So Karaoke Girl which I entered into a little competition where you record yourself reading a flash piece, won first place. Thank you everyone who helped make this happen! Funny little competition, but always nice to be ‘a winner’! To listen, go here (YouTube).
Yesterday was a first for me, I had TWO pieces published in one day. One is a personal essay about my mother’s death, titled Now That You Are Here published by the wonderful Cutleaf Journal (the most money I ever received for a literary magazine publication!), and the second is Karaoke Girl which I entered into a little competition where you record yourself reading a flash piece, and apparently I’m shortlisted. I only entered last week. I’m not entirely sure how it works, if you like it and leave a comment (only if you DO like it), possibly it helps get the piece further in the competition! Or just click if you want to hear what I sound like…
I should say that these are not brand new stories. In fact the essay took NINE years to get published, turned down by far lesser (and non paying magazines), so it’s worth never giving up.
Delighted to have a story published in the third edition of Atticus Review. This is a piece of creative nonfiction, perhaps not an easy read, but I’m proud of it. It’s a lyrical delve into my own psyche and some of the events that happened to me in my childhood. In this issue Atticus Review states: we look deeper at the role of language in shaping our lives, our relationships, and our world. We have love languages, expressions of grief, ways of processing trauma and creating hope. As an access point, language gives shape, and is shaped by, our sense of self and our sense of community.
Many thanks to editor Rachel Laverdiere for her help in polishing the story.
Photo by Carole Raddato, used and adapted under CC.
I am so happy this flash story of mine has found a home in Hobart. It’s not a new piece but one of my favourites, even if it is a bit dark and strange. And funny, I hope!
(image: Tyler McAndrew)
How I love the smell of a newly minted literary magazine! I am so proud to have my short story ‘Gone Fishing’ published in Wasafiri‘s 30th birthday magazine, issue 79. This issue is actually not available to the public yet, but why not join me for the launch at the special birthday event on the River Thames when Wasafiri hosts ‘Words on the Water’ a literary boat trip on Sunday 21 September. Tickets for the event include a copy of the magazine…
My short story is included in the issue’s section on New Writers. The section is introduced with the following:
“Wasafiri has a longstanding reputation for discovering ‘the best of tomorrow’s writers today’, but if we were to try and include all the authors we know to be on the cusp of great things, we wouldn’t have enough room in a whole year’s worth of issues! Instead, we have focused on just three for this thirtieth birthday issue, all of whom cross generations in their fictional pieces, a theme which captures the essence of this issue, which looks both back and forwards. Balvinder Singh Banga touchingly presents a loving mother – son relationship which is tested by the cruellest of conditions – poverty and ignorance. Meghna Pant’s ‘The Gecko on the Wall’ skilfully depicts a man who, as a father, cannot communicate with his daughter, but who forms a bond with the next generation – his granddaughter. And ‘Gone Fishing’ by Sandra Jensen is a sensitive snapshot of a man whose troubling present is contained within the tragedy of his family’s past. Together these stories are a powerful reminder of how the present is shaped by the past, which also shapes the future. And, most importantly, they are told by three writers whose literary futures look very bright indeed.”
Descant Magazine has just published its issue 167 “Masala” on the South Asian diaspora. My piece “Even in Ruin” is in it, an edited, reworked section of my novel-in-progress, a literary adventure based in Sri Lanka during the civil war. I’m very excited about this publication, and I’ve just started reading the other stories in the magazine, some truly wonderful pieces in here. As guest editor Pradeep Solanki says, “Masala is a heady concoction of spices..” so too this wonderful edition of Descant.
One of my short stories, La Llorona, will be included in Springbok Publications‘ Wildlife Anthology – All profits from the sale of the book will be donated to Save the Rhino International.
Descant Magazine has accepted a piece of mine for its issue “Masala” on the South Asian diaspora. It’s an edited, reworked section of my novel-in-progress, a literary adventure based in Sri Lanka during the civil war. Publication date is this autumn.
A nice little write up in The Southern Star, a local Cork paper:
Reviews of my short story, “So Long, Marianne” in the Unthology No 3:
Sabotage – October 16, 2012 Review by Charlotte Barnes
Bookmunch – October 11, 2012 Review by Fran Slater
And my flash story, “Minotaur” was short listed for Lightship Publishing’s The Lightship International Flash Fiction Prize and will be published in their anthology in November.
My time at the Banff Centre was wonderful. What a perfect place for artists and writers! I’m very pleased with my mentor, Marina Endicott. The online portion of the Wired Writing program is well underway and I am more than happy with how things are going. What a blessing to have Marina’s insightful comments and editing, and to have a deadline each week to force me to get to work… Marina feels I should have a final draft by the end of the mentorship period (end of March, 2012).
In the meantime, an early draft of my novel is long-listed for the Mslexia Women’s Novel competition. Further results will be in January, 2012, and I am lucky enough to once again be accepted for the Sirenland Writers Conference in Positano, Italy next year. (See my earlier blog on Sirenland).
A flash story of mine was published in The Irish Times, “The Promise” and also in 100 Word Story, “Workout“.
Wishing everyone the best for the holidays and see you in 2012!
Sandra Jensen 