry: "Sara" - Grassroots - Fall 1999 "Femininity" - Cirque - Summer 2015 "Sitting in the Bathroom" - Yellow Chair Review - July 2015 "A Happy Poem" - Eunoia Review - August 2015 "Willow Rebuilds" "Spectators" "Fire Angels" - Alaska Women Speak- Fall 2015 "Dark Clouds Descend Low" - Three Line Poetry - Issue 33 - Sept 2015 "Da!" - Peeking Cat Poetry - 8th issue - Oct 2015 "Three times my baby's stroller passes by" - Eunoia Review - Oct 2015 "Babushka's Samovar", "If I May Speak", and "High Tea and Fancy Things" - Alaska Women Speak - Winter 2015 Issue "Joanna's Child" - Cirque - Winter Solstice issue 2015. "Away with the Bitterness!" - Peeking Cat Poetry - 9th Issue - Dec 2015 "Away with the Bitterness!" - Alaska Shorts (49 Writers blog) - December 22, 2015 "The Reflex", "The Drop Off", and "Crossed Eyes" - Eskimo Pie - Feb 2016 "The Fragments You Carry", "The Fireweed Dies", and "Crabapples" - 13 Chairs - Spring 2016

Excerpt: Medusa – The Lost Daughter

From “A Prayer for Rain”

Peace is never without envy for the
hunger of power is never quelled by
the full belly, bloat of satisfaction,
but solely by the art of conquest, the
acquisition of something that rest not
in your palms, but in someone else’s.

Excerpt, Medusa – The Lost Daughter

Excerpt #1 from my forthcoming book, Medusa – The Lost Daughter.

From “The Gorgon Awaits Her Fate”

Fate binds goddess and monster like a knot
of twine woven tight, restricted, hard to
remove, without fraying the core. A king’s
fate cannot be changed without a gift of
blood given at the altar of those gods
he angered with his pride.

Excerpts from Medusa – The Lost Daughter Coming soon!

Hi Everyone!

My first book, Medusa – The Lost Daughter will be a reality very soon! To get everyone ready, I will be posting some excerpts really soon!

Can’t wait for it to come out!

#firstbook #gorgon #medusa

Contest – Need More Entries/Chapbooks listed

The Contest:

I am extending the contest ending date for another month, as more people have discovered it and haven’t turned in an entry, and I want to give as many people a shot as possible. Please, though, put “Blog Post Contest” in the subject line, so I won’t miss it!

New Deadline: August 31, 2017

The prize: a chapbook of your choosing out of the collection I have amassed.

The stash to choose from so far: World Without Horses – David J. Thompson, Homesick – Tanzen Lilly, Humidity – Sara Flemington, and Someday, Howl – Cate Lawrence.

The prompt:

Your topic: Ancient mythology (gods and creatures). Think about an ancient god or creature of mythology. Who would you be? Who would you not be? What powers do you have? This topic is however you interpret it. I am open to all varieties.

Rules:

Poems must be less than 100 lines.

You are limited to two entries total. If you send two entries, please send them together.

Please send entry as text only (no attachments, please) to jennsmithak@gmail.com with the subject line (Blog Prompt Contest). Deadline is August 31, 2017. It is important that you follow these rules. Any questions? Please direct them to the email address above.

No bio is necessary at this point. Just your name. I am more interested in your entry.

Hit me with your best verse. Be creative. Surprise me. Make me wonder where you got your inspiration from.

Good luck!

J.L. Smith