Author / J.L. Smith

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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
by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo Prompt #22

Today’s prompt is inspired by the summer drink.  A poem I had just gotten accepted was about drinking hot Kool-Aid.  Yes, you read that right. And, yes, I lived to tell about it.  You will have to wait until Sunday to find out more about this drink, in the poem Korean Cherry Tea.

Of course, I thought about all the COLD Kool-Aid I had consume in my younger days.  That, and how nice, refreshing and comforting such drink is during an unbearable heat wave (OK, so that is a stretch in Alaska).

Think about your favorite cool drink.  Think about summer.  Write about it.  And, if you want, you can even contemplate hot Kool-Aid, if you want.  I won’t judge.

 

by J.L. Smith

5 Poems: Five 2 One Magazine’s #thesideshow

I am pleased to announce that Five 2 One Magazine has accepted 5 of my poems for its #thesideshow project.  These poems include: Korean Cherry Tea, October, Shinjang Hills, The Debate and When I Did Sleep.  They go live the 26th.  I’m so excited. I will post when they go up!  Check them out! http://five2onemagazine.com/

 

by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo Day 21

Raw excerpt today.  I will admit, this one is a bit more disturbing than most…

[She] wanted me to commit murder
almost every night I picked her
up from the plastics factory at
which she worked. She singled
out a victim or two, commanding me,
“run over that one,” as one of her
foreman would amble in front of the
car after a 12 hour shift.

by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo Prompt #21

Still thinking of the excerpt I posted yesterday. Namely, the words “victor” and “sacrifice.” Both are very loaded words in English.

Prompt for today. Use both of these words. They can be used separately or together. What images do both bring to mind? Can you have a victor without a sacrifice? How about a sacrifice without a victor?

by J.L. Smith

Poem @ Yellow Chair Review

My poem “Urban Snack” is live in issue #7 @ Yellow Chair Review. Check it out (and others!) at Yellow Chair Review.
http://www.yellowchairreview.com/#!Urban-Snack/q4ysq/576819340cf21d10aa69a727

by J.L. Smith

June PoWriMo

Prompt for the day:
In the most unusual places, I got nostalgic for the 80s. It was in church, of all places, that the pastor mentioned 80s hair bands. Our pastor has a great love for Jim Carey, Modern Family and other facets of pop culture, that he works into each sermon. Today’s sermon included a story about another pastor’s son, his dark poetry and the 80s power ballad: quiet mediation and angst within a 3 minute rotation. I will let your mind fester on that a bit.

I consider myself a late 80s/90s child, and it got me thinking about the trends of that era. Some of the things that came to mind: Voltron (out again!), Barbie, She-ra and Jem. Yes, I was thinking mainly about toys.

Prompt: think of the era in which your grew into maturity. What were the trends, what did you love from the era? Write 5 minutes (or more) about these thoughts.