Twice Upon a Time Now Available

Kind of a Hurricane Press has published their latest anthology, Twice Upon a Time, and it’s available for purchase today! My poem, “Once a Fish, Always a Fish,” a macabre take on “The Little Mermaid,” is in it. Click the link to learn more! The anthology is described as such:

Kind of a Hurricane Press asked our authors to let their imaginations run wild with childhood memories, delve into the depths of, and if necessary, even re-create fairytales. As always, our authors pulled out all the stops, and created, what we believe is one of our finest, and most universally appealing anthologies to date. Twice Upon a Time has something for everyone. Enjoy.

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Monday’s Music

I’m sharing something fun for the week. I loved Paula Abdul SO much as a kid and when I hear her music (rather rarely these days) it always puts me in a good mood. So this one’s for a good mood for all of us this week! The video’s a goofy one, too. Last week was a rough one, with Indy working an extra 40 hours, so I am psyching myself up to have a much better one starting today!

Tonight Indy and I have a date while Wood Sprite is at a sleepover. It is sleepover season lately around here! She’s had five or six this month alone. We are also going on a couple of hikes, to the zoo, to the splash park with friends and maybe even camping. We also have some work on the house we’d like to get done. Writing-wise, I’m doing some really fun top 10 lists, which are my favorites to write, as well as some Q&A web content.

Wishing you a fulfilling week!

Monday’s Music

Last week I tweeted about how I would love so many songs so much more if women weren’t treated like accessories in them. This week’s song is one such song:

For some fun, I’m including the version where Emma Stone lip synchs it.

My week is lined up with a field trip, some classes, a sleepover, my usual work and an extra project to help us prep for an upcoming trip. Indy is working 12-hour days this week so it may be a long one. While Wood Sprite is at a sleepover, I hope to get plenty of my work done–and to watch some more Orange is the New Black!

Her Father’s Love

This is a really fun assignment for my Shakespeare class. We are supposed to re-arrange a part of A Midsummer Night’s Dream into something new. I am taking Lysander’s brief monologue, “You have her father’s love,” and creating a new poem from it.

Her Father’s Love

Sweet lady well possessed–
Fortune’s won her soul

Marry him

Spotted and inconstant man
Made love

Avouch her head with vantage!

Dotes to prosecute
Beauteous daughter

Monday’s Music

I am working on my Shakespeare class this afternoon, so I thought I’d post a song from Romeo + Juliet.

Last year, I had a Big Fat Tragic Movie Marathon and now I’m feeling like having one again!

Indy treated me to a wonderful Mother’s Day, even though I had an injury. He took me to lunch, surprised me with an out-of-county library card (I’ve always wanted one!), bought me Starbucks, rubbed my feet and watched American Horror Story with me while Wood Sprite was at a sleepover. This week, we are heading to the zoo, a sleepover, book club, a museum, a homeschool party and a gymnastics night! Today we also took Wood Sprite to the Lego store to spend her allowance.

Here’s to a fabulous week!

I see Queen Mab hath been with you

For my assignment in Shakespeare class, I am to describe what I see or hear in a favorite portion of Romeo and Juliet. Of course I am choosing my favorite piece, which is Mercutio’s “Queen Mab” monologue. I actually named my rabbit Mercutio in high school because I loved him so much, and I thought that he should have his own play. A lot of people say that’s why he was killed off; he was just too interesting.

As a teen, I was not familiar with Queen Mab. As an older reader of fairy tales, I came to find her playful, cruel, cunning, chaotic. As a teen, I loved this monologue because it is beautiful. It’s filled with fanciful words and when you read it aloud, you feel as if you are in Mab’s dreamscape; like you’re transported somewhere magical. At first it feels wonderful, but then it becomes dark, as Mab disfigures “unchaste” girls. It is a warning to Romeo of things to come, of course, foreshadowing his dreamlike, brief love with Juliet and the chaos that leads to both of their deaths. Mab is no fairy of children’s tales (well, the darker ones, perhaps!) but a “hag,” as Mercutio warns Romeo, who punishes with painful repercussions.

Scholars might insist that the dramatic function of the Mab speech is to simply slow down the movement of the play, but it feels like another introduction to the play to me. It’s told in richer language than “Two households, both alike in dignity…” but it details the same circumstances and mood in one speech.

Monday’s Music

I am in love with Meghan Trainor and I don’t care who knows it!

I think her stuff is adorable, timely and most of all, fun.

Happy May! This month I am challenging myself to 30 days of NO COMPLAINING. Wish me luck!

What are you up to this week? We are heading to the park a couple of times, going to a gardening class and a couple of co-op classes, visiting a children’s museum and going on a nature center field trip. For work, I’m writing about state fairs and how-to articles.

Enjoy your week!