My poem, 'the jungle that birthed me,' is out at Rigorous Mag. 

​"All my life, I’ve been told about how women like
me should be; submissive, small, light skin, and quiet as a
mouse. The picture of timidness, compliance, one who rarely..." for more, click here. 

I should have done this seperately, but let's be honest. I'm a mom with 2 kids and my "me time," is ticking. 

For her 18th birthday, Lenora Grace Williams is given a box. Aside from trinkets and photographs, there are three handwritten letters from her mother, written before she died. While reading the letters, Lenora wrestles with finding her faith, following her heart, and forgiving the secrets and heartache her mother left behind.
Goodreads link: 
​https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58260483-letters-to-lenora
​Amazon preorder: 
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096N3BTFF/ref=sr_1_1?

Let's be honest here, I forgot what my monthly goals were and was only reminded about it being Tuesday....a few hours ago. SIGH. 
I'm continuing to write when I can - about faith, pmdd, shifting identities and seasons in motherhood, advocacy - and if the poem is enough to stand on its' own, I submit to journals that I come across. I was going to wait until the end of the year for this list, but I'm going to do a 5 month "check in," for the sake of accountability.
Submitting to journals and getting rejected obviously isn't fun.....and half the time, I don't know WHY I even subject myself to the "thanks but not thanks," email. But I once read somewhere that all it takes is just one yes....the one that matters.... that keeps me going.
I have no idea where that yes is going to come from but I believe in that "one day, it will happen." 
​
SOooo here are some stats for you:
Since January 1st, I have submitted to 17 journals/lit mags for essays, poems, and completed chapbook.
10/17 REJECTIONS
3/17 ACCEPTANCES
4/17 AWAITING RESPONSES

It's only the 1st of June and we haven't even started our submission process yet. But there you have it. 5 months into 2021 and this poet was rejected up to 10 times out of 17. 
And I'm still standing - ha! 
How's your submission process going? 

1.) Submitted a poem called, "the voice," to Please See Me (rejected)
2.) Submitted pmdd & me chapbook to Porkbelly Press (rejected)​
3.) Submitted pmdd & me chapbook to Perhappened Press (rejected)​

4.) Submitted a poem called, "the cry of the struggle," to Dropout Publishing (rejected)
5.) Submitted a poem called, "the cry of the struggle," to Second Chance Lit (rejected)
6.) Submitted a poem, "my anxious self," & prose, "dear anxious believer," to Pearshaped Press (awaiting)

7.) Submitted pmdd & me chapbook to Selcouth Station (awaiting)​
8.) Submitted 2 poems, "cry of the struggle," and "this is how I'm surviving," to Revue Post (rejected)
9.) Submitted a poem called, "me too," to Brave Voices Magazine (rejected) 
10.) Submitted a poem called, "the jungle that birthed me," to Rigorous (accepted)
11.) Submitted 3 poems, "thou shalt remain nameless," "growing up girl," and "the state of things" to Antiherioine chic  (rejected)
12.) Submitted 3 poems, shower, cry, repeat," "lessons in motherhood," and "the things we carry" to Fahmidan Journal  (rejected)
13.) Submitted a poem called, "this is how I'm surviving," to Marías at Sampaguitas​ APRIL Contest (WON 3rd place)!

14.) Submitted a poem called, "lessons in motherhood," to  Literary Mama on 5/6/21 (rejected). 
15.) Submitted a personal essay called, "raising babies in the hyphen," to The Nasiona for their True Stories en Vivo call on 5/12 (awaiting).
16.) Submitted a poem called, "early start," to querencia magazine on 5/12 (Accepted for July 2nd issue). 
17.) Submitted a poem called, "here's what I know," to The Lannang Archives on 5/27 (awaiting).