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

In the Works…

Right now I am working on a lot of fiction pieces.  I even have a couple nonfiction pieces in the works, too.  Not putting poetry on the back burner, but I have been inspired to use different forms of expression.  I even have a horror/Halloween inspired story I am working.  I have never written a purely genre work before.  I hope to post it when it is polished, complete, and, maybe even, published 🙂

by J.L. Smith

Poem published in Eunoia Review

Yea! My poem just got published this morning at Eunoia Review. Check out their Facebook page to see my work, “A Happy Poem.” Like them and get two works in your FB feed each day! FREE

This poem goes back to my SIU days. I believe it was even presented for workshop in Katherine/Katie Riegel‘s class (Yes, I found you!). I am pretty sure it was in the final portfolio at least. I have just recently started writing and submitting my old work after a very long break! This is the seventh poem I have had accepted in the last 4 months.

Now, get to work on more! Deadlines are looming. Enjoy!

by J.L. Smith

Word List Wednesday

I both hate and love word list poems.  They are great for creativity.  How often do you reuse the same words and metaphors over and over again?  Check your last 5 works; you might be surprised.  I hate them because it can be difficult to incorporate most, if not all, words in the list into one poem.  Yet, I am up for the challenge.  Anyone else game?  🙂

To be fair, I am using a dictionary to pull these words.  OK, to be honest, it is a Russian-English dictionary.  Wait, don’t worry!  The words will be in English.  It is just way of making sure I pull enough random words as possible without bias.

Use as many of these as you can in a poem or story for next Wednesday.

12 words

loan reference stabilizer erect install stage training glass steel torso statue head

Good luck!

Jennifer